FollowUp 35: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Voting begins in Wisconsin recall election in the morning.  Today's Fox News Opinion page featured a column by Arthur Herman of the American Enterprise Institute.  You won't be surprised that I disagree with much of what Mr. Herman has to say.

A lot hinges on whether Wisconsin voters decide to keep Gov. Scott Walker, or put a Democrat in his place who’s heavily backed by public-sector unions, who’ve been fighting a bitter 18-month battle with Walker. What’s happening in Wisconsin is really a battle for everyone’s future -- and whether government employees are our servants or our masters.

Recent polls suggest Walker may survive the recall effort. Certainly Democrat Tom Barrett’s campaign has largely downplayed the issues that led to the recall in the first place, namely raising the contribution Wisconsin public employees make to their health benefits and pensions, and ending compulsory collective bargaining. Everyone is realizing that Walker’s prediction that passing these two provisions would save the Badger State from insolvency, and return power over their government to voters, is coming true.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has not been downplaying the issues that led to the recall.  Mr. Herman is not addressing those issues in a way that makes this clear.  The question of health benefits and pensions is not the problem.  When Governor Walker asked for concessions from the unions, he got them.  The immediate response was not to agree to every request but to sit down at the negotiating table and discuss them.  There were no absolute negatives at first.

The problem comes in that the Governor did not simply ask for financial concessions from every public sector union in Wisconsin (most of which do not affect the state budget), he demanded that the unions give up the right to negotiate for the restoration of these concessions in the future.  That is where the unions said no.

Legislating the end to collective bargaining did not affect the budget as Mr. Herman, parroting Governor Walker, suggests, did not "save the Badger State from insolvency", and did not "return power over government to voters".  Those are all lies.  They are big lies and those lies are at the heart of why Mr. Walker is facing this recall election.

Wisconsinites are funny. They love their individuality and their freedom -- which is why Wisconsin is big on the right to bear arms. But they also pride themselves on being progressive-minded. Wisconsin was the first state to allow public sector unions back in 1959. Wisconsin residents never have been instinctive foes of big government -- that is, until big government began to drain them dry.

While it is certainly true that Wisconsinites love both their individuality and their freedom, Mr. Herman is confusing ideas here again.  The right to bear arms is not under threat by Mayor Barrett, but by Governor Walker's "deer czar".  Wisconsinites are upset because Governor Walker has proposed legislation that is intrusive into the doctor's office.  That kind of government is not welcome.

In 2010 they elected Walker to deal with the issue. Facing a massive $137 million deficit, Walker asked workers like teachers and firefighters to make a tiny increase in the amount they had to pay for their health and future benefits -- less than half what government workers pay on average elsewhere- -- and allow local communities to decide for themselves how much to pay their municipal employees. Otherwise, he said, some 5,500 Wisconsin public jobs would have to go.

Teachers' health benefits had zero effect on the state budget.  Mr. Herman is lying.  Most of what Governor Walker requested was granted by the unions, but the GOP proceeded to kill collective bargaining anyway.  But the big issue is buried here.  Balancing the Wisconsin budget, something that Governor Doyle managed to do after being left with a huge mess by Governors Thompson and McCallum, did not require cutting back on public sector employee costs.  It was only because Governor Walker and the GOP majority legislature gave huge tax cuts to big businesses that cuts in expenditures were needed.  This was a problem that Governor Walker created, not one that he inherited.

The unions screamed no, and pushed back hard. Americans remember the scenes last February, with pro-union demonstrators camping out in the State Capitol, shouting obscenities, scrawling graffiti and trying to intimidate legislators into rejecting any reform that would save their state from fiscal collapse, no matter how tiny. Not very Wisconsin-like behavior. It was, in fact, a preview of Occupy Wall Street -- and, like Occupy Wall Street, it woke up people to what can happen when you hand over power to people who have no stake in your posterity.

Mr. Herman is implying that the unions rejecting cutting back on health benefits and pension benefits.  That is a lie.  The unions "pushed back hard" to the proposal to eliminate collective bargaining.  They did shout and they did occupy the Wisconsin State Capitol building.  But after occupying the Capitol for weeks they did far less damage than Mr. Herman, again parroting Governor Walker, alleges.  But he is correct that this was the real start of the Occupy Movement.

The real problem with unions is that they lock employer and employed in a status quo based on the present. They say to their members, “you’ll be able work at this job for this employer, for these wages -- wages we will fight to raise year after year for every employee, regardless of who’s better at his or her job later on, or whether the company is doing well or not.”

