October 30, 2014

Wisconsin State Journal runs the Trek-fired-Burke story.

The article "Former Trek executive says Mary Burke was forced out in mid-1990s" went up about a half hour ago. Yesterday, we saw this story on a clearly conservative website, and I think it's significant that it has now passed through the journalistic filters of this mainstream newspaper. (For reference: the Wisconsin State Journal endorsed Obama in 2008 and Romney in 2012. It endorsed Walker in 2010.)
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke was forced out of her job at her family’s company, Trek Bicycle, in 1993, a top-ranking company executive at the time said Wednesday. However, Trek CEO John Burke rejected that assertion, saying his sister left on her own and that allegations she was fired are “a highly orchestrated move by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign.”
What's the evidence of orchestration by the Walker campaign? It's strange to lob an allegation like that as you're trying to cast doubt on another allegation. I haven't seen anything tying the Trek-fired-Burke story to Walker, and considering the years of harassment Walker has received from the John Doe investigation, it's hard to understand why he'd risk engaging in some "highly orchestrated move."

Anyway, the story that appeared in the Wisconsin Reporter was based on allegations from Gary Ellerman, who is the Jefferson County Republican Party chairman and who himself seems to have been fired from Trek. The Wisconsin Reporter has received a $190,000 grant from the Bradley Foundation and the foundations president is Walker’s campaign chairman.

But the Wisconsin State Journal story is based on the statements of Thomas Albers, who worked at Trek from 1982 to 1997 and was chief operating officer and president in the last 4 years of that stint. Albers was responding to questions asked by reporters who were apparently checking out the truth of what Ellerman had said:
“We were losing a significant amount of money,” Albers said. “A lot of the people that reported to her in Europe were threatening to leave because of her management style. She wanted things done her way and people said that she wasn’t listening to them, that she didn’t value their input.”...

Albers, who oversaw finances and manufacturing, said Richard Burke sent him to Europe to evaluate Mary Burke’s performance after John Burke had determined that a change was needed. Albers said he later organized a meeting in Waterloo at which Burke had to explain the company’s poor performance to about 35 executives....
John Burke purports not to remember that meeting, though Albers says he was there. Do Mary and John Burke want to say that Albers is lying? Albers has contributed to Republican candidates, including a paltry $50 to Walker. He left Trek, we're told "on good terms in 1997 to become CEO of Specialized Bicycle Components," and he had something nice to say about Mary Burke: "I’ve always thought she was very bright. She has an outstanding education." But "I just don’t think she was ready for that job in Europe."

ADDED: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had the Trek-fired-Burke story up last night with the headline "Ex-Trek execs with conservative ties say Mary Burke was forced out." The Journal Sentinel ties the story to criticism of Mary Burke's 2-year service as commerce secretary in the Doyle administration. (Jim Doyle, a Democrat, was governor just before Walker.)

188 comments:

bleh said...

Surprise!

Tank said...

Not ready for the job?

Ouch.

That's gotta sting.

MadisonMan said...

I wonder if any undecided voter will use this information to help decide.

I doubt it.

Brando said...

Usually the Democrats are the ones launching October surprises. Interesting when they're on the receiving end of them.

Hard to see how this doesn't give Walker the margin he needs to pull this one out. Though not a Wisconsinite I'd like to see the unions get their nose bloodied after putting so much into defeating this guy.

Mr. D said...

It's frankly stunning that Burke hadn't gotten out front on this story, particularly if she were aware that a former senior executive at Trek had become a Republican operative. Gary Ellerman has been hiding in plain sight -- he is still based in Jefferson County, where Trek is located. There was ample time to frame the story of Burke's tenure at the family company, but the campaign never did that. That's a huge error and it speaks directly to Burke's management acumen. If you can't handle basic messaging, it's difficult to see how you can effectively govern a state.

Drago said...

Garage hardest hit.

Brando said...

"I wonder if any undecided voter will use this information to help decide.

I doubt it."

In these days of tight partisan voting it probably won't move the needle much, but I can imagine some moderates who may have been turned off by Walker as being too right wing and willing to vote for Burke as some centrist Democrat (as she'd like to be viewed), many of those voters may stay home or go with the known entity when late breaking news undermining her "business competence" argument comes out. In a tight race, even 10,000 votes can make the difference.

james conrad said...

LOL, oh dear, Daddy had to fire his princess? that's just awful!

Drago said...

Brando: "Hard to see how this doesn't give Walker the margin he needs to pull this one out."

Get ready for the only defense remaining for the lefties: #WaronWomen!!!

'Mary Burke was so fantastic a leader that the men couldn't stand it!!!eleventy'

Tank said...

I say:

She's a woman.

She means well.

She has a degree.

Give her a chance.

What could go wrong?

Bob Ellison said...

"Orchestrated" is only a misdemeanor in campaign speech.

"Highly orchestrated" is a felony.

Tank said...

What are the downsides of a Burke win?

1. Not black.

2. Not gay (is she?).

3. Not Hispanic.

4. Not Indian (dot or feather).

5. Not trans (is she?).

6. Not Asian (no one ever says this, do they).

But ... vagina.

Vote for Burke. Vote the V.

Shanna said...

What a weird story.

It is pretty hard to lose a nepotism job, isn't it? I actually respect Trek if they fired her for real.

traditionalguy said...

It's lonely at the top, especially when you are started at the top.

No wonder Mary needed a snowboarding road trip to Argentina with Spanish friends. That was as far away from Daddy as she could run.

Anonymous said...

Here is what Burke had to say about it:

The truth is that after getting five additional offices up and running and managing seven operations, we decided to restructure and there was no need for my position and two of the people reporting to me could directly report to people in the United States,” she said. “I was part of that decision to restructure and did that and then decided to leave.

You know she is lying because she starts off by saying, "The truth is"

RecChief said...

I honestly don't know what to think, I mean, what's her brother going to say? And Ellerman's statement seems nakedly political, and even fake.

Just a reminder that a properly functioning 4th estate would have discovered this information months ago. Unless you aren't looking to vet Mary Burke's claims, why wouldn't you, as a reporter, go ask the person who was president of the company during Mary Burke's tenure in Europe? That looks to me like a basic task if you are vetting a candidate who is touting their business acumen.

james conrad said...

Her main claim to fame is she worked for her daddy's biz and, Hillary's main claim to fame is her hubby is a talented politician and was president. Not exactly Maggie Thatcher type material here, THAT'S for SURE!

Mark said...

Woops.

Mark said...

"Intelligent", "Well educated", "not ready for the position" = "Impervious to the Cluebat."

Drago said...

Poor Mary.

She was born with a silver foot in her mouth.

But even that couldn't keep her father from showing her the door.

When your dad doesn't dare keep you around due to your incompetence, that's sayin' somethin'.

Big Mike said...

Albers' story is not only plausible, but reading between the lines it paints a portrait of Burke as a extreme micromanager -- not at all good in the executive of a state governor.

Big Mike said...

You know she is lying because she starts off by saying, "The truth is"

@eric, sorta like a sea story. The difference between a fairy tale and a sea story is that a fairy tale begins "Once upon a time" but a sea story begins "This ain't no shit..."

irishguard said...

