Every dog has his day.

@Bucky
7:46pm on Tuesday, October 11, 2011
I see your in love.

It should be "you're" in love - a contraction meaning you are. Not "your" as in "your use of contractions must have been 'learned" in the public school system." If you are going to make a jab, at least show us that you know your grammar.

Gilligan's my hero!

I see your in love.

Another home schooling victim. It's You're!

Are you referring to a meatball sandwich?

Bren, can you back up that number? Didn't think so. As far as little man tate goes...enough said.

Good call Duane! That number was pure supposition from Tate, of which he provided no source or hard fact to back up. I'm still waiting for Tate to apologize to Kathy Nickolaus. What's that? Oh, nevermind, I guess those on the left don't know how to apologize when they're proven factually wrong. Silly me, I should have realized!

I can't wait to test this State's resolve to fight back and regain WI's dignity again, Walker is a liar !

I'll bet that you and most of the other 'recall' crowd cannot actually spell it out in detail WHY you (they) want him recalled. It's all a rhetorical mantra at this point. 'Recall Walker' sounds like you are taking a stand, but I'll bet 9 out of 10 of that crowd can't quantify the grounds that would justify a recall. Here's the argument boiled down for those engaged in the mis-direction of it all: "I like Coke better than Pepsi! KILL PEPSI" "Well, I like PEPSI better than Coke! KILL COKE!" The argument is over a brand name recognition and affiliation, the Demorcrat brand or the Repblican brand. Meanwhile, the people attack each other and can't even agree on how to take responsibility for our own future, putting all of our security and fortunes in the basket of the very f'd-up 2 party system.

Justice to the people, Walkers going down.

bucky...you mean union hack right?

He get's 15 minutes on the computer in the day room and this is how he elects to use it. Pitiful.

justice bucky? god forbid teachers should be evaluated and payed by performance

@Zach -- how do you evaluate a teacher by performance? Standardized tests that lead to teaching to the test and nothing else? No wonder we're turning out morons.

Look at it this way -- if you were to choose a surgeon based on his/her mortality rates, you might do well to shun the one whose greatest percentage of patients died. That person might just be a poor surgeon. But that surgeon also might be to one with the skill to take on the worst cases and save some of them.

Bear in mind the raw material teachers have to work with nowadays -- families whose single parents are barely literate themselves and quite unable to help with homework or provide an intellectually stimulating home life. A teacher's overall scores may be dismal, but he or she may have reached the few minds in the class with potential for greater things. Think about it.

I don't think that standardized tests themselves are a fair evaluation of the teacher. I do think that any teacher that teaches to the test should be evaluated negatively because of it.

It isn't that big a mystery to know who the best and worst teachers are in a school. I'm sure that the administration can come up with a method for fair evaluations of a teacher's job performance, and reward those who do a great job and get rid of those who aren't...

Frankly, had they run a few drug screenings or installed a breathalyzer in the teacher's lounge of a couple of the schools I attended, that would have cleared out at least a portion of the problem. But I digress

Like CD says, there has to be some way to evaluate their performance. We've managed to overcome greater obstacles in this nation of ours. Oddly enough we seem perfectly willing to accept pretty much as gospel grades given to students by this same group.

Spot on, Randy1949!

@Zach -- how do you evaluate a teacher by performance? Standardized tests that lead to teaching to the test and nothing else? No wonder we're turning out morons.

Look at it this way -- if you were to choose a surgeon based on his/her mortality rates, you might do well to shun the one whose greatest percentage of patients died. That person might just be a poor surgeon. But that surgeon also might be to one with the skill to take on the worst cases and save some of them.

Bear in mind the raw material teachers have to work with nowadays -- families whose single parents are barely literate themselves and quite unable to help with homework or provide an intellectually stimulating home life. A teacher's overall scores may be dismal, but he or she may have reached the few minds in the class with potential for greater things. Think about it.

I hope that the money spent is coming out of your pocket.

Criaig, Seem like you have hour own "retatarded vendetta". Must be the result of home schooling.

Guess what ! We all get to share the expense! It's the democratic way! And I find a way to add to my share. I want the crooked creep out and looking for a new job !
Maybe he could learn to pick crops in GA. I hear they need lots of help.

Amen. Imagine if the loss had been on the right...you wouldn't see the republicans running out of the state like scared little girls...I would be ashamed to be on the same side as Rosie, who is calling for the guillotine and killings on wall street. Plenty of hypocrites in our state too, unfortunately.

Wasn't that the plan all along?

Don't wish to hard , you may end up in Walker's slave camp.

Oh the police are holding a gun to your head and the firefighters are blocking your path on the way to work? What a shame! How in the world is your right to work being impinged? And furthermore that's not mentioned specifically in the Constitution!

And if the shoe were on the other foot, they couldn't make it a law fast enough for their own purposes. Grow up. I'll bet you turn into a sniveling, whining, hiccuping baby when you don't get your way in "real life."

Marcia, Are you a victim of public education or home schooling? WAIST is that part of the body sorta around your middle. You must wear a money belt? Is that how you "WASTE" money?

That's all you have Thurston, the grammar police response? Hard to go after Walker since he is such a hero.

No Steve, it will be relatively easy as you'll find out.

Of course it will be easy for your friends, you know, the ones who spend other people's money!

Just curious Bob. Who would that be? Don't be coy.

@Marcia... yet another example of home schooling. The word is "waste" not "waist".

All of you Walker fans might want to read this commentary from Forbes (that well known "leftist" rag).

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2011/03/04/gov-scott-walker-has-lost-the-war/

@Barb -- I pay taxes too. So Scott Walker spends my money as he sees fit, which I've lately learned includes $60,000 worth of iPads and internet service for his semi-privatized Wisconsin Economic Development Corp: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/131336349.html

The Left and the Right just have different ideas about how best to spend someone else's money.

First of all, it's WASTE...not WAIST like just above your hips.

And second, isn't it just as much of a waste to have a State Troop parked 24/7 outside of Scooter McPuppyeyes house for 4 years, just to bust the guy who beeps his horn each day on his way home from work?

@Steve--A hero to college dropouts everywhere who desire to bully knuckleheads in to following you. Ah the American dream!

@Duane Michalski...Time to go back and sit in your truck and turn the radio up and listen to Mark Belling, he'll tell you what to think..

@Lyle...Please enlighten us to your wisdom, what is wrong with Duane's comment?
It looks like 100% facts to me.
BTW I polished my tractor today, does that make me a Neanderthal? I think my tractor's sexy :-P.

Lyle knows the real story, he alwasy does. The rest of us are just sheep that were feed a different reality. Please tell use Lyle why socalim would have been a better solution to liberalism and why Walker is the Devil.

Lyle,

That was weak! Should we watch the main stream media - "We lie - You decide" for our news? Does Ed Schultz tell you what to think?

Don't ya just love the smell of right wing hubris in the morning? Our experience with Walker's incompetence in Milwaukee county reminds those of us who are rational that it won't take long to look under the hood to see the damage that will be caused, like what happens when you think engine maintenance consists of just adding gas. But by that time, Walker will be recalled.

