How we look at the Constitution and the Roll of Government.

From the Pew Research Center, a perspective on the Constitution:

Thank You Scott Walker....

This is how the rest of the country sees Wisconsin now, thanks to the guy who started it, Gov. Scott Walker. The New York Times:

Duffy Challenger Promises to Protect Americans, and Solve Problems, with the Constitution.

It's the Constitutional solution! That was easy.

Tea party losers continue to spout off about defending the constitution from a government the document itself actually maps out in its language. Somewhere is written a hard limit on the size of government, a passage I’m still scouring the fine print to find. I thought it kind of leaves the size up to the people, if memory serves me.

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people" Tenth Amendment

Wearing out the tea party welcome is Mike Krsiean, who’s decided to simplify the message for his simple voting audience. It's the Constitution solution.

What's that behind him...?

Wausau Daily: A Western Wisconsin man has announced his plans to challenge Congressman Sean Duffy this fall in a Republican primary. Mike Krsiean, who lives in the St. Croix County town of Houlton, has announced his candidacy … Krsiean, who described himself as a “staunch defender of the constitution,” said Thursday morning that the federal government has become too large and he would eliminate government agencies if elected. “The intent of the Constitution is to protect people from the federal government, not empower the government to get into people’s lives,” Krsiean said.

And shouldn’t we all live like Krsiean wants us to live? 

The Debate Audio: The Good (Lori Compas), the Bad and the really Ugly (Scott Fitzgerald)

Sen. Scott Fitzgerald is a bully, a misogynist, and a condescending, mean spirited, juvenile escapee from an anger management facility. He's also and a-hole, if you know what I mean. He didn't disappoint during his debate with Democratic challenger Lori Compas. WKOW:

Fitzgerald had to answer questions about past decisions.

"And we said, you know what? We can't continue to prop up this one sector of Wisconsinites that have not lost their jobs, have full benefits, both health and pension," said the Republican Senate majority leader. Fitzgerald continued to Compas, "So if you're hearing from the same people that are really hurting out there I can't believe you wouldn't support Act 10 or the reforms we put in place."

Compas responded by saying, "This is another example of this 'divide and conquer' strategy. You are turning neighbor against neighbor. What we're seeing here is a pattern of abuse of power and betrayal of trust, the Senator broke the Open Meetings Law," Compas said."

God that grating Fitzgerald voice, whining endlessly about how much he hates America. Compas said what even Mayor Tom Barrett isn't; the Republican Party is wildly abusing their power.

Compas was impressive and cared more about public policy, where Fitzgereld sniped about opposition to his ideological policy. There is a video of the debate, but the sound was awful, so I thought the audio version worked best. At the end of part 3, chants for Lori filled the room. Here's part 1 from WFAW, with more here:



Part 2 from WFAW: in a moment.........



Part 3 final WFAW:

The Most "Exemplary" Tax Cut of All.

Republicans reduced how much low income families could receive from the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Homestead Credit because people didn't earn the money they got back, it was just a hand out. Therefore, not a tax increase. Make no mistake, it was a tax increase. And that money went to the rich. This is the most incredible corporate giveaway.

Cap Times: Members of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce toasted state Sen. Glenn Grothman there for spearheading the "most exemplary public policy initiative in support of manufacturing in more than 35 years," a news release says. There's good reason WMC was so excited: The new policy effectively eliminates state income taxes for many of Wisconsin's corporations, factory owners and agricultural producers by the time it's fully phased in. "We had to do something to change the business climate in the state … and this does it big-time," says Grothman, R-West Bend. Slipped into Gov. Scott Walker's 2011-2013 budget at the last moment, the domestic production tax credit will cost the state $360 million in revenue over the next four years and some $130 million each year thereafter, according to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau

The credit applies to profits derived from manufacturing or agriculture … As a result, top bracket taxpayers could see their state income tax rate fall from 7.75 percent to less than zero by 2016, when the credit fully kicks in. That's because any unused credits can be counted against other income, like stock dividends, and carried over for up to 15 years.

"It's a total giveaway to the wealthy," says Jack Norman, president of the Institute for Wisconsin's Future. "You've got a guy working at the factory making $35,000, paying his share of taxes. Meanwhile, the guy who owns the factory won't pay any state tax and he can also shelter the income of his wife."

