Wisconsinites have good reason to be proud as Wisconsin had the second-highest voter turnout among all fifty states in last week’s election. And Milwaukee County can rest easy that the election was fair and accurate given the fact’as explained in a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article‘that among the hundreds of thousands of ballots cast in […]
Even though I’m hardly surprised when a corporate hotshot at WMC is caught talking out of both sides of his mouth (yes, HIS ‘ still only 2 women on the board’¦), the size of John Torinus’ bullocks must give him trouble walking. Exhibit A: November 1, 2008 ‘ a scant 12 days ago. Milwaukee Journal […]
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.
At the beginning of the year I openly wondered if the ‘Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights’ (TABOR) was totally and completely dead because the only one attempting to revive it was off the wall State Representative Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue). He announced his intentions even though TABOR and similar proposals had already been repeatedly shot down by […]
Ever since Wisconsin voted to enshrine discrimination against gay families in its constitution, conservatives usually respond to the subject with the same mantra, ‘the people have spoken.’ So it seems odd that many of those very same conservatives have conveniently forgotten that line of reasoning concerning the many progressive referendums that passed all over the […]
Veterans for Peace chapters in Milwaukee and Madison have planned special Veterans Day events this weekend that promote peace rather than militarism. Details: MILWAUKEE VETERANS FOR PEACE: Barred from the city’s Veterans Day parade, Milwaukee Veterans for Peace, Chapter 102, will sponsor its own Veterans Day event at 10 a.m. in front of Milwaukee City […]
Now can we stop hearing the claim that by sending out 50 law enforcement agents to polling places Tuesday that Atty. Gen. J.B. Van Hollen is just doign what Peg Lautenschlager did four years ago? Here’s what Lautenschlager herself says: In 2004 Peggy Lautenschlager, now an attorney for Lawton & Cates, said she also used […]
Donors to the lawbreaking All Children Matter have just made an unprecedented 146 last-minute legislative contributions totaling $79,725 to 33 Republicans and 4 Democrats over two weeks in mid-October. These individuals, who have given All Children Matter more than $10 million, made 134 maximum contributions allowed under Wisconsin law during this final barrage. The 146 […]
After repeated problems involving door-to-door sales crews in Wisconsin, legislation was proposed in the state legislature that would regulate the practice. That legislation was almost singlehandedly blocked by the Eau Claire state Rep. Terry Moulton who chaired the committee responsible for taking up the measure. Blocking such common sense legislation is bad enough, but doing so with […]
Last week I wrote about Republican State Senate candidate (18th SD) Randy Hopper and how he was complaining about taxes and suggesting that the current tax structure has been unfair to him. In that blog, I wrote that he has a credibility problem on the issue since he only paid Wisconsin personal and business income […]
There’s been a noticeable silence on the part of the right wing Wisconsin blog community about the vanished postings of the previously-oft frothing Jo Egelhoff, who regularly peppered liberals and pro-family economic and social policies on her FoxPolitics.net blog-n-site. For a walk down memory lane, you can visit One Wisconsin Now’s http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/page/content/foxpoliticsrevealed/ to see all […]
Former State Rep. Debi Towns continues to receive the backing from All Children Matter, an organization that remains under a legal cloud in Wisconsin after the State Elections Board determined in November 2006 that they violated rules about express advocacy. Top donors to the lawbreaking pro-private vouchers group have given Towns over $8,000. They have […]
After media reports revealed former Appleton City Council member Jo Egelhoff had removed the library of blog posts she had written from the ‘Fox Politics’ website she owns, One Wisconsin Now managed to retrieve nearly 180 posts and have cataloged the extremist and often-disturbing full library at FoxPoliticsRevealed.com. OWN is happy to provide people with […]
That slimy commercial that Michael Gableman ran against Louis Butler in the Supreme Court race — the one roundly condemned as false and racist? It was simply a matter of the script being “poorly worded.” That’s what Jessica McBride says, and she should know. More here.
