The Dumbest Trump GOP Health Care comments!

I think it's time Democrats start destroying the most ridiculous Trumpian health care talking points making the rounds right now. Come on, these are the easy ones.

From the Tammy Baldwin/Leah Vukmir debate last night:

Vukmir: "The left has glommed on to this as their issue," Vukmir said of pre-existing conditions, adding that she supports that insurance feature.

Response: No, Trump Republicans have glommed onto the issue by adding it to their campaign ads across the country. Reporters, ask them how they'll pay for such a costly benefit. It's easy to say they support it. This was one of the toughest issues when it came to writing the Affordable Care Act and the reason premiums increased the way the did, besides all the threat by Republicans to repeal the law.
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Vukmir dubbed "Medicare-for-all" as "Baldwincare," and said, "she wants to turn over the entire shebang to government."

Response: Oops, I guess Vukmir missed the part where even Republicans are calling it TrumpCare now. Second, we're turning the insurance part of health care over to the government, not hospitals or doctors, which will remain private.

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"You want everyone to have the same thing," Vukmir said of Baldwin's philosophy on health care.

Response: You can pair that with "states should tailor their own plans." Nothing could sound dumber, and Democrats are letting them get away with it? I have yet to meet a doctor specially trained to treat cancer in Iowa, but not in Wisconsin or Texas. That's because it's laughably ridiculous. We're all human and have the same biology. The only difference is how each person is affected, and that we'll leave up to our hospitals and doctors to decide what to do. 

Vukmir rolls out Trump-like Lie campaign against Baldwin!

After last nights Senate candidates debate between incumbent Tammy Baldwin and Trumpian challenger Leah Vukmir, it seems more obvious than ever that Vukmir is an untrustworthy State Senator as well. 

Thanks to PolitiFact, we're able to see "lying" Leah's record of false statements. She's breathtakingly nuts on every issue. Why would anyone vote for someone this deceptive?

Oral Chemo: When it came to voting against requiring insurance coverage for oral chemotherapy, Vukmir made this completely nonsensical statement:

Vukmir: "I was very concerned that the unintended consequence of that bill would be that the very people who wanted that care would be restricted from that care."

Baldwin's simple comeback:

"A vote is a vote, and Leah Vukmir voted with insurance companies to prevent oral chemo from being covered. I don't know how you can run away from the vote."

Universal Health Care: Remember, Vukmir's Trump Party still don't have an alternative plan to replace the ACA or protect pre-existing conditions, so the following statement from Vukmir is an empty outright lie, that laughably plays off the GOP's successful branding of the ACA as ObamaCare:

Vukmir said she would "fall in front of a truck" before she let people with pre-existing conditions go without insurance coverage. Vukmir charged that Baldwin's support for a "Medicare for all" universal health care plan would upend the entire health care system. "I'm going to call it 'BaldwinCare,'" Vukmir said. "Because under her plan, the Affordable Care Act goes away. Medicare goes away. Everything we know about insurance goes away."

"Everything we know about insurance goes away" is a BAD thing? Gotta let insurers make obscene profits from sick people, right Leah?

Baldwin instead is already on this...

This is a pattern for Vukmir on every one of the biggest issues in the election. Vukmir's only option now is to lie:

Tomah VA: Says Tammy Baldwin was the only member of the Wisconsin congressional delegation "to have a report outlining that a doctor was overprescribing opioids" at the Tomah VA, "later a veteran died" and Baldwin "covered it up." Mostly False.

Capitol protests: Says "I have been through the gauntlet, when we had riots in that Capitol." Pants on Fire.

Donor: On conservative mega-donor Richard Uihlein. Full Flop.

Trump: "I have always been there with" Donald Trump. False.

Immigration: Says Mark Pocan’s proposal to eliminate the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would "eliminate border enforcement." Pants on Fire.

Immigration: On separating families at the border. Half Flip.

Patriotism: Says Tammy Baldwin "opposed displaying the flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance or singing the National Anthem in our classrooms." Mostly False.

Terrorism: Says Tammy Baldwin is "more worried about the mastermind of 9/11" than supporting CIA director nominee Gina Haspel. Pants on Fire.

‘Buy America’: Says Sen. Tammy Baldwin "claims to support a 'Buy America' philosophy, but her actions speak louder than her empty words." False.

Attacks by others on Vukmir:

Open records: Club for Growth says Leah Vukmir "claimed the open records law didn't apply to her, got sued, lost and cost taxpayers $15,000 in legal fees." True.

