NO TOM BARRETT! IT IS GREAT! HE NEEDS TO GO AND YOU NEED TO RESTORE WISCONSIN TO THE PROUD STATE IT ONCE WAS! THANKS FOR JOINING IN ON THE RECALL! WE NEED YOU AT THE MADISON CAPITAL AS OUR RIGHTFULL GOVENOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO UNDO THE REPUBICAN MESS! THE HOOT FROM IL! GOD BLESS!!!

@Sherry Ann Humphreys

It looks like we have a lot of work to do to catch up to our neighbors to the south.

It will take a lot of work to get up to 9.1% unemployment, pension plans that are underfunded by $80,000,000,000, and a 67% tax increase. If we can accomplish all these things, like Pat Quinn has done in Illinois, we may also follow in his footsteps and plan to close 14 state facilities, laying off thousands of union employees. And that's just one year's "progress"!!!

United we stand.

I understand Illinois is gaining jobs (130,000) while Wisconsin continues to lose ground.

I think you understand incorrectly, Bren...

Wisconsin's state employee pension fund has "0" liability, thanks to good stewardship. It's challenging to compare Wisconsin to Illinois as we have about as many people in our entire state as they do in metro-Chicago. Wisconsin was in better shape than quite a few other states when Scott Walker (R-ALEC) took office. A year later, we still have a deficit, 200,000 people have had their salaries cut, the state experienced the largest single cut to K-12 education in state history, our governor is the first in state history to hire a criminal defense team, and he's also the third (I believe) governor in U.S. history to face recall. Quite a legacy in such a short time.

Wisconsin was in better shape than other states when Walker took office, and it will continue to be in better shape than other states because Walker is in office.

If the 'ALEC agenda' is what is responsible, then I applaud the efforts of ALEC. I know that my school district suffered much larger cuts under Doyle, and had little choice in how to deal with those cuts. Our schools are much better off under Walker than they were under Doyle...

Yeah, that's the spirit--kill the unions so we can go back to 70 hour work weeks, no benifits, and no fire escapes.

No the beyotch belongs to the Koch brothers.

87% of the working class puts in 70 hour work weeks without fire escapes?

Alex: Workers are protected by laws. Ever hear of the NLRB? Don't give too much credit to the Unions, like the dinosaurs they are extinct. Fire escapes have nothing to do with unions, check your State building code.
Unions collect dues from 100% of the membership but are only needed by the dumbest 10% of them...make sure you keep your dues up to date! You need the protection more than anyone Rocketman.

Thanks Denise. :)

@Bren -

Last time I checked, Obama is getting paid by our dime as well, and yet I've not once seen a comment from you deriding him for campaigning when he should be working.

Then again, maybe it's better that Obama doesn't do any work - less opportunity for him to screw things up even more!

So, where's your call to impeach Obama?

@Bren

He told the papers that this was part of his campaign. It was also his campaign staff that went with him. His office staff was in Brookfield, WI, getting ready for an appearance at foundry to discuss a jobs grant program. I was there.

Bren is paid through Tim Armstrong and his Billions at AOL, and Arianna Huffington at the Huff-Po; they are all part of a larger Corporate team struggling for control.

Of course the paid-dime-a-dozen Union saps were out there protesting

President Obama should be going out across the country! He is the President of the entire nation.... Not just of Washington D.C.!! Our Presidents, no matter who that has been (or will be in the future), will always go throughout our nation to speak to the people of this nation.

Scott Walker by contrast is not the Governor of anywhere but Wisconsin! He continues to campaign and do fundraising out of state out of necessity. People get angry about him traveling across the nation for fundraising events because his governorship does not extend to a national level.

The difference seems rather clear.

yep he did it on our tax payer dime.
Just like all of the fund raising his staff did on the Milwaukee County tax payer's dime too. the 6 former staff members that are up for 15 Felony Misconduct in Public Office counts.

Hey James, President Obama is running for President, so he would be expected to talk to everyone, requiring traveling to all the states. What is Scott Walker doing in Illinois campaigning. He has already spread enough decease in his own state. Koch brothers at is again.

Mr. Hoffa, others--it is Wisconsin voters Walker needs to convince that he deserves to be governor of this fair state. These little junkets are nothing new, he's been campaigning for national exposure and the ALEC agenda since he took office.

In the past, governors used to travel to promote Wisconsin, let's get back to that please.

And Presidents have traditionally traveled the country and eventually the world to promote the U.S. and its interests. And travel during their reelection campaign--both parties. Is there a reason Pres. Obama should not have the same responsibilities or opportunities as other presidents?

Enicar, I understood the Huffington Patch had recently been sold to AOL. No?

