Devoid of Issues, Republican's seek to end "liberals," hoping to crush their Enemy neighbors!

Not solving Wisconsin's, or even America's social and economic problems, sure beats working. The Republican convention message couldn't be clearer.

Weird Freedom and Liberty Tantrum: For example, on Parler, AZ Rep. Andy Biggs posted:

"Nothing typifies this path to totalitarianism more fully than gov't mandates to wear a mask." (note: Arizona had 2,742 new cases, and 147 new deaths from the previous day.)

I commented: "True, only if there was never a pandemic and then you were ordered to wear masks, because masks are kind of silly without a health crisis, right?"

But that's really the issue isn't it, conflating tyrannical edicts with preventive "orders" to fight a contagious airborne virus that hurts and kills people.

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Vos on what really matters!

And with Covid-19 surging in Wisconsin again (7/18 Sat 978 new cases, 10 deaths), believe it or not, Republicans aren't about to come back to work and admit they and the State Supreme Court were wrong. Their voters won't hold them accountable or even notice their depraved lack of responsibility.

It seems Republicans simply want to "stand with the police" not reforming a thing, stand with the NRA doing nothing about mass shootings, or stand against COVID-19 health policy.

Reckless Abandon #1: GOP convention host Rep. Mike Gallagher (R) trashed Democrats with utter nonsense, and they liked it. No Democrat, no progressive, no liberal I know has ever said the things listed below. But they do set up a stark contrast that makes doing nothing about the nations social and economic problems seem like the best alternative if the other choice is to "tear down our country, tear it apart and destroy it." 

Democrats supposedly have said...

"America is an evil country," "America is so evil and so racist...we must tear it down." "it's about blaming America first," "they believe America is inherently evil," "this election is about the mob, the leftists," "they force those who they disagree with to kneel before them," "to cancel out history,"  "to tolerate lawlessness under the disguise of justice," …"We utterly reject the lie that America is an evil racist country":

We all reject that lie because no one said that. He's quite the story teller:



Reckless Abandon #2: How Republicans avoid problem solving or dealing with civil unrest:

1. Gallagher: "We've seen violent mobs take to our streets." Nope, they're called protesters. Why are they out protesting again?

2. Gallagher: "Let them say we stood with our dedicated law enforcement professionals..." So, no problem, no reform?

3. Speaker: "Do we want to be the next Seattle? Do we want to be the next Minneapolis...Chicago? Well, those are cities and we're a state? No?
4. Speaker: "The Democrats, they don't want you to speak up, they want you to fear, to be silent." No one ever said that. And who are these chicken shit frightened losers afraid to speak up? Uh, that's on you.

5. Tiffany: "They want to release violent felons." No, but scary.

Reckless Abandon #3: On our gerrymandered Republicans much talked about efforts to work with Gov. Evers after gutting his powers just before he took office:

1. Fitzgerald: "When you have a reluctant candidate (Evers), who was then fortunate to be elected, I don't think he wanted the job, and I quite honestly don't think the governor is up to the job." He beat Scott Walker...a "fortunate" win?

2. Fitzgerald: "You had to consider, was he a peer? Was he somebody who had an agenda, was he somebody who defined himself already, and I think the answer to all that is no." Arrogant Fitzgerald works only with his "peers." So Evers won a statewide election without "an agenda?"

3. Fitzgerald: "So what happens, the void is filled by staff, and he surrounded himself with staff and the staff is political, they're not policy people." Policy people? You mean lobbyist, sons and daughters of lobbyists, political advisors and former politicians with no previous experience in their departments? Got it.

4. Fitzgerald: "...we were joking about the recording earlier, but that's kind the epitome I think of the disrespect that has emerged." And that's the epitome of petty lengths Fitzgerald will go to manufacturer phony outrage.