Wrong.  Collective bargaining is about negotiating.  The "status quo" is the starting point for those negotiations, not necessarily the final product.  Of course unions fight for the best pay and benefit package that they can negotiate, but it is a negotiation.  Unions typically don't get all of the benefits that they request and businesses or governments don't get all of the concessions that they request.  If a company isn't negotiating based upon how well they are doing, then they do not have effective negotiators.

The dynamic of economic growth and capitalism, by contrast, is built around the future: anticipating and adapting to changes in the marketplace, incorporating new inventions and technologies to produce more at a lower cost, finding workers who are willing to leave work in an industry that’s unprofitable to go to one that is (just as millions of Americans left dirt poor farms in the 20th century to work in factories and plants).

That is not a contrast to the reality of businesses and unions, only to the caricature that Mr. Herman and the folks at the American Enterprise Institute portray it to be.  Unions negotiate.  I have been part of a union negotiating team where we got most of what we wanted.  Later, in worse economic conditions, I was part of a group advising a union negotiating team where we got far less of what we wanted.  Reality does play a big part in the negotiations and both sides always have to give a little.

Mr. Herman hints here at one of the myths that his organization likes to tell.  "You can't fire a teacher who is not teaching well."  It is a myth.  When a teacher has tenure, that means that the teacher cannot be fired without showing cause.  It is a system that prevents a teacher from approaching retirement and being fired to save money on pension expenses, unless that teacher is failing to do her or his job.

Families, like capitalism, look to the future. How will we pay the mortgage next month and next year? How can we help our kids to get to college? Will they have a better life than their parents? In 2010 Wisconsin families realized that future was about to be crushed under an avalanche of debts and rising taxes. They asked Scott Walker to find a solution, and he did. The unions fought a brighter future for the sake of a disastrous present -- one that even doomed their own jobs -- and lost.

Scott Walker is on tape campaigning and saying that he was not going to go after the unions.  He lied.  Wisconsin was not "about to be crushed under and avalanche of debts and rising taxes" except that Mr. Walker gave tax breaks to those who needed them least.  Unions didn't doom their jobs, the GOP did.

If Wisconsin families win again now in the recall fight, it will send a clear message to state capitals across the country and Washington: The future is important to us. Step up and save it, as Scott Walker did, and we will reward you by keeping you in office. It will also send a clear message to America’s unions: help us to move this country forward or get out of the way. This Tuesday, we are all from Wisconsin.

Wisconsin families win if Governor Walker is removed from office.  Wisconsin has always been a purple state, with give and take between the Republicans and the Democrats.  Under Governor Walker, there was no give and take, he just took.  The balance needs to be restored.

As I write, it is less than twenty-four hours before the polls close in Wisconsin and we learn whether the Republicans or the Democrats did a better job at turning out their voters.  Less than twenty-four hours before we learn whether balance is restored to the Dairy State.  I agree with Mr. Herman that this Tuesday, we are all from Wisconsin.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.

5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 33: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

While most of the attention in Wisconsin continues to be on the gubernatorial recall election, coming up on Tuesday 5 June, there is a lot more happening on the ground.  Here is an example of a state senate ad and a news story on the issue.  I will then offer a few thoughts as to why this is really horribly misleading.



Originally, there was an ad on this topic that was mailed out. It was discussed on Channel 4.

"Lehman voted for felons. Putting our communities in danger, John Lehman voted for early inmate release."

That was the beginning text in the video version of the ad, sent out by the Wisconsin Recall Action Fund on their Stop the Recall YouTube Channel.  The words are certainly provocative.  The inmate release was, according to the ad, part of the 2009 Assembly Bill 75.  If you follow that link, the first thing that you are likely to notice is that the pdf is over seventeen hundred pages long.  This is the 2009 state budget, not a simple and isolated bill.  The part regarding early release for inmates is fairly early in the document, beginning on page 13 and running for four solid pages of text. 

Early inmate release is limited to those inmates who gain approval of a parole board and, depending upon the class of felony, sets conditions for rehabilitation programs, supervision, electronic monitoring and tracking, appeals and hearings.  Those who committed violent crimes and crimes against children, those who would most put communities in danger, are not eligible for early release.

On its face, the ad is horribly misleading.  But the scare tactic being used is based on a flawed premise, that early release of inmates endangers communities.  If you speak with a prison warden, she or he will tell you that they are opposed to fixed sentences without parole.  Having a parole possibility gives the guards a tool, an incentive for good behavior within the prison.  That incentive helps inmates through their rehabilitation programs, making the prisons safer, lowering recidivism, and allowing for safer communities after inmates are released.