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett mentioned the production tax credit last month when pressed on what Walker policies he might change … Walker jumped on that statement, charging that Barrett is looking to raise taxes on Wisconsin's "job creators." Barrett has countered, "Every tax credit or break must be tied directly to job creation, so everyone in Wisconsin benefits — otherwise the middle-class employees end up paying more, while the wealthy and big business pay less," says Barrett.

The production tax credit was just one of the "gifts" … targeted at corporations, investors, upper-income residents and campaign contributors. Combined, they will reduce state revenues significantly. Making up the difference, opponents argue, will be average Wisconsin families. In a report released this week, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign calculates the decrease in state revenues will cost the average family of four $235 in higher taxes beginning in 2013 and nearly $300 by 2021 if all the credits and incentives are fully implemented.

One of the most outspoken critics of the production tax credit is Mark Harris, the Winnebago County executive. Struggling to balance the budget in his own manufacturing-heavy county in the face of shrinking state support, Harris has been sounding the alarm … An accountant by training, Harris says the tax credit could lead to companies scrambling to have their business reclassified as manufacturing to avoid paying state taxes … this tax cut is very large and it may threaten funding for K-12 education, the university system and municipalities," he says.

But Grothman maintains "This credit is going to generate so much added economic activity that any cost will be dwarfed by all the new money coming in," he predicts. The fiscal bureau has estimated the GOP tax cuts will cost the state $2.3 billion in revenue over the next 10 years. It's not clear how Wisconsin will make up the difference.

"They keep piling these things on with no idea how they will pay for them," says Dale Knapp, research director of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.

Harris is skeptical … Drawing upon his years in the private sector, Harris says business owners hire based on whether adding staff will increase profits — not on tax policy. "My gut feeling is that any tax cut will just go back into the owner's pocket," says Harris, who also holds a law degree from the University of Michigan.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, in its report titled "Special Interest Smorgasbord," says the production credit and capital gains cuts are the largest of 55 policy changes that collectively will cost the state $335 million in 2013 and at least $439 million by 2021.

Walker Lied to Congress, a Couple of Times!!!

It looks like you can't hide everything. Scott Walker has some explaining to do, or not. The droopy eye'd sociopath might like to smile and act invincible, but oh how the mighty might tumble if the House Oversight Committee does eventually gets Walker to justify his contradictory statements, some made under oath. But when asked by two congressmen:

Congressman Issa’s spokeswoman said: “Nothing in this letter raises questions about the accuracy of the governor’s testimony. This request has no merit, and can only be seen as intending to influence a state election.”

But if it ends up influencing the election, that might be a good thing, right? Here's a great audio clip of the story:



Dylan Brogan – WTDY NEWS: On April 14th, 2011, Gov. Scott Walker was called before Congress to testify at a hearing title, “State and Municipal Debt: Tough Choices Ahead”.

Regarding the process in which Governor Walker went about achieving concessions from state employees, Walker thought it was important to put in the record that, "In December, after the elections but before I was sworn into office, the public sector unions and the state rushed to the lame-duck session Legislature and to the Governor and tried to pass through contracts that would have locked us into a dire financial situation.”

But drafting documents obtained by WTDY News from the non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau reveal that Act 10 was actually being drafted in November, just weeks after Walker was elected governor.

In his testimony before Congress, Walker cited this lame-duck session as the catalyst for Act 10. “When people ask why we didn’t begin by negotiating, the tone was set early on by the process that was taken – after the election but before we were sworn in – and that’s why it became clear to us that we need to empower our state and local government to make those sort of long-term changes.”

Walker’s meet and greet with Hendricks occurred just over a month before the lame duck session of the Legislature, again contradicting his testimony that the push to re-negotiate contracts sparked his controversial collective bargaining law. It is a Federal offense to knowingly and willingly tell false statements under oath.
 

Russ Feingold on Walker: "He has a very very bad relationship with the truth."

I’m still sitting here, in stunned amazement, at Walker’s response to his “divide and conquer” comment in the video below:

Walker: “I think the fact that they’ve sent it to (the media) before I’ve even seen it says it’s a political issue.”

Yeah, so? But get this; that was in response to Fox6's question about a letter sent to the House Oversight Committee by three congressmen, asking that Walker clarify the different statements he made to a billionaire supporter, and then three months later to the committee. Walker immediately accused the media of getting the story first, which it did not. Issa turned down the request.

Intrepid Fox6 reporter Mike Lowe has never had problem asking Scott Walker the tough, uncomfortable question.

