Rasmussen is right-leaning, so no surprise there. I did appreciate the slant of the questions, throwing in stuff about the national economic situation, trying to feed off people's anxiety and frustration to influence that important final question, the one Rasmussen is probably basing essential figures from. Trying to reinforce negative feeling or influence neutral thinking about Scott Walker. This is high-calibre push polling, hats off to them. I assume this is a commissioned push poll, when I have a moment I'll look into who is paying for this. That always tells a story, too.

I'm sure between the push polls and the attack ads the low information voters will be convinced of all sorts of interesting things about Tom Barrett, Democrats, etc. This campaign has the makings of a fascinating case study.

Rasmussen has always been a right leaning polling organization. That's well known.

Walker is scared about his chances, and he's making some unusual moves right now.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/09/scott-walker-using-100-million-of-taxpayer-money-to-fight-off-recall/

This is the order of questions Bren. These don't look anything like you describe.

1* On June 5th there will be a special recall election for governor. If the election were held today, would you vote for Republican Scott Walker or Democrat Tom Barrett?

2* I’m going to read you a short list of people in the news. For each, please let me know if you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression.

Scott Walker

Tom Barrett

3* Generally speaking, how would you rate the U.S. economy these days? Excellent, good, fair, or poor?

4* Are economic conditions in the country getting better or worse?

5* Do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose unions for public employees?

6* How would you rate the job Scott Walker has been doing as governor… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

Steve, you might have missed them, but the questions are actually in the article. ; )

In typical surveying/evaluation (at least those with which I have been involved), questions are developed to glean specific information from the survey subject. Hope this helps.

Let's not forget that the Rasmussen also had Ron Paul ahead of President Obama.

Steve, thanks for the inflammatory statement. It really helps bring people together. Just like Scott Walker.

inflammatory? What are you talking about?

I am not here to bring the far left around a drum circle to sing kumbaya as we hold hands. There is no agreeing with those that want a childish do over.

Steve: Yes calling people that support the recall childish and implying that they are only doing so because they "didn't get what I wanted" is inflammatory. We all need to work together instead of sitting around and calling each other names.

It is obvious that you do not understand why the recall election is taking place. I support the recall because I do not believe any Representative from any party should be allowed to diminish the democratic process by consolidating power in the hands of one person and/or his appointees.

Walker did this by replacing over 30 civil service positions with governor-appointed positions. He eliminated the non-partisan government independent Public Service Commission's oversight of sales and leasing of Wisconsin owned utilities. He eliminated legislative oversight for "grants" and "tax incentives" given to corporations. Act 21 now allows ANY governor to be able to rewrite or kill any rule, before they are sent the state Legislature.

Better tell your leftie friends to stop calling our fine gov. names and start getting along with the current leadership.

The recall is 100% about Act 10. Now that it is working beautifully the subject needs to be changed to try the do over election.

Steve, maybe the recall election is 100% about Act 10 some people, yourself included. However it isn't to me and it isn't to many others.

Working beautifully? As the say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I don't think having the worst employment record in the nation is beautiful. That's yet another reason among many to toss Walker out, not to mention the diminished environmental standards he and his cronies have put in place.

No matter what the outcome, people need to try to work together. However with Walker it is his way or the highway so the only other recourse for people is to let their voices be heard in other ways. You may not like it, but it is a part of democracy.

All spin and lies to change the subject away from the successful ACT 10.

Banging on drums, constant protests, lies, hate speech, death threats, running out of the state, holding our government hostage. Yeh, you guys really have a lot of creditability to walk on when it comes to "working together."

And according to Bren there were no death threats!! More drum banging and typical liberal rhetoric

Poll numbers confirmed by a democratic outfit. Rasmussen is hardly right leaning and has had the most accurate polls in the past presidential elections. More lies, hope "not walker" is running on your ballet in June.

Rasmussen is very right wing.
" Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and conservative commentary . . ."

"The survey, by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling, mirrors results last week by the Republican firm Rasmussen Reports."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/barrett-walker-wrangle-on-defense-fund-poll-shows-walker-leading-775e6dj-151620575.html

LOOK A CHICKEN!

Any you believe those little false lies that the JS inserts all over their articles?

Democrat poll mirrors Rasmussen, which was actually done by Pulse Opinion.

►Walker up by 5%, must change subject and whine about right leaning polls.

Bren's comment that Rasmussen is "right-leaning" is neither here nor there. The poll looks pretty even handed to me, no bias in the questions. I would have just added a choice that economic conditions in the country as a whole are "no change" for that's actually where we are right now.

@lolo peeg - Oops, your naivete is showing again. Or perhaps, your speaking down to us like we did not have a good Wisconsin education. Rasmussen got smart on his questions being non-biased, but it is WHO HE ASKS. Read my comments farther down toward the end of the comments. If I went out and tried to poll mostly Democrats, you would scream conspiracy. Rasmussen wasis a consultant to Bush's reelection campaign. Come on lolo, we got that education the taxpayers paid for. Maybe if we lowered our education standards in Wisconsin, we could have people that believe you..

Naw, the best they had was a PhD. in Organic Chemistry, Doug LaFollette. They pushed him over the cliff.

"No one liked Barrett". So I wonder how he got all of those votes and won the primary?

What good comes from these types of name calling emotional statements?

Why did he lose two gubernatorial elections if so many like him?

Steve: Simply because he did not get enough votes. My point is that Alfred's "No one likes Barrett" statement is patently false.

The statement is vacuous and serves no purpose other than to belittle him, the people that support him, the city of Milwaukee, and to make those that do not support him feel good about themselves. It does nothing to address the issues involved.

@JL-What you describe is all the progressive left leaning liberals. They and you are responsible for all the chaos in this State. A recall for someone who was just doing what we the people voted him in to do!!! How are people less safe with CCW? Please explain that to me!!! Oh but wait now the criminals wont carry guns any longer right? OKAY
Its ok JL what are you going to do when Walker holds his position? When the real reforms start to kick in. Its about time

JL--
Gov. Walker never lied. That's why we love him. Because he did exactly what he said he would do. (I have proof)
He saved the taxpayers a billion---- www.reforms.wi.gov
Gun laws (similar to 49 out of 50 other states) to make everyone safer
Promote honest elections
while we watched loons bike lock their heads to a railing, bang bangos and other lunatic things to make WI. the laughingstock of the country.

JL:
I take it you have not voted recently...How is it harder to vote? In case you were sleeping for the past couple months, there is still no voter ID law.
My property taxes went down for the first time in over 25 years, AND walker eliminated a HUGE debt left for us from Doyle the ass boil.
A small yet symbolic cut to public worker's benefits helped make this possible. They are still better off than typical private sector employees. Had the reforms of Walker NOT been implemented, we would have seen huge tax increases and massive public employee layoffs- or maybe bounced payroll checks.
Do you think teachers would come to school after missing a couple paychecks?
Finally, the concealed carry law has not harmed anyone but the criminal element- they were carrying illegally anyways- now they have to think about who may be carrying.

Acrimony aside, Patriot, "left leaning liberals" did not inflict the out-of-state ALEC agenda, the cause of much polarization, on Wisconsin. Walker never mentioned ALEC on the campaign trail, he discussed jobs and his intention to negotiate with public employee unions. That's what people wanted him to do. That's not what happened. If Walker had stuck to his platform there wouldn't be a recall effort today. But that's what he does, causes controversy and expense. It's what he did as CE, it's what he's doing now, on a larger scale.

Concerning CCW, the latest reports show that existing gun owners are buying more guns, not so much on the first-time gun purchaser side. How would you interpret that, Patriot? Your insight would be appreciated.

Keith, Governor Walker lied about negotiating with public employee unions. He committed the lie of omission by failing to mention that he would be embracing a radical multi-state agenda if elected. The one thing he didn't lie about was stopping the train project.

The ALEC voter ID bill is one of the worst in the U.S. The Justice Department stepped in when other ALEC governors tried to sign these bills in former slavery states, ours is more onerous. Forcing people to scramble for documents that may have been destroyed or are otherwise unavailable (or expensive) is subtle voter suppression. And the bill doesn't address the few incidents that occurred in 2010. Useless and expensive. Very Scott Walker.

OK Bren, you keep bringing up this "if Walker had stuck to his platform..." claim. Where has Walker deviated from his platform?

He did not lie about negotiating with government unions. I've pointed this out to you several times, yet you continue to make that claim. Walker had every intention of negotiating with the unions until he was told by union leadership (1 month before Walker took office) that they were unwilling to make any concessions or negotiate with Walker.

This 'embrace of a radical multi-state agenda' is leftist spin. Walker's actions have been consistent with the conservative politics that got him elected.

Voter ID is not a new issue--Doyle vetoed voter ID legislation a couple of times. Why is it so surprising that Walker would sign it into law?

"I just wish I could get a real answer as to why anyone would want to stand with walker?"

Because I'm rich as fcuk and don't want you freeloaders taking any more of my money than you already do.

James, I appreciate the honesty.
Craig, can I ask how much your property taxes went down?

Satori:

Perhaps the better question would be how much didn't the property taxes go up?

Satori: My taxes went down by only $80, but it is a lot better than the typical increase of $100-$200 I had been seeing. My property value hasn't changed, though I know I could never sell for what the Village claims it is worth- my neighbors are in the same boat.

@keith best, yes he did lie but I am sure he didnt know what that meant considering he cheated his way though school till they caught him and kicked him out.

Bren- Have you ever thought that Walker felt he couldn't negotiate with the unioncrats because just weeks before Walker was to take office, the Unioncrats sprang a Dem out of jail to vote for new Union contracts statewide, that would have tied Walker's hands for two more years? You seem to forget that little political and nearly illega ploy.

Re: Claims that Walker never lied about negotiating with unions. Here it is right from the horses mouth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7KHLz5wTv8

Keith Best - I'm interesting in seeing your "proof".

What exactly is that video supposed to prove?

CowDung: Scott Walker - "You still have to negotiate...". He said this prior to the election. After being elected he did the opposite. How much more proof is needed to show that he lied?

Just tired of people repeating the falsehood that Walker is only doing exactly what he said he would do when he was running for office.

We have explained this many times. The unions would not negotiate, especially with a senate majority. This forced Act 10 which worked out for the best in the end.

Steve, repeating a falsehood doesn't make it a fact. Your revisionist history doesn't match the fact that Walker never desired to or attempted to negotiate with the Unions. If anything it was in their best interest to negotiate since they faced an opposition Senate majority. Instead of even going through the motions, Walker took a power grab approach that polarized the citizens of the state. This is exactly why he is a bad governor.

Rich:

Steve is stating a fact. After Walker was elected, but before he took office, union leadership stated that they would not negotiate or make any concessions for Walker.

It was made very clear to Walker that the union was unwilling to negotiate and there would make no concessions.

Please see my comment below. Scott Walker was County Executive of Milwaukee County for about 8 years. If you think Milwaukee has failures, call Scott Walker and complain because as County Executive, the responsibility is his.

I agree. Put your "dislike aside and make a conscious decision in June." Vote for a candidate who is intent on spreading right-wing radicalism, cutting education and vital programs to help low income children and adults, and making a name for himself on the national stage on the back of our state, or vote for the candidate who is passionate about our community and everyone who lives in our state.

I'll take Wisconsin over the Koch Brothers, ALEC, and an extremist agenda any day of the week.

Bren- Again with the lies. As County Executive, Walker's unemployment rate was 2 points below the national average (Sept. 2010 Milwaukee County 8.3%. Since he became Governor, Milwaukee has ballooned to 11.4%).

The only thing Barrett has had any passion for is his $170 million 2.5 mile choo-choo train. Other than that that he has been a political opportunist who whenever he faces a real challenge, has lost.

It's time Wisconsinites really think, do you want the AFSCME, WEAC, AFL-CIO, SEIU radical extremist and selfish agenda.

Do we want someone who in 8 years raised taxes over 41%, has one of the highest crime rates, one of the poorest school districts in the country, on of the highest unemployment rates in the country, who had is bond rating down-graded; AND has no plan to get out of that cycle?

Do we want a Governor who when asked what he will do fscally, calls that a political stunt?

The fact is Bren, and I can't wait to see what the liberal, Unioncrats plan to do once you lose again? Do you quietly get back to work or do we go through the crap we did from you whiners for the past 16 months?

@ Brian Dey - get an education will you. You have the stupidity to call unions greedy and selfish. The same unions that represent working folks. You on the other hand seem to be most interested in Rich foks and corporations. Lets talk about greed and selfish shall we. FACT - one of the largest corporations in Wisconsin, based right here in Racine, The owner's of which are number 295 on Forbes Richest 400 in the county - THAT FAMILY COMPANY - has not paid one penny - NOT A SINGLE PENNY of income tax to the state of Wisconsin in nearly the last twenty years. NOW, you show me one, just one, working class person (even one making minimum wage) that has not paid MORE than a penny of income tax to the State of Wisconsin in the last twenty years. Now, lets hear your reverse socialist agenda. That is corporations and wealthy people create jobs so they should not pay any taxes, us working folks should bear the entire burden of running government, because those rich folks create all the jobs. You are full of the stuff that I pick up after my dogs every day! Your argument about jobs is nothing more than communist socialism. Everyone, absolutely everyone, should fairly contribute. NOW, we can argue about what is the fair contribution of the rich, but don't you think we could at least agree that the fair contribution is more than zero - nothing- not a single penny.

@ Brian Dey - Before we go around asking middle class working folks to bear more of the burden of government (yes those union teachers are middle class workers) just maybe, maybe, we could be sure that everyone (including the rich and corporations) are paying their fair share. Certainly, more than zero would be a start toward their fair share. Now, lets look at how much that large corporation, that family company, should have paid in the last six years, if it had been properly paying its tax obligation. No less than $35 million in the last six years. Instead, they paid zero! Get an education will you. Unions and middle class workers are not the problem. The problem is rich people and corporations that think they should be allowed to pay zero income tax and instead the entire burden of government should be carried by middle class workers. Oh, so I see, you Republicans think that corporations are people, until it comes time for the corporation to share in the burden of paying for government like all middle class workers do. No one is asking for rich people or corporations to pay more than everyone else, we are just asking that they pay their fair share. At a minimum, their fair share is at least the same percentage that a middle class worker pays. Wait a minute, if that were to happen, Wisconsin's deficit is gone - no need to go after unions any longer.

