AND: Meanwhile, as the Wisconsin State Journal puts it "Democrats shift tactics, pound Walker on John Doe probe." Democrats... generically? Do they mean Tom Barrett, the Democratic candidate or just some Democrats? Now, the John Doe probe is an ongoing investigation, the sort of thing that at some point might produce significant enough charges to warrant removing the governor. That would be a decent use of the recall mechanism, but in fact, under Wisconsin law, after the recall is used once in this term, it won't be available later. Raising the investigation now just points up how wrong it was to resort to recall simply out of opposition to the policies of the governor (and legislature) that the people voted into office in the regular election in 2010.
The investigation by Milwaukee County's district attorney hasn't resonated with voters, but with the June 5 recall less than three weeks away Democrats have started playing up questions about why Walker created a criminal defense fund for himself and whether the governor might face charges next....Shameful desperation, witlessly flaunting lack of concern for fairness and due process.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm has been quietly investigating Walker's associates during the governor's tenure as Milwaukee County executive. Chisholm, a Democrat, has set the probe up as a so-called John Doe proceeding, meaning his prosecutors can subpoena witnesses and compel them to testify while barring them from speaking publicly about the case....Quietly. That's some noisy quiet.
Barrett, who has been jabbing the governor on the investigation for weeks, said Wednesday that Walker needs to clear the air because "when people realize what's going on, they're troubled by it."And this is supposed to be a reason why the governor we elected in 2010 should be replaced by the Milwaukee Democrat who urges us to be "troubled" by insinuations created by a secret investigation conducted by another Milwaukee Democrat. I think we should all use our own judgment in selecting what to be troubled about.
"Either he's being investigated or he expects to be charged," said Sachin Chheda, who chairs the Milwaukee Democratic Party. "What kind of position would the state be in if we don't know the facts, there's an election and there's an indictment after the election?"What kind of position would the state be in if we put it in the hands of the Milwaukee Democratic Party?
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65 comments:
"discerning democrat" = cut bait
Maybe they were betting on Garage's Super Secret criminal investigations of everybody Doctor Evil Walker ever worked with issuing indictments?
But now the show is over and it's time to turn out the lights.
Desperation shows its ugly face in many ways
No one can escape the times we live in
The answers are so simple and we all know where to look
But it's easier to just avoid the question
Kansas, "On the Other Side"
Monolith album
It is a huge waste of money. If I lived in that state I would be livid.
I get pissed off about the 'special' elections here, because they are just ways to try to sneak in tax increases or other things the public doesn't want (at a time when not everyone is voting. Like Valentines day. Or August. Special elections should be illegal unless somebody died.)
Is Ed Schultz going lead a live TV recall rally at the Capitol again? That's what I want.
This is why the DNC won't send the union slugs any money.
They're short enough, as it is, and November isn't lookin' too good.
I get pissed off about the 'special' elections here, because they are just ways to try to sneak in...
*sigh*, democracy is such hard work...
or maybe they realized there were more dire positions up for election and had to reallocate funds.
When it comes to wasting time and money, democrats are your man.
*sigh*, democracy is such hard work...
You know, if you have an actual point in favor of special elections that occur 2-3 months before or after the regularly scheduled election you could make it instead of snarking.
But then maybe you find endless elections that waste taxpayer money and are less representative of the populace because they occur at the wrong time of the year awesome. Feel free to tell me why.
Calling Baghdad Bob.
Shorter version: Oops; never mind.
Thee is a growing realization that the Act 10 reforms were needed and are working.
In the polling data released by the Marquette University Law School this week, 45% of government workers polled said they will vote for Walker, 40% said they will vote for Barrett.
The majority of government union menbers union members are going to vote for Walker.
It's over. Walker will win.
which stage is rationalization?
Garage has clearly invested himself in the criminal probe. He thinks there's some horrible crime and Walker is guilty!
I wonder if it would be viewed differently if we were quietly investigating potential wrong doing by a Democrat. Or, if it would be a politically motivated witch hunt. Adjectives!
Who doesn't expect Chisholm to bring charges the week before the election?
Special elections disenfranchise normal people.
Clearly whether you think it's a waste of time depends on your ideology. Obviously it's in the interest of the unionistas to gum up the works for as long as possible, then they can have a proverbial "look squirrel!" moment and reinstate some radical leftist in office.
Walker has 2 problems.
#1 - He promised to create 62.5K jobs per year and hasn't come close to it.
#2 - He never ran on union busting.
I'm done.
I get pissed off about the 'special' elections here, because they are just ways to try to sneak in tax increases or other things the public doesn't want (at a time when not everyone is voting. Like Valentines day. Or August. Special elections should be illegal unless somebody died.)
Ditto – all elections should be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in even numbered years unless (a) it’s a primary or (b) someone died or resigned from a seat that is going to be vacant (unless it’s only a matter of a couple of months or less).
