Wisconsin Patient's Compensation Fund

A very reliable little birdie told me that the Wisconsin Patient's Compensation Fund folks were willing to give up a boatload of cash in a transfer to our state government.

Most conservatives were fighting to keep the money in the fund. The general thinking has been that the Republicans caved on this issue. Turns out, those heading the PCF were not as interested in keeping the fund intact and they were offering it up.

So the idea that the PCF will sue the state to protect their money is probably a loser of an issue. Looks like the PCF folks were trying to get in the good graces of the governor.

If the PCF sues, they would likely lose the lawsuit.

I am emailing a few folks in the MSM to see if we can get verification that the PCF was offering up $100 million in funds.

Stay tuned...

The State Budget- My opinion

I have gotten a couple of calls and a email asking how I felt about the budget deal.

I am satisfied. Actually I am probably more than satisfied, I am downright giddy over a number of items that were negotiated in our favor.

I know there are some that believe that any tax increase is a total failure. I don't. The reason I don't believe this is because the political reality is that conservatives do not control our state government.

Governor Doyle and the Democrats control 2/3rds of our state government and the reality is, they should have gotten every single thing they wanted. In our country, the majority still rules.

The very fact that Speaker Huebsch and the Assembly Republicans were able to stop over 2/3rds of the governor's tax increases in a major victory for the little guy.

I am almost stunned at the amount of consessions the Assembly Republicans got from the Democrats.

Here is a list of items the Democrats lost on:

Healthy Wisconsin- $15.2 Billion increases
Gas Tax- $270 million
Hospital tax- $418 Million
Nursing Home bed tax
Increase the property tax levy limits to from 2% to 4%
Kenosha/Racine/Milwaukee rail line
Lost Taxes on Social Security Income
Forced full funding for Wisconsin Veterans to get college education
Lost $25 million in Stewardship funding
Lost Millions upon Millions of dollars in new taxes on businesses proposed by the Senate Democrats
KRM goes down in flames(I know I have already listed this one, but I just had to mention it again)

and on and and on

What did the Assembly Republicans lose-

Cigarette tax goes up by $1.00 per pack(although the governor and the senate democrats wanted $1.25 per pack, they were forced to reduce this amount)

Wisconsin covenant- This is not really a since there is no program - so Republicans actually lost nothing on the this- the battle will rage on.

Patient Compensation Fund transfer- I am not really sure we lost anything on this either. This money does not belong to our state government, it belongs to the physicians of our state. They will fight this tooth and nail. The physicians have a very good chance of winning their case. It is possible the state completely loses.

All in all, this was a huge victory for Republicans in our state. Even though they only control 1/3rd of our state government, they stop billions upon billions of dollars in new spending and new taxes.

Governor Doyle should have easily gotten his budget passed with $1.75 Billion in tax and fee increases. After all, he and the Democrats control 2/3rds of our state government. Instead the governor got only $600+ million plus in tax increases, compared to $1.75 billion.

The Senate Democrats should have easily gotten their $18 Billion in tax and fee increases. After all, the governor should have been on their side. He was not.

If this were a basketball game with a total of 100 points scored. The Republicans won the game against the governor by a score of 67 to 33. Republicans routed the governor's team.

Against the Democrats in the Senate, the Republicans clobbered them by a score of 96 to 4.

To those conservatives that believe that if the other team scores, then all is lost, it is gut check time. We should have lost every single budget battle.

The reality is, we would have had no tax increases, if Mark Green were governor and we controlled the Senate. Neither of these things is true.

I have said it before on this blog- I don't expect our guys to win every battle, I expect them to fight every battle. They did.

We have got to work a little harder to take our government out of the hands of the Democrats and those Republicans determined to tax and spend. That is the only way to stop the Democrats from raising our taxes is to throw them out of office.

Elections mean something. Let's stop the tax and spenders and elect ourselves a government that cares about the people of this state. Let us elect a government that actually listens to the people and does what is asked of them.

The time is now to end frivilous government spending and out of control taxes. The time is now to take back our state!

In the meantime, the battle over the KRM and the Wisconsin Covenant rages on. Keep fighting the tax increases! As you can see, even when we are the underdogs, the taxpayers can win, even when they are overwhelmed by a bloated government.

Local Governments are managing

Some local governments are managing, even without a state budget-

There's no danger of a local government shutdown, but local governments warn that taxpayers will face higher property taxes and cuts to services without a state budget.

Despite a stalemate in Madison over a biennial budget, many local governments are moving forward on their budgets even as they wait to hear where they stand on state revenue sharing, transportation aid and the property tax assessment ratio.

You would think that budgeting without the extra state revenue would be the smart way to go. Something tells me that the moment a new budget passes on the state level, that many of these local governments would have no problems redoing their budget, if they end up getting more money than they planned for:

"It'd be nice to know for certain, but we just took a conservative approach," said Howard village Administrator Joshua Smith. "We've always been under a self-imposed levy cap not to exceed our new construction growth,"

Why it is some local governments are managing just fine and others are having a hissy fit?

Running the gauntlet...(AFP Taxpayer Rally)

Yes, I went to today's taxpayer rally hosted by Americans for Prosperity. It was an event that was well organized and truly a great event.

This taxpayer rally was an unprecedented event being held in Madison. For the first time ever, taxpayers of Wisconsin took off of work and headed to the capital of Wisconsin and stood on the steps of the capital and declared that "We have had enough!" It was long past due.

The state workers and the unions were out in full force. We had originally been told that the unions would outnumber us by a 4 t0 1 margin. In reality, they actually only outnumbered us in a 2 to 1 margin.

One was clearly evident, they believe that they are entitled. Anyone challenging them on their entitlement was cursed at, screamed at and insulted. I have never seen a group of people so filled with hatred for those that provide them with a paycheck. Never.

But, I don't really want to talk about that now.

Something happened today that was truly amazing. The taxpayers of Wisconsin were represented not only on the front steps of the capital, but in the media also. I happened to catch three of the four major networks reporting on this event on the 6pm news tonight. In every single one of these reports both sides were represented. Not just the union side, but the chants of "no new taxes" were blasted throughout the state in every single major media market in the state of Wisconsin.

This is unprecedented. Rarely, if ever, is the taxpayer's voice heard. Today it was, and the media reported on it.

There is a huge lesson to be learned here.

Unless we, at the grassroots level, are willing to show up, then the voices of the taxpayers will rarely be heard. Talk radio is not enough. Blogs are not enough. These are wonderful things that help advance the causes we believe in, but more is needed.

Many Wisconsinites sit back and complain that their government is not listening to them. Sometimes I wonder also.

The questions I have is- are we talking to our government? Are we communicating with them? Are you emailing them, calling them or writing them?

Yes, a very valuable lesson should have been learned today. We have got to be willing to show up, if we want to have our voices heard. Even if it means that we have to run through a gauntlet of angry people that outnumber us 2 to 1.

Today, 400 people or so, ran through a gauntlet of angry people who feel entitled to our money, and we took a stand.

The moment every single major media market reported on this story, the taxpayer's voices were heard.

The taxpayers of Wisconsin have been the silent, jilted majority for way too long.

We will be silent no longer.

Thank you to Americans for Prosperity for hosting this event. Without their organization, the taxpayers voices would have never been heard today.

Also, thank you to our legislators who run the gauntlet every single day, and still they stand up for the taxpayers. Apparently, these same union people are at the capital on a regular basis, screaming and cursing at the Republicans. It takes an immense amount of courage to continue to fight for the taxpayers, when they are taking the abuse on a daily basis.