"However, Trek CEO John Burke rejected that assertion, saying his sister left on her own and that allegations she was fired are “a highly orchestrated move by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign.”"

If you did not fire your sister, then why not simply state, "I DID NOT FIRE MY SISTER."

It would and should be the first six words out of anyone's mouth if the story is untrue. It is the easiest, quickest and most effective way to dispel the story and he did not say those words. If there's a hint of truth and you utter those six words, you'll have issues with the current executives at Trek who all know the truth and can't open their mouths for obvious reasons.

So unless and until John Burke says he did not fire his sister...I believe the story is true.

Curious George said...

But, but, Walker worked at McDonald's!

RecChief said...

The difference between a fairy tale and a sea story is that a fairy tale begins "Once upon a time" but a sea story begins "This ain't no shit..."

In the army, a fairy tale starts "No shit, there I was...."

hahaha

Curious George said...

"RecChief said...
I honestly don't know what to think, I mean, what's her brother going to say? And Ellerman's statement seems nakedly political, and even fake."

Ellerman's story has been corroborated by Albers.

Original Mike said...

"John Burke said that his sister has a very direct management style.

"I would agree with blunt and to the point," he said of her."


There are people saying she doesn't work well with others at both Trek and in Doyle's administration. One of the charges the left throws at Walker is that he is divisive. Of course, in Walker's case, those making the charge simply don't like his policies. In Burke's case it seems to be true. Remember that when you hear the left claim Mary Burke will bring us all together.

Dan from Madison said...

"I’ve always thought she was very bright. She has an outstanding education." But "I just don’t think she was ready for that job in Europe."

Ouch. Just...ouch.

alan markus said...

Of course this was orchestrated (at least by Walker supporters) - it's how the song is played. I would have sat on this too, under the educated guess that a 16,000 email dump (John Doe)would happen about 2 weeks before the election. I think before the recall, we were led to believe that any day soon an indictment would be coming down.

Payback is a bitch, isn't it. We can only hope for more.

Anonymous said...

John Burke, does not deny the meeting took place, "but has no recollection of it." How likely would it be that you wouldn't recall a meeting where your father sent some guy to Europe to fire your sister?

John Burke can't deny the meeting took place, because there is probably evidence somewhere that it did. Thus "I don't recall."

kcom said...

headline: "Ex-Trek execs with conservative ties say Mary Burke was forced out."

Anybody want to take bets that the next time there's an attack on Walker the J-S will write a headline with:

[A group] with Democratic ties says Governor Walker...

Have they ever done that before? Or is this a new journalistic convention to go along with "Guess the party", i.e. omitting the party affiliation in news stories where a Democrat is the focus.

Mark said...

Dan, I'm glad I wasn't the only one to think Albers' "something nice to say about Mary Burke" wasn't all that nice. Polite, maybe.

-- Mark on the Hudson.

RecChief said...

Curious George said...
"RecChief said...
I honestly don't know what to think, I mean, what's her brother going to say? And Ellerman's statement seems nakedly political, and even fake."

Ellerman's story has been corroborated by Albers.


Yes, I know.

But I go back to my earlier statement. A proper press would have found this out months ago. I will say, as another commenter pointed out, all her brother had to say was, "We did not fire my sister." End of story. The fact that no financial records can be found to back her claims of exponential sales growth, and that his statement wasn't a clear declaration, kind of makes me think that the story has at least a basis in truth.

madAsHell said...

I haven't seen anything tying the Trek-fired-Burke story to Walker

That's cuz the routers are secret!!

Original Mike said...

When garage wakes up, he will be very upset.

Loren said...

Funny, here in MN, the Democratic Congressional Committee (or some such)is running ads which basically say that you shouldn't vote for Stewart Mills III because he inherited his wealth (his parents still live) and his position at the family business (Mill's Fleet-Farm.) And that is bad.

But the Democratic candidates for governor in both MN and WI, inherited their wealth. Burke got a position in the family business. Dayton never did that much.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

I'm just amazed the MSM is even running the story. Up until now they have been completely incurious about Mary. Most likely this is just an attempt to salvage some degree of integrity as Mary appears to falter.

Beldar said...

Dunno nuthin' 'bout no Wisconsin politics, but I am a road cyclist, and Specialized (the company of which Albers in now CEO) is unquestionably one of the industry leaders. My daughter and my two best cycling buddies all ride their bikes. The company is very, very highly regarded.

alan markus said...

This was the MJS headline for the email dump:
Milwaukee County releases 16,000 emails collected in John Doe probe

Farther in the article (quoting Scott Walker:

"Clearly, the highly partisan Milwaukee County Executive, who has given $63,000 to my opponent, released four-year-old emails two weeks before the election to distract voters from my opponent's failed record," Walker said in a statement.

Walker said the documents could have been released "a couple of months ago or after the election."




Dan from Madison said...

"John Burke, does not deny the meeting took place, "but has no recollection of it." How likely would it be that you wouldn't recall a meeting where your father sent some guy to Europe to fire your sister?"

I actually believe that he may not recall the meeting. High level executives are in endless (mostly ridiculous) meetings all day, every day.

alan markus said...

Re my comment - note that the headline does not mention that the email dump was attributed to a Democrat

garage mahal said...

Mary Burke has a blunt managerial style. Scott Walker is an unindicted co-conspirator. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Beldar said...

@ Dan from Madison, who wrote: "High level executives are in endless (mostly ridiculous) meetings all day, every day."

Yes, and the endless, mostly ridiculous topics (or at least less memorable ones, e.g., percentage sales decrease for Europe Region III in Q4-1997) may fade in one's memory.

It is the spectacular interruption of "business as usual" that should stick in that executive's memory. If his father firing his sister isn't one such, the man isn't just a busy executive, he's brain-dead.

garage mahal said...

Walker cheated in the past two elections, helped his Treasurer get a sweetheart insider deal for a county building.

I'm on the fence. Who should I vote for? This is really really rough choice!

Drago said...

Lol

Garage the wind up toy furiously throwing mud at the wall.

Too funny.

If only Mary hadn't screwed up so badly her own family had to fire her.

Original Mike said...

How did Walker cheat in the last two elections?

Joe Schmoe said...

The fact that no financial records can be found to back her claims of exponential sales growth

It sounds like she was involved in starting up offices in a few European countries. This was probably the execution phase of an expansion that was a few years in the making. So it makes sense that there was sales growth. I don't dispute that part of her story.

The comments made by the ex-HR head and the ex-COO indicate that these new offices and markets were not profitable and in fact were hemorrhaging money. At this point it is alleged that she doubled down on her own direction and wasn't taking any input from her reports. Rather than try to fix her own mess, she went on sabbatical for a few years (my own inference).

It's easy to grow sales if you don't care about profitability. That approach has never worked for any private company; only the federal government.

Drago said...

Old lefty hotness: Mary Burke was a brilliant and successful executive at Trek!

New lefty hotness: Trek? What's that?

Merny11 said...

Oh for crying out loud, Garage, give it up

Shanna said...

How likely would it be that you wouldn't recall a meeting where your father sent some guy to Europe to fire your sister?

Seriously. You know the family has been gossiping about this event for years!

Mark said...

Lost in all this "was she fired"/"why yes, yes she was" stuff:

“We were losing a significant amount of money,” Albers said.

