The Walker recall effort is under way and I have some real issues with the recall process and the reasons why the recall is even taking place in the first place. But let me say, that as a fiscal conservative, I will be the first to admit, there is plenty of blame for the current mess from both the Republican and Democratic parties. A person would have to be living under a rock to believe that just the Republicans or just the Democrats are the reasons for the current state and federal meltdown.
Lets review a bit. Former president Clinton (liberal Democrat) believed every American who wanted to own a home should have the opportunity to do so. So he relaxed the previous 20% down payment for a home loan once required by lending institutions. Clinton changed the rules and instructed Fannie May and Freddie Mac to ease the requirements and basically give anyone a home loan who wanted one whether they had a down payment, a good credit rating, or whether they even had a job. People who had no business getting a mortgage were lining up getting 100% (or more) to finance a home who had no way, or intensions in some cases, to repay their loans.
Then came G.W. Bush with 2 terms of runaway spending on two wars that raised the national deficit by a couple of trillion dollars. At about the same time, (2008), tens of thousands of people who couldn’t afford their home loans provided by Clinton began to default. Banks who loaned the money so freely started to see the storm coming and the beginning of the end was on the horizon. The ever rocky automobile industry with problems of their own got caught up in the recession riptide and we all know what happened to GM and Chrysler.
The government (Obama) said AIG, GM, Chrysler, big banks, and Wall Street etc were to big to fail and bailed them out with borrowed money to the tune of several trillion dollars of added national debt (TARP). Obviously there is more to the story, but space is limited and you get the point.
Record high foreclosure rates, rising unemployment rates, and a recession created a problem. A big problem. Government spending outpaced revenue at a larger percentage than ever before. The amount of tax revenue being collected was not enough to pay the bills. The Federal government had options. It could cut spending, raise taxes, print more money, or all of the above. The Feds chose to print more money (Quantitative Easing aka QE 1 and QE 2)
Unfortunately, states don’t have the option to print money. States can only raise taxes, cut spending or both, no other options. As the economy plunged, employees in the private sector were forced to make concessions by their employers. Pay freezes, pay cuts, cuts in benefits, and lay offs. A lot of company’s failed, and went under causing a domino affect.
The same dilemma that plagued the federal government and private industry was also present in state governments. States like California, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin found themselves in serious financial trouble. At the time, former WI Governor Jim Doyle (Democrat ) was spending money like a drunken sailor. Spending millions on non essential things like walking paths and bicycle bridges over hiways to name a few.
Then along came Scott Walker. He ran for the office of WI state governor with a plan to cut spending, balance the budget, and attempt to get Wisconsin out of this crazy mess. Million upon millions of dollars were spent by both parties during the election campaign. Money by special interest groups endorsing both parties. Yep, the Koch brothers endorsing Walker and the big unions endorsing Barrett. (Big unions outspent everyone else).
The majority of voting Wisconsinites elected Scott Walker as Governor because they were tired of the run away spending and huge debt being strapped to us and our children.
Scott Walker quickly got to work and started swinging a big ax. One of the first things on his agenda was to reign in out of control public unions and their crippling grip on Wisconsin taxpayers with their collective bargaining. Madison City bus drivers earning over $125,000 a year, WI state prison guards scamming the taxpayers by calling in sick for their shift, then offering to pick up the subsequent shift at time and a half earning tens of thousands of dollars in overtime pay.
Right here in Langlade County, the chief deputy sheriff retired at age 52 and turned right around and now heads the Emergency Response System. Public school teachers right here in Antigo retiring with full benefits and turning right around and taking new positions in the school system (or the private sector). Double dipping public union members costing tax payers millions of dollars across the state.
Public union collective bargaining costs taxpayers mind boggling amounts of money that would NEVER be tolerated in the private sector.
The Governor took on public unions and mandated they get in line with the private sector and make the same concessions employees in the private sector were being required to make, no more, no less. The current system was no longer fiscally sustainable. Public unions can no longer expect the general public who have made concessions to support the lavish benefits of the public union members. Time for reality check.
The public union outcry began. Public union members marched in Madison protesting against the governor and the cuts he made to balance the budget and address the serious issues. Public unions now want Walker recalled for doing the job the majority of voters elected him to do, get tough with the running the state.
Without any cognizant rationale to support their agenda, the unions have created all kinds of conspiracy theories like Walker is a puppet of the Koch brothers and all of the Walker changes are being made to enhance the Koch brothers. C’mon man, get a clue. The issues in Wisconsin are the same issues in dozens of other states around the nation. Wake up and smell the coffee, the issues are way bigger than a couple of business owner brothers who endorsed the Walker campaign. The truth is, big unions spent more money endorsing the Democratic party than the Koch’s spent endorsing Walker.