Re special elections, here in Pennsylvania, they like to schedule big spending issues in off-year elections [odd ] and during the primary when there are no major offices in play. I remember Fat Eddie Rendell had a $750 Million green spending boondoggle one year and only 5% of registered voters even went to the polls.
Meanwhile, Mayor Tom Barrett's wife, Mrs. Kris Barrett, has apparently broken state law by using her Milwaukee Public Schools email account to lobby Democrat lawmakers and campaign for her husband.
Hello Dictrict Attorney John Chisholm? Ae you paying attention here?
"Either he's being investigated or he expects to be charged," said Sachin Chheda, who chairs the Milwaukee Democratic Party. "What kind of position would the state be in if we don't know the facts, there's an election and there's an indictment after the election?"
Compared to how Illinois democrats are treating State Representative Derek Smith?
Very Ted Steven-esque persecution when the Dems had no chances of winning an election even with the votes of dead voters.
Chisholm, a Democrat, has set the probe up as a so-called John Doe proceeding, meaning his prosecutors can subpoena witnesses
and compel them to testify while barring them from speaking publicly about the case....
...and it's mentioned in a story public discussing the case.
Funny how that works.
Hey, who needs anybody to respect the concept of law?
You Come At the King, You Best Not Miss. Public sector unions are toast.
And Pres. Clinton had a defense fund.
Are the Democrats now saying he was actually a criminal and not the victim of a "vast right wing conspiracy"?
The Modern Democrat Party --- perverting law to destroy enemies.
Shanna,
"Special elections should be illegal unless somebody died."
Actually, they usually aren't needed even in those kinds of cases. A representative, senator, or city-council member dies? Have a mechanism to appoint a replacement until the next regularly-scheduled election. A governor or president dies? Suddenly the vice- office is worth more than just a warm bucket of spit.
For Alex,
If Walker is in trouble (at least in part) for saying he would create 62.5K jobs per year then is Obama in trouble for promising to create (not save) 7 million new jobs?
"I think there’s a lot of at least discerning Democrats on the margin out there who realize this is a big waste of time and money."
The smell of defeatism in the morning ...
Smith said...
"sigh, subverting democracy is such hard work..." (fixed that for you)
Special elections are frequently an attempt to subvert democracy, an attempt to bypass the will of the people by scheduling votes for unpopular measures at times when voter turnout will be light. By doing this, a cynical, corrupt but very motivated dem special interest group (PIG) such as Wisconsin public union members can win an election they would not have won otherwise. The reason that they are so motivated is obvious, they don't want their access to the public trough reduced.
You know how we can tell there's recall fatigue? six months ago, this post would've generated 200+ comments easy.
He promised to create 62.5K jobs per year and hasn't come close to it.
That's why governors have to run for reelection every four years. Oh, wait.
Alex said...
"He (Walker) never ran on union busting."
Walker has done nothing to non public unions, his efforts have been restricted to public unions. Your comment was misleading because you did not limit the context to public unions.
The wikipedia (lefty enough source for you?) summary for Walker's 2010 campaign for governor states:
"He announced his candidacy in late April 2009 after several months of previewing his campaign themes of reduced taxes and reduced spending to Republican audiences around the state. He criticized the 2009–11 Wisconsin state budget as too big given the slow economy."
After Walker got nominated, wikipedia says:
"Walker proposed cutting state employee wages and benefits to help pay for these tax cuts."
So Walker was quite open that he was going to reduce public spending by cutting state workers' (who are union members) wages and benefits.
Your comments are wrong, not fair (what a surprise), and seem to be propaganda.
Appears the following, upthread:
"You Come At the King, You Best Not Miss. Public sector unions are toast."
Interesting. I have noticed lots of this sentiment from Althouse and commenters all along. Seems odd to celebrate even the idea of a politician in the US taking revenge on political opponents, buy destroying their livelihoods. But people here seem to think its a fine idea. I guess it all depends on who the target is.
after the recall is used once in this term, it won't be available later
While dems may be good at tactics occasionally (raaaaciiiiissstt!!! was effective for a while, but turns out was pretty bad strategy, since the charge can't be taken seriously anymore), have they ever been good at strategy? Especially in the last half century?
What kind of position would the state be in if we put it in the hands of the Milwaukee Democratic Party?
You would be on your way to the same type of "prosperity" as California.
Interesting. I have noticed lots of this sentiment from Althouse and commenters all along. Seems odd to celebrate even the idea of a politician in the US taking revenge on political opponents, buy destroying their livelihoods.
Whose livelihood is destroyed by ending public unions? Those jobs will still exist.
OK, union officials will lose their jobs, but they barely qualify as humanoid.
harrogate, amusing observation since that is what Obama has been doing, attempting to intimidate donors to his political opponents.
Is it anything like Recall Commenting fatigue? I think I have that.
Robin,
See? What you imagine to be the case seems to bother you! But the things being cheerled here on this board and throughout AA's "coverage" of the Walker recall, well, hmmmm. Are you equally bothered by the joyous retaliations of Althousian conjecture?