Wasn't one of Burke's big brags that she turned the European division of Trek into a success? Somebody's snow pants has been absolutely smoking!

Anthony said...

'her subordinates “felt that she wouldn’t listen to them and was just imposing things on them that didn’t make sense.” '

So, perfect for government then.

Curious George said...

"Dan from Madison said...
I actually believe that he may not recall the meeting. High level executives are in endless (mostly ridiculous) meetings all day, every day."

This one involved firing his sister. Pretty sure he would remember.

Curious George said...

"garage mahal said...
Walker cheated in the past two elections,"

If only John Chisholm had you investigatory skills, garage. Alas he does not.

Shanna said...

Funny, here in MN, the Democratic Congressional Committee (or some such)is running ads which basically say that you shouldn't vote for Stewart Mills III because he inherited his wealth (his parents still live) and his position at the family business (Mill's Fleet-Farm.) And that is bad.

They have been running ads here that you should not vote for 'millionaire' French Hill (I think) because he owned a bank and sold it and apparently they sent letters saying that when a company changes hands, there is the possibility of employees being let go. So he 'left his employees behind' or some such (I don't know what they expect you to do with your employees when you sell your company, but that's another story).

Anyway the funny thing is that clearly none of those employees were actually laid off, because they just say they got letters saying they could be. So if you read between the lines, it's perfectly obvious that no one was hurt by the bank sale.

Curious George said...

garage mahal said...
Mary Burke has a blunt managerial style. Scott Walker is an unindicted co-conspirator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_H-LY4Jb2M

RecChief said...

Mark said...

“We were losing a significant amount of money,” Albers said.

Wasn't one of Burke's big brags that she turned the European division of Trek into a success?


That's why I made the comment about the financial records. Her campaign claimed she took sales from 3 to 50 million. When asked for proof of that assertion, no financial records of that time period could be found. As another commenter said, it's easy to increase sales at the expense of profitability. One look at the records would prbably show that sales did enjoy growth, while at the same time hemorraging cash. couldn't have that come out.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

"Have a Happy Nov 4th, jackass."

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

kcom said...

"How did Walker cheat in the last two elections?"

That question is less important than the fact that he won. There's your proof of cheating.

- I'm Garage Mahal and I approve this message.

Anonymous said...

"They have been running ads here that you should not vote for 'millionaire' French Hill (I think) because he owned a bank and sold it and apparently they sent letters saying that when a company changes hands, there is the possibility of employees being let go. So he 'left his employees behind' or some such (I don't know what they expect you to do with your employees when you sell your company, but that's another story). "

If you're a progressive, being a banker is a bad thing.

But apparently, if you see the light and decide to stop being a banker, that's a bad thing too, because employees!

Clearly progressives don't understand economics, and this is, ultimately, a bad thing. Because they vote in droves.

mccullough said...

So Albers said Burke was in over her head and her brother says he doesn't remember the details of the meeting but remembers there was a meeting.

In other words, brother Burke isn't denying what Albers said at all. And I'm sure sister Burke was allowed to resign and was not fired because she resigned.

Of course, brother Burke could have the company release the sales figures from Europe at the time and clear up the issue. He hasn't done so.

So the question now is, was sister Burke any good at snowboarding?


garage mahal said...

There are people saying she doesn't work well with others at both Trek and in Doyle's administration

Incompetent, disgruntled fired ex-employees like this guy?.

I have to say conservatives are the easiest marks out there. I wish I had a list I could call on to sell them something.

FedkaTheConvict said...

>>garage mahal said...
Mary Burke has a blunt managerial style. Scott Walker is an unindicted co-conspirator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_H-LY4Jb2M<<

Garage Mahal is like Wile E. Coyote; He gets just this close to the roadrunner then his own Acme anvil falls on him.

lgv said...

"It is pretty hard to lose a nepotism job, isn't it? I actually respect Trek if they fired her for real."

It happens, but they usually get shuffled.

I was part of a turnaround project. The son of the founder was there. The new president put him in a new position. When I questioned the move I received some good mentorship, he said, "There are three types of employees: 1) productive, 2) non-productive and 3) counter-productive. We have just made a counter-productive employee whose mistakes were killing us into a non-productive employee whose cost is now limited to his salary less any small amount of work he may contribute".

The restructuring story is nonsense. I've never seen anyone restructure themselves out of job under their own initiative. They never do, even though they should.

Dan from Madison said...

""Dan from Madison said...
I actually believe that he may not recall the meeting. High level executives are in endless (mostly ridiculous) meetings all day, every day."

This one involved firing his sister. Pretty sure he would remember."

Maybe, maybe not. He could have just made a general helicopter view observation of the problems and told one of his higher ups to "fix it" and that was it. I sure don't remember exactly what went on at meetings from over a decade ago much less from last week.

I am not standing up for anyone here, just stating that it is possible that he isn't lying when he says this.

gerry said...

Incompetent, disgruntled fired ex-employees like this guy?

You are a Geek tragedy.

Original Mike said...

Walker must have cheated. We cheated yet he still won. Ergo, he must have cheated.

FedkaTheConvict said...

Notice how Garage Mahal keeps avoiding the fact that Mary Burke's running mate John Lehman is a convicted draft dodger. So its possible that we'll have a draft dodger in the WI National Guard chain of command.


http://watchdog.org/63489/wirep-lehmans-war-wi-senate-candidate-still-fighting-vietnam-war-record/


" He was ordered to take a physical in Milwaukee, which he passed, and was drafted and told to report for induction on Aug. 5, 1968.

Standing in the induction line, he declined to step forward to serve, refused induction and went home.

Later, Lehman was indicted in federal court. In 1971, he was found guilty of refusing induction, he appealed. His appeal was denied, and in August 1972, right around his 27th birthday, he reported to a federal marshal and began a 90-day jail sentence in Waukesha County jail."

SteveR said...

Other than not being Scott Walker what are her qualifications? As this evolved, it seemed like she was the only one left and inherited the support.

Original Mike said...

"I am not standing up for anyone here, just stating that it is possible that he isn't lying when he says this."

No. It's not possible.

Mark said...

RecChief, I hear you. There are perfectly good strategic reasons to grow sales at the expense of red ink in the ledgers. Especially in entering an established market, there are going to be significant costs associated with distribution networks, support infrastructure, marketing, etc.

But if you're working for your daddy and running those deficits with your daddy's blessings, and you stay within the strategic parameters then you don't get fired for the losses.

Larry J said...

irishguard said...
"However, Trek CEO John Burke rejected that assertion, saying his sister left on her own and that allegations she was fired are “a highly orchestrated move by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign.”"

If you did not fire your sister, then why not simply state, "I DID NOT FIRE MY SISTER."


Maybe he didn't fire his sister. Maybe she was forced to resign, instead. Small difference, same results.

Original Mike said...

"The restructuring story is nonsense. I've never seen anyone restructure themselves out of job under their own initiative. They never do, even though they should."

The last person to do this was George Washington.

Curious George said...

"SteveR said...
Other than not being Scott Walker what are her qualifications? As this evolved, it seemed like she was the only one left and inherited the support."

The unions and party backed her early so she became the candidate. That psycho Brett Halsey jumped in. But for all intents and purposes she ran unopposed.

