March 28, 2014

"I will put into this race what I can, but I can't self-fund it," said Mary Burke.

"I'm not a Ron Johnson or a Herb Kohl. I don't have that type of wealth."

She only has the type of wealth that makes Wisconsin Democrats allow her to waltz into the nomination because they think she can self-fund it and to decline to give her any money because they were hoping she'd self-fund and because she's not the candidate they'd have picked if they were looking at criteria other than ability to self-fund.

Who will hear the plaint of the rich-but-not-that-rich politician?

71 comments:

Strelnikov said...

Oh, Lord, hear the lamentations your rich-but-not-that-rich servant! How long must I suffer?

Big Mike said...

Who will hear the plaint of the rich-but-not-that-rich politician?

So is she planning to drop out? Under Wisconsin law can the Democrats replace her on the ballot if she does drop out?

Will the next rich-but-not-that-rich politician look before he or she leaps?

Drago said...

She is unwilling to self-fund because she knows it is a losing proposition and mom and dad only gave her a "limited amount" of riches.

Her confidence is inspiring.

No doubt, as Inga/madisonmaam would tell us, Burke, like Wendy Davis, is indeed a force to be reckoned with.

Mark said...

Well, she's certainly showing she's a traditional Democrat. Clear the field with artful deception, then flip-flop.

alan markus said...

Dropping $128,000 on a fricking school board election might give the impression that she has lots of cash to throw around.

Madison School Board member Mary Burke considering run for governor

garage mahal said...

Nobody ever thought Burke could write personal checks to keep up with Walker's billionaire Sugar Daddies he constantly whores himself out to.

gerry said...

She only has the type of wealth that makes Wisconsin Democrats allow her to waltz into the nomination because they think she can self-fund it and to decline to give her any money because they were hoping she's self-fund and because she's not the candidate they'd have picked if they were looking at criteria other than ability to self-fund.

I sent that sentence to my English-teacher wife, and now she's threatening me with divorce.

PB said...

I guess daddy only gave his little girl a Chevy and not a Ferrari.

Charlie Martin said...

Who will hear the plaint of the rich-but-not-that-rich politician?

Everyone.

Over and over again.

Drago said...

garage: "Nobody ever thought Burke could write personal checks to keep up with Walker's billionaire Sugar Daddies he constantly whores himself out to."

LOL

Well, garage, those secret routers are going to just buy themselves now, are they?

It's just a darn shame there isn't anyone or any group on the left with any money to spend to defend the noble politicians on the left.

Why, the left doesn't even fund raise, save for the pennies they collect selling lemonade and apples to passersby and give to their woe-to-me political campaigns.

It's all so very "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" on the left.

garage, are you sure you can't scrounge up a few pennies from the coffee cans you have buried in the yard to give to that downtrodden innocent waif, Mary Burke?

mccullough said...

So she's not a total fool. She's happy to waste taxpayers money but not her own.

Meade said...

"In past elections, Democrats could rely on unions to help them win campaigns, but the financial strength of Wisconsin unions has diminished in the wake of Act 10."

Hmm... Democrats could rely on (public sector) unions to help them (using union dues) to win elections and put them into governmental positions in which they would then negotiate with union representatives who would collectively bargain to increase benefits to their union members paid for with tax dollars.

I wish Mary Burke would talk more about how that racket worked for the common good of all Wisconsinites.

MadisonMan said...

Stating the obvious.

The Democratic Party nominates yet another woman from Dane County, because they had soooo much success with Linda Clifford, Joanne Kloppenburg, Kathleen Falk and Tammy!!

1 out of 5 ain't bad, I guess.

garage mahal said...

At least Walker's reforms are working.

Just kidding. Wisconsin LOST 9000 jobs in February.

But at least we got rid of those pesky voters who like to vote early and on weekends. At the same time, we changed the law where lobbyists can contribute money 7 weeks earlier. Forward!

Wheeeee!

Meade said...

Also, let's not forget that those public sector unions are all incorporated. They are corporations just like Citizens United is a corporation. Or Koch Industries is a corporation. Democrats like Mary Burke seem to want their corporate cake and to eatyour taxpayer cake too,

jacksonjay said...

So she's not a total fool. She's happy to waste taxpayers money but not her own.

Sounds like she's a Hell-of-a-Democrat!

Anonymous said...