Russ Feingold came up with the best of comment of the day: 

Feingold: "The governor has a severe problem with the truth. Whether it be the way he's handling this investigation, whether it be the jobs numbers that Tom talked about, the whole routine he had about how that somehow this attack on the working people of the state was a budgetary matter, that belonged in the budget. He has a very very bad relationship with the truth...overall."

Classic.

I don't think Scott Walker ever considered, or was ready for, a "debate" with Russ Feingold. 

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Turns in Walker Supporters attempt to Sell Campaign Secrets.

Republicans allegedly tried to embarrass the Democratic Party of Wisconsin by recruiting 19 year old volunteer Erik Turner to "sell" campaign secrets. They denied ever doing that, but seriously, we're not like their own low information voters who'll believe anything. The Republican Party of Waukesha County got caught.

Still, Turner will not be charged for the low blow. It's almost funny seeing how surprised these Walker thugs are when confronted with the realization they were breaking a law. After all, in Republican world, laws are meant to be repealed. TMJ4 had this report earlier: 

You'll notice that the supposedly partisan, "out to get Walker," "recall sign in the yard" Milwaukee DA's office, decided NOT to charge Erik Turner. Huh? How will the conservative radio talker's spin that after spending the entire month trying to discredit them?

TMJ4: A Waukesha man under investigation for trying to sell Republican secrets to Democrats via email will not face charges. The Milwaukee County district attorney told TODAY'S TMJ4 it doesn't appear Erik Turner intended to extort the information.

Patch: FOX6 News reports that Erik Turner sent two messages to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin stating that he had information for the group trying to recall Gov. Scott Walker. Turner’s Facebook page had a picture of Turner posing with Walker, according to the station. However, the 19-year-old told Today's TMJ4 that he sent an email offering to sell campaign secrets as a prank.

The Wisconsin Republican Party issued a statement to FOX6 stating it did not condone Turner’s actions.

Graeme Zielinski, the spokesman for the state Democratic party, called Turner a “patsy” in a statement he made to a Politiscoop blog: “It's a funny shop they run there with the Waukesha Republican Party. I fail to believe that some 19-year-old would act alone to try to entrap Democratic officials, using specific knowledge of highly sensitive information.”

Walker Targets Conservative NRA, Gun Toting Deer Hunters.

I'm a little late on this story, but better late than....anyway, it appears those NRA, conservative gun happy deer hunters in our state will be the next target of our special corporatists version of "freedom" and "liberty."

And they thought they had some kind of party protection. Ha! 

“Public Game Management Is The Last Bastion Of Communism” Dr.James Kroll-Walker Appointed Deer Trustee!! by LODI WI INFO on APRIL 17, 2012

According to Wisconsin’s White-Tailed Deer Trustee Dr. James Kroll, people who call for more public hunting opportunities are “pining for socialism.” He further states, “(Public) Game management is the last bastion of communism. ”These are just two insights into the man who has been asked to provide analysis and recommended changes to Wisconsin’s deer management program. Kroll’s insights are from an article entitled “Which Side of the Fence Are You On?” by Joe Nick Patoski for a past edition of Texas Monthly.

If nothing more, the article gives an unabashed look into the mind-set that will be providing the Wisconsin DNR with recommendations on how to change their deer management practices. Here’s a sample of the article:

“Game Management,” says James Kroll, driving to his high-fenced, two-hundred-acre spread near Nacogdoches, “is the last bastion of communism.” Kroll, also known as Dr. Deer, is the director of the Forestry Resources Institute of Texas at Stephen F. Austin State University, and the “management” he is referring to is the sort practiced by the State of Texas. Kroll is the leading light in the field of private deer management as a means to add value to the land. His belief is so absolute that some detractors refer to him as Dr. Dough, implying that his eye is on the bottom line more than on the natural world.

Kroll, who has been the foremost proponent of deer ranching in Texas for more than thirty years … People who call for more public lands are “cocktail conservationists,” he says, who are really pining for socialism. He calls national parks “wildlife ghettos” and flatly accuses the government of gross mismanagement. He argues that his relatively tiny acreage, marked by eight-foot fences and posted signs warning off would-be poachers, is a better model for keeping what’s natural natural while making money off the land.

A trip to South Africa six years ago convinced Kroll … he encountered areas of primitive, lush wildlife-rich habitats called game ranches. They were privately owned, privately managed, and enclosed by high fences. He noticed how most of the land outside those fences had been grazed to the nub, used up. “Game ranches there derive their income from these animals — viewing them, hunting them, selling their meat,” he says. “There are no losers.” At his own ranch Kroll has set up a smaller version.

