Top Ten Blog Stories From 2013

The stories below made the Rock Netroots top ten most popular for the year 2013 based on the number of page visits.

But there was a slight problem. Because commentaries posted about Gov. Scott Walker easily received the greatest share of page views, I had to do a little finagling to break up the top ten listing with a few local themes. By excluding some of the less relevant (to today) Walker-centered blog posts, I was able to add popular commentaries on local economic development and others to diversify the listing.

#10 Paradox? Local Conservatives Demand Large Government Role For Economic Growth (September)

This posting could be a brief chapter from Naomi Kline's "Shock Doctine," but on a local scale. It's the story about how established businesses, start-ups and developers have installed a system of extortion and exploitation by holding their business and potential hostage in exchange for ransom paid for by our local tax treasuries.

#9 Email Dump Offers Glimpse Into Scott Walker's Underworld (August)

This was my overview of the O'Donnell parking garage email dump. I'm going to cheat here a little by posting a second link to my detailed account of several passages from those emails. O'Donnell Emails Expose Walker's Callous Dishonest Routines

#8 Talk To Primary Paul Ryan Erupts After Cliff Vote (January)

After voting "yes" on the fiscal cliff deal, conservatives on social media went on a warpath against Rep. Paul Ryan only to become just more toothless bluster of inaction during the course of the following year.

#7 Wisconsin Is Entitled To Know Who Paid Gov. Walker's Legal Defense Fund (May)

This one looked at how the media blasts state and local agencies that dares to hide information that previously was available to the public to how they completely ignore Gov. Scott Walker's refusal to release the names of those paying for his legal fees. Wisconsin Law states it is a matter of declared policy that all persons are entitled to the greatest possible information ...

#6 Gov. Walker Implies He's Out of the Loop In Executive Decisions (June)

After choosing but then suddenly withdrawing a college student from the Board of Regents, Gov.Walker dismisses questions about the puzzling reversal by claiming he wasn't directly involved in the decision. We've been getting that alot lately from Walker, including that he "never advocated for it" on issues he refuses to discuss.

#5 Walker Sees Debt More Inviting Than Grover Norquist (March)

A bit more complex than most of my posts, this one explains how Gov. Walker is way beyond using smoke and mirrors to project a balanced budget and surplus. In the end, it's all about political calculation and hard right-wing ideology.

#4 Workforce Skills Gap: There Was None Until They Got The Memo (July)

This posting returns to a segment from the documentary "As Goes Janesville" showing members of Janesville area chambers of commerce stating how easy it would be to train a workforce for a new manufacturing plant. The episode caught on video was just before the state embarked on a "workforce skills gap" meme to excuse the state's joblessness under Scott Walker.

#3 Walker's Wisconsin Falling Faster And Harder (March)

Following a report showing wages in Wisconsin fell faster and harder than in most of the nation, this animation put the story into a visual perspective and attracted a surprisingly large amount of visitors.

#2 Wisconsin Republicans Propose Imbalanced Budget Amendment (June)

I scared the hell out of myself with this one connecting some of the dots of Wisconsin's republicans (fiscal conservatives?) legislative efforts to systematically build debt and government inefficiency under an aura of balanced budgets to later justify paying down debt by selling off state assets. Keyword here is "privatization."

And the Number 1 story ...drum roll please ... for 2013 was ... Influential Wisconsin Conservative Shatters "Government, Get Out Of The Way" Meme

You won't believe what she replaced it with.

Just missing the cut for the top ten were:

Janesville Officials Looking To Dewalkerize Profile For City Manager Candidates (May)

Scott Walker: Cutting Govt Aid To The Poor Is Love (April)

Benefit Or Burden? Janesville's Economic Development Director Resigns (March)

Bizarre Ruling On Act 10 Should Alarm Everyone (September)

Janesville Wanting Higher Wages Could Lead To Trouble With Low-Wage Establishment (November)