The tax-and-spend other people's money Democrats expect to make money from contributors and taxpayers, not to use their own money.

I believe she could loan her campaign her own money, charge the campaign at least 5% interest, then pay herself back from her campaign funds or claim tax write-offs.

Bayoneteer said...

We've become a plutocracy who's principal actors are oligarchs. Even in squeaky clean good government upper midwest Wisconsin. Welcome to the new American reality cheeseheads.

alan markus said...

@ Garage:

But at least we got rid of those pesky voters who like to vote early and on weekends. At the same time, we changed the law where lobbyists can contribute money 7 weeks earlier. Forward!

Finally I figured where Garage gets his talking points!! Knew he wasn't capable of coming up with stuff like that himself. Note - usually it is better to link back to someone else's material if copying them.


AmericanBridgePAC.org Facebook - Big day for Scott Walker: He signed one bill making it harder to vote early, then signed another making it easier for lobbyists to bankroll campaigns.

Here is their regular site:

American Bridge PAC

richlb said...

Does this dovetail with the Gwyneth Paltrow whine fest?

SJ said...

@garage:

I don't think Mr. Walker has Michael Bloomberg supporting him.

Unless you mean someone else...

alan markus said...

Comment I made before it got lost in moderation, so here is another attempt:

@ Garage:

Nobody ever thought Burke could write personal checks to keep up with Walker's billionaire Sugar Daddies he constantly whores himself out to.

Soros-backed Group Pores Over Walker Emails - Althouse 2/21/14)

So how is this working out for your pimp?

Drago said...

garage: "But at least we got rid of those pesky voters who like to vote early and on weekends."

LOL

"..got rid of..."

Gee, you mean to say they are no longer there?

Wow.

That is something.

garage mahal said...

Knew he wasn't capable of coming up with stuff like that himself.

I posted this, here, days before your link did. It was everywhere. Nice work Einstein.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Here in PA, a Dem millionaire governor candidate [Rob McCord who made his money in private equity] was whining because one of his Dem opponents had many millions more than he did and was spending a lot of it on his campaign. Every one of the Dem candidates for governor is a millionaire.

Drago said...

garage: "Nice work Einstein."

Hey rake face, did you look up the meaning of "sycophant" yet?

garage mahal said...

Oh, and OF COURSE ending weekend early voting so people in cities have to stand in lines has NOTHING to do partisan politics. It just about fairness!

Drago said...

garage: "Oh, and OF COURSE ending weekend early voting so people in cities have to stand in lines has NOTHING to do partisan politics. It just about fairness!"

Oh my God!!

People are standing in lines!!

People stood in lines for simple basics as a lump of bread and fist full of meat in communist paradises.

And the lefties looooooooooved them.

So now lines are bad?

Make up your mind "li'l junior marxist leaguer"!

damikesc said...

See, she's a smart businesswoman!

Dumb ones just throw good money after bad. She isn't so dumb as to think she can actually win.

Under Wisconsin law can the Democrats replace her on the ballot if she does drop out?

Does that matter? NJ law didn't allow Torricelli to drop out and have a replacement named...yet it happened. You can always find a judge in Madison to allow it.

Oh, and OF COURSE ending weekend early voting so people in cities have to stand in lines has NOTHING to do partisan politics. It just about fairness!

A Progressive supporting ill-informed voting. I'm STUNNED!

Early voters are amongst the least informed voters out there.

So, is the problem the standing...or the being in line? What is the real cause of the beef here?

Sofa King said...

Oh, and OF COURSE ending weekend early voting so people in cities have to stand in lines has NOTHING to do partisan politics. It just about fairness!

Can't it be both?

Drago said...

Apparently, suburban people standing in line bothers garage not in the slightest.

One wonders why?

Brando said...

That's the sound of her candidacy circling the drain. It's not what you'd hear from a winner.

If you're any good a candidate, donors will flock to you. If they don't, the problem is with the candidate.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

damikesc said...

What is the real cause of the beef here?

No beef. Just pink(o) slime.

Jim said...

But if she did self fund, think of all the good that would do in decreasing inequality. She must hate poor people.

garage mahal said...

Just pink(o) slime.

Red-state slime.

Anonymous said...

Meade said...

Also, let's not forget that those public sector unions are all incorporated. They are corporations just like Citizens United is a corporation. Or Koch Industries is a corporation. Democrats like Mary Burke seem to want their corporate cake and to eatyour taxpayer cake too,

Meade wins "comment of the day". :-)

Anonymous said...

garage mahal refutes himself...

