April 8, 2012

Wisconsin "will be at the epicenter of American politics" for "at least the next two months."

Says Dan Balz at the Washington Post, explaining the importance of the recall effort to unseat Gov. Scott Walker.
This homegrown fight has national implications. Walker has become a symbol of Republican governance in today’s GOP. He is campaigning energetically and unapologetically, arguing that he took courageous action to deal with his state’s severe fiscal problems — the same thing Republicans are saying should be done nationally. Walker contends that his policies have been good for the state’s economy and its taxpayers.

His opponents see those policies almost exactly the way President Obama described the federal budget written by Walker’s Wisconsin soul mate, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, and passed recently by the House. Last week, Obama called the Ryan budget a radical document that would put the country in decline. That echoes the view of Walker’s opponents, who say his actions have hurt the state and unfairly punished state employees....



Walker is a hero to Republicans. Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum were the featured attractions at the Waukesha County dinner before last week’s primary, but it was Walker who generated by far the most energy in the room. He was greeted with several standing ovations.

Republicans don’t just approve of the job he’s doing; they enthusiastically embrace him. More than nine in 10 “strongly approve” of the job he is doing, according to exit polls from Tuesday’s presidential primary. Among strong tea party supporters, strong approval is 94 percent. Among very conservative voters, it’s 92 percent.
There's a big upside for Republicans here, though the Democrats brought this showdown upon themselves. In the first of the 2 months, as Balz describes at the link, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk are tearing each other apart to get the Democratic Party nomination. You've got the man beating up on the woman just when Democrats want to demagogue the "war on women." The election is very much about the power of public unions, and because she has the backing of the unions, Falk may win the primary only to be "cast... as a tool of the unions who would do their bidding as governor." This is our little drama here in Wisconsin, but as Balz says, it has national implications.

I'd love to know what the Obama people really think of this immense distraction their Wisconsin Democrats have kicked up. I doubt if they want Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk — fighting each other — as the face of the party in these crucial 2 months when there's not much else going on in the political arena. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how Mitt Romney and (Wisconsin's own) Paul Ryan will  exploit Scott Walker's (heroic?) struggle for survival.

102 comments:

edutcher said...

If he wins, we may be looking at President Walker in 2020.

Ann Althouse said...

I'd love to know what the Obama people really think of this immense distraction their Wisconsin Democrats have kicked up. I doubt if they want Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk — fighting each other

Luckily for Zero, the PUMA crowd wussed out after a lot of talk of bolting - although the Lefty media keeps droning on about how bad the last couple of months have been for the Republicans. Eventually, however, the ABR crowd will remember the name of the game is ABO.

I'm guessing the Demos will be divided enough for Walker to win

KCFleming said...

Even my South Dakotan Mom is reading about Walker, and asked me, a Minnesotan, what I thought.

She is a lifelong Democrat, so I answered Very Carefully, and gave her a hug.

Crisis averted.

alan markus said...

I doubt if they want Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk — fighting each other — as the face of the party in these crucial 2 months when there's not much else going on in the political arena

There was that post on Friday about Rahm Emanuel coming up from Chicago to counsel Tom Barrett & Barrett has been picking up support from key Dem legislators. I think those are some clues.

Palladian said...

Balz.

Balz.

Hehehe.

Wince said...

Wisconsin "will be at the epicenter of American politics" for "at least the next two months" ...Says Dan Balz at the Washington Post

"Suck my Balz".

Michael said...

There is no conceivable reason for govt. employees to be protected from a benign employer. Everyone knows this now thanks to the overly obnoxious Madisonites who protested too much. There is no upside for the Dems here. The labor movement is fast dying and the govt employee unions are manifestly unnecessary. But lets keep the "conversation" going right up to November.

MadisonMan said...

I signed a Falk petition yesterday, to get her on the ballot. I was surprised that wasn't done already. This was at Trader Joe's. Petition-signers are always there.

I'll sign to let anyone run.

somefeller said...

Balz. Hehehe.

I love that name. If I had that last name, every time someone asked my last name, I'd mumble it the first time so they'd ask me to repeat it, and then I'd be like: "BALZ, motherfucker!".

And on that note, Easter blessings to all.

rhhardin said...