@ Brian Dey - More about your reverse corporate welfare - right now, here in Racine, that Family Company got into bed with the convicted child molester Gary Becker and got an ANNUAL property tax exemption worth $600,000. We are turning street lights out in Racine. Dickert, is asking middle class families to pay over and above for Street lights by their homes. Dickert, the guy that knows that the Family company is not entitled to that property tax exemption, the guy that knows how to remove the exemption, instead of asking the very most capable in our society to pay their fair share, he goes to the working man and askes them to carry more of the burden of government. Do you really think Walker being in bed with the Kock brothers is even capable of think of working men and women. If you do, you are just as sick as walker.

Brian, the discussion about Milwaukee's "failures" was generated by the Walker campaign, attempting to blame Tom Barrett. I and others are just pointing out that Scott Walker was CE from 2002-2010. If folks don't like things in Milwaukee, call Scott Walker. He had the position that could seek additional funds. Everytime someone tries to promote this lie, I or someone else will be here to shut it down.

Concerning "you whiners," perhaps you should reread your post and reflect upon your own tone. The Koch brothers, Republican Governor's Association, et al, would not be pouring millions of dollars into Walker's recall treasury if they were so certain he will win.

But recall supporters won't be swayed by the ads or rhetoric, because recall supporters are well informed. And the videos, and the job numbers, and the facts keep piling up about Scott Walker. Trying to hand an informed public b.s. and telling them it's pumpkin pie isn't going to work. They are relying on folks like you for victory.

BREN BREN you are just wrong for Wisconsin

Vern,

You know NOTHING about me ,but you attack me like I am the worst person in the world? I wish you put as much effort that you do bashing me into READING about how BAD walker really is?

If you want to live a closed off fox news world sad pathetic life, waiting for the next housing crises and having rights taking away from you and giving on a silver platter to some greedy "corporation" then so be it.

,but I want better for my wife, kids and myself. I want a governor and president who want to flight for ME , not some bull company that is looking for another hand out.

NO I am not in a union, NO I am not a free loader, NO I work very hard for my income, I do not expect ANYTHING that I dont work for.

Just for once , open your eyes and maybe ASK before you make a statement like everyone else in this tread about how great republicans are and now bad democrats are .....

JL appears to be a decent, hardworking, family, and caring guy. Here is the fatal flaw of the Tea Party. Anybody that is not on their side totally is "feeding at the democrat soup kitchen". JL has every right to be indignant. How incredibly brutish of Mr. Vern Eliason, or perhaps, Alfred in disguise.

Keep it up Vern, please! Thanks for showing us where many of the ultra-right wingers make their fatal mistakes. Decent people are everywhere, I meet them every day, they care for their families, others they do not even know, and America.
You help illustrate the opposite world of hate and greed, and a cynical new world akin to the worst video game.

Notice how she left the +/- info out of the Marquette poll cited.

I agree with Dean. The lead is probably more than 5%. Walker has delivered, while Barrett is best known for his world class navel-gazing, obsession with choo-choo trains, pumping billions of gallons of poop into the lake, losing twice already, and getting beat up. This should translate into a wider victory margin than last time for Walker.

But then I left out the cheat vote. That should figure to knock things down a point or two. Photo ID would have prevented most of that, of course.

My question for Heather is why make headlines out of a poll that has no scientific basis The Rasmussen poll is a Republican tool to convince Democratic voters that it is no use to go to the polls, the Republican is far in the lead. Google it and read about it. Their new tactic is to show how totally unbiased their questions are, but bias who they ask, when they ask, and where they ask so that they get a conservative, e.g. , Republican slant. Better not to use them, a bad source.

Did Kathy Nicklaus attend a Waukesha County public school? Just curious.

If anything, Nichlaas probably attended a religious school.

Changing the subject...

How about Shorewood using Act 10 to save a boat load Keith after getting ripped by WEAC trust? You going to start a petition to recall some school board members?

I think she went to ALEC...ALEC ALEC ALEC ALEC ALEC...Ad infinitum.

How about Racine Unified, who saved over $29 million in the past 14 months, going from a projected $6.5 million deficit, to a $ $10 million surplus. Who a year ago was facing laying off over a hundred teachers, but kept all and added 4 more? It's working here.

Oh yes, and it worked to balance Tom Barrett's budget! What a buffoon.

Keith - Re Waukesha School Superintendent Todd Grayand how Waukesha schools are in such fine shape in spite of Walker., What would we expect from one of the most reactionary right-wing counties in the country? The man likes his job and pay. I worked in a very major corporation for many years. I learned what to say. Do you not know that? What is your background, fantasy short stories?

"the sound of jobs returning to Wisconsin". Fantasy. Here is the reality from the April 20th 2012 news release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: "Over the year, 27 states and the district experienced statistically significant increases in employment. The largest increase occurred in Texas (+245,700), followed by California (+181,000) and New York (+155,300). Wisconsin was the only state to show a statistically significant decrease (-23,900)." See http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm

You might be the next person Standing with Walker..... in the unemployment line.

doug toader - Those teachers that vote for Walker must be the incompetent teachers the Tea Party talks so much about. I agree, they are incompetent at the basic skills of thinking, reasoning, and life.

Yes Dirk, those other teachers think sooo much better when told what to think from their union.

Alfred -- WRONG! I'm a property taxpayer and income taxpayer. No 'dole' other than i went to public school and sent my son there too. I took the homestead credit once, back in my poor student days, but no longer. I never belonged to a union.

I'm against Scott Walker because I have the intelligence to see that his policies are short-sighted and will come around to cost us more in the end.

Randy, I own a home along the coast in North Carolina. It's a nice house, nicer than the house I have in Wauwatosa, and to be frank, nicer than most homes in Wauwatosa. I pay $1200 a year in property taxes. Roads are better in NC than here, schools are the same. So tell me Randy, how can NC do it on my $1200 a year and have a better standard of living than Wisconsin, and they are sucking $9000 a year for my hovel in Tosa? Could it be the over paid, over fed, and under worked gubmint workers? What do you think Randy?

Alfred ... Walkers going to prison, chill dude.

Alfred, do you know the definition of the word "dole?" It doesn't apply. "Moochers", apparently you are a charter member ot the Atheist Ayn Rand's fan club?

Have you ever had an original though of your own? Turn off FAUX and Limbaugh and watch Sesame Street, which is about at your level of intelligence.

What a moron. Get back to me on the definition of "dole".

Alfred, the idea that you have two houses let along two is laughable and must be another one of your lies.

There is no way with your lack of intelligence, lack of social skills, lack of self-control and total gullibility over Walker, that you could be successful at anything.

If in fact you do have the two homes, it is probably inherited money, which is quite understandable due to your sense of entitlement and lack of self-worth.

MrsPeel--"dole" in this context is the distribution relief payments or welfare by the government. So the term applies very well, people who have to depend on the government for support will naturally vote in people who promise to continue supporting them.

Alfred - Your story about this NC home does not jive with what you said recently.
You had two homes in Wisconsin then, and were very upset about the property taxes. Also strange, not many Wisconsin people own coastal homes on the E Coast, except maybe for Florida. If it would be true, Wisconsin homeowners are probably subsidizing your home owners insurance, as Hurricanes devastate that coast on a regular basis.
Steve - Please do a better job of keeping your Alfred character in continuity.

They will not have another chance to do so. I believe they do again after the 2014 election and it's 1 year time frame. So say 2016 or late 2015

Interesting how some folks forget that Scott Walker was the County Executive of Milwaukee County until 2011. His expensive mistakes cost the county a small fortune. Mass transit suffered under Scott Walker. Fees went up under Scott Walker. Tom Barrett is Mayor of Milwaukee, but Scott Walker had more power and influence over the state of the city and county. There's one person to blame if you don't like the state of things in Milwaukee over the past 8 years and that's Scott Walker.

Let's keep it real.

Bren is correct. Walker had the power in Milwaukee, not Barrett.

Good article on this:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/09/scott-walker-using-100-million-of-taxpayer-money-to-fight-off-recall/

Bren,
Every single budget that Walker submitted, vetoed or had input on was over-ridden by the county board. Blaming issues in Milwaukee county on Walker is forgetting that most of his ideas and budgets were torn to shreds and re-written.

Dirk, what Walker turned in as budgets were a joke. Had the dubious privilege of sitting in on budget hearing. His hired ax-man (consultant), 3 weeks on the job, went after random programs and positions without apparently even knowing what they were or why they were needed. The nationally-recognized landscape artist at the Domes; the county employees who work with the Federal Courts. Attempts to privatize items even when cost analyses indicated the current method was cheaper. The County Board of Supervisors, acting as "dad," had to go through these "budgets" and basically rework them. And we the County taxpayers footed the bill for the Supervisors' wasted time and the ax-man. It was a sad, sick joke on the people of the County. The County Board tried to stop Walker firing those county security workers but he did it anyway, under the guise of a (manufactured) budget crisis. This was found to be illegal, and the workers eventually reinstated. In the meantime, Walker had hired a non-US security firm, double-paid staffing for two weeks, then paid a $91,000/month contract which continued after he went to Madison (12 months?). The cost of back pay for the illegally fired workers was about $500,000. That little episode cost the County (us) about $1.5 million. And of course there's more...

Next time you see a County Supervisor, DirkB, tell them thank you for trying to keep Walker the spendthrift under control while he was CE.

Eddie, you are getting every bit as delusional as Bren. You have failed to convince people that Act 10 was bad, and now you are trying to redirect the failures of the city of Milwaukee from Taxing Tom to Governor Walker.

Most of the high profile services are provided by the city. Many people can name the the mayor of New York City. How about the borough president (closest thing to a county exec)?

Closer to home, who is the mayor of Madison? Now how about the Dane county executive?

Or how about Chicago/Cook county.

I know who the mayors are in all three cities, but couldn't begin to guess the county exec.

Keep trying, because every time you try this stuff it just makes Governor Walker look that much better.

Thank GOD for Scott Walker.

Bren thank you. To bad these idiots on here can't seem to comprehend that Milwaukee is in Wisconsin and that Walker governs Milwaukee as well. Yes and when Walker was in office in Milwaukee he was a complete failure as he is as a governor.

And Wisconsin is in the USA. So blame Obama for all of MKE's failures Bucky. Or is it still all Bush's fault?

BREN- Spreading the lies again. While CE, unemployment was 5 points lower, FIVE lower than Barrett right now. Walker cut mass transits funds because NO ONE USES the buses, at least not enough to support it. Milw. County Parks were voted the best in the country, he expanded Mitchell International, AND let's not forget, he ousted and CLEANED-UP DEM. Tom Aments pension scam.

PLEASE BREN, get your FACTS straigh and stop listening to the Mr. ED show.

Dear Donny Show
I think that is the plan in the leftist playbook. Walker will win again, and they will mount another recall challenge. It will continue to hamstring the state. The question is, after their poster boy goes down for the 3rd time, who will they put up? Peter Barca, the Howard Dean of Wisconsin?????

Brian Dey, all of your insults will not change the facts about Scott Walker. Of course unemployment was lower, we weren't in the midst of the Great Recession. The transit system has been hollowed out making traveling to and from the suburbs more onerous. It's not for me to say, but others have suggested this was Walker pandering to the hyper-segregated suburbs. They after all kept Walker in office, not the city. He underfunded the Milwaukee County Parks for years. The fact that Milwaukee County Parks received recognition is due to the brilliance of their design and the fact that systems in other states are much, much worse state. I would say that the Ament RESIGNATION was spurred by universal outrage at his actions.

The position of CE has too much power, in my opinion. A highly partisan CE in a hyper-segregated district is a recipe for trouble, and that's what we've had, especially when the official is corrupt and/or incompetent. There has been discussion about eliminating it and reworking the responsibilities; if so I would favor that move.

Brian Dey, if you are going to continue to embrace the ALEC agenda and attack those who don't (accusations of lying, insulting intelligence, etc.), you should at least get paid for it. Here's the main number for the American Legislative Exchange Council: 202-466-3800. Call them and see if you can get some contract work. Good luck!

You guys scream and cry to high heaven over a few dollar increase in taxes.

How is the loan repayment plan coming along Keith?

A few dollars more here, a few more there... and pretty soon senior citizens can't afford to live in their own homes anymore, Keith. That "few dollars more" has gotten us where we are now. So you can bet that every "small" expenditure will be scrutinized until we can eliminate entire departments. Then we will finally get somewhere.

I just scream when WEA Trust is charging the taxpayers 20% over market value for public teachers already expensive health insurance. The unions got greedy, they got caught, they lost collective bargaining. It should have been a simple lesson learned.

A few dollars on this, a few dollars on that, raise this fee, raise that fee this all adds up over a short amount of time especially with reduction in the spending.

You guys scream and cry to high heaven over the middle class income gap between the rich. But you have no issue raising their taxes year after year.

Hey Keith I tried going to the bank and asked if they had a loan forgiveness program- it doesn't exist.
I would gladly pay an extra few bucks if I could walk away from a $30,000 debt!
Sound familiar?

Johnny Blade, your creative use of spelling, grammar and punctuation scare me. Mayor Barrett is not a figurehead, but he is a city mayor, not a county executive. There's a distinct difference.

It's "mommy the government" who makes little items like roads, safe air travel, clean drinking water, and civil society (as opposed to anarchy) possible. Speaking of BIG government, I consider it that when right-wing extremist legislators get involved in people's behavior (sex ed curriculum, contraception, abortion), basically peeping through the curtains.

Are you suggesting that government not focus on civic and regulatory issues? Are you proposing anarchy?

@Johnny Blade... always the "gun" analogy. Don't you guys ever get over your complex of substituting calibre for size? Just wondering.

So it is illegal for me to use force (extortion) to take money from you .. but i guess you think it is OK for the government to do it .. That is ridiculous .. The founding Fathers wanted the government to PROTECT your rights ... Yes you need some government to make roads infastruture ... but this can be paid without EXTORTION, paid for by use tax, gasoline tax, registration, tolls .. There should be NO property tax, income tax .. That is the New Feudal system where i rent my land from the Overlord (Government) ... Your right the government shouldn't be involved in sex ed curriculum, contraception .. .but abortion is murder

It wasn't so much to force primaries to allow more time for fundraising, it was to keep all the recall elections scheduled for the same day.

I'm not sure why the 'extra 30 days' would cause a 'huge anti-incumbent sentiment', particularly since there was a fake republican running against Walker...

Their incumbents would have fared better without the fake Democrat races . . . it would have moved their elections up. Now they suffer from slow decline in their support. I agree, at this point, the extra fundraising won't matter.

The extra 30 days do add to the continuing anti-incumbent sentiment that is accelerating right now (across the nation, but to a larger degree in Wisconsin because your economy has declined more rapidly (WI is last in job creation, tied with Nevada right now). This is always bad for the party in power, and as the economy slips more this next 30 days it will get worse for the incumbents.

For this reason the fake Democrat strategy was wrong for the Republicans. They'll pay a large price for pursuing that strategy.

