Excuses, Fearmongering and Sour Grapes Are Only Certainty In GOP's Response To Health Care Reform

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As a supporter of Medicare For All or a genuine public option at the minimum, I'm still only lukewarm to Obama's health care reform act despite the law being affirmed by the highest court in the land. I also suspect more fall-out from the court’s mixed decision, most notably in its weakening of the law’s Medicaid provisions in the name of states’ rights.

But if I were the republican governor of a state, I'd certainly proceed with the framework of state-run health care exchanges, knowing that the exchanges are a requirement in practically every proposal for health care reform written over the past 30 years.

Gov. Scott Walker however says Wisconsin will not proceed with implementing the Affordable Care Act because the SCOTUS decision he claims, creates uncertainty.

Channel 3000 Excerpt:
In the meantime, Walker says the state will not proceed with setting up a health care exchange as is required.[...]

He said the decision creates uncertainty for Wisconsin businesses and that's bad for job growth. Walker has also said businesses will be bullish about adding jobs since he won a June 5 recall election.

Bad for job growth but businesses remain bullish about adding jobs? Which is it?

But tell that to four (Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois and even Tea Party Mitch Daniels Indiana) of the six midwestern states that have all outjobbed Wisconsin in 2011 while instituting that "uncertainty" by building the framework for the state health care exchanges in the new health care law. Add to that the fact that two (California and New York) of the top three states in the country that have had significant increases in employment from May, 2011 to May, 2012 have implemented the ACA almost in it's entirety. While three states with dismal job growth, North Carolina, Alaska and New Mexico have literally banned the ACA. Beginning this week, New Mexico has finally initiated a task force to develop a proposal for creating a state health insurance exchange. So how can the decision be bad for job growth?

Even more ridiculous is to say the decision is bad for Wisconsin. But we'll have to go in circles here for just a moment to tackle that one.

Walker's belligerent failure to implement the law has the same impact on the state as if SCOTUS struck it down. So the decision can't be bad for job growth or create "uncertainty" for Wisconsin businesses if he refuses to implement it. Without implementing the Affordable Care Act, it's business as usual for the GOP and the state of Wisconsin. With the recalls behind us, the state should be gushing in certainty ...and jobs according to Scott Walker.

Conversely, he could have claimed Obama's health care reform was bad for job growth given the poor state employment results of the past year, but only if he had implemented it. He missed that opportunity by fighting it every step of the way. But this is where the rubber meets the road. The GOP's (and Walker's) biggest fear is not that Obama's health care reform fails - but if it would succeed. The idea of course is to never give it a chance.

So using Walker's fearmongering and certainty logic, only states that implemented the federal health care law have "uncertainty," yet those same states have experienced some of the most significant job growth over the past year AND if Walker was right, that should have translated into businesses and workers fleeing those states for Wisconsin.

But we know that's not happening and Walker is playing politics as usual and fabricating more uncertainty by hedging on not implementing the health care plan, with the intention to blame the health care law for all that fails in the state by not implementing it. That's full circle insanity.

Mitt Romney also found himself in a similar foot-in-mouth position earlier this week by saying if the nation’s highest court overturned what he derides as Obamacare, “then the first 3 1/2 years of this president’s term will have been wasted on something that has not helped the American people.”

Boston.Com Excerpt:
Yet the court, with the vote of conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, today upheld the law’s constitutionality.

Accepting Romney’s logic, that would mean that the bulk of Obama’s first term in office was spent on something that helped the American people.

Roberts is not someone Romney can dismiss, either. On his campaign website, he pledges to nominate Supreme Court justices “in the mold of Chief Justice Roberts,” as well as other court conservatives.

Epic backfire.

ADDITIONAL:

Political Environment - Who Does J.B. Van Hollen think he Is? The Party Boss?

Think Progress - Sen. Ron Johnson thinks freedom means having the freedom to deny health care to cancer patients.

Democurmudgeon - Tea Party Losers Whine, have Temper Tantrum, call for Armed Revolution.

Crooks and Liars - Republicans Biggest Fear: That Health Care Reform Would Succeed

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

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:

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.

