Janesville - Rock County

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Video: Walker Greeted At Devil's Lake

A Day At Devil's Lake With Scott Walker 6-25-11

You may have to re-adjust your audio during play.

Modern Day Black Sox Scandal? Cantor Signals America Fail - Banks On It

I know it's not just me, but I found this story about Rep. Eric Cantor taking a short position on long-dated government bonds troubling enough to have me thinking about the Black Sox Scandal.

The Black Sox Scandal you might recall was an incident that took place around the 1919 Baseball World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games for financial gain.

Washington Wire Excerpt: (WSJ blog)
[Cantor], bought up to $15,000 in shares of ProShares Trust Ultrashort 20+ Year Treasury ETF last December, according to his 2009 financial disclosure statement. The exchange-traded fund takes a short position in long-dated government bonds. In effect, it is a bet against U.S. government bonds—and perhaps on inflation in the future.

Cantor (GOP House Leader), much like Paul Ryan (GOP Budget Czar), is in a congressional position similar to a baseball coach deliberately signaling his runner to steal home base knowing he'll be called out. Cantor, like Ryan again, has also advocated to not raise the national debt ceiling. An event many economic experts would consider a disaster.

TPM Excerpt:
Ryan's not the only Republican suggesting that Wall Street would be just fine with the US at least flirting with default this summer. The White House had said that a chance of the country not paying what it owes investors could lead to economic catastrophe. But increasingly Republicans are saying the idea might not be so bad.

Last week, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) told reporters that Wall Street told him basically the same thing it told Ryan.

Although the Wall Street Journal twisted this into Cantor "putting his money where his mouth is" frame (somehow they omitted the word "courageous"), I found it odd the WSJ would expose this information to people with a brain and in effect, throw one of their own Congressional pawns under a bus.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Reminder: Janesville Medicare Forum With Rob Zerban Today

SCHEDULE:

Wednesday, JUNE 29
6 PM-6:30 PM, cheese & cracker reception (nonalcoholic potluck)
6:30 PM-8 PM, speakers; discussion

BASICS CO-OP
1711 Lodge Dr (turn Right on Lodge going South on 26, across Lodge from Toys R Us), Janesville

Forum on How Ryan Would Destroy Medicare.

SPEAKERS:

Rob Zerban, Kenosha County Supervisor and candidate for the 1st Congressional District (Paul Ryan's),

Author of the website, Hands Off My Grandma.

Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, author of "Rep. Paul Ryan's Budget Plan a Trojan horse Assault on American Values"

ADDITIONAL READING:

Rob Zerban delivered more than 60,000 signed petitions to Congressman Paul Ryan’s office demanding that he stop his attack on Medicare.

Paul Krugman: Medicare Saves Money.

The Paul Ryan Watch: TV SPOT: Paul Ryan. Protecting Big Oil Profits. Lining His Own Pockets.

Justice Suggested To Prosser "Get Help" After Incident

JS Online Excerpt:
Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley asked Justice David Prosser to seek therapy to manage his anger two days after she says he put his hands around her neck, but he declined to do so, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The request came June 15, when all the justices met with Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs to discuss the June 13 altercation between Prosser and Bradley.

They had to be pulled apart?!

JS Online Excerpt:
Bradley yelled for Prosser to get his hands off her neck or that she was being choked, sources said. Roggensack pulled the two apart.

ADDITIONAL READING:

Buzzflash: David Prosser and Clarence Thomas Are Strangling Justice: They Should Be Removed

DailyKos: Details Revealed in Wisconsin Supreme Court Choking Incident

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Drunkest State About to Get Two Hours Drunker

It's quite an achievement for Wisconsin to be consistently ranked in the top five drunkest states in the union. But honestly, we have had plenty of help to maintain those lofty standards. Just consider that Milwaukee was ranked the number one drunkest city by Forbes in 2006. On top of that, the United Health Foundation recently released a report ranking the 50 states in terms of binge drinking, and our state was the worst. Nearly a quarter of the population has reported drinking too much. Of course we are also number one for driving under the influence.

On the other hand, we've gained that reputation despite state laws banning retail establishments from selling alcohol between Midnight and 9 AM. But now that's all about change under legislation proposed by one of Rock County’s hopefully lame-duck assembly Republicans, Evan Wynn.

Access to alcohol is about to get even better or worse depending on your perspective.

Wisconsin Named #1 Drunkest State

WSAW Excerpt:
Area experts aren't surprised by the numbers. Sue Nowak, a drug and alcohol specialist, says, "I think it is easy access in Wisconsin. You can go to Target, a gas station, even Walgreens and they all now carry alcohol. It's almost every place you turn, there's alcohol."

Well, as far as Rep. Wynn is concerned, more access to alcohol is better. It's a priority of his. Supposedly concerned over third-shift workers inability to find a liquor establishment in the early morning hours, Wynn's proposed change to state statutes will allow earlier morning hours for those thirsty workers to bulk up on the breakfast of champions. Under his amendment, retail businesses can begin selling booze as early as 6 AM.

Look at it this way. It's sort of like a Daylight Savings Time Amendment just for drunks.

Drunkest States Slideshow

Monday, June 27, 2011

Abusive Prosser Plays Rough Again - Goes After Jugular

Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge David Prosser is at it again. According to the latest allegations, the 68-year-old street-talking punk put his hands around the throat of fellow Supreme Court Judge Ann Walsh Bradley after Bradley asked Prosser to leave her office.

JS Online Excerpt:

Bradley felt Prosser "was attacking the chief justice," the source said. Before leaving, Prosser "put his hands around her neck in what (Bradley) described as a chokehold," the source said.

"He did not exert any pressure, but his hands were around her neck," the source said.

The source said the act "was in no way playful."

Prosser was not arrested after the incident.

Anonymous newspaper sources are also telling different stories about what occurred. According to at least one, Bradley charged Prosser, who raised his hands to defend himself and made contact with her neck.

On Saturday, Bradley disputed those versions as "spin."

Wisconsin Watch Excerpt:
* UPDATE *
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported late Saturday that Justice Bradley has affirmed that a physical altercation took place and disputed the assertions of others that the contact was incidental.

“The facts are that I was demanding that he get out of my office and he put his hands around my neck in anger in a chokehold,” Bradley told the Journal Sentinel.

And in response to the conflicting interpretation offered by unnamed sources, that Prosser put up his hands defensively as she rushed toward him, Bradley told the paper: “You can try to spin those facts and try to make it sound like I ran up to him and threw my neck into his hands, but that’s only spin.”

Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs told WPR he would issue a statement Monday.

More Perspectives On Incident From The 'Sphere

Political Environment Confidence-Builder? Nutty GOP Leader Says Supreme Court Is Crazier

Democurmudgeon - Re-electing Abusive Prosser Says a lot About Waukesha

Think Progress - Four Ways Prosser Can be Removed from Office

Saturday, June 25, 2011

A Few Courageous Republicans Join Dems To Pass Gay Marriage In NY

NY Times Excerpt:
With his position still undeclared, Senator Mark J. Grisanti, a Republican from Buffalo who had sought office promising to oppose same-sex marriage, told his colleagues he had agonized for months before concluding he had been wrong.

“I apologize for those who feel offended,” Mr. Grisanti said, adding, “I cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district and across this state, the State of New York, and those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that I have with my wife.”