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Republican Senator says Paul Ryan's a liar about Medicare
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) inadvertently referred to prominent Republicans like Paul Ryan as liars during an interview on Oklahoma TV.
“Any politicians that stands up and says, ‘We’re not going to touch your Medicare’ is a liar,” Coburn said, apparently forgetting that the GOP has used the talking point as a center piece in their campaign to sell Medicare premium support to the public.
Watch Coburn’s remarks and read more at The Paul Ryan Watch.
Scrap the Open-Pit Mining Bill Part 8
For Immediate Release: February 6, 2012
Contact: Tom Stolp, Field Director Office: (715) 835-4248, Cell: (715) 225-3344 tomconservationvoters [dot] orgScrap the Open-Pit Mining Bill
Since its introduction, the case to scrap AB 426, the Assembly mining bill, has been made repeatedly and with great reason. Yet, this bill that seeks to rewrite our laws for the benefit of special interests at the expense of Wisconsin families is still being considered by Wisconsin legislators. Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters has introduced the “Scrap the Mining Bill Series,” a regular report of the countless reasons that have surfaced in recent days and months of why legislators must scrap AB 426.
From the Scrap the Open-Pit Mining Bill Series— Part VIII: Arsenic, Lead and Mercury Anyone?With all of the focus on the disastrous ways in which the open-pit mining bill could negatively impact our wetlands, lakes and wildlife, it's important to take stock and recognize that the most egregious impacts could be on our families' health. The recently passed, Assembly open-pit mining bill represents a serious attack on public health - by green-lighting this bill, the Assembly is sacrificing the health of Wisconsin families in order to reward one out-of-state mining company.
The open pit mining bill gives the mining industry special exemptions from environmental and public health protections - protections that other industries must follow. In fact, the bill explicitly states that groundwater contamination by mining companies is acceptable.1
While the forces behind this bill often hold up our neighboring states as models of good mining, studies conducted on taconite mining in Minnesota and Michigan demonstrate that aggressive excavation of taconite and processing of taconite pellets can cause toxic heavy metals – including arsenic, lead, and mercury – to leach into air and water.
While arsenic and lead are naturally-occurring substances, they are disturbed by the aggressive misplacement of earth in the mining process. The result is that lead and arsenic can find their way into surface and groundwater, including drinking water. Arsenic has been linked to kidney, liver, lung and bladder cancer.2 Lead is especially harmful to children because their bodies absorb more lead and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to lead, which can lead to learning and behavior problems and slowed growth.3
Taconite processing from the iron mining process is the largest source of mercury in the Lake Superior Basin.4 The iron dust that is the result of the mining process is baked into tiny taconite pellets to make the iron easier to transport. In the process of firing these pellets, mercury is released and emitted into the atmosphere.5 Exposure to mercury can lead to neurological problems in adults, and severe developmental disabilities in fetuses, infants, and children.6
In fact, a recent report from the Minnesota Department of Health showed that 1 in 10 Minnesota infants born in the Lake Superior basin have unsafe levels of mercury in their system at birth.7 The report also found a marked increase in mercury levels in infants during the summer months when fish consumption in the region is at its highest. An increase in mercury pollution from taconite processing could lead to more mercury in lakes, more mercury in fish, and more toxic mercury in our infants.
The open-pit mining bill compounds these threats by forcing the state of Wisconsin to issue a mining permit even if they know it will endanger public health, safety or welfare. Unbelievably, it even goes one step further by eliminating contested case hearings which give affected citizens the right to protect their health and communities by challenging the claims of the mining company and ensure that the DNR is enforcing environmental laws.
Now, the burden of proof for protecting clean drinking water rests on Wisconsin citizens, where their only option would be to sue a mining company – a mining company that has millions of dollars and infinite resources. Obviously, it won’t be a fair fight because mine backers in the Assembly and business interests, like Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, have made sure there won’t be a fight at all.
Wisconsin voters are sickened by AB 426, but there are plenty more reasons why AB 426 must be scrapped. Stay tuned for Part IX of the “Scrap the Mining Bill Series.”