The truth is diametrically opposed to the conclusion of the ad.  Mr. Lehman's vote made Wisconsin communities safer.

This local ad in SouthEast Wisconsin counts as dirty tricks in my book.  It is pulling legislative provisions out of context, presenting scare tactics without real basis, and telling implicit lies as to the goals of a candidate.  Will it scare voters enough to vote against Mr. Lehman?  Perhaps.  The Recall for Governor is tightening, though still looking like it is in Governor Walker's favor.  Gathering millions of signatures was not enough.  If Wisconsin is to move beyond the Walker lies and destruction of unions and women's rights, then the Democrats and Independents who have had enough of Mr. Walker and Mr. Wanggaard need to cast their ballots on Tuesday.  The election will come down to who turns out the votes.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.

2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 32: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Governor Scott Walker sent me an e-mail today, 24 May 2012. Here we go again.

Patriot,

Well, that is how I view myself.  I didn't expect Mr. Walker to be so astute.

This is it. The Wisconsin Recall election is less than three weeks away.

Um, no.  Less than two weeks away, but it's okay by me if Mr. Walker's supporters turn out a week late.

The liberal special interests and Washington insiders have sworn to spend tens of millions of dollars to defeat me. I need your help right now to beat back this senseless Recall. Will you stand with me today?

No.  Again, he claims that outside money is pouring in to his opponents.  The truth is that Governor Walker has tens of millions more than do Wisconsin Democrats, much of his money coming from outside of Wisconsin.

For more than a generation in Wisconsin, the power of special interests and the liberal elite have gone largely unchecked. My Administration finally stood up to them, and we changed the way we do things in government in Wisconsin.

No.  Mr. Walker wants to pretend that the last generation did not include Republican Tommy Thompson as Wisconsin's longest serving governor ever.  Is he really calling Mr. Thompson a liberal?  If you look at the recent history of governors of Wisconsin, it is fairly balanced between Democrats and Republicans.  Neither side has "gone largely unchecked."  Liar.

That’s why my opponents are so desperate to defeat me in this Recall. They want to roll back the clock and take us back to the days of skyrocketing taxes, bloated budgets, and unchecked and unaccountable spending. We cannot let that happen.

No.  While Governor Walker has cut taxes on businesses, it is not true for the average Wisconsinite.  He is spending money beyond Wisconsin's tax revenue, something that was not true of his immediate predecessor.

The moment I became Governor, I set about the work that the people of Wisconsin sent me to do. We eliminated the deficit left by my Democrat predecessor. We gave the freedom of choice to public employees. Our reforms have allowed public employees to decide if they would like to spend (in some cases more than a thousand dollars a year in dues) or keep their hard earned money. We finally put the control of state government back where it belongs, in the hands of the people.

No.  This is a lie.  Mr. Walker was not left a mess.  His reforms took away collective bargaining from public employees; which is not an increase of choice.  That was after lying during the 2010 campaign and stating that he was not going after unions.  Mr. Walker is a proven liar on this.

I kept my promises to the voters here in Wisconsin. I didn’t raise taxes. We have not had massive lay offs of state workers. Our reforms have balanced the budget and lowered the unemployment rate to a level unseen since 2008.

No.  Mr. Walker is using fake employment figures.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Wisconsin losing jobs in April.  Mr. Walker is a liar.

Now I need you to help me tell the out-of-state special interests that we do not want another tax-and-spend liberal in charge here in Wisconsin.

No.  Again, Mr. Walker is the one who has cornered the out-of-state special interests, CrossRoads GPS and the Koch brothers to name two of the biggest funders of his bid to keep his seat.

This Recall is not just about Wisconsin, it is about the cause of reform across this country. It is about deciding what kind of country we are going to be for generations to come. We must send a message that we can and will live within our means. We must not hand power back to a small group of special interests and let them run state governments into the ground across this great nation.

The recall is about deciding what kind of country we want.  Do we want balance between labor and business?  Do we want a viable middle class?  Do we want women to have control of their healthcare and bodies?  Do we want fully funded schools and strong education for our children?  Do we want fair taxes for everyone including businesses?  Or do we want Governor Walker's radical reform?

When we defeat this baseless Recall, it will send a powerful statement across our country about the kind of government we want to have and the bold reforms that will get us there.