I'm really not seeing any 'slow decline in their support'. The number of votes for Walker Tuesday seems to indicate a rather strong level of support--particularly since he had only token opposition. Even more people will turn out to vote for Walker in the real election in June.

Edward,
The Democrats ran a fake candidate as a Republican against Walker. Both sides used the same tactics.

The delay strategy will ultimately benefit the non-incumbents more than the incumbents, mostly due to the continuing economic decline in the state. 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, or 10,000 more job losses and people landing in foreclosure -- those are typically angry and frustrated votes against the incumbents.

And it provides time for videos like this to surface and be published:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sX69a45LFLI

Where Walker admits that his plan is to "divide and conquer".

"It wasn't so much to force primaries to allow more time for fundraising, it was to keep all the recall elections scheduled for the same day."

The usual BS from dung. There needed not to be a fake Dem in the gubernatorial primary because there were four running already.

Characteristic pathological lying from the Republicans.

@Mrs. Peel -- Thank you for the link to that video, which led me to this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=OWBSVIQquwg

He sure can lie with a straight face, can't he?

Walker wins and the state of Wisconsin remains hopelessly polarized. You couldn't pay me to move there right now. Walker has destroyed civility in politics in Wisconsin.

It didn't have to happen. He bulldozed his agenda through, an extremist agenda that does not reflect values of mainstream Wisconsinites.

That's the biggest tragedy of this whole thing. Wisconsin won't go back to "normal" because "normal" has been destroyed by the Walker administration.

Yes, but still fewer in number than Democrats, Independents, and enlightened Republicans who showed up on Tuesday for the "meaningless" primary.

Tom Barrett is far from clueless. Let's compare him to Scott Walker:

Tom Barrett:
B.A. Economics
J.D.
State Legislature
U.S. Congress
Mayor (Milwaukee)

Scott Walker:
No college degree
State Legislature
County Executive (Milwaukee)
Governor (1 year)

I'm more comfortable with a candidate who has an economics and law background for the job of Governor.

1 - democrats don't know civility. What we need is for all lawmakers in Wisconsin to follow the example of the democrats and flee to Illinois every time they want to disrupt our legislative process.

2 - WOW, ike we need more lawyers and judges ruining (running) our state.

3 - The taxpayers don't wamt to pay anybody to move to Wisconsin. Move to Illinois, California, New York or Washington DC.

" Move to Illinois, California, New York or Washington DC."

As a job creator I'll keep that in mind. Way to move your state forward!

Walker trashed civility when he used the heavy hammer vs. negotiating with the union people. They had already made concessions and were willing to work with him. But Walker doesn't know anything about working in a bipartisan way to achieve goals. It's his way or the highway. No respect for the other side. A sure way to create a social civil war in Wisconsin, which is what he did.

A shame, really. It didn't have to be this way.

BS, they did not want to negotiate until Act 10 was voted on and then they hurried up and signed their contracts to beat it becoming law. And the democrats fled the state, not doing their job, to delay it further. If it hadn't been for their actions, Act 10 would not have been made law.

Eddie, it was the unions that used the heavy hammer year after year after year. While the rest of the state was getting laid off, getting pay reductions, and having to pay more for health insurance, public employees were getting pay increases. Tenured teachers were holding fast on their pay increases at the expense of their younger union "brothers" and "sisters".

Governor Walker and the Republican legislature took that hammer away from them allowing local government entities to make the decisions that are best for their constituents.

Funny thing about Governor Walker not completing his college degree. He is running the state better than the guy who had a J.D. I guess that goes to show you an "uneducated" Conservative is a lot smarter than an "educated" Democrat.

Mau , instead on skipping school and smoking crack you should have attended classes and maybe one of those union goon teachers could have taught you how to spell. Are you high and drunk ?

When all else fails, resort to labeling and name calling the commenter. Typical lib flaming.

"Typical lib flaming." Says the gal who wrote, "democrats don't know civility."

; )

Here's the formula to being a authoritarian conservative. Imagine things. Get outraged over what you imagine. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Let's look at the insane assertion that teachers are getting raises. Well, they weren't. There pay has been just about frozen for the past four years, while many in the private sector were getting raises. In fact many teachers had an abundance of furlough days.

Let us know when you intend to be serious and we'll start listening to your arguments.

Keith, from what hole are you pulling your facts out of? Many, many, many private sector companies have frozen wages for YEARS. Some have even lowered salaries and cut bonuses.

Teachers, thanks to the Qualified Economic Offer (in place until 2009) were guaranteed a a 4% pay raise every year at the expense of the taxpayers, younger union "brothers" and "sisters" or both.

Apparently Chad can't challenge me in facts or discourse so resorts to playground taunts. To paraphrase the great Isaac Azimov: Taunts are the first defense of the inarticulate.

When did moderates become "crazies" in Wisconsin?

When they don't agree with Chad! ; )

Chad ... mummy's calling you , time to get your diaper changed.

@Chad. If Walker loses will you and your fellow Walkerites still live in the doublewides in the parks? Will you still keep those home schools fired up? Or will you take the blocks out from under the unit and haul it down to one of the "low tax havens" of the US like Mississippi? It's a "Right to Work State" so you should be able to get a job there without any problem. Mississippi is already the current winner of "The Race to the Bottom" and if Walker loses, then WI is out of that race. So with all of your values at risk here in WI it would seem that Mississippi would be the place for you and your friends to go to put your no taxes philosophy to work. You should make Millions there selling your BS to the the winners of the "Race to the Bottom".

MrsPeel, "If Walker loses will you and your fellow Walkerites still live in the doublewides in the parks?" First conservatives are all rich folk who don't pay enough taxes. Now we all live in doublewides? I will just state that I am in my 30's and after starting out after college with a 28k a year job about 10 years ago and I now most likely pay more in taxes than you bring home. The difference between liberals is that you whine and complain and try to steal money from everyone else. I have been a conservative since I was very young and didn't have much. I didn't want to get anything handed to me. I used hard work to get where I am and if you libs would get off your a@@ you could have some of the same success.

@Chad - I doubt very much that you pay more in taxes than Ms.Peel brings home. Seems we have all these self-made millionaires that sit there all day commenting and talking like trailer trash. And I even doubt you are a college grad
The 1% I know do not waste their time all day writing conservative drivel and profane remarks to a local Patch.

Ah, the "When I have more time" gambit. Well played, sir!

I'll be happy to discourse with you about the issues anytime. I'll even throw in some free expertise on sentence structure and punctuation! ; )

Bren, it's hard for working people like Chad (and I'll throw myself in there) to take the time needed to respond to your little tirades. Unlike the little "facts" you spout, Conservatives posting here take the time to research and get the facts. That's why we are so good at making you look foolish.

Anti, I would place you and Chad in the same low information category. Instead of conducting research and coming to your own conclusions, you repeat talking points. Since my research is balanced, I am generally at ground zero for the new talking points. It usually takes less than two days for the talking points to drop from Hannity's mouth (for example) to Patch.

Your name, "Anti-Alinsky" is interesting. You assert tenets from that book that describe non-radical oppenents of the Tea/ALEC agenda, and yet when you share them they have no basis in reality (mine at least). Independent, balanced research, I recommend it highly. Thanks,

My Bren, aren't we full of ourselves this fine morning? Of course, we all wait with baited breath for your "ground zero" research!

What a bunch of self serving bull !

Chad, Maybe you should ask Walkers criminal defense lawyers. I`m sure the Koch Bros. will give u a quarter for the call. Hi Bren!

You forgot to mention ALEC

Hi Scot!

Chad, a gambit is a specific chess maneuver. Sorry you missed my subtle joke, but that's okay. Relax and have an ALEC-free COKE or PEPSI, the preferred soft drinks of reasonable people everywhere! Enjoy your drink with some KRAFT mac and cheese, perhaps? Or perhaps you'd prefer to make a run for the drive thru at MC DONALDS or WENDY'S instead. ; )

Bren,

I know what gambit means. I'm guessing you had to look it up and then try to make it sound like a joke. You could have just used "excuse" or "reason" but you tried to look more intelligent than you are and it made you look like an pompous liberal who has no real world knowledge and tries to use big words they don't quite grasp to look smart.

Chad, I believe instruction in chess began before I started kindergarten, along with music lessons (if adults were doing something I had to try it too!) However, the term "gambit" also has a colloquial definition. My response to you was a multi-definitional celebration of the word! ; )

I do not consider myself a liberal but a moderate. Unfortunately, moderates woke up one morning to find their "beds" moved. I would like to see a return of balance.

I wonder that you know so much about me when I have revealed little. Using your (apparently) psychic perception, what world knowledge do you believe I would need to impress you? ; )

Bren,
Common sense would impress me. The only place you could be considered a moderate is in France. Why is it liberals are always ashamed of being called a liberal? If at any point in your life you consider taking the time to celebrate a word I would suggest getting another job. It will get you a lot farther in life.

Truly? How did Walker avert the projected $3.6 billion dollar deficit and $143 million cash shortfall? Don't forget he's now spending $100 million to buy votes in Milwaukee--was that budgeted? Looking forward to your reply,

Wisconsin Department of Revenue, an agency within Walker's administration.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/walker-projects-state-will-have-million-budget-surplus-by/article_d97f4674-9af0-11e1-9793-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1uZRYOeF8

Walker has been claiming to have balanced the budget, but then filed a projected two-year deficit with the federal government. Democrats in the article you link express skepticism over these new claims. However, I frankly believe it more likely that Walker and his cronies actually have no idea. Having been in on a County Board budget hearing, budgeting is not a Walker forte. And he hasn't learned.

Barrett's BA is in economics and he has a JD. It would be good to get back to having people with expertise in stewardship of our state and taxpayer dollars. Recall Scott Walker.

Bren, I'll answer your question: "Truly? How did Walker avert the projected $3.6 billion dollar deficit and $143 million cash shortfall?"

The answer is easy, he made the tough choices, he saw where the state was wasting the most money, and he made the right choices.

Before Act 10, the school district I live in was forced to use the teachers union's own health insurance plan. Since Act 10 they were able to bid out health insurance and save 2 million dollars.

That's how you avert a 3.6 BILLION dollar deficit!

Sounds like your talking about BO's tactics to win. If you support BO, your words are meaningless to me. Hypocrite is all I can say....

@ACE... this has nothing to with President Obama.

As usual, a wingnut can't spell. Missed that in home schooling, did you?

Is it that difficult for you to keep on the subject? The subject was Walker, not Obama. Is that so hard?

Oh, wait, you got the instruction to criticize the President from FAUX, no matter what the topic was.

Good job, i'm sure you will get a gold star from Troll Central.

Ace: Watch out for the spelling Police. Mrs. Peel is on a roll, be careful she don't make you stay after class to clean her chalkboards/ smartboards. And whatever you do, when she bends over- LOOK AWAY! Seeing that old wrinkled up prune will scar you for life.

Mrs Peel needs to spend some quiet time with the Blue Fist...genuflect to the Blue Fist, Mrs Peel, it will calm you down.

Mrs Peel needs to spend some quiet time with the Blue Fist...genuflect to the Blue Fist, Mrs Peel, it will calm you down.

@Edward-Excellent!!! Its about time an official elected by the people for the people has the balls to stand up to the progressive lefties. If you want to refer to it as divide and conquer so be it. It was time to put an end to the public sector choke hold on the rest of the citizens of Wisconsin. All i hear is how Walker has attacked the working man of Wisconsin. Hmmmm I am a working man with a family of 7 and for the first time I feel someone has my best interest in order. For the first time my property taxes actually went down, for the first time our school district was looking to levy more money. We have same teachers, same class room sizes in fact our district is doing quite well thanks to Gov Walkers reforms.
National media is reporting how successful Gov walkers reforms appear to be. Yes local media refuses to report on it!!!! People get a clue its working!!!

Forget your meds this a.m.?

And now he is spending $100,000,000 of taxpayer money to buy votes in Milwaukee with some sort of thrown-together development initiative. Thought we were broke?

Some years back, as CE, he attended an event and stated his support for Milwaukee's arts and culture community (which is a revenue-generator in town). Then he turned around and slashed the Milwaukee County arts fund (which was small to begin with). Even though it was explained to him over and over, the amount of his cut was so deep that it rendered the county ineligible for matching funds from the state. He was begged to leave the cut at a level where the match was still possible (a difference of a few thousand dollars). For whatever reason (because he couldn't understand the concept of income eligible matching funds?) the cut took place and it affected local programming for kids, jobs, etc. That is Walker's idea of economic development. This latest is a shabby and cynical attempt to pander to the people who have been hurt the worst by his inhumane policies. And don't they know it.

Recall Scott Walker.

Thankfully the days of entitlement are over. Move to Illinois if it's so bad here. Please....

ACE, the proper use of language is a sign of intelligence and demonstrates a coherent thought process. Just sayin'.

BTW for anyone who cares, the person Walker is talking to in the "Divide and Conquer" video is Diane Hendricks, who is currently worth $2.8 Billion. She wants to have Wisconsin become a "Right to Not Work " state, to speed the Race to the Bottom. That way she will be able to treat her employees more like serfs.

I wonder how much she or her various enterprises pay in taxes to Wisconsin? Perhaps the same amount as the "family business" in Racine?

Do you really think that woman gives a damn about you and the other Randians who post the same crap on these boards over and over again? Do ;you think Walker actually cares about you? Walker has received over $500,000 from this woman. He does care about the people who buy him off with large donations like Ms. Hendricks. Couple that video, which was not "staged" with the fake "Koch" phone call and you can see the real Scott Walker in action.

Walker is a self-serving tool of the 1%. He has long since sold his integrity and self respect to these people (that is if he ever had either of those). He sold out early as he was kicked out of Marquette for cheating.

BTW the original meaning of "dole" is a regular distribution from a religious organization or a charity.

@Mrs. Peel -- I Googled Diana Hendricks and her late husband, who seemed like the real deal -- a self-made man who talked about how he couldn't have done it without his workers, etc. Her attitude seems really at odds with the ethos that gave her the wealth she enjoys today. So, if she encouraged unions and paying her workers well, would she have to make do with only one billion instead of two? The sacrifice!

You're right -- that was the real Scott Walker in action.

Which of Walker's policies do you believe to be responsible for Wisconsin being "dead last in the nation for job creation"?

What indicates that the 'best talent' is leaving the state?

Wisconsin's business ranking improved:
http://www.ibwisconsin.com/In-Business-Wisconsin/May-2012/Wisconsins-business-ranking-improves-in-CEO-magazine/

Does it matter which? The facts are since his policies were implemented Wisconsin took a nose dive to last. You choose which policy that caused it.