Illinois Governor and Manufacturers Group Turn Walker Around

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If other governors did what Scott Walker is doing, we would have to officially change our country's name from the U.S.A. to the D.S.A. (Divided States of America). This time he paid another visit to our neighbor to the south and essentially insulted the host. Walker didn't have to go to Illinois but you'd think if somebody visits your house, they would at least have the dignity to be respectful. Not Walker. So I have to give much credit to Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois for his polite remarks in response to our partisan clown governor.

JS Online Excerpt:
"They have the worst job record in the whole country, dead last. And we certainly don't want to follow his prescriptions when it comes to economic growth," Quinn said. "He promised 250,000 jobs, and he's way behind. Since the recovery began, our state has created over 130,000 jobs. Our focus is not on any other state. We believe in cooperation with our midwestern neighbors. Every single one of those states we want to have good relationships with. But our focus is on Illinois."

Doug Whitley, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said inviting Walker was designed to contrast the approaches taken by governments in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Great! A contrast between policies that resulted in Wisconsin's 12,000 job loss to Illinois 130,000 job gain! Walker said he's moving our state forward.

Chicago Tribune Excerpt:
A thoughtful analysis, however, shows that Illinois is a great place to do business because it is where the business is. This isn't an attack on Wisconsin. While Wisconsin is a great place to vacation, Illinois is where you want to locate your company.

According to a comprehensive state-by-state analysis by the 2012 Competitiveness Redbook, our state has twice the population of the Badger State and our workers earn 12 percent more than their Wisconsin counterparts — that's more consumers with more money to spend.

Our workers are more productive. Wisconsin ranks 46th nationally in worker productivity. We have twice the gross domestic product of Wisconsin and export twice as much. More businesses are started in Illinois and we rank higher in high-tech employment opportunities.

Michael Holewinski is president of Ace Industries and chairman of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association.

As Walker continues to shut down the economic engine of Wisconsin and divide the population, the state will likely lose it people-person friendly image and eventually become as crass and disrespectful as he is. Shame, shame, shame.

Remember Feb. 17, 2011 - The Day Scott Walker Dropped The Bomb On Wisconsin

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Never forget Feb. 17, 2011, a date that will live in infamy in Wisconsin state history. After explicitly promising voters he would negotiate with unions during his campaign run-up to election, that was the day Gov. Scott Walker suddenly reversed on everything during a press conference and officially declared war on Wisconsin.

Walker repeated those remarks during another news conference on Feb. 21, 2011.

"I campaigned on (the proposals in the budget repair bill for Wisconsin) all throughout the election. Anybody who says they are shocked on this has been asleep for the past two years." -- Scott Walker

Just days later, an incriminating conversation surfaced between Walker and a person impersonating Walker campaign contributor and Americans for Prosperity Founder David Koch. In an audiotape released Feb. 23, 2011, Walker compared his union plan to a history-making act and portrayed its surprise introduction on the people of Wisconsin as a "bomb."

As more evidence continues to pile up, it's becoming clear Walker's entire election campaign was one giant continuous lie. The state has yet to recover from the deception and devastation.

Liberation Day is set for June 5, 2012

Video - Before Election Walker Explicitly Promised to Negotiate With Unions

Video - Bait and Switch: Walker Promised in Pre-Election Video to Keep State Aid "Intact"

This Is What Scott Walker Means...

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As part of a new feature, I'll be occasionally posting a graphic to depict what I think Scott Walker means when he says stuff.

This is what Scott Walker means ...

...when he says "We're moving our state forward. It's really about fundamentally changing things."

List of Bills Walker Signed Into Law Last Week

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This is what Scott Walker means ...

...when he says "We're moving our state forward. It's really about fundamentally changing things."



Are you starting to get the feeling republicans would repeal the Civil Rights Act of 1964 if they could?

In Wisconsin, state republicans seem to be doing what all republican majorities in statehouses are doing across the nation, they're reversing or repealing many post-WWII laws dealing with equal employment rights and upward mobility programs while giving more state power to corporations. In fact, they seem to be doing it in an almost "dare to" revenging and "piling on" way of extremist laws where they are hoping to stir up as much rebellion as possible in order to create a contrast of courage for themselves against a population who they believe had it too good for too long. Paul Ryan's budget is perhaps the epitome of this uncompromising radical vision when Obama nailed it as "Social Darwinism."

