GAB: Top 10 Things a Voter Should Know For Election Day

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1) Voters should be patient and use commonsense.

2) Voters should know their rights and responsibilities before heading out to the polls. That includes the ability to register to vote on Election Day. A list of voting rights and responsibilities is attached, and also available here.

3) Voters can check their registration status with their municipal clerk, or on the state’s Voter Public Access website.

4) Voters should know what to do if they run into a problem at the polls. First, ask for the Chief Inspector. If you are not satisfied, check with your municipal clerk. If you see voter fraud, voter intimidation, electioneering or misconduct by election officials, voters can go online and report problems at complaints, or they can call 1-866-VOTE-WIS.”

5) Photo ID is NOT required. However, a driver license or state ID number is necessary to register to vote or to prove residency when registering on Election Day if the address on the license or ID is current. * PHOTO ID IS NOT REQUIRED *

6) Election observers are welcome in Wisconsin: Election observers are welcome at every polling place, but they must follow the instructions of the chief election inspector, and may not interact with voters. Rules for election observers are available at the polling place and on the G.A.B. website.

7) Ballot mistakes are not fatal: If you make a mistake when voting, you may ask for a new paper ballot, up to a total of three.

8) Leave political items at home: Voters are asked not to wear political clothing or paraphernalia to the polling place on Election Day.

9) Get in line before the polls close: Voters standing in line waiting to vote when the polling place closes at 8 p.m. on Election Day will be permitted to vote.

10) Rules for challenging a voter: There are specific criteria and limitations on challenging a person’s eligibility to vote. The chief election inspector can explain the challenge process and provide the voter and the challenger with explanatory documents.

For full G.A.B. press release on top 10 things voters should know, click here.

ActBlue Short Film: Behind The Recall

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Watch it:



Contribute Now To Defeat Scott Walker Here.

Desperate Walker Turns Fed Email Confirming Data Review Into Official BLS Jobs Release

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JS Online Excerpt:
The administration of Gov. Scott Walker said the job-growth numbers he made public earlier than normal were verified Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development spokesman John Dipko said the Washington-based agency confirmed Wednesday that Wisconsin added 23,608 jobs in 2011. That's slightly higher than the initial 2011 figure publicized by Walker, which showed a gain of 23,321.

JS Online Excerpt:
However, Rick Clayton, a senior Bureau of Labor Statistics official on Wednesday would only confirm that the agency had completed its review of Wisconsin's 2011 jobs data.

Clayton, who oversees the preparation of the state jobs data, declined to say whether the figure used by Walker was accurate.

"We have completed our review of the data and we will release that data on June 28," which is the regularly scheduled release data, Clayton said.

Additional: Politiscoop - Scott Walker Broke Law Yet Again: Data release in violation of the *Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002

Hunters and Anglers, Don't Fret. You're Next

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Freedoms that we hold sacred will be lost forever under Scott Walker.

Walker DNR Appointee Sought to Privatize Trout Streams

WCM Co-Op Excerpt:
Scott Gunderson, appointed by Scott Walker to a top position in the DNR, once pushed for legislation that would have privatized thousands of miles of Wisconsin’s waterways, including portions of every trout stream in the state. The 2004 legislation, authored by Gunderson while he was representing the 83rd District (Waukesha) in the State Assembly, redefined “navigable waters” in a way that would have denied public access to between one third and one half of Wisconsin’s public waterways.

And...

Wisconsin's New Deer Czar Calls Land Of The Free "Communism"

Deer and Deer Hunting Excerpt:
Game Management,” says James Kroll, driving to his high-fenced, two-hundred-acre spread near Nacogdoches, “is the last bastion of communism.” Kroll, also known as Dr. Deer, is the director of the Forestry Resources Institute of Texas at Stephen F. Austin State University, and the “management” he is referring to is the sort practiced by the State of Texas. The 55-year-old Kroll is the leading light in the field of private deer management as a means to add value to the land. His belief is so absolute that some detractors refer to him as Dr. Dough, implying that his eye is on the bottom line more than on the natural world.

Kroll, who has been the foremost proponent of deer ranching in Texas for more than thirty years, doesn’t mind the controversy and certainly doesn’t fade in the heat. People who call for more public lands are “cocktail conservationists,” he says, who are really pining for socialism.

That is so bizarre. Even Walker's deer control and hunting and fishing policies are based on political ideology....and...

Walker's Budget Cuts Closing Fish hatchery Built In 1927

Ashland Excerpt:
Wisconsin’s state fish hatchery system is in the process of downsizing. [...] The Brule River Fish Hatchery was built in 1927 on the Little Brule River, which feeds into Lake Superior. It produced 200,000 brook trout in 1928.[...]Although Brule has been given a one year reprieve, state Fisheries Management Director Mike Staggs says it is next on the list to be closed. He says the whole system is being evaluated, and more cuts will have to be made.

If Walker survives the recall, the privatization of Wisconsin's public lands and waters will fall under his, "if you didn't know this was coming, you've been asleep for the past two years" campaign. Or, it's not my fault you refused to believe those lefty bloggers.

Join Facebook - Save WI hunting

DailyKos - How would you like to pay $2000 for a WI deer license?

Video: Former DNR Official Speaks Out Against Walker’s Assault On The Environment

Walker Dumps More Money Into Criminal Defense Fund

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JS Online Excerpt: (Bice)
Gov. Scott Walker's campaign has transferred another $100,000 to the defense fund used to pay his pricey criminal defense lawyers in the lengthy John Doe investigation into activities during Walker's time as county executive.