Luke, this governor, already (in my opinion) without the intellectual heft or moral fibre to serve as Governor, has polarized himself to the degree that any positive goal he could possibly have (unlikely as that is) would be negated by his record. That is to say, he has lost the trust of reasonable people. Only extremists like the Governor of Arizona or other ALEC puppet governors (FL, MI, OH, IN, ME) would probably listen to him now. ALEC, the special interest group to which he gives his allegiance (instead of WI) is now on the wane due to its extremism and overreach.

The ALEC agenda: free markets, limited government and individual liberty.

Liberty under the law, the horror! Talk about extremism, where's my MTV, free health care, college education and pony? I want a pony too.

Such an innocuous way to describe sedition for profit, isn't it Adam? Individual liberty--not for Trayvon Martin or Bo Morrison. Not for the people the ALEC voter ID bill is trying to disenfranchise. And free markets for whom? The millions who have lost their jobs to offshoring?

But but off shoring and people dying and CEOs making profits and evil oil and global warming.

@Dirk

Who issued this "award"?

Walker nor you have any integrity when you site that "award"!

Governor's Journal has been in business for approximately one year. Founded in December of 2010 it's only is employee is Dean Pagani himself. It has no Board of Directors, it has no staff or faculty type listing.

Pagani is the head of Pagani Public Affairs - a media consulting firm - who also seems to have no employees beyond Pagani. It does list some references of Pagani's associates, Tom Foley who lost as the GOP candidate in the race for Connecticut Governor in 2010 and Ross Garber who was the Republican candidate Connecticut Attorney General. Garber not only lost big, but was slapped with a defamation suit by his opponent.

Both sing Pagani's praises of political communication expertise despite the outcome of their elections.

The one reference Pagani leaves out is his longtime day job as Communications Director and Chief of Staff for the Connecticut Governor's office from 1996 to 2004. Weird, it's an important job. He doesn't even name the Governor he worked for in his LinkedIn page.

Could be because that Governor was none other than Republican, John Rowland? Pagani's employment was cut short because Rowland resigned over corruption charges and wound up going to jail for 10 months. Doh!....

http://rootriversiren.blogspot.com/2011/12/scott-walker-named-governor-of-year-by.html

Give an example of President Obama's "ineptness." Don't just throw out general accusations.

Yes, let's all believe what we read on the faux news sites that have popped up all over the internet to mislead voters since Pres. Obama was elected. Sorry Dirk.

And Pres. Obama was born in Hawaii FYI.

'scuse me --- who had jobs created and who had jobs lost? Seems to me that Illinois comes out on top using any measure except right-wing propaganda.

9.1% unemployment is hardly creating jobs. When you start your time table at the very bottom, you can spin any gain as "amazing lets keep up with socialism."

@Thomas the train..... If Walker wouldnt have done what he had, alot more people would have been laid off..... even your namesake used the tools Walker gave to help control costs.

No, they can be fired just like anyone else..sheesh the arrogance

Yep. When they are lazy and want to suck the system dry. They are no different than a common crook.

Mike in OC, are you referring to the manufactured "We're broke!" crisis? Remember that the state employee pension fund has 0% liability, and that public employees had already had furloughs. They immediately agreed to financial concessions. The union stripping was part of the ALEC agenda to defund the Democratic Party and help the Big Business-friendly GOP. The financial concessions went to help pay for Scott Walker's unfunded ALEC corporate tax cuts.

Several things are certain--the public employee financial concessions did not go toward budget relief, even though ALEC union stripping was couched in a "budget repair" bill. Several dozen public employee jobs were transferred to higher-paying crony appointments. And we are still looking at a projected deficit and cash shortfall. Someone with the intellectual heft and skill to craft a deficit-reducing budget, and without the priority to serve ALEC and his benefactors the Koch brothers, might have done a far more effective job, and received actual cooperation and support from all of his constituents. Alas.

The new governor will have to go over that Walker budget with a fine tooth comb and (I suspect) fix a lot of problems. It's important to get Walker out before the next budget "bomb" drops in July. Who knows, a competent review of the budget may reduce the pain.

Bren, the unions only agreed to financial concessions after polling revealed how deeply unpopular the union agenda is with the public at large. The Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Janesville school districts weren’t interested in concessions of any sort as demonstrated by their rushing to sign new contracts before higher employee contributions kicked in. They didn't understand the money has to come from somewhere and those 3 districts now account for 68 percent of the teacher layoffs statewide.

A majority of union members now work for the government and are dependent on it for their livelihood. In the private sector market forces provide the checks and balances on employers who pay too much in wages and benefits. If their products and services become too expensive and they lose market share or go out of business. Public sector employees have the incentive demonstrated by the Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Janesville school districts: spend it and the money will appear.

The alleged corporate tax cuts account for $100 million or 3 percent of the state's deficit. Clearly things like education spending, health care for seniors, etc are responsible for a majority of the deficit.

Adam, your assessment of the union financial concessions (in the current administration) is incorrect. The unions agreed to financial concessions in an attempt to protect their collective bargaining rights.