Here's a list of some of those bills Scott Walker signed into law last week...

Bill History: AB-46 (11-0308)
Relating to: eliminating the World Dairy Center Authority.
AB-46 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 229

Bill History: AB-93 (11-0335)
Relating to: prohibiting purchase of tobacco products on behalf of, or to provide to, a minor and pr...
AB-93 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 249

Bill History: AB-152 (11-1872)
Relating to: state aid for airport improvement projects.
AB-152 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 248

Bill History: AB-216 (11-1679)
Relating to: maintenance and removal of vegetation obstructing the view of outdoor advertising signs...
AB-216 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 230

Bill History: AB-334 (11-2905)
Relating to: possession of certain animals killed by vehicles.
AB-334 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 251

Bill History: AB-384 (11-1883)
Relating to: weapons that may be used to hunt certain animals and requirements for establishing open...
AB-384 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 252

Bill History: AB-395 (11-2873)
Relating to: acquisition of land in the Niagara Escarpment corridor.
AB-395 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 250

Bill History: AB-418 (11-3443)
Relating to: agreements to locate unclaimed property reported to the state
treasurer.
AB-418 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 231

Bill History: AB-485 (11-0595)
Relating to: personalized registration plates for vehicles registered by certain veterans with a dis...
AB-485 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 264

Bill History: AB-486 (11-2685)
Relating to: the definitions of vehicle and motor vehicle (suggested as remedial legislation by the ...
AB-486 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 265

Bill History: AB-508 (11-3259)
Relating to: authorizing the Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority to issue bonds to...
AB-508 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 239

Bill History: AB-548 (11-3873)
Relating to: the typeface used, and rates charged, for publication of legal notices.
AB-548 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 228

Bill History: AB-609 (11-0042)
Relating to: road closure barriers.
AB-609 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 246

Bill History: AB-611 (11-0063)
Relating to: vehicles required to stop at railroad crossings, providing an exemption from emergency ...
AB-611 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 247

Bill History: AB-638 (11-3906)
Relating to: technical changes to the qualified production activities income and franchise tax credi...
AB-638 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 232

Bill History: SB-92 (11-1730)
Relating to: prohibiting coverage of abortions through health plans sold
through exchanges.
SB-92 was signed by the Governor on 4-5-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 218

Bill History: SB-114 (11-1273)
Relating to: legislative consideration of a biennial budget bill.
SB-114 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 220

Bill History: SB-174 (11-2320)
Relating to: closing the parental choice program for eligible school districts to additional school ...
SB-174 was signed by the Governor on 4-5-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 215

Bill History: SB-184 (11-2712)
Relating to: the reporting date for the Special Task Force on UW Restructuring and Operational Flexi...
SB-184 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 221

Bill History: SB-202 (11-0322)
Relating to: elimination of compensatory and punitive damages for acts of employment discrimination ...
SB-202 was signed by the Governor on 4-5-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 219

Bill History: SB-237 (11-2088)
Relating to: providing instruction in human growth and development.
SB-237 was signed by the Governor on 4-5-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 216

Bill History: SB-260 (11-3056)
Relating to: allowing members of a dairy cooperative to claim the dairy manufacturing facility inves...
SB-260 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 237

Bill History: SB-271 (11-3340)
Relating to: return of absentee ballots and voting in person by electors who have voted by absentee ...
SB-271 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 227

Bill History: SB-284 (11-1627)
Relating to: affecting various provisions of the statutes to correct errors and reconcile conflicts ...
SB-284 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 257

Bill History: SB-285 (11-0187)
Relating to: affecting various provisions of the statutes to correct errors and reconcile conflicts ...
SB-285 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 258

Bill History: SB-286 (11-1649)
Relating to: revising various provisions of the statutes for the purpose of supplying omissions and ...
SB-286 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 259

Bill History: SB-287 (11-0189)
Relating to: affecting various provisions of the statutes to correct errors and reconcile conflicts ...
SB-287 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 260

Bill History: SB-288 (11-0505)
Relating to: federal financial hardship assistance under the Clean Water Fund Program (suggested as ...
SB-288 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 261

Bill History: SB-306 (11-3305)
Relating to: voluntary and informed consent to an abortion, information on domestic abuse services, ...
SB-306 was signed by the Governor on 4-5-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 217

