Ed Thompson announced today that he’d be singing Grover Norquist’s ‘Taxpayer Protection Pledge.’ In his latest press release, Thompson raises the roof for Norquist and his group, Americans for Tax Reform, for championing a belief in anti-working class tax policies. Score another one for the fat cats.We’ve written about disciples of Norquist’s no new taxes […]
The latest talking point to trickle down from Fox News to the rest of the GOP is that an up or down vote, also known as reconciliation, on health insurance reform in the Senate is outside the Senate rules. GOPer talking heads have equated using reconciliation with the “nuclear” option — which, gentle reader, you’ll […]
Good news, Wisconsin taxpayers. There are more swimming pools in your future. Look for one in a backyard near you — but not at the park. Campaign press release: Scott Walker, Milwaukee County executive and Republican candidate for governor, told a crowd of over 125 at Sheraton Hotel this weekend that as governor he would […]
Competition. The ubiquitous cry of rabid free-marketers, Ayn Randites and conservatives as the answer to all that ills us. Just undo regulation and UNLEASH THE POWAH of the free market and competition! I can hear the bellowing now. Despite the repeated failures of total deregulation (current recession, runaway credit card industry, stock market crashes, etc.), […]
A great retort from AFSCME’s Marty Biel about WPRI’s attack on the state pension system that their president, George Lightbourn, a 20-year public employee himself who managed and now receives benefits from the system, posted by Sly this morning: Your State Pension Under Attack Executive Director Beil Blast’s Opponents of State Pension PlanDefends Public Sector […]
So ‘Wisconsin’s Free Market Think Tank’ released yet another report reinforcing the pro-corporate agenda of conservatives. Big surprise.In its latest report, the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI) wants the public to be outraged at the government for offering pensions that are too ‘rich’ compared to the private sector. OWN and other progressive leaders have called […]
MADISON, Wis. — Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is claiming he will create “250,000 jobs” in Wisconsin, which if done would essentially reduce the unemployment rate to zero. The lowest recorded unemployment rate in recent Wisconsin history is 2.4 percent in 1999. “This is just another ridiculous claim by Scott Walker that cannot be backed […]
The figures obtained by One Wisconsin Now show that “T Wall Properties Master Limited Partnership” had net state income taxes of $0 in the years 2000-01 and 2003-2008.
The health insurance industry has once again reminded the American public why we ever started talking about health insurance reform in the first place. A new report shows that WellPoint ‘ the nation’s largest health insurance corporation by membership ‘ will increase premiums in Wisconsin by 17 percent.The report by the Center for American Progress […]
MADISON, Wis. — At Tuesday’s Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce lobbying luncheon Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker will likely find support from the corporate lobby for his $2-billion, budget-busting, deficit-doubling plan for tax breaks that mostly benefit corporations and the wealthiest Wisconsinites. What is less likely, is that Walker will explain which drastic cuts he would […]
If theres one thing new Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce board chair Tom Howatt and his corporate cronies at WMC enjoy more than anything, its a big ole handout from the government. Take Howatts company Wausau Paper. In the final quarter of 2009, Wausau Paper reported its best earnings quarter in ten years, $9.2 million, the […]
MADISON, Wis. — Unlike the millions of Americans whose incomes were adversely affected by the collapsing economy due to the failed policies of George W. Bush, former Gov. Tommy Thompson appears to have earned more in 2008 than any previous year, according to figures obtained by One Wisconsin Now from the state Department of Revenue. […]
The Republican Party of Tommy! has registered its great displeasure with One Wisconsin Now’s press release from yesterday congratulating former Gov. Tommy Thompson on the incredible cashing in he’s done since leaving the corrupt Bush administration. Tommy!, whose greatest achievement as Health and Human Services Secretary was helping the Bush Administration lie about the cost […]
State Rep. Kevin Petersen, a Waupaca Republican who clearly believes in individual responsibility, has an idea to solve the problem that has stumped the nuclear industry, scientists and the government for 50 years: What to do with the deadly nuclear waste produced by reactors? It’s such a small quantity, Petersen seems to say, that maybe […]
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has been was as virulent against the Recovery Act funds for Wisconsin as the dopey ex-Governor of Alaska was about her state’s share. You know who hasn’t been against the Recovery Act? The Wisconsin Road Builders.Yep, the same gang that Walker is traveling all the way to Florida to grovel […]
MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now released the following statements from Executive Director Scot Ross on the one-year anniversary of the successful America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). ARRA has provided $2.76 billion to Wisconsin for job creation, schools, transportation, health care, energy and public safety among other critical needs. Over 44,000 Wisconsin jobs have […]