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 […]
Republican State Senate candidate (18th SD) Randy Hopper is running a pretty standard campaign for a conservative. In a recent debate he complained about taxes and suggested that the current tax structure has somehow been unfair to him. The only problem with that claim is revealed in a report today by the Fond du Lac […]
Mayor Tom Barrett opposes the referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot to require paid sick leave, saying it would make the city uncompetitive. It’s a federal issue, he says. As a good faith gesture to show he wants to make Milwaukee more competitive, Barrett agrees that he and other members of his administration will give […]
From the moment that state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen filed his frivolous lawsuit against the Government Accountability Board (GAB) it was clear to any honest observer that it was without merit and motivated by rank partisanship. That was confirmed later when it was revealed that Van Hollen’s office had multiple communications with Republican Party […]
Statement by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney on Voter Suppression Attempts October 23, 2008 It is deeply ironic that Republican operatives are working so hard to tarnish the most dynamic voter participation in our country in decades-apparently to justify and camouflage their most organized attempt yet to deny Americans the right to vote. The right wing […]
If there were any doubt about whether John McCain — or the Wisconsin Republican Party — had a shred of decency left, the answer is no. As forecast yesterday, the GOP mailer tries to make it look like Obama is a terrorist who wishes he had planted more bombs. Pardon the expression, but it should […]
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has been focusing all week on the serious problem of drunken driving in Wisconsin. In Wednesday’s portion of the continuing report, they focus on the fact that Wisconsin is the only state where first time OWI’s are not charged criminally. They specifically point to the Tavern League and their successful lobbying […]
Despite his long fealty to an annoying no new taxes pledge, Sheldon Wasserman discovered the hard truth that Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform is nothing but a shill group for Republicans. Y’know, Republicans like convicted crook Jack Abramoff and moral sleazebags like Ralph Reed, and well, Norquist himself ‘ all long associated with ATR. […]
On Friday healthcare workers represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) were joined by Healthcare United, Change to Win members, and Citizen Action of Wisconsin as they gathered in front of John McCain’s campaign office in West Allis. They were there to protest McCain’s proposed tax on health insurance. The McCain healthcare plan will only […]
Republicans have been busy slandering ACORN in recent weeks improperly alleging ‘voter fraud.’ One has to wonder how these same people will respond to the fact that the California Republican Party hired a firm whose owner has been arrested for possible voter registration fraud. Reports state that Mark Jacoby, owner of Young Political Majors, was […]
It has certainly become an important question. Just Who Will JB Van Hollen Disenfranchise if the partisan lawsuit that he has filed is successful? According to the Government Accountability Board the answer could be over one million Wisconsin voters. We already know that Van Hollen’s office communicated with Republican Party of Wisconsin officials about the […]
I was recently reminded that during the 1950s, the marginal tax rate was over 90%. Yet the 1950s were a period of tremendous economic growth for the US. Clearly, high tax rates are not, in and of themselves, a growth killer, as many folks proclaim today. In addition, due to the growing strength of the […]
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker may have inherited a less than perfect situation but he has managed to make it so much worse. Rather than make sound budgetary decisions he has opted to manage by political calculation and blind ideology. Walker ‘s latest budget is certainly no exception as he is now proposing to cut over 300 […]
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen filed a legal brief with Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi on Wednesday. In it he asked the judge not to dismiss his partisan case against the Government Accountability Board (GAB). As we have already learned, Van Hollen’s office first communicated with Republican Party officials about the matter before the suit was filed. We […]
The Election Protection Coalition is sponsoring a public hearing tonight to discuss protecting the vote on Election Day. This is even more important considering recent news that the Republican Party of Wisconsin is trying to recruit law enforcement and others to challenge voters at the polls in Milwaukee. People need to know their rights and […]
John McCain’s attempt to frighten people into voting for him sank to a new depth today. This autocall message was left on our voicemail by a male announcer this afternoon: Hello, I’m calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, […]
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, […]
Early in the third 2008 Presidential debate, John McCain introduced Joe, an Ohio plumber who wanted to buy the business in which he had worked for many years. He was supposed to become the poster child for all that was wrong about Obama’s policies. But on health care reform, Joe became a poster child for […]
I had the opportunity to join hundreds of people at the ‘No More Cuts’ rally at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) led the event but were joined by several other unions, and by many other supportive residents that oppose Scott Walker’s drastic cuts. While looking over […]