- Part I: Voters Don't Want It
- Part II: Mine Games Will Cost Taxpayers Millions
- Part III: What Ever Happened to Legislative Process?
- Part IV: Take It From the Local Mayors
- Part V: Gogebic Taconite Pays to Play
- Part VI: Take the Money and Run
- Part VII: Do You Trust Gogebic Taconite to Tell the Whole Truth?
1. http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/related/proposals/ab426.pdf 2. http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/arsenic/index.cfm 3. http://epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm 4. http://glifwc.org/News/GLIFWC_TaconiteReport_2011%5B1].pdf 5. http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/lands_minerals/mercuryandmining.pdf 6. http://www.epa.gov/hg/effects.htm#meth 7. http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/Report_Some_MN_babies_born_with_high_mercury_138656189.html
# # #
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to electing conservation leaders, holding decision makers accountable and encouraging lawmakers to champion conservation policies that effectively protect Wisconsin's public health and natural resources.
This shouldn't be news, but labor will back Dem primary winner against Walker
This shouldn't even be news, but with all of the machinations going on, it comes as a relief. WisPolitics reports:
[AFSCME's Rich Abelson] said unions hope the primary winner will have the best chance of beating Gov. Scott Walker adding unions will support that candidate -- even if it’s Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett...
“I’ve had my differences with Mayor Barrett, some of them public, some of them private,” Abelson said. “But the fact of the matter is Gov. Walker and Mayor Barrett are nothing alike.”
Now all we need is an agreement from the candidates and the unions not to trash each other in the primary.
If Walker applies same standards to himself as he did to Jim Doyle, he must resign
Remember Georgia Thompson? She was the mid-level state employee victimized by trumped-up charges brought by an overzealous Republican federal prosecutor trying to save his job by smearing the Jim Doyle administration.
You can bet Scott Walker remembers her --and is trying to forget what he said about the case.
The prosecutor's move worked for awhile --huge headlines, a firestorm of publicity right during Doyle's reelection campaign, Thompson's June 2006 conviction on charges she illegally steered a state travel contract to a bidder who was close to Doyle, her sentencing to prison in September, and the inevitable negative television commercials from GOP candidate Mark Green, suggesting Doyle was a crook.
Doyle won the election in spite of the constant barrage from both Green and the right-wing media. Thompson's lawyer said the prosecutor tried to squeeze her to implicate Doyle, but there was nothing to tell.
A few facts as a refresher: Thompson, a purchasing agent, was not even hired by the Doyle administration, but by Republican Scott McCallum's administration. Thompson acted on her own; there was no evidence or suggestion in the trial that anyone in Doyle's office or administration asked her to do what she did. Doyle had never met her. As the NY Times later pointed out:
Her conviction was overturned in April 2007 by a federal court of appeals that appeared to be outraged, calling the evidence against her "beyond thin," and ordering her release that same day. That was probably little comfort to Thompson, who had been in prison for months and lost her home.
But back to Scott Walker, then the county executive and running for governor at the time Thompson was charged (he later dropped out before the primary.) Here we go:
From WisPolitics.com:
interests ahead of the people of Wisconsin.... “Little can be said to underscore the seriousness of this charge. I am hopeful that the people of Wisconsin will allow me the opportunity to clean up Madison with the same fervor that guided my reform movement in Milwaukee County.”
Strong stuff.
Thompson, of course, was not a "top aide" to Doyle; he didn't know who she was. A top aide would be some of the Walker cronies recently charged with felonies for breaking the law while working right in Walker's office. Two of them, Tim Russell and Kelly Rindfleisch, served as Walker's deputy chief of staff.
Walker was quick on the trigger to hold Doyle personally responsible for alleged crimes by an underling who worked elsewhere in state government, not directly for him, in an office 25 feet away, as is the case with Walker's staffers who face felony counts.