Bill History: SB-321 (11-3388)
Relating to: limiting the number of individual income tax checkoffs and combining the breast cancer ...
SB-321 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 222

Bill History: SB-330 (11-3433)
Relating to: limitations on the issuance of a certificate of title for a motor vehicle involved in c...
SB-330 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 262

Bill History: SB-349 (11-3464)
Relating to: the confidentiality of information related to exemptions from the requirement to regist...
SB-349 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 263

Bill History: SB-378 (11-2242)
Relating to: surplus lines insurance, insurance security fund, automobile insurance, and granting ru...
SB-378 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 224

Bill History: SB-386 (11-3831)
Relating to: voter registration at high schools and certain tribal schools.
SB-386 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 240

Bill History: SB-390 (11-3405)
Relating to: appointment of notaries public, collection agencies, and community currency exchanges.
SB-390 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 233

Bill History: SB-391 (11-3413)
Relating to: the procedure for the administrative dissolution of corporations.
SB-391 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 234

Bill History: SB-394 (11-3862)
Relating to: establishing an assistant district attorney pay progression plan.
SB-394 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 238

Bill History: SB-397 (11-3728)
Relating to: photographs on operator's licenses.
SB-397 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 241

Bill History: SB-398 (11-3729)
Relating to: submitting written objections and appearing in person or by telephone at a hearing to r...
SB-398 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 242

Bill History: SB-417 (11-3976)
Relating to: concealment of benefit claim information, availability for work, interest on delinquent...
SB-417 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 236

Bill History: SB-422 (11-2852)
Relating to: the length of vehicles that may be operated on a highway and granting rule-making autho...
SB-422 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 243

Bill History: SB-423 (11-3779)
Relating to: disqualification of commercial motor vehicle operators.
SB-423 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 244

Bill History: SB-429 (11-3974)
Relating to: portable electronics insurance and providing a penalty.
SB-429 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 225

Bill History: SB-459 (11-3809)
Relating to: economic development activities of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Autho...
SB-459 was signed by the Governor on 4-5-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 214

Bill History: SB-462 (11-3267)
Relating to: registration of motor vehicles by the Department of Transportation.
SB-462 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 235

Bill History: SB-463 (11-3864)
Relating to: the angel investment and early stage seed investment tax credit programs.
SB-463 was signed by the Governor on 4-5-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 213

Bill History: SB-464 (11-4031)
Relating to: prohibiting fingerprinting in connection with professional credentials issued by the De...
SB-464 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 255

Bill History: SB-478 (11-3418)
Relating to: giving notice of, and providing assistance after, a motor vehicle accident and providin...
SB-478 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 256

Bill History: SB-492 (11-3969)
Relating to: regulating certain service contracts and granting rule-making authority.
SB-492 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 226

Bill History: SB-497 (11-3684)
Relating to: designation, modification, and termination of agricultural enterprise areas.
SB-497 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 253

Bill History: SB-498 (11-3682)
Relating to: the pest abatement authority of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Prote...
SB-498 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 254

Bill History: SB-500 (11-3741)
Relating to: appointments to the Council on Highway Safety.
SB-500 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 245

Bill History: SB-547 (11-4199)
Relating to: safety mirrors on school buses.
SB-547 was signed by the Governor on 4-6-2012 2011 Wisconsin Act 223

Scott Walker Quietly Signs Repeal Of Equal Pay Law

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Huff Post Excerpt:
A Wisconsin law that made it easier for victims of wage discrimination to have their day in court was repealed on Thursday, after Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) quietly signed the bill.

The 2009 Equal Pay Enforcement Act was meant to deter employers from discriminating against certain groups by giving workers more avenues via which to press charges. Among other provisions, it allows individuals to plead their cases in the less costly, more accessible state circuit court system, rather than just in federal court.

In November, the state Senate approved SB 202, which rolled back this provision. On February, the Assembly did the same. Both were party-line votes in Republican-controlled chambers.

SB 202 was sent to Walker on March 29. He had, according to the state constitution, six days to act on the bill. The deadline was 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The governor quietly signed the bill into law on Thursday, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau, and it is now called Act 219.

Walker's office did not return repeated requests for comment.

More>>> at the Huff Post

GAB Recommends Recall: Finds More Than 900,000 Valid Signatures!