Epicenter is a media plan. Something has to be a crisis or they lose audience.

Anonymous said...

If I had that last name, every time someone called me by my first name I'd say "That's 'Balz' to you."

leslyn said...

I enjoyed The Ed Show's take: 'Cowardly' Scott Walker launches all-out attack on women from behind closed doors

machine said...

"courageous"...

Cutting taxes for wealthy and corporations while "balancing" the budget on the middle class and political opponents..how brave...

crosspatch said...

All indications I have are that Walker will survive recall by a razor thin margin but it will depend on turnout. The people who want to keep him must be as motivated to vote as the people who want to remove him.

Ann Althouse said...

"all out attack on women"

Don't women benefit from relieving businesses of some of the burdens of excessive liability? Women mostly want more jobs and better jobs, not the ability to sue their employers, I would think.

The Democrats like to boast about legislation they've passed that's supposed to embody the interests of women, but we shouldn't accept that assertion at face value.

A healthy economy with businesses that hire people for good jobs is beneficial to everyone, including women. The ability for sue when things go bad can be highly overrated.

But the Democrats seem to love the symbolism, the ability to say: Look at the gift we made for you.

Unknown said...

Read the Obama MO for his lifetime.

This statement:

Obama called the Ryan budget a radical document that would put the country in decline.

is the way Obama smokescreens his motivations to his gullible women voters. Obama is laying the foundation to ease you into thinking what he thinks. That he has some radical plans in mind to put the country in decline and equalize it with the third world. He is telling you right to your face but not telling you. It's a form of projection and persuasion.

edutcher said...

Ann Althouse said...

The Democrats like to boast about legislation they've passed that's supposed to embody the interests of women, but we shouldn't accept that assertion at face value.

But the Democrats seem to love the symbolism, the ability to say: Look at the gift we made for you.


Off Insta: The chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), on Sunday condemned the charge by some Democrats that Republicans are engaged in a ‘war on women.’ . . . Appearing on CNN earlier, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), did not respond directly when asked whether the charge of a GOP ‘war on women’ crossed the line.

This suggests to me that it’s not polling as well as they had hoped.


The "Rs hate women" line went flat with Ms Fluck and the attack on Rush. No reason to doubt the same thing here.

As I've said, they tried to create a bandwagon with bad polls.

leslyn said...

@Althouse:

I think Ed made a distinction when , after referring to the abortion and sex education bills, he said,

"If that's not enough, Walker also signed a bill that repealed a law that made it easier for victims of wage discrimination to have their day in court!"

Not woman-centric.

But opinions differ.

Chip S. said...

I wish that media types would stop using the word "epicenter" as a synonym for "center".

If they insist on being hackneyed, there's always the perfectly serviceable "eye of the political storm" at their disposal.

JohnJ said...

Wisconsin will be at the media-created “epicenter” until Walker survives the recall. Then, magically, the epicenter will be identified as actually residing in some other liberal drama.

machine said...

Inquiring minds want to know:

"Does Romney think women should have ability to take their bosses to court to get the same pay as their male coworkers? Or does he stand with Governor Walker against this?"

Q said...

Walker has become a symbol of Republican governance in today’s GOP. He is campaigning energetically and unapologetically, arguing that he took courageous action to deal with his state’s severe fiscal problems


Andrew Cuomo is taking much the same steps in New York as Walker has in Wisconsin. For some reason we don't see a lot of discussion of that in the press.

Carl Vero said...

Once regarded as “social snacks”, women in the Democratic party are now “separate, but equal”. As a party boss put it; when you're going to fight a big cat, you don't look for a kitty to do the job.

traditionalguy said...

Epicenters can be dangerous places. Walker should tell the Capitol guys to cover the statues and marble with drop cloths right away. But the union dems would accuse him of a War on Vandalism.

Alex said...

Don't women benefit from relieving businesses of some of the burdens of excessive liability? Women mostly want more jobs and better jobs, not the ability to sue their employers, I would think.

No Ann, they really do want the ability sue their employers. What do you think 30 years of brainwashing has achieved except a entitlement mindset? Even about jobs - they feel they are entitled to a cushy, high-paying job where they don't have to do any real work.

dbp said...