The ALEC corporate tax cuts were added to the budget adding approximately $100-$110 million to the state's deficit. The new financial concessions wrested from public employees under the new Walker administration were intended to fund the corporate tax cuts. The concessions provided no deficit relief. And this is the man, the administration, who you believed when he claimed he would balance the budget. The projected $3.6 billion dollar deficit indicates that some expenses need to be trimmed but there is an intelligent way to do this without hurting the most vulnerable people in our state. Unfortunately that's not the Scott Walker (R-ALEC) way.

Bren:

I don't think that Adam was incorrect.

When exactly did the unions actually agree to make concessions? Even now, the Milwaukee teachers union has refused the request to renegotiate their contract to help MPS meet budget. I don't see Kenosha making concessions to avoid layoffs either. Before Walker even took office, Marty Biel clearly stated that the union would not concede anything for Walker. It's looking like taking away collective bargaining was the only way to get anything from the unions...

This problem is the same in virtually every closed shop state. The costs to fund government workers who are retired grows every year. This spending is crowding out other expenditures. School buildings, roads, bridges, operating expenses for current employees, etc. When tax revenues are constrained, pensions run out of money because they were under funded, made poor investment decisions or made irrational assumptions, public employees discover there is no safety net. The money for retired employees just stops. There are about a dozen cities in this state and many more to follow in the next 5 years. Unions and politicians made promises they knew some mayor or governor couldn't keep in the future. Well we are now experiencing the beginning of this future. In the next 5 years we will see many more cities and possibly a few states hit the insolvency wall.
The Feds are running a deficit of 9% of GDP with growth of 2-3% yearly and borrowing 42% of every dollar they spend. We are running out of willing lenders because the Federal Reserve is picking up about half the Treasuries as a buyer of last resort.

WHEN WE FIX SOME OF BUSH'S MISTAKES, SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS WILL GO AWAY. REMEMBER W.M.D. HOW MUCH DID THAT COST.

http://tinyurl.com/7mxtepp

Can't do any of the above without changing the Illinois constitution. Besides don't you smell a republican rat wher so many states are trying to do the same thing and they are being supported and guided by right wing groups? Nice to have them use you to screw your neighbors.

Ever hear the term "third shift". People do a lot of things on their own time.

@hsm>>

You do your side no favors when you pounce on these boards and post crap--about things you know nothing about. Union workers work shift work--in the hospitals, as EMT's, nurses, home health aids, after school helpers, janitors, prison guards, etc.

................
hsmsparent

7:25 am on Saturday, April 21, 2012

Glad to see there 200 available NON WORKING union members to show up for this in the middle of the day!!!

You are not covering teachers' health care and pensions. They are not private sector employees. They took the cuts asked for by the union and pay union dues to their union just like you do to yours. I lost a good non-union job because the company I worked for was handling my job illegally and I was the low woman on the totem pole when the blame was passed down. I'm 61, single and no one will even give me the courtesy of an interview for a full time job because they can hire someone younger for less pay. I had to move in with one of my sisters because I couldn't afford my own place anymore, had to drop my individual health insurance because it was too expensive, but I've been on the Badger Care waiting list for two years so I can't even get low cost coverage; probably won't be able to with Walker's cuts there. I'm doing the best I can, but I'm not going to sit back and let people like you blame the teachers for their problems. Don't get old in this country because you become invisible.

Mitt Romney says do nothing. Let the free market take its course. You are going to be waiting a long time.LOL LOL LOL By the way. 800 dollar union dues for the month...You can tell you are a Fox watcher...LOL LOL LOL if you think I think you are paying 800 bucks a month fro union dues, you are one big a** fool........ Get a life. I am a retired union worker and made almost 2 thousand bucks a month.. We paid 80 bucks a month......So you are paying 8 hundred bucks a month union dues...LOL LOL LOL. Lie, LIe, and one big a** lie you fool.

@Nicki -

I have the perfect solution to your predicament - offer to work at the same wage/salary as what they are paying the younger employee!

There, now you don't have to worry about the BadgerCare waiting list, because you'll have a job!

Also, probably would have been smart had you saved-up more while you were working. I'm just saying!

@ Celia Runkle

4:47 pm on Saturday, April 21, 2012

Mitt Romney says do nothing. Let the free market take its course. You are going to be waiting a long time.LOL LOL LOL By the way. 800 dollar union dues for the month...You can tell you are a Fox watcher...LOL LOL LOL if you think I think you are paying 800 bucks a month fro union dues, you are one big a** fool........ Get a life. I am a retired union worker and made almost 2 thousand bucks a month.. We paid 80 bucks a month......So you are paying 8 hundred bucks a month union dues...LOL LOL LOL. Lie, LIe, and one big a** lie you fool.
==================================================================

Shows how misinformed you are. That would be just about right to cover Pension costs....which is what he was refering too NOT UNION DUES! Oh bet that might rattle your brain a bit. That is similar to what is put into every teachers pension per month by the tax payers. Are you seeing the issue yet?