Reckless Abandon #4: Dumb Ron Johnson couldn't show up to this hot bed of Covid-19 spreaders, so as usual, he avoided another personal appearance with the following recorded moronic attack on the Democrats. Notice how Johnson asks that we work together, all the while demanding the Republicans "defeat the left at every level and every stage of the election cycle." Also quite humorous and ridiculous, the idea that "younger Americans are embracing socialism and rejecting freedom of expression."  Notice too that "lawlessness" is happening because of the Trump administration. Say Ron, if you have to make stuff up like this to make the your crazy lack of governing look better, okay.

Notice again there are no policy ideas or solutions offered up. I'm assuming the elimination of protesting bad government is solution enough:

Johnson: "The Democratic Party is lurching toward socialism. The unfortunate reality we face today is a result of the radical left taking control of our colleges and universities within the last several decades by controlling the colleges, of education, journalism, and the law. 

The impact is particularly noticeable on younger Americans who are embracing socialism and rejecting freedom of expression in alarming numbers. 

Instead of working together to form a more perfect union, their goal is to tear down our country, tear it apart and to destroy it. 

We need to defeat the left at every level and every stage of the election cycle. This is another moment of choosing when we descend down a path of growing lawlessness and destruction, erasing our history in a futile pursuit of a socialized Utopia that history proves does not exist, or do we come together and acknowledge our shortcomings and work to help every citizen pursue and achieve the American dream?"

Reckless Abandon #5: The Chaos Trump let Loose: My Trump cult friend in Milwaukee is reveling in Trump's campaign of horror, partially listed here by Thom Hartmann:

They revel in their efforts to end Obamacare; resumption of federal executions; authorize the use of formerly banned pesticides causing cancer and neurological damage to children; allow coal and oil companies to dump more waste in our rivers; children slaughtered in classrooms; Black people regularly murdered by police; Trump calls those asking for change "terrorists" and "thugs;" refers to Nazis as "very fine people" and retweets calls for "white power;" fighting efforts to extend unemployment relief; discouraging wearing masks or social distancing; raising doubts about science; causing the deaths of over a 100,000 Americans; holds indoor rallies knowing some people will be dead in a matter of weeks.

State Supreme Court says, Hit the Bars!!!

UPDATE-5/15/2020: Since the Supreme Court never clarified why it did what it did and what the option are...chaos:

By Friday, health officials in Kenosha, Brown, Manitowoc and Outagamie counties had dropped orders, as did the cities of Cudahy and Appleton. The Wisconsin Counties Association said after Wednesday’s ruling that it was unclear whether whether local orders mimicking the statewide mandate would stand up in court.
Wisconsin’s largest and most liberal counties, Milwaukee and Dane, home to about 1.5 million of the state’s 6 million residents, left their orders in place. State law allows local health officers to “do what is reasonable and necessary for the prevention and suppression of disease.” They can issue edicts without going through the rule-making process that the high court said state officials must use.

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The Republicans have foisted off an odd twist to self governance. The idea that their voters, especially their voters, would act responsibly and live by the rules handed down by their capitalist leaders, business lobbyists.

Back at it again, Republican Rep. Robin Vos suggested that freedom, liberty, and self governance is all we really need to fight a pandemic. Trust the public to voluntarily do the right thing, all the rules are out there to follow...:

“Republicans believe business owners can safely reopen using the guidelines … We urge our fellow small business owners to utilize the suggestions as a safe and effective way to open up our state. “Wisconsin now … can continue to follow good practices of social distancing, hand washing, hand sanitizer usage and telecommuting. This order does not promote people to act in a way that they believe endangers their health.

Here's a look at self-governance based on trusting the small crowds of protesters, with their guns, Nazi symbols and calls for the governors recall, to control state public policy. A bunch of real constitutional scholars, following good practices blah, blah, blah. Really, did anyone believe that bullsh*t? Face masks anyone?

On Wednesday night in the heart of downtown Platteville, Wis., just hours after the Wisconsin Supreme Court threw out the state’s stay-at-home order, Nick’s on 2nd was packed wall to wall, standing room only.

It was sometime after 10 p.m. when “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” by the Hollies came over the sound system and a bartender took out his camera. In a Twitter broadcast, he surveyed the room of maskless patrons crammed together, partying like it was 2019. A few were pounding on the bar to the beat. Some were clapping their hands in the air and some were fist-pumping, a scene so joyous they could have been celebrating the end of the worst pandemic in a century.