More later. Yes- I had a union member with a green shirt standing two inches from my face screaming at me. I'll tell you about it and our speakers later.

Governor Doyle, I dare you...

Actually, Governor Doyle, I double dog dare you to follow through on your threat to begin shutting down Wisconsin government because you do not have the tax increases you want.

From WisPolitics Budget Blog-

Gov. Jim Doyle said a partial government shutdown "may well be necessary" if lawmakers can't reach a deal on the budget during a press conference this afternoon in his office at the State Capitol.

It would be political suicide for the Governor to begin to shut down Wisconsin's government, especially since we have a budget in place.

Could you imagine the response if Governor Doyle began telling senior citizens that their health care services will be cut?

This is the very same governor that telling senior citizens that their fees for a bed in a nursing home must go up.

Essentially the governor is threatening to cut off services because the taxpayers will not give him the money he is demanding.

Wisconsin government, Jim Doyle and the Democrats have plenty of money to spend. Depending on whose numbers you are looking out, we are the seventh highest taxed state in the nation.

Every single state surrounding us, pays a smaller percentage of their paycheck in state and local taxes. Yes, even Illinois residents do not pay out as much as we do-

Wisconsin residents pay 12.3% of their paycheck in state and local taxes

Illinois residents pay 10.8% of their paycheck in state and local taxes

Minnesota residents pay 11.5% of their paycheck in state and local taxes

Michigan residents pay 11.2% of their paycheck in state and local taxes

Iowa residents pay 11.0% of their paycheck in state and local taxes

Every single state surrounding us can somehow manage to meet the needs of their residents and do it without a tax burden as high as Wisconsin.

The continued threats we are getting from Governor Doyle and the Democrats further proves the catastrophic failure in leadership that Wisconsin residents are left to deal with.

The governor continues to prove over and over and over again that he has no clue how to properly manage taxpayer money.

Our governor is running around the state threatening taxpayers with cuts in services because we will not give him more money to mismanage.

In the meantime, the governor and the Democrats are doing everything in their power to give more and more of our money to illegal immigrants. It is absolutely ridiculous that the governor is threatening the hardworking taxpayers of Wisconsin with cuts in services, even as he is doling out more money for illegal immigrants to go to college.

The Governor and the Democrats do not realize that it is not the Assembly Republicans that they are threatening, it is the taxpayers that they are threatening.

Yes, Governor Doyle and the Democrats- I double dog dare you to start cutting government services to the already overtaxed Wisconsinite.

Wisconsin taxpayers already know that if you follow up on your threat, you will further prove your complete and utter incompetence.

We give our state government plenty of money, they just cannot handle it.

Coke vs. Pepsi

Hey folks, they are serious about this stuff-

State police in Indiana, Pa., are investigating after a Pepsi employee allegedly assaulted a Coca-Cola employee while making a delivery at a Wal-Mart in White Township on Oct. 1.



According to police, Robert Koscho, 48, of Ebensburg, and the Pepsi employee, David Paulina, 42, of Clymer, were bickering back and forth while making their deliveries at the Oakland Avenue store. Police said the two are also accused of trying to run each other over with pallets full of soda bottles.


As Koscho left the store, police said, Paulina called him over and punched him three times in the face, breaking Koscho's nose and giving him a black eye.


"As the victim left the store, the suspect came over and got into a physical confrontation with him and struck him a few times," said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jeanne Martin. "He hit him in the face, gave him a black eye and broke his nose."



A Coca-Cola representative told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that the fight started over shelf space in the aisles of the store.



Shelf position is very important for product sales, and the competition for prime space can be fierce, according to Gary Baum, who owns Cook's Market in Greensburg.



"Most places have to pay premium prices for each linear foot of shelf space, especially when you get to the frozen food, beverages, cigarette companies," Baum said.



Pepsi said they have fired Paulina over the incident, saying they don't tolerate violence in the workplace.



At this time, police continue to investigate the incident.

I still prefer Diet Coke, no matter where you put it on the shelf.

Rep. Pocan wins the "I said something goofy" award

Rep. Pocan wins today’s “I said something goofy” award.

Pocan said the only individuals who may feel the tax hikes would be "an oil executive who smokes three packs a day and is under GPS supervision."

Oh really now???? Only oil executives that smoke will feel the effects of the Democrat's tax increases?

Now, perhaps Pocan does not realize that oil executives are not the only people driving in the state of Wisconsin. Remember the gas tax increases and the extra fees for registering a car and getting a new liscense.

I guess only oil execs get sick and end up in the hospital too. Remember that hospital tax Pocan and his fellow Democrats just voted for?

Apparently, only oil executives end up in nursing homes also. The Democrats just voted to increase the bed tax on the elderly living in nursing homes.

I could go on and on, but I think I made my point.

I mean, really, how can Pocan make such a claim and actually look at himself in the mirror?

Waiting for the state collapse

If you believe Governor Doyle, the entire state will collapse because the Democrats did not get their tax increases-

"The cost to operate school buses, pay heating bills and maintain roads has gone up, and lawmakers refuse to deal with it," Doyle said. "The state is spending more than we are taking in, and we will be unable to fund essential services that protect the health and safety of our citizens."

Now that is interesting- the state is spending more than it is taking in. If this is truly the case, why does the government keep spending so much.

If this is truly the case, that means the state was spending more last week, last month and last year.

Of course, when Republicans claim we are spending too much and make an attempt to cut spending- the Democrats come unhinged. The Governor begins running all over the state telling senior citizens that Republicans are trying to take their Medicaid away from them. He tells firefighters and school teachers that Republicans are trying to take their jobs. On and on.

Since the governor has finally woken up to realize that the state is spending more than it is taking in, here is a piece of advice-

Stop spending more than you are taking in.

No- that does not mean you increase taxes, so you can increase spending- you cut spending!

The Governor and the Democrats have some hard choices to make over the next several weeks. They need to decide where they plan on cutting spending in order to live off of the money they already overtax. We are one of the highest taxed states in the nation- there is plenty of money to meet the needs of the state of Wisconsin.

So Democrats, since you cannot get your increases, where do you plan on cutting spending in order to keep the entire state from collapsing under the weight of overspending?

Assembly Republicans stop Doyle's tax increases

The vote was not as close as originally thought.

Governor Doyle's joke of a budget went down in flames in the Assembly-

44- Ayes 53- Nays

1 Republican jumped ship and sided with tax increases

2 Democrats voted against Doyle's budget

Edited to add: My bad, 3 Democrats voted no to the Democrat's tax increases- Wasserman, Vruwink and Ziegelbauer. Sorry, didn't see you tucked in at the bottom Rep. Ziegelbauer.

Congratulations Sami and Robin

Congratulations to Sami and State Rep. Robin Vos on their engagement.

This is awesome!

You mean Assembly Republicans have a good idea?

For months and months we have been debating health care here in Wisconsin and finally someone noticed that the Assembly Republicans might have a good idea. Thanks to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-

Encouraging people to shop for health care based on price and quality is one of the cornerstones of what is called consumer-driven health care - the idea that market forces can make the health care system more efficient. The expectation is that increasing competition will spur hospitals and doctors to improve quality and control costs.

President Bush and most of the Republican presidential candidates back this approach to health care reform. It also underlies the health care reforms proposed by the Wisconsin Assembly.

Well, I'll be jiggered, the Republicans do have a plan when it comes to health care costs.