Teachers pay the most into their pensions (out of teacher district and state) as they pay for most of their health benefits (retirees). It is the state that didn't pay it's share for years which was a time when you payed less in taxes. Don't raise taxes, steal the pension funds.

805.00 a month in dues REALLY? I'm a union journeyman and w/ 160 hrs. monthly at 3% dues pay $267.00 monthly maybe your not getting the hrs. because your a dummy? (Union speak)

@robert Oberbrunner

"your" is not the same as "you're"

Public sector speak.......

Exactly Linda. People cry class warfare when we try to stand up to the 1%, but they have NO problem waging class warfare on Union people.

@Terry -

Actually, on a per capita basis, Wisconsin is doing far better than Illinois in both financial solvency of its state government and current job creation. Illinois has a population of over 13M, I should hope that their GDP would be higher than Wisconsin's, population of about 5.5M. Learn to interpret raw data correctly before making idiotic conclusions and spewing your anti-conservative filth on a public forum, will ya?

Wow - is the left ever getting stupid. Thank heavens Walker instituted public education reforms!

@Jimmy

I suspect that Terry believes that 9 is better than 6 because 9 is a bigger number. In some cases he would be correct, but not when it comes to golf and unemployment.

As I wrote elsewhere, it's a bit difficult to compare Illinois and Wisconsin because of differences (in economics, population, geography and even geology). Wisconsin's state pension fund had "0" liability when Scott Walker took office. Pensions were never part of the "we're broke" scenario, only made to sound as if they were.

Mr. Hoffa, your tone is becoming strident again. More castor oil? ; )

Ten years ago, half the states had pension funds with zero liability. Things tend to change rather quickly. Isn't it better to take steps to maintain long term stability instead of hoping that we will always have the funds available to keep the pensions fully funded?

@johnny -

Considering that a bunch of out-of-staters pushed for and are helping to fund the recall effort, including Jesse Jackson, Michael Moore, Ed Schultz, AFSCME, SEIU, AFL-CIO, etc, no, Hoffa doesn't find it very strange at all that Governor Walker is 1) fundraising; and 2) doing so out-of-state in addition to in-state.

Why do you apparently find it strange?

People aren't money Jimi. Jesse, Michael and Ed aren't funding our efforts, but the Bircher Kochs and others are dumping money on Governor Numbnutz.

You slammed the person above for her statements, but is Jimi unable to count? All authorities agree that Walker will be raking in at least three times as much as any Democratic competitor, and most from out of state.

Why does Jimi not find it strange that people are giving Walker bushel baskets full of money? They're not doing it because they like Walker's shiny bald spot. They are doing it because they want something for their money.

Most of us should have no problem with unions. This is one of the means of creating the middle class, and with the diminishing of union membership over the past 30 years, so went the middle class. It's causality at its finest.

The rightbots slam those "union bosses" (sob). Yeah, what a bunch of bastards. Getting better wages and benefits for their members. What's in these idiots heads, footing for these THUGS (sob, wail).

What's wrong with these people? Voting for their self interest and all.

Why does Jimi want to sell out this state, and democracy for that matter. Is jimi planning on being taken away by the rapture and so the future is not necessary?

@Schmitzy -

Well, lucky for your side then that it's people that actually vote and not money, isn't it?

When Walker still trounces the Dems yet again and you're left wondering how and why, just make sure that you're getting Hoffa's $50 ready! ;-)

BTW - Hoffa hasn't a problem in the world with private sector unions. My position on public sector unions has been divulged in depth time and again on the Patch and actually mirrors the sentiments of my namesake.

Not worried Jimi. The John Doe take down counts as well.

Kudos though on your private union stance.

johnny, he's also been to Arizona, Florida, etc. preaching the ALEC agenda. He also has this idea of national office. So it's important to get on TV and radio as much as possible. Personally, I think he has as much chance of making it to the national stage as baggage-laden Virginia governor Bob "Transvaginal Probe" McDonnell. At least McDonnell completed his education (well, Regent U.).

@johnny -

That it's being performed by a very partisan and politically biased DA that will probably attempt to railroad Walker right before the recall election, as Democrats are notorious for playing dirty politics. The state's AG's office has requested that the DOJ take over the investigation because of such partisan and biased affiliations having been exposed within the DA's office currently handling the investigation.

It took less than two years to connect Nixon to Watergate, requiring multiple resolutions of Congress. If they haven't been able to come up with anything solid on Walker after 2+ years of investigating, then you know there's nothing solid there. At this point, it's grasping at straws to score political points for the Democrats. It has turned into nothing but a perversion of our justice system and taxpayer's dollars should stop be wasted on such a fruitless endeavor!