'Leniency': Claim by Club for Growth says Leah Vukmir "wrote a letter seeking leniency for a fellow state legislator convicted of sexual assault." Mostly True.

Vukmir Sides with White Male Abusers: Vukmir even brought up the well documented State Supreme Court choking incident, saying it never really happened. Why even go there...?

Vukmir: "The state courts weren’t immune to these ridiculous and slanderous attacks. In 2011, during an election that was largely seen as a referendum on our reforms, extremely liberal state Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley accused Justice David Prosser of choking her. In the end, this was just another smear. No charges were filed, but sadly his legacy has been blemished."

Other Lies about Baldwin: Seriously conservative voters, are incrementally small tax cuts worth supporting candidates that aren't being honest with you? Note: Baldwin was even criticized for proposing a Department of Peace and Nonviolence...

Iran: Kevin Nicholson says the Iran deal "handed billions of dollars of cash on cargo planes, sent it to a state sponsor of terror, and Tammy Baldwin was one of the first U.S. senators to get on board and support that." Mostly False.

Peace: Kevin Nicholson: "Tammy Baldwin cosponsored legislation that wanted to establish the Department of Peace and Nonviolence." Mostly True.

Taxes: Freedom Partners: "Tammy Baldwin voted for $5 trillion in higher taxes." Half True.

Tomah VA: Americas PAC says Tammy Baldwin was told by a whistleblower about "overmedicated veterans," she made "deadly mistakes" and "three veterans died" at the Tomah VA hospital. False.

Defense funding: Restoration PAC says Tammy Baldwin "supported legislation allowing citizens to withhold funding for our troops." Mostly False.

Sex education: Restore American Freedom and Liberty says Tammy Baldwin "wants to require children starting at age 5 to learn about gay sex!" False.

Who's the Commie Now...Trump!!! Trump like "Commissar, bribing rural voters hurt by tariffs!!!"

Can't disagree with Ron Johnson over Trump's continued debt digging $12 billion handout to farmers who were hurt by Trump's own tariffs...another costly and reckless self-inflicted wound with no plan B:

JS: Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson ripped the Trump administration's plan ... likening the measure to a Soviet-style economy. 

"This is becoming more and more like a Soviet-type of economy here: Commissars deciding who’s going to be granted waivers, commissars in the administration figuring out how they’re going to sprinkle around benefits."

Johnson's just waking up...

“Time and time again I’ve heard from farmers that they want trade, not aid,. Instead of throwing money at a problem we’ve helped create, the better option is to take action to make it easier for our farmers — and manufacturers —to sell their goods at fair prices to consumers around the world."

Like Scott Walker's $100 Bribe to Voters, Trump Pays Off Farmers: The $12 billion hole is just the start...funny too, Republicans are now supportive of federal taxpayer bailouts, based on their own dreaded "uncertainties," why not? Just in time for the midterm elections. Uncertainties are only bad under the Democrats.

Let the spending begin:

The plan also includes (1.) purchases of surplus agricultural commodities for distribution to food banks. And (2) the government will fund trade promotion to find new export markets for U.S. agricultural products. Asked if he would support the aid to farmers, Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) said, “I don’t generally like federal bailouts, but if we’re going to have these uncertainties in the agricultural industry…we just have to look at it.”

More naturally, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin wants to help protect farmers from Trump's completely chaotic actions.

WSJ: Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin backed an aid package to farmers. In a letter to top administration officials, she said: 

“I am calling on the Trump administration to develop a plan that would provide immediate support to farmers unfairly hurt by retaliatory tariffs and include a strategy to maintain the strength of agriculture exports.”

George Will wrote this recently, click here.

Candidate Nicholson trashes parents for maxing out donations to Tammy Baldwin!

Free speech and the First Amendment has been weaponized by the Trump Party. Not only is it being used to spread bigotted racist hate speech, but it's also been transformed from the traditional verbal/written speech into money.  

There are even different rules for Democrats, who should not be allowed to spend money on campaigns because they're doing it for all the wrong reasons...it's right there in the originalist reading of the First Amendment I think.

Democratic voter spending "Represents Intolerance:" Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson blasted his own parent's free speech right, describing their support and donations to Sen. Tammy Baldwin as a “representation of the intolerance” in the Democratic Party...all because they gave the max amount? Don't tell Koch's or Adelson:

The Hill: Wisconsin GOP Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson slammed his own parents for making the “maximum contribution” of $2,700 to his Democratic opponent in a fiery editorial published by Fox News on Monday ... accused his parents ...
“My parents have since turned their back on me, my wife, their grandchildren, and their extended family,” Nicholson wrote in the editorial. He pointed to his parents' donation as a “representation of the intolerance” in the Democratic Party.

