What’s The Number?
How can making it more difficult for Wisconsin residents to exercise their right to vote in the leading democracy in the world be justified?
Crime & Public Safety
Sunday Breakfast with OWN: The Progressive Check on Scott Walker’s Imbalance
Unchecked GOP power in state government over the last 18 months has stripped workers of rights, endangered free and fair elections and taken our public resources and given it to the wealthy and corporations. A progressive Senate majority that can block more GOP abuses of power is, in the paraphrased words of our Vice President, […]
Newspapers across WI pan Scott Walker’s special jobs session
Here are some clips from various newspapers criticizing Scott Walker and the GOP majority for refusing to do anything of substance about Wisconsin’s rising unemployment during their so-called special jobs session: From the Sheboygan Press: [T]he biggest news out of the session was the passage of the “castle” bill that gives presumed immunity to people who […]
GOP special jobs session about sex, guns, and landlords
While Republicans claim they’re focused “like a laser” on job creation during the so-called special jobs session, Zach at Blogging Blue has compiled a list of these bills pushed by Republicans. Ask yourself how many jobs each of these would create: Passed AB 69, a bill implementing the “Castle Doctrine” providing immunity to property owners […]
Walker’s GOP nixes cameras in Capitol, OKs guns [Really?]
The Green Bay Press-Gazette has taken to the editorial page to air a grievance with the Republican majority deciding that the public cannot bring cameras into the legislative galleries, but will allow guns: Both the Assembly and Senate have maintained rules that prohibit the use of cameras, cell phones and video equipment in the public […]
Scott Walker’s Raise in Compensation is Undeserved
Gov. Scott Walker’s track record of pandering to corporate elites, instead of the wishes of Wisconsinites shows the hypocrisy in accepting a raise.
GOP hypocrisy, caving to gun manufacturing lobby in current concealed carry dust-up
It started with JB Van Hollen’s epic cave in the face of pressure from the gun manufacturing lobby attacking plan to require actual training in order to get a concealed carry permit. But always the wily veterans, Scott and Jeff Fitzgerald took the hypocrisy to a new level this week, telling reporters that not […]
Crime and Courts: Interesting twist — GOP issued warning of fanatics with weapons.
Scot Ross, the director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, couldn’t pass up a comment on the irony. He sent me Courtney’s letter, which is attached to this post, with the following comment: “With Scott Walker and the Republicans, you always follow the money. In May, they used the threat of guns in the […] [Capital Times]
Concealed Carry Contradictions
A curious pattern has emerged in Wisconsin. Most politicians favor concealed carry of weapons – so long as it’s not allowed in the building where they work. The irony of the situation is that the law made an exception for law enforcement offices – like those of the Department of Justice agents who work for […] [Inside Milwaukee]
GOP leaders support concealed carry at Capitol
Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said there would be a contradiction in screening all Capitol visitors for weapons and restricting access to the building during those demonstrations and then allowing concealed guns. “The Republicans wasted millions of dollars to make schoolchildren go through metal detectors and face being wanded, […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
From Behind Office With Locked Elevator, Guard at Front Desk, Van Hollen Calls for Concealed Carry in State Capitol
Attorney General JB Van Hollen, under fire from the nation’s largest gun manufacturing lobby, has announced his support for allowing concealed guns to be carried in the State Capitol.
Van Hollen’s Gun Bravery From Behind Locked Doors, Guarded Office
Time and again, scion to a Republican fortune and our state’s Attorney General JB “John Noe” Van Hollen has proven he is a partisan hack instead of the state’s top cop. Van Hollen is the perfect Roscoe P. Coltrane to Scott Walker’s corrupt Boss Hogg. Van Hollen refused to join the John Doe investigation of […]
Right-wing blogger calls for armed violence against workers
In mid-April, professional blogger Andrew Breitbart came to Madison to show his support for Gov. Scott Walker’s attack on worker rights. He shared a stage with other notable speakers like Sarah Palin and Vicki McKenna. Of course the tea party’s puny turnout was overshadowed by the huge uprising of middle-class workers and labor union supporters, […]
Successful ‘Run Against Walker’ Shows Wisconsin Will Not Take Walker, GOP Assault on Working Families Sitting Down
MADISON, Wis. — Citizens of Wisconsin enraged by Gov. Scott Walker’s unprecedented corporate tax breaks and massive cuts to Wisconsin public education and healthcare systems joined One Wisconsin Now in Tuesday’s “Run Against Walker,” a run organized as part of the “Walkerville” activities taking place at the State Capitol over the next several weeks. The […]
State panel OKs bill that wouldn’t require permits for concealed carry
Shortly after the election, Walker planned to sign whatever lawmakers approved, according to a newly released email. The email from Murray was acquired by the liberal group One Wisconsin Now through the state’s open records law. Walker’s office verified it was authentic. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Senate committee hears arguments about proposed conceal-carry bill
Meanwhile, the liberal group “One Wisconsin Now” dug up an e-mail which claims that Governor Scott Walker would sign any measure that gets to his desk. [Pierce County Herald]
GOP Legislative Committees Revealed
The interwebs reports that income state Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald is circulating memos to his fellow Republicans to solicit their ideas on senate committees for the upcoming legislative session. Given the promises about job creation made by Republicans across the state as they campaign, Fitzgerald’s announcement that the Jim Crow-inspired Voter ID/Voter Suppression bill […]