Why..because those who have been living off the Govt. teet have such an entitlement mindset - "It's mine!" they whine. They are nearly enslaved as the inner city handout recipients. Former cop here - grow up left! Pay your fair share. In 2005, the dept where I worked wanted to file a grievance because the "family" insurance rate was going from $16.00 a month to $32.00 a month. I laughed at them, refused to join and told them that most of my spouse's co-workers were paying $350/mo. Talk about out of touch.

Unless you are running surveillance on me you don't know a thing about me so don't make assumptions, or is that what you base all of you political decisions on?

If you have a problem with people living off the government there are far bigger fish to go after than the people you imagine. So why not spend your time and be useful going after the people who are really taking your money?

If you knew what you are talking about you'd know that most inner city people would prefer to have a real job.

Turning this guy into the feds for future investigation.

Yes, indeed... MONKEY BUSINESS!

Wisconsin is open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business , open for business. Think its time to rewind your brain Scotty.

Only one Kakaunna, and next year their budget does't make it.

Really bucky? How about Franklin, Muskego, Waterford, Mauston, Elmbrook, Sheboygan, and many many more. Hell even the City of Milwaukee ( Barrett a dem) will be saving nearly $25 Million. OH OH..the facts are coming out and guess what Walker was RIGHT!!!!

litle man tate don't have the....to talk to me. I have tried and he runs away like a little baby. He is such a communist (fill in the blank)

@Duane Michalski...Your tough talk makes Neanderthals look civilized, last time I heard anyone talk like that was in middle school. Time to go polish your truck.

Lyle, you lose. You can't debate on the merit or facts and you regress (as all liberals do - all the time) to stale name calling.

@Ima Hippee...You don't know Duane do you?

Correction Zach: Obama has done quite a bit. Quite a bit more destruction of the private sector and pushing us further in debt with the social spending.

Walker for president

About that, I'm reserving judgement until I get my next property tax bill.

Randy1949 - What would your next property tax bill have to do with any of Walker's policies? All he did was cap the amount they could be raised in a year, and give tools to local governments and school districts to implement. Walker can't force the local governments and districts to use those tools. So, if you do see a property tax increase, thank your local government and school board leaders/officials - not Walker. Unless of course you want to thank him for capping the amount of increase that the local's can ultimately impose, should they choose to raise your taxes. Nor in all fairness should you hold Walker accountable for prior local/district mismanagement or burdensome debt obligations incurred by such.

Several localities/districts that have chosen to fully implement those tools are now seeing surpluses in their budgets, so obviously whatever problem you’re having with your property taxes is fully attributable to your local/district leaders. Maybe it’s time for you to start cleaning-up close to home and get some Walker-like leaders into local/district government, eh??? I thought you might like that idea :-)

@James R. Hoffa -- my property tax bill has a lot to do with it, because in my experience every 'austerity' measure at the federal or state level (translation: less revenue sharing) just kicks the expense further downhill. It's all our money anyway, and it doesn't take a genius to see that we'll either pay more at the local level (property taxes or user fees) or deal with a reduction in services.

By all rights, my property tax bill should go down after the next assessment because my home and land are worth much less in fair market value than they were last time. They sure weren't shy about doubling the taxes based on the perceived extra value of everyone's property, so the converse should hold true.

Do I want a local government that runs my town like a business? No -- my fellow residents and I are human beings not commodities.

$ 60,000 in ipads ? That was your money Zach that Wacky Walker just spent.

@Randy1949 -

If we take Walker at his word, and we have to on this one as there is no hard factual data debunking this (but plenty of Koch Bros conspiracy theories), he didn't want to have to cut the state aid as drastically as he did. The policies of Doyle illegally raiding funds that had to be paid back and leveraging our state's future to the hilt kind of forced his hand on this. It was either cut or raise taxes in an economic climate that is one of the worst since the great depression. What would you have done? And to prevent the same from happening in the future, he put his foot down to borrowing money and leveraging our future even more than it already is. A wise decision, as after all, isn't over-leveraging ultimately how the Wall Street banks got into the mess they did back in 2008? I think so. So far, everything Walker's doing makes brilliant sense given what he has to work with.

How did just throwing money, wherein the spending of such had little accountability, show any kind of positive results other than enriching select special interest that were able to take advantage? Just because you reduce the amount of funding doesn't mean a cut in services or a reduction in quality of the services so long as you couple those cuts with incentives for efficiency, economy, and effectiveness. Walker did just that in the BRB by giving school districts the power to hire, fire, and pay based solely on performance. What better incentive does one have to work hard than reward?

@James R. Hoffa -- never mind the teachers and the garbage collectors for a minute. How do you defend Walker's decision to cut BadgerCare and SeniorCare (bear in mind, BadgerCare Plus was designed to help those employees of small businesses that couldn't afford to provide health insurance coverage) while giving tax breaks to the upper bracket folks who are hurting a lot less in this horrible economic climate? How about the child-care subsidies for the Workfare mothers, since we don't have welfare anymore? It wasn't the cuts so much as where he chose to make them that shows where his priorities lie.

If the state is that broke that some people are kicked off Medicaid (which will simply pass the ER costs on to the rest of us in the form of higher hospital fees and insurance premiums) then why the iPads? Trust me -- you can do good work on a desktop, a cellphone and a ring binder notepad if you have to.

Thank you, Mr. Foley. You are spot on.

Foley, go join your goons and quit being the moral police. You kicked me off once for such a minor infraction that I think you and your ilk are soft in Hudson.

Not sure what "Don't try to trick people" is all about...but...okay, will try not to do that...I guess.

Nate: We prefer civility up here in Hudson. Our Patch is a community center, not a cage match. I wouldn't call that "soft."

Bob: I think the "Don't try to trick people" bit is explained pretty well at http://hudson-wi.patch.com/terms. Feel free to give it a good read when you get a chance.

Also, I'd just like to remind folks to use the "flag as inappropriate" link when you see a comment that you think violates our terms. It really helps make comment moderation easier for us Patch editors.

Read it Michael. It's pretty self-explanatory without attempting to dumb portions of it down to "Don't try to trick people" and creating gray areas.

Okay Foley, certainly not a cage match, but don't play god with people's comments if you can't draw the difference between being snarky and vicious. I support the use of flagging, but it boils down to one's opinion, and then to kick someone off their account with no warning is beyond soft.

Nate: Just don't violate the terms and everything will be fine.

Michael, Nate and others of his ilk think they write all the rules for everyone. His comments to you clearly illustrates his mind set of "I can do anything I want and you can't stop me" (then he sticks out his tongue and spits). Typical of his ilk...

That's not nice to say, Linda.

Let's keep the personal attacks off this forum. Let's attack the merit of ideas, opinions and facts in the discussion. Let's not attack the people who present them.

Love the threat Foley. Very well, but in response to Linda Motley, obviously of a "motley crew" herself, I find her comment comical and take no offense; I'll even agree. Now can she agree that her ilk thinks the same way as I?

Needless to say, I won't flag that comment so Foley can kick her off. I think I beat this dead horse enough now. Wait, one last thing with this whole personal attack. How about you liberals stop personally attacking republican officials on here? Kind of hard to do. It is for me on the flip side. Oh well.

It looks like it's time for Nate to take a big dose of GROW UP.

You're not helping, Barry.

Guess I better go take a time-out before Barry brings out the paddle.