“Adding to this, they decided to make the maximum contribution to my Democrat opponent in my campaign for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, an intentional personal blow that made headlines across the country. It was deliberate – and it is a true representation of the intolerance of a political philosophy that stands on the false platform of tolerance.”

Republicans run against "liberal terrorists" again, running away from tax cuts and trade wars!

We hear disenfranchised Republican voters say it all the time; they want to be heard and be on the winning side of an improving economy.

But first, we have to destroy the American liberal terrorists.

"Not Backing Down" is GOP Weapon against Liberal Terrorists: Republicans, confronted with publically lying to voters, are now just doubling down, portraying the truth as "politically correct" speech. The horror.

War crimes supporter State Sen. Leah Vukmir attacked anti-torture Sen. Tammy Baldwin for her vote against Trump's pick to head the CIA, Gina Haspel, who helped set up "black sites" used to detain and torture individuals accused of being "terrorists," along with destroying videotaped evidence.

While Vukmir still stubbornly supports torture, learning nothing from history, Haspel said she changed her mind...:

"...With the benefit of hindsight and my experience as a senior agency leader, the enhanced interrogation program is not one the CIA should have undertaken. The United States must be an example to the rest of the world, and I support that."

Not Vukmir, who appears loyal to the Trumpian extremes mirroring Dick Cheney.

Odder still is Vukmir calling out liberal outrage over this and that...you know, stuff like her campaign ad shown below. Yet Vukmir claims that she and Walker's "positive success story" has been the focus...using the same picture?

Asked point blank by Mike Gousha if she still stands by calling Baldwin a terrorist, Vukmir said yes via a convoluted word salad. For the record, Baldwin never said anything about Sheikh Mahommed's attacks on Haspel, what Vukmir describes as Baldwin "disappearing:"

Vukmir: “When the 9/11 mastermind — Khalid Sheikh Mohammed attacks Gina Haspel, an eminently qualified woman who would be an excellent and historic choice to lead our CIA, Senator Baldwin is nowhere to be found. If this is what it takes to get people talking about Tammy Baldwin’s liberal record and her tendency to disappear and not represent us then so be it."

Looks like Vukmir is the one who believes Sheikh Mohammed should be taken seriously, not Baldwin. 9/11 is still being exploited by Republicans despite happening under a Republican administration.

Here's what a desperate ideologue looks like under stress, smiling her way through some very ugly territory about the outraged unhinged left...:

Trump's Bigoted Judge Nominee backed by Wisconsin Bishops and Dumb Ron Johnson!

Let this be a warning for those who think politicizing religion is a good idea.

Roman Catholics believe Justice Anthony Kennedy went off the rail? Diversity means relaxed moral and ethical standards? Same-sex marriage damages civil society? Guess so:

Are they Catholic Social Bigots, just as God intended?

Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee, and bishops in Madison, La Crosse, Green Bay and Superior ... said they "are troubled by the assessment that Gordon Giampietro is not receiving a fair hearing because of his Catholic faith. The teachings of the Catholic Church in the areas of marriage, family life and human sexuality are very clear. Catholic's (sic) who practice their faith understand and are able to articulate them. We believe that Catholics are capable of offering fair and impartial decisions when applying the law."

What did he say?

1. Giampietro said Justice Anthony Kennedy's ruling, "It's not really legal reasoning" that Kennedy "went off the rails years ago" in a decision striking down sodomy laws.

2. On March 25, 2014, Giampietro wrote that “calls for diversity” are “code for relaxed standards (moral and intellectual).”

3. In a July 24, 2015, interview on (faith radio's) “The Lydia LoCoco Show,” Giampietro was sharply critical of the Supreme Court decision affirming the right to same-sex marriage ... “worse” than the court’s Roe vs. Wade “because of the damage it does to civil society.”

4. In the same interview, he took aim at birth control pills, describing them as "an assault on nature."

Bigots are Unbiased and Fair, and not really bigots, even if they have to say so themselves? 

Commission member, Rick Esenberg, defended Giampietro and said the nominee did not have bigoted views. "You may disagree with the position of the Roman Catholic Church with respect to the nature of marriage, but the other thing Gordon has made clear is if he sits as a judge, he'll apply the law and not his personal religious views."