Cutting money to education is a big turnoff for businesses moving into a state, for starters. Nobody wants to send their kids, or their business partners' kids to crappy schools.

As far as the talent leaving, admittedly this is somewhat anecdotal, but I have a network of admins in other states, and they say they are hiring some great talent coming out of Wisconsin . . . especially teachers. When you cut pay the good ones (who can easily find jobs elsewhere) are the first to leave.

Good luck educating the next generation, Wisconsin.

Waiting for the "Look! A chicken!" response.

To follow up on that theme, I also know some extremely creative and bright people who are leaving Arizona for the same reasons . . . when they perceive an extremist, right wing agenda is being implemented in the state they simply pull up stakes and find a friendlier environment. The key to competing is attracting the creative class, the innovators, the best and brightest. Like it or not, these people are often among the most liberal politically, and you really can't afford to piss them off. Walker is pissing them off. Big time.

Edward, how about some real facts? You stated "I know some people that are creative and bright" compared to who? you? me? Einstein?. I also have friends that I consider to be bright and creative and they actually own businesses and pay taxes and don't try to mooch off other people. California is the epicenter of people who think they are highly intellectual. As you can see with their financial picture it's something that no one should aim for.

California would have the 8th largest GDP in the world if it were a nation. Many of the largest corporations are headquartered there. The largest company (by market cap, over half a trillion dollars) in the world, Apple, is headquartered there.

California might have a screwed up state government, but they lead the nation in economic output. And yeah, lots of creative and innovative people live there . . .

@Chad -- There's creative and bright about making money, and there's creative and bright about making life better for other people. That's for starters.

And don't you think that getting rich by paying your employees (the people who do the actual work of producing your 'product') less so that you can take more for yourself isn't 'mooching'? How about enjoying the infrastructure that our society creates -- schools, roads, fire and police, a standing army -- but expecting people who are far more marginal in income than you to pay more taxes so you can pay less? Isn't that a form of mooching too?

And before you point a finger, I pay plenty in taxes.

Edward:

Under Walker, state funding for my district was cut less than it was under the Doyle administration. Certainly the most recent cuts aren't the big turnoff you are claiming it to be, particularly since most school districts are now able to deal with those cuts with the savings they realize from teacher contributions to pension and health benefits, and being able to shop around for cheaper (non WEAC) health insurance providers. Under the new Walker policies, most schools are in better shape financially than they were previously.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recently released data showing Wisconsin lost 2,312 teachers and staff from the 2010-2011 to the 2011-2012 school year, the first year since Governor Walker’s budget went into effect. This leaves Wisconsin schools with their highest student-to-teacher ratio since 1995, with 73% of districts having lost teachers this year.

How many teachers were lost in other years? What are the current teacher to student ratios as compared to what they were in the past? How many of those teachers were lost from districts like MPS or Kenosha where they aren't working under Act 10?

What were the enrollment changes for the districts that lost teachers?

Yeah, pay them $8 an hour and they'll flock to Wisconsin to teach. Seems fair to me.

Wisconsin: Giving Mississippi competition in the race to the bottom.

$8.00 an hour is a ridiculous number. Starting salary for a teacher in Wisconsin averages out at $33,800 without including the benefits and average teacher pay is $51,264. I know plenty of recent college graduates who would be very happy with that.

Teaching is a profession and one needs to graduated from a Teacher's Ed program. Of course the TeaGOP is pushing that anyone can teach!!

@Edward-What are you talking about Milwaukee is leading that race and that was prior to Gov Walker. Oh wait Tom Barrett!!

Anyone can teach? .. Have you heard of homeschooling .. But the real reason they keep the Public school system is the indoctrination, keep cranking out socialists

@Johnny-You know I never really tought of it like that but you are absolutely right

@Edward - I lived in Arkansas for a number of years. There was a saying "Thank God for Mississippi!" because otherwise, Arkansas would have come in 50th rather than 49th among the states in a number of economic statistics.
Now we can start saying that in Wisconsin!

Do you have something to add, or are you just repeating what Walker already posted on this thread?

...perhaps you just copy and paste your talking points from the same website as Walker.

I read the reports from official state websites too, I guess.

Just a couple things to add -- Walker implemented austerity at the worst possible time in Wisconsin, and because of this Wisconsin will lag the nation in economic recovery. It's a shame, and a burden he's placed on the citizens with his ill-considered, ill-timed policies.

Austerity doesn't work -- ask the Brits. They implemented austerity measures and now they've fallen back in recession. Same thing in Greece, Portugal, Spain, etc. Austerity isn't working to stimulate the economy -- in fact it is making it worse in those countries that implemented austerity (huge cuts in government spending) programs.

Cutting jobs in the public sector also cuts jobs in the private sector because demand is destroyed. Wisconsin lost more private-sector jobs than any other state between March 2011 and March 2012:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Governors/2012/0425/Wisconsin-posts-biggest-US-job-loss-as-Gov.-Scott-Walker-fights-for-his-job

So, how are those Walker policies working for ya'?

Edward:

Consider the alternative to what you are calling 'Walker's austerity'. Raising taxes to fill the shortfall in the budget. That certainly isn't going to stimulate the economy...

The latest projections for of a budget surplus in Wisconsin seems to indicate that tax revenues are increasing. Growth in personal income levels is cited as one of the reasons for the optimistic projection.

Again only those districts that rammed contracts thru. How many of those teachers actually retired? Ya thats what I thought. Look in the OC/Franklin School district they are strong. No referendums needed and actually a Thank You letter at the beginning of the school year. Thanking Gov Walker as it was the first time they were able to meet their budget without looking for more!! No layoffs, no bigger classrooms, no programs cut, no teachers laid off. Hmmm imagine that

That's what Obama told me. Raising taxes during a recession is a very bad thing to do...

It seems to make sense--raising taxes reduces the purchasing power of the people. Reducing the purchasing power of the people tends to result in people not buying as much stuff. People not buying as much stuff tends to not stimulate the economy.

Raising taxes during a recession is bad. Cutting government spending during a recession is disastrous. Just ask Hoover. Or most of Europe. Walker's decision to cut $1BN out of the WI budget, eliminating nearly 18,000 public jobs, killing hundreds of public projects across the state, is the reason we are the only state in the nation to lose jobs in the last year.
People were already buying less stuff, so companies were already shedding workers. This causes people to be even more worried about their income, which leads to spending less, which leads to further cuts in workers. The only segment of the economy with the ability to counter this cycle is the PUBLIC sector. When governments opt instead to cut their own spending, the cycle becomes worse.

BTW, if not for the massive reduction in government jobs, which still has not reversed itself, we would already be back to pre-recession jobs levels in the US.

Dorothy good going ! Walker is on the peoples side after walkers victory party is over he has to start recovering all the money these crooked parasites stole from the taxpayers over the years like sick pay/ not condusive to productivity ! The money wasted on the recall effort They can look back and say they traded a recall effort for sick days and feel proud.Leeches want to bite the hand that feeds them! GO FIGURE ??

Dorothy - You seem to have fallen for the smoke and mirrors of the Wizard. Pull back the curtain and see the mighty Oz, a handpuppet of the dirty rich.

@mornimist-Watch the video!! I posted the you tube link. Watch it and you may understand Gov Walkers comments!!!!

This is from the extreme right wing corporate funded eagnews.org that was just created this past March in a massive effort to use fear to intentionally manipulate and distort issues just like Fox News does. Nice try.

Instead of fake news, I prefer to get information from non-corporate independent sources.

@Rich-Bro it is what it is? Admitted socialist party members, anarchists, marxists who were behind the protestors. Feedining on those who felt they were thrown under the bus!!! You cant argue with raw footage!!!

What raw footage? All I saw was a few people marching wearing Che Guevara tee-shirts and someone from the MacIver Institute telling me they were anarchists. And 'admitted Socialists'? You do realize that Milwaukee has had Socialist mayors -- pretty good ones. The last was Henry Maier. 'Socialist' doesn't carry quite the same sting for an old-time Milwaukeean.

"You cant argue with raw footage". Just like the raw footage that Fox News showed of the union thugs in Madison being violent.... with Palm trees in the background.

A bit off topic here, but If it were a just a choice between Socialism and Fascism, I'd take Socialism every time. Just how many items on this list sound hauntingly familiar? http://thebeuhlerblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/early-warning-signs-of-fascism.html

Rich is correct, Patriot. You have true recallers all over this board explaining the issue, but you choose to believe the spin vomiting out of this fake news site? I can understand stubborn, I can understand denial--but when one deliberately seeks out fake news to prop up one's own wrong-thinking that's a different issue.

If the carefully edited video wasn't a warning sign, if the extremist right-wing partisan explanation went over your head, there's a humorous headline in the sidebar which might convince: "Michelle Malkin slaps down ignorant leftist."

And to quote the video narrator from this partisan "news source:" "What are their true intentions? Just how far are they willing to go? And just how radical are these people?" One might equally ask these questions of ALEC members and Scott Walker. Their actions are undermining the American middle class and increasing profits for multi-national corporations and the wealthiest.

Anarchy is disorder caused by lack of government. The folks who claim government is "too big" are the anarchists, not the people who want democracy for all.

As Rich writes, try again. I'll also add, lets keep it real. No more fake news sites!

@Bren-Well I am also middle class and do not feel threatened one bit. Why does it seem that the left claims that middle class americans are public sector union workers? If that is the case we have a really small middle class considering the majority of working america is non union!!!
And of course you must attack good ole fashion raw in your face reporting. What spin I heard from the protestors directly. So not sure what your referring to. But of course its not liberal based media so of course it must be false. Its that mentality and ideology that is destroying this Country. The same ideology parents tell their kids on the little league feilds when they really have no business playing baseball!! But hey everyone is a winner right

@Patriot -- And you won't feel threatened, right up until the moment your company figures out how to off-shore your job to increase profits and you get your pink slip. Or else they'll be claiming hardship and wanting to reduce your pay of face layoffs.

Public sector workers aren't the only middle-class people in the country, but that middle-class is shrinking.

Patriot, where did I write about "feelings" or try to convince you that all middle class workers are public sector union workers. What type of defense mechanism causes you to make things up then try to attribute them to me?

In no way is the drivel passed off as news by this website "reporting." It's propaganda. Remember the recent pro-Walker rally? Apparently one or two recall supporters chose to attend. What if I made a video that focused on the recall supporters, claiming this was what the rally was about? I'd be a liar. This video is exactly the same.

In your Little League analogy, are you comparing propaganda to the "too much positive reinforcement" concept? If so, I agree parents do their children no favors when they convince them they have abilities they do not. The difference is that parents are the primary influencers in their minor children's lives. Children depend upon their parents for material, moral, and social support; they are more likely to believe their parents because of this. Propaganda is political. Adults choose political affiliations.

I would agree that ideology is a threat to this Country, but unlike you, who apparently (?) supports extremist right wing ideas that play right into the manipulative hands of profiteers, I support balance and reason, in life and in politics.

And I do believe everyone is a winner; they just need to find "their" game! ; )

@Bren-That is where we differ!! The Re-Call is BS bottom line. Walker did not commit treason, break any laws do anything illegal. Re-calls should only be used foy reasons mentioned not for disagreements. We are the silent majority, we voted for Walker in 2010 and we the majority will vote for him again. We all Know the Madison area protests were driven and supported by the Big Union Bosses. Its a fact and you know it Bren. This was not a grass roots movement but rather a last stance by the Big Unions to hang onto their profits. Its obvious was then and still is.
So stop once again putting your liberal spin on the facts Bren!!!

@Bren-Again I am not denying that there were upset by Walkers actions. But as it was portrayed by the liberal media one would think the entire State was angry. When in fact it was droves of individuals who were brought in by the unions to protest the law makers. We all know it and that you tube video showed it. No spin just raw in your face truth. Many of those protestors have ties with the socialist movement, anarchists and just plain ole THUGS!!

Patriot, I believe that Scott Walker is working to promote himself and special interests that seek to undermine our government's rules and regulations to increase profits, "Sedition for Profit." Whether this is can be considered domestic terrorism, sedition, or treason is a matter for the U.S. Government to decide. At this time, AGs in several states are going after the financial industry as a step to holding them accountable for their actions.

Walker lied to get into office then implemented an extremist agenda for his benefactors. I do not believe there is a precedent for this in Wisconsin. We must address the situation as best we can and that is through recall. Establishing annual accountability in office metrics to eradicate this behavior should be considered. The amount of damage done in 15 short months proves that tighter controls are needed.

The Silent Majority are traditional conservatives.They voted for Walker in 2010 based on his campaign platform. Will they accept the "real" Scott Walker in June?

The 2011 protests began because of the ALEC Divide and Conquer strategy launched in February 2011. Walker's reactions and attitudes in the weeks thereafter turned many others (non-union Wisconsinites) against him. Collective bargaining is one aspect of the issue, but not all, no matter what the right-wing propagandists tell you. And you don't recognize it as such, but "Big Union Bosses" is a propagandist slogan.

Patriot, what you call the "liberal media" includes some of the largest companies on the planet, GE, Aol/Time Warner, News Corp, etc. The words "polarized"and "divided" have been the defining terms used by the media throughout this entire issue. I'm glad you appreciate that people are upset by Walker's actions. Most of us don't want unemployment, name calling, cuts to K-12 education, or less fortunate individuals separated from services that empower and better their lives.

People did come from all over the state to demonstrate, the vast majority from Wisconsin, with some from out of state to show solidarity. ALEC, AFP, etc., came from out-of-state first. They made it a national issue.

Unions help create family-sustaining wages. It's no surprise that as union power wanes, so too do private sector wages and benefits. Hence the ALEC collective bargaining bills. My father, a Republican, is a retired private union member. He would be the first to tell you that his union put his job site safety first and foremost.
Unions are not covens, no matter what the right-wing propagandists tell you.

As I wrote earlier, the YouTube video was edited to focus on the fringe, not the core, of the protest. Only people deliberately seeking to avoid the facts would believe that video.

The "anarchists" in America right now are those seeking to limit or eliminate government, which provides services and programs--right wing extremist radicals.

@Bren-Once again private sector unions are free to negotiate all they want. Public sector unions suck from the tax payer period!! 100% funded by tax payers at what and whos expense? There are policies and procedures in place that offer protections. Unions are not needed in the public sector. When the world economy suffers it has an effect on everyone, at which point public sector is and will be affected as well. We have all had to do more with less!!

Wow, $17 million in back taxes. That just sounds awful doesn't it?