Money spent on the democratic process is not wasted. Yes, Wisconsin is open for business, but only to those businesses that are lining Walker's pockets and getting away with not paying taxes. In the meantime, children are being denied adequate educations, the elderly, sick and poor are being denied health care, and Walker has set himself up as the State dictator who alone has the power over life and death for the people who voted for him. If you call that representative government, then you need to go back to school. What most of you don't realize is that if you are not in the millionaires club, you are getting screwed just as much as his obvious victims. But, that realization would require rational thought and right-wing terrorists don't have that ability. You're too busy absorbing Fox news reports, including the ones last February from Madison reporting the "riots" (that never happened) all the while showing people dressed in sweaters in front of the palm trees lining the streets. Right, live from Madison, Wisconsin in February - palm trees and sun-worshippers. Keep drinking the kool-aid...

It sounds like you have been absorbing your share of biased 'news' yourself, Linda...

What are you talking about linda...where are children being denied an education/ If anything and any luck children will be getting a better education after all of the hack teachers are run off.
What business are "lining Gov. Walkers pockets"?
Where are elderly being denied health care?
Why are you so angry...you must be a union lackey.

@James R... just how is "United Wisconsin:" deceptively named?

Is it more deceptively named than "Americans for Prosperity"?

@MrsPeel -

Of course it is. The name 'United Wisconsin' suggests that ALL citizens of the great state of Wisconsin would be 'united' as one in regards to their causes. Based on the comments posted on this board alone, that is obviously not the case. Ergo, a highly deceptive name.

The name 'Americans for Prosperity' suggests that the group is composed of 'Americans' who are rallying around a certain ideology of which the group believes will bring 'prosperity' to the country if and when implemented. It obviously leaves open the notion that other 'Americans' may differ on how exactly 'prosperity' may be reached. Ergo, no deception here so long as the group actually believes in its causes, which last I checked, it did.

Did you honestly need me to explain this one to you?

mrspeel....united wisconsin is BASED in Washington DC...AFP is a national organization that is also based in Washington DC..the difference is AFP is not claiming to be from any one state. uw...seems to make people think they are from Wisconsin when in fact they are not.

One more thing mrspeel...they (UW) is putting money from Wisconsinites into ALL their battles...Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. So money from Wisconsin is going to OTHER states!

@James R.... No I didn't need your lame explanation. "United" does not in any way lead one to believe that All citizens are members.

As long as your are taking that tack, one could assume that an organization funded for the most part by the Kochs might lean towards prosperity for the 1% of wealthiest people like Walker's BFF David Koch. Anything that these clowns are for is definitely not for the benfit of the Middle Class.

Hey David Koch, is that Scott Walker in your pocket or are you just happy to see us?

Keith,

That is good. Pull out the Koch reference. Whew. Good for you. Feel better?

And so...Walker and the Fitzgeralds are doing all they can to create a Kochtopia while trashing Wisconsin values and we are supposed to ignore this? Either you are not paying attention or for some pathological reason you think selling the middle class down the river is a good thing.

@ Thurston Howell III -

Based on the content and tone of your comment, I'm guessing that you're one of those people who says things like "the Tea Party wants to see blacks hanging from a tree." Need I remind you, your leader, Mr. Obama, politely requested that we all tone down the heated political rhetoric in the wake of the Giffords’ shooting. I guess you missed that one though, right?

What's that, the President isn't going to be speech police? OK, I got it. What's that, the President is ripping on the speech that occurred at the Republican Presidential Primary debates? Oh, I see - when he said he wasn't going to be the speech police that only applied to heated left-wing rhetoric. How silly of me, I should have realized. Go on spewing the ignorant and misinformed propaganda and hatred Thurston!

I see that Thurston and the Obama hypocrisy machine are really working over-time tonight! Have fun with your hypocrisy and hatred Thurston, but I choose to remain civil in my comments. You may want to try it sometime :-)

@Keith Schmitz -

Try thinking for yourself instead of buying into all the propaganda. Walker isn't selling anyone down the river. He was one of the first political leaders in Wisconsin that actually put up and led by example when he cut his own salary. Give the man and his policies a chance.

The Dems and Doyle were selling both us and our children down the river by not only over taxing us in the present, but also by illegally raiding funds and incurring debts that will have to be paid back for years to come.

thurston...who created the TEA Party?

So you don't regard cutting people off from medical care, slashing the salaries of a wide portion of our population or letting our infrastructure isn't chaos, not to mention cooking up fake voter issues and crime scares to pass voter ID and conceal/carry? Welcome to the set of Blade Runner, Walker style.

Luvtoroam, Has your head been in the sand. Just in case you weren't aware. Bush left the NATION is the worst state since the Great Depression. Don't go blaming Doyle for the Bush mess!

@ Keith Schmitz -

Man, the choices! Should I be Harrison Ford or Rutger Hauer??? Let's see, Ford was with Sean Young in that movie, while Hauer was with Daryl Hannah. Boy, that's a tough one. Maybe I'll just settle on being Edward James Olmos :-)

Anyone who wants to be a Hauer or any of the replicants better watch out though - Thurston may call you a 'skin-job' :-)

I don't think so Lyle. By the time we get to the April election it will be Romney, making it an afterthought for the Wisconsin GOP. If you think the Democrats have an enthusiasm gap right now because of Obama, you ain't seen nothing yet with the flaccidness that will plague the Republicans over Willard.

From the looks of it, the Democrats are getting frisky over the Occupy movement, which Obama is wisely getting attached to.

I think all you lefties should listen to Keith Schmitz and take his words to heart.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2011/07/20/wisconsin-democrats-fret-over-strategy-for-walker-recall/

You make some good points. Also don't forget that the Republican legislators are pushing back at GAB and are attempting or have already succeeded in making GAB accountable to Walker. Talk about putting the Fox in charge of the henhouse!

Lyle,

I think you are speaking in code? Who is the real middle class that you mention? You mean the "other" middle class with a blue fist?

Call Doyle - ask him about the damage he has done to this state.

"Liberal media - we lie - you decide"

Would ascribing to "keep your government hands off my Medicare" qualify as knocking someone off from voting?

But that would keep you from voting.

I'll bet my IQ is higher than yours Michael. So my vote should count for more! What nonsense!

BTW -- Rick Perry says the American Revolution took place during the 16th century. So should he not be allowed to vote?

....and our Capitol would still have dignity. Good comment Michael.....you are absolutely right.

@Michael Pyter & ja...Are the two of you transplants from 1964 Mississippi?

Thank you for honoring that special request at the last drum circle protest. That shirt you had on with the communist fist was awesome!

Steve, So now you're a fashion columnist also. LOL

robert heule, are you the democrat hack who worked in the legislature back in the early seventies?

Craig, as a taxpayer, I consider it a matter of opinion as to what classifies as a waste of my tax dollars. Even though I expect the recall of Walker to fail, I don't see it as a waste of tax dollars. I see it as an investment in the democratic process. Freedom isn't free and free speech has a cost.

Additionally, the money spent on recalls will creat jobs and could be looked at as a mini-stimulus program.

Mari Harry- opinions are like rectums- everyone has one.

Yes Craig.....stop thinking the world owes them and their entitled to the world. If the left put as much energy in productive goals as they do whining what they don't have.....we'd actually have a successful country. Walker is doing what the people voted him to do.... You can hear the whining in every left comment in these responses...i am so sick of it!