Newly filed campaign reports show Walker's campaign transferred $70,000 to the Scott Walker Trust on May 3 and another $30,000 on May 17.

That bring the total the first-term governor has put in the defense fund to $160,000 in the past six weeks.

That's only the past six weeks. In addition, records show the campaign has paid Michael Best a little more than $160,000 for "compliance" issues since 2010. That brings the grand total to $320,000.

Paul Ryan, Courageously Fake

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According to Republicans, spending in of itself creates debt, that's why repubs like Rep. Paul Ryan constantly twist the truth with, "we don't have a revenue problem, the country has a spending problem." That is the construct to which the empty-suited Ryan and the Republican Party has hitched our futures on. Most Americans know better of course, that spending in of itself does not cause debt - only borrowing causes debt. But I'll give him that, Ryan's got people second-guessing their own better intuition and values.

So how responsible is a political party that refused to pay the country's bills when it could afford? Obviously they were completely irresponsible, but they are now playing off the popular appeal of the taxed enough already crowd and locked into the Norquist "borrow only" for revenue pledge - there's no turning back. Repubs also think it's courageous to stand up and tell people lies. That's why Paul Ryan is at the top of the heap. That's why he's their star.

In the video below, Martin Bashir shoves facts in the face of Paul Ryan's comical but emotional breakdown for Ronald Reagan's "spirit" and bogus tax reform. You'll see first-hand how Paul Ryan panders and poses with Goober Pyle-like sincerity. You know the kind. Fakes.

NY Times Excerpt: (Krugman)
And the evidence for their fakery isn’t just their bad arithmetic; it’s the fact that for all their alleged deep concern over budget gaps, that concern isn’t sufficient to induce them to give up anything — anything at all — that they and their financial backers want.

Ryan tells out-in-out fairy tales with a dumb face and everyone knows it, but his backers laugh and applause anyway. Perhaps that's his appeal.

You'll also see Ryan doing what he does best as he recasts his perceived enemies with his own budget and tax policy failings. We're all familiar with the constructs of what Ryan is saying, except the names have been changed to condemn the innocent.

Another fine catch from the Democurmudgeon library. Watch it:



ADDITIONAL:
Rock Netroots - Faces of Debt

When Did Walker Exercise The Negotiation Option?

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Saw this story first at Uppity Wisconsin.

We know the timeline of Scott Walker's regurgitated defense is so full of holes that Walker himself seems to have grown tired of plugging his lies with more lies.

Uppity Wisconsin Excerpt:
WITI's Mike Lowe asked Walker about Dylan Brogan's report that Walker lied to Congress about the timing and motivation of Act 10 and Walker responded: "We needed to have every option on the table, I literally went over and testified on the Wednesday morning of November 3rd in front of the count board's finance committee with chairman Holloway, talking about what we were doing with the budget for the county, and in the afternoon, I was already over in the transitional office, in the Risser building starting to work on the budget, putting options like this on the table." more>>>

Since he claims he needed to have all options on the table, my question is: When did Walker employ the option of negotiation? And, when did all negotiating parties reach a final impasse for Walker to move on to the next option? Obviously, we know the answer is it never happened. Walker's "option" to drop the bomb was Plan A from the start.

Alan Simpson Jabs At Rock For Brains Politicians

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In easy to understand terms, former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY) on Sunday took some indirect shots at members of his party for their unyielding opposition to new tax revenues and their inability to compromise. The most notable partisans among these at both the state and national levels would have to be Wisconsin's contemptible Scott Walker and his borg-like clone, the ever-poisonous Paul Ryan.

TPM Excerpt: “If you want to be a purist, go somewhere on a mountaintop and praise the East or something. But if you want to be in politics, you learn to compromise. And you learn to compromise on the issue without compromising yourself. Show me a guy who won’t compromise and I’ll show you a guy with rock for brains.”

That's not going to go over with the Tea Party's Anders Breivik fans too well.

But one item that I continue to find very troubling from Democrats is their apparent willingness to offer cutting funded "entitlement" outlays as part of a balanced deal when the big three programs, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have solid support from the American people. How cutting those valuable programs in exchange for closing loop holes on those who can most afford as a fair compromise doesn't square with me at all.

Charges Expected Against Scott Walker After June 5th

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Wisconsin Governor Walker And Five Others To Be Charged In John Doe Probe After The June Election

hngwiusa Excerpt:
Milwaukee – On Friday, investigative information released by a reliable source indicated that Governor Scott Walker (R) and up to five others in the governor’s circle while he was Milwaukee County executive will be facing several felony charges resulting from the John Doe investigation.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office (DA) is expected to file charges against Walker and five other suspects on allegations that they used county time to campaign to help elect Walker as governor while working and restricted other Walker employees from exposing alleged unethical acts to the DA probe.

So far, three former Walker staffers have been charged in the John Doe investigation, including one that is awaiting sentencing, but has been postponed to prevent any influence of the June election.

NOTE: There has been some analysis that the HNGWIUSA posting is pre-election counter-propaganda meant to marginalize the MKE DA or pre-empt genuine public outrage concerning the investigation. The HNGWIUSA piece is poorly written but it does seem to echo a general concensus from both the Left and the Right - that Scott Walker will likely be charged with criminal wrongdoing sometime after the election.

What Scott Walker Really Means When He Says...

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"... I've been visible all across Wisconsin since taking office 17 months ago."

