Friday, August 23, 2013

I Can't Hear You?



By Jeff Simpson

Potential Gubernatorial Candidate and Madison School Board Member Mary Burke, when she found out that the Madison school's hit with the maximum cut under Scott Walker's Draconian, ALEC inspired far right budget, thought it might be best to scale back the district's proposed 1.5% pay increase to their staff!  

This, as you can imagine, made the righties giddy.  They love it when working people make less money.  Like here, where Dave Blaska, whines about a 1.5% pay raise for teachers and somehow ties it to General Augusto Pinochet's biggest fan Margaret Thatcher(yes it makes no sense to me either).  

Ok I get it they are "fiscal conservatives", as Blaska wrongly puts it(when speaking of the potential Madison School Board tax hike):

Any company that hiked prices by 7.4% would meet massive customer resistance unless it faced a shortage caused by some natural disaster.

(Edit note: 1. Schools are not companies(nor do they want schools to act like companies they just use it as a stupid talking point), 2.  Companies raise prices all the time and shrink services(do you pay attention to the Canadian twinkies you just bought and handed out to your 8 friends?) 3.  When you need to use the service/product you have no choice when it goes up(have you seen gas prices lately?) 4.  Public workers, while performing services for the PUBLIC, already make less than private workers! 5. HOWEVER for the sake of this argument we will take Blaska at his word).

So Mary Burke, David Blaska and a host of others think that we should scale back public service pay because we are "broke".

Now let's take a look at how "broke" we are:

1.  Capitol Police Chief Erwin and his top Deputy Dan Blackdeer, were each transferred to a "dummy job" with the DOA and then back to their position at a HEFTY pay raise of over 11%!

Any word on this from Blaska or Burke?   

2.  Cynthia Archer, who had her front door ram rodded in by the FBI in the John DOe Investigation, was recently awarded with a sweet state job for the state making $101,510/yr with Cadillac benefits and luckily beat out 29 other people for this position.   While, yes Cynthia Archer was never charged, subsequent e-mail releases showed us that at the very least she is highly unethical, if not fully a criminal.  

Yoo hoo....David?

3.   The Governors (ALEC) inspired idea to get rid of the publicly accountable Department of Commerce and replace it with the Wisconsin Economic Development Committee(WEDC), of which he named himself as chair, has LOST over $57,000,000 dollars of taxpayer money.  The Governor recently and secretly gave WEDC secretary Reed Hall a 50% pay raise.  

Anyone, anyone .... Bueller?

4.  Joe Knilans and Nancy Mistele, both failed republican candidates, were awarded for their failure by Scott Walker with jobs making $82,000 a year running the Office of Business Development in the Department of Administration.  This used to be a one person job, now its two cronies making big money to do the job of one.

5.  The Department of Administration, under the horrible guidance of Mike Huebsch, spends thousands of dollars a month washing washable sidewalk chalk off sidewalks.   Honestly! 

And the list goes on and on and on in Scott Walker's Wisconsin.  All to deafening silence from the "fiscal conservatives".  

Now I understand why Blaska parrots and covers for the righties.  He got his pension and state pay and wants to make sure no one else does.   While I do not understand the hypocrisy, ignorance and selfishness, I do get it.

I also do not expect Mary Burke to be the leader on standing up to all of this abuse, UNLESS, she wants to be run for Governor.   If so then the only story I can find on her doing a google search should NOT be that she wants to cut teacher pay again!   She needs to take an active and vocal leadership role ....YESTERDAY!

I also do not hold Burke solely accountable for this.....where is Chris Larson, Peter Barca, Cory Mason, Kathleen Vinehout, et al...  If you want to be our next Governor(and I would prefer that you become Governor in 2014), then it is time to stop the backroom discussion and step up front and center!

Wisconsin needs you!   

These people are waiting to hear from you!






38 comments:

  1. The more we put moronic right wing bloggers like Blaska in their places, the more Democrats - AND reasonable Republicans - will stand up and be vocal countering the lies and propaganda put out by Republicans and their cronies. Thank you Capper and Jeff for doing more than your parts.