A BIG "OH SURE..."

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke’s chief of staff Rusty Schultz … encouraged those who do participate during the pandemic do so safely and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Sen. Duey Stroebel doesn't buy that argument. "If you think the citizens of this state are a bunch of fools incapable of handling their lives in an appropriate manner, then I guess we might be into chaos," Stroebel said of the governor's take.

Masks anyone...?

COVID-19 Safe-at-Home Repeal brings Illinois bar hoppers to Wisconsin: Maybe Scott Walker couldn't entice people to come to the state, but this has:

The Daily Beast spoke with several Illinois residents who shared plans to travel this weekend to Wisconsin. While they generally said they were aware of coronavirus-related travel concerns, they echoed a simmering national debate about how long economies can be placed in hibernation. Anthony Hersick, 22, from Ingleside, Illinois, said he and some friends were planning on crossing the border to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to head to the bars and clubs in the area. “I’m a little worried [about COVID-19], but we are here to support our friends,” he told The Daily Beast.

“Quite frankly, those who find themselves wandering [across state lines] should be forced to stay there,” said Patty Steel of Wonder Lake, Illinois. “Your desire to sit in a restaurant is selfish and gross, especially after Wisconsin posted almost 300 daily cases of COVID-19 yesterday.”

Through a spokesperson, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling “obviously partisan” and “incredibly reckless and dangerous.”

Even the Daily Show couldn't avoid the absurdity of the moment:



Republicans are now targeting local stay at home orders, kind of a distraction from not having a plan. Keep the agitated Trump Covidians angry:

Many cities and counties in Wisconsin have their own emergency or Safer at Home orders. Fitzgerald says he doesn't have a problem with letting those continue for another week, or until local voters demand their communities be reopened.

Fitzgerald already has his eye on his last assault, putting our kids on the front lines of the pandemic, back in school, no matter what things look like in September:

Fitzgerald said "The focus moving forward should be about the bigger, broader questions, like are K-12 schools coming back in the fall? Is the UW System going to have kids loading up their cars and driving down and move into a dorm room?"

Republicans for "modern stone age family" rights, anti-vaxxers, anti-medical experts!!!

The Trump "DEATHCULT" is warping into some kind of alternative evil-like universe, swallowing up whole, what remains of our current reality!

This is surreal. Trump Covidians are even glad to see gas pump prices going back up and posting price lists whining about how low the post office prices are to ship packages compared to the other delivery services. Want to send a letter for $4? They want higher prices because the Orange God hates the Postal Service.

BACK-TO-WORK Freedom to Shop Militias: In almost every state, "back-to-work" COVID-19 deniers are suing governors in their state supreme courts so they can deny them the extraordinary power to fight against a health crisis like pandemics, now and for all future health threats. Most revealing, this is not happening in GOP governor run states with similar orders.

You can bet Trump's covidian militias will never allow reimposed lockdowns...: 

...when this is happening...

Michelle Gregoire, a 29-year-old school bus driver from Battle Creek who is running as a Republican for a seat in the state House, waved a yellow “Don’t tread on me” flag at passing traffic. She derided Gov. Whitmer as “a tyrant.” But she also urged Republicans “to get in line and get it together.” The protest and others like it — including two last month that included demonstrators with swastikas, Confederate flags and some with long guns inside the capitol — have alarmed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

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Let's Spread Meningitis, Anti-Vax Republicans want to expose the public to really Deadly Preventable Deaths:

Since the only way to stop COVID-19 from spreading is with a vaccine, anti-vaxxers see another way to make things so much worse. Just add it to all the other "make life miserable" reasons science-denying conservatives want to spread to "MAGAt's" dark ages platform.