The recall is a travesty. Instead of allowing Walker to finish his term and voting him out, the liberals will now spend millions of dollars and force the Republicans to spend millions of dollars and all of us will have to spend months listening to all of the nasty ads on radio, TV, newspapers, and our mail.
The recall makes me feel like my vote for Walker didn’t count. Now we have to listen to all the negative mud slinging ads for months to come. I believe only the people who voted in the general election last fall, should be allowed to vote in the recall election. Why should people who didn’t find it important enough to vote in the general election last fall be allowed to vote in the recall election. And who are they going to vote for, Dave Obey LOL. C’mon man. I would like to know how Dave Obey who spent his entire 41 years earning wages of a state representative became a multimillionaire. Anyone care to take guess ? How about special interest groups who greased his palms just like the Koch’s are being accused of greasing Walkers palms.
The recall has little if anything to do with the Koch brothers and all the other conspiracy theories by the liberals. The recall is all about selfish public union members who have an ax to grind with Walker for requiring them to make the same concessions the rest of us have made, and eliminating collective bargaining. Nothing more, nothing less. Angry, selfish public union members who care more about their personal lives than the rest of us and the state of Wisconsin. Decline to sign.
See you at the polls.
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@ really The reason that those teachers retired is because they knew that they would have to perform or they could be let go for a higher performing teacher. How does teachers having to pay for a part of their benny’s ruin our schools. Are you saying that paying part of their benny’s make them less effective as an educator? And how can you blame walker for the jobs loss in the state? the economy is still in the dumper in this country. Disregard the numbers from the obama admin. they say there are more people working now than last year at this time. when the worker particapation rate has fallen for the last 2 years. if they actually counted all the people who are unemployed and underemployed the rate is closer to 10%. Even the CBO says that the actual numbers will not go down until late 2014. When walker wins this recall you will see job numbers go up in wisconsin because companies won’t expand to wisconsin until they see what the business climate will be. People around the country are looking towards wisconsin as a place to grow. But if obama stands in the way of the job creators this will take even longer. The answer is to get obama out of the whitehouse and get a conservative in there. and repeal obama care.
@support scott walker so whats the difference between the police and fire unions who (work for the taxpayers) and teacher and public worker unions? dont they all work for the taxpayers? which still leaves the question.you can sugar coat walker all you want. the fact is he is not out for the people of wisconsin, he is out for the tea party and their agenda which only benefits the rich republicans. im nota big fan of unions but they still have a purpose, they set the standard of living for the middle class (all of us who make less than 250,000 a year) with out that people like the koch brothers dictate lower salaries for employees. were the ones that pay the bulk of the taxes that covers our government spending and with the rich getting more and bigger tax breaks whos going to make up the difference? the middle class! everyone should pay their fair share. but people (especially republicans) dont want to they want the working class to pay their share too!
None of my statements could be replaced by inserting Obama. He and Walker have nothing in common.
@Really – Don’t get distracted by the Mai Lai reference. The point is that Walker cut more state funding out of edication than anyone has done in the entire history of Wisconsin, and claims that he is doing it to save jobs and improve education. He is delusional, and so is anyone who believes him.
@ Just me. If you really think that then you have a very big set of tunnel vision glasses on and are to far out of touch to have any idea what is going on. Remember we should not be voting for our favorite teams here, but for the best interest of the state and country. Neither of the two show me that they are on that track. and Obama shows me that hes is in destruct mode.
@support scott walker. I am not sure why your comment is for me? I do not remember saying anything about retired teachers etc?
@Dont Drink The Kool-Aid. What in the world makes you think the tea party has an agenda that is for rich republicans? You seem to know nothing about the tea party movement and what they stand for.
@ really . Ok is that what glen beck told you? The tea party is just a bunch of elitist republicans who are not out for the majority of the people , the common hard working people of this country who are to busy working to support their familys , and try and pay our taxes and yours because rich people don’t want to have to pay their fair share they want us the middle class to pay their share!! Turn off fox news stop listening to glen and rush and go out and find the real truth not the spun version, or go do something in your community that is positive!
Drove past a guys house last night has a support walker sign in his yard and right
Nex to it is a support firefighters sign! How can you support both firemen are public unions and walker is agianst them! This just proves the lack of smarts that some people have!!!
and another question i have, when walker was “balancing the budget” he cut the early release program for inmates, now wouldnt that cost the taxpayers more money by having to support those inmates in prision longer? when the good ones could be out early and contributing to society!