If Walker held himself to the same standard he demanded of Doyle, he would already have fired two members of his administration, Cullen Werwie and Brett Davis, who were both part of the illegal operation where Rindfleisch, while working on the county payroll, spent her says illegally raising money for Davis's campaign. Both were communicating with her on a secret email network set up in the county executive's office to break the law without being detected.
If he really held himself to the same standard he applied to Doyle, he would already have resigned the governorship.
Dan Bice wrote a less inflamatory piece about it today in the Journal Sentinel.
War with Iran?
The Wisconsin State Journal's front page: "Concern grows that Israel will attack Iran."
AP writes that the attack "could trigger a wider war, terrorism and global economic havoc." We know that Newt has been purchased. He remains in the quest for president only because a pro-Israel guy with mega bucks believes Newt would, indeed, bomb Iran. So, Sheldon gave him $10 million. Damn the consequences!
Who is in charge of this decision that could end the world as we know it? The extreme right-wing in Israel and America. We lost Vietnam, we lost Iraq, we have lost Afghanistan, but pay no attention. Israel, with our participation, will knock out Iranian nukes within hours and all will be well! And the moon is made of green cheese and chickens have lips!
Romney? No better than Newt. Santorum? A hawk to be sure. All three will bomb Iran if they get the bomb and forget all the talk about Israel having a nuclear weapons capacity second only to U.S. The only person in the race for president, including the current president, with common sense on Israel is Ron Paul. He denounces such talk of invasion or bombing Iran as crazy and he is right.
Scratch the surface and the same gang that promised a quick victory in Iraq (and a promise that it would pay for itself) is calling the shots: Richard Pearle, Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld.
If Israel bombs Iran, the U.S. should cut off diplomatic recognition, eliminate any further economic or military aid to Israel. Period! We should demand that Israel give up its nuclear weapons. Let us begin by informing Israel that not one dime will go to support of this fiasco-in-the-making.
Some things often go unexplained. Remember The Bell Curve? Yes, Charles Murray wrote the nonsense about race with financial support from the Bradley Foundation. Now a new book from Murray has emerged from the muck. This one is Coming Apart: The State of White America 1960-2010. Read the review in the NY Times and get ready for all the right-wing to pay homage. Murray says he is no longer "a complete pariah in some academic quarters." My guess is that only those who have never read this stuff would welcome him.
Bradley gives $250,000 grants to writers who have the courage to tell the truth. I will bet that David Brooks just cut in line!
He calls it the most important book of the year.
Federal Reserve predicts that Walker's Wisconsin will continue to fail
On February 2, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released the leading indexes for the 50 states for December 2011. "The leading indexes are the six-month forcast of the state coincident indexes, which reflect current economic activity in each state," According the Federal Reserve, the leading index for each state predicts the six-month growth rate for the state's coincident index. Also according to the Federal Reserve, forty-four state coincident indexes are projected to grow over the next six months.
ONLY SIX STATES ARE PROJECTED TO DECREASE OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
SCOTT WALKER'S WISCONSIN IS ONE OF THE SIX FAILING STATES!
If this is what Scott Walker's Republicans call success, what do they consider as failure?
PLEASE SHARE THIS ACCURATE ECONOMIC DATA WITH YOUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS
Cures for toxicity
“Remember who your friends are," the legislator replied to his now-former supporter.
A politically active Democrat whose day job would be advanced if the Legislature acted on a significant and difficult bill was advised to lay low on political activity until the bill is passed.
The watering holes where legislators of all persuasions, administrators, and even reporters once spent their “off the record” off hours together are gone, strictly segregated along political lines, or too toxic for one side or the other to consider patronizing.
A major health institution which is putting together a plan to increase health care coverage and reduce health care costs was told that the enabling legislation for this worthy idea would have a better chance getting through what has become the Capitol war zone if the institution and its members reduced their political profile and activity.
Speaking of war zones, one legislator says he will not feel safe in the hallowed halls of the state Assembly unless armed. Surely this is an isolated view. Or not.