CapTimes - Exclusive Look At Walker's Cross Country Backers

Congress Wants Straight Answers From Walker - Good Luck

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The Nation Excerpt: (John Nichols)
There is no longer any question that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's sworn testimony before Congress has been contradicted by videotaped evidence of the controversial governor discussing with his top campaign donor a "divide and conquer" political scheme to undermine organized labor and make Wisconsin "a completely red state."

Now, however, there is new evidence to suggest that Walker's testimony to Congress about when he began preparing his anti-labor legislation -- which sparked mass demonstrations and a recall movement that will culminate with a June 5 vote on whether to recall the governor -- was not truthful.

The growing controversy over the governor's testimony led three veteran members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee -- who had previously contacted committee chairman Darrell Issa with their concerns -- to write Walker directly on Friday.

The ranking Democratic member of the committee, Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings, has joined Connecticut Congressman Chris Murphy and Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly in asking Walker whether he would like to withdraw the testimony he gave before the committee in April, 2011.

With those details in mind, Cummings, Murphy and Connolly wrote:

Congressional Oversight and Government Reform Committee Letter Excerpt:
Since you appear willing to entertain our inquiries directly, we ask that you submit to the Committee written answers to the following three simple questions no later than June 1, 2012:

Do you dispute that you met with Diane Hendricks, one of your top donors, on January 18, 2011?

Do you dispute that, in response to a question from Ms. Hendricks about whether Wisconsin could become “a completely red state,” you responded “Oh, yeah,” and that your “first step” as Governor would be to “deal with collective bargaining for all public employee unions” in order to “divide and conquer”?

In light of your answers to these questions, do you now wish to withdraw your sworn testimony before the Committee in which you asserted that you never “had a conversation with respect to your actions in Wisconsin and using them to punish members of the opposition party and their donor base”?

SignOn Petition To Put Walker Back Under Oath

Barrett Must Remain Focused and Confident During Debate

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I know this might sound rudimentary, but Mayor Tom Barrett has to remain focused during his debate tonight with Scott Walker. I have no idea about what questions will be asked, but one key element to remember is the reason why we are here. Barrett is not the one being recalled, Walker is, so I see little reason to debate Barrett's executive leadership of Milwaukee. Scott Walker is the one on public trial here so he has to answer for the many questions about his recent record and actions that led to the destabilization and civil war atmosphere in the state of Wisconsin. Barrett should simply explain what he would do different to restore the public trust.

Is Walker's Windfall Tax Credit Payback To Hendricks?

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CapTimes Excerpt:
Slipped into Gov. Scott Walker's 2011-2013 budget at the last moment, the domestic production tax credit will cost the state $360 million in revenue over the next four years and some $130 million each year thereafter, according to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Critics warn the impact could be even greater, a key point in a state still struggling with budget shortfalls.

The credit applies to profits derived from manufacturing or agriculture and is available both to corporations and shareholders of limited liability companies, S corporations or others who report business income on their individual tax returns.

As a result, top bracket taxpayers could see their state income tax rate fall from 7.75 percent to less than zero by 2016, when the credit fully kicks in. That's because any unused credits can be counted against other income, like stock dividends, and carried over for up to 15 years.

"It's a total giveaway to the wealthy," says Jack Norman, research director of the Institute for Wisconsin's Future, a Glendale-based watchdog group. more>>>

There was a recent report showing that Scott Walker's biggest individual donor, Diane Hendricks owned ABC Supply, paid zero state corporate taxes and while technically true, one source informed me that ABC Supply filed their taxes as an S corporation for the years 2005-2008, and therefore state taxes on profits were paid by Hendricks personally.

We also know that definitions in government administrative and legislative law are oftentimes vague. The most egregious example was back in 2004 when the Bush Administration reclassified fast food workers. Under the old classification, flipping burgers at McDonald's was considered a service job, but since 2004 it is now considered a manufacturing job. This allowed Bush and his cronies to claim they created 2.6 million new manufacturing jobs in 2004. So when it comes to the category 'manufacturing or agriculture,' it's loose enough to allow very profitable S corps with a staff of tax attorneys to further game the system for millions in tax dollars.

Only the little people pay taxes.

Sigh.

Ed Show Video: Wisconsin Recall Is Big Test For The People

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Ed Shultz hits the nail on the head. I'm guessing that I'm one of few political bloggers on the Left who would rather see the national DNC and national based unions stay out of our fight in Wisconsin. I know that might sound ludicrous, but from the beginning this was between the people of Wisconsin and a hostile governor who was elected under false pretenses, plotted a divide and conquer strategy on a constituency and eventually pimped the state to wealthy out-of-state special interests. Walker has admitted to deliberately pitting taxpayers against workers, communities against communities and neighbors against neighbors in his effort to win support. That's no way to govern.

From early on Walker and his political allies including Paul Ryan and the RNC have made this an ideological classwar fight. To them it never was about the state budget, job creation, unemployment numbers or the people of Wisconsin. Those are all merely convenient little sideshows to keep the natives grappling among themselves. At the same time, we can't fully disarm against Walker's money machine but if the people lose this fight because of money, or the lack of it - so be it.

But it won't be over. It will however send a signal to the rest of the country that there is much, much work to be done if the people are ever to retake control of our own destiny. If Walker wins, billionaires win. Everyone else loses. America loses. Momentum will then be on the republicans side and they will turn our nation into a full metal jacketed corporatocracy controlled by special privileged people who for no reason other than the power of their wealth, will impose their beliefs on the rest of us. We're already halfway there. Ohio beat them back and now this is our time to make a stand.