    Blaska, keep blogging off the deep end. That will make your readers even more extremist and will solidify the fear of Republicans that more and more moderate voters feel. You can keep your rank and file full of hate, but in the process you lose the middle where the election battles are won.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I'd heard of authors commenting on their own blogs as other posters. But this is my first time witnessing it.

      And it made me sad to see Jeff in here all alone. So here ya go. You're welcome.

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    2. Kind of explains the title though.

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    3. Anon at 1:18. I am Anon at 12:34 (how timely). I am not Jeff. You must be Republican because you make stuff up.

      You apparently have no response to the substance of Jeff's post because it is true. The corrupt Walker administration pays off their cronies who do their dirty work, while public employees who do the hard work serving the citizens are squeezed.

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  2. Outstanding Jeff ! Brilliant- poopy on you BLASKA - bring it baby - bring it.

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  3. I'm a terrible person but so is Mary Burke, the putative Democratic nominee for governor? Maybe we are the consensus, Jeff, and you are the (very) odd man out. Ya think?

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    1. I'm a terrible person

      Admitting you have a problem is the first step of getting better.

      Delete
  4. I never said you were a "terrible person" justa hypocrite and tool of the right. Yes by lumping Mary Burke in with you, I was pointing out how she is not qualified to be Governor.

    We already know what happens when someone with your values becomes Governor....its a horrible mess for the people of WI.

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    1. Really Jeff, because it seems that WHAAAA-ska has no redeeming value whatsoever, which is probably why he's lived the last couple of decades trying to trick voters and collect wingnut welfare. He's even sucks at trolling, with his 10th-grade mentality.

      I truly resent the promotions of connected cronies like WHAAA-ska, Cindy Archer, Dave Erwin, or even Mary Burke. Who's making these decisions to bring these folks this status, and why are Dem Party leaders trying to make the choice for us?

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  5. Whaaaaska does it again, posting as anonymous pretending it isn't him. He must have an RSS feed with his name, how stupendously arrogant.

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  6. Lady, who is posting anonymously? Could it be someone in Tosa? Have the courage of your convictions, at least. (I need to say that to Graeme Zielinski, BTW.)

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    1. You and your ilk have been happily, cruelly and mindlessly piling on GZ all week. For those of us who wondered whether GZ was effective at the DPW, you cleared it up for us quite well, so thanks. Of course anyone remaining in the state GOP with an ounce of strategic thinking ability must be foaming at the mouth with rage over what you've done. The media sure look primed and ready to go.

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  7. David - some day you will find yourself beaten down like GZ is right now. And then you will find your cold empathy lacking soul rising out of the depths of compassionless Walkerstan and wonder how you got there.

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  8. If Graeme Zielinski were the good Samaritan, if he had built Housing for Humanity, ministered with Mother Theresa, or sang for the old folks -- I might agree with you. But the only thing he contributed to the political discourse was nastiness, bile and cheap shots. All the way thru. So I am not taking instruction in empathy from an anonymous Graeme Zielinski defender like you. He dug his own hole -- don't go blaming Walker or this guy named Stan. You get out of life what you put into it. Zielinski is a prime example.

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    1. You'd have just ignored him if that were GZ's true contribution. Unless you're undisciplined, of course. Everyone falls, everyone. All you've accomplished in your zeal to air your hatred and bile is to ensure the pump is now well primed.

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    2. Bingo.

      All of these union pustules whining about Graeme being treated harshly...

      Perhaps the media and political opponents were "primed" to "pile on" GZ because he spent so much time lying about each of them? Wild claims of racism, sexism...even drunken dilogue about who's a real Christian.

      Graeme is a an angry, hypocritical drunk. A drunk who thought nothing of risking all of your lives and the lives of your spawn children by getting behind the wheel while more than twice the legal limit. Even DAYS AFTER HIS THIRD OWI ARREST.

      Is he smarter than Jeff, Jake and Crapper? Sure. He IS in fact the tallest midget. But still, a sorry excuse for everything else.

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    3. And Republicons quote God all the time. Hypocrites.