We 'got to it' last November when we voted to elect Scott Walker. In November of 2014, we will have another election to decide if we want to keep Walker in office or to give someone else the opportunity. Isn't that what democracy is supposed to look like?

Debra, in a nation where people sit on the ass watching FOX News or CNN and shaking their fists to East and blaming it all on Washington, are you surprised that so many people think they can change the world typing comments on an Internet website in their pajamas at 3 AM?

Ah, Mary, you do have a point. But there are people out there who don't waste time with this and get to the business at hand. As for you CowDung democracy is a process not an end game. Get your head in it -- you'll find it's hard work but very satisfying in the end. This is supposed to be a conversation, this great experiment. There is no time when the opposition should just sit down and shut up.

I'm not sure I understand your point, Debra. Are you saying we should stick to voting and writing our various legislators? (Quite a waste of time in my case, since they are James Sensenbrenner at the federal level and Zipperer and Farrow at the state.) And otherwise remain silent so that the Right can go on believing that all of Wisconsin is united behind Scott Walker in sticking it to the teachers?

My 'whining' is going against my own interests, since the school levy is by far the biggest chunk of my tax burden.

Debra decided to swing by and make a comment telling others not to waste their time making comments - then came back again to make another comment.

That poll is from last March. More recent polls show a different picture...

Things are a lot more even now.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/130173963.html

Weren't you guys also claiming the same thing in Prosser v Kloppenburg, and the recent senate recalls. Your 'polls' don't have a very good record of predicting the future, do they!

Dirk...not to mention the laissez-fairies and the free marketdeafears.

Contrary to what you think, not everything in the world is fast changing. Greed and oppression of those on the short end of the boot strap has been around for a long, long time.

Government by the one, the few and the many is nothing new. The corruptive rot that happens when one party controls the levers of government is an ugly truth of our system. What's even uglier is the apathy of the citizens to allow this rot to happen.

As John Adams said: "If there is one central truth to be collected from the history of all ages, it is this: that the people's rights and liberties, and the demo- cratical mixture in a constitution, can never be preserved without a strong executive, or, in other words, without separating the executive from the legislative power. If the executive power, or any considerable part of it, is left in the hands of an aristocratical or democratical assembly, it will corrupt the legislature as necessarily as rust corrupts iron, or as arsenic poisons the human body; and when the legislature is corrupted, the people are undone."

Good Job. Jim Bob.

Just like Obama's first couple of years as President! Thank god the Republicans took the House in 2010 to put a stop to the Obama corruption that was occurring with a Democratic majority in Congress!!!

The one thing Obama and the Democrats didn't do when they had control was to roll back the Bush tax cuts. And now Obama comes around and things he's going to get the tax cuts rollback with the GOTea controlling the House. Get a clue Mr. O.

Please note that the Bush tax cuts had many Democrats voting for them.

Yes, a working stiff my whole life. Unlike our "President,' the majority of his staff, his voting bloc that is now relegated to sleeping on the street due to his inept policies, and union leeches who retire at 50 on behalf of the taxpayers. Your absolutely right Jim Backus!

Dirk, you must have a pretty short memory if you've forgotten how things were in the late fall of 2008 after eight years of GWB's 'ept' policies. The Obama administration caught the economy after it had gone over the cliff, and now you're faulting him for not hauling it back up fast enough?

@TH3... to add to what you posted about the McIver Institute I would like to add information regarding the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (MIPR) which was the organization which actually conducted the poll which was referenced by the JSonline.

The MIPR is funded by the Bradley Foundation (a strong supporter of Walker) by one of Koch Foundations (shocker!!), ExxonMobil and many other of the usual Rightwing Foundations.

So it would seem reasonable to give zero credibility to that recent poll. The article in Forbes which has been referenced several times would seem to be a much for valid indication of what is going on.

Thanks MrsPeel, for digging even deeper into the mysterious world of WI's GOP, The McIvers, Koch, Americans For Prosperity etc. Everyday a layer of the onion is peeled back.

Personally, I think polls count for cr@p no matter who's conducting them! But if I had to choose one as a good indicator of current sentiment in the state, I'd be saying that it's the one right here on Patch showing Walker with a slight majority at 51%. Go figure, eh? Walker will remain victorious the same way Darling did. If you just accept it now, you'll spare yourselves a load of heartbreak later.

Man, all this heated propaganda about how the GOP doesn't want to work with the Dems to accomplish anything bi-partisan in nature. And yet, what kind of a response do you honestly expect from the GOP when the DPW openly declares war on the GOP’s top man in state???

The hypocrisy of the left truly knows no bounds!!!

For the zillionth time, zero cases of ID fraud prosecuted is not evidence that voter fraud is not happening...

@CowDung... there were two recent statewide recounts in MN where millions of votes were examined and again, no documented case of ID fraud was found. It is a contrived issue and the model for the laws come from ALEC.

Voter ID fraud is like the WMD's in Iraq which Rumsfeld knew existed somewhere West, East, South or North of Tikrit. WMD's and Voter fraud = figments of the rightwing mind.

Kinda hard to prove fraud when you are not looking for fraud. No ID requirement means Mr. Jones who died ten years ago can continue to vote year after year. Ask for an ID and suddenly Mr. Jones no longer votes because he is on the wrong side of the grass.

I like the contradiction in the Republican Klan over requiring voter ID and opposing e-verify. The Republicans are worried about those illegals being bused in from Chicago to Milwaukee to illegally vote. They want to maintain integrity in our elections. However, they oppose implementing e-verify because it is only like 98.9 percent accurate. There is evidence that voter fraud happens 0.00009 percent of the time...more people are killed by lightening. Of course, since 60 percent of the dairy workers are immigrants and 50-60 percent of those are here illegally, e-verify might impact the big dairy farmers who pump in tons of cash to the Republican campaign coffers.

@MrsPeel -

Your assertions are just not true. In my college days at UW-Whitewater, many of my fellow dorm-mates, and especially those who were politically inclined, would vote twice in elections - once in their home towns and once in Whitewater. I guess that you don't see this as fraud though, right?

As CowDung has correctly stated, just because it isn't prosecuted doesn't mean it isn't happening. I personally witnessed it!

Hoffa, since you are all high and might on Doyle allegedly breaking the laws balance the budget, perhaps you should go turn yourself in for the felony of voting twice at Whitewater.

@Jim Bob Nelson -

If you read my post, you'd see that I merely witnessed it, and did not engage in such behavior myself. In fact, I tried to file a complaint with the local police but was told if I didn't have corroborating proof of the vote occurring in the student's hometown (other than my own testimony), then the whole multi-jurisdictional investigation that would have to be conducted would cost too much money and resources for something so 'minor' for them to be at all interested in pursing the matter further.

BTW - What's the Milwaukee County DA doing with the whole BBQ for votes alleged fraud that was occurring in the Patch v Darling race? Plenty of video evidence for that case to use on YouTube. I recall that even a GAB spokesperson was quoted as stating that such activity was contrary to election laws.

Oh, what's that - the Milwaukee DA is a Democrat and is more interested in looking into WI Right to Life providing community organizers with incentives for merely encouraging others to vote – despite the GAB spokesperson saying that such activity was NOT contrary to election laws. I see, that makes perfect sense to me. I guess Wisconsin Jobs Now! deserves to get away with voter fraud though just because the Milwaukee County DA is a Democrat because "this is what democracy looks like," right?