The Wisconsin Council on Children and Families has put together detailed information about the more than $2 billion Recovery Act funding that counties in Wisconsin received to start digging us out of the hole created by the failed economic policies of the Republican Congress and George W. Bush. Check out the county data here. WCCF […]
MADISON, Wis. — Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s call for Wisconsin to reject federal Recovery Act funds for critical job creation and railway infrastructure needs reflects Walker’s long-time failure on transit issues, which have led to among other things, the nation’s highest transit fees for already-struggling Milwaukee County residents. “The train has passed on Scott […]
During some downtime between creating super awesome and totally relevant Ayn Rand fanboy videos and posting them on Facebook, Paul Ryan managed to find time to offer up the latest GOP lead-balloon plan for propping up the rich and corporations while selling out the middle class. Ryans Roadmap for America was brought to the forefront […]
With rail on the mind as Joint Finance meets today to discuss establishing a high-speed rail line between Madison and Milwaukee, this seems to be an appropriate time to point out that Scott Walker received a $10,000 contribution from a railroad chief who happens to be a very visible advocate for using Recovery Act dollars […]
MADISON, Wis. — Newly-minted Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce chair Thomas Howatt, Chief Executive Officer of Wausau Paper Corporation, has yet to issue public thanks to Democrats controlling the state legislature and the U.S. Congress who enacted policies to both provide his company with $2.6 million in Recovery Act funds and coinciding with the company’s best […]
One Wisconsin Now’s WISTAX Watch is asking the conservative Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance to explain why its latest report focusing on fee increases in cities and villages ignores county governments.
“This is not a case where there was a fatality or serious injury,” Marks said. Her department is taking seriously the concerns raised by the investigation, she said. No apology to the victims at the mental health facility who were sexually abused, just, well gee, there’s been no murders so what’s the big deal? Sexual […]
WISTAX Watch is asking the conservative Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance to explain why its latest report focusing on fee increases in cities and villages ignores county governments. The state is in the midst of a gubernatorial campaign between Milwaukee’s conservative county executive, Scott Walker and Milwaukee’s mayor, Tom Barrett. It defies logic that WISTAX focuses on […]
One Wisconsin Now has been wondering from which broom closet in the GOP bathhouse of stupidity ample GOPer seat-filler Joel Kleefisch yanked his “sex offender” license plate idea. Turns out it’s from the bowels of Soviet-era Russia and Fidel Castro’s communist Cuba. (Cue shocking music) According to a national wire story published in the Milwaukee […]
We here at One Wisconsin Now have worked tirelessly for close to a year developing WISTAX Watch‘a comprehensive expose on the pro-corporate, conservative bias of Wisconsin’s most vocal and visible tax policy think tank, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX). Among the most blatant examples of its bias is the overwhelming amount of contributions to Republican […]
Rep. Marlin Schneider got called out by the Associated Press for a claim he made on the number of constituents who contacted him about his laughably-unconstitutional bill limiting the public’s right to the online Circuit Court Access Program. It reminded us of a similar constituent claim made by right-wing seat-filler Sen. Mary Lazich. Back in […]
One Wisconsin Now has launched a comprehensive website providing historical information, board donations, affiliations and extensive analysis of the conservative agenda of the allegedly non-ideological Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.
Gotta quiz for you…Which supposedly “independent” and “unbiased” organization in Wisconsin fits the following? Its president and leading voice is a former Republican administration official and local Republican party executive committee member. Members of its board of directors since 1994 have donated nearly $1.3 million to Republicans and conservative political candidates.Fifteen of these same 33 […]
Jim Rowen, a member of the One Wisconsin Institute family, reports over at The Political Environment that the good work of activists is resulting in a series of public focus groups planned by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to get public input on “the implications of transferring Lake Michigan water to Waukesha and other […]
The favorable private school voucher study paid for by the state’s leading private school voucher advocates is riddled with fundamental research flaws, implying the “study” was designed to reach a pre-conceived conclusion in favor of a particular political agenda. That the state’s leading private school voucher gang funded a study that supports the private school […]
MADISON, Wis. — Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has strongly opposed measures to provide more Wisconsin children, pregnant mothers and uninsured adults have affordable health care, at the same time taking more than $120,000 in campaign contributions from the health care industry in just the last six months alone. “The health insurance industry knows they […]
WMC Watch News: WMC’s new board chair is calling for bipartisan efforts to stimulate job growth in Wisconsin. Laughable, given the extremely partisan disposition of the organization he now heads and his own partisan campaign contributions.Thomas J. Howatt—the newly crowned chair of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, Wisconsin’s largest pro-corporate lobbying group—told WisBusiness that WMC is […]