In Texas, the change was brought about via heavy lobbying from the high-fence deer ranching industry. This pressure helped convince the Texas Parks and Wildlife to change their regulations and allow private landowners to select the own deer biologists. “That has given landowners more freedom,” Kroll told Texas Monthly. The key difference here is that 98 percent of Texas is comprised of private land.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, consists of approximately 34.8 million acres of land, and 25.5 percent of the state’s 638,000 gun-hunters reported hunting on public land at some point during the season … more than 5.7 million acres of this land, or 16.5 percent, is publicly owned and used for parks, forests, trails, and natural resource protection. 

Where does this leave the public-land hunter? “It will suck to be you,” said one deer manager who asked to remain anonymous out of fear for his job. “The resources and efforts will go toward improving the private land sector. This is all about turning deer hunting away from the Public Land Doctrine and more toward a European-style of management — like they have in Texas.”

Orville Seymer leaves Slug Like Slime Trail in Janesville!

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If anyone epitomizes the low life leadership in the tea party movement, it's Orville Seymer, from the ridiculously named Citizens for Responsible Government.

It's more than obvious now that Walker conservatives don't just hate public workers, they're also green with envy over other peoples bigger paychecks. Gee, it looks like Orville Seymer wants to penalize success, doesn't he?

Seymore on the anger of anonymous unpopular cowardly tea party snakes: "They're angry that the teachers are getting such a good deal, and the taxpayers are paying for that.

Freeloader. But the following comment betrayed Seymer's blathering idiocy to the world.

"We don't know what's going on in that classroom."

As a parent of a 9 and 13 year old, I know exactly what's going on in that classroom. Seymer either doesn't have kids or he's a lousy dad. Another numskull ramming his stupidity down our throats. You bet I'm angry. Oh, there's more low information thinking:

"It's a guaranteed salary. They work nine months of the year. They get some pretty good benefits. I think that's what's got the public outraged about this is. They get paid that kind of money."

Pure envy. This is the tea party movement folks. Anyone ready to turn the state over to Orville Seymer? Sorry, but right now, he and Walker are in charge.  From WKOW and WISC:

Car Wash Vote!!!

...enter Russ Feingold

The guy that would have been the gubernatorial choice, Russ Feingold, hit the campaign trail today for Tom Barrett. Heck, he was just a few blocks away and I didn't know it. WKOW:

Russ Feingold is making it clear to recall volunteers that he wants the same thing they do. "To vote Scott Walker, out of the Governorship," Feingold said to applause at an early voting rally Tuesday. "This is a people's movement, and if people are able to get out and vote early, then they can go and help other people who might find it more challenging to get out to vote," Feingold told a group of reporters.

Walker says tools worked, takes credit for temperature increase....

Walker touts hot surge in temps, while Barrett's blue line cools....

Barrett's Job Losses Walker's Fault, unless Scotty was Wrong the first time.

First this: Ed Schultz mentioned today that a reporter asked Scott Walker if any of the jobs he created were in Milwaukee, which would basically kill his attacks on Barrett. Walker didn't know. A big mistake. Let's see if Barrett runs with this killer gaffe. It's a campaign gift. Now onto the rest of the story.

Manipulation of the jobs numbers can only go so far before people start to notice something is wrong, and guess what, someone noticed just how wrong:

Washington Post’s Greg Sargent: Scott Walker’s extreme hypocrisy on Milwaukee jobs: One of Scott Walker’s primary arguments in the recall battle against Dem opponent Tom Barrett is that as Mayor of Milwaukee, Barrett presided over job losses But it turns out … in the first half of 2011, just after Walker took office, Milwaukee was adding jobs, along with the rest of the state — and the Walker administration rushed to take full credit for it.

“With four straight months of job growth in 2011, metro Milwaukee is reaping the economic benefits of Governor Walker’s successful efforts to improve Wisconsin’s business climate, and make job creation a top priority,” blared a Walker administration press release in May of 2011.

In other words, when Milwaukee was adding jobs early in Walker’s term, his policies deserved all the credit. When it began to lose jobs, it was the fault only of his opponent’s policies — even though the rest of the state lost jobs, too.

Rockford city workers leaving, unhappy and turning down promotions that pay less.