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Just going with historical percentages from previous statewide recall efforts, I figured they would strike anywhere from 12 to 25 percent of the nearly one million recall signatures on the petitions leaving about 750,000 at the minimum. But over 900,000 valid! Wow!! This is a testament to the determination, courage and meticulous work of the signature gatherers and United Wisconsin.

Beautiful work.

JS Online Excerpt:
State election administrators have determined there are more than 900,000 valid signatures to recall Gov. Scott Walker and more than 800,000 to recall Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch - well above the minimums needed.

Staff for the Government Accountability Board struck more than 30,000 signatures each for Walker and Kleefisch. That includes more than 4,000 duplicate signatures the board identified for each of them.

Official certification is expected within days.

If They Repeat, "Walker Balanced The Budget" Enough Times, Will His Massive Deficit Magically Go Away?

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How many times have you read newspaper editorials, blog posts, comments and letters to editors from folks claiming Walker balanced the budget? And I like the way they link it into nearly every state issue over and over again and do it with a straight matter-of-fact face. You know they say, "Walker did not raise taxes AND he balanced the budget," or "Walker didn't lay off any public sector workers AND he balanced the budget" or "Walker cut spending in order to balance the budget." It's practically a daily ritual.

A recent Milwaukee Sentinel editorial repeated the "balanced budget" assumption several times to settle a host of other false arguments exactly the same way in defense of Scott Walker's policies.

But. Nooo duuudes. You can say it as many times as you like, but Walker has not balanced the budget.

Wiscnews Excerpt:
So how about the deficit? On Jan. 11, Bob Lang, director of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, sent a letter to Assemblyman Jon Richards, D-Milwaukee. Lang stated: “In the Budget in Brief that accompanied the Governor’s 2011-2013 budget message, the administration projected that the GAAP deficit for the state will be $2.99 billion in 2011-12 and $3.02 billion in 2012-13.”

Despite cutting 12,500 public sector jobs in 2011 (Look mom! No lay-offs) and kicking thousands of children and seniors off BadgerCare, Walker's own projections show he is running the same structural deficits they crucified Jim Doyle for. He called Doyle a liar for using the cash accounting method to make the budget appear balanced, yet Walker is doing the same thing - but even worse. Say what you will about Doyle, but he did not have to "save" the state from a problem that never existed.

What is it these people aren't getting ...or is it just a matter of media engineering and political convenience? One way to think how conservatives think about Wisconsin's annual budgets is to watch the video below to see how Republican senate candidate, Tommy Thompson, handled a media question about the deficit he handed to Scott McCallum and eventually passed to Jim Doyle.



So why can't everyone be on the same page about this? It's either Thompson, McCallum, Doyle AND Walker are all running structural deficits OR, they all balanced the budget as Wisconsin’s Constitution mandates it. I'd be good with either premise as the official declaration since they all are calculated using the same accounting method. But not the mixing and matching we have now.

So why does the media continue to describe the budgets of previous administrations as deficits while Walker's budget as balanced? Could it be that Walker needed a massive deficit, at least on paper, to give his media-endorsed budget agenda a cause? Could it be that without that great big deception, Walker's entire Act 10 Budget repair bill would have had no purpose for being the solution to a problem that never existed?

I think so.

John Doe Investigations - They're Supposed To Be Secret

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Wisconsin Republicans Join National Party Bang On Women

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Keep Your Boehner Out Of My Uterus

According to most conservatives, women aren't smart enough to know themselves or their own bodies.

The GOP's war on women is now fully assimilated throughout their party identity. There's really no need to even politicize their bold-faced gender superiority, arrogance and discrimination against women. It is a hallmark of what it always was and always will be to be a true "conservative" yesterday, today and tomorrow. Sometimes I think we shouldn't try to stop them or ask for apologies. On one hand, I think the intolerant Right will wind up dooming themselves to the ash bin of history and ...what's wrong with that?

On the other hand, I don't blame women one bit for standing up and pushing back against an outrage that threatens their right to control their own individualism and destiny. It threatens their rights and if their rights are threatened - it threatens all of us.