Pure BS Jimi. Unlike the partisan hack for the state, Chisolm is a straight arrow and knows that you don't waste county tax payer dollars by building a flimsy case. Not that Gov. Numbutz hasn't made it easy.

Love the freckles comparison between Nixon and Walker. John Dean says Walker is worse.

I suggest you move to another state. Indiana is growing rapidly at the expense of IL and MI. It is also a bit warmer there. If you leave the snow behind, I invite you to come to Austin, TX. We have lots of jobs and need smart capable people. I lived in IL for 18 years, MI for 22 years, NJ for 10 years and finally got to Austin in 1993. People are friendly, helpful, and it was hard to get use to strangers smiling and saying hello! Thanks for considering my suggestion.

Have union boss telling you what to do? When. I never see them. Maybe once every couple years if you go to the union hall??? LOL Union dues are not spent on political campaigns....You have to donate extra to the unions for that. i had extra taken out by choice. No twisting arms...you sign a paper ..You fools are so mis-informed. I worked 33 years for a union company. i love the first of the month when that big fat check is in my bank account..... My dad retired with a pension, and my grandmother retired in the 60's with a pension. You stupid fools who listen to Fox. Who do you think negotiates their pay check. They pay people to do it...AKA, Union workers...LOL I mean really..Union bosses telling you what to do.....the people in this country are morons.

Did you get that from Rush of Faux news? No reality in what you are saying. Maybe in the long distant past, but not for a long time.

E Weber ‏ @LiberalLibra

Fact 2-#walker has created more jobs for Illinois than he has in Wisconsin. http://bit.ly/IJ82Di #wiunion #smtsLL #supplysider #gopfail

@Harvey Ring -- "3. Taxes are lower."

So are wages.

"2. Jobs are more available in RTWS. "

Yup, and you'll need to work two of them to make ends meet. If that's the life average Americans want for their posterity, let's keep on following Scott Walker.

Yes, wage on average are $1,500 less per annum in Right to Fire states. Why is it all right for Big Business executives to make millions but people who make a family-sustaining wage are villains?

The top wage earners in this country do an excellent job standing up for themselves. The rest of have the same right, don't we? Why are some apologizing for the rich and asking for a lower wage for themselves by embracing Right to Fire?

Is this bad?

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/poll-wisconsin-gopers-ahead-in-state-senate-recalls.php

Really bad?

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/147952435.html

REALLY REALLY BAD?

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/147967755.html

What ever gets you through the night. The floor has been all Walker's so far. Wait til we fire back.

Still waiting for someone to explain the damage Walker has done to this state. If lower taxes, less government and having everyone who should pay their fair share is a bad thing I say give us more bad things. Hey pay their fare share...hmm what a novel idea.

StandUp4People ‏ @StandUpWis

The Governor that Destroyed #Wisconsin cannot Restore Wisconsin! #recallwalker #ReclaimWI #WIrecall WIunion #walkergate Take Back WI 6/5/12

I have breakfast with a group in Illinois and they all wonder what is wrong with the anti-Walker voters in Wisconsin. They would take Walker in a heart beat. They are very upset with their cost of living skyrocketing.

It takes money to find out what Gov Walker is spending Taxpayer money on because he works in secret. Shame on him.

Coffee Bean ‏ @CoffeeBean26

Gov Walker needs to say why it took Freedom of Info request to find out he gave bonuses when he said he didn't http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/walker-reinstates-bonuses-despite-budget-shortfall/article_3d9e5de4-8b0f-11e1-affa-001a4bcf887a.html #WIunion

.....An analysis of data The Associated Press obtained through an open records request showed Wisconsin agencies have handed out more than $765,000 in bonuses and merit raises this year to nearly 220 employees......

Read more: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/walker-reinstates-bonuses-despite-budget-shortfall/article_3d9e5de4-8b0f-11e1-affa-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1smZxFM84

Are these protesters proud of their democrat ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich? Is that what they want for Wisconsin?

@mau -- It depends on the results of the John Doe probe, but that might be what we already have for Wisconsin.

Appointees and aides indicted for things they did on his watch. Relatives of donors hired for lucrative jobs. . .

It's a witch hunt. Doyle didn't go to prison. When Walker wins re-election the media will lose interest in the John Doe. Their job right now is to batter Walker whether there is evidence or not.

@mau -- Was the Doyle administration ever the subject of a John Doe probe? And for what would Gov. Doyle have gone to prison?

@moronmist

<<<Gov Walker needs to say why it took Freedom of Info request to find out he gave bonuses when he said he didn't.........>>>

The articles say nothing of the sort. The articles explain that Wisconsin AGENCIES gave bonuses, and Walker approves of bonuses being given to the best of the best. In fact, he wants a couple of national award-winning younng teachers that were fired because of union greed to be be reinstated. He wants the school systems to promote the good ones, and fire the fat cows that don't perform, and sometimes are unable to read and write themselves.