And Madison is the headquarters for Epicentre®.

Methadras said...

If Paul Ryan gets tapped and accepts a VP spot with Romney, then even more national attention will swing towards the cheese-head state.

Cornroaster said...

machine said...
Inquiring minds want to know:

"Does Romney think women should have ability to take their bosses to court to get the same pay as their male coworkers? Or does he stand with Governor Walker against this?"

If machine is the one with the inquiring mind, he might want to note that "The state Department of Workforce Development could still award an employee back pay, costs and attorney fees..." The new legislation takes away the right to punitive damages, which is what the bill Walker signed is opposed to. How did an inquiring mind get it so wrong? Maybea little liberal bias????

Cornroaster said...

Sorry that I forgot my source for the quote in the last post.

http://www.nbc15.com/state/headlines/Governor_Walker_Signs_Bill_Erasing_Discrimination_Damages_146439365.html

leslyn said...

machine said...

"Inquiring minds want to know:

'Does Romney think women should have ability to take their bosses to court to get the same pay as their male coworkers? Or does he stand with Governor Walker against this?'"
4/8/12 1:40 P.M.

Ah, machine, that's the question, isn't it? So far Romney has not responded.

Alex said...

leslyn - the election is 80% about the economy and 20% about social issues. Depending on if Israel strikes Iran, those percentages will be impacted.

leslyn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jason said...

Ah, machine, that's the question, isn't it? So far Romney has not responded.

If people are staring $5 and $6 per gallon gasoline in the face on election day, they really arent going to give a shit about that.

Just sayin'.

The left can continue to try and create all of these dramas to distract the American people from how bad Obama has been, but in the end, people vote with their wallets. Just ask the unionized left in this state, who wants to throw out Scott Walker because he dared make people pay for their own health care and pensions out of their own wallets.

Part of me wants to see Paul Ryan get the VP nod, just to watch him debate circles around a bumbling Joe Biden and make him look like a bigger ass than he already is.

leslyn said...

@Cornroaster re machine: pot calling kettle black.

Repeal of the law also removes compensatory damages. See SB 202/AB 289, repealing Wis Stats. 111.39(4)(d) (in pertinent part).

Alex said...

If I were Romney's campaign manager I'd have him go after Obama's socialist agenda.

* Obama blocking offshore drilling
* Obama blocking Keystone pipeline
* Obamacare
* Obama not in favor of extending the Bush tax rates
* Obama piling on $5 trillion in debt
* Obama's assocation with Bill Ayers, Rev Wright, Van Jones and so on.

I'd have Romney pound on Obama every single day.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Balz.

Balz.

Hehehe


Could be worse. Instead of Dan his first name could be Harry.
:-)

Wisconsin is endlessly amusing.

dbp said...

"'Does Romney think women should have ability to take their bosses to court to get the same pay as their male coworkers?"

Can't women just ask for a raise, like the way men do?

damikesc said...

"Does Romney think women should have ability to take their bosses to court to get the same pay as their male coworkers? Or does he stand with Governor Walker against this?"

Does Obama support the threats of vigilante "justice" against Zimmerman? He helped make it more national and has done nothing while his supporters have ramped up the hate. Does he support Gov Dayton's attempt to force home childcare workers to be unionized whether they want it or not in MN? Does he support his illegal immigrant uncle's lenient treatment in MA? Does he care that his half-brother lives in total squalor in Africa?

People are asking.

Joe Schmoe said...

Dust Bunny Queen the thread-winner so far. Reminded me of a former New Hampshire congressman named Richard Swett. He did indeed go by Dick Swett.

I thought Garage would've posted a Dem-favorable poll by now. You know, the ones that show Falk up on Walker by 3-4 points.

Ann Althouse said...

Don't exaggerate what the repeal did. Women can still sue for sex discrimination (as can men). They just can't get damages in addition to back pay and attorney's fees.

Ann Althouse said...

(Or something like that.)

damikesc said...

What some feminists don't seem to get is --- if you make hiring women more and more risky if you need to fire them, the quickest solution is to just not hire them.

Otherwise, we can enjoy permanent 10% unemployment.

Hagar said...