Is it any wonder that as the level of contentiousness rises the sane and sensible citizens who are alleged to be the object of the affections of their representatives are disgusted, which is bad, and being advised to absent themselves from the public arena, which is worse?
Representative government is increasingly a closed shop and in a shambles.
Is there no hope for assembling representatives of diverse views from different places who think they are elected to make this a better place for all of us and are willing to work together through their inevitable differences to deliver what the people want: a government that works?
Only if they get out of their trenches, fox holes and silos. Only if they give themselves a chance to get to know one another so they can discover that in many ways, despite their differences, they are more alike than different.
Not until it is possible to disagree without being disagreeable, where it is possible to dislike ideas without despising the people who have them.
There are three things going on which seem to me to have de-toxifying potential.
The first is memorial services. This is a somewhat morbid way to bring people together; also unpredictable; also unwelcome. It is evident though that when a politician passes and the survivors and successors come together to praise and mourn the dear departed that they mingle and even enjoy each other’s company. There is hope. Maybe they don’t hate each other full time after all.
Another less maudlin movement is an embryonic attempt to resuscitate something known as the Special Edition dinner where all the denizens of the public sector gathered to honor one of their own for succeeding in the arena they all occupy. Food and drink and fun were reliable ice breakers before and may be again.
A more notable, successful, and long running de-toxifier is headed by two remarkable women who run a series of seminars where the warring incumbents can come together with professionals and experts to dissect and discuss objective, quality research on the subjects on the public agenda. The objective, which is routinely met, is to get to the facts and away from the ideologies in search of the common ground from which solutions spring.
The question is can we get together before toxicity pulls us ever further apart?
Only if we start with mutual respect and civility and keep all eyes on the problem not the process or the people advancing the solutions.
State Journal gone wild
Both WSJ and MJS have down-played the Walker testimony at the John Doe investigation. While it is supposedly secret, WSJ claims he has volunteered to testify. Really? How do they know? And why the near-silence about the four top Walker aides in cuffs?
The mystery of Charles Franklin continues. He has a feature article in the UW-Madison Pol Sci newsletter but is described as "Marquette University Law School Political Scientist" in today's State Journal. One day he is on a sabbatical to Marquette, but that changed quickly when we suggested his work at Marquette would be subject to Open Records if he were on sabbatical. Voilà! He was no longer on sabbatical but was described as being "on leave" from UW. Last year he was in bed (not literally) with the Bradley Foundation's Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI). That contract was cancelled when they were told that Open Records laws applied to them. Off to Marquette!
The WSJ and MJS consider him a reliable pollster. Who is paying him? Are his records open? Is Marquette Law School really the pollster or just a cover?
Of by and for?
Look at Sheldon Adelson. (I know, that is asking a lot.) He is the saviour of Newt Gingrich. By giving Newt's PAC $10 million, Gingrich continues to have a national forum for his loony-tune views. Moon colonies, children janitors, bomb Iran (that is the real issue. If Obama offered to bomb Iran next week, my bet is that good old Shelldon would back him for president). Israel, not America, is the concern. Are we not the lucky ones? Thank you, Sheldon! What a guy! Risk my grandson's lives will ya?
Now we learn that Sheldon has a Plan B. One can only guess at Plan C! Plan B is to back Romney by giving him even more money if Newt drops out. What is this all about? Race to the Top? Nope. Gender equity? Nope. How about ending the war in Afghanistan? Nope. It is all about Sheldon's view that we must drop lots and lots of bombs on Iran! Jesus. It is bad enough that presidents wage wars without even a nod to the Congress? Recall the quaint notion that only Congress can declare war. Amend the Constitution? Sure. Only Congress or the president or Sheldon Adedlson can declare war. Sheldon Adelson can wage war? Whoa Nelly. He should be arrested not featured on CNN.
Would Sheldon fight the war on Iran? His kids? His grandkids? Bet the ranch the answer is no. Would he and his mult-millionaire friends pay say 50 percent on income to fund it?