As Ed said on his show if Walker were to win, "It could set the template for defeating democracy and destroying our political system as we know it." Ed also mentions the attack on teachers in Janesville, watch it:

Berge Cartoon: The Divider

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Check out more of Paul Berge's work here

Fascist Flyer Targets Janesville School Teachers

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Some Janesville residents got a surprise on Sunday when they picked up their copy of the Janesville Gazette. Either tucked inside the Gazette holder or underneath the paper was a two-sided single page flyer listing names of Janesville school teachers and their salaries. The mad dog author of this piece of work referenced checking the verifyrecall Website to further target school employees and referred to the teachers listed as "radicals."

I did not receive this flyer and four reliable contacts from around the city reported they did not see it either. I'm also under the strong impression it was NOT part of the Gazette newspaper or delivery service, but there has been no confirmation of that as of posting time.

The above image is a portion of the contact information that appears at the bottom of the flyer. It does not show a source but asks respondents to send the completed form to Janesville School Superintendent Karen Schulte.

You can view both sides of the flyer at Facebook
Thanks to Yuri Rashkin upload.

UPDATE: A fascist militia group operating out of Milwaukee known as "Citizens for Responsible Government" or the CRG Network have taken credit for the flyer. The Gazette also confirmed they were not involved in any way with the flyer.

Janesville Gazette Admits Cover-Ups Are A Courtesy In Exchange For Access

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The Janesville Gazette issued their expected editorial defense for the local economic development group, Rock County 5.0, on Sunday. Titled, "Focus of Rock County 5.0 remains unchanged," the Gazette pretends like nothing happened but openly admits they would have preferred the film maker, Brad Lichtenstein, cover-up the conversation between Gov. Scott Walker and Rock County 5.0 officials Hendricks and Willmer - just like they apparently always do, and the Gazette went so far as claiming that Lichtenstein owed the RC5 that service because they granted him access to the meeting ...just like they do.

JG Editorial Excerpt: A stronger case of betrayal can be made against Lichtenstein for his treatment of some of the people who gave him almost-unrestricted access to their efforts and meetings. Those would include Diane Hendricks, Mary Willmer and the other members of the Rock County 5.0.

[...]Regardless, the release of the now-infamous clip with Gov. Scott Walker's "divide and conquer" statement about unions smelled of a "gotcha" moment intended to promote the film and advance a political agenda. The inevitable negative effects on Hendricks, Willmer and Rock County 5.0 obviously didn't enter into Lichenstein's decision.

It was Lichtenstein who betrayed? This is almost laughable. Wait! It is laughable. Remember that Scott Walker, Hendricks and Willmer gave permission to be taped and acknowledged it's ok that the tape won't be released for over a year. Plus, Walker, Hendricks and Willmer were reading from their own script, not Lichtenstein's.

So, instead of saying how proud they are of Brad Lichtenstein to have the gumption to produce a documentary that by chance exposed the duplicity of an economic development group and some of their members, they attack him. Truth is, I would not have expected anything different from this newspaper. But the admission they consider it a betrayal to not sweep pertinent information under the rug in exchange for access is something new, the admission that is, and you can bet this type of "protection" is leveraged.

Scary stuff from a small town daily newspaper.

Note: This Janesville Gazette editorial is not available on the Web as of this posting.

Will They Conquer Us?

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Video: Ted Talk On Job Creation

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This video explains why I go on a warpath when I hear or read about tax credits for jobs or other taxpayer funded "incentives" to supposedly coerce the so-called "job creators" into action.
Watch it:

Local Business Group Denies Red State Politics. Pretend Like Nothing Happened

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Thursday's Janesville Gazette article titled, Politics not on the agenda: 5.0 officials" was the newspaper's attempt to smooth things over for the economic development group Rock County 5.0. The RC5 is the local business group whose co-chairperson made several eye-popping statements during the now infamous "divide and conquer" conversation with Scott Walker. Despite the Gazette failing to disclose they are a supporting sponsor of the Rock County 5.0, I thought the newspaper stepped it up a notch from the regular cover-ups and trash they masquerade as news, but I don't give them a free pass.

Unfortunately, the newspaper engineers a directional signal to suggest Diane Hendricks' voice is not the voice of the Rock County 5.0, despite being an official co-chair of the group. The Gazette also slyly draws Democratic State Sen. Tim Cullen into the political firestorm without making mention of the three area republicans, Knilans, Wynn and Loudenbeck. Wynn and Knilans in particular have boasted of delivering legislation on behalf of the RC5 and their affiliate, Forward Janesville.

The core of the story begins with a question...

JG Excerpt: Is the voice of Diane Hendricks heard in that video the voice of Rock County 5.0?

Indubitably yes! Here's why.

In the video, the event is billed as an RC5 meeting with Gov. Scott Walker. The co-chairs of the group, Hendricks and Mary Willmer greet Walker at the door and begin their conversation...

RC5 Co-Chair Hendricks: Can we talk for just two seconds before we get up there?
Gov. Walker: Yeah, yeah, that's fine.
RC5 Co-Chair Hendricks: Some issues we're just going to avoid a little bit. And by the way, this is Brad and he is part of the Rock County 5.0 and he has been filming everything.

In what context did co-chair Hendricks greet Walker at the door? As ABC Supply owner? Not quite. What gave Hendricks the authority to steer Gov. Walker away from some issues? By who's authority? It becomes very obvious that Hendricks is speaking officially as co-chair on behalf of the group.

The conversation continues...

RC5 Co-chair Hendricks: So what we're going to do and talk about right now is just concerns that Mary (Willmer) and I that we probably have, are a little controversial to bring up upstairs. OK? I don't want to - because the press is upstairs.
Gov. Walker: OK. Sure.