“Independent” Walker blog has deep ties to Walker campaign
Despite assurances from the anonymous blogger behind ScottWalkerforGov.com that the blog is NOT CREATED OR ENDORESED BY THE WALKER CAMPAIGN! [caps lock and emphatic exclamation point theirs], one would be hard pressed to find anyone who actually believed the ridiculous anti-Neumann spin and gutter-snipe rhetoric wasnt coming from inside the campaign. Now, thanks to a […]
Walker Uses the Phone Pulpit to Trash Working Men and Women
Smug Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has made a career of using government to the benefit of those who support his right wing agenda. We remember when for instance, while taking money from the private Corrections Corporation of America while authoring truth in sentencing legislation that would grow the need for private prisons as the […]
A Page in Paul’s PAC Report: Snapshot of Ryan’s Corporate Masters
The ‘Young Gun’ filed his latest campaign finance statement and it’s chock full-o-corporatey goodness. Ryan amassed $104,000 in PAC gifts, including 94% from out-of-state PACs. It’s not surprising, Ryan’s corporate sycophancy extends beyond the Badger State borders, so why wouldn’t his grab-bagging. But more than our words could do, page 105 of his 170 page […]
Campaign Against Violence Hosts ‘Put the Guns Down’ Festival
On Sunday, August 30th, 2009, Campaign Against Violence (CAV) will cap off its summer initiative with their 5th annual ‘Put the Guns Down Festival’, at Washington Park starting at 11am. The non-profit group known for its leadership development and civic engagement efforts will keep things on a lighter note with this gathering. The festival will […]
MJSs major miss on firearm story
Yesterday our NRA-backed Attorney General, JB Van Hollen, claimed that openly carrying a firearm should not result in a disorderly conduct charge in a memorandum issued to Wisconsin’s district attorneys. Yesterday was also April 20, 2009’ten years to the day after the Columbine Massacre in Colorado: the most infamous school shooting in U.S. history sparked […]
Wisco AG Van Hollen Commemorates Columbine Tragedy by Calling for Less Gun Enforcement
Its been exactly ten years since the horrific murders of 12 students and a teacher and wounding of 23 more victims at the Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado at the hands of the heavily-armed Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. Former Bush appointee and current Wisconsin Attorney General JB Van Hollen is commemorating this massacre […]
On tragic anniversary, a journey to stop violence
On Monday, April 20, the 10th anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School , Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE) sets off on a journey, covering 450 miles in three days, to raise awareness about gun violence and to call for common sense solutions. The tour, “A Journey for Justice: Preventing Gun Violence Across Wisconsin”, features […]
Disconnected from Bush’s America: In Response to the Washington Post
Disconnected From Obama’s America is the headline of a Washington Post article today. Its adorned with a picture of a burly man wearing a mustache, some chest hair, and a camouflage cap hiding a gray head of hair standing in front of a wall of mounted deer heads. The article is about this rural ‘Democrat’ […]
Koschnick Courts the Gun Lobby
Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson’s opponent, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Randy Koschnick, had barely filed his nomination petitions when he began pressing the flesh — at a gun show in LaCrosse. Koschnick told WXOW-TV the gun show gave him a chance to meet voters. It was such a good chance he campaigned there two days in […]
NRA misfires again
When toting up the Nov. 4 winners and losers, my friends, let’s not forget the National Rifle Association. The NRA misfired again. The big question is whether legislators will figure out they have nothing to fear from the gun lobby.
Help Remind Egelhoff of What She Really Thinks
Apparently right wing blogger turned state assembly candidate Jo Egelhoff is confused about her various positions. Dan Bice reports in Friday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that she pulled down many of her blog postings prior to starting her current campaign. With good reason, as the story points out, she has written many things on her blog […]
Pistol-packing poll watchers?
Just thinking as I read about Badger State Repubs looking for some tough guys to watch the polls: The Washington Post reported it first: The Wisconsin Republican Party has issued a call for volunteer poll watchers for Election Day, and the criteria is a little specific, seeking especially folks made of sterner stuff. Jonathan Waclawski, […]
J.B. Van Hollen, Wisconsin’s Katherine Harris
When he was running for Attorney General, JB Van Hollen made a fake lament about ‘frivolous’ lawsuits a major part of his stump speech. After all of that grandstanding who could forget him then filing his own frivolous lawsuit because he didn’t like a hard hitting ad that was run against him? Later, after he […]
Supreme Court Piece Gets Revealing Angry Response from Bigot
The following text (in two e-mails) below was received from timkisting@aol.com, commenting on a brief analysis (SC Decision Striking Down Gun Control Is Fine with This Progressive) on the Supreme Court decision, District of Columbia v. Heller (07-290), that was picked up in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Sunday. Well, let’s hope this guy, timkisting@aol.com, doesn’t […]
When in Doubt, Hand Out a Gun
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has had a rough couple of weeks recently. First he and his partisan hires have been waging a war on the professionals in the Department of Justice. Van Hollen has demoted some of the most respected law enforcement officers in the nation while at the same time actually driving […]