~ Rep. Kelda Helen Roys: Facebook
"Earlier today, I shared that I had planned a response to today's upcoming battles in the War on Women here in the WI Assembly. I am pleased to share the first amendment I will be offering. My amendment will seek to add a rectal examination as a requirement for all men seeking a prescription for Viagra or other erectile disfunction drugs. Sure, it is not medically necessary, but if the legislature is going to impose medically superfluous requirements on women, it should do the same for men."

From Paul Ryan to Jim Sensenbrenner to Ron Johnson to Scott Walker to Glenn Grothman to the Fitzgerald Brothers, few state party delegations excel better at poisoning the well of discourse and fomenting divisiveness than the group we have here right now in Wisconsin. I also know there will always be plenty of self-deprecating voters who will continue to vote against their own interests. For many it's a traditional and cultural value handed down from one generation to the next. That's just the way it is.

But believe it or not, we still have modern-day conservative women who not only allow themselves to be treated like a second-hand possession by their male counterparts - they champion the cause. It doesn't make sense. Like when Arizona Republican Debbie Lesko authored a controversial bill that would allow Arizona employers the right to deny health insurance coverage for contraceptives based on religious objections. The bill would essentially give employers the power to request that women being prescribed birth control pills provide proof that they're using it for non-sexual reasons. Because Arizona's an at-will employment state, that means that bosses critical of their female employees' sex lives could fire them as a result.

Unbelievable!

In Wisconsin, we have at least a dozen state legislators to the right of Arizona's Lesko, so I wouldn't put it past any of them to copycat any legislation that is aimed at disempowering women.

But I've got to hand it to our no-nonsense American women, they're not taking any of this lying down. On Tuesday's "Mad as Hell Rally"...

Reality Check Excerpt:
Although the rally may seemingly be coming too late, it is, as Lisa Subeck of NARAL Wisconsin calls it, “just a starting point.” According to Subeck and representatives from Planned Parenthood and other organizations speaking today, the next logical – and imperative step – is to get women out to vote and to get them into office.

Atkinson speaking again to the crowd aptly said, “The great thing about women is we don’t just get angry, we take action.”

If there's one thing I've learned about women and politics, it's most of them that are involved have bigger balls than most men. Look out Republicans. You're about to have your asses handed to you. No pun intended.

In complete Solidarity...ladies

Video: Wisconsin's War On Women

Cooperating Lawyered Up Governor Forms Legal Defense Fund

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Last month, Scott Walker said he "agreed to meet" with John Doe prosecutors and hired two high-powered attorneys to ensure he's "in the best position possible to continue aiding" the investigation.

In an equally surreal context, Walker announced on Friday the creation of a legal defense fund needed in order to fulfill his commitment to cooperate...

Wisconsin State Journal Excerpt:
"I have repeatedly pledged my cooperation with that inquiry," Walker said. "To fulfill my commitment, I have today formed a legal fund to pay for the expenses incurred in cooperating with the inquiry."

JS Online Bice Blog Excerpt:
"If you create a legal defense fund, you are either being investigated, being charged with or have been convicted of a criminal violation of Chapter 11 or Chapter 12," said George Dunst, a retired state election lawyer.

But Walker spokeswoman Ciara Matthews said late Friday that the fund was set up "under the guidance of the GAB."

Lots of polished doubletalk from Walker and his people. But it should be obvious by now that he is a key person of interest in the investigation. The only thing remaining is whether he will be charged.

So, should officials repudiated by an increasingly cynical electorate and facing serious legal scrutiny continue to be involved in making long-lasting decisions for all of us?

Over the past year, Walker has abused his power in the name of moving forward that will have a negative effect on Wisconsin for years to come and with the recall election all but certain and a possible indictment, the people of Wisconsin should demand Walker eliminate himself from legislative influence and shelve his ham-fisted ALEC/Koch Agenda until the last precinct tally is counted in the recall and until the John Doe investigation is fully closed.

It's the right thing to do.

Crooks and Liars - Historic: Scott Walker First WI Gov. to Need a Legal Defense Fund

Taxes Seem High? Blame The New Entitlement Mentality Sweeping The Country

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If regular working class people really want to know why taxes and fees are taking a bigger bite out of our paychecks and are expected to get worse - don't blame education, public employees, government services or tax rates. Look toward the multitude of loopholes, exemptions, zone tax credits, "jobs" tax credits, taxpayer funded forgivable loans and tax revenue withholding caches like TIF District slush fund gimmicks, all lobbied for and legislated by crony capitalists to favor the rich and powerful few. It's a matter of simple subtraction.