Knew he wasn't capable of coming up with stuff like that himself.

I posted this, here, days before your link did. It was everywhere. Nice work Einstein.

"It was everywhere" == "garage didn't think of this on his own".

Anonymous said...

garage mahal said...

Oh, and OF COURSE ending weekend early voting so people in cities have to stand in lines has NOTHING to do partisan politics. It just about fairness!

No, it's about honest elections.

But, of course, we can't expect a progressive to care about honest elections. They're God's chosen elect, so anything that makes things better for them is the definition of what's right.

Beta Rube said...

ABC has made it clear that "slime" is not derogatory. I'm enjoying the new civility here.

Drago said...

garage mahal said...just pink(o) slime.
Red-state slime"

Alan, as has been noted before, this is the kind of comment you get from garage when he posts on his own without benefit of talking points.

It goes south very quickly.

Big Mike said...

I guess the bottom line is that if Mary Burke is the best that the Wisconsin Democrats have, then they have nothing. That about it?

MadisonMan said...

No, it's about honest elections.

Restricting voting hours before and on Election Day is a solution in search of a problem.

I know Conservatives like to wail and rend their garments about voter fraud, but actual instances of fraud are few and far between in WI. And when they are discovered, they have been (and should be) prosecuted (and I think the penalty should be upped, and include a nice hefty cash penalty. Allow the courts the option to Bankrupt those who vote illegally.)

How much time is spent on this "problem" annually? And for what? So Republicans can say they're doing something. Something that doesn't need to be done, but it appeals to their more gullible supporters.

avwh said...

"Well, she's certainly showing she's a traditional Democrat. Clear the field with artful deception, then flip-flop."

That, and, as a true Dem, she'd much rather spend other people's money than her own.

khesanh0802 said...

I always wonder where Garage gets his data. So today I thought I would check on his job loss charge. According to the BLS (that's US Dept. of Labor) from September 2013 to February 2014 Wisconsin:
Civilian Labor Force increased by 10,900;
Employment increased by 28,600;
Unemployment fell by 17,600;
Unemployment fell from 6.6% to 6.1%.

I know this is slightly different from what he said, but these are statistics not his anecdotes.

Data is at http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.wi.htm

I'm Full of Soup said...

The longer you leave the cash register unattended, the more likely it it someone will swipe some cash. By "unattended" I mean being tabulated and watched by the average Dem ward leader.

garage mahal said...

How much time is spent on this "problem" annually? And for what? So Republicans can say they're doing something.

There is no problem. Republicans want to keep as many Democrats from voting as possible. Everybody knows it. That's why Walker signed it behind closed doors.

David said...

ccullough said...
So she's not a total fool. She's happy to waste taxpayers money but not her own.


BINGO!

khesanh0802 said...

From the same news release that Garage quotes from: Wisconsin employment Feb 2013 2,815,900;
Wisconsin employment Feb 2014 2,845,900

Overall yearly increase 30,000. Not great, but not bad.

Gahrie said...

How much time is spent on this "problem" annually?

As long as there are precincts in which there are more votes cast than registered voters, not enough.

And for what?

Electoral integrity is the foundation of our republic.

I always turn it around. I am shocked that Democrat politicians don't think electoral integrity is important. If there was no fraud, and the fraud wasn't a key part of Democrat electoral strategy, then why would they defend it or mimimize it? Wouldn't there be a natural advantage to come out in favor of electoral integrity?

Gahrie said...

There is no problem. Republicans want to keep as many Democrats from voting as possible.

True, but we'll settle for once an election, and only Democrats who are alive and citizens.

MadisonMan said...

Gahrie, and where are these precincts in Wisconsin? Or anywhere?

Here?.

This is a classic Republican non-existent bogeyman.

Curious George said...

"MadisonMan said...
Restricting voting hours before and on Election Day is a solution in search of a problem."

Bullshit. It ends the coordination of clerks offices to voter rallies that have happened in the past...like Bruce Springstein's Obama rally where they marched participants from the convert to pick up ballots off hours.

Peter said...

I think it's just a clumsy attempt to control perception: she's rich, but she doesn't want you to think of her as rich (even though she's rich).

Blah.

Anonymous said...