This is another typical manipulation of statistics for propaganda use. For 2011 the total individuals owed Wisconsin was $934 million (see reference below). By this logic If recall supporters owed $17 million, then non-recall supporters owed $917 million! "Hmmmmmmmmm"

Please, enough of the B.S.

http://www.acainternational.org/news-wisconsin-owed-1-billion-in-delinquent-taxes-23735.aspx

Rich, Patriot is mearly pointing out the hypocrisy of the recallers that want to raise taxes instead of cutting spending, then don't pay their taxes.

Remember how Dan Quayle was vilified as a hypocrite when he joined the National Guard while his family was supporting the Vietnam War?

Kinda sucks when it's thrown back in your face doesn't it?

The MacIver "Institute." Gotta love it--call it an "institute" and it becomes an incandescent light in a world lit by candles. I don't think so.

Anti-Alinsky: The Walker recall petition had over 507,000 signatures. Only 517 of those (about 0.1%) were delinquent on their taxes. Somehow that makes all of the "recallers" hypocrites? Like I said, I call B.S.

This is nothing but a lame attempt to direct the attention away from the real issues by demonizing the opposition.

You're right Rich. The left has enough hypocrisy in this recall mess without pointing out the tax cheats involved.

Things like the Milwaukee teacher union refusing to renegotiate to save 500+ jobs.
Things like attacking Governor Walker for the millions he added to his campaign from outside interests while Kathleen Falk and others did the same.
Things like refusing to go to work to spend days protesting at the Capitol.
Things like signing fake sick forms at that same Capitol mess.
Things like hyping the job market in Wisconsin when they are the very people that have driven, and are still driving, businesses away.

Yup, there is enough hypocrisy from the left already.

Perhaps I should change my name here to "Bren Institute." Then those on the pro-ALEC side will revere my words. ; )

More jack-booted, brown shirt intimidation to get people to be afraid to sign recall petitions in the future.

There is $900 million that the state is not collecting from people like those who support MacGuyver.

@Keith-Again have you paid the village of Shorewood and the tax payers back

Keith Schmitz: Intimidation, maybe. But letting your emotions get the best of you and saying "jack-booted, brown shirt" does nothing to help convince anyone. It just serves to further polarize folks.

Really so the footage shown was done at a hollywood stage. The interviews with admitted socialists was not true?

Thug is a fascist word isn't it?

Exactly. In an ideal world, we could save money to use to stimulate the economy when there is a downturn. However, both parties tend to either spend more or tax more, regardless of what happens. That is why I had no choice but to go with the adult in the room, Scott Walker.

Two of my relatives lost their teaching jobs in Milwaukee a few years ago (under Doyle) when the teachers refused to take modestly more affordable healthcare plans.

Patriot, how do you explain the 17,000+ public employee workers off the state payroll in the last year? Quite a few teachers retired earlier than they had planned because they feared layoff. How about the workers at Ethan Allen, etc.?

@Bren-How many of those were not willing to negotiate and rammed contracts thru. How many private sector workers were laid off due to the down turn? Lets plzzzz take into account the current economy and esp during that period. So lets not blame Gov Walker entirely. Had he not done what he did there would have been many more.
Your nazi reference are really over the top Bren. Remember the brown shirts?

Bren- There was a majority consensus. It was called an election in which not only did Walker win, but the legislature changed hands as well. He clearly ran on changing compensation and the unions forced his hand to change collective bargaining.

Lest we forget that the Doyle Administration and the Democrat controlled legislature in December of 2010, tried to ram through 17 public sector contracts, representing 39,000 employees. That was after the election and just before Walker took office. The unions were not going to negotiate with Walker or the Republicans, and their actions proved that to be true.

Further, when it was evident they didn't have the votes, they sprang Democrat Representative Jeff Wood from jail to try to get the majority. Talk about slimy! Luckily, a couple of Dems, including then Majority leader Russ Decker. It failed but it became clear that the Dems were unwilling to work with Walker.

Patriot, again, please provide your evidence that none of those 17,000 workers were laid off by Scott Walker (My Republican father's Republican friend, a public employee, was laid off in 2011, do you think that friend is going to vote for Walker in June?).

And before your imagination takes flight, let me remind you that my comments referencing Nazism had to do with propaganda, not street/military tactics. Let's keep it real, please.

Brian Dey, there was an election. Candidate Scott Walker ran on Jobs Jobs Jobs, stop the choo-choo and I will negotiate with public employee unions. Governor Walker turned around and began to enact the radical ALEC agenda to reward his benefactor and curry more favor to propel his dreams of national office.

In June, the people of Wisconsin will have the opportunity to vote for the "real" Scott Walker, the ALEC puppet and college dropout, or to vote for Tom Barrett, J.D., with a B.A. in Economics, a man who cares deeply about Wisconsin and has the intellectual heft and people skills to be an excellent governor for Wisconsin, not ALEC. Radicalism (Walker) or Reason (Barrett). I know who I'm voting for!

@Bren-Barrett go back to school and freshen up on his economics. Because Milwaukee is Booming!! The top schools in the nation, low taxes, high property values. Hahahahahaha

No change, after spending millions on ads.

Polling has become more difficult because many people rely on cell phones and don't have landlines. So there are a lot of people out there who aren't being asked. And if they are one of the public or private sector workers who lost their job or had their salary cut, or live in one of these families, or have one of these workers as a relative or friend...

@Bren -- I heard that after spending almost ten million since January, Walker's numbers are actually slipping a little. Of course, this next three weeks, with a definite opponent and a flurry of negative ads running from both sides can change things.

My own personal belief is that Walker's own actions -- repealing Wisconsin's Equal Pay Act and now that damning 'divide and conquer' video are what's doing him in.

@Randy

Walker's comment on that video during a big battle in Madison is one thing, but Barrett's video is totally hypocritical considering that he claims to be the one who is going to pull us all together. So even before the election he says he is going to "get in the boxing ring" and have them "quaking in their boots" before he ever takes office?

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/scott-walker-camp-barrett-youre-hypocrite/538206

And speaking of pulling everyone together, he bailed out of his own party's scheduled unity rally in Madison to have tea in his back yard. Why? Because he didn't want to be seen with those people from his own party.

If he pulls us together any harder, we'll be scattered all over the country!

Right, and Tommy Thompson is going to make us Dems 'black and blue'.

The meaning of Scott Walker's words to Diane Hendricks was crystal clear. 'First step' is to limit collective bargaining for public sector unions (calling it necessary to balance the budget). That indicates further steps leading to 'right to work' as Ms. Hendricks wanted.This is something he now claims not to favor. Is he going to give th lady's money back?

@Randy

No, the second and third steps were outlined before, during and after that time. It was teacher merit pay and voter ID.

Is Barrett going to give back the $1,000,000,000 he received from Doyle? After all, Barrett finally now agrees with most of Act 10. Doyle didn't.

I was at this event. I still want to recall those politicians. GO WALKER!

http://www.cbs58.com/news/local-news/Union-leader-criticizes-mining-bill-vote-141854873.html

@Luke -- Bull. Hendricks asked him if there was a chance of making Wisconsin a 'red state' and a 'right to work state'. I'm sure Voter ID helped in that regard, but she defined the end result.

Divide and conquer is an old strategy. As P.T. Barnum once said, "There's a sucker born every minute." Divide and conquer, and newer tactics such as Rovian projectionism and crisis manufacture, are all manipulative tactics that work over and over again on the low information voter. Said with fine authority and repeated over and over (marketing studies show a concept must be repeated 7 times for saturation to begin) we see the talking points "We're broke!" "It's working!" "No public employee layoffs!" "Act 10 is working!" gain a foothold in the low information collective consciousness. When the facts are presented, the low information mind rejects the information because the talking points have deeply saturated.

Why are these tactics so successful? As the Nazis discovered and exploited in pre- WWII Germany, finding a vulnerable group to target feeds a sense of superiority in the low information mind. Germans were angry at their government for signing the Treaty of Versailles. While simultaneously working to take over the government, the Nazis successfully shifted blame to the country's intellectual elite, which included Jews primarily, and also political opponents, artists, writers, etc.

These types of tactics have been around awhile, and now we are seeing how they work in Wisconsin, with public union employees as the target.

Let's see how many people decide they don't want to be "suckers" for ALEC and the profiteers next month and vote to recall Walker.

@Randy

1. He was answering her first question when she threw in that comment, so, no, he was not addressing her second question. Which is supported by......

2. The rest of his comments delineate what he is going to do, by describing Act 10. So.......

3. He never addressed what you claim he addressed. He addressed her initial question.

@Bren-Well assuming your an Obama supporter its obvious you are very familar with those tactics then. Since the the current administration uses that very tactic on a daily basis. So now your comparing Gov Walkers fiscal, common sense reforms nazi tactics? Hmmmm seems to me the thuggery displayed by the big unions, including the boycotting of businesses, scare tactics, death threats, ect are the very tactics u are referring to.

Patriot, please identify how Obama has used these tactics, thanks.

Since Scott Walker has no common sense reforms, it's difficult to respond to your comment. Walker is very good at following the ALEC agenda, however, bringing to Wisconsin ALEC Divide and Conquer Union Stripping, ALEC corporate tax cuts, ALEC castle doctrine, working on ALEC voter ID/poll tax bills, etc. I give ALEC grudging credit for extraordinary expertise in manipulating low information voters; Scott Walker (based on observation and record) lacks the intellectual heft to craft and implement this type of legislation on his own (no doubt why the Koch brothers opened a lobbying office right across the street from the State Capitol immediately Walker was elected).

Boycotting has been a citizen response tactic for quite awhile--everything from grapes and tomatoes to BP, etc. Why shouldn't people have the right to patronize the businesses they wish? You have that right also.

You did not indicate who has received death threats. Can you share who has received death threats? Virtually every person in the public eye receives threats. Links to support your claim of death threats would be appreciated. Thanks,

@Bren-Really? There were several references to death threats within that you tube video!! Having this conversation with you is a lost cause!! June 5th. So because you think the castle law and ccw are an overreach means your right? Purely your opinion!!! Both those laws were LONG overdue!! We are a nation of laws governed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Let me guess you dont believe the Constitution is valid today? Because the 2nd amendment gives me that very right.

Do I detect the slightest hint of hysteria in your tone, Patriot? ; )

@Bren-Of course im a right wing tea bag extremist who cares nothing about my enviroment, the elderly, the youth nothing except how much money I can make!!! Oh at the expense of you and your left wing nut jobs.
Hysteria? Uhhhhhh no confidence!!!

@Bren-With the more official numbers and not the 3.5% estimate numbers out now it looks as though once again your blowing a bunch of hot air. Hmmmmm pull your head out

Lower the bar, please.

@Skinny-I guess not!! Oh wait unemployment up 28%, area home values decrease once again. Well may be he will get the train!! Oh I almost forgot he stood between the victim and her attacker and saved the day!! If thats the best they have then I would sure hate to see the worst.

Again, blaming Tom Barrett because of circumstances that Scott Walker had the greater authority to while County Executive, applying for grants, etc. Scott Walker was County Executive from 2002-2010. If you have complaints, contact Scott Walker.

Let's keep it real.

"Can any liberal here name ONE major achievement of Tom Barrett?"

He beat Marvin Pratt and then never followed through on a single campaign promise, but still got re-elected twice. The "on the dole" people of Milwaukee love him, poop in the lake and all.

@Bren-Come on when will your side accept personal responsibility. Just as Obama and his Admin still blames Bush, 3 1/2 years later. Personal responsibility!!! So sad that the future of our youth lacks personal responsibility!!! Its always somebody elses fault.

Patriot, why doesn't your "accept personal responsibility" apply to Walker then? His term has produced the worst employment record in the Nation. Or is that "somebody elses fault"?

@Rich-That would be anentirely true statement if he had served his full term. But since he has only been in office for 1 year, working to put hispolicies in place, there has been 15,000 jobs created this year alone.
Get a clue man!!! 1 year in office and you have hung him already. WOW!!! Sure would hate to be in a fox hole with you.

@Rich-Not to mention the mining bill would have created thousands of jobs!! Had it not been for your side basically saying TOO BAD

Patriot: So essentially your answer is that personal responsibility doesn't apply to Walker because he's only had a year to create jobs. One entire year just isn't enough time to do be effective even with majority control.

Create 15,000 jobs? Nice imagination, but the stats show just the opposite. Overall there have been -23,900 lost during his term so far. Nearly every other State in the Union increased employment. See See http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm

Through Walker's awesome inspiring perfect leadership, his actions have resulted in the worst conditions for employment in the Nation.

I could always use a good laugh. So lets hear your imaginary excuse to dispute that fact?

You complain about the mining bill, but what about Walker's dumping of the $800 million dollar railroad project that would have created jobs? I suppose that wasn't his fault either.

@Rich-Really you had better double check your facts!!! It appears that the actual jobs numbers not the estimates have come out showing a gain of over 20 plus thousand jobs for 2011!!!! Its obvious to the people of this State that Walkers reforms are actually working to move wisconsin forward!!

@Patriot - There is that number again, thousands of jobs due to that aborted mine.
You are quoting that master of spin, JB Schmidt. Your "facts" are absolutely hysterical!
Keep helping the Barrett cause.

@Dirk-Really? Look whats going on in the Dakotas right now. Yes its an oil boom but none the less would be very similar to our State had the mining bill went thru. Not only will you have mine employees but everything else from equip, support, local businesses ect. Private sector jobs not some tax payer funded train project with jobs that are temporary. Can you say 3peat looser

@Patriot - Fact: N. Dakota is definitely not Wisconsin. Have you even been there? Mostly wheatfields and cattle grazing. Essentially no North Woods, very few lakes (Devil's Lake is a fluctuating salt lake), only small cities, low population, etc. It is oil fracting there, not iron open mining. There just is not a good reason to be a typical tourist there.
N. Dakota has significant increases in crime, housing shortages, social problems, etc. , particularly in the drilling areas. The Roughnecks lifestyle from out of state may be your type of frontier fantasy, but it clashes a lot with small town and farm living and familly life.
S. Dakota has not significantly started oil drilling, but is very concerned about the Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, etc. and learning from N. Dakota's mistakes. Fracting itself is controversial in regards to ground water, earth movements, etc.
Suggest you and others that adore the Dakotas head on out there and live the good life you long for here. We will never have oil, or even anything but insignificant energy resources here like natural gas, coal, lignite, nor uranium. Iron ore mining is low margin and cyclical. And there is no Milwaukee or Madison to hate, in N. Dakota it is Grand Forks and Fargo, and they are on the other side of the state..

@Dirk-WOW!!! Very typical response!!! Spin all you want. Bottom line is JOBS!! But let me guess you were all for the train, your all for the the trolley im sure and the last time I checked both those vehicles are manufactured from IRON ORE!!! Hmmm I think the car you drive may have a trace of IRON ORE in it? Im sure there are many things around your house that contain IRON ORE!!! So I suggest you get rid of your car and anything that may contain IRON ORE since it is soooooooooooo BAD!! Im guess ing even your house. Maybe the nails and screw that were used to build your house!!
Dirk get a clue!!