Luke
I do not appreciate the vile name-calling. Grow up!

Also, it seems you have problems with comprehension. the AP article says they had to get the information through an open request. It was not publicly available. Now do you understand????

..................

Luke

2:55 pm on Sunday, April 22, 2012

@moronmist

<<<Gov Walker needs to say why it took Freedom of Info request to find out he gave bonuses when he said he didn't.........>>>

@morninmist

Sorry, but the article doesn't say HE gave the bonuses, nor does it say that HE did so and that HE denied it. Someone agrigated the information using the open records request. So?

In addition, the article does not make it known that no money is allocated for those bonuses. Rather, departments are allowed to use excess funds for that purpose. In the past, those excess funds were used for all sorts of other purposes, but not merit pay.

(Also, it took me a while to figure out what you meant by calling you names. I'm sorry for that mistake. I did not do it intentionally. Freudian slip. You have my permission to call me names for a day if you like.)

Thank you,
Luke the Puke

"Excess funds?" For bonuses and merit raises? Thought "we're broke!" Strange how the facts don't always align with the slogans, do they.

@morninmist

Actually, I have to correct myself. The article indicates that the bonuses have to come from existing funds. But the headline and opening paragrah are misleading, in that the money would have been spent on ANYTHING they could find in order to maintian their budget. Therefore, the states budget remains just as unaffected as it otherwise would have.

@Bren

<<<"Excess funds?" For bonuses and merit raises? Thought "we're broke!" Strange how the facts don't always align with the slogans, do they.>>>

Yeah, Bren. Think about what you just said. Are you really Scott Walker posting under a different name?

"I dunno. Something tells me these demonstrations weren't exactly spontaneous.." no, nothing tells you that

@Keith

<<<"I dunno. Something tells me these demonstrations weren't exactly spontaneous.." no, nothing tells you that>>>

They were in no way spontaneous. For weeks prior to Walker going to Illinois, union bosses were on Madison radio shows talking about how they were calling Illinois unions to make arragements. On John Sylvester's show, Lee Sanders (AFSME Treasurer) discussed the plans and calls they had made. On the day they went to Springfield, they rode together, along with Phil Neuenfeldt (AFL-CIO President of Wisconsin), John Nichols (activist blogger/reporter), Arthur Kohl Riggs (fake Republican candidate) and other union people. They parked right in front of the building in their SUVs.

This is the most open secret on the planet. Same thing at all locations in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Rinse and repeat. The public union issue was the first symptom that something was very wrong with the Scott Walker administration, not even two months in. The issue is indeed part of the recall effort but by no means all.

I support recall because, being aware of some of Walker's budget hijinks, I knew he was not governor material. It turns out that nearly one million people signed recall petitions--far more than needed and far more than the number of public employees in the state. But no matter how many times this is pointed out, the facts bounce off closed minds and deaf ears. Rinse and repeat.

Luke that's called communications and there is nothing sinister about it.

Let's stop this "union bosses" crap. They were all elected by their members. How many people voted for the Koch Brothers?

Yeah, how stupid of the members to support those horrible "bosses," who help secure decent wages and benefits from their real bosses.

What a bunch of idiots those union members, voting for their self interest and all. I can see why you wouldn't understand that concept. After all, look what Scott Walker got you. $11 on average in tax breaks.

@Keith

<<<Luke that's called communications and there is nothing sinister about it.>>>

I didn't say it was sinister. I was responding to the comment that it was not organized. That is a false claim. It is so obviously false as to be laughable. Even the same people with the same huge cardboard props are at all the events.

<<<Let's stop this "union bosses" crap. >>

How 'bout Let's Not.

<<<They were all elected by their members. How many people voted for the Koch Brothers?>>>

When did the people of Wisconsin vote for the trial attorneys or unions who have many times more to the Dems than the relatively minuscule amount the Koch brothers gave?

<< After all, look what Scott Walker got you. $11 on average in tax breaks.>>>

No, what he got me was out from under all those taxes to pay off the billions of debt. You're like the guy whose uncle comes over and pays off your house and car debt and gives you $11 to buy a pizza. Then you complain that all he did was give you $11.

@Keith

Oh, and as for them being sinister......yes they are. But that's another topic, easily documented.

@mau - You somehow forgot the mention Republican Ill. ex-Gov. George Ryan. Blago joined him in prison. He is still there after all these years. A big list of felonies, including using public money for campaign work.
Sound farmiiar?
If Walker is sent up the river on similar charges, the Walker fanatics are going to look like gullible fools and/or endorsing corruption as usual in government.

What a ignorant comment and so representative of the overall ignorance ofa republican backer. Illinois and Wisconsin are neighboring states and often the political climate runs the same in both states. It's funny, when the tea baggers were showing up protesting with their racist and vile signs by the mere dozens in 2010, there was no ...."not much of a turnout" sentiment.