Sen. Tammy Baldwin has it right, again:

A spokeswoman for Baldwin said adding that the senator's objections to the nominee have nothing to do with his Catholic faith:

“These extremely troubling statements were not provided to the (commission) when it considered candidates for this vacancy. Both what was said, and the fact that it was not disclosed to the commission, raise serious questions about whether this nominee would be able to serve as a fair and impartial judge on a federal court.”

Kevin Nicholson not contacting Parents anymore..."their decision?"

Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson was trained to be a "weapon" and rifleman when he served in the Marines. That fighting mentality changed Nicholson's ideological world view, from Democrat to Republican. Once a Marine, always a Marine, and that's why he's more qualified than Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

My dad was a decorated Marine and survived a round through his chest. I don't remember him saying he was better or more qualified then any other American. That's why I'm skeptical of anyone who brags about serving in the armed forces, expecting a whole bunch of hero worship, and suggesting they're so much better. That's Nicholson. VoteVets wants you to know...

Nicholson Divides Family over Trumpism: After the news hit the fan about Nicholson's parents donating lots of money to his opponent Senator Tammy Baldwin, Nicholson showed his true colors in a Fox News interview that was not just sad, but revealing; his politics resulted a family split with his liberal parents. It's pretty bad when your own parents can't talk to you anymore. Even worse, Nicholson makes no mention of his parents or childhood at his campaign site.

As he tells it, Kevin Nicholson wife, kids and that Marine Corps experience that ripped away his "illusions," made him a better parent than his own mother and father. Even the Fox host stepped in defending his family, reminding Kevin that they also had life experiences that made them who they are...Democrats. Nicholson's words of wisdom and advice to becoming a Republican?

Nicholson: "If you want to have your illusions ripped away, as a young person, go to war, and you're going to learn a lot about yourself, and you'll learn a lot about the world."

Too bad Donna and Michael Nicholson, who continue to wallow in their world of illusion, missed out on so much. That goes for most of us.



  

75 Dairy Farmers on verge of going out of business!!! Not a big issue for Walker and Trump!

I still think rural voters should be trying to get a second opinion, this time from the Democrats. What the hell have Republicans done for them lately?

Canada blocks Dairy State: Believe it or not, the latest casualty under Scott Walker's rule? The dairy industry!!! Where has Walker been, and how hard has he worked to get Trump to act on this, as opposed to getting Wisconsinites drug tested? So now about 75 dairy farms are teetering on the edge. That's a lot of local generational farming.

Walker's number one Priority with Trump!!!

Here's one dairy farmers story. WISC:

...and another. WKOW:

Is Trump or Scott Walker getting anything done as the party in control?

U.S. dairy groups are calling on Donald Trump to set his sights on Canada's "protectionist" dairy practices as he seeks to safeguard American jobs. (Earlier this month), Gov. Walker was among those sending a missive to the President, saying Wisconsin's dairy producers have been disadvantaged by Canada’s recent change in their pricing policy. 

That's too little, too late Scott. And Trump's hard line on trade? 

 

CBS: Canada should brace for a tougher, hardline approach to trade negotiations with the U.S. under Donald Trump's new pick, experts warn ... "trade hawk" Robert Lighthizer ... is aligned with the president-elect's protectionist views ... Lighthizer won't be very willing to make concessions to resolve disputes such as dairy and softwood lumber ... That could mean more protracted legal battles rather than negotiated resolutions.

On Jan. 17, 2017, Food Dive took notice of the problem, but didn't have high hopes for Trump:

Food concerns don’t appear to be his main order of business. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he simply didn’t respond in any meaningful way to the dairy groups’ request.

Back even further, on September 6th, 2016, in a preemptive move, Sen. Tammy Baldwin started the wheels in motion:

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin is pushing for an investigation into whether Wisconsin milk exports are being unfairly blocked and if trade agreements are being upheld. Baldwin and Sen. Chuck Schumer called on USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman to investigate new Canadian dairy pricing policies that could hurt dairy farmers and processors in Wisconsin.

Here's what Canada is doing:

The policy allows Canadian dairy processors to buy domestic milk at world market prices instead of higher prices controlled by the national supply management system. The U.S. dairy groups say that provides the processors with an incentive to cut milk imports. "The entire U.S. dairy industry is being hurt, as milk prices are being driven down nationally by Canada's trade actions," they wrote.

Trump to the rescue?

Canada faces a contentious trade dispute with the U.S., but industry observers believe Trump could take steps that hurt Canada's auto, beef farming, dairy and liquor and beer import monopolies.