REALLY???

Duane:
Time will tell what impact Walker's plan has on my tax bill. How do I know that some of the cuts made at the state level won't filter down to the local level and force up my property taxes? How do we know that the economy might continue to worsen under Walker and cause greater job lose, high unemployment, lower state revenues, etc. that might result in additional "fees" being paid by me? Time will tell where Walker's plan leads. We heard the same kind of rhetoric coming of Pawlenty in Minnesota and they have even greater budget shortfalls.

Hoffa, I've been hearing Democrats whine about voter fraud since Gore lost Florida to Bush is 2000. If Gore would have won his home state of Tennessee, we would have never heard of Florida. Walter Mondale might have lost 49 states, but he won Minnesota.

The implementation of voter ID is an excellent political move by the Republicans. Wisconsin’s population is 5.6 million and 70 percent of the population has a driver’s license. In western Wisconsin, 74 percent of the population has a driver’s license. In Milwaukee County, only 55 percent has a driver’s license. Furthermore, in Milwaukee County, less than half of Blacks and Latino adults half a driver’s license, compared to 85 percent of White adults.

That’s why Milwaukee County is the Republican Party’s poster child for voter fraud. The most populated county in the state, Milwaukee County contains 17 percent of the state’s population. Of the people in the county, 31.7 percent are non-white. Those 304,000 minorities living in the county make up approximately 50 percent of the state’s minorities. Coincidently, 27 percent of the state’s people living below the poverty level live in Milwaukee County.

According to exit polls from the 2008 Presidential election, 48 percent of Whites voted Republican while 5 percent of Blacks and 31 percent of Hispanics voted Republican.

Voter ID ain't about fraud.

@Jim Bob Nelson -

Voter ID is about combating fraud. That's why the ID's are free of charge and available at any DMV service center. Last I checked, the law didn’t discriminate by charging for the ID based on ethnicity, nor are Milwaukee County DMV service centers segregated by race. Milwaukee County has 6 DMV service centers. That's 1 service center for every 40 square miles of area in the county OR every 71,000 people that don't have driver's licenses in the county (using your number, which I'm skeptical of its accuracy because it only includes driver's licenses). As the law didn't go into immediate effect, that gave everyone close to a year in which to obtain an ID should they wish to vote in the next election. Ergo, anyone who takes their civic duty of voting seriously should have absolutely no problem in obtaining the required ID.

And, even if you don’t have an ID, you can still cast a provisional or absentee ballot.

So, how exactly is voter ID not about fraud? If a person who wishes to vote is able to get themselves to the polls, then certainly they should be able to get down to the DMV for an ID prior to the next election, shouldn’t they?

The constitution also affords us the right to freely travel, and yet, I have to jump through far more onerous hoops just to get a passport vs the voter ID requirements. So why haven’t you guys been complaining about passport requirements?

The grounds upon which those recalls were premised were very different than the grounds upon which the recalls of the GOP senators were premised. Do you really need me to explain this to you???

The left attempted to recall the GOP senators because they disagreed with the way the GOP senators voted on a single piece of legislation.

The right attempted to recall the Dem senators because they failed to vote at all, thereby effectively silencing the voice of all of their respective constituents in Madison. Instead of voting, the Dems fled the state and nearly became legal residents of the state of Illinois in the process. I get the whole 'they were trying to make a point by preventing a quorum to draw attention to the situation,' but don't you think they accomplished that after the first or second week? There was no justifiable reason that the Dem senators couldn't have returned to vote on the bill, which would have at least provide all of their constituency with a voice in the form of a 'nay' vote. Instead, the Dem senators’ votes, and the voices of all of their respective constituents, were officially recorded as being 'absent' in Madison because they chose to instead avail themselves to a select special interest cause over their entire constituencies.

You honestly didn't know this???

And yet, your side has the audacity to claim that it is in fact the Republicans who sold out to special interests! AMAZING!!! Is a recorded vote of ‘absent’ really “what democracy looks likes” though? Strange definition you people must have for the term ‘democracy!’

Again, the HYPOCRISY of the left knows no bounds!!!

You should be thrilled your in Minnesota then....we'll take care of ourselves...thanks anyways.....how are the Vikings by the way...Packers, were #1

"Progressive" thinking brought us into extreme debt and chased major business out of the state. If that is exemplary statehouse thank god for a loose cannon

Don't get me started on Lena Taylor, or Gwen Moore for that matter. Both are a complete joke!

@ja...What are you going to do if the recall is successful?

Jim, doesn't state law require the legislature to balance the budget every two years? I believe Doyle was working under the same set of budgetary laws. All governors have a variety of budgetary tickets to kick the can down the road, in order to meat the balanced budget requirement.

The budget is balanced at the START of the budget. It's what happens over the course of the budget's life the will show whether or not the budget is balanced.

Concerning the "more jobs are being created" statement...If that is the case, why has the unemployment rate been going up in the state? When Walker took office in January the rate was 7.4 percent. By August it had climber to 7.9 percent.

No elections have been stolen in the state. Please provide evidence to the contrary. Approximately 20 cases of voter fraud where being investigated in Milwuakee County. Virtually none of these cases would have been stopped with the new voter ID requirement. The driver's licenses of felons don't indicate that they are felons.

The state closed for business dealing with wind power and high-speed rail.

@Jim Bob Nelson -

Yes, and the law also said that Doyle couldn't raid segregated funds, but that didn't stop him from doing it, did it? Some of us in reality like to focus on what they actually did as opposed to merely what the law says that they can or cannot do.

The budget Walker past is not reality. Right know it is numbers on paper. We will know if two years what "reality" is.

Doyle used smoke-and-mirrors to balance the budget. My guess is Walker used some of the same light of hand tricks from the budgetary grabbag.

If Doyle broke some laws, why aren't we reading about the court action? Perhaps you could provide some evidence to backup your charges of illegal steps taken by Doyle?

@Jim Bob Nelson - I guess you missed this one.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/98824539.html

jim bob...yes it is law in Wisconsin to balance a budget. However...stealing from the doctors and taking one time stimulus, and robbing from Peter to pay Paul and NOT paying your debt to other states.That was doyles way to "balance" a budget. No thank you. I will take Gov. Walkers way of doing things. Oh one more thing Gov. Walker also did this WITHOUT RAISING TAXES!!!!!!

Hoffa, I didn't miss that. I chose to not include it in my comment. Granted it's a cherry-picking option available to someone who is trying to spin things in a certain direction. It's like when Walker told us in early about how great his plan was working because 12,000 jobs were created in June. He didn't tell us that the state unemployment rate climbed from 9.1 % in May to 9.2 % in June.

The article you linked about Doyle said: "To balance the budget in October 2007, the Democrat-controlled Senate, the Republican-led Assembly and Doyle, a Democrat, approved taking $200 million from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund. State doctors, who pay fees into the fund, sued two months later to have the transfer declared illegal and the money returned to the fund."

It points out that Doyle balanced the budget. One of the budgetary tricks he used came back to bite him in the ass three years later. Below is a link to some additional budgetary gymnastics that Doyle used to balance the 2005-2007 budget.