Then we learn that the semiannual meeting of the billionaires Charles and David Koch is taking place in Palm Springs. They gather with other billionaires to decide how much they will pour into Scott Walker's campaign. How about us, Koch boys?
Playing the envy card
Would Milwaukee be 'greater" without affirmative action? Michael Grebe thinks so
Can't find any trace of this in the local paper, although there is a very big local connection. The NY Times reports:
WASHINGTON — Ward Connerly, the black businessman who has been the face of the movement to end affirmative action for nearly two decades, is facing accusations from a prominent former ally that he has mismanaged — and exploited for his own benefit — donations to that cause made by fellow conservatives.Moreover, a group Mr. Connerly founded to advance government policies that are race and gender neutral, the Sacramento-based American Civil Rights Institute, is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and by the attorney general of California, according to documents and interviews.
What's the Milwaukee connection? A pretty big name here: Michael Grebe, President of the Bradley Foundation, Scott Walker transition chair, big time Republican, and recent ex-chair of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, former president of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, et cetera et cetera et cetera.
A major financial supporter is the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Its president, Michael W. Grebe (pictured), said he was “very comfortable” that its donations to Mr. Connerly’s group were “being spent for public education programs.”
“He’s very effective,” Mr. Grebe said.
The guy who headed the Greater Milwaukee Committee and the UW Board of Regents is giving big bucks to someone trying to end affirmative action? Things aren't so great in Milwaukee for black people; among African American men the unemployment rate in Milwaukee is near 50 per cent.
Grebe is lucky the mobs haven't stormed the gates of the Lion House, the Bradley Foundation headquarters, or that he can venture out in public.
His friend Connerly is no stranger to Wisconsin or Milwaukee, either. He was booed off the stage during an appearance at UW-Madison in October 1998. He returned to the state to speak at UW-Milwaukee in 2000 and in 2009, and visited Wisconsin in 2006 to address a committee that was tasked with exploring abolishing affirmative action in the UW System.
The Great Prevaricator: Timeline of Walker Quotes Regarding John Doe Investigation
I've created a timeline of Walker's statements regarding the John Doe investigation. What's amzaing is how often his story changes over the course of two months:
Date
Quote
Notes
September 27, 2011
"To me, you look at any of the stories that you and others have been a part of - you've either got people who don't know what they're talking about as sources or they're violating the law," said Walker, who added that he has not been contacted personally by investigators.
http://m.jsonline.com/topstories/130641183.htm
December 13, 2011
Have you been contacted or your campaign been contacted by the John Doe? Answer: “Have, have I been contacted? No. I have not been contacted personally. In terms of anything with the campaign, I mean there was stuff, questions, asked about, stuff that was brought up earlier in the year, with Darlene Wink, and that was six month, or actually it’s been more like nine or ten months ago, but nothing that I’ve been brought up recently. Nothing that involved me directly.
January 21, 2012
"I have not, and I certainly would be willing if they asked me to in the future,"
Reported on January 27 that he told this to the Journal Sentinal a week earlier.
http://m.jsonline.com/topstories/138237999.htm
January 27, 2012
Have you or your attorneys been contacted as part of this investigation? Walker answer: “Again, with all those sorts of details, we made it very clear with a year, with now more than a year’s worth of time, with our campaign collaborating and working with the individuals looking into… cooperating, I should say, working with them on that.”
Asked at a stop on his “jobs tour” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzY7ctwgTGA
January 27, 2012
UPFRONT, Mike Gousha: Have you testified in front of the John Doe judge? Answer: “Again, I’ve had my campaign cooperate for more than a year, and as you and other folks know, in terms of the requirements for that, they basically say ‘there are things you can and can’t talk about if you’re going to continue to cooperate.’ We have fully cooperated, we’ll continue to cooperate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzY7ctwgTGA
February 3, 2012
"Last year, my representatives voluntarily contacted Mr. Chisholm's office to arrange a time to discuss any outstanding issues. I will be voluntarily meeting with Mr. Chisholm," Walker said. "To assemble additional background information, I hired counsel to insure that I am in the best position possible to continue aiding the inquiry."
