T1B

Goober McTuber wrote:Of course you do. Tough to face up to your betters. I have to decide whether to take personal time or sick leave to go catch the first round of the NCAAs in Chicago 2 weeks from now. What would you do?

Goober McTuber wrote:I have to decide whether to take personal time or sick leave to go catch the first round of the NCAAs in Chicago 2 weeks from now. What would you do?

Screw_Michigan wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:I have to decide whether to take personal time or sick leave to go catch the first round of the NCAAs in Chicago 2 weeks from now. What would you do?

Me? I'm gonna head 15 minutes downtown from where I live around 5 pm to scalp tickets from some losing fan from the day session the Thursday of the first round, hopefully a Wisky fan. I'll buy these tickets for probably around $30-35. Not bad for tournament bball.

Your bitch ass is going to drive hours to participate in this fine tradition. You might as well move to southern Indiana and start hanging out with IndyFelcho. Ain't shit going on in your hoods, motherfuckers.

Mace wrote: No, I don't, but I do know that he said he has been paying on a mortgage for most of his adult life, so I think it's safe to say that he has at least some equity in his home. I also don't know if he actually owes $120K on his house...only that he threw out that number as an example. What he owes on his home is none of my business.

Screw_Michigan wrote:Ain't shit going on in your hoods, motherfuckers.

Bill Wineke wrote:Gov. Scott Walker seems to understand the challenge facing Wisconsin's schools. This is what he said while introducing his budget:

"Clearly, we have to produce graduates who are able to compete -- not only with peers from Chicago or Des Moines but, also, from Shanghai or Sydney."

Then he proposed to cut the budgets of Wisconsin elementary schools by $900 million over the next two years.

This does seem a bit surreal, doesn't it?

The governor's budget has three separate elements that, taken together, represent an unprecedented assault on public education in this state.

First, it cuts state aid to the schools.

Second, it puts a cap on property taxes so that the schools can't make up the cuts.

Third, it lifts limits on school voucher programs in Milwaukee so that middle-class people who don't want their kids to suffer in the poorer schools that will be guaranteed by the cuts will have an incentive to pull their kids out of the public schools, leaving behind the poor and minority students who need good schools the most.

In return, the governor offers to give school districts the "tools" they need to make up for the cuts. The "tools" are the ability to take away teachers' bargaining rights and to cut their salaries and benefits.

To be sure, the budget makes similar cuts to the budgets of cities, counties and townships, and he offers their elected leaders the same "tools."

If things work the way he hopes, he will get credit for balancing the state budget and local administrators will live with the wrath of angry employees.

But, I'm concentrating on schools because schools represent the future prospects of our children and grandchildren.

It has been popular for a long time to assert that we honor teachers, we just don't like teachers' unions.

The budget puts a lie to that for once and for all. It makes clear that the real reason for destroying teachers' right to bargain is so our school districts can cut their pay and benefits and, let's be honest, fire a good number of teachers without recourse.

The real victims of this proposal are our kids. We are condemning them to attend schools with greatly reduced resources taught by sullen and angry educators.

Once they manage to graduate, they will discover the state also is cutting the budgets of its universities and technical colleges.

Am I missing something here? Is there anything in this budget that might actually help our kids?

The governor makes a point of saying he doesn't want to leave our budget bills for our children and grandchildren to pay down the road. And I think that's a laudable goal.

But, is the alternative really to provide them inferior educations and staggering college tuition bills?

We could, after all, ask people like me to pay more in income taxes until the budget deficit is eliminated.

I grew up in a home without inside plumbing. I owe everything I am to teachers who cared about me and who saw in me merits that seemed invisible to everyone else.

If I can't be asked to kick in a little extra to save our children, well, then, I guess I don't really appreciate the education I received so many years ago.

In the meantime, it seems the new slogan for Wisconsin will be "Open for Business: We still have high taxes but now we also have mediocre schools."

88 wrote:The war's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.


Then again, maybe not... Opponents of Wisconsin Bill Threaten To Explode Bombs And Murder Senators

Goober McTuber wrote:By your logic, the vast majority of Americans are broke.

smackaholic wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:By your logic, the vast majority of Americans are broke.

now, yer catching on.

88 wrote:You owe that debt, period. It is real. The $10,000 you have in the bank are real. If you owe more than $10,000 on your home, you are in debt. You are broke.

Goober McTuber wrote:

88 wrote:You owe that debt, period. It is real. The $10,000 you have in the bank are real. If you owe more than $10,000 on your home, you are in debt. You are broke.

Wait a minute. Am I in debt or am I broke? Funny, I don't feeel broke.

I think you're nitpicking. You're starting to sound like a slightly better educated Moving Sale.

Mace wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:

88 wrote:You owe that debt, period. It is real. The $10,000 you have in the bank are real. If you owe more than $10,000 on your home, you are in debt. You are broke.

Wait a minute. Am I in debt or am I broke? Funny, I don't feeel broke.