@Kimmee Sun Woo

Your comment is a non sequitur (not to mention an hominem!) given what Archie said. Either Illinois has a deficit or it does not. If you disagree that it has a deficit, then please tell us how you rationalize such a comment.

Yea, going on 24 months and still no charges... All they can do is leak rumors through a super biased district attorney's office that can't keep their big mouths shut

U meak a lott uf scents.

Weren't you complaining about someone modifying your screen name in a way you found offensive, and now you're referring to the Lt. Gov. as "Ho Becca"?

@Bob - Oh yeah, you are the gamer guy that let loose with a litany of gamer code names on Patch here when another commenter meerely challenged your viewpoints. The words, when translated using an urban dictionary, were libelous and disgusting.

And you, of all people, are trying to point out hypocrisy.

@ Bob
Since I was writing the memo to Kleefish--I said Ho Becca.
Ho is short for Howdy and Becca is short for Rebecca.

Hope you can comprehend that.

Sure you were, mist.

I didn't really expect you to cop to it. It's one set of rules for others, another for you. Typical lefty.

Dirk Gutzmiller
10:22 am on Monday, April 23, 2012
@Bob - Oh yeah, you are the gamer guy that let loose with a litany of gamer code names on Patch here when another commenter meerely challenged your viewpoints. The words, when translated using an urban dictionary, were libelous and disgusting.

*******************

Actually, Dirk, you've got that all twisted around, as you seem to do many other things here. You really are not ready for prime time.

Rebecca Kleefisch went from being a cipher Lt. Gov. to a negative factor when she actually showed up on cable TV trying to defend ALEC. I think the executives at Coke, Pepsi, Kraft, McDonald's Corp., Wendy's Corp., Yum Brands and Intuit, former (or soon to be) corporate partners of ALEC, have a little more understanding of what's going on with ALEC than Ms. Kleefisch.

To think that we voted out a gracious champion for Wisconsin in the form of Barbara Lawton, to vote in an ALEC defender and part-time photo opp subject paid for full-time work, Rebecca Kleefisch.

And now to read that almost 220 pet public employees received merit increases and bonuses to the tune of $750,000 when services to assault victims was cut by 42%, $1.2 million cut from public education, and 200,000 people had their salaries cut by 9%. Enough already! Recall Scott Walker. Recall Rebecca Kleefisch.

@Bob
You are hopeless. Next thing you will do is have Santa arrested for saying Ho ho.

You really made yourself sound stupid with your vile accusation.

..............
Bob McBride

11:35 am on Monday, April 23, 2012

Sure you were, mist.

I didn't really expect you to cop to it. It's one set of rules for others, another for you. Typical lefty.

Hardly, mist. How many other instances of you using "Ho" as a salutation do you think I'd find if I started looking around? I'm guessing none.

As I said before, as with every other lefty, there are two sets of rules. Ones you hold others to, and an entirely different set (essentially none) that you hold yourself to. Maybe instead of being so thin-skinned about your made up name, you could just ignore the perceived insults and then when you let fly with the "Ho"s, nobody will call you on it.

Typical liberal term for a self made beautiful straight conservative female.
And Walker is the one with the "War on Women"

Ho @Bob

Once again you make yourself look foolish--blinded by your ideology.

Hi HO, its off to work we go (remember that Walt Disney phase from the 7 Dwarfs)?

I have said enough on this issue. I meant no pejorative with my use of the word "HO"-- but you took it that way--and persist on the issue. So, you live with it now.

Cheers.

................
Bob McBride

1:34 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012

Hardly, mist. How many other instances of you using "Ho" as a salutation do you think I'd find if I started looking around? I'm guessing none.

As I said before, as with every other lefty, there are two sets of rules. Ones you hold others to, and an entirely different set (essentially none) that you hold yourself to. Maybe instead of being so thin-skinned about your made up name, you could just ignore the perceived insults and then when you let fly with the "Ho"s, nobody will call you on it.

Show me another instance prior to this last one where you used that salutation and maybe it'll be worth reconsidering. Otherwise, looks like guilty as charged, mist.

@Bob McBride Ho! Westward Ho! Whenever I read your comments, I go Ho Ho Ho! You seem to immediately jump to the urban slang thing you have going.

Kids are reading these pages, and it even seems a few are commenting.

Maybe they are, Dirk, but aren't you really more in your element keeping their balls when they roll into your yard or cursing at them when they walk on your lawn on the way home from school? You seem a bit confused by all this newfangled interweb flibbity flobbity. It's a nice afternoon. Slip on the cardigan and head for the front porch. You might still be able to catch a few stragglers mashing down your grass.

@Bob - I am a liberal Bob, let the kids trespass, even on my little Castle grounds. I won't invoke the Doctrine.

Good enough, Dirk. The slip on the cardigan, head out to the front porch and hand out condoms to them as they walk by.