"Stand with Walker" trolls don't seem to care about those 75 dairy farms, or people seen in the video above, because they're just too small percentage to care about:

For rural voters and dairy farmers everywhere, Sen. Tammy Baldwin is a Democrat, on the front line trying to save the industry. Again, what has to happen before conservative rural communities look to another party to get something done:

“Grassland Dairy Products Inc. is very appreciative of the interest and leadership Senator Baldwin has shown on the Canadian trade issue.” Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) says the letter comes at a critical time for both trade and the well-being of America’s dairy producers. “We appreciate the Senators’ attention to the importance of holding one of our largest trading partners to its international commitments and the key role that the U.S. government must play in doing so.”

Senator Baldwin is a strong supporter of our Grown in Wisconsin economy and Wisconsin’s dairy farmers and producers. In July, Senator Baldwin joined a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of 60 lawmakers to call on the USDA to assist dairy producers struggling with declining milk prices. As a result, the USDA announced $11.2 million in financial assistance to American dairy producers enrolled in the 2016 Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy).

ALERT: 4/6/2017: Looks like someone in Dumb Ron Johnson office was watching TV and finally picked up on the story. From the quotes below, it's more than obvious Johnson has no idea what is happening,

"@Ask Scott Walker" takes off on Twitter...

The Democratic, liberal, progressive base has been asking our politicians to get a backbone for years. Well, I saw a flicker of fight in an amazing Tweet from Sen. Tammy Baldwin that gave me hope, and may be a harbinger of things to come:

She Won: That exchange has now led to this incredibly entertaining and justly deserved blowback twitter response against the arrogance of Scott Walker. Walker's Tweet provides an opening for the kind of voter feedback he so meticulously avoids in his "invite only" listening sessions:

No meeting and no vote with #SCOTUS...where have we heard that for the last 10 months...hmm, ya got me. It's that old "what goes around comes around" thing.

So "Ask Scott Walker" has now taken off, and hope upon hope, won't end anytime soon:

Here were a few bubble world Tweets that didn't make any sense, but could point to the problem Trumpsters have with "projection." Did Tammy Baldwin really have to be threatened or paid off to oppose Trump's supreme court nominee? Really?

PROJECTION!!!!

Dumb Ron Johnson kills Rail Tanker Emergency Preparedness bill trying to approve Keystone XL Pipeline.

It's dangerous irresponsible behavior like this that has stalled so many bills in the Senate. In a mind boggling move, Dumb Ron Johnson put the breaks on a simple study to deal with tanker disasters. It's a tale of two approaches:  

KUWS-Mike Simonson: An emergency preparedness bill that would investigate the best way for local first-responders to react to a railroad crude oil spill is on hold in Congress. The Response Act would simply form a panel to decide the best way to respond to a rail tanker incident involving North Dakota Bakken crude. Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin says it’s needed in Wisconsin because that oil is transported across 18 counties about 45 times a week. But Baldwin says the bill was derailed at the last minute.

“Regrettably, there was an attempt to politicize the issue by adding an amendment that would approve the Keystone pipeline.”

Who wrote the Amendment?

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson sponsored that amendment. 

To get an idea of what this really means, and the dangerous political game Johnson doesn't even realize he's playing, check out this story reported Friday in the La Crosse Tribune:

The Canadian oil train that derailed in 2013 killing 47 people in Lac-Mégantic passed through the Coulee Region on its way to Quebec, according to Canadian safety officials. The ensuing explosions destroyed 40 buildings, and contaminated the city’s downtown as well as a nearby river and lake.

According to the report, the tank cars originated in New Town, N.D., and were hauled by Canadian Pacific through Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit on their way to Montreal … The derailment brought additional attention to the increase in rail shipments of highly flammable crude oil as production in the Bakken formation of North Dakota has soared. 

Profitable Postal Service struggles under GOP mandate Tammy Baldwin hopes to repeal.

It's always seemed odd to me that people who call themselves "constitutional conservatives" would back efforts to get rid of the constitutionally provided postal service. This irrational hatred for anything having to do with the government, you know-we the people, still doesn't make any sense to me.

One of the real defenders of the constitutional framework designed by our founding fathers is Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin:

WEAU: Half of the U.S. senate, including Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, wants to block a plan to shut down mail processing plants next year … a letter dated August 14 to the heads of a congressional committee and subcommittee on appropriations … calls for a one-year moratorium on the U.S. Postal Service's plans to close up to 82 of the plants. The senators said the moratorium would give Congress time to enact postal reforms they say are needed for the Postal Service to "function efficiently in the future." 