Now why did they pick her?

Thought she could self finance.
Never held office, so no record to back up
Trek story with no proof.

They should have vetted.

Drago said...

garage: " I wish I had a list I could call on to sell them something."

LOL

Mailing and contact lists are available for a fee.

But that would require capital.

Capital that you don't have.

So you'd have to convince someone to lend you the money.

I would love to sit in on that pitch!

LOL

Good old garage. What a wonderfully perfect example of an unthinking, unquestioning li'l foot soldier.

Original Mike said...

@CG: I don't think they can conceive of anybody actually voting for Walker, so having her own money was the only qualification they valued. I see this in my own family (where Walker goes by the name "Scooter").

garage mahal said...

Mailing and contact lists are available for a fee

Lists of just gullible wingnut? Please, pray tell, where can I find such lists?

Curious George said...

"garage mahal said...
Mailing and contact lists are available for a fee

Lists of just gullible wingnut? Please, pray tell, where can I find such lists?"

You asked for a list of "conservatives."

You are simply a dishonest person.

garage mahal said...

You asked for a list of "conservatives."

Conservatives are gullible wingnuts. They think Fox News is real news. I mean, come on.

Some recent bombshell sources/stories:

Dude that bashed his head with an aquarium rock and blamed it on angry Democrats. Totally believable!

Racist drunk who made death threat against Chisholm, and claims there were blue fist posters in DA's office. Totally believable!

MD Kittle and company think their readers are drooling morons. Sadly, they are correct.

Peter said...

"t is pretty hard to lose a nepotism job, isn't it? I actually respect Trek if they fired her for real."

Well, she was fired "for real," at least for awhile, because she was causing real damage to the company.

When she was hired back, it appears to have been to a sinecure where she couldn't do any damage.

I still don't understand why the Democrats hired such a weak candidate. Couldn't they have found a stronger candidate somewhere?

damikesc said...

Yes, early voting is such a great idea. Makes sure you're super informed and stuff.

The truth is that after getting five additional offices up and running and managing seven operations, we decided to restructure and there was no need for my position and two of the people reporting to me could directly report to people in the United States,” she said. “I was part of that decision to restructure and did that and then decided to leave.

Businesses routinely fire the person responsible for big increases in sales. Happens all of the time.

...actually, it did happen at Circuit City, when they fired all sales people who made too much in commission. I'll note that they died.

Mary Burke has a blunt managerial style. Scott Walker is an unindicted co-conspirator.

Everybody is either indicted or unindicted. Since you specified Walker was unindicted, Burke would have to be indicted.

Peter said...

Well, it's noon and this story is already off the front page of jsonline.com

That was fast!

Drago said...

garage: "Conservatives are gullible wingnuts."

Well then get busy and acquire those lists!

You could make a killing! (at least according to you)

Now, perhaps we should return to discussing how astonishingly incompetent Mary Burke must be to have her own family fire her from the family business.

Kennedy's don't even fire other Kennedy's for whacking chicks and Mary Burke goes down for being a dope?

Where's the justice in that?

Drago said...

Curious George (to garage): "You asked for a list of "conservatives."

garage can't remember what he asked for from post to post.

It's why so many of his own links disprove his claims.

It's also clear why garage didn't head right off to college after high school (and middle school athletic success): he had already topped out.

garage mahal said...

That was fast!

Not as fast as the "source" for this story taking down a bunch of Facebook posts calling the First Lady a man and POTUS a homo nazi. Again, great sources you guys come up with.

Drago said...

garage: "Again, great sources you guys come up with."

We aren't supposed to listen to the former President and CEO of Trek regarding Mary Burkes horrendous failures during the time she spent destroying value at Trek?

Original Mike said...

"I still don't understand why the Democrats hired such a weak candidate. Couldn't they have found a stronger candidate somewhere?"

They didn't need one. Who, in their right mind, would vote for Scooter?

Rocketeer said...

You are simply a dishonest person.

Not least with himself. That's where the hysterical bitterness comes from.

Drago said...

I can't help but notice garages reluctance to praise Mary's business prowess like he used to.

Even garage knows, in his own wind up toy way, that Mary was incompetent.

Fired by her own family.

Yikes.

What was that meeting like?

"Mary, you are my daughter and I love you. Unfortunately, you are an unmitigated disaster. Please go away for awhile and we'll bring you back later in a placeholder role where you can do no damage. Hey, I've got it, why don't you put that Harvard degree to use and teach some "rad" snowboarding!!"

RecChief said...

By stating that she re-organized her job so that two of Trek's european managers could report directly to Waterloo, isn't she admitting guilt in shipping jobs overseas?

Drago said...

Needless to say, Mary also remains an unindicted co-conspirator, utilizing the "garage rules" of 'unindicted-ness'.

Serious question: how desperate a conspirator would you have to be to link up with someone as incompetent as Mary Burke?

Drago said...

RecChief: "By stating that she re-organized her job so that two of Trek's european managers could report directly to Waterloo, isn't she admitting guilt in shipping jobs overseas?"

Yes, but the alternative is worse.

Not to worry, the garages of the world are happy to believe multiple mutually exclusive excuses offered up by Mary.

"Cognitive dissonance" is garages nom de welfare.

garage mahal said...

Even garage knows, in his own wind up toy way, that Mary was incompetent

Is this from the guy that smashed his face with an aquarium rock, that made death threats against a DA, or the wingnut GOP activist that was fired from Trek for being incompetent? I lose track.

Rusty said...

If only Trek made snowboards. All this could be avoided.

Drago said...

garage: "Is this from the guy that smashed his face with an aquarium rock, that made death threats against a DA, or the wingnut GOP activist that was fired from Trek for being incompetent? I lose track."

Yes, in a posting regarding Mary Burke being fired from her family business by her own family due to her incompetence garage actually offers up the following slam: "fired from Trek for being incompetent".

LOL

A "Shot in own foot" Award never seemed more appropriate.

And you already know that for garage this isn't his first "win".

Nor will it be his last.

Not by a long shot.

Drago said...

garage really really really really wants us not to listen to the former President and Chief Operating Officer of Trek.

Almost as much as he doesn't want to discuss a family cutting out a "cancer" on the family business who just happened to be a future dem candidate for Gov of WI.

"But..but...but...she has all the right credentials and doesn't own any secret routers or secret servers or secret squirrels!!!!"

LOL

garage mahal said...

Again, this is the original source for the claims that Burke was fired, who was contradicted by Trek.

Drago said...

garage doubles down on the stupid.

'But Mary Burkes brother denies Mary was fired for incompetence!!!'

The same brother who "doesn't remember" the meeting where Mary got the axe for incompetence.

Mary was a wonderful, brilliant, successful executive that we simply had to let go of because of.. uh.. well... things were going so well that uh...you see... uh....SECRET ROUTERS!!!!"

Joe said...

May back when Novell and WordPerfect were powerhouses, I was on a business trip in Europe and talked with Novell's head of sales in France about why WordPerfect was faiing so bad over there and Microsoft was dominating. He said to drop by the sales offices of both in Paris--the WordPerfect office is managed by Americans while the Microsoft office is managed by Europeans.

Anonymous said...

After making his allegations, Ellerman has talked to one conservative talk show host but has refused other interviews.

