Democrats Recused themselves from GOP campaign corruption bill.

Republicans in congress said it was unfair Democrats rammed ObamaCare down everyone’s throats without a single Republican vote. Poor babies.

And yet, Republicans ramming Act 10 and now campaign finance down the throats of legislators voters who want to take money out of elections is okay? Who listens to the public anyway, when we have “leaders” who know what’s best, and "hold listening sessions so it gives the appearance the administration is reaching out." - Lobbyist Bill McCoshen. 

Cap Times: Democrats in the Wisconsin Assembly (stood up and) recused themselves en masse from a Wednesday evening vote on a contentious GOP proposal to reshape the state's campaign finance laws. The bill passed shortly before 8 p.m. with the unanimous support of the chamber's Republican members, with no Democrats casting votes. Democrats cited state statute 19.46, which prevents public officials from "taking any official action substantially affecting a matter in which the official ... has a substantial financial interest."

"Because the bill has a direct financial interest for myself ... I feel it is necessary to recuse myself given the direct self-interest that this bill provides for members of this body," said Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, leading the arguments.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach put it this way:

“If we do something wrong, we should be investigated,” added Sen. John Erpenbach (D-Middleton), his voice rising with emotion. “I don’t want any part of this bill. People are cynical enough already. Let’s not give them another reason to hate politicians.” 

This outraged Rep. Robin Vos, the biggest whiny asshole ramming crony government down our throats. Silly Democrats should take Vos' juvenile overly broad advice:

Vos accused Democrats of setting a "seriously dangerous precedent" by recusing themselves, noting legislators could make the same argument for voting on the state budget or issues that affect their hometown.

"I have never been so disappointed in the members of the minority." Vos said Democrats took their leadership's cue to "walk off a cliff" and called their actions "silly in the extreme."

Yes, it's  those power hungry Democrats who are being extreme in all this.

And Rep. Joel Kleefisch, a man who resently transformed from legislator to neanderthal, observed:

He was saddened to see Democrats engage in a "stunt."

Going back to the future on campaign finance is also the Republicans idea of being more "progressive" than Democrats. Ouch:

Rep. Adam Neylon, R-Pewaukee: "...stop the theatrics ... we will operate under the current existing state law throughout history forever. Is that what you want? Because that doesn't sound very progressive to me."

Rep. Cory Mason on Right-to-Work sloganeering: "Renamed corporate greed, 'freedom!'

In this great reframing of the supposed right to work, Cory Mason calls it what it is:



Rep. Robin Vos earned his reputation as the assemblies biggest asshole with amazingly tasteless statements like the ones below. Hear him turn the words freedom and liberty inside out, and claim that wage killing Republicans should be the ones wearing the orange shirts protesters wore defending labor rights.  

Scott Walker is so smart, he knew the ObamaCare Website would Crash.

For many Republicans opposed to the Affordable Care Act, the successful implementation of the plan in states that setup their own exchanges is not something they'll ever want to bring up. Like Scott Walker.

Not only does Walker think God is giving him special guidance rolling out his rightwing authoritarian agenda, but now he has the amazing ability to see into the future.

Walker intuitively decided not to expand Medicaid because he knew the ObamaCare web site would crash. Never mind that the Massachusetts plan, RomneyCare, suffered from the same glitches, glitches by the way that were very similar to the problems Republicans suffered when they rolled out Medicare Part D.

For whatever reason, Walker oddly compared the Marketplace to Medicaid expansion, ignoring how Democratic governors who set up their own exchanges are doing gangbusters.

Walker: "The failure of the ObamaCare roll out is precisely why I didn't take the Medicaid expansion in the first place...a federal government that can't even get a website up and going to get people signed up for ObamaCare."

But if Walker set up the exchanges himself and didn't "rely on the federal government," everything would be just fine. Funny how that works. From Channel3000:

Democrats say while the delay is needed, they're questioning the governor's original plan. "We're here because of his refusal to start a Wisconsin exchange," Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, said.

Mason said the governor should have taken federal Medicaid expansion funds. "If it's better to be on BadgerCare, why don't we expand BadgerCare and keep more people on it rather than let them go into the exchange?" Mason said.

State Rep. Cory Mason calls out Republican Hypocrisy limiting food choices for the poor, while giving everyone else the freedom to make bad choices.

Nanny state Republicans want to protect us from eating good food, in normal proportions.

WPR: A provision added to the state budget by Republicans would prohibit Wisconsin communities from banning Big Gulp sodas or other sugary drinks. It comes just two days after Republicans limited the ability of poor people to buy soda with food stamps.

Feeling no shame whatsoever the out of shape...

Rep. Pat Strachota (R-West Bend) is the measure's sponsor. "When I want to go to the movie theater and get that big thing of soda and the biggest popcorn I can get to have that experience at the movie theater…I want to make sure that I can continue to have that experience and that I don't have government telling me I can't have that experience."

Here's what Rep. Cory Mason said:

"It belies any genuine argument that you were making about it being about nutrition, and makes it seem as though all you were really doing was going after the way poor people behave and not everybody else." Republicans say the food stamp bill was different because it involved junk food bought with taxpayer money.

Who's still falling for the "taxpayer money" dog whistle mentioned every other word in Republican nanny state policy?

Here's a great point from WSJ's Chris Rickert:

Since Strachota’s made a point of saying that part of the reason she introduced her amendment was that she didn't want anyone taking away her freedom to sit in a theater with giant, obesity- and cavity-exacerbating containers of popcorn and soda, I couldn’t help but wonder if taxpayers must help pay her health and dental costs.

As of late Monday afternoon, her office had not yet told me if she was on the state’s insurance plan. Either way, perhaps a more honest version of her amendment would preserve the freedom to enjoy massive servings of food and drink only for people who aren't on such plans.