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    4. http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2013/07/kyle-woods-remorse.html
      Kyle Wood, who claimed to have been beaten in his apartment because he is gay and did not support Mark Pocan for Congress, was sentenced to 30 days in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to obstructing police.
      Wood, 30, of Madison, took up valuable time that police and emergency medical personnel could have been using for real emergencies, Dane County Circuit Judge William Hanrahan said.
      “You concocted the story and corroborated it with injuries,” Hanrahan said. “This is quite simply bizarre and outrageous.
      While it is sad that Mr. Wood was so in need of help mentally that he injured himself in such a way, it is even sadder how the right wing media and hack bloggers were all to ready to capitalize on this story that everyone knew from the beginning had holes in it bigger than Scott Walker's College transcripts! Three of the more well known righty bloggers were the ones to band together and get Wood's fake story out there as often as possible. Charlie Sykes from White Wisconsin and Brian Sikkkma from mediatracKKKers could not tell the story quick enough or loud enough.

      and BLASKA -

      "UPDATE: Wood has recanted his story, as this Madison Police report details. My larger point remains. I could very well have included the roofing nails sprinkled on the parking lot of a Tea Party event over the weekend in Racine, as detailed by a local news site and by Breitbart, causing flat tires."

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    5. Hey BLASKA - are you enjoying your WRS pension from your public sector job?

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    6. By all means continue to shriek and wail about GZ. And when the tables turn - and they will - what then? Will you beg for grace and forgiveness? Will you even deserve it?

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    7. Well said Anon, 1:45. The righties' little circle-jerk over Graeme's idiocy just reveals GOPs as the childish, petty weaklings that they are. We laugh and ignore irrelecant buffoons like Sarah Palin, they demonize and pile on Graeme, even though GZ is nothing more than a fringe player with no major role in state politics.

      It speaks volumes about how soft the WisGOPs really are, especially given the high levels of law-breaking and sketchiness in their partu

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    8. Regardless of how Democrats view his contribution, this week will be remembered far more for the right marking GZ as a worthy and influential foe. I don't think they're thinking their actions through but perhaps that's just how they roll.

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    9. David going after GZ is like the pot calling the kettle black. Blaska's failing is not realizing that but for the grace of God goes he.

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    10. And Anon 1:19 is like some creature surfacing from the depths to spew forth on GZ before sinking back down to the dead zone where all is dark and nothing lives.

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    11. ANON at 8-24 1:45 p.m.: "By all means continue to shriek and wail about GZ. And when the tables turn - and they will - what then? Will you beg for grace and forgiveness? Will you even deserve it?"

      I dunno. Ask Graeme how it worked for him.

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  9. Burke is likely silent because she knows or has been told to stay silent as she determines whether or not to run for Governor. Of course we need a Democratic primary. But if ever there was a time to unite to win a war and not worry overmuch over small skirmishes, this is it.

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  10. Blaska,
    Are you proud of your hard work supporting CORRUPT politician? The corruption never ends with Walker and his cronies.

    http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/sportsmens-grant-criticized-as-sweetheart-deal-for-group-b9982384z1-221015581.html
    Sportsmen's grant criticized as 'sweetheart deal' for group
    Group with no record of outdoors training could get $500,000 every 2 years

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  11. Was Scott Walker arrested? Graeme Zielinski was.

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    1. Blaska,
      Just give it time. This deal Walker made with Koch Industries to payoff their cronies with jobs "training" hunters speaks volumes that Walker is arrogant and stupid, as well as corrupt. He ticked off real hunters by not even telling qualified hunting groups about the grant. Remember, Rod Blagojevich was governor for six years and reelected before he was indicted.

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    2. What's your point, Blaska? That a million dollars buys a lot of injustice? Stay classy!

      Delete
    3. Blaska,
      It is significantly more difficult to arrest someone on political corruption compared with DUI.

      With DUI, a policeman stops you and smells alcohol. You are given a BAC test, flunk it, and you are arrested. If you refuse the BAC test, you are arrested.