The Journal Sentinel has tried to contact Ellerman multiple times over the past two days by phone and two different email addresses. On Thursday morning, the phone line was briefly picked up and then went dead without anyone answering.

But Ellerman has remained active on Facebook.

His public Facebook posts mostly share photos with conservative political messages, with a handful of them expressing extreme criticism of Obama.

On June 2, he posted a photo that pictures a swastika and says, "When the German people first saw the swastika, it was a symbol of Hope and Change. Think about it."


http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/280945242.html

What was it that Ann was saying the other day about people who compare their political opponents to Nazis? Keep in mind that this is the voice of the Republican Party in Jefferson County who is making the comparison, and not just some random person on the street who may or may not have been "planted" by the governor.

Drago said...

Shorter madisonfella and garage: "Albers who?"

Original Mike said...

Anybody know how Burke came to be Commerce Secretary?

Drago said...

Original Mike said...
Anybody know how Burke came to be Commerce Secretary?

Appointed by Jim Doyle.

And, once again, she did such a bang-up job that she had to leave after just 2 years to spend more time with family.

What. A. Surprise.

Competence. She reeks of it.

Gabriel said...

@Ann:considering the years of harassment Walker has received from the John Doe investigation, it's hard to understand why he'd risk engaging in some "highly orchestrated move."

I don't think Walker did anything wrong, but this is the "criminal mastermind" defense. Would Gary Hart be stupid enough to be caught by reporters with his mistress after daring them to follow him? Yes, yes he would.

Original Mike said...

Drago; Why did Doyle appoint her? Business acumen? Campaign contributions?

Drago said...

Gabriel: "Would Gary Hart be stupid enough to be caught by reporters with his mistress after daring them to follow him? Yes, yes he would"

In Gary Harts defense, given the media's long term love affair with the dems and the covering up of their foibles why was Hart wrong to believe this would continue?

It certainly worked for John Edwards prior to the election.

The dems know and expect such consideration from their fellow dems in the media.

Poor Mary and her press pals couldn't quite hide her incompetence as long as they would have liked.

Close, but as Bill Clinton would say, no cigar.

Gabriel said...

@RecCheif:all her brother had to say was, "We did not fire my sister." End of story.

I used to think this, and so I believed Bill Clinton when he said "I did not have sex with that woman." He being a lawyer I assumed he would issue some kind of vague denial of unspecified wrongdoing, and not actually lie.

But he did lie, and was disbarred.

Anonymous said...

Can't blame Drago for running quickly away from the original source on these allegations. Ellerman is way too slimy and vile, even for his tastes.

Curious George said...

"Rusty said...
If only Trek made snowboards. All this could be avoided."

Winner!

Drago said...

madisonfella doubles down on avoiding discussing Mary's clear incompetence.

Can't blame him/her for that.

It's unavoidable.

Except for garage, who will always be a true believer. He's still waiting for Mao's last 10 year plan to yield a workers paradise.

Original Mike said...

Note the emphasis on "original source" and the avoidance of the corroborating evidence.

Drago said...

Hey madisonfella, when Mary's own family booted her out, that's a signal that it's ok for non-family members (like you) to notice that Mary is quite the incompetent.

Don't feel bad.

Mary's family obviously didn't.

Shanna said...

so I believed Bill Clinton when he said "I did not have sex with that woman."

I remember talking to someone in DC about the clinton allegations with women (pre starr report). They asked me if I thought any of them were true, since I am from Arkansas. I said 'oh yeah, sure. They're all true'. They looked at me funny and I'm sure they didn't believe me but come on. It's not a big state. Any of the national media could easily have broken one of a million of these little scandals wide open and even though the Flowers thing was floating around and that other girl, nobody really seemed to believe it until they had honest to god DNA level proof.

Curious George said...

"madisonfella said...
Can't blame Drago for running quickly away from the original source on these allegations. Ellerman is way too slimy and vile, even for his tastes."

For the third...fourth toime, Ellerman's story has been corroborated by the President and COO of Trek at the time, Tom Albers.

Albers left the company in good terms, and is not in any political position.

I know this is tough pill to swallow Penguin.

RecChief said...

Gabriel said...
@RecCheif:all her brother had to say was, "We did not fire my sister." End of story.

I used to think this, and so I believed Bill Clinton when he said "I did not have sex with that woman." He being a lawyer I assumed he would issue some kind of vague denial of unspecified wrongdoing, and not actually lie.

But he did lie, and was disbarred.


hmm, but in this case, if John Burke wasn't lying, why the weaselly wording? John Burke's not under oath, it's not testimony, there is only one reason I can see for not issuing a simple, declarative statement.

garage mahal said...

Albers left the company in good terms, and is not in any political position.

Self described conservative, Walker donor, who went to work for a competitor of Trek. Nope, no axe to grind at all.

Anonymous said...

Are you sure that everything Ellerman said was confirmed by Alber? As sure as you are that someone named "Purple Penguin" posted on this blog? And as sure as you are that Meade never corrected the mistake you have been making this entire time?

You are so delusional it isn't even funny anymore.

Drago said...

garage: "Self described conservative, Walker donor, who went to work for a competitor of Trek. Nope, no axe to grind at all."

LOL

You'd have to be a loser like garage to not realize that Treks competitors would LOVE LOVE LOVE if Mary Burke were still at Trek.

There would be no quicker pathway for making inroads into Trek marketshare than to have an incompetent like Mary Burke in a position of leadership.

Which is what Mary Burkes family figured out.

Which is why they fired her.

LOL

Unknown said...

The messenger! Shoot him!

Drago said...

garage: "Self described conservative, Walker donor, who went to work for a competitor of Trek. Nope, no axe to grind at all."

You forgot to add "unindicted co-conspirator".

LOL

Let the flailing on the left continue!!

Albers was so horrible the Burke family made him COO and President.

Now Mary, on the other hand, was shown the door.

garage mahal said...

There would be no quicker pathway for making inroads into Trek marketshare than to have an incompetent like Mary Burke in a position of leadership.

Again, which source is alleging Burke was incompetent? Rock to the face guy, racist drunk death threat guy, or guy that WAS fired for being incompetent who says POTUS is a homo nazi?

damikesc said...

Drago, they made Albers COO because Mary was so awesome that her awesomeness would cause sales to increase so much that their tax burden would bankrupt the company.

Isn't it obvious?

damikesc said...

Again, which source is alleging Burke was incompetent?

Her family firing her is pretty clear proof. Her answer, as usual, is hardly helpful.

Keep on squirreling!

Drago said...

garage: "Again, which source is alleging Burke was incompetent?"

LOL

New garage position: Mary was shown the door, by her own family, because she was so terrific!

Mary had to stand up and explain in front of Trek leadership why she had failed in Europe (incompetent).

After which she "left" Trek.

Her brother, now CEO, "can't remember" this meeting!!

And garage buys it all!!

Every. Single. Bit. Of. It.

Hilarious.

garage mahal said...


Her family firing her is pretty clear proof


Who said she was fired?

Gabriel said...

@garage: who says POTUS is a homo nazi?

POTUS is an unindicted homo Nazi. That is a fact, by the same logic you use to call Walker an unindicted conspirator.

Drago said...

garage: "Who said she was fired?"