Keep in mind, Republican voters yesterday in northern Wisconsin love the DEATHCULT movement, happily voting right-winger and environmental killer Tom Tiffany as their next congressman. HELLO, no help for dairy farmers, polluted drinking water, bad roads, closed schools, no fiber optic broadband, etc...what are you thinking?: 

WSJ: As the public awaits a vaccine that could end the COVID-19 health and economic crisis, Wisconsin Republicans say they aren’t convinced the state should require certain vaccines for school children recommended by the medical community.

Republicans objected to part of a rule that would have required seventh-graders to get vaccinated for meningitis and to receive a booster shot before entering 12th grade. Republicans are dismissing the medical consensus, choosing instead to side with parents and chiropractors who say a mandate is unnecessary given adverse reactions, low rates of meningitis and already high rates of voluntary vaccination among school children.

Low rates are the result of vaccines, right?

Fringe Control of our Legislature: Who wants those 12 percenters dominating public policy. Who elected them? 

Among the skeptics is Madison Elmer, the organizer of this month’s rally against Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order, and members of Wisconsin United for Freedom, a group critical of the safety of vaccines, fluoride and 5G wireless towers.

Republicans reject Medical Experts...any other questions? Don't listen to the experts: 

Republican objections to the recommendations of medical experts come after they forged ahead with the April 7 election despite warnings it would spread the virus and continue to pressure Evers to reopen the state.

“Kids in Wisconsin are theoretically being left at more risk than other areas,” said Dr. James Conway, a pediatric infectious disease expert at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

Despite GOP objections, the requirement could still go into place after the administrative rules process is completed. The CDC recommends the meningitis vaccination for children, as do the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota all require at least one dose … 

Worse than Walker? Yes, Republicans are now further right than even Scott Walker wanted to go:

The state Department of Health Services, the agency charged with overseeing the state’s immunization program, began the process in 2017 under Republican Gov. Scott Walker to bring state requirements in line with CDC recommendations by adding the meningitis vaccine to those required for students entering the seventh grade, and the booster for incoming seniors.

Last week, the six Republican lawmakers who control the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules voted to temporarily object to the requirement on the grounds it is “arbitrary and capricious.”

Anti-Logic Republicans use success of vaccinating and low disease rates to oppose vaccinations:

Mike Mikalsen, a spokesman for Sen. Steve Nass said those rates reduce the need to mandate the vaccine, given concerns about side effects. “The numbers have been going down,” Mikalsen said. “The need to make it mandatory, it’s not there.” 

Who wants to scream here? I am now:

When immunization rates dip below 80%, Conway said there’s not enough group or “herd” immunity, and outbreaks of disease become a concern. All the states around us require the meningococcal vaccine for kids,” Conway said. “We’re kind of the outlier on this one.” Conway said both COVID-19 and meningitis can mimic the flu in their early stages. Risk is highest for those ages 16 to 23 and for infants.

Escape from Trump's Covidian19 Nation.

The Branch COVIDIAN President's numbers slide...

We're seriously debating the few hundred death cult protesters agenda?

The public is fascinated by the Trump death-cult worshipers just dying to get back-to-work.

The media is giving way too much time on the "accident" we're seeing roll out around the nation; small mobs of angry protesters who can't stand saving lives at the expense of business. This ghoulish point of view finalizes the idea of corporate personhood.

How fringe are these adolescent bullies? They actually had to be reminded to leave their assault weapons, confederate flags, and Nazi signs at home. "Bad optics," ya think?

But in Michigan and elsewhere, the optics were simply honest. These are the guys swaying policy.

Note below: Former Sheriff David Clarke makes another bonehead appearance doing his best Seinfeld, "How did they come up with this number of 6 feet? I think they pulled it out of their rear-end." Comic genius?


No Way To Govern: In the last couple of days Republicans have made so many shockingly cold random statements that I had to list them below. We seriously underestimated their utter worship of capitalism. Plus, Republicans have no interest in COVID-19 or the number of lives lost. Let me say it again; Republicans don't solve problems, they never have and never will.