They go on to say that reports about the Postal Service's "supposed financial woes" are misleading, and that the Postal Service has taken in almost $1,000,000,000 more in revenue than it spent since fall 2012.

Wisconsin Cheese gets Democratic Action from Baldwin and Kind, but nothing from Republican Congressmen Ryan, Duffy, Sensenbrenner, Ribble, and Petri!!!

A farmers best friend? Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Ron Kind.

In yet another example of getting stiffed by the GOP. Farmers who typically vote Republican aren't getting any help from their rural lawmakers in D.C. over the future of aged cheeses in their state and from around the world. It’s no surprise though, since my conservative friend in Milwaukee is absolutely beside himself over the imperial presidency, Benghazi, Bergdahl and ObamaCare. Those are real issues Americans are more concerned with.

Cheese Aged on Wood needs defending. And missing in action is Dumb Ron Johnson, Rep. Ryan, Ribble, Sensenbrenner, Duffy, and Petri. What do rural farmers see in these farm bill delaying freeloaders?

The Cheese/Wood FDA Threat, WSJ: 

Wooden boards, which have been an integral part of aging cheeses, were called unsanitary by an FDA official. The future of many cheese operations in Wisconsin and elsewhere and the unique tastes of popular cheeses like aged cheddar and Parmesan are hanging in the balance.

One problem; "Cheese-making is a long and involved process that makes use of bacteria, enzymes and naturally formed acids to solidify milk proteins and fat and preserve ..."

Dangerous?

Marianne Smukowski of the UW-Madison Center of Dairy Research. “And none have been traced back to aging cheese on wood boards.” 

Baldwin and Kind: Democrats continue to pay attention to the job of governing and problem solving: 

According to John Umhoefer, the executive director of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. “This is not a fad. This is the way that it’s done,” he said. He added that U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, R-La Crosse, already has contacted him to express his concern and support for the cheese producers. Umhoefer said cheese producers from around the world are concerned because the FDA ruling also will limit all cheese imported into the United States.

Chris Roelli, owner of the Roelli Cheese Haus in Shullsburg said that representatives from the office of Sen. Tammy Baldwin contacted him ... (he) uses wooden boards to age 85 percent of its cheeses. Roelli said. “The political powers should get behind us because it’s so important to the state’s dairy industry, which is a very powerful industry in this state with the jobs and the economic impact it has. This is very serious stuff.”

Scott Walker wants taxpayers to give subsidies to people buying junk policies on the private market!

Wanna know how you can tell when someone doesn't know what the hell they're talking about, and that they’re fiscally clueless and irresponsible?

Check out the bizarre request Scott Walker made to Sen. Tammy Baldwin, when he asked to give taxpayer subsidies to insurers not in the marketplace. You know, that place where there are no rules and plenty of junk policies. I've never heard of anything this reckless before:

jsonline: Gov. Scott Walker asked U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin to join him Friday in his

call to allow people to access Obamacare subsidies for health care plans they buy that aren't offered on a federal insurance exchange.

Obamacare allows people to receive subsidies to buy private health insurance through the federal exchange … But Walker said those subsidies should also be available for plans that aren't available through the exchange.

Think about that. Taxpayer money just being thrown at private insurers with none of the regulations and rules required to get those subsidies. Anything goes, just like we’re seeing with those school voucher schemes.

Baldwin’s response was clear:

Baldwin spokesman John Kraus issued a statement that said Walker was heading down a "fiscally irresponsible path" and should instead accept federal aid so he could cover more people while providing a net savings to the state budget.

I would have said fiscally insane path, but that’s me. If I were running for governor, I would use this as a sledge hammer to drive home Walker’s irrational style of managing taxpayer money.

This comment was pretty much my reaction on the Medicaid side:

When compared with expanding BadgerCare under the ACA, the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that Walkers plan will cost state taxpayers $119 million more over the next two years to cover 85,000 fewer people. The additional costs to businesses are estimated to be between $24 and $24.1 million per year.

It is a loser for any one who calls themselves a Christian. It is a loser for the taxpayers of Wisconsin. It is a loser for businesses. We will pay more to cover less people

It is a winner to the low information base of the Republican party.

Tammy Baldwin could easily overshadow Paul Ryan in Budget Committee negotiations.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin shows Wisconsinites what a real lawmaker looks like. Imagine Dumb Ron Johnson, who is just about to introduce his bill "If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep It Act," saying anything close to the following. From WKOW News:

Why do hard working Family Farmers support Freeloading, do-nothing Republicans? Compare Sen. Baldwin and Dumb Ron Johnson on much needed Farm Bill.