I know, it’s not Scott Walker’s fault Rockford, Illinois is having problems, but wage freezes, low morale and smaller government is proving to be a self destructive plan, that can’t compete with even slightly higher wages elsewhere. This might sound like a dream come true to many conservatives, but how does that work for business, tourism and quality of life? Eh, just a thought:

WIFR: Non-union Rockford city workers will be getting a three percent raise. It will cost the city $270,000, which some aldermen say the city can't afford. But the city says the cost will be absorbed by increased revenue from sales taxes and money saved in public works because of the warm winter.

City leaders say morale is so low, people are looking for work elsewhere and salaries aren't competitive anymore.

Some public safety employees like police officers and firemen, won't even take a promotion, because the better job will mean less money.

This is another example of the long term damage the Republican Party is inflicting on future governments and budgets. From my point of view, this does more for doing away with government, then it does to downsize it. 

The Cowards against Public Education Hide, Cower from taking Responsibility!!

These cowards won't say who they are.

Gazette: An anti-teacher flier distributed over the weekend in Janesville is the work of (the) conservative Milwaukee organization Citizens for Responsible Government, also known as CRG Network … "The group and its representative, Orville Seymer, filed a freedom of information request for a list of all Janesville district teachers, their job titles and annual salaries," Berg said.

What we have is a radical conservative fringe group exposing the “publically available” names of private citizens for harassment, all the while protecting those who disseminated the fliers to Janesville residents.

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When contacted by The Gazette, Seymer said he knew the names of local participants but was asked not to release them. "They want to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation," Seymer said. "However, this is all public information."

A lesson in privatization; while the public is accountable for their actions, the same is not true of private individuals choosing to subvert and destroy the public sector. They are anonymous conservative cowards.

They've targeted dedicated experienced teachers because they envy those who make a decent wage. Weren't conservatives blaming Democrats for wealth envy? Penalizing success?  

The flier lists the names and salaries of (the top) 321 teachers whose salaries range from $59,344 to $75,695. The district employs 765 teachers; the lowest salary is $34,676.

At the bottom of the flier is a "Parents' Rights Protection Form" urging parents to send it to Superintendent Karen Schulte and request that "my child be assigned to a classroom taught by a non-radical teacher during the 2012-2013 school year."

The flier does not say what its authors mean by "radical," but it does include information directing people to a website listing state residents who signed the petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker.

That's right, the recall data base online once again is being used as a de facto black list. The superintendent had a great idea:

Schulte said if she receives any of the requests, "they're going in the trash."

The divide and conquer agenda is systemic within the Republican Party.

CRG was also involved in an unsuccessful effort earlier this month to recall state Sen. Bob Jauch.

Speaking for me and so many others who are appalled at this character revealing incident:

Stephanie Kortyna, a fifth-grade teacher at Jackson Elementary School, said she wasn't bothered to see her name on the list, but she objected to being classified as a radical. "But if these people are this concerned with this, why the anonymity? "Why are they not saying who is this group, who is the leader of this group, where is the money coming from to make these fliers? If you have a beef with us, or if you are angry with us, make yourself known," Kortyna said.

But a cowards only power is derived from being anonymous. Superintendent Schulte nailed it;

Schulte said she was shocked when someone showed her the flier Saturday. "I think it's wrong to go after any group that has an honest profession," Schulte said. "I don't understand where this intense anger is coming from."

I do. The entire administration vilified teachers and have brought us to this extreme moment. Take a look at "Citizens for Responsible Government's" earlier attempt:

The flier distributed this weekend is done in the same style as a flier stuffed in some Janesville mailboxes in March. Those fliers listed the salaries of some district administrators and teachers and made specific charges against public schools, including "dumbed-down curriculum," "Marxist/globalist agenda," "sexualization of children" and "union bullying and vindictive targeting of students." The first flier suggested parents pull their children from public schools and put them in private schools.

Here's Sly in the Mornings interview with a concerned parent in Janesville:

Stand with Walker Taxpayers to give up $235 of their hard earned money to corporate tax cuts, possible state deficits.

Even though it looks like those "whiny" tantrumy Democratic protesters were right about the cost of Scott Walker's corporate tax cuts, you won't see one Republican voter change their mind. Even if it costs them their hard earned money. Staying true to the idea that every day is opposite day in Republican world, the Walker administration beat the phrase "we're doing it for the taxpayers" to death because it's not true. Add to the recall another reason to vote Walker out; future deficit widening policies.

I ran this story by my conservative, gun toting friend in Milwaukee, and he had no reaction.  

Cap Times/Mike Ivey: The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is out with a new report detailing state budget policies that will benefit business, construction, real estate, transportation and other special interests at a cost to middle- and lower-income taxpayers.

