March 1, 2011

"This afternoon, at the Wisconsin State Capitol, I witnessed what at times appeared to be the greatest governor in the history of this or any other state..."

"... showered with affection as he announced a bold new plan to rescue Wisconsin from the brink of otherwise certain economic ruin."

Writes Bill Lueders — who is not a Walker fan — in the Isthmus:
He was feted with more than a full minute of thunderous ovation, with whistles and hooting and cheers, as he entered, and again at the end of his 30-minute address. He received long rounds of applause and a few standing Os while he spoke. The balconies seemed to be filled almost entirely with people who love him, and who applauded him at every turn.
Meade was there, and he confirms that. (And, by the way, we have some hot video that I'm working on processing right now.)

Here's the transcript of the speech. Meade describes the big standing ovation when the Governor said:
We must work together to bring our spending in line with reality. We were elected  — not to make the easy decisions to benefit ourselves — but to make the difficult ones that will benefit our children and grandchildren.

We need a commitment to the future so our children don't face even more dire consequences than what we face today.
Meade says he joined the standing ovation at this point, and that Scott Walker looked at him and gave him: 1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink. Meade was quite pleased about that!

90 comments:

Alex said...

Ok Meadhouse are officially right-wing hacks. This clinches it.

Shanna said...

I can't imagine anyone getting that excited over my governor. He's an ok guy, but kind of bland.

Fred4Pres said...

Alex, if this is pissing you off it must be good.

Congratulations Meade.

I bet you get those press credentials now!

Alex said...

Go ahead, celebrate your hacks.

mesquito said...

"What's that you say? Oh, those people. The ones who sat sullen through the whole thing? Who never rose or applauded? You mean the Democrats.

"Yes, the Assembly Dems never quite got in the spirit of things. In fact, all 14 of the ones who were elected to the Senate were absent, off somewhere on vacation in sunny Illinois, getting tans and sipping pina coladas. And the ones from the Assembly who were present were such party poopers."

former law student said...

his budget "reduces all spending by $4.2 billion, or 6.7 percent, and decreases the structural deficit by 90 percent from $2.5 billion to $250 million – the lowest structural deficit in recent history.

UWLS will have to cut 10% of its tenured faculty. Still applauding?

Chennaul said...

Scott Walker looked at him and gave him: 1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink.

Hey! I got all that once from Mario Lemieux plus a lifting of the hockey stick.

I almost passed out.

Peano said...

Meade says he joined the standing ovation at this point, and that Scott Walker looked at him and gave him: 1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink. Meade was quite pleased about that!

Meade is such a groupie! :o)

Seriously, he has done some excellent reporting. My hat is off to Meade.

Fred4Pres said...

That is a mighty bold statement, given Ronald Reagan, Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson were governors.

And of course this guy they are singing about, in an antiheroic sort of way.

vnjagvet said...

The second half of Lueders' article seems me to reveal that his compliments of the Governor are sarcastic.

YMMV

David said...

Sure as hell won't see that in the NYT.

Fred4Pres said...

I once held up a sign behind the Yankees bench that said "Slide Like Jeter" when Jeter was hurt from sliding the week before. Jeter happened to be at that game and came out of the dugout and wagged his finger at me.

It was magical.

Wen said...

Better watch out, Ann. With this post you and Meade might be approaching the vortex!

Alex said...

UWLS will have to cut 10% of its tenured faculty. Still applauding?

Considering this blog has had Scott Walker's back, he'll have the professor's when firing time comes for UWLS.

Irene said...

"Scott Walker's budget address: The ego has landed."

Is Lueders saying Walker is like Althouse, or he is conceding that Lueders is like Craver?

Gee whiz, those guys need some fresh ideas.

Palladian said...

KOCH!!!

KOCH OPERATIVES!!

Peano said...

former law student said ... UWLS will have to cut 10% of its tenured faculty. Still applauding?

Dear FLS: It's time for children like you to stop running things and let the grownups take over. One difference -- which you obviously won't grasp -- is that grownups will support sensible budget cuts even if it hurts their own narrow interests.

The noisy, sniveling children who have occupied the Capitol for the past several days have no conception whatever of that distinction.

Hagar said...

Fred, I think you have the wrong Roosevelt. Uncle Teddy was police commissioner in New York City, I think, but never a governor.

Paddy O said...

"1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink. Meade was quite pleased about that!"

Well, I hope this means that he's going to bring the both of you to California with him for the big Koch fete after this is all over.

And I certainly hope he won't just invite Meade.