      With political corruption, you are dealing with a criminal conspiracy where the conspirators are working together to avoid arrest. The prosecutor has to fight to gather evidence while the corrupt politician's high priced lawyers obstruct the investigation every step of the way. With John Doe, Walker spent $650,000 on defense lawyers. That is more than Walker is paying off to Kochs’ cronies in the corruption involving ersatz hunter training. Since political corruption cases are inherently controversial because the politician’s supporters make every argument in the book defending the “persecuted” politician, like what you are doing, the prosecutor has to have the evidence to absolutely nail the politician before issuing indictments. Because the John Doe conspirators would not turn state’s evidence, Walker was not indicted.

      But Walker has proven himself to be as dumb and arrogant as he is corrupt. This latest revelation of Walker's corruption proves to me beyond a reasonable doubt that the question is no longer, “Is Walker corrupt?” The question is “How corrupt is Walker?” Just like Rod Blagojevich, it is now only a matter of time before Walker is indicted for something. The only thing that might save him is if he loses reelection in 2014. In that case, prosecutors may determine it is not worth the money to make sure to remove from office a corrupt politician.

      At the very least, this latest revelation makes Walker’s chances of winning the White House infinitely less likely.

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    4. "Was Scott Walker arrested? Graeme Zielinski was"

      Wait, are you suggesting that flagrant political corruption is okay, provided there aren't any arrests? Are you suggesting that there is no political corruption if a politician isn't arrested? Are you suggesting that political corruption only occurs when there is a crime committed? Are you of the opinion that being surrounded by those engaged in criminal activity doesn't give the appearance, at least, of corruption, and that even that appearance can be damaging to the society and the democratic process within that society? Or, are you just okay with blatant corruption and cronyism, provided it's your political darling that's engaging in it for the sole benefit of the plutocracy?

      I fail to see how Zielinski being arrested for a DUI is in any way analogous to the blatant, and ubiquitous cronyism and corruption that Walker seemingly compulsively demonstrates. Or, is that simply how you justify your obsequious hero worship of a man that's plainly sociopathic? Are you honestly suggesting that the burden of proof for DUI is the same as arresting a sitting Governor for criminal corruption related to the office that he holds?

      Thank you for making a complete false equivalency. Yes, Zielinski, if guilty, should be convicted and sentenced accordingly. There is no justification for recklessly endangering public safety. However, if you wanted to make a more apt comparison to Zielinski you could've mentioned Nicole Tieman (although I'm unsurprised that you didn't make the more apt comparison).

      Is there any point at which you stop defending corruption and the selling out of your community to corporate interests? Do you ever think you'll look back and think you'll regret being on the wrong side of the wholesale sellout of the commons and the interest of your fellow citizenry? I hope you get whatever gratification it is that you're seeking for your tireless efforts. What a sad little man you are indeed.

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  13. You keep saying that Scott Walker is stupid. You might be marginally more credible if you averred that he's outsmarted the prosecutors, the people of Wisconsin, and the Democrats at every turn. "It's now only a matter of time before Walker is indicted for something." ??? PLEASE, ANYTHING! And you call Scott Walker stupid!

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    1. Scott Walker's high priced attorneys outsmarted the prosecutors. Scott Walker's billionaire contributors (whom Walker partially paid back with the grant to United Sportsmen of Wisconsin) allowed the Walker campaign to create and buy advertising that outsmarted Wisconsin voters. Walker's pattern of corruption will only lead to no good for Walker. But until then, the people of Wisconsin will suffer under bad, corrupt government.

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  14. I really love that picture of Cindy Archer. She looks like a hostage who is afraid to speak out because her captor will kill her.

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  15. Killer piece, Jeff.

    I generally yawn at the Lakoff freaks who make obvious points about compelling messages and framing; but rhetoric matters.

    And the rhetoric that we must go after public staff buys into all manner of absurd premises.

    Walker has attacked the working class and the folks helping our kids and grand kids are not the cause of community fiscal challenges.

    I want to see a campaign that champions community control, and that salutes workers as the backbone of our society. Never too early to point out this politcal and American imperative.

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