If you listened to the media, especially here in Wisconsin over the last several months, you would not think that the Republicans even cared about health care costs.

The idea is so simple. It is a proven method that works.

When consumers have an opportunity to comparison shop, this forces the markets to be competitive. America has been a consumer driven market that forces competition since our birth as a nation.

However, when it comes to health care, we have taken the consumer out of the process and all that is left are the doctors, hospitals and the insurance companies. All of these folks are banking off of the American consumer.

And we wonder why our health care costs are so high????

The Democrats answer to high health care costs- Government run health care!

Just turn your troubles over to the government, they will take care of you.(maybe) Clearly, some of these Democrats have no clue what an actual free market system is:

State Senator Russ Decker: We have a health care system that the free market created right now and it is failing us.

No, Senator Decker- you are the one failing the American people. You and politicians just like yourself, have cut the consumer out of the process.

In every other marketplace in America, we, as consumers, have the ability to find out how much a product costs before we actually make a decisions on which product to purchase.

Not with health care- we have no choices.

Have you ever gone to the doctors office and sign a on the bottom line that you would pay, even if your insurance company did not. You are actually signing something and you have no idea what the costs will be. These folks can charge whatever they chose, the insurance companies can choose to pay or not pay whatever they like. However you and I do not have the choice.

It is time to fix this problem and open up the health care marketplace. Health care costs will continue to skyrocket as long as we, the consumer, are not given the information necessary to make a informed decision.

I have heard the arguments that our insurance companies force us to go to one place or another, but that argument does not hold water.

Wouldn't it be nice to actually bring some exposure to the insurance companies also. Why not?

Why should we not know exactly how much our insurance companies are paying to the doctors and hospitals?

It is time to expose the health care systems. I think many would be shocked to note that the problem is not the doctors and nurses providing the health care, the problem goes well beyond them.

As a nation, we are finally bringing corporate corruption and greed to the front pages of America's newspapers.

I am willing to bet, that corruption and greed is running rampant through out our health care system.

It is time to bring some light to our health care systems and stop the runaway costs in health care.

BNN Weekly Rankings

Congrats everyone!

Wisconsin's Most Influential Political blogs

Rank	Blog
1	McBride's Media Matters
2	Texas Hold 'Em Blogger
3	Dad29
4	An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
5	Badger Blogger
6	The Right Side of Wisconsin
7	Boots and Sabers
8	Real Debate Wisconsin
9	The World According to Nick
10	No Runny Eggs
11	The Political Environment
12	Spring City Chronicle
13	Pundit Nation
14	folkbum's rambles and rants
15	From Where I Sit
16	silent E speaks
17	FREEDOM EDEN
18	Wigderson Library & Pub
19	PeteRepublic.org
20	The Still Spinnin Blog

Governor Doyle porking it up

Governor Doyle is attempting to buy votes in order to pass his second budget.

Gov. Jim Doyle's second budget includes a few regional favors added to tempt enough Republicans into votes that would help it squeeze through the Assembly on Monday.

It is called pork-

• $7 million for the reopened paper mill in Park Falls, the largest community in the district of Republican Rep. Mary Williams of Medford.

• A $4 million soybean crusher in the district of Republican Rep. Brett Davis of Oregon, who holds a seat long coveted by Democrats.

• A new Juneau County Circuit Court judgeship that Republican Rep. Sheryl Albers of Reedsburg has been fighting to have authorized for years.

• Full funding of a 2005 law that would waive university and college tuition for veterans - a law that Republican Rep. Terry Musser of Black River Falls, chairman of the Assembly Veterans Committee, helped pass.

• Biofuels funding, which is a top priority of Republican Rep. Jeff Wood of Chippewa Falls.

This is all a perfect example of what taxpayers have come to hate about our government.

Every taxpayer in Wisconsin could by punished for a soy bean crusher.

That's right! A $4 million soy bean crusher could cost taxpayers in the rest of the state $1 billion!

AMT: The Democrats get it wrong

The Democrats continue to answer the following question wrong:

Do the people work for the government or does the government work for the people?

When it comes to the Alternative Minimum Tax, the Democrats are once again saying that the people work for the government. At issue is $841 billion in taxes that would be eliminated if the Alternative Minimum Tax is finally waved.

So the Democrats are currently devising a plan to raise taxes to replace the $841 billion is lost revenue.

Clearly, the Democrats believe the money is their money and the taxpayers need to replace it.

Dems are upset because Congressman Paul Ryan's plan to eliminate the AMT does not include a plan to find a new source of revenue for the $841 billion.

From the MJS-

The Ryan plan pointedly provides nothing to replace the estimated $840 billion in tax revenue that would be lost over 10 years with the abolition of the AMT, as it's known.

House Democrats are expected to offer a plan soon that also would abolish the unpopular AMT, but offset such a move by raising other taxes.

Uh, here is a thought- how about reducing spending instead of finding new ways to tax the people?

Apparently, this thought does not cross the minds of the Democrats.

Don't tell me it cannot be done. Currently, legislators are adding billions in pork to next year's budget.

Still millions upon millions of dollars of tax increases

The Governor releases this yesterday as a pre-cursor to his new budget proposal.

Here is a comparison between the Governor's new budget versus the Assembly and Senate budgets. (H/T WisPolitics Budget Blog)

You will note in page after page after page, that the Governor has chosen the Senate's version of the budget of massive tax increases.

After viewing this document, it is very clear that there are still many items that had not yet been debated during the budget negotiations. For weeks, the Governor stated that a budget compromise was close at hand. After looking at this document- it is very clear, many of these items had not yet been addressed. The idea that a budget compromise was close at hand, is complete farse.

You will also note in this document, that Wisconsin business, Wisconsin senior citizens and Wisconsin taxpayers are under attack by the Governor.

Still included in this budget are massive tax increases on business, senior citizens and taxpayers.

Budget: The worst move the Governor could make

If you think this special session on the budget is going to move along quickly and a new budget will be in place soon, think again.

The Governor's special session, just exposed the budget to the entire legislative floor. Everyone gets a say now. Every single legislators gets to fight for their own community's issues. Imagine the amendments- "My constituents need a new community center" or whatever.

I think it is kind of funny, that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's editorial board is actually encouraging this-

Assembly and Senate leaders should free their respective caucuses to vote what they view as their constituents' best interests.

Funnier yet, the MJS editors are already lobbying for more money to go to Milwaukee-

That would be a budget that allows for progress on health care, education and poverty in particular, keeping in mind that elements in the governor's so-called Milwaukee initiative are pegged to the certain maxim that what helps Milwaukee, ailing on too many fronts, helps the state.

Yeah- this budget is going to take a while.

What was the point?

I was hoping for a short strike between the UAW and Chrysler, but even I am shocked the strike is now over.

I am happy the strike is over, I guess I am just wondering what the point of going on strike for 6 hours.

What did the UAW gain from a 6 hour strike?

According to the AP, the deal that the UAW and Chrysler struck was not as good as the GM deal-

The person, who requested anonymity because the contract has not been ratified by union members, said the new vehicle guarantees are not as extensive as those given by General Motors Corp.

Like the following Kenosha plant worker, I am worried for all of my friends that either work at Chrysler or are retired from Chrysler. Chrysler did not have much to lose by a longer strike. They are sitting on mountains of inventory.

"It's good that the strike is over, but now I'm apprehensive," said James Mosley, 55, a Chrysler veteran of 35 years in Kenosha, Wisconsin. "What I want to know is what we got and what we had to give up."

The good news is that Kenosha Chrysler workers can get back to work and start building engines again.