Windfall punitive damages, that is.

neomom said...

Damikesc nailed it. When hiring - as long as the questions asked are the same with all candidates, you can always find a legitimate reason for not hiring someone.

MadisonMan said...

If Paul Ryan gets tapped and accepts a VP spot with Romney

What does Ryan bring electoral vote-wise to the ticket?

I'd be surprised to see Ryan accept (based on conversations I've had with his Aunt).

Bruce Hayden said...

I think that the danger there, for the left, is if they lose. I am guessing that the WaPo is expecting right now that Walker loses and is recalled. But, if he isn't, then they have a self-inflicted negative expectation to overcome, esp. in WI, is supposed to be in play this election.

bagoh20 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rhhardin said...

You can't have an epic without an epicenter.

Anonymous said...

The Recall effort in Wisconsin is the biggest election in the Nation. The result will probably affect an entire generation or more.

I really don't think that is hyperbole either.

Titus said...

Walker will win by plus 4.

Obama will also win Wisconsin by plus 7.

I would do Walker if the Lord hathed us to sucky sucky.

He dyes his hair, is that gay? Reagan did so it must not be.

tits.

Titus said...

What do youse guys think of guys dying their hair?

Gay or not?

You know Scalia does. He is over 70 and has jet black hair.

Do you think they dye their pubes too?

And marvelous is definitely not gay. Fabulous is, natch.

Joe Schmoe said...

Titus, I've noticed that all the guys doing sports broadcasting on TV are all dyeing their hair. Apparently looking old is death on TV.

I don't like the idea of dyeing my hair, but since hiring practices are more favorable to younger workers, I can see why more men are doing it. I'm sure a lot do it for vanity, but I bet a good chunk are doing it just to either land a job or keep the one they've got.

Joe Schmoe said...

And no, I don't think anyone's dyeing their pubes.

Paul said...

"Could be worse. Instead of Dan his first name could be Harry."

Worse still. Harry is married to Ophelia.

David said...

A guy named Bubba just won the big contest in Georgia. He is a devout Christian. He thanked his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He and his wife are adoptive parents. He is from the Redneck Riviera, Baghdad, Florida. He's a winner. His daddy was a special forces soldier. Everyone likes him.

Maybe he's a "progressive" but I doubt it. He is a lefty though.

Way to go, Bubba!

Jason said...

What does Ryan bring electoral vote-wise to the ticket?

I'd be surprised to see Ryan accept (based on conversations I've had with his Aunt).


For many tea-party GOP types, it brings "legitimacy" (for lack of a better word) to the ticket. Ryan knows his budget stuff inside and out, and can articulate - very well - the types of lower spending, lower taxes, pro-business type of economy that will appeal to many conservatives.

I agree that he wont take the VP nod either, as I feel the GOP will push to keep Ryan in his current spot as House Budget Committee chairman, or perhaps make a push to make him Speaker of the House. But I can see why many who support Romney also like the prospect of having Ryan on the ticket.

Christopher in MA said...

I'd love to have Ryan on the ticket. As pointed out, he knows his budget minutiae inside and out, so when Little Black Jesus begins pouting about his radical budget, Ryan can point out - more gentlemanly than Sen Grassley did today - that King Putt is an utter moron.

And the idea of Ryan debating Plugs? It would be a bigger smackdown than the clock cleaning Cheney performed on Silky Pony. Of course, even Hat could outdebate Biden, so the bar's pretty low. What would be delicious would be to watch Ryan show up Obama for the ill-educated, thin-skinned, juvenile, crackhead AA punk he truly is.

traditionalguy said...

The epicenter of golf this week just finished with a UGA Bulldog winning the Green Jacket at the Masters in front of a crowd packed with local people who love him.

The contrast between an aloof Tiger Woods and an always connecting and lovable Bubba Watson is quite sharp.

Bubba even makes Phil Mickleson look unfriendly when the two are compared.

Expect big things from Bubba.

MadisonMan said...

Ah, I wanted the guy that shot the albatross to win.

What a spectacular shot to see!

Titus said...

I would never dye my pubes.

Shave them, natch.

But never dye them.

I believe that would hurt.

Hi Palladian, do you dye your pubes? AZT, really?