@Bob McBride - You dare suggest I hand out condoms to the kids in the neighborhood.
I will have you know our local schools strictly teach abstinence only, so there is, of course, no need for such birth control.

Dirk, you could make it your own, personal "stay off my grass"-roots effort to bring hope and change and party balloons to the youth in your community. It's the right...er...left thing to do, is it not?

@Bob McBride - I do hand out hope and change and "Recall Walker" bumper stickers, signs, etc. to the kids. They can safely come up on my enclosed porch, even at 2am, and get their campaign materials. Something about they love their teachers.

I have no doubt you do, Dirk. I don't know a lefty who doesn't feel it's perfectly appropriate to drag kids into their political battles. Whether it be by dragging them to demonstrations where they can function as walking, knee-level easels or as props in their battle against the evil Republicans' "War on (insert overblown issue du jour here)". I count on this overreaching by folks like yourself to irritate just enough people to assure a Walker victory. I'm seeing some evidence of that in my area. Keep up the good work.

@Bob McBride - It was right here on these Patch pages that a 16 yr. authored a blog, "Walker is My Hero". And I see a lot more children and teen speakers for the extreme right put up on stage than the progressives. The extreme right will always be able to muster a few women and minorities, and lots of children to their cause, and placed right behind the podium during campaigns.
Sadly, the tea party teaches to, if not forces on, polarization, hate, and selfishness to these children.
Bob, your comments are simmering over with vulgarities and disrespect. Please stay away from the children.

@Tom - Hope you are feeling better. That explains your output on these pages.

@Tammy
Is this one of those Walker "amazing changes" you speak of?

Jim Witkins ‏ @jimwitkins
Even @govwalker cheerleaders are quiet on WI last in country job creation numbers. #wiunion #WImiddle #wiright #recallWalker

America United ‏ @Progress2day
New Great Wis. commercial: Wisconsin's dead last http://bit.ly/ILIUvA #wiunion #p2 #p2b #wiright #1u #wipolitics via @cruiskeen

one more:

Coffee Bean ‏ @CoffeeBean26
NEWS! 1 year significant job stats change show Gov Walker only one with neg numbers http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm Table D #WIunion #wipolitics

@Dick

I am also an independent moderate. I just call myself a pragmatist. But this political race has made me side with the conservatives on the local and state issues.

I disagree that Walker is trying to get support from other states, or that he is attempting to position himself for a higher office. What he is doing is showcasing the contrast between himself and what would have happened if we had gone the way of the Dems. Also, some of those appearances were fundraisers, so the reason for the appearance is obvious.

Those other states are inviting the governer to enlighten them on how to run a self-sufficient state without the help of big government. Nobody in those other states can vote so you don't make sense when you say he is campaigning.

I meant vote in the gubernatorial election...

@mormimnist

What we see is the Dems' histrionics. Walker doesn't slam teachers. He slams union bosses and the decisions of unions to cut teachers and hurt kids to serve union greed.

Conservatives are not slamming teachers, just the unions that brainwash them into giving them millions of dollars every year to piss and moan for more and more entitlements that less than 20% of the state can enjoy... Yet we as taxpayers have to foot a bigger tax bill every year... Governor Walker stood up for the taxpayer, not the big money union! Now the people that actually pay the bill have a say... No taxation without representation!

@Tom B

This IS bad--for Walker and the WI TeaGOP and mostly for Wisconsin.

Kelly Steele ‏ @steelekelly

Scott Walker's worst-in-nation jobs record in one blaring above-the-fold headline: http://bit.ly/hx7PAu #wiunion #wirecall #p2 #1u

this IS bad when Walker is caught with his lies once again!

Coffee Bean ‏ @CoffeeBean26

BUSTED: Sheboygan called out Gov Walker on his "savings" numbers. He backtracked some, but still dispute http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20120425/SHE0101/204250410/State-claims-City-Sheboygan-s-budget-savings-numbers-off? #WIunion

......Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said Tuesday that the numbers the state reported included $987,600 in pension savings to the city combined with savings from employees who are now paying toward their health insurance.

The problem, Werwie acknowledged, was that the $987,600 in pension savings was based on a report from the non-partisan state Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which used 2009 payroll data and didn't account for the 30 or so positions the city has eliminated or frozen since then.

Also, the governor's estimate assumed Sheboygan employees weren't previously paying any money toward their health insurance, when in fact most were already paying 8 to 10 percent.......

Alfred
Read again---WI lost PRIVATE sector jobs.

Gal from Wisconsin ‏ @AndersonLimey
Officials: Wisconsin loses 4,300 private sector jobs in March | Money - http://Channel3000.com http://www.channel3000.com/money/Officials-Wisconsin-loses-4-300-private-sector-jobs-in-March/-/1644/11189776/-/1uq8hrz/-/index.html #wiunion