Kenosha's Chrysler engine plant shut down

Chrysler is on strike.

This has shut down Kenosha’s engine plant.

According to the AP, the difference between Chrysler and GM is that Chrysler management is not under the time crunch that GM was under.

A short strike likely will have little effect on the automaker, which had a 71-day supply of cars and trucks on dealer lots at the end of August, according to Ward’s AutoInfoBank. A walkout longer than a month would start to cut into sales, said Paul Taylor, chief economist with the National Automobile Dealers Association.

I sure hope these guys are not on strike for very long.

Hopefully both sides are working towards a quick resolution.

Kenosha becomes a very depressing town to live in when Chrysler is on strike. It is like everyone is in a bad mood.

As I said, I hope it does not last long.

Governor Doyle just slowed the budget negotiations

Governor Doyle has decided he is going to re-do his budget, because the first one did not pass.

I don't think the Governor realizes the huge mess he has created, because of his massive tax increases.

Even though the Governor does not realize it, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recognizes it-

Never before has a Wisconsin governor introduced a revised budget after his first one failed to pass, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Governor Doyle's budget failed!

Because the Governor's refusal to continue negotiations, that were moving forward, now we start the process all over again.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel gets it. Just when things were moving forward, this move by governor, has slowed the process down again-

The new bickering signaled that the state government - which Doyle said is limping along at pre-July 1 spending levels - won't have a budget for weeks.

More later.

Wisconsin State Employees Union demanding tax increases

I received this via email. Apparently, this union is just having a ball bashing Republicans. Who is the Local 2748?

Why, they are affiliated with the Wisconsin State Employees Union. Here is their web site.

From: 4info@local2748.org [mailto:4info@local2748.org]
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 1:17 PM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: Real CUTS, Real PEOPLE, Real PAIN! - Join Us for a Rally

<http://www.knowlegis.net/>

Its Rally Time! <http://capwiz.com/wseu-sepac/utr/1/LNISHRQAJS/HCDZHRQALW/1463098136&g
t; Take Action!
We need you, your family, and your co-workers

A day to stand up, keep fighting and be counted!
Be on hand to welcome members of the anti tax crowd to the state Capitol on Wednesday,
October 17th, 10:00am - 2:00pm.
Anti-government zealots calling themselves "Americans for Prosperity" (the
people behind TABOR) have bought billboards in metro areas and will rent buses to bring
their followers to Madison. Right wing bloggers and radio squawkers are loudly promoting
the event. Their effort is aimed squarely at public services. Their goal is to fan
anti-tax flames and encourage Republican members of the State Assembly to continue
blocking the long-overdue state budget.
Many GOP Assembly representatives have put out press releases claiming Wisconsin can
survive without a new state budget just fine. (Under this scenario, the state would
operate under the old budget, which doesn't account for increasing costs such as energy
and health care. Without a new budget, these higher costs would have to be offset by
severe cuts to public services and elimination of jobs).
There are real consequences when the legislature fails to do its main job, which is to
pass a new budget every two years.
School funding, the UW System, local government aid, corrections operations, Medicaid
funding, state employee contract negotiations and much more is at stake. Most recently,
Governor Doyle warned that without a new budget, state employees could face layoffs.
In the interest of getting the job done, Democrats who control the State Senate and the
Governor's office have made many compromises. They realize there is a steep cost to the
state if a budget does not get done. By refusing to work on a budget compromise,
Republicans in the Assembly are refusing to do their jobs. If you don't do your job, you
shouldn't keep your job.
Download, print and distribute this event flyer.
<http://capwiz.com/wseu-sepac/utr/1/LNISHRQAJS/MVWTHRQALX/1463098136> http://www.wseu-sepac.org/flyers/flyer_capitolrally_20071017.pdf
Checkout the Rally webpage at the SEPAC website. The Rally page contains pertinent
information and will contain information related to the bus schedules, as they become
available.
<http://capwiz.com/wseu-sepac/utr/1/LNISHRQAJS/IUYMHRQALY/1463098136> http://www.wseu-sepac.org/rally_capitolgrounds_20071017.htm
Thanks for your support and we hope to see you on Wednesday, October 17th.

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Crandon: Where were the police?

A killer was on the loose in their community, he showed up at a friend's house, who called 911 over and over again, nobody showed up.

For hours and hours this took place. Numerous phone calls were made to 911, starting as early as 7:30 am.

According to MJS-

Kegley's wife, Mary, discreetly called 911. She and her son, a lifelong friend of Peterson's, coaxed the work-issued assault rifle he had proudly shown off just days earlier from his hand. He wouldn't part with his police-issued pistol, though.

Again:

So Kegley hid several guns around his property, just in case he needed them to defend himself.

Again, they called 911

And again:

Peterson said he had called all the victims' families to say how sorry he was. He talked about what he should do, how he would surrender only to his boss, Crandon Police Chief John Dennee, and how he wanted to speak with District Attorney Leon Stenz.

The Kegleys again quietly called 911.

And again 10:30am:

Kegley owns a construction and roofing company housed on his property. Three of his workers were at the house, and as Peterson lingered, they called 911 "as many as 20 times," Kegley said.

Sometime around 10:30 a.m. when there was still no apparent sign of police, Mike Kegley left the house to "find out where the hell they were," he said.

The police had finally arrived and still made no attempt to get the killer, with more 911 calls:

Kegley met up with law enforcement agents down the road from his home, drew them maps of his property, the buildings and where Peterson had been talking to his son. Kegley and his wife were told they could not return to the house.

Law enforcement agents, by the dozens, fanned out around his property - but apparently made no attempt to actually get Peterson.

Authorities said Monday they established contact with Peterson, and Dennee did talk to him.

At some point, Peterson climbed into the back of his pickup truck and went to sleep.

Kegley's workers again called 911. Still no law enforcement officers tried to apprehend him.

It appears that 911 was called several dozen times before anyone attempted to get this situation under control.

BNN Rankings- Wisconsin's Most Influential Political Blogs

They are a little later than normal, but here is this week's list of Wisconsin's Most Influential Political Blogs.

Congratulations once again to Jessica McBride for repeating as #1.

Wisconsin's Most Influential Political blogs

Rank	Blog
1	McBride's Media Matters
2	Texas Hold 'Em Blogger
3	Boots and Sabers
4	Badger Blogger
5	Real Debate Wisconsin
6	An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
7	Stepping Right Up!
8	The Political Environment
9	No Runny Eggs
10	FREEDOM EDEN
11	The Right Side of Wisconsin
12	Charlie Sykes
13	The World According to Nick
14	Dad29
15	From Where I Sit
16	Spring City Chronicle
17	Paul Soglin: Waxing America
18	PeteRepublic.org
19	The (Somewhat) Daily RAG
20	Right from the Right

Did you know?

Did you know that one of the issues on the state budget barganing table is to give the right to UW professors to unionize?

In today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-

The state budget conference committee is considering a proposal that would extend this right to University of Wisconsin faculty and academic staff.

The committee should approve this as the fair thing to do. It's a vote for workers' right to organize, not for unions. There's a big difference. These workers, as a group, can also choose not to be unionized.

So what excuse is the MJS editorial board making, so they do not have to call it a union?

Choice - employed as an iconic concept elsewhere in education - is the key here. And, of course, one objection might be that those who don't want a union might be outvoted by those who do. Their choice then would be eliminated.

No, their argument will have lost, and they needn't partake of any subsequent bounties if they don't want them, according to officials with the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin who spoke to the Editorial Board last week.