David said...

I am a man over 60 years of age. I would have tremendous difficulty getting a responsible job, especially in my main field of expertise.

Why? Because I'm in a protected class of old people, and the people with the jobs fear that they could not fire me if I did not cut it. In theory they can't discriminate in hiring either, but that's pretty hard to prove.

These laws do in fact make employers reluctant to hire, especially when punitive damages are made a big part of the remedy.

Those who think that social issues are best remedied by litigation tend to be litigators, or recipients of contributions from litigators.

Beta Rube said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Beta Rube said...

Why all the "war on women" talk when the fortunes of men are on the decline and women seem to be ascending, especially based on college admissions?

I also thought the O's stimulus was quite good for women, resulting in many jobs in teaching and healthcare, and virtually none in heavy manufacturing.

Are women so certain of their perpetual victim hood at the hands of men that this tact will actually work?

Wally Kalbacken said...

Well, Professor, you are just going to have to invest in an extra couple of sets of video camera batteries and keep those sukkahs charged 24x7!

Get ready to operate in ready-to-roll-out mode until June 5th!

purplepenquin said...

Women can still sue for sex discrimination

If they do decide to sue, are they required by law to have a private consultation with the judge?

Ya know...just so the court can make sure that nobody pressured her into a lawsuit that she didn't really wanna file.

leslyn said...

"Don't Tread On Me" would be a nice fashion statement.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I believe the federal law Obama signed [called the Sally Leddbetter Law?] allows a woman to sue for discrimination for something that happened as long ago as 30 years. So why all the angst, Libruls, over a measly state law?

leslyn said...

State and federal law and courts are different standards.

glam1931 said...

Happy Easter, Ann and Meade!

Methadras said...

MadisonMan said...

Ah, I wanted the guy that shot the albatross to win.

What a spectacular shot to see!


Funny thing to say from a guys who supports the leftards penchant for supporting the dragon, while trying to kill the eagle.

MikeR said...

I see that Intrade has Walker winning at around 60%.

crosspatch said...

I think it is going to depend on which side attracts more dead voters.

Methadras said...

MadisonMan said...

What does Ryan bring electoral vote-wise to the ticket?

I'd be surprised to see Ryan accept (based on conversations I've had with his Aunt)


First of all he's an adult, unlike the two arrogant, hubris filled children that are in leadership positions now. Second of all, he brings an economic and business accumen that neither of the two children in office now possess. Thirdly, Ryan, is taken as a serious, honorable public servant, who like Romney has neither any skeletons in his closet and genuinely is interested in shaping public policy towards conservative values and ideals of limited government and some modicum of conservative principals. He knows the leftards, he understands the leftards, and he can defeat them easily because they are children. Fourthly, it will make a wonderful dicotomy of seeing him as a VP that once dressed down Urkel on Urkelcare across the table and gave him a lesson in how vapid, empty, disingenuous his naive ideas about healthcare as a function of economics really were. His budget plan proves this and the fact that Urkel's disdain for it is proof of how Ryan basically shoved it up Urkel's ass, while the leftards have brought less than zero to the table.

So I'm sure your talk with his sweet old aunt was wonderful and all, but even she doesn't know if Ryan will take it. Even if he doesn't and is in line for the speakership, he would still make a create compliment to a Romney Administration and hopefully can begin the reversal of the clusterfuck your favorite jesus has plagued as with.

Kirk Parker said...

"the guy that shot the albatross"

Yikes, what's next--clubbing baby seals?

Guildofcannonballs said...

What matters most, what's most important to me, is to separate the concise from the precise.

Not the pretenders from the contenders, as they say.

And not, of course, Sheep in Wolfish title.

leslyn said...

@Kirk Parker:

It's a golf term used at the Masters final round today to describe a particularly unusual and difficult shot, which, interestingly, resulted in the golfer achieving a "double eagle" on the hole.

In case you're not a golf guy.

leslyn said...

@Not Quite unBuckley:

"And not, of course, Sheep in Wolfish title." Don't know what you meant by how you phrased the reference, but Katy Perry was not paid by the Marines for her new music video.

Not only that, she didn't pay them.