Dubbed “Special Interest Smorgasbord,” the report identifies 55 state budget proposals and legislative bills approved by the GOP Legislature and signed by Gov. Scott Walker.

The new policies will cost the state $334.5 million, mainly in lost tax revenue, beginning in 2013. The amount will rise to $438.9 million by 2021, according to the report.

On Wednesday, the cover story in The Capital Times will look at one of the biggest tax cuts for business -- a $130 million credit that effectively eliminates state income taxes for factory owners but not workers.

According to the WDC analysis, those tax breaks and other credits will cost a Wisconsin family of four $235 beginning July 1, 2012, and grow to $291 annually by 2021.

Meanwhile, groups benefiting from the new policies contributed $23.6 million in campaign contributions to various legislators, mostly to Walker and other Republicans, from 2009 through 2011.

Catholic Church tests Religious Influence and Control over U.S. Constitution.

What a set up. Even if insurance companies are required to provide contraception to all Americans, the Catholic Church is still claiming they’ll end up paying in some small way for the pills. What’s to stop the church from telling insurers what they can or cannot provide in general. How about the co-mingling of their insurance premiums with a company that provides contraception to different groups of policy holders?

If the church wins this one, they will have found a way to manipulate and set in place religious dogma into the Constitution. That’s why they have a full court press on now to win the big one.

Never mind that contraception has other medically necessary uses.

CBSNews: Roman Catholic leaders opened a new front against the Obama administration mandate that employers provide workers birth control coverage, filing federal lawsuits Monday on behalf of dioceses, schools and health care agencies that argued the requirement violates religious freedom. Among the plaintiffs is the University of Notre Dame, which in February had praised President Barack Obama for pledging to accommodate religious groups … Rev. John Jenkins, said the school had since decided to sue because "progress has not been encouraging" in talks with administration officials. The lawsuits have been filed in eight states and the District of Columbia by the Archdioceses of Washington and New York, the Michigan Catholic Conference, Catholic Charities in Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Indiana, health care agencies in New York and two dioceses in Texas.

Media Trackers spies on citizens, publicly intimidates them, to protect Walker.

Stand with Walker thugs would be very happy if recall Walker supporters hid out of sight, and were intimidated enough to never question authority again. Fat chance.

The subversive right wing all Seeing Eye of Mordor, MediaTrackers, can’t cook up the conspiracies fast enough. This time they think the John Doe investigators are out to railroad their leader and potentially criminal governor and his henchmen. Their proof? A recall Walker sign in the investigators lawn.

The sign was posted by Chief investigator David Budde’s wife, who’s a county employee. Apparently, Media Trackers expects her to be silent. This is no joke. The brown shirted thugs at Media Trackers intentions are pretty obvious, they know where you live, and they’re watching. 

Tell you what, when Justice Clarence Thomas recuses himself from the cases his wife Ginni and her tea party losers are actively involved in, I’ll consider listening to these jackbooted authoritarians. 

TMJ4: A conservative group is questioning the lead investigator, arguing a sign in his yard is a sign he can't be impartial. To drive by that house, you'd know someone isn't a Governor Scott Walker fan.  The issue for some is the house is owned by David Budde -- the chief investigator in the John Doe investigation. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm released a statement saying he talked to Budde about the sign.  Budde claims his wife, a county employee, put the sign in their yard.  Chisholm defended Budde, saying in part, "any decisions related to the John Doe investigation are based on the evidence and not on the political views of any member of this office or their families."

We all know how politically active conservative judges and justices are. The same goes for Sheriff Clarke, but that’s okay. Yet any hint of Democratic support? You’re harassed and under Media Trackers surveillance.  Before knowing anything about Budde’s wifes, or her right to associate and vote, they assumed David was guilty.

Budde’s anti-Walker sentiments are quite strong. He has given small campaign contributions to John Chisholm in the past, and his wife, also a county employee (as of February) but not employed in the District Attorney’s office, signed the Walker recall petition … it remains to be seen what will happen to David Budde, the chief investigator, now that he has been found openly promoting the political defeat of a person whose name has repeatedly been mentioned in relation to the investigation.

Grow up.

All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry Protester Ends undeserved 15 Minutes of Fame.

I almost forgot to post the important conclusion to a story I've been rabidly following since the Fish Fry protest started in Thiensville. After all the twist and turns, and strongly stated positions, it's good to see no one got hurt. Another happy ending...