Huh? It does not matter if membership is mandatory, it is still a union.

What about taxpayers?

You know, those silly folks that are shelling out billions in tax dollars and still paying billions more in tuition fees, book fees, room and board fees, etc.

Taxpayers might discern little advantage in a UW union. The vision of tenured professors with a wealth of protections already - and adding more - isn't one relished by anyone.

I was very excited to see that the MJS editorial staff was actually thinking about taxpayers since they are wholeheartedly supporting a UW union.

According the the MJS, taxpayers should not be worried about their colleges being hijacked because 29 other states have college unions.

Seriously, folks, that is their reason.

Read the editorial.

KC's Wisconsin Winter Weight Loss Program

I was cruising around on Atomic Trouser's web page and it seems that Chris has discovered a new shoe. It is called a FitFlop. The makers of the shoe claim that it will:

• Burn more calories
• Reduce cellulite
• Slim and tone your thighs
• Strengthen and tone muscles in the feet, legs, buttocks, stomach, and back

Since I am always looking for a good weight loss program, it looked like a good deal to me. That is until I discovered these flip flops were $50.00 a pair. I am not paying $50 for a pair of flip flops when I can get them at Walmart for $3.

So, I had to come up with my very own Wisconsin Winter Weight loss program. Originally, I had planned on just going barefoot for the winter. Then it hit me, and I came up with an even bigger plan.

Here it is:

KC's Wisconsin Winter Weight Loss Program:

Go barefoot AND go naked for the winter!

Think about it, this will serve two purposes.

1. First the sheer embarrassment where everyone can see every single sag, will make you think twice about what you will eat.

2. Think about the exercise you will get. Just running from the house to the car to the store to picking up the kids.


It could work.

So, who is with me?

No tax increases!

Senator Judy Robson is complaining that the Repulicans are refusing to roll over and just let the Democrats tax increases go thru. According to her, a budget would be done if Republicans would just cave in the tax increases-

Robson said the budget could easily be finished in short order, if Republicans accept a package that includes raising the cigarette tax by $1.25 per pack, tapping $175 million in the state's medical malpractice fund and imposing a new tax on hospitals that would leverage more federal Medicaid funds. That money would go toward expanding health care in the state.

I thought the Democrats had given up their ideas of a hospital tax. Now they have gone back on their word and reimposed the hospital tax????

So, the Democrats have given up absolutley nothing, except Healthy Wisconsin, which would have never passed and if it did, the governor would never have signed it.

So the Democrats give up nothing, they demand more and more tax increases and they claim that the Republicans are dragging their heals on a budget?

Give up you tax increases Democrats and watch how fast a budget gets done!!!

Funny how that street goes both ways, huh?

Doyle's Circus continues to roll

The Jim Doyle circus continues to roll around Wisconsin. Clearly, the governor is now staging events.

See Charlie Sykes...

This email went out this afternoon. The author, Michelle Curtis told me that she was 'instructed" to send it out. Information on the list being used is protected under federal privacy laws, but the university is using its access to put together this political dog and pony show. Reaction should be interesting.

If this is not the use of state resources -- and federally protected data -- for political purposes, I don't know what would fit the definition.

Here is the letter posted by Charlie Sykes about the event being staged by the Governor-

I am the associate director in the UW-Madison financial aid office. I am contacting you because we have identified you as a student who received a Wisconsin Higher Education Grant ( WHEG) last year but did not receive one this year due to the cutoff for the grant coming much earlier than last year. This early cutoff is due to the current state budget impasse. You currently have sufficient financial need to receive the grant, you meet all other eligibility criteria but the funds are not available for you (and others in similar circumstances) to use for school expenses.

continued...

This time, the governor and his people may have overstepped their boundaries. Using taxpayer resources to do you political dirty work is definitely out of bounds.

See Jessica McBride for more...

Jessica Writes:
First, it is a violation of state law for a UW employee to engage inpolitical activities while at work. This has been interpreted to include workingon or assisting with a political campaign; displaying signs and similarmaterials in the work area supporting a partisan political candidate; and usingcampus mail, e-mail, telephones and equipment for political activities.

Psst... Pocan- Perhaps you are too incompetent to realize...

Pocan is flapping his gums again-

"These people aren't that dumb and incompetent that they can't get a budget done. It's that they willfully don't want to have it done."

Perhaps, Pocan is too incompetent to recognize that the only people to actually pass any budget legislation is the Republicans!

Remember AB 506, Pocan????

No????

Well, let me refresh your memory. AB 506 is huge portion of the budget that completely funded K-12 schools and state revenue sharing for local governments. Over half of the budget was sitting right in front of you to vote on.

Just as a reminder, Pocan, YOU VOTED AGAINST THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE COMPLETED HALF THE BUDGET.

Wow, you got alot of nerve, Pocan, accusing Republicans of not wanting to complete the budget. Especially since you voted against completing half the budget yourself, while every single Republican in the Assembly voted for it.

Who is incompetent, Pocan? Who doesn't want a budget, Pocan?

Look is the mirror for your answer.

Buy American

Even if it means paying a little more, it is time to stop purchasing items with paint on it from China-

The Boy Scouts of America said Thursday that a painted, plastic badge commonly worn by some of its youngest scouts is being voluntarily recalled after a test revealed high levels of lead in the paint.

As many as 1.6 million of the badges, which are made in China, may be affected by the recall.

'We're doing everything we can,' Boy Scouts spokesman Gregg Shields said.

continued.....

It is time to start buying American if this is the type of product that continues to come out of China.

House OKs bill to prosecute contractors

I agree with this piece of legislation. We do not need unaccountable people running around in foreign countries making every single American look bad.

That being said- I could not help but notice that with all the talk about Blackwater, very few stories the past few weeks actually mention that it was the Blackwater contractors that were ambushed, killed, strung up in the middle of town and torched in Fallujah.

We need to remember that some of these men have sacrificed their lives in order to protect Americans. However, that does not mean they get a free pass.

What would a good governor do?

For months, the people of Wisconsin have been treated to a dog and pony show coming out of governor's office on the state budget.

We can see the governor's lips moving and hot air is coming out, but as far as actions, there has been absolutely no movement forward.

It got me to thinking, as I watch the governor's dog and pony show- what would a good governor do?

A good governor recognizes the needs of all the people in their state, not just the select few that paid for their election.
Since the day the governor announced his budget proposal, it has been painfully obvious- not everyone in this state is on the governor’s priority list. The governor’s budget, with $1.7 billion in tax and fee increases rewarded the people that paid plenty of money in order. WEAC and the UW Regents were at the top of the Governor’s list. The governor made it clear that the oil companies were at the bottom of the list. Worse, since the taxpayers are the ones to pay for the oil tax and every other tax and fee increase, the taxpayers are further down on the list than the oil companies.
The governor is the governor for every single individual in the state. That includes both Republicans and Democrats. It is a balancing act to meet everyone’s needs, and the governor is failing.

A good governor puts out fires, not starts them.

For the last several months, especially since the budget is late, the governor has been traveling the state starting fires and creating unnecessary panic among the Wisconsin people. The governor has bounced from community to community-stirring anger, panic and resentment among the community leaders. For example, the governor has told local governments would not get the necessary aid because a budget was not passed. In truth, without a budget, local communities get the same aid as they got last year. However, if the Governor really wants to provide re-assurance to these communities, he could promise to sign AB506.