The recall is not baseless.  It is based on the actions of Mr. Walker; actions in contradiction to the promises that he made when he sought the office of governor.

We have less than a month to go. I need your help – not tomorrow, not next week, but right now.

Okay.  Less than two weeks is also less than a month.

Today, I ask you to stand with me so I can continue to stand up for hard working taxpayers. Together, we can defeat this Recall and make history – in Wisconsin and across the country.

Keeping Governor Walker in office increases the burden on "hard working taxpayers" and relieves the burden on big business.  Mr. Walker is a liar.

Sincerely,

Scott Walker
Governor

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.

30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 31: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Ed Shultz has a good analysis of the big lie about jobs.  The lies go far beyond what is popular in the news and the recall election is going to be very close.

One of the things happening is a subtle campaign to discredit unions and teachers in particular.  One of the more blatant efforts occurred recently in Janesville, Wisconsin, with an anonymous flyer listing the salaries of hundreds of the highest paid teachers in the Janesville district.

The flyer urges parents to mail the district a cutout form if they want their student removed from the class of a teacher who signed the recall petition.

Fox 11 has the story:

Fliers seeking "non-radical teachers" in Janesville creating controversy: fox11online.com

This is just the latest of a long series of events designed to break the public schools.  While that may sound like hyperbole, consider that Wisconsin is losing teachers.

"In the end both sides will look at this and say, 'See, I told you so,' " said Dale J. Knapp, research director of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.

Knapp said there were three major take-aways from the research.

"The decline in teachers particularly and staff overall isn't a one-year change," he said. "It is a continuation of a three-year decline that goes back to when revenue limits were tightened in 2009-'10."

He said, "declining enrollment districts are the ones cutting the most staff. They're the ones getting hit hardest by revenue limits overall. They're the ones that are really struggling."

Knapp added that "benefits did matter."

"Those districts that were able to do more with benefits were able to either add teachers or lay off fewer teachers than districts in similar situations," he said.

One more video regarding this flyer, this from Channel 3000:


So, as teachers remain under fire and big lies are circulated by the Governor, where are the Democrats?  Speaking with friends in Wisconsin, they are wondering why the DNC and the Obama campaign are not visibly helping Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in his campaign against Governor Scott Walker.

One friend opined that there may be moles from the Walker campaign within the Barrett campaign who are offering false assurances that things are going well.  I don't have any evidence for or against this happening, but with several of my friends concerned, it is important to consider what is happening.  Look back over the last thirty-one posts for a pattern of lies and harm to the State of Wisconsin.  I hope that the Barrett campaign gets its act together.


16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.

24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 29: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

So, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker now has a clear target, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett who won Tuesday's primary.  And the distortions and lies are ramping up.  There are six claims made in this new ad, with varying amounts of accuracy.

"Walker has focused on creating jobs"

Not exactly.  As a new Governor, Mr. Walker called a special session of the Wisconsin legislature in January of 2011 to focus on tax breaks for the wealthiest people in Wisconsin.  These tax breaks also went to businesses, which may be where Mr. Walker is claiming he focused on creating jobs, but it didn't work.  The new tax breaks resulted in a budget deficit which he later claimed to have inherited.

"and balanced the budget without raising taxes"

Well, it is true that he didn't raise taxes.  Instead he cut programs and eliminated collective bargaining for public sector employees who had not supported him in his 2010 election.  The budget which had been brought into balance by former Governor Jim Doyle was now out of balance.

"Scott Walker eliminated Wisconsin's deficit."

No.  Mr. Walker created that deficit.

"Under the Barrett administration, Milwaukee ranked 4th worst in the nation in poverty"

This is true.

"3rd worst in employment"

Also true, but let's put this into some perspective.  The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explored the issue of unemployment in Milwaukee and in the state of Wisconsin.  Perhaps a graphic from them will help.

The truth is that the Great Recession, becoming evident at the end of the Bush years, clobbered everyone.  The City of Milwaukee, as Wisconsin's largest urban center, naturally got hit hard.  That hit to Milwaukee was proportional to the hit to the State of Wisconsin and the rest of the United States.  Neither Mayor Barrett nor Governor Walker are responsible for the Great Recession.

"and property taxes skyrocketed."

As Governor Walker cut back on services, Mayor Barrett attempted to keep up.  Local taxes are the only response to the state pulling back resources or things would have been worse still.