"Perry’s record label didn’t pay the government for the vehicles, or for the fuel used. Johnston said the kinds of tasks performed for the video were close to what Marines normally do, so they chalked the fuel costs up to training. The Marines who appear with the singer didn’t get paid, as that’s against military rules."
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/mar/24/tp-pendleton-marines-star-in-katy-perry-music/.

Why don't people look things up instead of indulging in speculation? The USMC contact is Lt. Col. Jason Johnston, director of the Marine Corps Motion Picture & Television Liaison Office in Los Angeles. The video was shot at Camp Pendelton, CA.

And I thought it was cool.

Alphonse said...

The people, especially employers offering health plans, wanted a tax increase and Medicare for all, but Obama listened to the Heritage Institute and Governor Romney (and presumably a rightist law prof or three) and met them with a mandate and insurance for all. What a chump!

Ok, not really a chump. As if this congress would ever have given the people, especially employers offering health plans, what they wanted.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roger J. said...

Hope everyone had a great Easter. As for the substance of the post, I have a different take on the Balz piece. Seems to the republican "horse race" for the nomination is looking like Secretariat at the Belmont. There is no more milage in that story. The Trayvon Martin story seems to be flatlining. The Media now need to turn to a different story, thus the Wisconsin kerfluffle.

I suspect in November the electorage will vote their individiual pocket books, and unless there is some turn around, Mr Obama will have some considerable difficulty.

I suspect no one outside of Wisconsin cares much about Wisconsin politics--There are the Packers, of course, but the election will not hinge on them, good team that they are. Balz, imo, is simply trying to generate a story line to fill in the gaps created by the impending Romney nomination, and the decline of the Trayvon Martin story.

KCFleming said...

The protests in Madison last year diverted police to the point that armed home invaders escaped and then went on to murder someone.

Thanks, Democrats!

"The Capitol protests in Madison during February and March 2011 were pre precursor to the Occupy Wall Street Protests, and they were not peaceful. At times, protesters stormed the building through windows. One protester attempted to remove the exterior door hinges. Thousands stormed the building, camped out for weeks and often harassed the lawmakers and staff that worked in the building.
The disruptive nature of the Capitol Occupation required round-the-clock police presence from personnel from more than 200 local and state law enforcement agencies. More than $8 million was spent for crowd control and protective detail for those who worked in the building. That diversion of personnel had a ripple effect through communities across Wisconsin as officers who normally would be on the job at home, had to spend time attempting to keep the peace at the State Capitol.

...Madison Police Detective testifies in court, under oath, that his diversion to the Capitol prevented him from questioning two subjects identified by the victim of an armed home invasion, which he had begun to investigate prior to the Capitol Occupation.

The suspects are now currently in the Dane County Jail, awaiting trial for a different crime--a murder they are alleged to have committed several months after the robbery. It was a robbery for which they were implicated by others, but for which they were never questioned by police.
"

Guildofcannonballs said...

Visualize what you can't see.

Michael said...

"If he wins, we may be looking at President Walker in 2020."

Worked for Calvin Coolidge. He broke the attempt to force a police union and within five years, he had won a landslide as president.

Sloanasaurus said...

I was inspired to donate to Walker, even though I don't live in Wisconsin. THis election is now about freedom and fiscal sanity everywhere.

garage mahal said...

"If he wins, we may be looking at President Walker in 2020."

hahahaha. If he's out of prison by then.

Chef Mojo said...

Still waiting for that indictment, huh, garage?

Seriously, if there was even the slightest chance that the DA could hang something on Walker, don't you think they'd have done it by now?

Steve Koch said...

Wisconsin is known for the packers, cheese, and beer. Wisconsin is not going to be the epicenter of politics in the USA anytime soon because the rest of the USA is mostly not interested in Wisconsin.

John Cunningham said...

Query--if the collective bargaining law pushed by Walker, and the budget cuts, are so evil, where are the sob stories? union members forced to quit by heinous conditions? teachers starving, or forced to turn to prostitution to survive? union members' children getting pellegra, rickets, etc. as a result of GOP reign of terror?

SGT Ted said...