@Don’t Drink The Kool-Aid. Don’t listen to Glen Beck and I wouldn’t know who he is if I saw him. What is your point about Glen Beck? Is it beyond you to think for yourself or do you have someone else tell you what to think? The biggest problem we have is that so many are voting for their favorite team rather than someone that can get the job done. The Tea Party is the Tea Party and is not the Republican party. They do align themselves with many of the original Republican values but have spoken out and refused to support certain Republican candidates because of how far they have strayed off track. You may want to consider that as you support certain Democrat candidates that are straying of track. If we give the rights of the people back to the people and even out the dang tax system we would be making great progress. A flat tax with no loopholes would be an awesome start and no one can argue the fact that it is fair and simple. You make less you pay less, you make more you pay more. It would also take so many issues off the table to argue about at the political level.
Then there is this comment that makes no sense because you interjected your opinion of what it meant vs what it said. “Drove past a guys house last night has a support walker sign in his yard and right Next to it is a support firefighters sign! How can you support both firemen are public unions and walker is agianst them! This just proves the lack of smarts that some people have!!!” Firemen are individuals that are employed by their community’s. Unions are something they have to join in this state to work in a unionized shop. Unless the guys sign really said support firemen and their unions you just added something that you felt would make your point, a point that does not exist in the statement on the sign. It seems pretty clear to me that the guy is in support of walker and firemen? And the end of your statement “This just proves the lack of smarts that some people have!!!” seems to be pointing right back at you for making things up so you can try to make a point that the person with the sign was not trying to make. Unless of course your liberal mind is also able to read minds?
@really. so your argument is that firemen are employed by their community, and they have to join a union. and that is different from the teachers and public workers how? as i have asked many times if it were balancing the budget(walker) why were police and fire left out? there is no difference between them and any other public union other than they vote 95% republican! walker just tried to break the democrat unions only! those are the facts . you just show your lack of intelligence by calling me names and not providing any real facts. just your fox news rhetoric. it doesnt bother me though, there is nothing on here that i have made up, nor will i ever. i listen to both sides and make my own informed decision instead of just rambling on because you dont like the truth.
@Really – You said, “…making things up so you can try to make a point that the person … was not trying to make.” Good catch. Now that you are sensitive to that type of fallacy in an argument, we can make some actual progress here.
And you said, “A flat tax with no loopholes would be an awesome start and no one can argue the fact that it is fair and simple.” Well, not quite. Simple, yes. Fair, maybe not so much. A family of four with $20,000 income in the same economy as a family of four with a $200,000 income are actually not blessed with the same opportunities and benefits of society even though they would pay the same rate under a flat tax. Consider the two kids in each of those families. Would they have the equal opportunity to better themselves through a college education? No? Of course not. So, who’s fault is that? Can we simply blame the kids for choosing the wrong parents, and let it go at that? Or, do we look a bit beyond the flat tax for economic problem-solving, recognizing that it is only, as you point out, an awesome start.
@Dont Drink The Kool-Aid. You either just don’t get what I have been saying or refuse to? Let me start by saying as I have before in other posts that I do NOT agree with how Walker went about this BECAUSE it is not across the board for all and shows nothing more than an attempt to break the unions. Of course I also feel that it should be a persons right to join or not join and also if they chose to join then they should have the right to bargain. You can bargain on your own so as a collective group you should be able to. My opinion is that it is a God given right and not a Walker or anyone else given right to speak for yourself singley or as a collective group. I also feel that the unions do not have the right to tell someone if they have to join or not, and also should not use dues for political reasons unless a member chooses to allocate it that way. Businesses shoudl also not be contributing to poltical causes because it always has an agenda. None of my responses to you are for a lack of me liking the truth. You have not stated all things truthfully and have in fact added in order to try to make your point look more solid. it only makes your point carry less weight. We are not as far apart as you think but I do not see Fox News as being any worse than the other media outlets that are clearly 100% liberal. And I did vote for Walker and am happy with the majority of the things he has done so far except the teachers union issue. I am also a union member.