These arguments are distortions and distractions.  Governor Walker would not be facing a recall election next month if he really had focused on creating jobs.  Instead, he focused on destroying unions, undermining social programs, and removing access to women's health care.  That is why he is facing a redo of the November 2010 election less than two years later.

Mayor Barrett has a somewhat mixed record, as was discussed clearly by his biggest primary opponent, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.  That record is nowhere near the disaster described by Mr. Walker.  But Mr. Barrett has not been a disaster as Governor of Wisconsin as Mr. Walker has.  If the Democrats of Wisconsin are wise, they will focus on Scott Walker's real record.  In a sense, the June election is placing Mr. Walker on trial.  No matter how wonderful or less than wonderful Mr. Barrett, it is Mr. Walker who lied to Wisconsin about his stand on unions and undermined decades of fairness in Wisconsin.

I was going to close the discussion here, but just received a link to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, a candidate to replaced the retiring Herb Kohl for the United States Senate this November, on MSNBC with Chuck Todd this morning.  Her discussion goes far beyond just the gubernatorial race but is germane.  The discussion of the recall begins at the 5:50 mark.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Late evening update:  Channel 3000 reports that a series of reports at WISC-TV finds the Walker ad misleading.  They go through a number of the details, including that Mr. Walker was Milwaukee County Executive for seven of the eight years that Mr. Barrett was Mayor of the City of Milwaukee, which does imply some degree of joint responsibility for the problems in Milwaukee.  Read their short article, please, for yourself.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.

13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 27: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Another followup on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's complaint about big money pouring into the recall election from out of state.  Channel 3000 has a short article about some of Mr. Walker's big donors, many from out of state.

They've come up big for the embattled governor as he faces recall this spring, helping him shatter Wisconsin's political fundraising record. Campaign finance reports filed Monday show Walker raised a record $13.1 million between Jan. 18 and last week.

Among his chief benefactors were Diane M. Hendricks, founder of Beloit-based American Builders and Contractors Supply Co.; Sheldon Adelson, chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands casino; and Richard DeVos, owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team and co-founder of the Amway Corp., a direct-sales company.

Five others handed him $100,000 each.

The first one, Ms. Hendricks, is in private equity (same profession that Mitt Romney was prior to being a politician) and is based in Wisconsin.  The rest of those listed are from outside of Wisconsin.  Mr. Adelson, famous for funding much of Newt Gingrich's SuperPAC from Nevada, jumps out as notable.  This is a lot of out of state money.



The hypocrisy from the Governor is fairly blatant at the start of this clip from Channel 3000. Whether the Democrats choose Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett or former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk to run in June, the money is distinctly lopsided.

In terms of the Republican Primary, Arthur Kohl-Riggs has raised about two thousand dollars to go up against the Governor's millions.

Of course, the attention in Wisconsin will be on the Democratic Primary on 8 May for another week.  Then the spotlight can return to the lies from Governor Walker and a state in crisis that Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, campaigning for Governor Walker, is blaming on "a narrow group of citizens."

Sorry, Mr. Christie, but the labor movement is not a narrow group of citizens.  The labor movement is at the heart of society and the core of the middle class.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.

6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 26: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

About a week ago, I wrote about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker complaining about big money being spent against him in the recall effort.  With the recall primary just one week away, a couple of news articles are germane.

The Duluth News Tribune reports that unions are about to spend $1 million in ads on behalf of Kathleen Falk, who is currently polling behind Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in the Democratic primary race.

A group supported by the statewide teachers union, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, as well as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees announced it was buying $1 million of television, cable and online advertising time beginning Friday and running through May 7, the day before the primary.

The teachers' union is having an internal debate over this because while Mr. Barrett has not been a union friendly in his role as Mayor of Milwaukee as the unions would like he is polling considerably better than Ms. Falk.  The union wants to back a winner and wants to defeat Governor Walker.

Falk won union support after promising to veto any state budget that doesn't restore collective bargaining rights. Barrett refused to make such a pledge.

Barrett spokesman Phil Walzak said despite the barrage of negative ads, “the polls show Tom is the consensus favorite of the people to take on Scott Walker.”

Falk and representatives of numerous unions — including WEAC, AFSCME, the Sierra Club, Emily's List and the American Federation of Teachers — said they would get out the vote through phone banks, mailings and word of mouth to deliver a victory. Wisconsin For Falk said it was using its 18 field offices across the state to drive voter turnout.