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/sen09/news/eUpdates/2005/2005%20E-UPDATE-004.htm

Evidence points to Walker creating a non-existent $3.6 billion budget shortfall so he could neuter the public school teachers.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/wisconsin-gov-walker-ginned-up-budget-shortfall-to-undercut-worker-rights.php

@ja...If all else fails, blame the press.

Teachers make better than average benefits but less than average pay for their education. You have any over active imagination.

@Lynn -- several decades ago there was a lot of discussion about how to attract 'good' people into the teaching profession when they could obviously make so much more money in other fields like business or finance, etc. Because you get what you pay for.

Lately, teachers and other public sector workers have negotiated good benefits in lieu of higher take-home pay. This benefited us all. Walker expected them to take what is basically a cut in pay (because now those dollars are taken out of the check and go to the benefits, which they were willing to do for the short term. But further, he has limited their ability to ever regain that loss if economic times improve. No collective bargaining for wages and conditions, and wages are tied to the increase in the cost of living. Does that explain it?

Perhaps going to a 'year round' school calendar would be a way to make teacher compensation comparable to the compensation levels offered in other occupations.

Good Comment Lynn...Yes...I work in health care and pay over 7,000/year for premiums...I'm already I up to about 6,000 in co pays......and I work holidays, weekends and no summers off for me......BUT.......I can't cry on the Capitol steps....the CEO of the healthcare faciltity I'm employed would fire me. Self- entitlement really does not exist...only in the liberal left fantasy pity part camp!

keith, how do teachers make less then average salaries for their level of education? They are part time employees. Show me one example of an "educated" employee that makes the total compensation of a teacher that only works 181 days a year.

randy, we are still waiting for "good" teachers. Yes i will concede that there might be a few...but they are in the major MINORITY!!!
One other point...you and your lefty friends keep saying that the teachers and public sector unions were willing to give up portions of their pay to "help" out...why is it that every time a school district has ask for the union to come back to the "table" they ( the school board or any other "boss") were told to go pound sand. Most notably was MPS. They asked and were told to go screw themselves. Enough teachers put on pressure it was brought to a vote, and it "failed" But no results were ever given. As a result...250 YOUNG teachers were let go. This is NOT Gov. Walkers fault!! MPS teachers should have done the right thing.

@ja....Where do you get this self-entitlement? That is a fairly strange concept.

@Keith Schmitz -

That link is filled with nothing more than either sheer propaganda or actual supported reasons on why Scott Walker should be elected to a second term!

Are you sure you're reading that pdf correctly?

@JRH...I just looked at the link and it's a pretty good summary of the last 10 months. Now, if you think this is proof of why Walker should be reelected, then you must not mind the obvious power grab he has made stripping away legislated and constitutional power away from the legislature and other elected officers. Tommy Thompson was routinely criticized for his consolidation of executive power. Walker makes Tommy look like an amateur. Rights are easy to give up, but tough to get back. Walker's power grab is what makes him dangerous for Wisconsin.

@Lyle -

Funny how when Walker works within the confines of the law to do what he's accomplishing, as backed by recent WI Supreme Court decision, it's a power grab. The only issue directly relating to express constitutional authority on the list is item #7
- Refused to defend state’s domestic partnership registry. And he’s doing this for good reason – the people of the state voted on and passed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and “a legal status identical or SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR to that of marriage for unmarried individuals.” Doyle’s DPR subverted the will and intent of the people in passing that amendment. Walker had no choice but to drop such frivolous action in respecting the rule of constitutional law as duly enacted by the people of the state.

And yet, when Doyle raids segregated funds when the law specifically and expressly states that he can't, it's completely good and no power grab going on here, despite the courts having ruled such action clearly “illegal.”

Come on!

Until we get a court ruling stating that any of Walker's actions are in fact "illegal," then all he's doing is the job he was elected to do in the most effective and efficient manner that he knows how. We gave Doyle plenty of liberties and chances to accomplish his agenda, and the people ultimately decided that they didn't like it. The left hasn't even given Walker a full year, yet alone a full term, of chance. So why doesn't Walker deserve the same amount of chance that Doyle did, despite Doyle being the only one who actually acted "illegally" thus far?

Hoffa, you are correct about Walker and any illegalities. I was pointing out that an FBI investigation is ongoing and it concerns Walker's associates who work for him in his current job and his former job.

I'm not in favor of a Walker recall campaign. However, I'm not opposed to people pursuing a recall election, if they think it is necessary. This is part of the poolitical process. It cost our nation millions of dollars to impeach Clinton for having sex with that woman. Sex between consenting adults is not a crime. People got to do what they go to do.

Walker kicked the union's hornet nest and there will be a price to pay. He won't loss a recall election. Heck, the Democrats don't have anybody to run against Walker. Who are they going to get? The head of WEAC?

@JRH...Look at what the WI State Supreme Court actually ruled on, limited to the open meetings of the state legislature. So please don't use that as an argument. In order for the courts to rule on anything, there must be action filed. I personally don't know of any other suits. We might see one from the Secretary of State, but beyond that I don't know.

The transfer of power has occurred with the full complicity of the Republican controlled legislature. That was the only reason I supported the recall effort against the Republican senators. There is a reason for the constitutional separation of powers to provide a balance of power.

Since the senate recall didn't change the balance of power, then the governor must be recalled to break up the unprecedented power of the executive. Too much power in any governor's hands is not good for a healthy democracy dependent on checks and balances.

As far as giving Walker a grace period, he's already proven what he is up to and it "ain't good". The most efficient and effective form of governance is an oligarchical dictatorship. I don't want to wait around and see how bad it can get before taking action.

@Lyle -

I'm fully aware of the true legal implications of the Court decision. But for some reason or another, the left made it a referendum on Walker's policies, just as they did with the Prosser v Kloppenburg election and the attempted re-taking control of the state senate via the recalls. And we all know how each turned out. No doubt in my mind that the whole recall Walker effort will undoubtedly meet a similar fate as these other so-called 'referendums' did.

And it was the legislature that assigned the powers to certain other elected officials contained within point 10 to begin with – not the constitution. So, if the legislature feels it wise to re-consolidate those powers in the governor, it’s nothing more than the will of the people at work. Democracy in action!

Using your argument, I guess that I can assume that you’re glad that the Republicans re-took control of the House after the 2010 mid-term elections. After all, we don’t want Mr. Obama having too much power just because of a policy-friendly Congress, do we? The Republicans helped restore balance via separation of powers and checks and balances. But then why are the left now accusing the House Republicans of stonewalling and gridlock? I’m very confused here.

@Jim Bob Nelson -

I agree. If the people want to collect the signatures and submit enough valid ones, then they're entitled to a recall election. Personally, I think the effort will fail and it's my opinion that Walker's doing a decent job thus far and we owe him at least a full term before fairly judging the results of his policies.

What I don't agree with is the fact that if the recall effort is successful in forcing a recall election, that we'll be getting jipped out of months wherein Walker should be otherwise governing as opposed to having to campaign. If such election does in fact happened and results in another Walker victory, then that lost time of governance should be added on to, and thus extending his current term. It just makes logical sense, doesn't it? After all, elections have consequences, right?

@JRH...Honestly I don't mind the House being controlled by the Republicans. In a perfect world the Senate would be controlled by the Republicans and the House by the Democrats. In any case our system of government only works through compromise.

lyle...what rights are you talking about? You keep talking about rights but I don't see anyone's rights being violated.