So it's Hendricks and Willmer that have concerns and also happen to be the groups' co-chairs. Who are they speaking for if not the Rock County 5.0 to lay down the parameters for the discussion? Did the group upstairs know that their discussion was being co-opted by mere door greeters before the meeting began and that some issues will be avoided? They have issues that are too controversial to bring upstairs?! ...but only BECAUSE the press is there? My Lord. Who is the newspaper or the group trying to fool by spinning the idea that Hendricks was not speaking on behalf of the RC5 in the video or worse yet, that the political rhetoric was never part of the group's agenda before? Give me a break!

Soon after those statements came Hendricks' supercharged statements about turning Wisconsin into a red state, doing something about unions and right-to-work and then nodding in agreement to Walker's "divide and conquer" strategy.

Two members of the Rock County Group are quoted in the article insisting that Diane Hendricks was not speaking for the group during the conversation with Walker. Not to sound redundant, but who is the voice for the group if not the co-chairs?

As mentioned before, some members of the Rock County 5.0 might have good intentions, others might be blind to political undercurrents and positions and still others may be in complete denial, but that only goes so far when there is powerful videotaped evidence to the contrary.

It's also very discouraging that one of the group's members', Joe Pregont of Prent, attempts to shift attention away from those responsible.

JG Excerpt:
Pregont said he would be insulted if people perceive Hendricks' comments to the governor as the lone voice of Rock county 5.0 and its 18 advisory members.

I hope Pregont isn't suggesting that we betray our own eyes and ears to ignore the context and conversation in the video, but instead is just as insulted and disgusted by the words of the RC5's co-chair as we are. Because it's not the people's perception that's the problem here. It's your politics that are rotten. Helping a partisan governor turn Wisconsin into a red state and divide and conquer? Sorry but that doesn't wash.

The group has an economic development agenda that claims to be built on a "culture of collaboration" and a unified constituency. That should mean at the minimum to do no harm to a constituency in all efforts to achieve the group's goals. That's the public perception. It's the group's responsibility to maintain the perception - not the public's. Blaming or scolding the public for the breakdown is obnoxious and condescending.

The group's culture of collaboration should mean something sacred to its' members and not just be a meaningless statement on an overview page, but also serve as the top characteristic expected from candidates to become a member. Secondly, why in the world would a group elect and defend co-chairs whose personal politics and ambitions run directly opposite to the group's values? That doesn't make sense assuming the group is true to it's cause. If you don't believe in or LIVE a culture of collaboration, you should have no intentions on joining that culture, let alone be elected co-chairs. It's safe to say that dividing and conquering and working to weaken or eliminate a constituency is not a friendly amendment to that resolution. No?

Lastly, members of the group made no effort to take responsibility and do the right thing, instead the group and their enabler newspaper assembled a panel of defenders and attempted to micro-manage the group's survival by pointing blame outside.

This will only deepen the wounds and make matters worse. Pretending like nothing happened won't cut it either.

RELATED:
Jan. 2010 - Newspaper Resolves: You Need To Change, Janesville Cleansing of Unions Almost Complete.

Recall Forces Walker No Choice But To Cook Job Numbers

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As predicted, Scott Walker released his own jobs numbers one month ahead of time to avoid second party review and official approval by the federal Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Walker's own jobs numbers, custom tailored just in time by his administration for the recall election, shows a change of 57,000 newly discovered jobs for 2011, an extremely wild swing of 2.1% change not seen in recent years according to channel 3000. During previous years without a recall election for governor, the average swing of adjustment had been 0.3%.

(Recall, yellow and red markings added emphasis)

Obviously, this shows the power of a corrupt administration and what $30 million can buy during a recall election. A whole new alternative reality presented in a slick ad campaign within hours of the state report.

Another fine video from the Democurmudgeon's video library. Watch the channel 3000 news segment below:




The numbers released by Walker are NOT verified according to the Federal Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The BLS will release the official version using a real calculator during the last week of June, several weeks after the recall election.

ADDITIONAL:

Forbes, Ungar - Walker magically turns dismal jobs numbers into miracle

Democurmudgeon - Walker to Barrett Checkmate?

Madison.com - Walker Jobs Numbers Appointee Denies Connection

Businesses Signal No Jobs While Walker Still Governor

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Fox21 Excerpt:
Walker says employers are holding off on creating jobs until after the recall election, saying the state will see a "tremendous takeoff" then.

The above statement posted in some Wisconsin newspapers has been revised to read, "There is a tremendous enthusiasm built up for additional jobs," he said. "I think you're going to see a tremendous takeoff."

With no jobs support from businesses, Walker will put out his own jobs numbers.

Kleefisch: Divide And Conquer Strategy Not Done Yet

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Twitter Source:
“I don’t think a divide and conquer strategy is anywhere close to what we have done in Wisconsin" - Lt. Gov Kleefisch

She's half right. I don't think anyone can argue the divide. It won't be complete until they conquer the people on June 5th.

But only if we let them.

One Wisconsin Now Video: Walker Waging War In Wisconsin

Epic Fail: Rock County 5.0 and Allies Betray Themselves and Community

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Much has been made so far, rightfully I must add, of Scott Walker's outrageous discussion with Rock County 5.0 officials about using a strategy of "divide and conquer" on a constituency in the state of Wisconsin. There's still more to come in the following weeks, but there's also an equally disturbing local story unfolding that seems to be getting a free pass here in Rock County. We must keep in mind however, that local truth and justice is at the mercy of the Janesville Gazette media monopoly.