One more thing; Republicans are seriously pretending business is perfect and will enact precautions perfectly, never ignoring or relaxing preventions over time. And since OSHA is no longer enforcing work place COVID-19 safety, they've told business to just go nuts...:

1. Despite having almost 2 months to come up with something, "Republican lawmakers have yet to coalesce around their own plan for how to combat the coronavirus pandemic."

2. Legislative leaders have not endorsed a specific plan or provided details of what they want to do.

3. Republicans are clamoring to reopen the state, but in some ways they acknowledged with their hearing that they're not yet ready to do it fully. Business representatives backing the WMC plan appeared by video, legislative aides wore face masks and lawmakers were spaced six feet or more from one another.

4. Assembly Republicans put together Thursday’s meeting a day after Evers criticized them for not holding any hearings on the coronavirus outbreak. Evers took a shot..."I have a plan and they sued me." 

5. Republicans want to let areas with low infection rates to open sooner. Evers doesn’t want to allow that because he is worried people would flock to the areas that are opened first, increasing the risk of spreading the illness...James Conway, an infectious diseases expert called opening different regions of the state at different times “terrifying.” Democratic Rep. Christine Sinicki said, "If you open up regionally you better believe people from Milwaukee are going to leave Milwaukee to go up north.

6. The WMC plan accounts for hospital capacity but not testing or contact tracing.

7. Under Rep. Cody Horlacher’s plan backed by 17 other Republicans, the state would reopen over four weeks...His plan does not include any benchmarks that have to be met before the state could begin to reopen..."we need to take a stand for (a fast reopening) to address this economic crisis.” 

8. Week 3 of Horlacher's Plan ignores pandemic: We Allow Gatherings of Up to 50 People utilizing social distancing recommendations and guidelines is permissible. Week 4: We are Open. All businesses and events are able to operate while maintaining social distancing recommendations and guidelines.

Optics, Bad Optics as Supreme Court Embarrasses itself again: I think the following says all that's left to be said about the vacuous GOP arguments to slap dash open businesses with no concern for human life. Make no mistake, this is a pure GOP power grab that would leave this state with no rules during a pandemic: 

The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether to keep in place Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' stay-at-home order that he says is the best way to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic. Republican lawmakers contended Evers' restrictions have gone too far. 

The high court, which is controlled 5-2 by conservatives, said it would hold arguments Tuesday...conducted by videoconference because of the coronavirus outbreak.

If they win, the Republicans will have to explain to Evers and the public what they want the state’s plan to be.

Evers (said) writing rules would be time consuming and create the risk the state would have no COVID-19 response plan while the rules were being drafted...“It’s really dangerous what they’re asking the court to do,” said Ryan Nilsestuen, the governor’s chief legal counsel.

If the state couldn’t come up with a plan, it would be up to local governments to determine what policies to put in place, he said. In that case, rules could differ dramatically from one county to the next. “I think what you would see is a 72-county approach,” he said.

Trump Death Cult Governors threaten employee firings, loss of unemployment for Defying Back-to-Work orders!!! Tyrants?

The Trumpocracy Success Today:

Now? Guess what back-to-work protest suckers....you got owned:

Doh!

This is what happens when fringe elements of society dictate dumb policy. Sure, protest, but the number of "go-to-work-and-die" losers is small. When millions protested Act 10 and later students were protesting for sane gun regulations in Wisconsin, no one listened, but when a thousand COVID-19 deniers turned up unprotected with no social distancing, it's back-to-work with tons of media coverage?

Science denying crybabies embraced their capitalistic, employee-minded servitude, by whining and claiming that now useless old people and school children are worth the sacrifice.

Heck, even before the protests, state corporate lobbyist Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce came out with their Back-to-Business marching orders. Notice Gov. Evers success at keeping the pandemic rates low is now being used as a weapon by business. From UpFront:

Bauer: "You're looking at Wisconsin infection rate, Wisconsin's hospitalization rate, and the death rates are relatively small by comparison..."

Senator Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) said this...you gotta like the odds...

“If you have substantial risk, a restaurant in Milwaukee, they would be able to open up to 50 percent."

Forced Labor for pennies, No Lawsuits, No Liabilities: It's an avalanche of opportunity for the taking. First we saw this...