"How much time is spent on this "problem" annually? And for what? So Republicans can say they're doing something. Something that doesn't need to be done, but it appeals to their more gullible supporters."

Voter fraud is pretty darned dangerous for a Democracy.

I've been in law enforcement for almost two decades now. And there is one immutable fact that all law enforcement officers are aware of. We only catch the stupid criminals.

Ok, so, while we say that, sometimes we get lucky and catch the smarter ones. But the reasons behind why we say that is because we know there is a lot of crime happening that is never caught.

The same goes for voter fraud. But voter fraud is no one single thing. It isn't 1 person showing up at the polls on election day 5 different times as 5 different people. It's also not just a group of people getting the handicapped and elderly to the polls to "help" them vote. Nor is it just paying bums to vote the way you'd like. Nor is it just getting illegals to vote. Nor is it just getting the dead to vote. Nor is it just getting felons to vote illegally.

Voter fraud is complicated, detailed, difficult to prove, and nearly impossible to see happening with the rules that are currently in place. We do everything we can to protect the integrity of a persons vote which just so happens to have the opposite problem of making voter fraud nearly impossible to detect.

I'm glad you feel comfortable in your assertions that it's not a problem and us Republicans are wasting our time on it.

The least you could do is recognize that we disagree with you and don't feel like we're spinning our wheels here, but actually working to stop the undermining of our Democracy.

Curious George said...

"MadisonMan said...
Restricting voting hours before and on Election Day is a solution in search of a problem."

Bullshit. When you have a Democratic voter rally, like the Bruce Springsteen Obama concert, and they keep the clerks office open so they can march thousands of attendees to vote, that coordination between government and party is crap. This law isn't so much about fraud, it's about equality.

garage mahal said...
How much time is spent on this "problem" annually? And for what? So Republicans can say they're doing something.

"garage mahal said...There is no problem. Republicans want to keep as many Democrats from voting as possible. Everybody knows it. That's why Walker signed it behind closed doors."

You can't get to this level of thought process without lots of alcohol.

Claim: Republicans want to keep as many Democrats from voting as possible.

Proof 1: Everyone knows it.

Proof 2: Walker signed it behind closed doors.

Gahrie said...

This is a classic Republican non-existent bogeyman.

If it doesn't exist...why do democrats care if we fight against it? We're just wasting time and precious resources we could be using to bribe the voters right?

Unknown said...

She certainly punk'd her party.

cubanbob said...

I know Conservatives like to wail and rend their garments about voter fraud, but actual instances of fraud are few and far between in WI. And when they are discovered, they have been (and should be) prosecuted (and I think the penalty should be upped, and include a nice hefty cash penalty. Allow the courts the option to Bankrupt those who vote illegally.)"

It's not a problem if you refuse to see.

By the way, do you leave your doors unlocked at night? Or your car?

SteveR said...

Voter fraud is not a problem but the ability of people to get a picture ID, now that's a problem, in fact expecting some one to have a picture ID is disenfranchising. So we know the "problem". With all the efforts to get voters to the polls, "picture IDs for granny" efforts seemingly can't be a help.

garage mahal said...


Bullshit. It ends the coordination of clerks offices to voter rallies that have happened in the past


Yes, the WisGOP cares deeply about voting integrity. The party of Kathy Nickolaus. The party that ran an illegal campaign operation inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse? The party that's under investigation for alleged illegal campaign coordination with advocacy groups? Give me a fucking break.

Anonymous said...

MadisonMan said...

Restricting voting hours before and on Election Day is a solution in search of a problem.


No, expanding voting outside of election day is a "solution" in search of a problem.

You vote isn't important enough to you to remember ot vote on election day? Then I can't see why the rest of us should give a damn.

"I know Conservatives like to wail and rend their garments about voter fraud, but actual instances of fraud are few and far between in WI. And when they are discovered,"

And since we make little to no effort to actually discover vote fraud, surprise! Little is discovered.

Shall we take a look at the voting records for Madison in 2012, and see if we can find and validate every single voter? Make sure no one voted in someone else's name? Make sure no one went down to the homeless areas and bribed people to vote? Make sure every single registered voter is actually a living American citizen?

No? You don't want to do that?

Then stop feeding us this BS about how vote fraud "isn't a problem", because the only reason it isn't a problem for you is because you think most of the vote fraud that happens helps your side.

Anonymous said...