Rock County 5.0 Co-chair Hendricks greets Walker: "Any chance we'll ever get to be a completely red state and work on these unions and become a right-to-work?" Hendricks continued. "What can we do to help you?"

"Well, we're going to start in a couple weeks with our budget adjustment bill," Walker said. "The first step is we're going to deal with collective bargaining for all public employee unions, because you use divide and conquer."

Bingo is his namo.

After wishing to turn Wisconsin into a "completely red state," the co-chair of the economic group Rock County 5.0 does not say what can "I" do to help. It's what can "we" do to help. Remember, Scott Walker was not holding a personal conversation with Diane Hendricks of ABC Supply or Mary Willmer-Sheedy of M&I Bank. Hendricks and Willmer were acting and speaking in their official capacity as co-chairs of the Rock County 5.0 economic development group with cameras rolling. That's why this meeting was held in the first place.

So why is that important and what's so special about the Rock County 5.0 group? Nothing good actually, in fact I've been one of few local voices warning that the groups Rock County 5.0 and Forward Janesville are not the helping hand community organizers that they project to be. They are mainly politically driven self-interest groups whose core leadership is comprised of hyper-partisan right-wing engineers. We're in Atlas Shrugged territory here with a smattering of old world Republican pseudo-conservatives. Do they have a few members who are sincere with the community and true to themselves? Sure they do. But the group's 'community' image is highly over-rated and mostly staged through their enabler the Janesville Gazette, the Janesville Messenger and radio affiliates, and that includes much of what people will eventually see of them presented in the documentary, As Goes Janesville, no fault of the film maker.

But what should be extremely important within the context of Walker's "divide and conquer" conversation with the RC5 is the following overview statement from the group's Website. It reads...

Overview Excerpt:
Rock County 5.0 is a five-year public/private initiative to advance Rock County’s economic development vision through a single voice. This vision, which has been developed through various interrelated local and/or countywide plans, represents a holistic approach to repositioning and revitalizing our economy. By working together as one community, we have the ability to leverage ideas and resources.

Rock County 5.0 will foster a culture of collaboration, open/maintain functional communication channels and create connections - among and between various constituency groups - in unprecedented ways.

So when the sitting governor of the state advances a "divide and conquer" strategy for economic development to the co-chairs of a "culture of collaboration" group, did they reject that negative language by saying something like, "in all due respect Mister Governor, we wish to advance our vision by communicating and collaborating unity between the various constituency groups. We cannot support your strategy." No, not at all. Instead, the one voice, one vision of the Rock County 5.0 nods in agreement and then in the following year donates a half million dollars to the deceitful man and his sinister plan.

Where's the outrage? Where's the condemnation?

In the first two days, the RC5 enabler Janesville Gazette constructed their own hit piece to marginalize Brad Lichtenstein, the documentary film maker who captured a piece of business as usual between Walker and RC5 officials and dared to publish it. The newspaper sees this stuff all the time locally and works hard at keeping it properly reframed, filtered, presented, or omitted - properly gazetted. Because Lichtenstein apparently did not gazette this unflattering segment, they go after his $100 donation to the Barrett campaign back in 2010 to prove his nose is crooked. Without posing questions in the story, they write up (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to the Gazette story) the film maker's comments in a grilling fashion and frame him defending the recording and release timing of the video. See, Lichtenstein is in denial. Seriously, that's how they see it. Just pay no mind to the conversation or content of the video or the hundreds of thousands donated to Scott Walker from members of the RC5 - because they're our local non-partisan economic development community group!

The Gazette also headlined a "Sides spin union remark" story to further impeach the issue as typical partisan banter and deflect away from the local Rock County 5.0 betrayal. So these folks have no shame at all. They go into defense by playing even more offense.

The Gazette also worked some damage control into the Lichtenstein article to help shield one of their own, Mary Willmer, from some of the heat created by this firestorm.

JG Excerpt:
Willmer was asked for comment today, and BMO Harris Bank, which owns M&I, responded with an email that stated Willmer was not involved in the Walker-Hendricks conversation.

“Any interpretation that Mary Willmer was involved in the conversation or endorses the content of the conversation or reflected the views of BMO Harris Bank is simply inaccurate,” according to the statement.

Although MBO Harris/M & I is a supporter of the RC5, the banks were not participating in the conversation with Walker. Willmer was not at the RC5 meeting with Walker on behalf of BMO Harris Bank. She was there acting as co-chair of the Rock County 5.0, so injecting that defense becomes an irrelevant deflection. Yet BMO Harris/M & I Bank are not entirely innocent bystanders in this matter because they continue to financially support the Rock County 5.0.

Willmer too, in the role of co-chair of the RC5 has attempted to distance herself from the conversation, but has not condemned Walker's strategy or Hendricks uber-partisan "red state" remark and neither has any cash donors or supporting allies of the group stepped forward to declare Gov. Scott Walker incompatible with their vision and core strategy.

The following is a list of Rock County 5.0's major donors and sponsoring allies. Please call or write a letter asking them to publicly condemn Gov. Scott Walker's "divide and conquer" strategy and to withdraw their support from the Rock County 5.0 group. Or explain how does Walker's polarizing and destructive strategy harmonize with the RC5's stated "culture of collaboration" and constituency goodwill? The fact is, it doesn't. They already have over a year of support under their belt for Walker, so be respectful but confident knowing that you are on the right side of history.