Campaign issued statement
Ryan wants to know: Why is fed trying to lower the unemployment rate?
The "let them eat cake" congressman from southern Wisconsin is at it again.
At a House Budget Committee hearing, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-You Kidding) chastised Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke for simultaneously trying to lower inflation and stimulate job growth, even questioning whether it's the Fed's proper mission to worry about jobs (it is, actually).
But Ryan and the Republicans want to beat Obama, and the drop in the unemployment rate just announced hurts their prospects.
More at The Paul Ryan Watch.
Republicans and tea baggers busy searching for half a million bogus Wisconsin residents -- here's help
The real truth hurtsNow that there's a mini-industry booming in the conservative campaign to recall the recall, with bloggers, wingnut radio jockeys and even the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel getting in on the hunt for allegedly massive recall signature fraud, how on earth will this assembled multitude of nitwits, cynics and true believers manage to find nearly 600,000 faulty or suspicious signatures on the petitions submitted to recall Gov. Scott Walker?
We've already had some clues, with little old ladies using yellow markers to highlight signatures that just seem odd to them, for no particular reason. But the GOP-led inquisition will have to do better than that.
Here's a helpful tip, Republicans: Hire a ton of elementary school English teachers to review Wisconsin voter compliance with cursive, the formal writing style where the letters are joined. You see, GOP, a lot of Americans never bothered to adopt cursive, and others use it very, very badly. Indeed, you can hardly make out their highly stylized and dismissive signatures. Some poople even sign their names using block letters, and some others who are semi-illiterate use an X or other symbology.
So focus on cursive. For starters, you'll have a shot at wiping out every petition signer who's a licensed medical practitioner. Doctors scrawl their names illegibly on prescriptions, so they'll likely have done it on petitions, too.
Whoops, one problem: Most pubilc school teachers who teach English -- trampled upon by Walker's major education cuts and anti-union givebacks -- hate Republicans. They won't be reliable in the anti-cursive campaign at all. Better find another strategy, GOP.
Hey, here's an idea: Just make shit up. That's easily good enough to fetch you a hundred thousand suspicious signatures, wouildn't you say? Also, move quickly from the specific to general. Blast-fax one example of a suspicious signature, however unsuspicious it may really be, and then quickly turn it into a huge generalization. Then simply file a lawsuit getting Judge Mac Davis or another GOP-friendly court to rule that the whole process is so badly, badly flawed it must be thrown out in its entirety, lest Scott Walker be disenranchised for no good reason.
Trust me, friends, I'm being sarcastic but I'm not being all that far over the top, here. When you're the GOP, you throw spaghetti at the wall and expect some of it will stick. It's all Republicans have at this point, but that won't stop them.
Money, money, money
Read carefully. Cullen met with some unions and he thought they would offer some financial support, but they did not and he did not ask so he dropped out. Before criticizing Cullen ask yourself, Could you go union to union asking or begging for money?
Mike McCabe got everyone on their feet at the People's Legislature Wednesday in calling for a return to Bill Proxmire-style campaigns. FightingBob.com was calling on potential candidates to face reality: Walker will have as much money from the Koch boys as he wants or needs. Predictions are he will have 30-40 million dollars. Think about it. Cullen, no stranger to fundraising and lobbyists, opted out of the race because he could not match David Koch's pocket change of a million dollars.
No Democrat can raise two million between now and the primary. So what do the unions and other Democratic Party insiders do? Suddenly there is a boomlet for Herb Kohl. Why? You know why: he could fund his own race. Now isn't that nuts? The most important position in Wisconsin goes not to the best and the brightest but to a guy with deep pockets and few enemies. They rationalize that if Kohl puts in $20-30 million he could win. Besides, he has done nothing in the Senate to antagonize anyone. Deep pockets and no enemies. Perfect!
Walker hired two law firms to represent him in the John Doe. No one knows if he was subpoenaed to testify or just wants to chat with the Milwaukee district attorney. (My gut tells me that Walker is not doing this as a good-will gesture.) Walker's campaign paid Steven Biskupic $100,000 last year according to MJS. Where does Biskupic work? Guess!