Nothing new to it, folks. For most people, it is true that it all depends who the target is. But verily, neveryemind. So long as you shop on Amazon through a link on this site, all will be well.
"Whose livelihood is destroyed by ending public unions? Those jobs will still exist."
Please.
"Whose livelihood is destroyed by ending public unions? Those jobs will still exist."
Please.
If a job only exists because a union won't let it die, and not because it provides a valid and valuable public service, then it's a job the SHOULD go away.
*that should
sorry harro, but your side would have retaliated against the taxpayers if you had won, so no sympathy.
harrogate said...
Seems odd to celebrate even the idea of a politician in the US taking revenge on political opponents, buy destroying their livelihoods.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that Walker's reforms were limited to some areas of compensation of some members of some public employees' unions were no longer subject to union negotiation. Perhaps you can provide documentation for one or two examples of people whose livelihoods have been destroyed?
Please.
You are correct. The all-day card game rooms will have to shut down, so that's going to cost a couple jobs at least.
Democrats are a collective. You need make no distinction between Barrett and Democrats in the main. There is none. As you have gleaned from their writings, leftists do not see people as independent agents.
There was another example of that today. Obama's publisher was found to have printed advertising material claiming Obama had been born in Kenya. Now most likely that was just the same sort of fluff we saw with Warren. Obama was a young guy who wanted to get an edge by shading the truth. Leftists always want to claim some sort of mantle whether it belongs to them or not as if we care).
But the interesting part is that the publisher has clammed up and will not even answer questions --- just like the genealogy service did with Warren.
It is not that what the publisher would have to say would be that damaging to Obama. It is that it would be damaging to the publisher to be seen giving less than flattering, even if truthful information to the enemy.
The hive mind does not let anyone speak against its leader.
"Whose livelihood is destroyed by ending public unions? Those jobs will still exist."
You really can't be serious. Contributing to your own health care and retirement equals having your livelihood destroyed?? What a royal crock of shit you are full of.
Sorry, copied the wrong quote. Aaargh .... you knew which i was commenting on :-)
--
#2 - He never ran on union busting.--
Not having the State being the middleman and collect union dues is not "union busting."
"To grasp the true meaning of socialism, imagine a world where everything is designed by the post office, even the sleaze."
P.J. O'Roark
Democrats likes them some sleaze.
Speaking of which.
http://eagnews.org/teachers-speak/
Oh, my.
Wow!
This is going to be a bigger scandal than that fish Sarah Palin cooked up and fed her family with when that fisher person gave her one when she was promoting Alaskan businesses. The HORROR!
Somma y'all are good at playing ignorant. If you're playing.
You're good, harro, no need for false modesty.
THESE ARE SERIOUS CRIMES,PEOPLE
(if they're not totally made-up bullshit.) WHERE"S YOUR OUTRAGE?
I'd be very surprised if at least a couple of indictments aren't issued in the seven days (probably the Thursday) before the Special Election.
Because that's how the "it isn't over until we've won" Party rolls.
Somma y'all are good at playing ignorant. If you're playing
Man, you should stay consistent if you throw in some colloquial usage.
As for celebrating when political opponents lose their livelihoods, yeah, I think the Left should look after their own glass house.
Blue, why be consistent on such a point? I often mix styles talking as well as writing, going with the mood that strikes me, in casual settings anyway. Oftentimes I miss the mark, too, of course. I'm hardly alone in these respects.
Though clearly I'm alone here, in thinking that it would be problematic if Walker retaliated against those who have sought to remove him, through the power of the governor's office.
I'm not even saying Walker will do this, btw. He might be above it, though I would not put money on that. And teacehrs are used to being spit on by politicians and pundits in America, so nothing new there either.
well harro it went right over your head. I wasn't talking about Walker retaliating. He's already made the reforms. I was talking about the public sector unions having called their own bluff. Governors around the country are watching. this is Peak Public Sector Union.
X,
If true, then I apologize.
I have however, many times on this blog, seen lots of calls for Walker to "double down", and make things even worse for public employees, should he survive the recall.
Though clearly I'm alone here, in thinking that it would be problematic if Walker retaliated against those who have sought to remove him, through the power of the governor's office.
He'd be following the stance of progressive icon FDR in that regard.
And you're aware that those propositions saved hundreds of jobs, right? If he didn't do that --- there would have been mass firings.
And teacehrs are used to being spit on by politicians and pundits in America, so nothing new there either.
Yes, politicians frequently bash teachers...hey, can you name one who has EVER done that? Not even when they kept referencing the governor's child for no apparent reason?
I have however, many times on this blog, seen lots of calls for Walker to "double down", and make things even worse for public employees, should he survive the recall.
Kill public unions, period. Or remove the right to vote or donate money to public employees.
Nobody should have the power to directly vote for or make financially subservient to them the person who will decide their compensation.
You know how much the Left bemoans lobbyists and their influence on government?
Public unions are several degrees worse than that.
Why do public employees need unions? What ever happened to civil service laws?
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