Just recently, the Governor decided he would start another fire with the senior citizens. We have some senior citizens in this state really upset because the governor told them their costs for prescriptions are going up and it will cost them 12 times what they have been charged.

Doyle said seniors who now pay $5 for a generic drug prescription will pay an average of $60 per prescription if a budget is not passed.

I am not sure how anyone can read this and not consider our governor to be a cruel and hateful man. Why would you tell senior citizens this? Our governor is purposefully telling senior citizens this in order to get what he wants from the budget. GOOD GOVERNORS DO NOT DO THIS TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS IN THEIR STATE.

A good governor shows leadership

For months, we have all known that there was a deep divide between the governor’s budget, the assembly budget and the senate’s budget. Even after knowing that the budget would be late because of these deep divides, the governor made no move until a few weeks ago to move the process forward. Good governors do not wait until deadlines are looming before attempting to bring all sides together.

As already has been pointed out, the governor was too busy running around the state starting fires, instead of sitting down and helping the process move forward.

A good governor does not look a gift horse in the mouth

With a massive tax increase looming because of local governments and school district deadlines, the State Assembly passed the largest portion of the budget that would protect the taxpayers, local governments and school districts. The governor was handed a gift.

Our governor has promised a veto. Even as our governor continues to issue threats, he is refusing to move on the portion of the budget that is done.

A good governor would have set aside his partisan differences, encouraged the senate(controlled by his own political party) to take up the bill , and signed the necessary legislation to protect schools, local governments and taxpayers.

Wisconsin deserved a good Governor during this budget mess. We did not get a good governor. This budget mess has proven that true.

Who answers for failing students?

Another stunning study came out this week showing that Wisconsin's educational systems are in serious trouble.

The bar for labeling a student proficient in reading and math is set lower in Wisconsin than in almost any other state among 26 in a study released Wednesday.

Hang onto your hats folks, this next piece of information may shock you-

"No matter what one thinks of America's history of state primacy in K-12 education, this study underscores the folly of a big, modern nation, worried about its global competitiveness, nodding with approval as Wisconsin sets its eighth-grade reading passing level at the 14th percentile while South Carolina sets it at the 71st percentile," Chester E. Finn Jr. and Michael J. Petrilli, both of the Fordham Institute, said in a foreword to the study.

This study calls Wisconsin educators to the carpet-

Petrilli said several recent national reports raise questions about what is happening in Wisconsin education.

"Wisconsin is one of the few states that is showing barely any progress over time," he said. "It is just breathtaking to me that the DPI - I would think someone there would say, 'Oh my God, we're hardly making any progress. This is a crisis.' Instead, they want to spin the results to say that everything is just fine."

You can bet Wisconsin is spinning the results. Over and over and over again- excuses are being made about why Wisconsin is so much further behind than the rest of the states.

Whenever Wisconsin is called to the carpet- DPI throws out a bunch of garbage about testing methods. Of course, they did again with this study-

He also said DPI specialists had questions about the methodology of the study.

I don't care how much you may question the methodology, there is at least a 40% gap betwee what Wisconsin educators say is proficient and what the national standards show as proficient.

Check out the graph-

How many of these studies continue to come out before heads start to roll?

When does the Governor, who likes to call himself the "education governor", step in and demand better?

Low standards do not make for good schools in Wisconsin!

When the cats away, the mice will play...

and play and play and play.

Clearly we have some legislators that are clearly bored or they have no idea what they are doing.

Check out what some of our legislators are doing while their leaders are trying to negotiate a budget-

Huebsch responded after other Assembly members, restless at the impasse between Democrats who control the Senate and the Republican-led Assembly, proposed changes they said would prevent another summer-into-fall gridlock.

For example, Democratic Rep. Louis Molepske (D-Stevens Point) today proposed changing state laws to set up specific budget-progress "benchmarks" and deadlines that, if broken, would suspend the pay of all legislators.

Molepske's proposal would also require both houses of the Legislature to specifically authorize spending by state government beyond July 1. Now, state government continues to operate without a new budget at pre-July 1 levels, which avoids a government shutdown like the one set to take place in Michigan before the Legislature raised taxes early Monday.

Good grief- some of the changes that these legislators are boxing themselves in a hole. This is great if everyone agrees on a budget, but that never happens.

Huebsch is right when he says-

"Deadlines will not change the fundamental differences between Democrats and Republicans on the amount of government spending taxpayers can afford."

As if this suggestion were not bad enough, another not so brilliant suggestion has come out of our legislators-

In a related development, Democratic Rep. Joe Parisi of Madison and several other Democrats today proposed this timetable that would require legislative leaders to negotiate a budget compromise: first week of the stalemate, eight hours per day; second week, nine hours per day, and third and future weeks, 10 hours per day and six days per week.

The good news is that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has figured out what these Democrats making these suggestions cannot figure out.

Perhaps the Democrats should have checked out our state's constitution before making these suggestions. Thanks to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for posting this statement:

Don't bet on any of the budget-or-else proposals to go anywhere in the Capitol, however. Legislators rarely discipline themselves, and they can't bind those who come after them.

Hey Democrats, pay very close attention to the last part of that paragragh- "they can't bind those who come after them".

Duh!

Big headed Congress

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign presents "Healthy Wisconsin"!

Yesterday, I read an article by Christian Schnieder that was partially on the hypocrisy of Mike McCabe at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

Christian states:

In fact, the most galling part of the entire charade comes back to McCabe himself. For years, McCabe has decried the influence of special interests on the legislative process. During the budget, he has traveled the state at trumped-up “public hearings” to push for the universal health care plan in the Senate Democrats’ budget. In fact, these hearings were sponsored by a group that may have broken the law in coordinating their advocacy with state lawmakers. Then he has the nerve to suggest that the budget was being held up by corruption? When his special interest (which doesn’t disclose its donors) was out pushing for the single biggest item holding up the whole budget process? And he’s complaining about the influence of special interests in delaying the budget? It’s beyond preposterous.

I pretty much left the subject alone until I received an email from the WDC. After reading the email, now it is time to call Mike McCabe and the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign hypocrites and partisan hacks.

The title of the email is "Theater of the absurd". As shown by Christian, WDC was actually part of the theater known as Healthy Wisconsin.

Makes you wonder how Mike McCabe can make the following statement in the email I received today-

The Democracy Campaign's director told WISC-TV "the most powerful thing that we could do is ban campaign fundraising during the budget process because I guarantee you, if they couldn't raise campaign money right now, they'd have a budget done." The Capital Times came to the same conclusion in a recent editorial.


Now I call this hypocrisy absurd!

Mike McCabe and the WCD are preaching at people even as they travel the state creating their own theater that held up the budget for way too long.

Former President Jimmy Carter loses it

Actually, President Carter, they have every right to kick you out of their country-

KABKABIYA, Sudan - Former President Carter got in a shouting match Wednesday with Sudanese security services who blocked him from a town in Darfur where he was trying to meet with refugees from the ongoing conflict.

The 83-year-old Carter walked into this highly volatile pro-Sudanese government town to meet refugees too frightened to attend a scheduled meeting at a nearby compound. He was able to make it to a school where he met with one tribal representative and was preparing to go further into the town when Sudanese security officers stopped him.

"You can't go. It's not on the program!" the local security chief, who only gave his first name as Omar, yelled at Carter, who is in Darfur as part of a delegation of respected international figures known as "The Elders."

"We're going to anyway!" an angry Carter retorted as a crowd began to gather. "You don't have the power to stop me."

Not only can they stop Carter, but they did stop Carter.