You think when GOPer's like Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan say that rich people don't have to pay taxes, they are joking? Hah, think again. Somebody will have to make up for the difference in lost revenue.

Despite an already increasing tax burden in Wisconsin under Scott Walker, we have yet to see the real effects of the tax shift take place under his massive wealth redistribution plan. But don't worry. The motherlode is on the way.

The Northwestern Excerpt:
(Titled: Walker's tax credits give away the farm)

In fact, under Walker's tax credit, after 2015 a farm or factory owning couple could earn up to about $625,000 a year before owing a single dime in state taxes. And they could earn about $796,000 before they owe that same $1,425 that you have to pay on your measly $50,000 – because with the tax credit, they'll owe only an additional $5 on each extra $600 in agricultural or manufacturing income they earn. more>>>

When you throw in all the other special tax credits, exemptions and artificially low property tax assessments for developers on the state side alone, we will be getting hammered!

The tax hell is only for the little people.

Video: Invaders, Get Out Of Wisconsin

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About the upcoming Recall Elections In Wisconsin.

"It's not just about the people of Wisconsin - it's about America" -- Tea Party Moonbat

THAT'S America? To have a group of out-of-state ideologues ignore state process and stick their nose in the business of others? Whatever happened to state's rights and the will of the people to prevail? According to the Tea Party, the people's constitutional right to recall public officials sidetracks democracy.

Another way to view this is to put yourself in Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly's shoes and think what they would say to an outside national union representative sticking their nose in the people's business of another state. They would've painted it up like Pearl Harbor. Wisconsin Democratic Party Spokesman Graeme Zielinki was rightfully fired up during this interview.

Watch it:



Additional:

Democurmudgeon - Recall Meddling Out-of-State Tea Party Dummy told to "Get out of Wisconsin."

Walker Taking Wisconsin Back To Thompson's Tax Hell Daze

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During Terrible Tommy's reign over Wisconsin through the 90's, the burden of state taxes on the average Wisconsin income earner was solidly in the 12 percent range with a few years popping 13 percent. Believe it or not, it was Gov. Jim Doyle who courageously fought the tax burden battle and incrementally brought the tax burden down into the 11 percent range, settling for a bittersweet 11.2 percent in the 2008-09 budget. Ironically, it was Doyle's Wisconsin that the state's GOP support-base business group, Wisconsin Commerce and Manufacturers, branded as a "tax hell."

So it only figures that the WMC-endorsed Scott Walker has reversed the direction established by Doyle and now has the state trending toward those glorious republican days of Terrible Tommy ...

Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance Excerpt:
State-local governments here collected $25.9 billion in taxes and fees in fiscal year 2011, 5.4% more than the prior year. This year's tax burden was 11.9%, up from 11.7% in 2010. Individual income tax collections were $6.7 billion in 2011, up 10% from $6.1 billion in 2010. This year's increase was the largest one-year jump since 2000.

Note: The above paragraph appears on the WTA's Home Page as a summary for the article.

That's right. The last time Wisconsin workers saw the state carve out as large a one-year increase from our earnings - Tommy Thompson was in charge! Who woulda' thunk it? Few states hammer the middle class as hard as Wisconsin - especially households earning less than $88,000 a year, wrote the Journal Sentinel back in 2010, and that was when the tax burden was better - under Jim Doyle! But today? Under Walker's massive transfer of wealth away from Wisconsin families, modest communities and public sector workers to the GOP business elite and coupled with increased state spending can only mean an even larger tax bite is on the way. Wisconsin is clawing its way back into hell.

From Tax Hell To "All Screwed Up!"
If you hear 'Wisconsin' and a job transfer, part of your mind is going to say, 'Isn't that the place that's all screwed up?'
-- Todd Berry, WTA ...saying what others are thinking.

JS Online Editorial - Wisconsin missing out on U.S. jobs gains, under Walker. (Over 1,800 comments)

Smoking Pants Video: Walker Talked Up Bargaining Table Before Election

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"I support Walker because he did exactly what he said he was going to do." -- Confused Wisconsin Voter or Willful Liar

How many times have you seen or heard that line?

