April 2011
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“I can no longer in good conscience lend my name and support to Justice...”
– Former Wisconsin Governor Patrick Lucey, resigning from his position as honorary co-chair of Prosser’s campaign and withdrawing his support.
March 2011
104 posts
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The Most Frank Endorsement Ever.
The options for the next Milwaukee County Executive are sort of really weak. And the Shepherd Express confronts that fact head-on in its endorsement of Chris Abele. It’s one of the most enjoyable endorsements I’ve ever read just because it’s so refreshingly honest. Some highlights:
The Shepherd has worked with Chris Abele, and we have definitely had our differences, but he...
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Wisconsin (Finally) Halts Implementation of Union... →
The administration of Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, had started to carry out the law this week, but it agreed on Thursday to stop those efforts.
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“The one constant through all the years has been baseball. America has rolled by...”
– Field of Dreams
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errantabettor asked: New to tumbler, and really enjoy your content. I haven't figured out how to use tumbler like I use Twitter yet - do you tweet your new content?
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State will continue implementing collective... →
murmurtheblues:
They are more and more unbelievable every day.
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April 5: Come Alive!
Mark your calendars: Tuesday, April 5th, is a big election day in Wisconsin.
If you need to find your polling place, learn about registering to vote (and remember, in Wisconsin, you can even register the day of the election!), or more information about your voting rights, check out this site.
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A first-hand account of the Madison protests →
When we arrived, a pile of wood-handled picket signs was gathering near the north entrance to the capitol building at 3 pm. Two security guards, armed and wearing fur hats borrowed from the set of Fargo, flanked the revolving oak door as we, alongside families, small groups of friends and lone protesters, ambled into the building no faster than the snow was falling on that grey Madison...
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I'm Still Mad About The Train. →
In a bizarre twist, some of the money that Walker is now seeking originally was allocated for the Milwaukee-to-Madison route he previously turned down. That money is available because a fellow Republican governor rejected it, as well. linked above.
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“Now that I’ve made my earlier order as clear as it possibly can be, I must...”
– Judge Maryann Sumi, halting further implementation of the bill that banned collective bargaining.
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Walker's Latest Appointee
Walker appointed Phil Montgomery to chair the Public Service Commission today. The PSC is responsible for regulating public utilities (including electricity, natural gas, and water, among others). PSC’s approval is typically required before utilities can set new rates, issue stocks or bonds, or undertake major construction projects (remember those state power plants Walker wants to sell in...
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Scott Walker's New Math
Walker’s version of fiscal responsibility?
If new quasi-public agencies are included, Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget would increase overall spending by 1% over two years rather than reduce it as the administration had said earlier this month.
A report released Monday by the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau showed the state would spend a proposed $64.1 billion in state and...
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American Thought Police
If you’re interested in learning about the GOP’s use of the open records law to intimidate critics, be sure to read Paul Krugman’s latest column in the New York Times; it’s outstanding.
If this action strikes you as no big deal, you’re missing the point. The hard right — which these days is more or less synonymous with the Republican Party — has a modus operandi when it...
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Watchwiscostorm:
The beginning of what promises to be a wonderful documentary.
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“It makes the Republican Party appear both vengeful and ridiculous.”
– The New York Times, on the GOP’s use of the open records law to intimidate critics and restrict academic freedom.
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Wisconsin GOP Using the Open Records Law to...
A few days ago, UW-Madison Professor William Cronon wrote a thoughtful, well-researched op-ed for The New York Times.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin responded by filing an open records request for Cronon’s emails (although they misspelled his name in the press release they issued). Specifically, they requested all emails “into and out of Cronon’s state email account from January...
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WatchGov. Hurts A look at some of the new GOP Governors.
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Appeals panel sends collective bargaining law to... →
lefan-o-rama:
“Plainly, this case has broad statewide implications for the general public and those most directly affected by the challenged act,” said the unanimous opinion by Judges Brian Blanchard, Paul Higginbotham and Paul Lundsten.
They did not weigh in on the merits of the case.
The case is closely watched because it will determine whether the law limiting collective bargaining takes...
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Update: Indiana Prosecutor Quits Over Email He... →
linked above. Notably, this is the second prosecutor from Indiana to lose his job recently for advocating violence in Wisconsin. Creepy.
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Ron Johnson from Wisconsin
Rick Ungar (Forbes) has been on a roll lately. His new piece, which addresses Sen. Johnson’s weird op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, is worth checking out!
In celebration of the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson has taken to the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal to reinvigorate the misinformation campaign against health care reform as...
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This Man Does Not Belong on the Wisconsin Supreme... →
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Watch“This is some spectacular generosity toward some very specific parts of society among these governments that are pleading poverty, claiming giant budget deficits.”
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“Perhaps that is why I have found myself returning over the past few weeks to...”
– William Cronon’s New York Times article, “Wisconsin’s Radical Break.” A fascinating piece.
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“For Wisconsinites who prefer the ancient model of governing that put all power...”
– Kloppenburg for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice
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“Those good Wisconsin schools have done a pretty good job of educating the...”
– Shepherd Express article, What You Can Do
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postsecret →
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Make your own Kloppenburg for Justice yard sign →
lefan-o-rama:
The Kloppenburg campaign has run out of yard signs and has no more cash for an additional printing due to her acceptance of public campaign financing. Click the link for a DIY how-to on making your own yard sign.
BE CREATIVE! SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!
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“It seems to me the public policy behind effective enforcement of the open...”
– Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumim, who issued a temporary restraining order (!) barring the publication of the union-busting bill. This is in response to the complaint filed by the Dane County DA that Republicans violated the open meeting law last week.
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Walker Gives Himself More Power →
This headline doesn’t even surprise me anymore. Linked above.
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Madison Captiol Protests: 360 Views →
linked above.
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Isthmus & AP to Receive Emails They Requested;...
Walker must comply with open records request and pay legal costs. The emails should be available to Isthmus and the AP by Tuesday.
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“Behind every beautiful thing, there’s been some kind of pain.”
– bob dylan.
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DA files open meetings complaint against... →
The Dane County DA filed a complaint today alleging Jeff Fitzgerald violated the state’s open meetings law when a special committee convened to adopt the union busting bill last week. Article linked above.
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Update: Randy Hopper
A complaint has been filed with the attorney general’s office, alleging that State Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac) no longer lives in the district he represents. Hopper admits he no longer resides at the address he officially lists with the state legislature, saying he now rents an apartment in Fond du Lac. However, when the Capital Times tried to verify that address, they learned that...
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“They are free to cast votes to signal their support/opposition, but those votes...”
– Republican Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, explaining how the Democratic Senators’ votes will no longer count because they’re in contempt after going to Illinois to prevent quorum.
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45 Days!
That’s all we have left to collect the signatures required to recall the Republican 8! All hands on deck. Check out www.recalltherepublican8.com to get involved! There are volunteer opportunities on weekdays and the weekend, work that involves interacting with a lot of people and work that is more behind-the-scenes…you can find something that works well for you. You don’t...
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