Yet another story has popped about Republican Tommy Thompson maybe/maybe not throwing his hat in a race somewhere in Wisconsin. But the real question is: will the right wing call it “dithering”?The right fell in love with “dither” late last year when Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was mulling his gubernatorial run. Brian Fraley—from over at […]
Readers of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel business section will know the name John Torinus. Torinus seems to be a busy man in the business community: he is the current chair and former CEO of Serigraph, Inc.; a current board member of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce—our state’s largest pro-corporate, anti-public investment lobby group; and a past […]
Hi – A group of us are currently starting planning for a Netroots Wisconsin event, in cooperation with Netroots Nation. This will be a regional conference along the lines of Netroots Nation, and we are currently aiming at September 2010 in Madison. We are looking for people to help with: Planning the conferenceLooking for sponsorsany […]
Um, T. Wall pays individual taxes? Not most years‘¦ ‘[O]ur businesses are pass-through businesses, that is to say our taxes are paid through the individuals. I and my investors pay taxes individually on behalf of our businesses. The only business that has double taxation, which is a C-corp, is something that’s traded publicly and we’re […]
One of the more rousing cheers during the State of the Union last night came after President Obama called out the ridiculous ruling from the Supreme Court last week that threw open the door to a new flood of corporate cash into campaigns. The Bush boys, Justices Roberts and Alito, swore up and down during […]
The latest Rasmussen poll shows Sen. Russ Feingold with a slight deficit to non-candidate and oft-cited Tommy! Thompson. Some have raised concerns that Rasmussen words its questions in a way that favors Republicans and conservatives. Not to the level of Strategic Vision’s fraudulent polling, by any stretch, but noteworthy, nonetheless. “I think they write their […]
The failed conservative economic policies of giving endless tax breaks to corporations and the rich finally got a full-throated repudiation last night as voters in Oregon passed a tax increase on the wealthy and corporations to fill that states gaping budget hole. Voters sick and tired of watching corporations get rich while state services and […]
MADISON, Wis. — Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker wants to double Wisconsin’s projected $2-billion state budget deficit with a series of tax breaks that mostly benefit corporations and high-income people. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau reported Wisconsin faces a $2 billion deficit in 2011-13, making Walker’s budget-busting tax breaks for the rich a doubling of the […]
Before criticizing Doyle for statewide job losses during a recession, Walker should pay attention to what’s going on in his own backyard. In 2009 Milwaukee County lost over 30,000 jobs — with the unemployment rate jumping from 5.5% to 9.2% in just one year. (bls.gov) And just what sort of “economic development” has Walker been […]
So let me get this straight. Wisconsin’s facing a budget deficit of something like $2-billion, and Scott Walker’s idea is to dig the hole deeper with a big corporate tax break? And the news media treat him seriously? As Gov. Jim Doyle was getting ready to deliver his State of the State speech, Walker, surrounded by […]
One Wisconsin Now delivered the unfortunate news that WPRI-UW poll materials suggest a deliberate removal of references to opposition to private school vouchers.
Did you hear the “news”? Tommy Thompson might run (possibly) for something (again) (maybe)’¦ EXCITING’¦ (SORT OF!)’¦ POLITICO reported last week that Tommy Thompson—who earned the nickname Dr. No for his “relentless partisanship” as a Wisconsin state rep—isn’t “saying no” to running for the Senate (or Governorship) in Wisconsin. Cory at Eye on Wisconsin and […]
Nine out of ten times isnt just a coincidence; its a pattern of behavior. And nine out of the last ten years, silver-spoon fed real estate developer Terrence Wall paid no state income tax. Because one of Madisons wealthiest business men didnt make any money in the last ten years. Right. When T-Walls income tax […]
Master Terrence Wall Street simply does not like the Recovery Act. In fact, he dislikes the Recovery Act almost as much as he disdains paying his fair share of taxes that the rest of us pay. The Untaxable Terrence, has not only used his Twitter to criticize efforts through the Recovery Act to turn America […]
Meet the Corporation I had always heard of these faceless corporations so I thought it wouldn’t be very much fun to meet one. But now that the Supreme Court has officially made them persons (sorta like they did with George Bush) I thought maybe I’d do what I’d wanted to for a long time ‘ […]
Hardworking State Sen. Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) bravely stood up to recent media reports that he had still not paid back taxpayers for the $38,000 tab we had coming after footing the bill for his legal woes over his use of taxpayer resources for campaign business and his obstruction of an open records request: He […]
One Wisconsin Now says it has evidence that a UW-Madison polling project downplayed opposition to private school vouchers after a think tank raised concerns. [Capital Times]