It should be noted that Mayor Barrett lost to then Milwaukee County Executive Walker in the last gubernatorial race.  So, big money is being spent as Mr. Walker claimed.  But, based on a report in the Republic, an Indiana newspaper, there appears to be more money flowing toward the Governor than his opponents.

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's leading business lobbying group says it has purchased $2 million worth of television air time to run a spot in support of Republican Gov. Scott Walker starting Monday.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce vice president James Buchen says the spot running statewide does not mention any of the Democrats seeking to take on Walker. Instead, Buchen says the spot is designed to make the case that Walker's policies are improving the state.

The ads from Scott Walker, against Tom Barrett and against Kathleen Falk, are decidedly not what WMC is going to run.  It is likely that the WMC will run something like what the Stop the Recall folks did previously.

So, where is the money?  Everywhere it seems.  Despite his whining about money on the other side, Mr. Walker seems to be more than well funded.  We'll really see things heat up after 8 May (the primary).

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.

2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 25: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

As I have mentioned before, it is normal with an election coming up that candidates, liberal or conservative, tend to move toward the center.  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is not normal.

Mr. Walker is doubling down in his attack on teachers.

Madison - Gov. Scott Walker used his broad new powers to reshape a rule to lower inflation-based raises that public unions can negotiate by 30% or more for teachers in public schools and technical colleges.

The rule change would not use an individual's actual salary as a "base salary" to calculate raises and would exclude factors such as a teacher's higher degree.

There are two aspects of this that are typical of the Governor and reasons to support a recall.  First for teachers, this is another huge slap in the face and hit to the wallet.  Teachers who go on to earn a masters degree or doctorate are usually paying out of pocket for that degree and the compensation for learning more for their students is higher pay over time, which may go away.  Further, limiting pay increases to cost of living increases while requiring teachers to pay a greater percentage of their pension and healthcare means a net cut to the take home paycheck.  There will likely be a lawsuit over this change.

Katy Lounsbury, a Madison labor attorney, said the rules effectively neuter teachers unions in their bargaining over salaries. She said the rules may result in legal action because she believes they violate people's rights to associate.

"It certainly seems worthy of a challenge," she said. "It penalizes members of a union."

Second, this is happening while other public sector employees are being rewarded with bonuses, even while the state is running in the red.

MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Scott Walker has quietly reinstated a program to give merit raises and bonuses to some state workers even as he preaches cost-cutting and pushed through a bill eliminating most public employees' collective bargaining rights.

An analysis of data obtained by The Associated Press shows Wisconsin agencies have handed out more than $765,000 in bonuses and merit raises this year to 218 employees. The money was distributed under a program suspended by former Gov. Jim Doyle but reinstated by Walker last year.

The raises come as the state faces a $143 million shortfall and after the collective bargaining law required thousands of workers to contribute more to their pensions and health care.

This combination of acts looks like Mr. Walker is continuing to play favorites and reward cronies while punishing the unions that he sees as his enemies.  Given his attacks, the unions certainly are his enemies by now.

The ballots are approaching, primaries on 8 May and recall election on 5 June.  The dirty tricks continue.

So, what does Mr. Walker think about all of this?  He was interviewed by Stuart Varney on the Your World with Neil Cavuto Show on Friday.



It should be pointed out that Mr. Walker is a liar when saying that Republicans prevailed in all six recalls in 2011. The Republicans won four and the Democrats won two.  That is not "We ultimately prevailed in each of those races."

Regarding the money, 24% of Governor Walker's donors are sending in big money.  That is a huge percentage for a state campaign.  He neither addressed where the big money is coming from (think Koch brothers) nor how much is from out of state (think Koch brothers).

No mention is made of Arthur Kohl-Riggs, the Governor's primary challenger. Keeping to form, Mr. Walker proceeds with a cocky attitude and divisive attacks on labor in his state.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.

29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 24: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Despite apparent fraud, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board is allowing the six zombie candidates, people admitting to be fake Democrats in order to force the Democrats through the cost and time required for primary elections, to stay on the ballots in May.  Channel 3000 provides the reasoning.

The state Government Accountability Board voted Tuesday to allow the candidates to run because state law doesn't require people to prove they belong to any political party before they can run for office. Democrats objected saying the candidates falsely represented themselves and therefore filed fraudulent paperwork.

The recalls target Republican Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and three incumbent senators. A fourth Senate seat is open.

Republicans say the goal was to ensure there is a primary in all the races so the general election will be on the same date. The primary is May 8 and the general election is June 5.

The dirty tricks just go on and on.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.

21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.