LOL

There is a very fine line between "fired" and "asked politely by Daddy not to make a scene as she exits"

LOL

Then it was off to snowboarding central!!! A role she is clearly most suitable for.

Ahhhhh, the idle well-to-do.

Not to worry garage, I'm sure Burke will be just fine with her Trust Fund. Even better, she'll never have to worry about one of your OWS friends making a bowel movement on her means of conveyance.

So she has that going for her.

Which is nice.

garage mahal said...

There is a very fine line between "fired" and "asked politely by Daddy not to make a scene as she exits"

So you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Nothing new here

james conrad said...

I don't know anything about Burke and don't really care but, she had a very thin resume to begin with, after all, working for Daddy is not exactly wunderkind kinda stuff. To find out a week before the election Daddy had to fire her? gee wiz, the dem party in Wisc is incredibly dumb, aren't they? or is it the voters? Whats going on up there?

Drago said...

garage: "So you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Nothing new here."

Secret routers/unindicted co-conspirator boy keeps piping up.

Such is his belief in the "Mary was so awesome she just had to leave" narrative!

That's right garage, Mary's own family let Mary go because she was so super wonderful!

There is literally nothing you won't swallow/choke down from your political betters.

Albers was there at the request of Richard Burke.

He was central to what happened and is actually being far too kind to li'l Mary Sunshine.

So, once again Friday Night Lights Hero, it is you who doesn't know what he is speaking about.

But that is to be expected. As always.

Drago said...

james conrad: "To find out a week before the election Daddy had to fire her? gee wiz, the dem party in Wisc is incredibly dumb, aren't they? or is it the voters? Whats going on up there?"

When your base is made up of voters like garage, can you really blame the dem leadership for not thinking this through?

walter said...

Speaking of firing:

http://www.postcrescent.com/news/


"That's wrong," she said in an interview. "I'm disappointed that Eric took exact verbage from other things, but I don't think anyone can find really good plans that are out there that don't build on best practices and research that have been used."

She fired Schnurer Thursday, when Buzzfeed reported that sections of her plan had been taken verbatim from other Democratic gubernatorial campaigns in Tennessee, Indiana and Delaware. Virtually identical passages include ones about supporting public-private partnerships, improving education and the struggles of small businesses to get credit.
>
Burke said she and her team worked with Schnurer to help bring those ideas together. While she said he shouldn't have used the same words to express those ideas as he had for other campaigns, she said it does not qualify as plagiarism.

"It's completely mischaracterized to call it plagiarism, because the source of it is the source from the other plans as well," Burke said. "It is the original work of Eric Schnurer."
However, the Buzzfeed report notes identical language from a White House press release — about research and development collaboration — also appears in the Burke plan.

Ok..so she says it's his work (and "other things"), not plagiarism..meaning (according to her)he quoted himself..but she fired him over it anyway? That's leadership. Put her in charge of a state.

I'm Full of Soup said...

It is pretty hard to get fired from the family business.

Curious George said...

"james conrad said...
the dem party in Wisc is incredibly dumb, aren't they? or is it the voters? Whats going on up there?"

The three top state wide offices and the breakdown of Democratic Cqandidates:

Guv: Mary Burke. Plagiarist. Liar. Fired from her only real job. Unemplyed for the last 7 years. Actually invest $130K of her own mony to get elected to a local school board.

Atty General: Susan Happ. She reduced charges on a child molester to disorderly conduct because the offender had a land contract with her.

Lt. Guv: John Lehman is a convicted draft dodger.

Does that help?

garage mahal said...

He was central to what happened and is actually being far too kind to li'l Mary Sunshine

If if that were true, it miles ahead of what Walker did in the private sector. What was the important decision he made in the private sector? Mopping the McDonalds floor at night? Who to call to sell a warranty?

Drago said...

garage: "If if that were true, it miles ahead of what Walker did in the private sector."

LOL

"If that were true..."

It is true. As evidenced by Mary "opting" for a 1 to 2 year (how long was it again? No one seems to know for sure!) "sabbatical" from all that difficult but "successful" private sector work.

Now, if you want to make a comparison that li'l Mary being given a job by Daddy that he then had to take away is a better private sector record than Walker, then go ahead and make it!

You ought to be a political strategist. Must be that stellar woodshop class you took. Get thee to the Burke campaign headquarters, STAT!

RecChief said...

Here's a quote from Mary Burke:

“We reorganized and eliminated the position that I had.”

Because once an exectuive has success in one division of a company, they are re-organized out of the company instead of put into a position of even greater responsibility. Pretty sure this is how all companies are run. back me up here Garage.

Drago said...

AJ Lynch said...
It is pretty hard to get fired from the family business

Not if you work hard at it, as Mary clearly did.

The siren song of the slopes were calling and Mary couldn't resist.

Drago said...

RecChief: "Because once an exectuive has success in one division of a company, they are re-organized out of the company instead of put into a position of even greater responsibility."

What's funny is how garage was using Albers departure from Trek as a slam when, in reality, this was a prearranged deal to allow the Richard Burkes son to become CEO/President and when Albers departed it was to another company where he was made CEO of that company.

Meanwhile, Li'l Mary Sunshine hit the slopes for quite awhile (lets face it, she earned it!! Amiright garage?) and then Daddy found another little out of the way spot for Mary to occupy where she couldn't foul things up.

To garage, this means Albers should not be taken seriously but Mary is competence incarnate.

This is simply too funny.

walter said...

Her job was done ;)

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Bitchtits the Uneducated is making fun of someone working at McDonalds early in their life.

What is next, are you going to critisize Walker if he has a failed marriage and becomes obese?

At least he has a new excuse for when Walker wins handily next week.

"Have a Happy Nov 4th, jackass."

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

garage mahal said...

Bitchtits the Uneducated is making fun of someone working at McDonalds early in their life.

McDonalds would be a step-up in your lonely, miserable, jobless life. Being a fake lawyer can't be paying the bills. Give it a try!

RecChief said...

Drago said...
RecChief: "Because once an exectuive has success in one division of a company, they are re-organized out of the company instead of put into a position of even greater responsibility."

What's funny is how garage was using Albers departure from Trek as a slam when, in reality, this was a prearranged deal to allow the Richard Burkes son to become CEO/President and when Albers departed it was to another company where he was made CEO of that company.


I should have used the sarcasm font.

walter said...

So..legally..are these folks open to slander or libel charges if accounts are false?

RecChief said...

Illegals voting

garage mahal said...

Even the MJS: "Consider the source"

Mark said...

Journal Sentinel editorial board just ripped this story a new one, clearly label it an untrue smear.

Amazing what 24 hours to fact check does.

The first accuser? Posts Obama Hitler comparisons on Facebook. I hope you give that the airtime the one guy with Walker as Hitler has gotten here.

Shanna said...

Because once an exectuive has success in one division of a company, they are re-organized out of the company instead of put into a position of even greater responsibility.

Totally. Especially when your daddy owns the company.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Despite the rotten Obama economy in general, Bitchtits, I am quite happily employed and adequately compensated. It is one of the benefits of achieving educational levels beyond institutions that give grades for "gym."

I also have a waist size that does not require me to shop in the husky section.

So sad that you will never experience these things, fat boy.