I love how the tolerant lefties are the first to demand the summary jailing of their polirical opponents and conviction by public opinion. That certainly shows their level of committment to civil rights; they are merely to be a tool for posturing and political convenience.

garage mahal said...

Seriously, if there was even the slightest chance that the DA could hang something on Walker, don't you think they'd have done it by now?

He's hired two big shot white collar criminal defense lawyers, and set up a legal defense fund. The qualifier for the latter is being under investigation for a crime, or already charged with a crime. So if he's not under investigation, he's breaking the law setting up that defense fund.

Chef Mojo said...

Help me out here, garage.

How long has Walker been under investigation? I mean, really? How long does it take to investigate something like this and hand down an indictment? Given that the DA involved is a Dem and would be champing at the bit to send Walker to the pokey, I would think he would have figured out a way to do it by now.

Also, you seem to think that Walker shouldn't have the best legal advise he can come up with? "Two big shot white collar criminal defense lawyers" really bothers you? Someone investigates me, I assure you the first thing I'll do is retain counsel. Wouldn't you?

As for the legal defense fund? It's conceded that he's under investigation, and therefore the fund is legal.

However, you always seem to equate "investigation" with "indicted, charged, tried and convicted." I really don't think that's the case.

What I do know - and what you fail to grasp - is that Walker is innocent of the things you believe of him, until a jury of his peers informs us otherwise. Which really doesn't seem to be happening, right?

garage mahal said...

Also, you seem to think that Walker shouldn't have the best legal advise he can come up with? "Two big shot white collar criminal defense lawyers" really bothers you? Someone investigates me, I assure you the first thing I'll do is retain counsel. Wouldn't you?


Yes I would hire the best lawyers I could find. I would expect voters to not approve though. But, it doesn't seem to bother conservatives one bit that Walker is the first governor in Wisconsin history to set up a legal defense fund.

Rusty said...

garage mahal said...
Also, you seem to think that Walker shouldn't have the best legal advise he can come up with? "Two big shot white collar criminal defense lawyers" really bothers you? Someone investigates me, I assure you the first thing I'll do is retain counsel. Wouldn't you?


Yes I would hire the best lawyers I could find. I would expect voters to not approve though. But, it doesn't seem to bother conservatives one bit that Walker is the first governor in Wisconsin history to set up a legal defense fund.


I think what I like about Garage the most is that double standards don't seem to bother him at all. There is only one cartoon and it's in black and white.

The first response is, "Oh good. Walker is being sued.(the bastard)"

Not. Who is bringing suit?

I suppose the narrative is simple for a reason.

Christopher in MA said...

It doesn't seem to bother conservatives one bit that Walker is the first governor in Wisconsin history to set up a legal defense fund.

Why should it? We have the example of Sarah Palin, in which your fellow degenerates hounded her out of office by bogus charges, designed for the one purpose of destroying her (bonus question for you - name one ethics charge for which Palin was investigated and convicted. If I were a GOP governor in a heavily D state, I'd damn sure lawyer up as well as get a good security detail. I don't put anything past slime like you.

leslyn said...

Pogo said...

"The protests in Madison last year diverted police to the point that armed home invaders escaped and then went on to murder someone."

Ah, I see, the Breitbart site. Perhaps if Breitbart were still here he'd be vetting the stories printed in his name.

You posited a lie: "escaped and then went on to murder someone."

No one escaped. Suspects being questioned can be held 48 hours before a decision must be made to "catch, or release." During that period any police officer may question them about any crime unless and until they invoke their Miranda rights. The decision to release is not made lightly.

Several months later (not as if it had all happened at once) the two suspects he had questioned for the earlier, different crime, are arrested for a murder.

Would the first questioning have prevented the later crime? We'll never know. The same holds even if the first detective had continued his questioning; all we know is that the suspects were eventually released.

And of course, this situation could have been avoided if Walker had not surprised the electorate by trying to bust the unions.

leslyn said...

@Chip Ahoy:

A corruption investigation can take several months, even years. For a recent example, refer to Blagojevich.

leslyn said...