@Dirk=Oh but wait your also accusing Gov Walker of working for the big rich CEO's who send our jobs overseas. Hmmmmmm then since your against Wisconsin's Iron Ore Mine what do you suggest? I suppose we can get our Ore from Brazil. Ya thats a great idea. Give the brazilians all the mining jobs in this country in the name of false flag enviromental BS!! Your such a hypocite speaking from both sides of the mouth.

@Patriot - Illogic lesson:: If you own anything iron or steel, you are a hypocrite if you are against the Walker mine. No, I am not against iron mining. I am against this particular mine, and its overseeing by the now polluter friendly DNR. To show even more illogic, Do you ever buy anything made in China? If you do not, you are dishonest or naive about what comes from there.. Does buying from Red China make you a Commie lover? By your logic, yes. But of course, you are not. And that would make you a hypocrite to be against the Commies and also buying from them.

Run for the hills comedic poseurs, from the scintillating, rapier wit of Keith Best. Zing!

; )

Not sure to exactly what you are referring. Propagandized email from anonymous sources are bad. This politifact article is good in that it examines the issues surrounding the email and separates fact from hyperbole.

Thanks for the link!

Patriot, the John Doe investigation hasn't yet named Scott Walker, although it's interesting that he has hired a private criminal defense team.

In case you weren't aware, China and other countries have been purchasing land, opening businesses, etc., in the U.S. for quite some time. For instance, Scott Walker hired Wackenhut, a Danish firm, to replace the county security workers he illegally fired. He paid them $91,000 of taxpayer money per month for about a year (on top of the cost of back pay for the reinstated county workers-total cost $1.5 million or thereabouts).

So if you are looking for people to "blame" for foreign investments, businesses, etc., call Scott Walker.

If we actually had a responsible, fiscally responsible Governor who is MOVING WISCONSIN FORWARD we'd have no reason to recall him/her, would we?

"If we actually had a responsible, fiscally responsible Governor who is MOVING WISCONSIN FORWARD we'd have no reason to recall him/her, would we?"

Wisconsin is going to have a SURPLUS. What part don't you get?

@Bren-Again you and your progressive Libs are the only ones who feel he should be recalled!!! Get a CLUE

You certainly are good at assumptions. While Obama talks the talk, he doesn't walk the walk. His track record, including prior to being elected President, has been consistent. Say one thing, do the opposite. He isn't radical or left leaning whatsoever. He has landed firmly to the right of center.

The 'sore losers' charge is nonsense. When Scott Walker won in 2010 I just shrugged and figured I could ride out a GOP governor like I had in the past. No big deal. But then I read everything proposed in Act 10, not just the collective bargaining issue, and I seriously started to pay attention.

If Walker and the GOP controlled legislature hadn't continued to ram through noxious bill after noxious bill between February and November, I don't think I would have signed the recall petition. It's about more than sore losing -- it's about what he'll do with his remaining three years if allowed to remain in office unchecked.

@Randy-So I am assuming you are referring to CCW and the Castle Law? So because your opinion is those bills are noxious, therefor it must be? WOW!! How self centered can one be? If that was the case there would not have been over 100,000 applications submitted as of last month!! Randy bottom line the whole re-call is based off the big unions last stance!! Whats really sad is they have divided this State like never before and have turned family against family!!

The sun still rises and sets, the sky is blue and Wisconsin is moving forward regardless if you still want to believe its not. We have not regressed into the dark ages as the new Barrett attack adds might suggest. Seriously Gov Walker hates women? WOW

http://mediatrackers.org/2012/05/14/exclusive-tom-barretts-wife-used-mps-email-to-lobby-enlist-campaign-help/

Awesome. Thanks.

Thats awesome but you know they will spin it. And because it was from the whacky left its ok. She was on her lunch break though right? So that must make it okay.

Question.

If your wife that does not work for you does something stupid and possibly illegal, is it her fault or your fault?

More concerning is somebody whose staffers and/or aids were being criminally charged and their top aid convicted.

BTW, has anyone noticed that mediatrackers.org is self proclaimed as being non-partisan? Funny how a non-partisan group only "investigates" Democrats. If you believe that I have some prime swampland in Florida to sell you.

Rich,

If the situation were reversed and this was Walker's wife we were talking about, it would be pounced upon by the recall supporters and added to the list of things thrown at the wall to justify the recall.

Unfortunately, due to things like the absolute overreaction to a prank phone call and a politically motivated John Doe investigation into campaigning while on the clock (btw, if the DA started such investigations across the board, you'd most likely have the dockets filled for months with cases against assistants, clerks and office holders themselves), this issue with Barrett's wife is legitimized by default. It's too late to start calling bull on this stuff now.

Bob McBride: If the situation were reversed I'm sure there would be someone that would do so, but it doesn't make it right. The recall does not have to be justified as by law it is already has been and the recall election is taking place.

Claiming that wrong doing by anti-Walker folks legitimizes demeaning Barrett because of his wife is just wrong. Two wrongs do not make a right.

If you think a husband can control what his wife does, then you have never been married. It's quite a different situation for someone that works for you. Where I come from Commanders are responsible for the actions of their troops.

Despite the motivations, Walker's top aid has been convicted of a crime and several others are charged with crimes and may yet be found guilty. While Walker might or might not be proven to be complicit, the type of people he hires does reflect on his character.

So you question Walker's character for the actions of people he chose to hire, but you don't question Barrett's for the actions of the person he chose to marry?

I know the recall provision. It needs to be changed. The reason you've seen everything including the kitchen sink tossed out there as the "reason" for the recall is due to the very nature of that provision. If you can convince enough people that Walker is controlled by out of state interests (no proof of that), that he's "destroying our education system" (no proof of that) or any other of a myriad of things that have no solid basis in fact but, rather, play to the emotions of the weak minded, you get your recall. That's not the way it should be.

To start whining about some bounce back at this point is absurd, bordering on hypocrisy. Where were you when the mud slinging started going in Walker's direction? You can't create a moral high ground for yourself now, when you were silent about similar attacks coming from the Democratic left then.

CowDung: That's correct. There is a huge difference between a wife and an employee. Managers lead and direct their employees and are ultimately responsible for their organization. Husbands (at least most!) do not lead, direct, or manage their wives. If Barrett were actually involved in his wife's actions that would be different. The evidence presented just shows no such conspiracy.

Bob: I appreciate your thoughtful response. I disagree that the recall provision needs to be changed. It is no easy task to acquire sufficient signatures to force a recall.

I didn't support and actively get involved collecting signatures because of the reasons you list or because of an emotional response. I did so because I do not believe any Representative from any party should be allowed to diminish the democratic process and eliminate checks and balances as I mentioned in an earlier comment.

I do agree with you that changes should not be made by playing to the emotions of the weak minded. I don't think that changing the recall rules can fix that, but eliminating or minimizing the influence of big money on politics would help. That is why I support a Constitutional amendment to remove Corporate person hood and to reverse the Citizen's United decision.

I try to speak out whenever I hear unfounded mud slinging and falsehoods no matter where it comes from. Being human it is possible I may not have spoken out against those on the left as much as those on the right, but it doesn't change the fact that such comments are wrong. Despite anyone's past performance it is never too late for anyone to do the right thing. As you said, if the shoe were on the other foot, would you let folks persecute Walker because of his wife? I think not.

Rich:
A husband should also know a bit more about his wife's ethics and actions.

It isn't uncommon for employees to steal from the company/customers or engage in activities that the employer wouldn't approve of or even have knowledge of. Certainly there is no evidence of conspiracy that Walker is involved with any of the activities being investigated. You shouldn't be holding Walker to a different standard than Barrett.

In fact, calling Walker's character into question because of the actions of his employees seems to resemble that 'unfounded mud slinging' that you claim to be against...

Rich, for every person like you who feels they have a reasonable cause for signing the recall, there are probably 2 others that signed it for reasons that they felt were equally reasonable, but that essentially amount to an emotionally driven response to the scare tactics that have been put out there over the more than a year that the recall effort was evolving. None of those scare tactics have come true, nor are they likely to - Scott Walker or no Scott Walker.

I keep hearing how difficult this process was. Frankly, given the resources of union activists and a substantial number of pissed off public employees, not to mention the help of one of the two major political parties in the state, it couldn't have been THAT difficult, because they didn't even feel the need to canvas door to door.

The provision does need to be changed. It needs to be changed precisely because it's being used this time around to target not only Walker, but any other Republican felt to be vulnerable. It's being used as a political tool, not as a measure of correcting an untenable situation. Nothing Walker and the Republicans have done, or can do, couldn't be overturned by the electorate at the next, regularly scheduled election. The sky is not falling because Walker and the targeted Republican legislators are in office. There is no emergency.

Bob, if it were so easy, then why were there only four attempts of State representatives in the last 100 years? What was different about last year? As you said Walker pissed off a lot of people. He could have easily corrected the budget without doing so.

There was no emergency then either and it was his own policy of Corporate welfare that greatly increased the projected budget shortfall. It was his method of operation, and the blind Republican lock step complicity, that pissed folks off.

Exactly how would you propose to change the Recall rules? Having to acquire over 25% of the total votes previously cast is a very significant number. The sky is not falling for Walker just because he faces a recall. If the polls are right he will survive. Somehow I doubt it, but just possibly he will become a better Representative because of it.

@Rich-The basis of a recall should be due to breaking the law, treason, or something of that nature not because a group disagrees. That is why we have elections. The whole basis of the recall was because the unions were feeling attacked and stand to loose lots of money!!

Rich,

Being pissed off at one side of the political equation because they did exactly what might be expected of them were they to gain power should not be a good enough reason to launch an expensive recall. Again, nothing Walker and the Republicans are doing, have done or can do can't be undone, come the next regular election cycle, if the electorate decides to go that way. You only have to look at the ridiculous arguments in favor of it (WHERE R THE 2500000 JOBS?!?!?!?!?) to see that we've now moved into an area where if a politician in this state doesn't produce what he said he was going to produce (as if any of them do) before the time he said he was going to do it, we need to get out the recall petitions.

It's nonsense, Rich. It's political opportunism. It follows suit with the union way of doing things. If you don't get your way, create chaos. Go on strike. Shut 'em down.

And the party they're aligned with is only too happy to assist them in the process if it means they can have a shot at wiping away the losses suffered in the last election. March on the Capitol. Run away to Illinois. Recall any Republicans you can.

It's bull****.

Bob, the fact that over a million people feel that way gives the recall validity and legitimacy. Yeah, there were less than a million signatures but there were tens of thousands of people that the effort was unable to reach in the time period.

"What was different about last year?"

****************************

Two words, Rich. Sore Losers. That's the difference. That's what this is about.

Shellshock. The Democrats were completely thrown for a loop. And they refused to accept the results. And Wisconsin was, and is, (thanks to our loosey goosey recall provision) ground zero for trying to take back what was lost unexpectedly.

It's about politics, Rich. Pure and simple. Nothing else.

Keith, we ended up in Iraq due to a consensus that we should go there. At that time, a lot of people felt that way. How'd that work out? Was that the right thing to do?

You can scare people into agreeing to almost anything. Particularly when you continually, repeatedly paint a picture of public schools in ruins, the poor, sick and elderly piled up like cordwood on the side of the road, of women being forced back into the dark ages - none of which is happening or will happen.

It's just BS Keith. And you're attempting to make hay while the sun shines just like all the rest of them.

Bob: Sore losers? You don't think there have been sore losers before? Walker and the Republicans arguably went way beyond expectations. The argument that he hasn't delivered much of his promised 250k jobs wasn't used an issue for a recall. It is only now an issue to garner votes against him in the election.

Question the motivations, but if enough people want to fire a Representative they should be able to for any reason. After all they work for us.

The flaw in restricting a recall to "breaking the law, treason, or something of that nature" is that would be too restrictive. The normal legal system already handles illegal activity and treason, and how would one define "something of that nature". One of the problems with such narrow restrictions is that we're talking about the people that make the laws. They can legislate anything to be legal within Constitutional limits.

What if a Democrat Governor with a Democrat majority passed legislation to levy an across the board 50% income tax. That isn't illegal or treasonous. Would you bar the people from initiating recalls on them, or just roll over an take it for four years?

The one year minimum and 25% of the electorate is sufficient. Changing that shifts the balance of power further away from we the people. You may not like it, but protesting, boycotts, and using tactics within the law to voice grievances are all a fundamental part of democracy. Democracy isn't pretty and it isn't cheap.

Rich,

The effort to recall Walker began before he was even sworn into office. You can look it up if you don't believe me. Given that, I don't know how you can call it anything but a case of sore losers refusing to accept unexpected defeat.

Your example is ridiculous and is in no way equivalent to the relatively minor changes Walker has instituted.

There is no standard here other than getting enough signatures, so if I say that it's the result of a concerted effort on the part of a bunch of sore losers to scare the bejesus out of enough of the weaker minded amongst the population to force a recall in order extract revenge and attempt to get a mulligan, it's just as correct as any explanation you might offer.

You can't have it both ways.

Bob, It is an easy lookup. Again, repeating a falsehood by parroting State GOP spokesman Ben Sparks, the originator of the "sore losers" meme, does not make it true. Politifact accurately debunks the claim that the recall started before Walker took office here: http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/dec/08/scott-walker/gov-scott-walker-says-recall-organizers-began-effo/

I intentionally exaggerated my example for illustrative purposes. A real situation would be more nuanced. I was trying to make the point that there are instances that cannot always be foreseen or pre-defined when a recall is appropriate. The best way is to allow a recall if enough of the electorate agrees.

All I can relate to you is that it has been my experience, both for myself and talking to those that support the recall, is that they are not doing so because they were sore losers, or intimidated by fear. If it makes you feel better about yourself and your beliefs to think the motivation is purely from sore losers that want revenge and you want to negatively characterize the supporters as being weak minded, there is nothing I can do about it. It is nothing more than opinion and cannot be proven as fact.

Apparently we have different opinions on human nature and motivation.

Rich,

I'm sticking with my opinion. You stick with yours. There was talk of recalling Walker prior to his being sworn into office. Plain and simple. This has been the go-to plan from the start. Even if you want to peg the official kick-off as the formation of "United Wisconsin" in February, at least half the "reasons" for the recall as cited by its supports didn't occur 'til after that.