@Duane Michalski...The rights are those that were surrendered by public employees. Next time we want to assure public employee unions and collective bargaining we will go to an amendment in the constitution. Then you ilk won't be able to so easily change something that was working well. Of course,I don't think you have the intellectual prowess to fully understand the concept of rights. You are so willing to surrender them.

lyle, again you are talking about rights...tell us how collective bargaining is a right. Is it in the Constitution? Is it written on some holy grail? Is it set in stone? The answer to ALL of these questions is NO!! So for a system that used to work and then got abused so much by the greedy little union members, it was time for a change. Give the power back to the rank and file citizens. Like I keep saying, the public sector unions are such a SMALL part of the total population. The union should Not be allowed to have that much say so over the rest of us. IT IS ABOUT TIME WE THE MAJORITY HAVE ARE SAY!!!
And as far as my prowess goes....I have read the Constitution. I understand it much better then you do. I can say this because no where does it say that it should be the responsibility of everyone to take care of a few. I know in your self admitted socialist viewpoints it is the responsibility of the government to take care of its citizenry...again that is NOT in the United States Constitution. Again I invite you to leave the greatest country in the world if your so unhappy here. I am certain that you would not be missed as much as you might think you might be.

Duane -- Collective bargaining rights stem from the same Constitutional amendment as the right to bear arms we're hearing so much about these days.

KT - here is the 2nd amendment as passed by Congress - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Wanna try that again???

mainstreet -- A lawyer friend of mine a few months ago gave me some legal research, which I can't put my hands on right now. It's possible that I mis-spoke about the Constitution -- may have been the Bill of Rights. But there's a tie between collective bargaining and the right to bear arms under the peaceable assembly provisions. As with every other right guaranteed in the U.S., it's all been decided in cases by the Supreme Court.

@Duane Michalski....I question your comprehension of the U.S. Constitution. If you return to the Preamble you will find the statement of General Welfare.

Really lyle...you're equating general welfare to collective bargaining? I see NO connection. In fact I am certain that the founding fathers would be re-loading by now. I am also pretty certain that there is NO way the founding fathers would have accepted collective bargaining. The fact of the matter is this...collective bargaining was and will NEVER be a right.

@Duane Michalski...If you knew anything about constitutionalism and constitutional law you would understand that the "General Welfare" statement has been the justification for the all social welfare programs. I have explained to you the difference between inalienable and alienable rights. Collective bargaining was covered as an alienable right or a legislated right. No matter how it came into law it was still considered a right.

Honestly Duane, I know you don't have much formal education and I try to keep that in mind. However, whenever you start polluting the site with misinformation, I feel strongly that I must speak up to counter it.

WaukRes...ALL good points.

th3...are you not seeing the post about districts SAVING money or are you doing the typical liberal thing...just being dumb? Living life with your blinders on.

MEQUON SCHOOL DISTRICT HIRED TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY FOLLOWED THE PLAN WALKER CREATED.........THE NEWS,OF COURSE, WOULD NEVER REPORT THAT. SEVERAL DISTRICTS THAT DID NOT FOLLOW THE PLAN DID LOSE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO FOLLOW THE PLAN...

That's right Raider Fan, plus don't forget the millions that were saved by requiring the teachers and administrators to contribute to the pensions for a change. And requiring them to pay a little more for their health insurance saved us even more. Thanks Gov. Walker!

4 less individuals in teaching staff, several teachers are now part time only, several persons less in support staff. (that means bigger classes and teachers teaching overloads). A health care plan that is way more expensive for the participants (more than 50% higher co-pays for medications, etc.), means, they have less purchasing power in the community. All these "wonderful" savings and still an increase in our property tax!~ And this is only the beginning, wait until the full effects hit the community and your your wallet in a year or two!

And concerning the term "socialism", do you actual know the meaning of the word, or are you using it for provocation purposes only. if you really mean it, I have the feeling, you have no idea what the word socialism stands for!

Your comment about silver spoons and crying like babies is ironic. You mean, like billionaires who cry rivers about being asked to pay and extra percentage on yearly earnings over one million?

no randy...I am talking about all of the useless whining, crying, sniveling little union hacks that are too afraid to join the real world. All of us in the private sector, even private sector unions have had massive lay-offs as well as massive changes in OUR health care. Welcome to the real world...deal with it already!!!

Well spoken Duane. You'll find the people arguing with you out here are either government employees or their spouses. Government unions should be outlawed before they bankrupt us completely. Long live Scott Walker!

"If I am wrong, please give me one example of where the union would have given up one single negotiated benefit."

Duane, YOU ARE WRONG! Here's the example. It's been published in hundreds of other places as well.

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/blog/article_0b783598-3bb4-11e0-b872-001cc4c03286.html

"Mary Bell, president of the state's largest teachers union, said Friday afternoon her group would concede to Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill on benefits and pay but would not give in on collective bargaining rights."

Actually, Walker's behavior in office is proof of the opposite -- that politicians can't be trusted.

hudsoner...you are incorrect about a few things. First, if you are a liberal you are in the minority in Wisconsin. Second, As someone who worked very hard to get Gov. Walker elected, and someone who spent countless hours listening to Scott on the campaign trail....he was very specific as to what he was going to do. Since you made this absurd statement, I went to youtube and found over 60 time that Gov. Walker talked about balancing the budget WITHOUT raising taxes. And in order to do that he would need massive changes in the way we pay for benefits to state employees' and teachers. If you were not paying attention, I am sorry. However he WAS very very very clear. And for your information...i saw barrette several times. I also informed everyone i could about the disaster that is known as tom barrette.

As for my benefits go...I have never complained about my benefits. In fact I am very fortunate in that area as well. And as far my life goes...I am also very happy and blessed with that. I have great friends and family and a have almost everything I want in my life. But see here is the difference between someone like me and someone like you and your lefty/socialist nut jobs friends. What I have not yet achieved in life...I will achieve...I JUST WONT DEPEND ON THE TAXPAYERS OR THE GOVERNMENT TO DO IT!!!!

Duane Michalski. No, I do not consider myself as a liberal. I never gelongt to any party, and I have no plans to change this. I am what the call one of the independents.
Sadly, we here in western Wisconsin cannot receive Wisconsin TV, and have no Wisconsin Radio Stations either. we have to rely on printed media or the Twin cities TV Stations to learn what is going on in madison. None of those infromation sources mentioned anything that Walker planned to "dismantle" the unions, or that he wanted to sell-off state assets without a bidding process And just for you information, our taxes will go up this year because Walker reduced the money for our schools. I don't care if he reduces state taxes or not, if his actions will increase my local taxes more than his reduction will safe me, I call this a tax increase!
We could see very many similarities in Minnesota over the last eight years. State taxes were kept the same, but all other taxes or service fees doubled and trippled!.

Duane Mihalski. For all my life I have worked for private corporations, for really big ones! If you achieve the standard of income and living, I achieved because of my corporate positions, you are very lucky and will not have any financial problems. And I achiebed all this without depending on taxpayers, I achieved this because I am good at what I do.
However, event though I always had a very good income, i differ in one area from you, I did not sell out my compassion for fellow humans that were not as lucky as i was. I was always willing to pay a few dollras more in taxes if I could help those fello humans that are in need. I preferred to do that through my taxes to ensure that those people had not to be baggers from some cahritable private institution. I am of the opinion that everybody has the right to live a humane life without haveing to beg for some handouts!