@Christopher in MA:

Latest Alaska approval polls on Sarah Palin that I could find, July 8, 2011:

A new poll by Ivan Moore Research shows that Sarah Palin’s popularity continues to decline in her home state of Alaska. The poll found that only 39% of Alaskans approve of Palin, and 49% of those who know her best disapprove of her. There was an additional 12% who had neutral feelings about the former governor. The Moore Research poll has Palin’s negatives holding steadily between 49% and 51% since March of 2010.

The Dittman Research Alaska Poll taken in March measured Palin’s negatives to be at 61%, but it is telling for a figure to have such low approval ratings in her home state. Part of the Alaskan disapproval is likely related to the fact that half way through her first term Sarah Palin quit on the state in order to go get rich in the lower 48, but mostly we often hear from Alaskans who are willing to speak up about the damage that Palin has done to the reputation of their state. For many Alaskans, having a national punch line as the most well-known figure from their state is particularly galling.

I don't think Palin had to be driven out of office by anyone. She did that herself. The fact that there were no convictions after she left office could also be attributed to a lack of enthusiasm for expensive investigations and trials of a governor who had already left office. Close the book. it happens.

TomB said...

Joseph Schmoe said...

"Dust Bunny Queen the thread-winner so far. Reminded me of a former New Hampshire congressman named Richard Swett. He did indeed go by Dick Swett."

Yes, then he ran for Senate and lost - I remember vividly seeing all the signs for Dick Swett for Senate.

Even better, that election, his wife was running to take the House seat he was vacating. A buddy of mine asked, "What's her campaign slogan? The woman behind Dick Swett"? You can't write fiction like that!

Methadras said...

garage mahal said...

hahahaha. If he's out of prison by then.


And this is why you are a waste of oxygen and no one takes you seriously. You fall right on leftard fantasy and wish fullfilment.

Kirk Parker said...

lesyn,

Of course: but the real question is, given that golf is a sport that inspires such gruesome metaphors to describe it, why would any woman want to play it?

Chief Mojo,

"Given that the DA involved is a Dem and would be champing at the bit to send Walker to the pokey,"

I suppose it's also possible that the DA is an honorable person just soberly carrying out his duties, rather than a partisan hack; or does this being Wisconsin rule out that possibility?

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

I suppose it's also possible that the DA is an honorable person just soberly carrying out his duties, rather than a partisan hack; or does this being Wisconsin rule out that possibility?

You can be the judge. Here is a Media Trackers link showing at least 43 Milwaukee County DA employees signed the recall - Link.

Perhaps one of the most interesting employees at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office who signed the Scott Walker recall petition is Janet Oelstrom, a secretary for the Public Integrity Unit. The Public Integrity Unit is responsible for anti-corruption probes and the now-familiar ‘John Doe’ investigations. Oelstrom confirmed to Media Trackers on Friday night that she did indeed sign the Walker recall.

A total of 23 support staff for the Milwaukee District Attorney’s office were confirmed to have signed the recall petition. One recall petition was circulated by support staff employee Mary Ann Onorato and included ten Milwaukee County DA support staff employees who signed on Friday November 18, and Monday November 21. An additional 17 names matched but could not be completely confirmed at the time of publication.

Some Milwaukee County DA employees expressed their disapproval of Governor Walker on social media by joining anti-Walker Facebook groups such as ‘Scott Walker is a Douchebag’ and ‘Boycott Scott Walker Contributors.’ Others posted disparaging comments about Governor Walker on Facebook, another has the now-famous Wisconsin ‘Blue Fist’ as her Facebook profile picture, and one ADA had a picture of a ‘Recall Walker’ yard sign as a profile picture.

leslyn said...

@Kirk Parker:

What?

Whether or not a sport "inspires gruesome metaphors"--what does that have to do with a woman wanting to play it? Believe me, we don't get the vapors when we here "hit an albatross."

It wasn't even "killed an albatross," or "beheaded an albatross," or "smashed an albatross," or "totally fucked over an albatross," or "dismembered and ate raw an albatross" (now that one might be a little gruesome)--are you serious?

leslyn said...

@Bushman of the Kohlrabi:
You cite ethic (apparent) outrage the number of Milwaukee DA employees who signed the wAlker recall petition. Yet you fail to include one important fact:

How many employees does the Milwaukee DA have?

In other words, how many didn't sign the petition? That's information not included in your link, either.