@Jerry. This is not a welfare state or a socialist state yet. If we have a flat tax of 10% and you make 20K a year then you pay 2K in taxes right? If you make 200K per year then you pay 20K right? Is anyone going to stop the guy that only paid 20K from using the same streets or is the road in front of his house going to be plowed less or will he not be allowed to use the other tax payer funded services as much as the guy that paid the 20K in taxes? We both know the answer to that question Jerry. he pays less and gets the same. He can also get the same grants and student loans as anyone else to go to school. I know many that have and are. Just because you make less does not mean you shouldn’t pay something. It is a big problem when we have guys like you that think they are owed something based on what another person makes. Do you not have any shame sticking your hand out be it for yourself or on the behalf of others that are able to work and take care of themselves? If all of us paid our fair share based on earnings then there would be more money to provide assistance to those that really need it. We don’t need to hand it to them on both ends.
How ever said that the tea party is a bunch of republican elitis , you have no idea what the tea party is all about. As for paying their fair share the top 10% ( and that includes public service union members according to IRS.gov) pay about 70% of all income taxes, when about half ( that would be 50%, this is for the mathmatically impaired) of all wage earners pay no income tax and some even get extra back. So who is not paying their fair share the ones that pay most or the ones that pay none. Washington is collecting more money now than ever. The problem is that they spend way too much. And Obama’s budget is a joke, He says it will cut the deficit 4 trillion dollars over 10 years which is a lie. why do you think his budget was voted down last year 97-0 because it won’t work and is based on false information. Obama wants to raise taxes on the oil companies and who do you think they will pass the cost on to, thats right everyone! The next thing liberals will want is free gas for the bottom 50 % then what? oh wait the top 10% can pay for that too. Sooner or later the rich will say” screw this why should i work for a living when i can get it for free from the government”. Then who will pay all the bills ? China?
@Really – So, “If all of us paid our fair share based on earnings then there would be more money to provide assistance to those that really need it.” Then, there ARE some who need/deserve assistance. The debate, then, is how to decide who qualifies, right? Can’t have them just sticking their hands out. I stuck mine out, for the G.I. Bill, to go through college. How many kids are there who wouldn’t qualify for the G.I. Bill, but would still be terrific productive members of the middle class if only they had the chance to go to college. Oh yeah, the grants and scholarships…. Where do they come from? Another handout?
If the Tea Party is the Tea Party and not a part of the Republican Party why do they ALL run as Republicans?
why do socialists run as democrats? tea party candidates have more shared beliefs with the republicans than they do with democrats. why do democrats hate Fox news? Because fox news doesn’t take the obama admin. line of misinformation as gospel. I know it’s hard for the uninformed to believe that the hope and change leader is really out for his cronies and not the americans who voted him in. A large number of voting americans are having buyers remorse when it comes to Obama. And that is what will send him down as this country’s worst 1 term president ever.
@really, i have never “added” to anything. i just talk about what i see i believe republicans and democrats both have good ideas if they would work together,but that is unacceptable in todays politics. as for the tea party we all know it can not stand on its own without the republican party! and why does every tea partier or republican accuse all media of (accept fox) of being liberal? talk about far fetched statements cnbc,msnbc yes but not all. you should try watching them all and form your own opinion,instead of repeating fox news fear and hatred.there are alot of good ideas out there if people would take their blinders off and work together and sometimes compromise, but people like you and ben drinken and support scott walker will not open your eyes! turn off fox and go do something positive for our community, theres lots of organizations that need help. beats sitting on here spreading hate all the time!!!
Those candidates are only socialists in your mind, where as the Tea Party candidates are self proclaimed Tea Party members. Why won’t Canada allow Fox News in the country? It’s illegal to air falsehoods, that’s why. Check Politifact once for the number of times Fox has been found lying. That whole “liberal media” thing just doesn’t fly. Those outlets are all owned by the large corporations. But hey just keep saying it enough, and just like other Fox watchers some people will believe you. Yes, Obama must be bad, he’s only had to fight tooth and nail to try and get us out of one of the worst recessions in decades. All without any help from the party of no. They’re more concerned with trying to roll back women’s rights a hundred years, than they are in trying to heal this country.
Jerry, not that I am surprised but you seem to not have an understanding of earned and given. The GI bill your earned through your service. Thank you for that by the way. Anything coming from any welfare system is given. We need these systems in place to help the needy. Any one of us could be needy at any given time and I am sure would be grateful to have some help. The way we determine who is needy Jerry has not changed in years and it is called a poverty line. I am sure you have heard of it. Why do you play dumb in so many of your comments Jerry? Or are you not playing?
@ Dont Drink The Kool-Aid. You did in fact add something. You made the statement that the guy with the sign in his yard was also supporting unions because it said he supported Walker and the Firefighters. The sign did not say support walker, firefighters and the unions. You added the union assumption because most firefighters are union members.