Investors: $50,000+
ABC Supply * Alliant Energy * The Beloit Foundation * Blackhawk Community Credit Union * Blain’s Farm and Fleet * Data Dimensions * GOEX * Hendricks Holding Company * Janesville Foundation * JP Cullen and Sons * Kerry * Prent Thermoforming * Beloit Regal

Investors: $25,000 to $49,000
Blackhawk Bank * First National Bank and Trust * Kaiser Companies * Rock Roads Companies * Stateline Community Foundation

Investors Up To $25,000
Baker Tilly * Brennan and Steil * Agrace HospiceCare * HUFCOR * Johnson Bank * Johnson Insurance * L.A. Duesterback and Associates * Murphy Desmond Lawyers * Nowlan and Mouat * RSM McGladrey * SSI Technologies * Westphal and Company

Investors: In-kind
Angus Young * BDN Connection (Beloit Daily News) * Blain’s Farm and Fleet * The Janesville Gazette * LAMAR * Terry Print Solutions

Source

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Local Alliance Needs Some Sunlight

Gazette a Government Watchdog? Not Even Close

Hendricks ABC Supply Pays Zero State Corporate Tax

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Beloit billionaire and co-chair of the Rock County 5.0, Diane Hendricks, is well known for her hard-line right-wing ideology and huge donations to Republican candidates for public office. But according to the Institute For Wisconsin's Future, her Beloit based ABC Supply company has not paid any state corporate income taxes for the most recently recorded years.

Institute For Wisconsin's Future Excerpt:
ABC Supply may be a huge money-maker for Hendricks, but the Wisconsin corporate income tax returns she files claim the company makes not a penny in taxable profit. ABC Supply paid exactly $0.00 in state corporate income tax in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, according to the state Department of Revenue. Tax data for more recent years were not available when the information was requested from the department. more>>>

Diane Hendricks is fast becoming Wisconsin's very own Leona "only little people pay taxes" Helmsley.

UPDATE: One source has told me that ABC Supply filed their taxes as an S corporation for the years 2005-2008, and therefore state taxes on profits were paid by Hendricks personally.

Deception: Hendricks Funds Walker's Divide and Conquer Strategy

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In a video shot a month before Scott Walker showed the world what a scurvy rat he really is during the conversation with the "fake" Koch and shortly before he dropped his class war budget "bomb" on the state of Wisconsin - billionairess Diane Hendricks of ABC Supply asked Walker whether he could turn Wisconsin into a one-party ruled dictatorship, a "completely red state, and work on these unions, and become a right-to-work" and how she can help. Walker quickly responded by saying he must first employ a "divide and conquer" strategy to destabilize the opposition. Over the following year, Hendricks would end up giving Walker $510,000 to support his game of deception effort.

JS Online Excerpt: Madison - A filmmaker released a video Thursday that shows Gov. Scott Walker saying he would use "divide and conquer" as a strategy against unions.

Walker made the comments to Beloit billionaire Diane Hendricks, who has since given $510,000 to the governor's campaign - making her Walker's single-largest donor and the largest known donor to a candidate in state history.

Walker replied that his "first step" would be "to divide and conquer" through his budget-adjustment bill, which curtailed most collective bargaining for public employee unions.

Documentary filmmaker Brad Lichtenstein, who says he captures both sides in his work, videotaped the conversation that Walker had with Hendricks and Mary Willmer-Sheedy, a community bank president for M&I Bank. The filmmaker was recording what Willmer-Sheedy and others in Janesville were doing to try to create jobs in an area hard hit by the shutdown of its General Motors plant and related businesses.

In the video, Hendricks told Walker she wanted to discuss "controversial" subjects away from reporters, asking him: "Any chance we'll ever get to be a completely red state and work on these unions -"

"Oh, yeah," Walker broke in. more>>>

Hendricks by the way is also co-chair of the powerful self-interest group Rock County 5.0, whose tentacles reach deep into local government. The area's media monopoly, Bliss Com's Janesville Gazette, can be considered the sixth point of the cartel's grip on the community as it consistently runs publicity cover for the private self-appointed group under the context of news.

If anything, what we learned by this latest episode is that Scott Walker speaks the truth only to billionaires, and under different circumstances this story and video would have been a major bombshell. But unfortunately it loses some its prominence simply because it only re-enforces much of what we already knew. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you already knew about Hendricks using her purchasing power to exert her cold right-wing engineering on others and about the local politicians who regularly pay homage to the Rock County 5.0's wealthy elitists. And, we also knew Scott Walker has divided much more than the unions. He divided our communities and our families like no one else ever to come before.

The only thing remaining is whether we will let Walker and his diabolical handlers conquer us on June 5th. The choice is ours to make.

What others are saying:

The Political Environment - Walker's Great Gossip To Donor Pays Off handsomely

The Nation - Scott Walker Promised $500K Donor He Would "Divide and Conquer" Unions

Cognitive Dissidence - Divide and Conquer!!

Blogging Blue - Gov. Scott Walker admits desire to wage war on Wisconsin unions

Walker Supporters Owe State $917 million in Delinquent Taxes

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According to this website, the total in back taxes owed by 571 Walker Recall petitioners is more than $17 million. However, as of 2011, individuals owed the state of Wisconsin $934 million. That means the vast majority of money ($917M) owed to the state of Wisconsin, almost 98 percent - refused to support the Scott Walker recall.

Just more of that "taxed enough already" crowd who believe they paid enough of their fair share.

View the full list of delinquent tax payers here.

With Governorship On The Line, Walker Maxed Out At 626,000 Votes

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Thanks to Arthur Kohl-Riggs, the Republican party faithful were forced to maintain whatever honesty and integrity they have left, which by the way isn't much. Once again, thank you Art!