Enjoy four more years under Governor Walker.

Or until the SECRET ROUTERS indictment comes though.


¯\_(ツ)_/¯



Curious George said...

garage mahal said...
Even the MJS: "Consider the source"

MJS carrying Burkews water..."

"Fact: That initial report relied heavily on a single source — Gary Ellerman"

Then this:
"Fact: A second source, dug up by Journal Sentinel reporters, says it's his understanding that Burke was "fired" from her job directing Trek's European operations 21 years ago. "I'm not saying she was incompetent," Tom Albers, Trek's former chief operating officer, said. "Maybe this job was too big for her." Albers left the company in 1997 and considers himself a conservative. Consider the source."

That's bullshit. Albers said there was nothing in Ellerman's story that was untrue.

He corroborated 100% of Ellermans statements.

WJS, consider the source.

Curious George said...

Mark said...
Journal Sentinel editorial board just ripped this story a new one, clearly label it an untrue smear.

Amazing what 24 hours to fact check does.

They did nothing of the sort.

garage mahal said...

Despite the rotten Obama economy in general, Bitchtits, I am quite happily employed and adequately compensated

Sure thing :--)


Enjoy four more years under Governor Walker.


I'll be fine either way. If Walker loses, it absolutely will be world-spinning schadenfreude. But then the reality is Burke will be left Walker's mess, and she will get blamed for the cuts needed to balance Walker's deficit, the crumbling schools, cow shit in drinking water wells, sand mining destruction, and on and on and on. Plus, she will have to work with Crazytown Teabagger legislature.

Sometimes it's better to let it all burn down..... and make Walker own all of it.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

"Sometimes it's better to let it all burn down..... and make Walker own all of it."

Aww, thats cute. Tubby has made it past denial and anger, and has moved on to the next stage of grief.

I think in progtard Wisconsin circles, this is known as "down twinkles" although in this particular case it might be "up twinkies into mouth."

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Curious George said...

"garage mahal said...
But then the reality is Burke will be left Walker's mess, and she will get blamed for the cuts needed to balance Walker's deficit, the crumbling schools, cow shit in drinking water wells, sand mining destruction, and on and on and on. Plus, she will have to work with Crazytown Teabagger legislature. "

LOL....name of few of those crumbling schools. And manure in streams started long before Walker dumbshit, and will happen long after the's gone from office.

garage mahal said...

Just remember, Shitty Jeans, you'll always be a bitter, sexless, jobless, reptilian brain troll who pretends to be a lawyer. And I'll always be in your head rent-free, you'll always follow me around, and NEVER the other way around.

damikesc said...

Journal Sentinel editorial board just ripped this story a new one, clearly label it an untrue smear.

Their "ripping" consisted of (in order)

1) smearing of the publication because a foundation gave the site a conation and the foundation's "top executive" is a Walker associate.

2) Smearing a source.

3) Albers isn't credible...because.

4) Some dude said he didn't "think" she was fired.

5) This was revealed late and her brother --- well, no, he didn't actually refute it.

6) Women have it hard in the workplace.

I'll note that they provided precisely ZERO pieces of actual facts to back up their slam.

Original Mike said...

Has anyone ever seen Mark and Dan Bice at the same time?

President-Mom-Jeans said...

I stand corrected, maybe he is still on anger.

He always was a slow learner. Probably why he didn't make it past high school.

alan markus said...

@ Curious George:

LOL....name of few of those crumbling schools.

Do it yourself - look at the election results map on Weds. & click on the wards that are blue and that's where you will find some crumbling schools.

Anonymous said...

He corroborated 100% of Ellermans statements

You are absolutely sure about that? Just like you are absolutely sure that someone named "Purple Penguin" posted on this blog? And just like you're absolutely sure that Meade never corrected the mistake you were making in regards to that?

LOL!! That's never going to get old. Simply precious.

It is also precious how both Delusional George and Drago are acting as if they were in the room when Mary Burke was allegedly fired. They know that is how it went down, just like they knew that there were Blue Fist posters in the DA's office.

It's like a religion for them, and nothing can be said to make them give up their blind faith.

Drago said...

madisonfella: "They know that is how it went down, just like they knew that there were Blue Fist posters in the DA's office."

Feel free to post any comment I've ever made where I claimed to know anything about these blue fist posters.

You know madisonfella, if you were really so sure of yourself you wouldn't feel the compulsion to lie about what I've written.

One can only marvel at the symphony of voices that must be present in your head.

donald said...

Someone noted as purple penguin posted on this blog?

Really? Dementia there Inga?

Drago said...

Now, back to Mary Burkes hilariously obvious incompetence and her firing, it's quite clear that those in the room remember it well.

Of course, Mary Burkes brother claims it's not true.

This would be the same brother who doesn't remember the Mary Burke "tapdance" meeting where she had to stand up and explain the failure of her efforts.

The results of that meeting are obvious as she was shortly thereafter terminated/let go/fired/asked to leave/allowed to resign/etc.

So, once again, we have corporate performance geniuses madisonfella and garage trying to explain that Mary Burke is a business genius and that, simultaneously, Mary had to be let go because of....what? All that success?

Again, you can't fix this degree of hackery and/or stupidity.

Drago said...

It's a wonder some other company didn't immediately scoop up a business genius like Mary Burke once she was fired..er...became available on the market.

Why, I'll bet she could have single-handedly saved a company or two if only she had been given a chance.

Luckily for our nation, her family took pity on her after her several years sojourn on the slopes and "rehired" her into a "safe" role where Mary could blossom without damaging company profits.

LOL

garage mahal said...

Do it yourself - look at the election results map on Weds. & click on the wards that are blue and that's where you will find some crumbling schools

75% of school board referendums to raise property taxes are in rural school districts. Over 80% of school districts now receive less than the guaranteed voucher amount per pupil.

These fucking idiots that vote for Walker are slitting their own throats paying for voucher school scams in Milwaukee and Racine.

Oh well. Our schools in Madison will always be fine.

Drago said...

garage: " Our schools in Madison will always be fine."

LOL

Not if you are exhibit A.

Drago said...

garage: "75% of school board referendums to raise property taxes are in rural school districts. Over 80% of school districts now receive less than the guaranteed voucher amount per pupil."

What does this have to do with Mary Burkes failure in the business world?

Drago said...

garage: "Our schools in Madison will always be fine."

Of course they will, as long as you don't care about how black kids perform in schools in Madison.

Hint: It's worse than in Milwaukee!

http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/scott-walker-zings-mary-burke-for-black-students-troubles-in/article_43d6c0f1-2770-51ef-80de-8f07e4e5ff17.html

snip: "In 2013, 53.7 percent of black students in Madison graduated in four years. In Milwaukee, the rate was 58.3 percent, according to state Department of Public Instruction data. That gap is smaller than it was in 2012, when the four-year completion rate among black students was 55 percent in Madison and 62 percent in Milwaukee.

Overall, the 2013 graduation rates for the two largest school districts in Wisconsin was 78.3 percent in Madison and 60.6 percent in Milwaukee."

Yikes.

And, of course, Mary Burke had a leadership role in running the Madison schools.

The results of her efforts are, how to put this? Let's go with "Trek-like in Europe during the Mary Burke Era".