I think you're nitpicking. You're starting to sound like a slightly better educated Moving Sale.

You're in debt. You're not "broke" unless you lose your source of income and lose your assets. If your debt exceeds the value of your assets, you're broke. Depends on your definition of "broke", I guess. I have debt but I could easily sell my house for twice what I owe on it...even in a down market, and I have more than enough in an IRA and investment accounts to pay all of my debt. So, yes, I'm in debt, but hardly broke, or, like Goobs, at least I don't feel broke.

(CNN) -- Democratic state senators who fled Wisconsin to protest the governor's bid to curb the bargaining rights of public workers were greeted Saturday by cheering crowds and vowed to continue the fight.

"People think that this is a picnic for us. They're wrong. But I'll tell you something, we did it for the right reasons," said state Sen. Dave Hansen. "And the fight will continue. It does not end with that vote."

The senators are back in Wisconsin just one day after Gov. Scott Walker signed into law a bill that limits the bargaining rights of most state workers.

Cheering crowds turned out at the state Capitol to welcome them home.

mvscal wrote:When your level of debt exceeds your ability to pay that debt, you are broke.

Governor Says He'll Halt Plans On Union Law
Judge Amended Order On Thursday
Updated: 8:16 pm CDT March 31, 2011

MILWAUKEE-- Gov. Scott Walker said he'll comply with a Dane County circuit judge's order halting enactment of a law that would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights.

Walker said in an appearance in Milwaukee on Thursday the reason he'll comply with Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi's order is because it's in writing.

Sumi issued the order halting the plan earlier this week while considering a challenge to its legitimacy. She amended that order earlier Thursday to clarify the law had not taken effect.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice fired back, saying it does not believe the ruling is proper and it looks forward to a higher court weighing in on the issues.

"We have raised numerous objections to the court when permitted to do so, and we will continue to make objections known to the court. Today's order is issued over our objections, and we do not believe that it is proper. But it is the court's order and we understand that DOA will abide by that order. Ultimately, we expect a higher court will need to weigh in on the fundamental issues of constitutional law and judicial power that these proceedings have put to the test," the DOJ said in a statement.

Walker's top aide said Thursday that the administration will abide by Sumi's order, and they've halted preparations to begin deducting money from most public workers' paychecks. Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said that the Republican governor's administration still believes the law took effect when a state office posted it online last week.

Republican leaders also said they disagreed with the judge's order.

"To me, this is not about the merits of the bill -- and I'm not sure how many residents of Wisconsin understand that. This is about whether or not a circuit court judge can tell the Wisconsin Legislature how to write its rules, and how it can function," said Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. "We did everything right. (The lawsuit) has been exasperating. It's been outrageous."

But Democrats said this ruling is what they've been arguing about all along, and they stand behind the judge and her stopping any further implementation of the law.

"At long last, we're pleased that now the administration, and the Republican leadership, recognize the importance of rule of law -- and understand that they clearly are not above the law," said Democratic Rep. Donna Seidel, assistant Assembly minority leader. "We're pleased with the clarification of the court order."

Huebsch released a statement Thursday on the implementation of Wisconsin Act 10.

"While I believe the budget repair bill was legally published and is indeed law, given the most recent court action we will suspend the implementation of it at this time. DOA will continue to abide by the court orders, like the department has done all throughout this process," he said in the statement.

It's unclear if the process has already begun and if dedications have already started coming out of state employees' paychecks.

The controversy about the law stems from a lawsuit filed by Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne alleging Republican legislative leaders violated the state's open meetings law during debate on the proposal in the state Legislature.


Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Rep. Peter Barca welcomed Sumi's actions on Thursday. In a statement on Thursday, he said, "The judge made it abundantly clear on Tuesday that Gov. Walker and his administration, including Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch, shouldn't be implementing Act 10. I believe she made it clear then with her order that stop means stop."

Barca accused Republicans of failing to respect the rule of law and putting the state at financial risk.

"But Mr. Walker and Mr. Huebsch chose to ignore her warning that they were jeopardizing the finances and stability of state government, apparently believing they are above the law. This morning with her added order she has taken away their last excuse," Barca said in the statement. "I can only hope today's amended order is crystal clear enough for them to stop disregarding the rule of law."

Just in his mid-20s, Brian Deschane has no college degree, very little management experience and two drunken-driving convictions.

Yet he has landed an $81,500-per-year job in Gov. Scott Walker's administration overseeing environmental and regulatory matters and dozens of employees at the Department of Commerce. Even though Walker says the state is broke and public employees are overpaid, Deschane already has earned a promotion and a 26% pay raise in just two months with the state.

How did Deschane score his plum assignment with the Walker team?

It's all in the family.

His father is Jerry Deschane, executive vice president and longtime lobbyist for the Madison-based Wisconsin Builders Association, which bet big on Walker during last year's governor's race.

The group's political action committee gave $29,000 to Walker and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, last year, making it one of the top five PAC donors to the governor's successful campaign. Even more impressive, members of the trade group funneled more than $92,000 through its conduit to Walker's campaign over the past two years.