Walker said he will pay Sidley & Austin and Steinle and not charge the taxpayers. How generous Scott. Given Chicago prices these days, Sidley is probably charging $600-700 per hour. That's a lot of pizza!
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel rarely sends reporters out into the jungle called "Wisconsin," so they keep repeating that only Kathleen Falk has announced a probable candidacy. Had they joined us Wednesday at The People's Legislature they would have to say that Peter Barca, Kathleen Vienhout, Mahlan Mitchell and Doug La Follette spoke at a forum for candidates. Tom Barrett did not but sent a warm email. Jon Erpenbach is considering a run.
What is the hesitation? Money, money, money. Several people told me they thought our idea of a no-money campaign was nuts until they listened at The People's Legislature. It makes sense and the majority loved it. (On to phase two. Don't wake the MJS.)
One delightful announcement: We have invited former President Jimmy Carter to Waukesha to monitor vote counting during the recall.
Super Bowl. The Mara family has owned the Giants from the beginning of the league. Wellington Mara's father was a gambler, and a bookie paid off a debt by giving the Giant franchise to Mara. Mara did nothing to integrate the all-white NFL for almost 50 years. He did nothing about all-white coaches until the player's union forced the issue. The NFL Hall of Fame was not open to blacks but Wellington Mara is in the Hall of Fame.
So I will cheer for the Patriots.
Rep. Bill Kramer outs himself, reveals he's packing concealed heat
See, now here's where the whole idea of concealed carry escapes me.
The main Republican argument for enacting a law allowing Wisconsin residents to pack hidden heat was that criminals would be more uncertain of their chances of getting away with crime. Now comes Speaker Pro Tem Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha, Of Course), who told the Associated Press he carries a concealed, loaded semi-automatic Glock pistol during floor sessions.
Kramer is the guy who runs the show for the GOP majority, and occasionally wields the gavel. Let's hope he doesn't reach for the gun by accident when he's ruling someone out of order or telling Capitol Police to eject yet another aggrieved citizen from the gallery.
But here's the main thing: Now the whole world knows Kramer is packing heat. So if you're a terrorist gunman or nut case who wants to shoot off a gun on the State Assembly floor, who would you target first? That there politician with the concealed gun who just told the whole world about it, perhaps? So much for the element of surprise, and the whole rationale for passing the foolish concealed-carry law in the first place.
And by the way, where was the first recorded use since the law was passed of a concealed weapon against a criminal? Why, in an Aldi's grocery store in Milwaukee, where management had posted a sign, as permitted under the law, announcing that concealed guns were not permitted on premises.
Yeah. Well, you see, the guy who pulled the concealed gun to stop the robbery said he didn't notice the sign. The district attorney thereafter decided not to file charges against the customer who illegally carried the gun into the place, pulled it, and shot at an alleged criminal.
See, it's all about protecting the public against bad guys, but sometimes you have to break the law in order to do it, and the criminal justice system is going to sort of not pay attention to the full letter of the law if it would cause too much of a ruckus from outfits like the NRA -- that stands for National Republican Association, I think.
Apparently so much, as well, for the law's ban on carrying concealed weapons into schools and elsewhere. Based on first precedent, you can now just claim you didn't see a sign or didn't know the law prohibited your hidden gun. You might have learned of that provision in a concealed carry training course, if they were really covering that kind of stuff and the requirement was really enforced going forward. Instead, in Wisconsin, it's now blast away and ask questions later.
Related LinksMeet Terry "Molehill" Moulton
State Sen. Terry Moulton, facing a recall challenge from Kristen Dexter, must be busy these days -- searching through the thousands of signers on the petitions to look for Mickey Mouse or Adolf Hitler, since he said those were a problem.
This online video suggests he could spend his time more productively -- like worrying about the lack of jobs in his district.