I've talked to people who've signed the petition as well. The reasons many of them gave are pure and utter nonsense based on speculation or references to inconsequential occurrences, like the "phony phone call". Add to that the conspiracy theorists who think the Koch Bros and ALEC are calling the shots in this state, and I still say for every one person you like who feels they have a reasonably sound reason for supporting the recall, there are a couple signing for essentially bogus reasons. The only thing that makes all reasons of equal value and, likewise, every signature of equal value, is our ridiculous recall provision that the Democrats have found they can exploit for purely political gain.

Frankly, I came to the use of "sore losers" on my own. I based it, particularly, on the whining I've seen around here, the ridiculous demonstrations participated in by some around here (and others elsewhere) and the absolute insistence by all involved that they get their way. That defines sore loser. I don't need an official party mouthpiece to coin the phrase for me.

It is either disingenuous or naive to imply that ALECs direct influence on state legislation in Wisconsin and nation wide is only a conspiracy theory. The evidence is overwhelming. This group writes "model" legislation that has been shown to be introduced as bills nearly verbatim.

Yesterday the Center for Media and Democracy released a report on ALEC's influence in Wisconsin. 49 of 132 of the State's Legislators are ALEC members and Scott Walker is an ALEC alumni. 32 bills or budget provisions reflecting ALEC model legislation were introduced in Wisconsin’s 2011-2012 legislative session. 21 of these have passed, and 19 became law. The report also details how 17 legislators have received thousands of dollars in gifts ALEC corporate sponsors which haven't been publicly disclosed. These and some of the other key findings are listed at the bottom of the article.

Here is an article about the report on The Uptake - "http://www.theuptake.org/2012/05/17/report-details-alecs-undisclosed-influence-on-wisconsin-government/";. It includes a video of the press conference that is well worth watching.

Having corporations write and pre-vote on legislation in secret without public involvement is a recipe for disaster and smacks of fascism.

Rich, special interests on the left do the same thing. You're completely naive if you think that at least some legislation at any level isn't written with the help of special interest lobbyists.

Once again, blow out of proportion something that's fairly common place on many levels in order to justify something that you really don't need to justify.

ALEC is not calling the shots in this state. Nor are the Koch Brothers, nor are we looking at the re-emergence of the John Birch Society...and on and on and on.

Relax. You got your less than a million signatures. You got your recall. You get your do-over. I predict that after this round of recall elections, there are going to be efforts to change the recall provision because, even if it succeeds, those in office after the dust settles won't want to be vulnerable to a similar abuse of the provision in the future.

There's no higher ground, Rich. Don't fool yourself.

ALEC is unlike any other special interest group. Far from common place, no other group has the scope and scale that they do, let alone the high number of legislators as members. Even if there were a group like them on the left, that would not justify their subversion of democracy. Here's another write-up listing the legislation that originated from ALEC - http://www.communityforchange.com/WIModelLegislation.html

ALEC operates as a charitable non-lobby group but is blatantly flying in the face of Wisconsin and possibly Federal law. If our Attorney General does his job he will investigate and prosecute them for the violations.

Thankfully not everyone has such a cynical view and understands the higher ground is ethics and the principles of law.

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." -- Thomas Jefferson

That's unexpected. I thought they'd give her a parade for breaking the law for a worthy cause.

You need to specify that you want an achievement that isn't an elected or appointed position or procurement of funds. What you are looking for is something he has done for the city of Milwaukee as mayor for nearly a decade.

Wait for the dust to settle; those #'s tend to go into the opposite direction when the real #'s come out.

Those actually are the real numbers. Note how they pushed the jobs survey numbers into the opposite direction...

Everything these left wing internet hounds comment on comes up as a lie.

Jobs down - lie
Walker illegal defense fund - lie
John Doe - Lie
ACT 10 will fail - lie
One time savings - lie
Rasmussen Poll Right leaning - lie
Mine Pollutes/will not create jobs - Lie
Barrett for Gov. - Lie

They sky is still falling........

@Walker-Buddie those are the real numbers!! Now what? Your boy Barrett has nothing to stand on now!!! Not a one of you has yet named one accomplishment Barrett has acheived. Now that he has lost his big jobs talking point looks like he is inline to be 3 peat LOOSER

Sure they are; when changing the measuring stick from accepteed past practices & counting jobs in surrounding states:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/15/scott-walker-magically-turns-dismal-wisconsin-job-numbers-into-a-pre-election-miracle/

http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2012/05/with-recall-looming-and-scott-walker.html

lol at your last link

The Forbes blogger seems to disagree with the Milwaukee Journal story. I'm thinking that the Journal has it right...

The numbers that Walker just released are not from a survey, but instead are from an actual census. This census is used by the BLS to 'correct' the jobs numbers that they estimate based on their monthly survey of 3.5% of Wisconsin businesses. The new numbers are not based on the "Current Population Survey" that is referenced in the blog.

From JS Online:
"The other numbers, from the Quarterly Census, tell a more positive story, one the Walker administration is in a hurry to get out. They are based on a jobs count, not a survey. Each state gathers the quarterly census data from virtually all employers in both the public and private sectors, which are mandated to share staff and wage data as part of their tax and unemployment insurance reports. That makes it a more reliable source of employment data, state officials and many economists say."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-speeds-release-of-positive-jobs-data-775edrh-151655365.html

The numbers on job creation that Walker 'released early' are actual numbers,not survey data. They are collected by the Department of Workforce Development and must be forwarded to the Federal Government. This 'actual data' is used to determine eligibility and the benefits level for unemployment compensation for each and every employed person in Wisconsin.

Using the 2011 DWD-UI information the job creation rate for the Walker 4 year term now stands at an expected 96,000, only 40% of the promised 250k.

Steve, thanks for enlightening us on your outlook on life. Let me summarize. Everyone that disagrees with Steve is a liar. I think most people grow out of that attitude by the time they are six years old.

Rich:

You have to admit that the Lefty track record of claims against Walker doesn't seem to be reflecting the truth very often...

CowDung: Thanks for the JSOnline link. While the Forbe's article does contain more opinon than the JS article, the facts in both are the same. Walker's release of data on its own before it is officially reviewed Bureau of Labor Statistics is "highly unusual" and obviously politically motivated.

The most important metric is how WI has has performed compared to the rest of the Country. From the JS article: "With the early release, it's impossible to compare Wisconsin's performance in 2011 with other states."

Exactly. Even if Walker's self proclaimed adjusted numbers are correct, there is a a high probability that WI will still be ranked near or at dead last. Too bad those numbers will not be available until after the Recall election.

Rich:

The numbers are not 'self proclaimed adjusted numbers' at all. They are the same numbers that are submitted to the BLS every quarter for their jobs data. They are based on actual job counts rather than the monthly jobs survey.

We can use the unemployment rate if we feel the need to compare Wisconsin to the other states. We've been consistently better than most other states in that regard...

Rich you missed the point as usual. Cow picked it up nicely and it relates 100% to the lies and hate that the left throws around towards walker and supporters.

Fact, Jobs numbers up. You guys need to stop following Mike Tate around for talking points on the interweb, it doesn't end well when real numbers are calculated.

CowDung: The numbers are usually not announced this far in advance. Walker chose to announce them himself, hence they are "self proclaimed". They are "adjusted" from the previously reported values as they are instead from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages which has not yet been reviewed by the DOL.

I took a quick look at the unemployment data. Wisconsin's employment to population ratio from 2010 - 2011 changed -.1% ranking 9th of the 12 Midwest states with the eight states having a positive change. Of the five East-North Central states Wisconsin ranked 4th with three states having a positive change. Not exactly stellar.

Nice way to spin it, Rich...

@Rich-Well buddy no matter how you spin it, the news blows Barretts only talking point and platform out of the water. Once again proving the reforms are working.

Steve: There are plenty of "lies and hate" being tossed around by many on both ends of the political spectrum. Make sure you don't lie to yourself by attributing them exclusively to "the left". Otherwise you might end up being one of those hateful people.

Given that it's being compared to a blogger's opinion piece, it's pretty hard for it to be the less credible of the two...

...and is the name calling really necessary?

You're right. My apologies to MJS.

. . . I was thinking the same thing about Patriot & its vile posts.

Sign burnings? That is just plain stupid. Of course so are the signs to begin with. Anyone who votes solely because of a sign or the number of signs they see are fools.

What's that all about? Not an excuse but it most likely stems from the high emotions that get further amplified by vitriolic, us vs. them, comments that degrade and demonize the opposition. I believe that folks in general, left or right, have more in common than they have differences. Nearly everyone is angry about the state of the country in recent times and the only differences are the proposed solutions. Unfortunately too many people listen to the shock jock opinions and main stream corporate talking heads that play on their fears and emotions. Big money is dominating the main stream media and it's undue influence needs to be stopped. I believe that one of the first steps is to pass a Constitutional amendment to remove Corporate person hood and effectively reverse the Citizens United decision.

I think too many people listened to the many union propagandists that have been spreading the claims of 'doom and gloom' resulting from Walker's "draconian" cuts...

If they remove 'Corporate personhood', I hope they do the same for the unions and their campaign donations as well...

CowDung: I agree that big money influence in politics needs to be minimized no matter what the source, Unions included.

Gee, some kid with a lighter pissed at his parents.

sorry, but walker cancelled that train too!

@jt-Good thing Walker put the stop to that train project. That would have been another failed Doyle fiascal that we the tax payer would have been put on the hook for. Not to mention not needed.

Do you know everything that's going in in your office? It's not all that easy to tell if the guy in the office next to yours is surfing porn during work or engaging in other illegal activities .

I do. Know what's going on, that is. Especially within 25 feet of my office. How could I not? And as I recall, Walker said "no more laptops" which certainly indicates he knew there was "extra" equipment in the office.

How could you not? Maybe you are just more nosy than the average office worker.

I generally don't have any idea what the guy in the office next to mine is doing. Occasionally, I'll hear him talking on the phone or something, but I can't hear him well enough to really tell what he's talking about. I also couldn't tell if he has one laptop or five in his office.

Hey widdle birther Patriot

Peek a boooooooooo...

Rich Baska ‏@BlueTrooth

Don't look behind Walker's curtain! Wisconsin loses another 6200 private sector jobs http://bit.ly/JmTGqX #p2 #tcot #WIUnion

Keep spinning!!! Wisconsin is moving forward even with a small hit to the jobs totals. 30K total since Jan 11

Andrew Breitbart, legitimate news source???? Well. De mortuis nil nisi bonum.

Patriot, the state appears to be losing jobs at the same rate as gaining them. We're still on track to gain 250,000 new jobs by 2212 with Walker at the helm at current rates, however. Oh wait, he claimed he'd do it in his first term, didn't he.

Guy can't do math, can't create a sensible budget, can't work and share well with others (except benefactors and cronies), makes campaign promises he has no intentions of keeping. What good is he? Recall Scott Walker.

@mornimist-Well still a positive gain no matter how you look at it. Totaling approx 30,000 jobs total since Jan 2011 even with the loss in April of this year. Wisconsin is moving forward no matter how you try to spin it!!!

Before you get too excited, read the Journal article about serious concerns about the monthly #s you're pinning your hat on:

From the Journal article:

"Thursday's numbers come amid an unprecedented level of skepticism about the validity and reliability of the monthly state jobs report."

"The census figures are considered by economists the more reliable of the two. Unlike the Quarterly Census figures cited by Walker, the monthly estimates released Thursday are based on surveys of only 3.5% to 5% of the state's businesses each month and then extrapolated statewide under a mathematical model that's routinely prone to error"

Hmmmm..."routinley prone to error" !!!! Obviously, the experts trust the census ( + 23k jobs)

Also, it sure appears as if you are taking great glee in supposed bad job #s so you can put the left spin on them. Hoping Wi will fail so it will help your recall is truly unhealthy.

Two words.... " plus six". Must be hard carrying the union banner when the majority of voters have repeatedly reject your recall attempts .....Klopy, Pasch, Moore, Falk ( yea, I know she never got that far, shame cause she was even farther behind than Barrett) and, as the polls clearly show, soon Barrett.

Can you say desperation!!!

What I find hysterical, well actually I find it quite sad is during the Memorial to the fallen Police Officers of the lefts only choice for a candidate who by the way is the Mayor of the city this memorial was being held in was AWOL!!
Then when asked where he was, ummm Im not sure, I would have to check my schedule. We will get back to you.
Well its out now, Mr Barrett was in Oshkosh meeting with a group of Union Organizers trying to save his failing campaign against Gov Walker. So he choose to well I should say he was forced by the big union bosses to go to Oshkosh rather than pay tribute to the men and women who serve him!!! Amazing!!! Just shows who he answers too. This is who you on the left really want running your State?

@Patriot
Yep, Backwards Barret didnt get the endorsemnet from them so he felt that the deaths of officers was no big deal as it couldnt help him politically. Sad to see this clown have to get his rear end stomped for a 3rd time by voters who knows he's a career politician without a single Major Accomplishment

"Backwards Barrett." At least the millions spent by the pro-Walker billionaires' club on repetitive ads with catchy, alliterative slogans is working on at least one person, right AWD? ; )

-Walker Wrong for Wisconsin

Gift.
Yawn.

BREN WRONG for Wisconsin

Set your parameters, Patriot. Talgo came to Milwaukee on Barrett's watch. Master Lock is expanding its facility. There was other job growth. But I'm sure you'll insist on giving credit to someone else for anything good and blaming anything bad on the Mayor.

Bottom like Randy Milwaukees unemployment is at 10.1% up 23% if Im not mistaking, Milwaukee has the Highest minority unemployment and property values down another 13% under Mr Barrett

@Randy-Even you have not come up with ONE accomplishment of Barretts?

What were Walker's 8 years of accomplishments as the CEO of Milwaukee County?

Yes. Privatization of security jobs that led to sexual assaults at the mental health complex and a lawsuit when security guards replaced by Wackenhut were reinstated. Deferred maintenance that may have contributed to a fatality. The termination of a prize-winning designer at the Domes. A litany of penny-wise pound-foolish things that came back to bite the county in the long run.

And now we get the same at state level.

@Randy-Were not talking about when Walker was County Exec!!! He still had to answer to Barrett. Barrett was ultimately the CEO of Milwaukee. So the issues that are current in Milwaukee are under Barretts watch!!! They did not report home prices down in Milwaukee County but rather the city of MILWAUKEE.
Nice try. Barrett is a looser, he could not even attend to memorial for the fallen Milwaukee police officers. He felt it more important to try and save his campaign by meeting with union organizers in Osh Kosh

There ya go, Patriot! you have to be one of the most predictable people on here.

Randy its a fact. With the Train deal Walker put an end to would have created a few jobs and yes any jobs is good. But the cost to the taxpayer for the up keep way out weighed the few jobs. So Talgo a Spanish Company would be contracted to build his trolleys. Then what?