Total donations: $121,652.

That's big-time backing from the homebuilders.

The younger Deschane didn't respond to questions about his job.

But his father said he doesn't think his group's financial support of the first-term Republican helped his son in his job search.

"He got the position himself," said Jerry Deschane, who returned to the trade group in September after a hiatus during which he worked as an independent lobbyist for many groups, including the builders association. "I didn't get it for him."

One Walker critic isn't buying it.

State Rep. Brett Hulsey called Deschane's appointment another case of the new administration using state jobs to repay various industries.

Hulsey said he was unimpressed with the younger Deschane's résumé, including his lack of environmental or management experience.

"It doesn't look like he's ever had a real job," the Madison Democrat said.

Hulsey noted that the recently approved law that made collective bargaining changes converts 37 top agency attorneys, communications officials and legislative liaisons from civil service positions to jobs appointed by the governor.

"This is an example of the quality of candidates you're going to get," said Hulsey, owner of the consulting firm Better Environmental Services.

According to his résumé, Deschane, 27, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for two years, worked for two Republican lawmakers - then-Sens. David Zien and Cathy Stepp, now the natural resources secretary - and helped run a legislative and a losing congressional campaign. He held part-time posts with the Wisconsin Builders Association and the Wisconsin Business Council until being named to his first state gig earlier this year.

Deschane's father said that during the gubernatorial contest he might have reminded Keith Gilkes, Walker's campaign manager and now chief of staff, that his son "was out there and available."

"I put in good words for every one of my children in their jobs," said the elder Deschane. "But that would be the extent of it."

David Carlson, spokesman for the Department of Regulation and Licensing, confirmed that Gilkes recommended Deschane for an interview with the agency. Deschane's name does not appear on a list of job applicants with Walker's transition team, but the governor's office confirmed that Gilkes interviewed Deschane for a state job in December.

A month later, Secretary David Ross, a Walker cabinet member, named Deschane the bureau director of board services, a job that paid $64,728 a year.

Not long after, lawmakers approved the governor's plan to convert the Department of Commerce to a public-private hybrid in charge of attracting and retaining businesses, with its regulatory and environmental functions being moved to other agencies.

Commerce Secretary Paul Jadin then appointed Deschane to his new post there to oversee the changes.

"It was felt that he would be helpful in working through the transition issues," said Commerce Department spokesman Tony Hozeny.

The move meant a pay raise of more than $16,500 a year for Deschane, even though he had put in only a couple of months with the state.

Deschane's father said his group doesn't lobby or work with his son's division, which deals primarily with regulating underground storage tanks and petroleum tanks and products. Hozeny said the younger Deschane will be expected to abide by state ethics rules in dealing with family members.

A spokesman for the governor said Walker's team was aware of Deschane's two drunken-driving convictions, the most recent of which occurred in 2008.

"We . . . felt he had changed his habits and that these past incidents would in no way affect his performance at this job," said Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie.

Deschane's father acknowledged that his son had made "foolish" decisions in the past, but he argued that the Walker administration was influenced by the younger Deschane's strong résumé.

"He's a bright young man," the father said.

Michael McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and a regular critic of Walker, said he's not surprised officials claim the builders association's contributions had no impact on the hiring. No politician concedes being influenced by campaign donations, McCabe said.

But he said it's hard to reach any other conclusion in this case.

"It has all the markings of political patronage," McCabe said.

Goober McTuber wrote:This shows just how vile our new administration is.

Just in his mid-20s, Brian Deschane has no college degree, very little management experience and two drunken-driving convictions.

Imus wrote:

You old fuck.

Goober McTuber wrote:Now the challenger has won by a few hundred votes.

BSmack wrote:How very convenient that 10,000 votes just magically appear.

Goober McTuber wrote:But that margin will in all likelihood kill any talk of a recount.

Goober McTuber wrote:But that margin will in all likelihood kill any talk of a recount.

Sirfindafold wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:But that margin will in all likelihood kill any talk of a recount.

Well please keep us all posted. We are all sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for any news of this debacle.

Terry in Crapchester wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:But that margin will in all likelihood kill any talk of a recount.

Not sure what the laws are in Wisconsin re: recounts, but with 1.5 million votes cast, 7,500 would be the 1/2 of 1% margin. IIRC, that was the margin where a recount is necessary under Florida law. If Prosser's lead is where 88 said it is, that would still be < 1/2 of 1%.

88 wrote:I heard the number for having to pay or not pay for a recount in this particular race was 6,900. But that figure was provided on America Left radio. They still think Diebold/Cheney/Halliburton/Rove/Koch Brothers/Bush/Walker/Nickolaus created the votes out of thin air to screw Kloppenburg, by the way.

Jsc810 wrote:Today there are recall elections for six Republican Senators in Wisconsin.

Almost all recalls fail, but these seem to have a chance. We'll find out soon enough.