The administration is aiming to shield corporations from legal responsibility for workers who contract the novel coronavirus on the job, a move that the Chamber of Commerce and right-wing advocacy groups are aggressively lobbying for

Republican governors Punish Constituents: You've got to be some-kind-of-cruel to boldly think this is works during a pandemic:

Workers who worry about contracting the coronavirus will not be granted an exception. As states begin to reopen their economies after weeks of stay-at-home orders, some are warning employees that they will lose unemployment benefits if they refuse to return to their jobs, even if they fear contracting the coronavirus - according to The Hill . 

In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds (R) said failing to return to work would be considered a “voluntary quit,” which would terminate an employee’s benefits. "If you're an employer and you offer to bring your employee back to work and they decide not to, that's a voluntary quit," Reynolds said Friday. "Therefore, they would not be eligible for the unemployment money." The governor also said employers should file a report with Iowa Workforce Development if they encounter workers who refuse to come back to their jobs.

A similar situation is playing out in Texas, where Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced that businesses can reopen on Friday. Cisco Gamez, a Texas Workforce Commission spokesman, told the Texas Tribune that employees who choose not to return to work will become ineligible for unemployment benefits.

And how safe will workers end up being?

Trump Death Cult moves from Sacrificial Seniors to infecting or killing our Kids!!!

With just under 2 weeks of school remaining (1 week for seniors) after Gov. Evers stay-at-home order, I can't imagine what could be accomplished packing all those kids back into those buildings during COVID-19 pandemic. Can you? My son is a senior so I know what I'm talking about.

Radio's conservative word salad COVDIAN Vicki McKenna posted an official Legislative letter to Gov. Evers:

Our actual GOP COVIDIAN Legislators argued that after the safe-at-home order expires, and "safe for people to start going back to work," why can't our kids cram themselves into their schools again? The answer is obvious to any adult, but not for these rabid corporate ghouls just trying to ram their point home. This has "smart-ass" written all over it:

I'm pretty sure a medically confirmed viral infection meets the science and data bar set by these geniuses.

While talk show fabricators and Republican COVID deniers insist on science and data from our Democratic Governor, well, I guess that's just BS too:

The plague that has laid this country low, destroyed our economy and brought us to a place that no external enemy could have brought: this plague of experts. Yes, I am talking about Doctors Birx and Fauci. 

I’m already seeing people pointing fingers at the president and complaining that he’s relied too much on these “experts.” Why can’t he hire the people who will be good and not beholden to the – largely left – political establishment? Which brings us to the real plague of experts. Sure, what happened in 2020 and taking our economy down to protect us from what will emerge in retrospect as a not particularly lethal illness is a problem. If we survive – we’ll survive, right – and there is still a Republic at the end of this, we'll need to talk about the plague of experts as a systemic problem.

...and you'll love this...

Just like a virus takes over a healthy cell, eviscerates it, and turns into a factory to create more viruses, so the plague of experts has taken over all our systems of science, education and even the arts, and turned them into factories to turn out more phony “experts.”

Are we perfectly clear about conservative politics yet?

TRUMP WANTS SCHOOL TO REOPEN: Oh, wait, it's just another great idea from our disinfectant-injecting cult leader Trump:

"Some of you might start to think about school openings," Trump said. "I think it's something they can seriously consider and maybe get going on it. The young children have done very well in this disaster that we've all gone through, so a lot of people are thinking about the school openings. There may be governors who are not ready to open their states but they're ready to open up their school system."

Trump's call came after 43 states, including Delaware, North Carolina and New York, recently ordered or recommended schools to be closed for the rest of the academic year, according to Education Week. Even America's five territories, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Puerto Rico, have indicated they will shut schools until the end of the academic year.

TV celeb Dr. Oz made it perfectly clear what students were really for:


Don't forget the "pro-life" Republicans who wanted to put your kids life in danger so they could "own" Evers. We have God to thank for booting Scott Walker as governor:

Trump Covidian shoppers start here...