@Alfred-My thoughts exactly. It was just funny that the Barrett supporter standing in front of speedway campaigning for Barrett could not name a single accomplishment

@Patriot -- Name single accomplishment of Scott Walker's as County Executive. I can name a few, but they aren't anything to brag about.

I would dispute your litany of Walker's accomplishments as Governor. He added jobs -- just fewer, by percentage, than most other states in the union during the same period. He passed a lot of dubious ALEC agenda. And I disagree that he 'saved' the people of Wisconsin one billion dollars. We're just going to have to pay that elsewhere in higher user-fees and increased costs.

@Randy-Walker as Country Exec is not is question here. Wi would have more than likely added many more jobs if it had not been for all the chaos and uncertainty.

@Patriot - One accomplishment of Barrett's is he is not being recalled!. Walker will go down in infamy as only the third governor in U.S. history to undergo that utter humiliation. Also, Barrett did not promise a huge number of new jobs (Walker's laughable quarter million, what a joke!). Barrett did not split the city asunder politically. He holds it together remarkably well. He had the personal courage to come to the aid of an older lady in mortal danger, and was badly injured. One can easily imagine Walker being, using an Alfred term, well, a pantywaist in that situation.
Barrett is not a drama queen, a demagogue, a divider. He is a Moderate.

@Dirk-Now that is absolutely hysterical!! WOW!!! Well again you or nobody from your side can name one accomplishment of Barretts!! What a load of BS!! Ya 10.2% unemployment, the largest minority unemployment of anywhere, property values down should I keep going. No Thanks Dirk. June 5th and once again Barrett will be know as the 3peat looser. Why else would the DNC be pulling their funding? Hmmmm cause they know Barrett is DONE!!!

That is why they fight so hard for all those entitlements

I suppose you are right, that gubmint cheese they get for free is precious to them .

Thank God for Patriot and particularly Alfred - they show us the future vision of the Tea Party, and what kind of society we will have under their regime.
Pray God will not let the social darwinists starve us poor demented but caring souls, and that Patriot and Alfred never encounter a life event that has them ever needing an "entitlement" to survive the cold and hunger. They seem to have the confidence in their future life brought on by a secure government pension.

@Dirk-Why is it so typical for your side to bash, condemn and belittle those who do not follow your ideology. Please show me where I said those who are in need of help should not receive help!! NO WHERE!!! Those programs were put in place to help those who are truely in need. There are many people who abuse and take complete advantage of the system. Besides we are not talking about entitlements!!! Take your whining and BS and share with someone who cares!!

So Dirk, would this be the "gov't pension" that state union members have been getting a free ride for at the taxpayers' expense until Act10 had them pay their "fair share" ( actualy not even close to what a member of the private sector has to put in their pension)?

And love the over the top drama of your post about a "life event" and "survive the cld and hunger". Cut me a break and dial back the theatrics. I guess if you can't argue the facts (Act10 success, unemployment down, jobs up, Walker up +9% in latest Daily Koss poll ( the Dems own poll) and the DCN pulling funds), you insult and attack the person ( a tried and true tactic of politics that the left is perfecting in Wi). Stop rooting for Wisconsin to fail so Barrett can actualy have legit talking points. It's very unhealthy for you to carry so much hatred.

@Bewildered - You have a descriptive username. I do not think it is theatrics and over the top to talk about life events that could suddenly put you in need of a safety net. Being concerned about what can happen is conservative talk, it comes from insurance agents, actuaries, financial planners, etc. Maybe God has ordained you to be exempt from the "bad things happen to good people", but not sure why you would qualify with Him.

And tell me where I insulted Alfred and Patriot. I thanked God for their speaking out, and showing us Their way.

And you insult all government workers for their "free ride". Lots of ultra-conservatives get a government pension, particularly if they were in the armed forces, elected or appointed representatives, or on Social Security. Did the Walker administration all decline their pension eligibility?

Let's face it Bewildered, what WOULD happen to the poor people in your fantasy world of cutting off social programs? They would not be housed or eat, we even have a homeless problem under a benevolent government.
And do not put words in my mouth. Where did I say I was rooting for WI to fail?
I will say your hated seeths through your unconvincing veil of civility, but you seem to have trouble controlling it.

@Patriot - Oh, now you change your hardline against the poor and middle class with a little pressure. And profanity and hatred. So you do support social programs for the truly needy?
Who are the truly needy in your mind? And at what level should they be supported by government programs and what type? Bread lines, poor farms, insane asylums, conservation camps, etc.? Just want to know what the substance is behind your blowhard.

@Dirk-You know the system was put in place to help those people out who were and are down on their luck. Not meant for a life time of benefits while living the high life. There are lots of people on the system yet they have smart phones, drive nice cars, wear designer clothes and shoes.
Again you really spin it to justify your ideology. Im done June 5th will speak loud enough!! When Gov Walker whens by better than 10% and Wisconsin moves forward

My goodness Dirk. Such a drama queen! So where did I accuse you of insulting Al and pat? Nowhere, but never let a few facts interupt your rants. And so I don't "qualify " with God, huh. Nice! I joyfully go to mass every week, how about you?

Of course you are dreaming of lost jobs and high unemployment for Wi? How else can Barrett win. Don't kid us. You don't want "words put in your mouth" but accuse me of wanting to cut off all social programs. Yea, practice what you preach, big guy.

The insult re: state pensions is that the unions, esp. WEAC, have been bilking taxpayers forever. Can you pls justify WEA Trust and it's blatant overcharging for years? Only Act10 saved Wi from this scam that has artificially driving up school taxes for years.

Unlike you, we conservatives want the state to succeed , no mater who the legally elected leaders are.

It's tough being on the wrong side of so many issues, ain't it? Voters support fiscal responsibility not higher taxes (Klopy, Pasch, Falk and Barrett recalls all failed or are doomed), don't worry, it'll all be over soon. Better replace your Barrett lawn sign with Obama 2012.

@Patriot - Nobody of good repute wants cheating in social programs. It is not just your racist stereotype of a lifetime of benefits while living the high life with nice cars, designer clothes, smartphones, etc. I can see why you want to drop out of the conversation now, it is getting tough to answer the questions.
Just what social programs should be cut, how much, and what should we do with the casulties, especially children. How do you define a person in need? See, easy to cheerlead and despise, hard to say what you really believe in any detail.

@Dirk-Once again you spew BS!! This particular peice of legislation was debate more than any other peice of legislation. Often times into the wee hours of the morning!! So you really should fact check!!
After Walker wins once again, and at the end of his term you will see the great things going on in our State. So great Gov Walker will be re-elected for another 4 year term

@Patriot - Walker better hurry and get those 250K jobs, the general election will roll around again pretty fast if he somehow pulls through the recall milestone humiliation. Do you honestly believe he will make even a fourth of that number? To use your term, it is just so much BS. He can duck and jive and rope-a-dope with statistics, but everyone remembers that number and knows personally how the economy is really going in their own world..
And your credibility is really bumping along the bottom with a twisted line when you say Act 10 was debated more than any other piece of legislation. Yeah, it was debated AFTER it was ramrodded through like a tinpot dictatorship would do in Nowheristan.

And, Walker may be wearing the orange suit by then, recalled or not, if his onboard legal team is incapable of saving him.. A lot of his former closest aides will surely be in one of those white-collar crime cinderblock dorms by then for stealing from the taxpayers and charities, but with shortened sentences if they turn State's evidence. And his sugar daddy contributors would be wanting some obvious gratification in even more controversial legislation, affecting then even some of his own constituency.

A successful recall will clean up most of this mess.

@Dirk-Your a real CLASS ACT!!! The very person I would role model for my Children!! Dirk all you do is attack, belittle, critisize, downgrade,trash talk, low life of a human being!! You are incapable of having a debate without throwing out your Im better than you crap!! You rank up there with the sweat on my balls after a good workout!!
Im done conversing with you GOONS. Walker is leading by +6 and will more than likely win by 10 points. Your very good at twisting and spinning everything. Wouldnt want to cloud the story with facts.

@Patriot - Blessed are the children. Please give them more of a role model than your vulgar and extreme hatred of others who simply do not agree with you, as so vividly portayed in your post about how low I am. Pray you give youre children some room to discover beyond your severe and constricted tenets..

@Dirk-I have respect for everybody!! You attacked me first!! My whole complaint over this whole political debate has been the failure of democrocy!! The 14 loosers who left the State under the direction of the big union bosses!! The recall is senseless period. We have elections to limit ones time in office if we do not agree with the job he/she is doing. But because some of you disagree is NO basis for a recall!!

And, such a poor loser, Dirk. Sleep well at nite dreaming about job loses and higher unemployment so Barrett can win? Did you rant like this when Klopy and Pasch lost BiG? I fear for your mental health now that Barrett is failing too. Fear not, put your time and money against Obama ( cause we all are doing soooo much better since he took office). Llove that "Hope and Change" thingy. Opps, I guess we aren't supposed to remember that, are we !

Damn, I promised I was done with you.... But it's so much fun !

Peace out

"all conservatives are idiots for supporting Walker"

From your mouth to God's ear.

@Keith-Is that all you can do? Attack the right on a continual basis? Very typical from your side. You dont have a platform, your candidate has and is a failure, yet all you can do is attack the right with your brown shirt rhetoric BS

@Bewildered - I would like to see the economics behind your popular conjecture that if we just stop the scamming of the safety net systems, that will be enough cutting for you as a conservative. All for stopping the scamming, I suppose you are going to say Walker's hands are once again tied in doing that, or it is not his job, or Bush while he was in office 8 years or the Republican House of Representatives were/are powerless to stop it. Some of the scamming, by the way, extends to the healthcare industry, including doctors and corporations and other powerful Republican forces..
Of course, stopping the scamming will not balance the budget Paul Ryan-wise. And it takes a lot of government money and jobs to fight it.
What you are really saying is the Republicans do not want to alarm their constituency of the "silent majority" , many of which get government checks like SS or VA benefits, or are on Medicare or even Badgercare., or even paying tuition to a state college. Cuts ARE coming, deep ones if Republicans have their way. Do not be such a milquetoast, come out and say you want to cut payments to the needy, or you are a RINO.

@Dirk-It will be real easy to stoop to your level except I am unable to get that small!! So instead we will let the June 5th Election speak for the majority. Until then continue to spin your ideology, support your 3peat looser who has done absolutely nothing but make the City of Milwaukee one of the worst places to live.
I really feel sorry for you Dirk. There is hope though not sure about change. By the way how is that Hope & Change working out for ya? Seems to not be working so well for most Americans!!

And a wonderful good morning to you, Dirk. I'm on my way to Mass, you? Oh I forgot, according to you, I and my fellow conservatives are not welcome in your version of religion. You clearly believe God is only on the side of the recallers. Nice, just plain nice. May be that explains your "Walker supporters are Nazi" references. You do live in a very small, dark world, don't you. Poor boy! It'll all be over soon and then you can come out in the sunlight agin.

Actualy, I'm responding to your latest inane comment. Ready ?

"Stupid is as stupid does". (quote Forrest Gump).

@dirk "Cuts ARE coming, deep ones" is what you wrote, and fact is you are right. We still can't afford to pay for the government we have. When we run out of other people's money to pay for the programs, and go belly up, then you'll see the cuts. Right now, a stitch in time saves nine, but only if you vote to keep Walker!!

Ok, one direct reply to Dirk, our resident religious expert, re: entitlement scamming , in his own words:

Dems want to spend "alot of govt money" while Repubs want to cut (ie reign in) some of the entitlements that are driving this country far, far into debt. Couldnt have said it better. Thx for so clearly articulating the diff. Nother way of saying it is that Dems think big govt cn do a better job of spending your money while Repubs trust you to spend your own money. I take it you have no kids, Dirk, cause you are sure willing to pass on your big govt debt onto them and ignore the issue today.

@Bewildered - Are you tea party or neo-fascist? It is so hard to tell these days, with people like you trying to shout the opposition into silence, putting words in their mouth, and personally deprecating others with ideas not within your demogogy. It is a cruel, harsh video game world in the future you have us envision. Your cup of tea is a witches brew.
By the way, if Walker should win the recall, that does not mean the opposition goes away. Far, far from it. You clearly believe that bad bullying is the way to win, but tbullies always end up crying and afraid when someone fights back.

Dirk, in all seriousness, I quite enjoyed your originality, creativeness and use of words in your sentence : "your cup of tea is a witches brew". No sarcasm intended. Just begrudging praise of coining a great phrase. Well done. hate to say it, but would make a great t-shirt.

@lolo peeg - Ok, let me ask you, where do you want the deep cuts to happen? These other tea party pseudo-macho types I ask can only belllow and growl, and will not say.. And just saying you want to make the safety net programs more efficient and less corrupt is a copout. We are talking cutting healthcare, education, elderly and disabled pensions, childcare, parks, libraries, etc. Be brave and tell us who you are going to hurt.

@Dirk-What are you talking about? Due to act 10 there was more money contributed to Medicare. The cuts to education actually worked out very well for the districts whose teachers did not ram thru contracts. More stream lining is def in order. If that means shutting down a few libraries then so be it. When times are tough and the Country has a deficit of almost 16 trillion dollars then something have to sacraficed. Just like a household who finds themselves having a tough time this day and age, cuts are made, we do without some of those things we enjoy that are not a priority. Your answer is lets just TAX more!!! Where does it end there DIRK? I have not seen and of your save the world ideas.

@Patriot, I think you mean Medicaid. On paper, spending actually went up, but that was of little comfort to the people who found themselves no longer eligible for it.

You're pretty cavalier about 'sacrafices' when you have an income of six figures yourself.

The people that found themselves no longer eligible were just that, not eligible. They either had private insurance or the means to get it. Not paying for someone that does not "need" assistance is quite different than not paying for someone that does.

@Randy-And its still not enough because I have to pay it all out in the form of taxes to support all those entitlements/people on entitlements that should not be and Thanks to Gov Walker no more cadillac health care plans/pensions

@Patriot -- ALL of it? Really? I bet you have a lot more left after taxes than I do.

other great quotes from article:

"He (Barrett) has not said where he would get money to do that (restore tax credits )"

"(Barrett) wants to restore changes before they start ... But he doesn't know where he would get money"

"he (Barrett ) has not said what taxes he will raise"

"Barrett has said that he's been successful in promoting jobs". My comment: Milw unemployment up over 25% under the mayor).

And best of all, "he (Barrett) said unlikely make changes to current (Walker's) budget"

So where's his plan? Other than raising taxes ( tho he won't tell us which or all). Hard to back a guy that is great at attacking but has NO stated plan. No wonder Walker plus 6, or 9 if you believe Koss poll.