On the other side during this recall primary election, Democratic voters had nothing to lose and no office to gain in this primary. The recall election is all about getting rid of the liar and cheat occupying our state governor's mansion. That's happens in June. One way or another, the people would rightfully choose the best person among the Democratic field we want to lead the state of Wisconsin for the next two years. That now leaves me with Scott Walker and his base who had everything to lose and nothing to gain on Tuesday and could only muster 626,000 votes.

Despite Democrats winning more voters in this primary, the JS Online describes Walker's vote count as massive. I agree, but with Walker outspending his opponents 20 to 1 and everything on the line, "maxed out" would have been a better description.

Thank You Arthur Kohl-Riggs!

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Arthur, by challenging Scott Walker in the primary, you alone made his big-moneyed machine of dirty handlers think twice and sweat to keep the recall primary straight. Without you, they would have been free to taint the Democratic primary race and potentially tilt the final results in their favor.

You're a champion for American justice and a winner in my book. Thank you!

Romney Taking Credit For Auto Industry Success Is Like...

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Primary Podcast From Civil Discourse

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Here's the latest podcast from Civil Discourse discussing some of the options we might want to consider before we cast our primary ballot. The main thing is to get out and vote!



As a political blogger and huge supporter of the effort to recall our quasi-criminal governor Scott Walker, I won't be making any statements or endorsements about the democratic candidates. I will of course wholeheartedly support the primary winner.

Ted Nugent's Kidney Stone Acting Up Again

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During a recent interview with Romney supporter Ted Nugent, CBS reporter Jeff Glor noted that Romney will need support from moderates. In response, the dangerously deluded Nugent went ballistic for no apparent reason and offered to perform lewd acts on Glor including ‘f*ck’ the female CBS producer.

Nugent later apologized and blamed his insanity on a kidney stone.

Video: Tom Barrett In Janesville

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Democratic candidate for Governor Tom Barrett promises to fight for education, stop the civil war and restore Wisconsin values. (Thursday May 3, 2012)

Part 1 - Watch it:



Watch Part 2 here.

H/T to Yuri Rashkin for posting video.

Paul Ryan Will Host a Lecture In Janesville

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WHEN: Friday, May 4
9:00 – 10:15am

WHERE: Holiday Inn Express, 3100 Wellington Place - Janesville

Never Forget When The Governor Thought About Planting Troublemakers

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Never forget the response Scott Walker gave to the fake David Koch at the suggestion about planting troublemakers among the peaceful demonstrators last year at the Capital, he said "You know, [...] we thought about that."

Walker finished that particular segment with this...

One Wisconsin Now Transcript Excerpt:
My only fear would be is if there was a ruckus caused, is that that would scare the public into thinking that maybe the governor has got to settle to avoid all these problems. [...] So, that’s my gut reaction, is I think it’s actually good if they’re constant, they’re noisy, but they’re quiet, nothing happens, cause sooner or later the media stops finding them interesting.

No question about it. Scott Walker really did think about planting troublemakers. But instead of possessing a natural or even Christian sense of "right and wrong" morals and values to condemn such a repulsive idea, he strategized first on whether provoking mayhem would have provided him some additional political advantage over the protesters. How would the media react? That's our governor. In this case, he eventually figured against it, but only because he thought he would be better served by allowing the protest to die a quiet steady death into mediocrity. We now know of course that things didn't exactly go his way.

During interviews months later, Walker admitted he probably would have done some things differently if confronted with the same choices...

...maybe next time, right Guv?

Colbert Report: Ryan's Deeply Christian Budget

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Watch Colbert uncover the Catholic Church's war on Paul Ryan's deeply Christian Republican House budget. Part 1



Watch Part 2

Colbert and Georgetown University's Father Thomas Reese finds discrepancies between Catholic doctrine and Paul Ryan's fiscal ministry.

Rock County 5.0 Co-Chair Is Biggest Scott Walker Individual Contributor

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Records show that Diane Hendricks, owner and chairman of the board for Beloit-based ABC Supply Co. and co-chair of the powerful self-interest group Rock County 5.0, whose tentacles reach deep into local government and media including the ownership of several state legislators, is Gov. Scott Walker’s largest individual donor.

Beloit Daily News Excerpt:
The donation is the single largest on record in Wisconsin for a governor’s race. The $500,000 matches the amount donated to Walker by Bob Perry of Texas, who is best known as the chief financial supporter of the Swift Boat Veterans advertising campaign deployed against Democrat John Kerry when he opposed President George W. Bush’s re-election bid in 2004.

Hendricks is in a select class for sure.

RELATED STORIES:

Rock Netroots - Meet Wisconsin's Koch

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MotherJones - Koch Brothers Million Dollar Club

Bradblog - Inside the Koch Brothers' 2011 Summer Seminar (with audio and transcripts)

JS Online - Menard, Hendricks on Koch donor list

Never Forget When Walker Overturned Milwaukee Referendum

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Never forget about one year ago when Scott Walker signed a bill overturning the sick pay/family leave referendum originally approved by Milwaukee voters by a 70/30 margin. The GOP/Walker bill declared that statewide leave provisions trump local ordinances and prohibits cities, villages, towns and counties from adopting their own. Some Republicans at the time actually said that "the people" should not be able to vote themselves provisions or laws that they could directly benefit from.

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31 Republican men in the U.S. Senate voted against the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). But all 5 Republican women voted for it. Had more Wisconsin state republicans been involved in the U.S. Senate, they would have argued that the 5 women should have not been allowed to vote on something that they could directly benefit from.