That's because you can whop certain people with facts until your arms fall off and thanks to what ever perception disorder they have, will never change their minds, largely because it would be a blow to their egos.

BY the way Duane, with your long recounting with your love affair with a person who will never love your back and will abuse your love, you said a lot about balancing the budget but not once did Walker mention ending collective bargaining, which has everything to do with crippling unions and nothing to do with balancing the budget.

He said it himself in Congress in front of a House committee. If you do not believe that to be the case, then he committed contempt before Congress.

Basically you problem is endemic with too many in this state. Feeling sorry for themselves for their imagined tax burden, wanting that imaginary burden relieved despite what ever damage it does to this state or to other people's lives. Kinda the definition of a sociopath.

Keith - Remember, there are many of us who think he didn't go far enough by not including police and fire. There are even more that are upset that he didn't flat out make WI a right-to-work state. Balancing the budget was just the icing on the cake.

We do not feel sorry for ourselves or you. The end of collective bargaining and it's stranglehold on WI politics in our eyes was more than justified, it also granted rights to others that were not of a protective class.

I'm pretty confident that Walker will withstand any recall attempt especially when the best the dems have to offer is Erpenbach. Even if you can muster up what amounts to 10% of the entire population to sign, Walker will prevail in the election, because it seems to me that the only ones whining amount to about 11% of the voting age population and they are union members or politicians bought and paid for by the unions.

@Brian Dey....If you had your way, we would repeal the US Fourteenth Amendment. In any case your math is a little off. Not all Wisconsinites can vote only around 2.5 million. We'll see if enough qualified signatures can be collected. It there are, then let the voter finally decide.

I agree with you Duane Michalski.....I work for everything I have as well.....I was brought up with strong work ethics......Walker is doing what we voted him to do......no remorse here Mrs. K....keep your pity party to yourself...thanks any way....and please....don't go to the Capitol with your pity party .....and his name is Duane...not Babe

@ja...Do you think that only you who has worked for everything you have. That is something that is shared by most Americans. Also, a strong work ethic is an American characteristic and value. Therefore, that is a characteristic you share with the majority. You don't represent everyone so I would appreciate you limit yourself to I and not we. The only pity I am hearing is pity for yourself that you have to work hard. It is time to reach down and pull out some maturity and curb the anger.

@ja...Of course you didn't vote for Walker by yourself. However, the way you wrote your comment was all inclusive. Walker was not perfectly honest with his plans and now many feel that he deliberately misled the electorate and he was elected under false pretenses. If he had clearly stated before the election that he intended to decertify the pubic employees unions and collective bargaining and he was still elected, then I would agree that he has earned the claim to be supported by the majority. However, until he stands for recall or reelection, he cannot truthfully make that statement and it will always be in question whether he's supported by the majority of voters or not.

I made no referral about your formal education and I don't quite no where you came up with that. However, I do find your comments lacking any well thought out positions or any deep understanding beyond sound bite statements. You do project a certain sense of victimization or outright envy by your statements. If qualified, I would suggest you find different employment where you have benefits and rights equal to or better than public employees.

@ja...Oh, you are referring to Duane Michalski. It is true that Duane is not well educated and short sided in his opinions. Duane continually posts comments that are nothing more than unsophisticated talking points. He was soundly defeated in his attempt to be elected to the Caledonia Board of Trustees. Duane speaks for himself and his comments illustrate my statements concerning him.

Many in the private sector have benefits equal or better than public employees. A vast number in the private sector have much higher compensation packages. Possessing a college degree doesn't automatically indicate that people possess an elitist perspective. It is true that generally people with bachelors degrees increase their lifetime earnings from between $1 to $2 million over someone who only possess a high school diploma.

ja, I am not angry, just disappointed with your attitude toward public employees. The vast majority do exercise personal responsibility. Comparing yourself with others to build your own sense of self worth is dishonest on your part. You are not exceptional. America has prospered out hard work and a great deal of luck.

The humorous thing about the elitist left is that they have to count as their fellow democrats some of the most uneducated and low brow portions of our society. The redistricting plan that puts Shorewood with NW Milwaukee makes me laugh. It's like the Republicans said "let's make a mini-Democratic party right here in Milwaukee". Let's see how they all get along. The elitist academics with the folks on the government handouts. I pray the redistricting plan holds together and we get to see how this plays out.

@235301...Unlike the Republicans, Democrats have never played well together. The Shorewood population is too small to have a significant impact on how the districts do business. I don't see much change.

@ja...It is amazing that you would confuse anger with skepticism and cynicism. Also, my general criticism is directed at those who appear to be incapable of making logical arguments and to take into account differing positions. If you truly want to see anger, then check out Duane's posts over time and on a number of issues.

I have a different perspective based on my position of supporting social democracy. I am very critical of those who support plutocratic oligarchies and speak out against such plutocrats and oligarchs. It is kind of you to pray for me, but I don't know what you are praying for and to whom.

I would venture to guess their are employees in mid to upper level management positions in private sector jobs with benefits that are better than those working in mid to upper level management and administrative positions in the public sector.

Why would Lyle be retiring on your dime, if he indeed does work at a government job. He has earned his retirement package as part of the compensation received for working all these years.

@Hudson Resident...I know quite a few in the private sector who are enjoying equal benefits with public employees and have quite higher compensation. You must not know anyone working in private sector unions or people working for corporations headquartered in Europe.

If the benefits that public sector employees receive is so inviting, then why don't you apply and secure one of these "cushy jobs"?

It's been well over three decades since I was employed by the public sector. I have been in the private sector and understand all the challenges that people are facing. the abuses that have occurred over the last three decades have set the stage for all workers to be devalued and with the threat of job loss hanging over their heads.

Quite honestly I don't understand why people who are of the working and middle class continue to vote against their self interest by supporting conservatives who are only concerned about the welfare of the wealthy.

I know a very large company (my employer) across the river, which has benefits that easily match the ones of public employees (I feel they are even better), I know of some other companies in Minnesota that have similar benefits.
By they way, why are you so jealous about the benefits of public employees? Why don't you try to find an employer who gives you better benefits?

Considering that the private sector is shedding way more jobs than the public sector (by a 10 to 1 margin), finding employers in the private sector that pay better isn't really an option for most people.

It's not a matter of being jealous of the public employee compensation package, it's a matter of who is paying for the public compensation package. Private sector taxpayers have been subject to pay freezes, job losses, benefit cost increases, etc. Doesn't it seem reasonable for the public sector employees to share some of the hardships being faced by those that pay the taxes to support their jobs?

How can any Democrat truly say he/she is representing the "hard working tax payers" of Wisconsin while he/she happily accepts money from the labor unions?

According to Opensecrets.org, the Koch brothers rank #78 on the list of top donors. There are a lot of donors that rank much higher and donate much more money...

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php

If you don't want 'tit for tat', then stop your 'we need to stop selling our government to corporations' crap. It's pretty clear to me that corporate money isn't flowing nearly as freely as the money from big labor, yet you choose to keep harping on the Koch brothers donations like they are pure evil, and ignore any groups that donate heavily to your favored candidates.