What is President Carter doing their anyway? He certainaly is not there to represent the interests of the US.

The visit by "The Elders," which is headed by Nobel Peace laureates Carter and Desmond Tutu, is largely a symbolic move by a host of respected figures to push all sides to make peace.

Makes you wonder how a screaming match with local officials will bring about peace? Hum, Mr. President?

Rep. Obey: Punish the American people

I read this and re-read this statement from Rep. Obey and quite frankly I am stunned by Obey's suggestion that the American people be punished for the war.

A little context first- Congressman Obey is proposing that every single American be charged a surcharge on their income taxes to pay for the war in Iraq-

Three senior House Democrats proposed an income tax surcharge Tuesday to finance the approximately $150 billion annual cost of operations in Iraq, saying it is unfair to pass the cost of the war on to future generations.

The plan, unveiled by Reps. David Obey, D-Wis., John Murtha, D-Pa., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., would require low- and middle-income taxpayers to add 2 percent to their tax bill. Wealthier people would add a 12 to 15 percent surcharge, Obey said.

What is not surprising is that these three senior Democrats want to increase taxes. That is standard practice from a Democrat.

What is stunning is that Obey is making it very clear that he wants to punish today's American taxpayers for the war in Iraq.

This following comment is the comment that I was stunned to read. Obey wants today's Americans to understand how much this war is costing.

By putting together this bill we hope people will stop ignoring what this war is costing American taxpayers and call the president's bluff on fiscal responsibility," Obey said.

In essence, punish the American people with taxes, so they understand how much this war is costing us.

And they wonder why we call them flip floppers...

I'm a little curious-

The last time a Democrat made the claim that "I voted for it, before I voted against it" didn't work out so well for them, are they planning on doing it again?

The Democrats in the Senate just voted for another $150 billion in funds for the Iraq war, but in a few months they plan on fighting the funds they just passed-

Thwarted in efforts to bring troops home from Iraq, Senate Democrats helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another $150 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

...

While the Senate policy bill authorizes the money to be spent, it does not guarantee it; Bush will have to wait until Congress passes a separate appropriations bill before war funds are transferred to military coffers.

So they approved the funds, but plan on fighting them????

Go figure.

Sounds like a democrat to me.

More Democrats heading straight for tax increases

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noticed it. It is hard not to notice.

Talks on regional control of public buses have all but collapsed, in what amounts to a party-line split over creating a local sales tax to fund public transit systems.

Party line?

Yes, indeed.

Five of the officials - Barrett, Becker, Antaramian, Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson and Kenosha County Executive Allen Kehl - were open to some sort of local sales tax, although they differed on some details, according to several meeting participants.

...

Three officials - Walker, Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas and Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds - flatly refused to consider any new local tax and instead advocated that some portion of existing state sales or gas taxes be earmarked for transit, yet they also differed on some details, participants said.

...

Although they all hold non-partisan offices, Barrett, Nelson, Becker, Antaramian and Kehl are Democrats; Walker, Vrakas and McReynolds are Republicans.

Could someone please explain to me why it is Democrats go straight for tax increases first?

I do not understand why this is the answer by Democrats for every single problem facing us is tax increases. Why? Why? Why?

No exploring other options, just raise the taxes on the folks!

As it is Racine and Kenosha were already #1 and #2 is largest tax increases last year.

Yet, the answer from the Democrat leaning leaders in these three counties head straight for tax increases.

Democrats- is that all you know how to do? Raise taxes?

Libby ain't buyin' it

With this kind of post title, I need to go back to school.

Anyway, it appears that the head DPI schoolmaster is not buying Senator Judy Robson's figures for the school budget-

"Respectfully, without a formal budget agreement from the Legislature and the governor, the most accurate data available today remains the level of general equalization aid that is currently authorized in state statute," she wrote.

I cannot blame DPI Superintendent Burmaster. She can only work with the figures she is guaranteed to get. So far, that is last year's numbers.

At this moment Senator Robson and 17 Democrats in the Senate are holding up the entire school budgeting process because they refuse to fully fund schools and vote on AB 506.(already passed in the Assembly) Every single school districts budget is being held hostage!

It is high time these 18 Democrats stop playing games with Wisconsin's children and vote on AB 506. I promise- it not going to kill you!

Is this such a good idea?

Yesterday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel highlighted the incredible amount of money being spent on overtime. It is a ton of money.

However, I am not so sure this is a good idea for the MJS to post. MJS has created a searchable database exposing the salaries of every single city employee in Milwaukee, complete with their name, job title, salaries and overtime pay.

We are not talking only about the police department on this, we are every single employee of the city of Milwaukee.

MJS quote-
Search to find what more than 7,400 city of Milwaukee employees received in annual pay as well as overtime and compensatory pay in 2006.

This information is a matter of open public records. However, it is normally a little more difficult to find this information out- you have to want to know the info. Now anyone can easily access this info.

Can you imagine the talk around the city water coolers today?

Did you see so and so made such and such amount of money? Can you believe they pay her that much?

Can you imagine jilted ex-wives and ex-husbands having easy access to this info?

Oh boy!

As I said, things could get awful interesting around the water coolers today.

Who set up these sweet deals for police officers?

Wow.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is highlighting some incredible numbers coming out of Milwaukee Police Department.

The overspending is running rampant in MPD.

Check out some of these numbers. This is enough to give any taxpayer a heart attack-

• Between overtime pay and compensatory time, the Police Department could have hired 380 sworn officers - filling every one of its 227 vacancies and adding 153 more officers, plus benefits.
• At least 41 other Milwaukee police employees earned six figures in annual pay and overtime last year. Only five - the police chief, assistant chief and three deputy chiefs - earned that much without overtime.
• if an officer spends even one minute in court outside his regular shift, he is paid for 2 1/2 hours of overtime.
• Street officers and sergeants also get 12 minutes of overtime for showing up at roll call at the beginning of each shift. While 12 minutes might not seem like much, roll call overtime pay for the entire department accounted for more than $2 million in 2006.

These are some staggering numbers.

Honestly, if a police officer shows up to work 5 days a week and goes to the mandatory roll call meeting, they are paid almost an hour's worth of overtime a week.

This is ridiculous.

Who set up these sweet deals?

I am all for paying police officers a very good wage. They deserve it. They have very difficult and dangerous jobs, especially in Milwaukee.

This goes above and beyond paying police officers a very good wage. This is bordering on pension scandal numbers.

To all of those folks out there who say think this really does not affect you or your taxes, think again.

Millions upon millions of our tax dollars are being sent to Milwaukee every single year to prop up failing systems. We all send the money out of our own communities to the state and they pour more and more money into failing education and work programs.

Stunningly, even though we, as taxpayers, continue to send more and more money to Milwaukee, many of us try to avoid going to Milwaukee because it is not safe.

What is taking place in Milwaukee affects every single Wisconsinite.

Milwaukee should be the crown jewel of our state. Instead it is a little scary to visit.

It is long past time for Milwaukee County leaders, state legislators, the governor, and the police unions to sit down and have a long heart to heart talk about the future of Milwaukee.

No more blaming taxpayers and talk show hosts for the failures in Milwaukee.(yes, I said "talk show hosts"- click on the link)

We all have a vested interest in ending the frivolous spending and the failed programs and help Milwaukee move in a new positive direction.

We should start by stepping outside of Milwaukee to her surrounding communities and hire the necessary 227 police officers and put these officers on the streets in Milwaukee. The rule that states that you must live in Milwaukee in order to work for the police needs to end immediately.