Most us in the battlefield would retort with fact-check articles and video evidence of Walker campaign events that show an absence of the statements that he and his loyal supporters claim existed about collective bargaining. Proof enough in the court of public opinion, but we were only able to prove a negative - that Walker never said he was going to end collective bargaining rights.

But now with the help from a video just released by the Northwestern, we are able to not only provide more evidence for what Walker did not say, but to show exactly what he DID say about collective bargaining rights just one week before election. He not only talked up a strategy using collective bargaining to balance the state's budget, but he went on to convey that he was open to whatever compromise is necessary to get the job done.

Transcript excerpt from video:

Editorial Board Member: Before, we were talking about state employees contributing to their plan, paying their share of the pension plan. Collective bargaining come into that?

Walker: Yep (nodding yes)

Editorial Board Member: How do you get that negotiated and accepted by the state employee unions?

Walker: You still have to negotiate it. I did that at the county as well.

Uppity Wisconsin Excerpt:

Walker then goes on to say that he has used furloughs as a bargaining tool at the county level and that "we'd approach a similar strategy for the state," but said that he was open to compromise, saying "we're not locked into saying it has to be exactly the same" and that if unions could provide alternative routes to saving money he would be willing to explore those ideas.

The truth is, as this video clearly shows, is when it came to balancing the budget using the negotiating table of collective bargaining, Walker wanted voters to know that he was more flexible than Gumby.

The video below is a nice mash-up of the story provided by the folks at Uppity Wisconsin. Watch it:

Quote from Walker After the Election.
"If anyone doesn't know what's coming, they've been asleep for the past two years." -- Scott Walker. What he really meant to say is you had to be asleep - to believe him.

Watch entire hour-long Northwestern editorial video here.

Easy Call: Enough Petition Signatures To Trigger Walker's Recall

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Granted, the Government Accountability Office has not yet made the formal announcement making the Recall Election of Scott Walker official, but Walker's recent decision not to challenge the signatures just about puts an end to his base's speculation and rumors about the quality and quantity of petition signatures.

Cognitive Dissidence Excerpt:
First of all, he had three times the amount of time allowed by the law to do what he needed to do.  Secondly, Walker has raised more than $12 million for his recall campaign thanks to the law that waives any limits on donations.  The reason for that waiver is so that he could use it to defend himself by checking and challenging the signatures.  He could have hired 15,000 people - one for every ten sheets turned in - and paid them $100 for the day to check the signatures and still had enough to overdose everyone in the state with his insipid, fact-free commercials.

Easily. He could have bought two more weeks of time two weeks ago by spending a few million dollars if he thought he had a chance to discredit the recall petitions. No way that was going to happen.

Not when there are preliminary numbers like this:

Wisconsin State Journal Excerpt:
Verify the Recall and True the Vote, another petition review group, on Monday released their own analysis of more than 800,000 of the signatures. The groups said their more than 14,000 volunteers from around the country had found some 55,608 ineligible signatures, 228,940 signatures in need of further investigation and 534,685 eligible signatures.

Remember again, these numbers were compiled and posted by outfits out to discredit the petition drive. They had a "no sign" form page for Wisconsin residents to sign in and verify they did not sign the petition, but does anyone really believe they would post a data base and form page for Wisconsin voters to verify those that they claim need further investigation? Not a chance.

As far as I'm concerned, those numbers verify the recall. Thank you tea party patriots! We can conservatively figure that 70 percent of the 228,940 signatures needing further investigation will pass muster. That brings the total eligible to 700,466 signatures and that's with more than 10% of the petitions still not counted. These percentages run true to the historical averages of past recalls. We'll likely see the official number closer to 770,000+ eligible when it's all said and done. Far more than the necessary 540,208 necessary to trigger the recall.

Fact is, Scott Walker did not run out of time. He ran out of hope. But we are dealing with a ruthless cabal of dirty rotten scoundrels in control of state government, so anything can happen.

Additional:

Tea Party "Crazy Brother" charged with nine felonies of forging signatures in possible attempt to discredit recall effort.

One Year Ago Today

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February 22, 2011
Explosive Conversation: Scott Walker Plots With Koch Poser