Getting back to Mary Burke:

It's a losing deal to "self fund". People who donate money to your campaign are much more likely to volunteer for your campaign, and much more likely to vote, because they've "invested" in you (even if it's only $5). So it is sensible of Burke to say "I can't do it without you, Democrats of Wisconsin, come support our campaign."

At least, it would have been if her supporters hadn't used "she can self-fund" as the justification to clearing the way for her.

Now, it just looks like she's saying "I don't think I can win, and I'm not going to piss away all my money losing." And that pretty much guarantees she's going to lose, because what's the point in working to support someone who doesn't think she's going to win?

And, really Mary? Whining isn't pretty. Which is what this comes across as.

So, she has a point, but she made it in the worst possible way, and she's probably terminally injured her campaign.

Yay!

MadisonMan said...

If it doesn't exist...why do democrats care if we fight against it?

Because the resultant nonsense legislation makes it difficult for people to vote.

And it wastes money.

ken in tx said...

I don't think, I might be wrong, that I have ever agreed with anything Garage Mahal ever said, but, I want to go on record as noting that Garage Mahal is one of the coolest troll names ever.

Big Mike said...

@Madman, did you notice that the woman whose mummified body was discovered in a Detroit garage appears to have voted in an election held two years after she died?

Wanna bet that crap like that happens in Madison, too? After looking at the protesters in the Madison capitol building, I'm very certain it does.

And on RT (Russian Television) they were laughing us last election day because we can't be bothered to make people show ID.

Think about it. The. Russians. Were. Laughing. At. Us. Because. Their. Elections. Are. More. Honest. Than. Ours.

Curious George said...

garage mahal said...

Bullshit. It ends the coordination of clerks offices to voter rallies that have happened in the past
garage mahal said...
Yes, the WisGOP cares deeply about voting integrity. The party of Kathy Nickolaus. The party that ran an illegal campaign operation inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse? The party that's under investigation for alleged illegal campaign coordination with advocacy groups? Give me a fucking break.

Kathy Nickolaus did nothing wrong. That was proven. Strike 1

"The party that ran an illegal campaign operation inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse?" LOL what are you talking about? Atrike 2

"The party that's under investigation for alleged illegal campaign coordination with advocacy groups? Give me a fucking break."

LOL this will prove as fruitful as John Doe I Srike 3 Sparky.

grab some bench.


RecChief said...

hahahahahahaha.


Looks to me like she was ok with self funding when she thought she had a chance at winning. I'm guessing the realization has hit, and she doesn't want to pour money down the drain.

Over to you, Garage

richard mcenroe said...

Count the Democratophiliac media's contributions as in-kind and she's making out like a bandit.

Anonymous said...

"Because the resultant nonsense legislation makes it difficult for people to vote."

Which is how it ought to be. The easier it is to vote, the more fraud there is.

Really, if you can't be troubled to do a few simple things to vote, don't vote.

Achilles said...

You have to have picture ID to enroll in Obamacare.

You are required to enroll in Obamacare.

You need picture ID to get a credit card, open a bank account, buy beer, get into many government facilities, enroll in school, write a check, drive, get a bus pass, get a job unless it is illegal under the table work, get government benefits if you don't work...

But requiring ID to vote is "disenfrancising."

Madison Man and Garage - your defense of voter fraud is painful to watch. Are you paid to be that obviously hypocritical? Is there ever a point where you look in the mirror and say "WTF am I saying?"

You can't possibly be that stupid. The only explanation is that you are trying to undermine the electoral system many of us fought for and died for in shitholes around the world.

We take that personally.

Another fun link:

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/21/Woman-convicted-of-voter-fraud-honored-by-Ohio-Democrats&sa=U&ei=g282U7mABcL22gXjvICoAg&ved=0CCAQFjAB&usg=AFQjCNE6SyO3aZWBU1Xm5S6zkCHHcNhzUQ

Anonymous said...

"Oh, and OF COURSE ending weekend early voting so people in cities have to stand in lines has NOTHING to do partisan politics. It just about fairness! "

Because this law affects ONLY Democrats but not Republicans? Republicans don't have to stand in line? If you're a Republican, can you just go to the head of the line and step in front of all the Democrats?

If historically there are lines of voters in certain precincts, the solution is to assign those voting places more poll workers to handle the crowd. What's the problem? Is this so difficult?