I cannot imagine how exhausted these police officers must feel with working the amount of overtime they are working. We need these officers well rested and ready to fight the war taking place in Milwaukee's streets.

Wisconsin is 5-0 and still getting shredded by the media

Week after week, Wisconsin wins and still they are mercilessly shredded by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-

On a day when the University of Wisconsin defense was gashed for 564 yards, with a combined 321 coming on just eight plays...

Every Sunday morning for the last 5 weeks, Wisconsinites have been treated to comments just like this one- even though Wisconsin keeps winning.

Now, I am not saying that it is not true. Much of the criticism of the Wisconsin Badgers, may well be justified.

Amazingly, the Badgers keep winning and winning.

Well, as long as they keep winning, I am willing to read story after story just like this one.

Congratulations, Jessica- BNN's new #1

Blog Net News came out with their new rankings on Wisconsin's Most Influential Blogs and Jessica McBride is the new #1.

Congratulations, Jessica!

Wisconsin's Most Influential Political blogs
Rank
Blog
1
McBride's Media Matters
2
Dad29
3
Texas Hold 'Em Blogger
4
Badger Blogger
5
FREEDOM EDEN
6
Boots and Sabers
7
Real Debate Wisconsin
8
Spring City Chronicle
9
The Right Side of Wisconsin
10
The Political Environment
11
The (Somewhat) Daily RAG
12
Shark and Shepherd
13
An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
14
Whallah!
15
The Critical Badger
16
Playground Politics
17
Paul Soglin: Waxing America
18
From Where I Sit
19
Fraley's Daily Takes
20
Stepping Right Up!

Senator Judy Robson sends piecemeal budget letter over to DPI

Yes, folks- you read the headline correctly.

After all the fuss and muss about not presenting a piecemeal budget, that is exactly what Senator Robson did in her own special way yesterday.

Remember how insistence the Democrats were about how the budget all fits together and it could not be piece mealed????

Well, after realizing that the Democrats will be held solely responsible for massive tax increases because an entire budget was not passed by DPI's deadline, Senator Robson wrote a little letter-

But Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson (D-Beloit) sent Burmaster a letter saying she should use school funding figures that have been included in budget bills from Democrats, Republicans and Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, even though they have not agreed to an overall budget.

Hello, Senator Robson- you just sent over a piecemeal portion of the budget and told DPI to go ahead and use it!!!!

Are you kidding me? No budget has been voted on! How can Robson yank out a portion of it and tell them DPI to go ahead and use the piece mealed numbers????

A portion of the budget was voted on and passed overwhelmingly in the Assembly. Yes, this was piecemeal portion that covered K-12 spending. However, Robson refused to take up the piecemeal, because she insisted that all areas of the budget affected each other and it could not be done!

The Democrats insistence that the entire budget stand together is clearly a complete and utter farce.

I am assuming that Senator Judy Robson will be calling the Senate together first thing Monday morning to vote on AB506 and pass this legislation. I am assuming that Robson knows whether or not the Governor will sign it also.

After all, why in heaven's name would Robson tell DPI to use numbers from the budget, if Robson did not plan on passing this portion of the piece mealed budget.

Realistically, how can the DPI legally send Robson's numbers out to the school districts, unless real legislation is actually passed.

After Senator Robson's actions, Rep. Mike Huebsch needs to insist that no more negotiations take place until the Democrats fulfill their commitment that Senator Robson just made to DPI!

Consider this a compliment, Speaker Huebsch

I love it.

Check out what Kreuser had to say about Huebsch-

Earlier today, Assembly Democratic Leader Jim Kreuser of Kenosha accused Huebsch of not negotiating in good faith because he has not moved on budget items other than the cigarette tax

"It's hard to negotiate with someone who doesn't want to move," Kreuser said.

Perfect! Stand your ground, Rep. Huebsch! Stand your ground, Republicans!

Tommorrow, the Democrats get to run around the state explaining to their constiuents why they refused to pass the school budget and their taxes went up and up!

Rep. Boehner on earmarks

Rep. Boehner talks on earmarks and the Democrats in todays Wall Street Opinion Journal

House Republicans have launched a renewed effort to change the way Congress spends taxpayers' money. Our goal: Stop Congress from tucking members' pet spending projects into bills without public scrutiny and debate.

Pork-barrel earmarks were an important factor in the loss of the GOP majority last November. Years of irresponsible earmarks, slipped into bills behind closed doors without public debate or scrutiny, eroded Republicans' reputation as the party of fiscal responsibility and trustworthy custodians of taxpayer funds.

I've never made a secret of my distaste for worthless pork. Just a few months after being elected as majority leader last year, we enacted comprehensive reforms that brought the earmark process out into broad daylight. All taxpayer-funded earmarks had to be publicly disclosed and subject to challenge and debate. If you sponsor a project, we argued, you ought to be willing to put your name on it and defend it--and if not, you shouldn't ask taxpayers to pay for it. These reforms were the right thing to do--and they still are.

The Democratic majority came to power in January promising to do a better job on earmarks. They appeared to preserve our reforms and even take them a bit further. I commended Democrats publicly for this action.

Unfortunately, the leadership reversed course. Desperate to advance their agenda, they began trading earmarks for votes, dangling taxpayer-funded goodies in front of wavering members to win their support for leadership priorities.

The Democrats' retreat began quietly, with passage of a "continuing resolution" in February that contained hidden earmarks. It steadily became more blatant. A troop funding bill was loaded with pork-barrel spending for things like spinach and peanuts--which one top Democrat publicly conceded was only in the bill to buy votes. Members were denied the ability to challenge individual earmarks on the House floor, stepping back from our original reforms and leaving members with no way to force a floor debate and vote on any earmark, even if it violated the rules or was particularly egregious.

By June, the leadership's dismal retreat culminated in a plan to pass appropriations bills loaded with slush funds for secret earmarks. The plan was met with a torrent of public criticism from voices across the political spectrum, and rightly so. House Republicans rallied to defeat the "secret earmarks" plan. It was a spirited fight: Everyone pitched in, and we fought with an energy found only in legislators who believe in their cause. It was a sign of a Republican Party beginning to return to its roots, breaking with past errors, and reconnecting with its principles. We forced Democrats to abandon their ill-conceived plan.

continued...

Incompetence tax

Senator Kanavas gets it right- taxpayers just paid out another $1,000,000 in a "incompetence tax".

Due to the incompetence of Wisconsin's Department of Revenue, taxpayers shelled out $915,000 in interest payments to those folks that did not get their refunds in a timely fashion. It also cost taxpayers $54,000 in overtime pay to get caught up on the returns.

Computer scanners misread paper tax returns this year, delaying refunds and forcing the department to pay about 65,000 recipients 9% interest. The state paid more than $915,000 in interest and spent about $54,000 in overtime to catch up on the returns, Revenue Secretary Roger Ervin said in a letter to Sen. Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield).

Kanavas said other taxpayers were having to pay for the state's errors.

"What we're doing is we're paying an incompetence tax," said Kanavas, who asked Ervin for the letter detailing the department's expenses.

I am a little curious why the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel opened this article with the line highlighted below.

The state Department of Revenue paid more than $900,000 in interest to taxpayers after computer and management problems caused delays in processing refunds, officials said Wednesday.

The State Department of Revenue paid not one thin dime out in interest. The State Department of Revenue has no money. Every single penny paid out was paid by the taxpayers of Wisconsin.

You talk the talk, now walk the walk!

Stand for what you believe in!