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I was in WI a couple weeks back when the MJS ran those twin pieces giving each candidates basic bio (never read it online but do pick one up when having breakfast at Frank's Diner in Kenosha). The tone of the Burke piece was all praise and feel-good quotes. And as you'd expect the Walker bio was full of phrases alluding to controversy and so many investigations.

What struck me was how phony the "international marketing" (what I do) and "strategic thinker" (or however they phrased it) descriptions sounded. It was clear they were eliding a LOT of the story in order to make her sound much more effectual. The 2nd job was obviously a made-up position that no real manufacturer fills. And I really spent as much time re-reading those sections speculating what it really was Mary Burke DID at Trek as I did reading the article through the first time. The statements by Ellerson in the online article this week clarified that. They rang true because he spoke plainly and verified what any seasoned manufacturer would have picked up "between the lines" like I did. She was a protected family member who hurt Trek instead of helped it. That's why she got "burnt out" after a couple years and spent almost as much time snowboarding as she did "working." They created a billet and filled it with her useless form and she STILL wore out her welcome there.

Go ahead Wisconsin, elect THAT woman Governor. Ha!

alan markus said...

Over 80% of school districts now receive less than the guaranteed voucher amount per pupil.

Voucher amount per student is $7210 for K-8, $7856 for 9-12.

Average "Revenue Per Member" statewide is $12,512. All sources of revenue (State Aid, Local, Federal, Other).

Milwaukee Revenue is $14,271 per student, Madison is $14,093 per student.


WPI - Dashboard Portal Home

garage mahal said...

In his letter, Superintendent Quinton noted the difference between amounts of state aid for Pepin to that of private schools: for the 2014-15 school year Pepin receives $1,667 per student; public tax dollars to private ‘voucher’ schools are $7,856 per high school student and $7,210 per K-8 student.

“Pepin Area School District taxpayers will pay an additional $70,119 in taxes to educate children in other districts this school year,” Mr. Quinton wrote. “I cannot comprehend why taxpayers are willing to subsidize a private voucher school education system, especially when research indicates that private voucher schools perform at best as well as the public school system and in many cases below their public school peers.”

A memo from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) detailing figures from the 2013-14 school year show that Pepin’s state aid payment per pupil was $4,559 less than the per pupil state aid payment made to private ‘voucher’ schools.


Thanks, suckers.

Curious George said...

LOL

The amount schools receive is based heavily on their cost to educate. The formula preceded Walker.

Curious George said...

"alan markus said...
Do it yourself - look at the election results map on Weds. & click on the wards that are blue and that's where you will find some crumbling schools"

Nah, they are already crumbling according to garage, and it's because of Walker acccording to garage, so it's happened in the last three years.

Where are all these crumbling a schools? Come on, name a few.

Pepin was mantioned. I googled it. They all are quite nice!

Name a few dipshit.

alan markus said...

The amount schools receive is based heavily on their cost to educate. The formula preceded Walker.

It is also based on property valuations - higher the valuations, the less state aid.

As to formulas, they have been so balkanized over the years that your typical politician is clueless how they work or how to correct the inequalties inherent in the formulas.

garage mahal said...

The formula preceded Walker.

Except for that part where Walker cut 800 billion from K-12, and taxpayers are now being forced to pay for two school systems on top of it. Even subsidizing private school tuition, what parents were already paying. Wisconsin really is full of suckers for a state that claims to love their local public schools. Maybe they'll wise up someday.

alan markus said...

Garage Mahal said: 75% of school board referendums to raise property taxes are in rural school districts. Over 80% of school districts now receive less than the guaranteed voucher amount per pupil.

You made it sound like "schools are crumbling" because they receive less than the voucher amount per pupil. You did not indicate that some schools receive less in State Aid (which as I recall at one time was never intended to exceed 50% of the cost). I have shown that schools do indeed receive more than the voucher amount when all sources of revenue are accounted for.

Drago said...

garage: "Except for that part where Walker cut 800 billion from K-12,..."

LOL

"800 billion"

Why don't you just say Walker cut eleventy gajillion dollars?



Drago said...

alan markus: " I have shown that schools do indeed receive more than the voucher amount when all sources of revenue are accounted for."

Yes you did.

But that hurts the lefty narrative.

So the other funds have to be ignored.

Sounds like garage is employing middle school/Mary Burke "math".

Curious George said...

"garage mahal said...
The formula preceded Walker.

Except for that part where Walker cut 800 billion from K-12, and taxpayers are now being forced to pay for two school systems on top of it."

LOL Waiting for those crumbling schools...and of course schools have more to spend because of ACT10...making teachers pay into pension, healthcare, and eliminating the total ass raping WEA Trust was doing...tens of millions annually fleeced from taxpayers.



Rusty said...

Quit digging, kid. Your in over your head.

PackerBronco said...

GM said
... Walker cut 800 billion from K-12


800 billion?

Damn with that kind of money we could have bought everyone of those kids gold plated book covers, a Cadillac to drive to school in ... and a pony!

garage mahal said...

You made it sound like "schools are crumbling" because they receive less than the voucher amount per pupil.

I did. Even the most deluded, idiotic Walker follower is going to figure that out someday.

Too many elderly, Illinois transplants with no skin in the game that are trying to escape blacky. That's driving Wisconsin public policy right now. FIBS.

Rusty said...

garage mahal said...
You made it sound like "schools are crumbling" because they receive less than the voucher amount per pupil.

I did. Even the most deluded, idiotic Walker follower is going to figure that out someday.

Too many elderly, Illinois transplants with no skin in the game that are trying to escape blacky. That's driving Wisconsin public policy right now. FIBS.

it was the strawberries.

You're feeling desperate and frustrated right now.that's understandable. You're moral philosophy has proved to be as shallow as you are.
Tuesday is going to be so much fun.

Drago said...

garage: "Too many elderly, Illinois transplants with no skin in the game that are trying to escape blacky."

LOL

Garage loves him some "blacky's"...in Milwaukee, in Chicago, in Detroit.

Basically everywhere except where he is.

BTW, isn't "blacky" a derogatory expression.

Yet lily white guy from lily white-ville who would probably get rabbit-like heart palpitations if he had to encounter more than a couple of brothers at once feels quite at ease using that word.

Very similar to how comfortable crack felt using the "c***" word to describe republican gals in the very threads where Inga et al were waxing eloquent about the #Waronwomen!!

LOL

We have much to learn about race relations from our white lefty pals in whiteville!

Drago said...

Unfortunately for garagie, it looks like he'll have to continue lecturing us on race without the benefit of Mary Burkes business acumen in the Gov's mansion.

Such is life.

Original Mike said...

"In his letter, Superintendent Quinton noted the difference between amounts of state aid for Pepin to that of private schools: for the 2014-15 school year Pepin receives $1,667 per student; public tax dollars to private ‘voucher’ schools are $7,856 per high school student and $7,210 per K-8 student."

Oh, for crying out loud. Private schools get 5x more than public schools. Riiiiight.

Curious George said...

"garage mahal said...
Too many elderly, Illinois transplants with no skin in the game that are trying to escape blacky. That's driving Wisconsin public policy right now. FIBS."

Hold on tighter garage....

garage mahal said...

Curious George is a FIB right?