Dumb Ron Johnson doesn't like making difficult decisions. The Farm Bill is one of them. He can’t shake the “food stamp” problem he says costs too much at the expense of doing more for farmers. Like doing what for farmers Ron, since government handouts aren't possible when you’re trying to make cuts, cuts, cuts?

But for Johnson, it’s always something isn't it?

Yet Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin stepped in, made decisions and took action. She helped pass the farm bill in the Senate:

Wisconsin Ag Connection: Wisconsin's newest U.S. Senator says she glad to see her

colleagues vote in favor of a new five-year farm bill on Monday. Tammy Baldwin called the measure, which passed in the Senate, a bipartisan piece of legislation that will help move Wisconsin's economy in the right direction.

Here’s Tammy’s view:

"Wisconsin's family farmers have been an engine for our state's economy for generations," Sen. Baldwin said. "The Farm Bill makes important investments in our rural communities and supports an industry critical to our state's economy."

Johnson voted against it:

But GOP Sen. Ron Johnson doesn't feel the 'Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act' does enough to help farmers. He's argued for months that the program contains too much money for food stamps. "About 80 percent of the spending in the bill will be spent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program," Sen. Johnson said in a statement. "That is out of control … This bill is simply not targeted to help farm and dairy families dealing with over regulation, misguided federal policies, and weak demand brought on by terrible economic growth."

Really? Let’s see if that’s true. Johnson rejected:

Several of the key provisions in this year's farm bill include providing training and access to capital to new farmers; creates manufacturing jobs by growing bio-manufacturing to replace oil-based products; increases the ability for farmers to sell what they grow in their local markets; and expands export opportunities for American farm products.

Dumb Ron Johnson walked away, leaving Tammy Baldwin to pass and include the following additional aid:

Baldwin says the Specialty Crop Block Grants will help support research for crops like cranberries, potatoes, ginseng, and cherries. The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act to provide tools for farmers including technical assistance and training programs, as well as matching funds for savings accounts and lower loan rates. And the Rural Energy Investment Act will provide funds for renewable projects including anaerobic digesters and investments in biofuel crops.  Meanwhile, the Dairy Security Act was also part of the Senate's version of the farm bill with the controversial market stabilization program in place. 

What’s not to like Ron? Oh yeah, food stamps for those still effected by the Great Recession thanks to the "free market." Baldwin helped both sides, standing with farmers and added:

Chippewa Herald: “The bipartisan farm bill makes the most significant reforms to farm programs in decades,” Baldwin said. “It ends unnecessary subsidies like direct payments, eliminates duplication, and streamlines programs to save more than $24 billion.”

She pointed out that the average age of U.S. farmers is about 60. “Many of them inherited or were able to buy into a family operation. That’s getting tougher and tougher these days. That’s why we have to start investing in a new generation of farmers and ranchers,” Baldwin said. “The farm bill provides training programs and helps new farmers access important tools, land, and capital to get their operation off the ground.”

Baldwin Bill Helps Craft Brewers!!!

Does Sen. Tammy Baldwin know how to secure votes or what?

WPR: U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc) says she's trying to help small Wisconsin craft

brewers get a federal tax break. Jeff Hamilton of Milwaukee’s Sprecher Brewing, who is also president of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild, went to Capitol Hill this week to argue for a bill that would reduce the excise tax, a tax tied to the amount of production on each barrel of beer brewed by small brewers. Senator Baldwin is a co-sponsor of the measure. She contends the millions of dollars in federal revenue lost by the tax cut would be more than offset by small brewers adding employees, who would then pay more income taxes: “Alleviation and reduction of the excise tax is going to be a direct investment in our local economy, in our local communities, and lead to jobs.”

Oh, remember that "jobs" thing before Benghazi?

Sprecher's Jeff Hamilton says his point is that the true small brewers opening up in small towns can be a sizable plus for the local economy: “It does bring back little towns, it brings people into towns.“

Unfair to the large brewers? I don’t think so…

Baldwin says through separate efforts, larger brewing companies like MillerCoors are also looking for a reduction in their excise tax.

Senator Baldwin excise tax reduction bill, (is) called Small BREW.

Dumb Ron Johnson to "lay out for (Baldwin) her my best understanding of the federal budget..."

From Hurricane Sandy, to accusations (“I know you are but what am I”) that President Barack Obama is "suppressing the vote," conservative projection is off the Richter Scale.