Seriously, you and Meade are showing how much better local correspondents are. And you're neither one doing it with game playing rhetoric. It's photo journalism, letting people display their own words and images for the world to see, like we are there. No journalistic interference.

Excellent stuff.

You're a great team. But I know you both know that already.

Trooper York said...

"Meade says he joined the standing ovation at this point, and that Scott Walker looked at him and gave him: 1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink. Meade was quite pleased about that!"

Well I would be careful if I were you. This is exactly what happened when youse guy's first hooked up. Just sayn'

Unknown said...

Peano--not sure what's wrong with you, but it seems you're the one acting like a child. These budget cuts proposed by Walker are far from anything that could even be considered remotely sensible. Granted, I'm guessing you don't live in WI, so your criticisms/praises are moot points anyways.

This is Walker giving a big "Fuck You" to education (especially the university) and a big thumbs up to lining the pockets of corporations. I know that he wasn't bright enough to make it through college, but that doesn't mean that he should punish the university for being one of the best public schools in the country.

And Althouse--your blog is officially a joke. I knew you were conservative, but your praising of Walker is totally absurd. They lined the Capitol building with his supporters for this speech, and you seem to think that equates to "greatness"? What an ass.

Econophile said...

@former law student:

Not that this would not be a tragedy or anything, but I don't see any reason to believe your claim is accurate.

Was this in a PROFS email? If so, it missed this household. But really, where would you have heard that?

Michael K said...

I can't imagine anyone getting that excited over my governor.

Plenty of Californians will get excited over Jerry Brown but not for the same reasons. Why do you guys have all the luck ?

test said...

Shorter Lueders:

It's embarrassing when Republicans who haven't accomplished anything yet are overpraised. We're very accomplishment oriented, we Democrats. That's why we elected Barack Obama president and celebrate people who would rather chant juvenile slogans than work. Of course our slogan chanters must be paid more and retire sooner than everyone else. There have to be trade-offs you know.

Trooper York said...

Oh and can you put in a good word with your pal Walker for our pal roachy.

Students in Wisconsin need professors like him.

They need to have someone that they see every day that don't want to grow up to be. Sort of a negative role model like Lindsey Lohan for starlets or Bernie Madoff for finance guys.

SAVE OUR ROCHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Henry said...

Well how about that. Who's going to play Meade in the bromance?

Michael K said...

Fred, I think you have the wrong Roosevelt. Uncle Teddy was police commissioner in New York City, I think, but never a governor.

"After the war, he returned to New York and was elected Governor in a close-fought election. Within two years, he was elected Vice President of the United States"

They thought they were getting rid of him by electing him governor, then VP.

Brian Brown said...

This is Walker giving a big "Fuck You" to education (especially the university) and a big thumbs up to lining the pockets of corporations.

Hysterical Hyperbole.

Well done, bozo.

Well done.

Trooper York said...

Isn't it funny how college type douchenozzles just hate anyone who didn't go to college...or went to too many colleges....or who went to the "wrong" college. They just have to attack them with the venom and bile that they would never vent on terrorists or child molestors.

What are they so afraid of?

Brian Brown said...

These budget cuts proposed by Walker are far from anything that could even be considered remotely sensible.

As opposed to people like you who would just keep spending.

Oh wait. You'd raise taxes.

I forgot. That is such a great way to encourage economic growth and generate revenue.

Never mind.

Brian Brown said...

I know that he wasn't bright enough to make it through college

As opposed to you, silly, ignorant Internet commenter.

It turned out real poorly for Walker, didn't it?

Unknown said...

Another portion of this budget that hasn't been mentioned was Walker cutting the early release program for prisoners--that's going to cost this state millions of dollars. Up to 3,000 were eligible every year, and now they'll all be back in prison, costing us tens of thousands of dollars each year.

Study after study has shown that rehabilitation, not incarceration, is the best way to cut down on crime.

madAsHell said...

A smile, a nod, and a wink!

Dat ain't nuttin'!

Hillary Clinton gave me a "point-point, wink-wink, clap-clap, smile"....and then she did it again, but in a different direction.

Unknown said...

**Tens of thousands of dollars per prisoner**

Brian Brown said...

Study after study has shown that rehabilitation, not incarceration, is the best way to cut down on crime.

Laugh out loud funny.

You can't cite any of these "studies" that show any such thing.

Terrye said...

Meade and Ann have both done some great work on this. I have made a point of checking out the blog everyday.

Walker has some guts to to do this. He obviously thinks he is right..and I happen to agree with that.

Trooper York said...

You mean this horrible governor is going to keep criminals in prison longer.

Man youse guys should be able to make a really good Willie Horton commercial out of that and.....err...wait a minute...nevermind.

Shanna said...

Study after study has shown that rehabilitation, not incarceration, is the best way to cut down on crime.

Yeah, I'm with Jay. Would love to see those studies.

Terrye said...

Rick,

Not everyone on this blog may be from Wisconsin, but the people who live there voted Walker into office along with those Republicans..to cut spending. That is why they are there...if the Democrats had not made such a fine mess of things a guy like this would never have won in the first place..so maybe you should save some of that snark for your side.

James said...

And isn't it amusing how this dunce - Walker - keeps beating them at every turn?

Right now the Senate Democrats are trying to save face and come creeping back to Madison. Four of them met with the Senate Majority Leader in Kenosha, WI to discuss a compromise. Walker didn't have any of them detained and brought to Madison even though he had to be aware of the meeting.

Paddy O said...

"your blog is officially a joke"

Is there a governing body? Will she get a certificate in the mail?

Did she have to fill out paperwork?

I'd be very curious to learn the standards and policies of official joke blogs.

Unknown said...

Jay, you're one ignorant moron, aren't you?

A huge UCLA Study was the one that concluded that rehabilitation saved money--I believe that $2.50 was saved for every dollar spent per person in the program vs. leaving them in prison.

Additionally, there have been a number of collaborative studies regarding juvenile incarceration--Columbia, Temple, Carnegie Mellon and Florida did a huge one. Northeastern also conducted another very well-known study in the late 90s confirming this.

I know you hate learning things that are adverse to your beliefs, but you need to try to educate yourself. Speak to any Crim Law professor about what's more successful--rehabilitation or incarceration--and they will ALL confirm what I've said. Most crimes are for drugs and usually aren't violent, and we shouldn't be wasting our money keeping those people in prison.

shiloh said...

I knew Pontius Pilate, Roman governor of Judea ~ Pontius was a friend of mine ...

Scott Walker is no Pontius Pilate! ;)

Trooper York said...

Notice how little Ricky hates taxpayers but loves him some criminals.

Shouldn't you be in the capital there banging on your drum all day?

Anonymous said...

This is Walker giving a big "Fuck You" to education (especially the university) and a big thumbs up to lining the pockets of corporations.

Why do you keep pulling this stunt?

Corporation are not involved in this showdown.

It's the public unions versus the taxpayers.

Paddy O said...

"2. a nod, and 3. a wink."

Say no more. nudge. nudge.

Governor Walker to Meade, after the speech, "Your wife interested in er... photographs, eh? Know what I mean? Photographs, 'he asked him knowingly'."

Anonymous said...

Study after study has shown that rehabilitation, not incarceration, is the best way to cut down on crime.

This was the argument for generations in NYC.

The result was that, by the mid 70s, crime was completely out of control.

Rudi Giuliani took the radical approach of yanking all the bad guys off the street and throwing them in jail.

Mysteriously, this worked. NYC is now one of the safest cities in the country.

Peano said...

Rick said... Peano--not sure what's wrong with you, but it seems ....

You're not sure because you're still a child. Just sit down and try to calm yourself. The grownups are going to fix this problem whether you understand or not.

Trooper York said...

Little Ricky said...
Speak to any Crim Law professor about what's more successful--rehabilitation or incarceration--and they will ALL confirm what I've said.

Ask any cop or taxpayer for that matter and they will say that keeping criminals in prison longer is money well spent. We can do with a lot fewer Crim Law professors if it keeps more drug dealers, rapists and child molestors in prison.

Trooper York said...

Of course the Democrats like Little Ricky look as these felons as future votes.

Anonymous said...

I'll repeat, anybody who doubts that incarceration is the answer refuses to acknowledge what Giuliani proved in NYC.

I lived through the crime wave in NYC that was aided and abetted by the liberal BS that coddling criminals was the answer.

Rudi took the criminals off the street and returned control of the city to law abiding citizens.

There is no longer any room for debate about this issue. We know how disastrous the liberal prescription was. We know that incarceration on a large scale worked.

kent said...

Another portion of this budget that hasn't been mentioned was Walker cutting the early release program for prisoners

Oh, your poor mom.

roesch-voltaire said...

Trooper perhaps if you try on a different dress you can get a wink and nod. Meanwhile I will continue to help my students get scholarships and jobs, but if all else fails, I can go back to my earlier career in TV news, by some standards, I see all that I need to do that is a Flip camera and some hot air.

Stiles said...

Maybe this is a genuine attempt to run a balanced budget. In addition to the deep cuts, Governor Walker retained combined reporting and last budget's income tax increases.

Anonymous said...

"Scott Walker looked at him and gave him: 1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink."

OK. But please don't tell me that Walker was tapping his foot with a broad-based stance.

Trooper York said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KCFleming said...

The article was no love letter to Walker, but the sarcasm did little for the Democrats.

Seemed like he meant some of the praise, while seeming to disavow it for cover. His snark had little bite to it.

At a minimum, there was a respect shown Walker.

Trooper York said...

But roachy I am worried about you man. I don't want you to lose your job. If the blogger lady has any pull she should use it to make sure you are ok.

I know you will continue to do a good job falsifying records and giving your students the answers so your test scores will be right up there just like that union guy in New York who complained about how small his quail lunch turned out to be.

But I am glad you can go back to TV News. Say hello to Mare and Lou and Murray and all the gang. Rhoda sends her regards from NYC by the way I just saw her at the deli.

Good luck in the coming budget cuts.
Your Pal
Trooper York

test said...

"I can go back to my earlier career in TV news, by some standards, I see all that I need to do that is a Flip camera and some hot air."

Evidence shows the camera is one additional resource than is required to teach in Wisconsin.

Automatic_Wing said...

Most crimes are for drugs and usually aren't violent, and we shouldn't be wasting our money keeping those people in prison.

That is flat-out false. Drug offenders made up 18% of the state prison population in 2009, with violent criminals making up 52%.

You don't know what you're talking about.

http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2232

MayBee said...

Did anyone faint?

Methadras said...

Meade, citizen reporter, not of the establishment. As it should be of us all.

Phil 314 said...

Scott Walker looked at him and gave him: 1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink.

Paddy beat me to it.

A nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat, eh?

Context here

(Say no more! Say no more! Wuuuuuuuuuu!)

Hagar said...

Michael K.,

Thanks, I should have checked first.
I just remembered that he made himself a real pain to the pols of NYC as a police commissioner. I can't remember anything said about his service as governor.

MadisonMan said...

I've said this before, in the context of a neighbor I saw in tears (of joy) at a John Kerry rally (Really!) but I will never understand people -- even fellow politicians -- who get so jazzed up over a politician.

The Crack Emcee said...

Meade says he joined the standing ovation at this point, and that Scott Walker looked at him and gave him: 1. a smile, 2. a nod, and 3. a wink. Meade was quite pleased about that!

Holy shit - he IS New Media Meade!

Ray said...

"your blog is officially a joke"

Is there a governing body? Will she get a certificate in the mail?

Did she have to fill out paperwork?

I'd be very curious to learn the standards and policies of official joke blogs.


The Internet Joke Blog certification program was started in 2004 by the Institute for Progressive Hipster Douches. The certification provides a convenience way for hipsters and progressives to disregard any data or opinions that they come across on the Internet that might conflict with their confirmation bias. In the event of such unreconcilable info, a hipster/progressive has merely to consult the Hivemind and determine if the blog in question:
a. Is officially a joke
b. Links to Fox (Faux) News
c. Is written by partisan hacks (the bad kind, duh!)
d. Does not believe that Sarah Palin is worst than Hitler

At which point any facts presented need not even be addressed and you can go back to your normal appeal to authority arguments, since you didn't get that liberal arts degree for nothing.

Technically Ann should put a little icon on the homepage to save the hippies' time.

Synova said...

I thought that the whole idea of changing the union rules was to enable those who have to decide how to budget with the necessary cuts in their funding to do so without needing to lay off teachers and others. So...

"UWLS will have to cut 10% of its tenured faculty. Still applauding?"

To what extent is THIS a choice made by the unions?

Did they think that if they cried and fussed that the governor and the others elected to impose financial responsibility on state government would just... give up?

Or maybe they don't really care too much if some people have to give up their jobs so long as the union organization and all of its salaried employees and real property are secure.

Phil 314 said...

On a related note:

A public service announcement

kent said...

Did they think that if they cried and fussed that the governor and the others elected to impose financial responsibility on state government would just... give up?

Yes. That is precisely what they believed (as opposed to "thought," which certainly would have required more effort).

newton said...

"I know that he wasn't bright enough to make it through college"

Will you say that to his face?

And for that matter, the faces of Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Rush Limbaugh? All three are college dropouts, yet their net worths combined are a thousand times higher than you.

Jerk.

Unknown said...

When garage starts trumpeting the latest PPP poll that says WI would vote for the Demo over Walker, someone please direct him to Professor Jacobson, who looked under the hood and found, Kell Sir Prize!, that the sample had been skewed against Walker supporters.

Anonymous said...

Study after study has shown that rehabilitation, not incarceration, is the best way to cut down on crime.

It's already been mentioned, but this other thing called real life confirms that the way to cut down on crime is to put and keep criminals in jail. The way New York City was cleaned up was to focus exactly on legitimate by minor crimes. Put those people in jail and you also cut down serious crime dramatically because there is really a very small percentage of people who are willing and able to commit crime. And they do all the crime.

But keep citing "studies," you unserious fools. The part about criminal law professors was especially rich, by the way. Just what do criminal law professors know about preventing crime? Next, you should ask an economist about preventing supply and demand.

kent said...

FLEEBAGGERS JUMP SHIP – Dem Senators Meet Secretly With GOP Behind Minority Leader’s Back

Less a "Glorious Worker's Revolution," in other words, than a wet, protracted case of mass flatulence.

As predicted. ;)

Synova said...

I know...

If the state continues to collect union dues, the state should charge for the service. Add a $20 per transaction fee.

Ba-da-boom.

Budget difficulties solved.

Meade said...

MayBee said...
"Did anyone faint?"

I don't know about that but I did get video of a Democratic assemblyman going ass over teakettle as he tripped on a pile of peace signs and crappy clutter, trying to get to center of the rotunda to address his deranged despondent people. He'll probably sue the state of Wisconsin for a slip and fall.

Revenant said...

Study after study has shown that rehabilitation, not incarceration, is the best way to cut down on crime.

I love the phrase "study after study".

Not "all studies", or "most studies", or even "a solid majority of peer-reviewed studies". Just... "study after study". Like, LOTS of studies, dude. MULTIPLE studies.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

there have been a number of collaborative studies

@ Rick

Anytime someone starts throwing out terms like "collaborative" studies, I assume them to be government hacks and lifetime bureaucrats.

I've been around enough of them to recognize the jargon.

I may not be from Wisconsin, but I am very interested in seeing Walker succeed. My State (California) is in much deeper dog doo than yours and we desperately need an example of leadership and push back against the corruption of Government Unions.

vw: voidism The religion of nothing.

mike said...

Yeah, Rick. I understand you're a Democrat and all ut really, lighten up on the hate. I mean, I understand that you guys founded the KKK and that Lester Maddox, Orville Faubus, Bull Connor and pretty much every other villain of the Civil Rights era was a Democrat, just like you. But all that hate all the time just can't be good for you. OK, OK, as a Democrat hate is in your DNA. But, seriously, get some medication or something. That hate is going to eat you alive. Silly hateful Klucker.

Anonymous said...

@Palladian 3/1/11 7:41 PM

LMAO!

DinobotPrime said...

Rick

Real life and results trumps collaborative studies and talking to Criminal Law professors about the success of rehabilitation vs incarceration in the relative safety of their university/college offices.

I will have more respect for the people who wrote the studies and the Criminal Law Professors if they spend long hours with the cops patrolling real crime areas and spending time with prison guards in state penitentiaries interacting with real criminals instead of cherry picking data to support their conclusions.

A "Shotgun" Gold said...

Seventeen Presidents were state governors, plus three others were governors of territories (Jackson, Florida; Harrison, Indiana; and Taft was governor of the Philippines when it became a U.S. territory.)

The 17:

Bush, GW
Carter
Cleveland
Clinton
Coolidge
Hayes
Jefferson
Johnson, A
McKinley
Monroe
Polk
Reagan
Roosevelt, F
Roosevelt, T
Tyler
Van Buren
Wilson

Rose said...

This is fabulous!

Brian Brown said...

This,

A huge UCLA Study was the one that concluded that rehabilitation saved money--

Isn't evidence for your assertion.

clown.

Brian Brown said...

Most crimes are for drugs and usually aren't violent,

Epic fail.

I know you hate learning things that are adverse to your beliefs

Parody.

TWM said...

"Ok Meadhouse are officially right-wing hacks. This clinches it."

They aren't, but even if they were they'd be hacks of their own choosing and not union bought hacks like the ones demonstrating this past week or so.

Radish said...

I've been out of college for a long time--is it acceptable now to cite "A huge UCLA Study" in a paper's bibliography instead of all that nonsense about author and journal names?

Joe said...

It's pretty blindingly obvoius that rehabilitation does save money, but does it reduce crime rates?

Henry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

What pathetic self-congratulatory drivel. Go Meade go