I just concluded my most recent blog by saying that the right wing had very bad intentions regarding our right to vote. Shortly after I got that blog posted I came across a news item from the Washington Post that not only confirms what I just said, but also carries it even further. The Washington […]
Leading up to every presidential election conservatives make wild accusations about rampant voter fraud in Wisconsin, even though all objective views show that those charges are false. In addition, with the coming of each new election, conservatives always seem to find a new ‘boogy man.’ One year they attack gay people while the next they […]
Friday, Oct. 17, is Iraq Moratorium day. The Third Friday of every month is designated as a day to interrupt our daily routines and take some action, individually or collectively, to call for an end to the war and occupation of Iraq. In Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Coalition for a Just Peace and Peace Action-Wisconsin sponsor […]
Several hundred people are expected to attend a rally against Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and his never ending cuts of services, jobs and the basic quality of life. The ‘No More Cuts’ rally will take place on Wednesday, October 15th at 5 p.m. It will be held at Clas Park, which is on the […]
Steve Baas, the government affairs director for the Milwaukee big business association has been a vocal mouthpiece for his special interests and against the effort in Milwaukee to require paid sick day benefits. He has fought allowing more than 120,000 hard-working Milwaukee citizens to earn modest paid sick leave benefits, even though he was not […]
In this loving video tribute to the Laverne and Shirley opening credits, IAM and UAW work to get the word out about McCain’s abysmal record for working families by worksite leafleting members of IAM Local Lodge 66 and UAW Local 9 at the Miller Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. WATCH and enjoy! In this loving […]
As the stock market continues to crash at historic rates, John McCain refuses to talk substantively about the issues that are most affecting American families. His lack of a coherent response to the economic crisis shows once again just how out of touch he is with the economic issues that concern the average American. John […]
Earlier this year marked the first time that a sitting Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice was disciplined by her own colleagues on the court. Now, only months after Annette Ziegler received a reprimand, the state Judicial Commission has filed a complaint against Michael Gableman, the empty suit that WMC helped install on the high court in April. […]
Wisconsin Attorney General JB Van Hollen refused to join a civil lawsuit along with 11 other states against one of the nation’s largest predatory lenders, which just netted a record-$8.4 billion settlement. Financial disclosure records show Van Hollen owned stock totaling as much as $150,000 in at least three subprime lenders. Attorney General Van Hollen […]
After Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen filed his frivolous lawsuit against the Government Accountability Board (GAB), he claimed that his motives were not partisan. He went on to claim that his position as John McCain co-chair played no role in the suit even though the action could help McCain by disenfranchising hundreds of thousands […]
While America’s attention was riveted on hunting trophies and beautified pigs, Wall Street decided it was time to distract us with some melodrama of its own. The recent financial meltdown was not the work of foreign enemies, though it may give them great comfort to learn how adept we have become at producing self-inflicted wounds. […]
On Sunday the Wisconsin State Journal reported that Wisconsin’s largest lobbying organization, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) may be rethinking the tone of their infamous political ads. Who could ever forget the sleazy and misleading ads that they have run, most notably in their state Supreme Court efforts to install empty suit Michael Gableman while […]
The morning after the country’s greatly anticipated and, thus far, most-watched vice presidential debate who knew the news media would be so riddled with such fervent pats on the back for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. With such a low threshold for success, the praise for her public speaking capabilities seems a little over the top, […]
My mother’s experience living in an Atria Senior Living facility is a cautionary tale for other Wisconsinites who are seeking housing and care for their elderly parents. When my father died in 2000, I moved my mother out of her apartment because she couldn’t do the stairs any longer without help. After a brief stay […]
John McCain and Sarah Palin have spent much of the past few weeks attacking the greedy, corrupt villains behind the collapse of our financial markets. And there truly were some pretty shady characters involved in some very questionable financial dealings. But a crisis of this magnitude never is the fault of just a few rotten […]
The last eight years have been a complete and utter failure and everyone finally knows it. Senator John McCain has been a big part of the problem as he has supported the failed policies of the Bush Administration 90 percent of the time. If anyone had any doubt that that McCain would continue the same tired approach […]
Hey, check out this post from Media Matters: http://mediamatters.org/items/200810020004 In reporting on new NRCC ad, Cillizza did not note GOP support for Rangel earmark Summary: In a blog post, washingtonpost.com’s Chris Cillizza reported that the National Republican Congressional Committee released an ad attacking a Democratic House member who voted in favor of an earmark for […]