The irony that Dumb Ron Johnson now thinks voters are dumb should not be lost on the public. It's also true when Roll Call reported that Johnson was "...someone who talked more than he listened." The same voters that elected Johnson in 2010, are dumb, and were not "properly informed" when they reelected Obama.

AP-Johnson: "If you aren't properly informed, if you don't understand the problems facing this nation, you are that much more prone to falling prey to demagoguing solutions. And the problem with demagoguing solutions is they don't work. I am concerned about people who don't fully understand the very ugly math we are facing in this country."

Really? If that were true, then conservatives in Wisconsin must be really stupid too…

Something kind of amazing happened in a handful of Patchcommunities: voters cast their ballots for candidates across party lines. In Fox Point, on Milwaukee's north side, voters went for President Barack Obama and US Rep. Tammy Baldwin, but sided with Republicans Dan Sebring and Jim Ott in their respective congressional races. In Whitefish Bay, there was also a split that looked like Fox Point; Obama and Baldwin won voters over, but so did Sebring and Ott.

So these “uninformed” voters reelected Republicans Sebring and Ott?

In Racine County, Sturtevant voters chose the president over Republican Mitt Romney by a single vote. They also chose Baldwin, but then threw their support to Rep. Robin Vos, R, and to Congressman Paul Ryan. Mount Pleasant, on the other hand, chose Romney, Baldwin, Vos, Ryan, and state Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Kenosha, for the 22nd Senate District.

But the real story here is the shear arrogance of Mr. Big Talk, former accountant, and “wealth by marriage” self-made millionaire Johnson.

Johnson said he spoke with Baldwin on Wednesday, and he hopes he they can work together -- just as soon as he explains "facts" about the federal budget to her.

"Hopefully I can sit down and lay out for her my best understanding of the federal budget because they're simply the facts," he said. "Hopefully she'll agree with what the facts are and work toward common sense solutions."

Yet considering Baldwin’s time in the House since 1999, the very body of government that writes the  budget, I’m sure she’ll be polite to the dumbest guy in the senate:

Johnson took office in 2011. Presumably, Baldwin is already familiar with how the federal budget works. She also double-majored in college in government and mathematics.

Online publication Jezebel wrote: 

Senator Ron Johnson is 100% correct: numbers are SUPER HARD, especially if you have a vagina (the last time I tried to do math, I fainted from the exertion). But he's not accurate in assuming that lesbians need math explained to them. Since lesbians are just like men without upper body strength, they're fine at math. Also, Tammy Baldwin was a math major in college. Ron Johnson is a former accountant who dropped out of a night MBA program.

A few great comments followed:

1-"And the problem with demagoguing solutions is they don't work." Do these people have no shame? A tea party senator talking about Demagoguery? As part of the most emotion based batshit crazy grassroots movement since William Jennings Bryan , a group whose founding principals are essentially one part racist vitriol to one part conspiracy theory to two parts empty sloganeering, this puffed up jackass feels he can give a warning about demagoguery? Combined with Rove bitching about "Suppressing the vote" this seems to be a concerted game plan. Operation Call the Kettle Black. If over the next few weeks we see republicans accuse Democrats of being racist simpletons being led by the nose by corporate cronies and the banking industry I will die of hemochromatosis caused by excessive irony.

2-"Is there a special course one can take on Republican math?"

Tammy Baldwin at the Obama/Springsteen rally!

Here's a part of the WKOW live feed from the Capitol featuring Tammy Baldwin:



More to come, with Springsteen and Obama....

The Wisconsin Nailbiter.

From Friday night, John Nichols and Ed Schultz on the latest Wisconsin election news:

Really, the Journal Sentinel is willing to pimp Thompson's Empty "Tammy missed a 9/11 Vote?"

How desperate is Tommy Thompson?

Thompson has been resorting to one last desperate ploy; in the words of Samuel Johnson, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Tommy is questioning Tammy Baldwin's patriotism. This "patriotic" horse and pony show in congress over symbolic resolutions that have nothing to do with a representatives real job, is all Tommy has left sling.

It also seems odd jsonline's Dan Bice is writing this useless trash too? The headline blames Tammy for missing a vote on one isolated 9/11 resolution, but down a few lines Tammy explains she was sick that day. So...no story right? Wrong. It calls into question Tammy's patriotism. Pathetic.

I just came across this phrase in Bob Dylan's great song "Sweetheart Like You," with a few extra lyrics that describe Romney to a T: