Unions and the Wisconsin Governor

[Townsend]

So the recall is today.

The news stories I've seen have been pretty amazing.  The money is impressive.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/politics/wisconsin-recall-money/index.html

Washington (CNN) -- Millions of phone calls have been made. Thousands of yard signs are posted on Badger State lawns. Television ads blanket the Wisconsin airwaves.
All of this frenetic activity in Tuesday's gubernatorial recall in Wisconsin comes at an unprecedented price tag: Upward of $63 million, and that doesn't take into account money raised the last three weeks that hasn't been registered yet.
"When we come up with a final tally for this race, it's going to be in the $70 (million) to $80 million range," predicted Mike McCabe, who runs Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan campaign watchdog group.

[Townsend]

Reports: Robo-calls lying to Wisconsin voters

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77061.html

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said his campaign is contacting Wisconsin residents to counter reports of a robo-call that says anyone who signed a petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker doesn't have to vote in Tuesday's election.

That's sad if it's true and it's sad that people have to be told the petition signature doesn't count as a vote.

[Gaspar]

Come on!  Everyone knows the new rules, Republicans and Independents are supposed to vote on Tuesday and Democrats on Wednesday.

Keeps things less crowded that way.

[Townsend]

Come on!  Everyone knows the new rules, Republicans and Independents are supposed to vote on Tuesday and Democrats on Wednesday.

Keeps things less crowded that way.

It's pathetic people fall for these shenanigans.

[Gaspar]

Reports: Robo-calls lying to Wisconsin voters

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77061.html

That's sad if it's true and it's sad that people have to be told the petition signature doesn't count as a vote.

One would think that such a call as this would be an excellent thing to perhaps play on the news. Unfortunatly, Salon, and Thinkprogress, the news sources that first reported the calls haven't been able to offer them online.  Tom Barret says he's "heard" about the calls too.

Now, if I were a reporter, and a source told me they received the call (constituting a federal criminal action), I would help my source contact the FBI, and get a copy of the call record from AT&T or whoever the carrier is.  It should be very easy at that point to prosecute, but no one seems interested in doing anything beyond saying "I've heard people say."

I think I'm going to just file this under NICE TRY until some evidence surfaces.  

[Townsend]

I think I'm going to just file this under NICE TRY until some evidence surfaces.  

Uh oh.  The "mosquito spray" claims another.

[Townsend]

So, yes, let's.

[Breadburner]

The other thread was getting long and thought it could be freshened up...

I was surprised to read that some unions had actually given money to Scott Walker's campaign for Governor and other unions endorsed him.

The Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Association and Milwaukee Police Association endorsed him, with members appearing in uniform in television spots. The firefighters also gave money.

Then I realized that Governor Walker didn't include police and fire workers in his quest to eliminate collective bargaining. Those unions will still be able to have collective bargaining for their rights, pay, and pensions.

What a slimeball Scott Walker has turned out to be. He attacks unions everyday in the media and says they must be stopped. Well, except for the unions that gave him money.

MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm...Crow....!!!!

[guido911]

[Gaspar]

Slaps are ok.  It's kisses on the cheek from union bosses that you have to worry about.

[carltonplace]

Scott Walker was only the third Governor in history to face recall. He is the first Governor in history to retain his post after a recall election.

Its a shame that he had to spend $50 million to retain the post he already had, set the citizens of Wisconsin against one another and cause this recall election in the first place. Maybe he will try to reach out and try to re-unify the state now.

[Conan71]

Look at it this way, it's $50 million more flowing into state and national economies.  Nice union beat-down Wisconsin!

I also love how CNN calls it a "narrow" victory with a 7% margin.  Obama won the 2008 election with a similar % and it was called a "wide" margin.

I'm quite certain, had Walker lost, it would have been a "resounding victory for organized labor".

[RecycleMichael]

CNN is biased.

Walker raised ten times the money the unions did. Much of it came from out-of-state interests, including millions from the Koch brothers. The only sure thing about this election is that it confirms that whichever side spends the most money usually wins.

[Gaspar]

CNN is biased.

Walker raised ten times the money the unions did. Much of it came from out-of-state interests, including millions from the Koch brothers. The only sure thing about this election is that it confirms that whichever side spends the most money usually wins.

The voters must be happy with all that money flowing into the state.  Walker not only turned a massive deficit into a surplus, but he continues to stimulate the economy beyond his own designs.

[RecycleMichael]

Walker not only turned a massive deficit into a surplus, but he continues to stimulate the economy beyond his own designs.

There is no surplus. Walker is projecting one for next year if miracles happen.

Walker has claimed there will be a $10 million surplus in 2013, but he is projecting state revenue to increase by 4.2% ($515.2 million) even though revenue has fallen the last three years, and the federal government will give his state $528 million more in medicare funding (even though there is no agreement in place).

http://www.doa.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=8371&locid=166

I will gladly pay you next Tuesday for a hamburger today.