Walker to meet with Milwaukee DA
Walker's campaign released information today that Scott Walker will be meeting with the Milwaukee DA in conjunction with the John Doe investigation. According to the campaign statement, Walker will be represented by two lawyers.
2/3/2012
Contact: Tom Evenson
(608) 441-1641
Madison, Wis. – The Friends of Scott Walker campaign released the following statement today from Governor Scott Walker regarding the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s ongoing investigation:
Over the last 20 months, District Attorney John Chisholm has been conducting an examination of issues in connection with former employees of Milwaukee County. Throughout that time, our campaign has cooperated with requests for information.
My cooperation in this matter extends beyond a willingness to supply any and all requested documents. I have already said that I would be happy to sit down with the people looking into these issues and answer any additional questions they may have. To make that point clear, last year, my representatives voluntarily contacted Mr. Chisholm’s office to arrange a time to discuss any outstanding issues. I will be voluntarily meeting with Mr. Chisholm.
To assemble additional background information, I hired counsel to insure that I am in the best position possible to continue aiding the inquiry. These attorneys, Mike Steinle and John Gallo, have been reviewing a great deal of material from the past few years, but no public money has been used or will be used for these purposes.
While all of us need to let this matter run its course, I will continue to cooperate and provide any appropriate information that is requested.
Just Plain Cruel: In "Hunting" Bill, Most Wolves Will Die a Slow, Painful Death in Traps
The proposed gray wolf "hunting" bill being rammed through the Wisconsin legislature by Scott Walker's allies is horribly misguided for a number of reasons, but, first and foremost, let me be clear: Hunters provide an invaluable public service to the state by providing control of our wildlife population and hunting is the most environmentally-responsible way to put food on the table. So, I'm not opposed to hunting in general or even wolves particular, just because they're smart, soft and furry, and look and act just like my dog.
However, because wolves are almost genetically identical to the dogs we keep as pets, for obvious reasons they have a special place in our hearts. While we might put our dog down when he or she needs to be put down-- we do it in a way that is quick and humane. Most would demand a similar treatment of most other animals and especially wolves.
That is not, however, how the vast majority of wolves would be killed in this bill. That is because this bill includes provisions allowing trapping without setting any limits on what types of traps can and cannot be used. In fact, the bill specifically requires the DNR to allow so-called cable restraint traps, which are the most popular way to trap wolves and would be, realistically, how most wolves would meet their demise in this new "hunting" season.
A cable restraint trap works by a wolf getting its head caught in cable loop that tightens as the wolf struggles to get free. Ideally, a trapper will check the trap every day, but many do not. Meaning that the wolf will often be left to die of starvation or from the elements.
Gray Wolf in Steel Jaw Trap
In addition, the Wisconsin DNR did a study of cable restraint traps on coyotes and foxes, where everything was set-up ideally to ensure that the animal would not suffer. They found that 30% of coyotes suffered a moderate injury and all of the rest experienced a mild injury from trying to escape from the trap. In addition, they found that the larger coyotes were more likely to be injured in the trap than the smaller foxes, leaving one to reasonably speculate that a wolf that is twice as large a coyote would inflict more injuries on itself as it tries to escape the trap.
In addition, there is nothing in this bill to prevent steel jawed traps, where a wolves are trapped by metal teeth clenching down on their feet. Such traps are horrifically cruel and are already allowed by the Wisconsin DNR for coyotes-- there is no reason to expect they would treat wolves any different. Many states have banned the use of these traps on ALL wildlife, while in Wisconsin, we're expanding the use of these barbaric torture devices to more highly evolved, intelligent creatures!
While most in the conservation community agree that some form of wolf management is appropriate, we should tread lightly considering the gray wolf was literally just removed from the endangered species list. Being removed from the list means that the landowners can legally shoot any wolf that comes on their land, which is sensible. However, if we have an overly broad (and cruel) hunting and trapping season for wolves, Wisconsin's wolf population will be wiped-out and be right back on the list. And that wouldn't be good for the wolves, Wisonsin's environment, farmers or anyone else.