@ Just me. If Fox news is not allowed in Canada then no news should be allowed in Canada. They all are full of crap and do not do much in the way of public interest. But if you like Canada and think that they are cutting edge you should move there and enjoy their awesome healthcare system. When you need an MRI you can plan a trip to the states because you will have a hard time getting into one of the few they have in the country. You can also pay taxes through the nose and enjoy even higher fuel costs. You will also be able to learn much about living in a socialist state.
@Just me – Notice how conversations with conservatives/libertarians/teapartiers immediately devolve into personal attacks, filtered views, denials of facts, and cross-complaints about “biased” sources. From this point on, I will not respond to any post that contains such unconstructive items. I am sure there are some interesting ideas from the right, some concepts that deserve consideration, even some that merit weaving into the tapestry of contemporary politics, but we never get to hear about them, and certainly can’t examine them in any productive discussion. Too bad….
No, all firefighters are union!( with the exception of rfc because their volunteer ) Typical tea bagger you pick a small snippet from a much larger context , twist it and repeat over and over and over , if you don’t want to be in a union find a different job! If you support firefighters you support everything about them and they are union members! If you support walker you don’t support unions because he is out to destroy them plain and simple! You add to your stories ( everytime you say all media is liberal biased except fox of course but we don’t complain! You state you belong to a union, and I assume you would be just fine having your collective bargaining stripped away! I doubt it you would scream to high heaven! You are right though we are not that different other than I am open to other ideas , but you are stuck in your tea bagger no compromise mentality!
@ Jerry. Your last post is the best so far, you will not respond anymore and that could be a good thing for us as we will not have to sift through your blind eye comments trying to make sense of the nonsense
@Don’t Drink The Kool-Aid. It is ok if you can not admit to the lunacy of the original statement and now the even crazy comment that if you support the firefighters then you support everything about them? If they buy their gas at BP does that then mean I support BP? DO I also support the store they buy their grocery’s at? Are you really that aloof that you think we are all to air headed to not see the attempt you made to make a point by inserting your own opinion into the content of the sign in the persons yard? I know it must be frustrating for you be to be called out like that but tuff $hit. Stick to the facts and then maybe you could make a valid point. Supporting firefighters is just what the sign says and not anything YOU chose to add to it. Supporting the firefighters courage and sacrifice when your family needs them and they risk their lives to pull your sorry ungrateful a$$ out of a burning coffin. If you have to make things up to make your point then you never had one. kinda like most things Jerry blogs about. What a couple of leakers?
P.S I did state in an earlier comment that I am for peoples rights. The right to bargain in a collective group or on your own if you choose. I also think we need a right to work state law passed here so that you can not be forced into a union if you do not want to be in one. So I guess your theory is shot down because I already said I do not agree with how Walker handled the teachers union issue. You have it so stuck in your head that it is a two team wold and the you against me is what is ruining our country. We don’t need a Dem or a Republican in office, We need a real American that gives a crap about our rights and a fair system of taxation. ( Not handouts) I am not sure what a tea bagger is by the way, is that something your school buddy’s used to do to you a lot and it not has caused some trauma that causes you to use the phrase in reference to the tea party? Notice how Jerry says “Notice how conversations with conservatives/libertarians/teapartiers immediately devolve into personal attacks, filtered views, denials of facts, and cross-complaints about “biased” sources.” I wonder if this only applies to those that disagree with the liberal nonsense?
wow! the personal attacks are getting more vicious. i must be getting under your skin! maybe calling you a tea bagger was out of line. but your personal attacks on me are down right nasty!your still just picking one point and beating into the ground. forget about the signs , lets try something new and maybe we can get you to use facts instead of hatred and name calling. so answer this, in walkers budget he eliminated early release for inmates,so tell me how does that save taxpayers money? because now we have to pay for them to stay in prision instead of them being out contributing to society! and one other question you didnt answer, would you be ok with your collective bargaining rights being taken away?
hey kool aid, So if i understand your last post. you think that prisoners should get out sooner. It has been done in the past that non-money matters have been addressed in the wisconsin state budget. so this is not out of the ordinary. thats why they are voted on in the house and senate. I also believe in truth and sentencing. Prison would be more of a deterent if prisoners knew they wouldn’t be getting out early. And also collective bargaining was not a right. Rights are covered by the constitution and the bill of rights. and no where does either of these documents mention collective bargaining.
Jeez, really, I thought we were paying taxes through the nose and living in a socialist state, according to you. Try getting that MRI, or many other tests or treatments, without insurance or the cash means to pay for them, and see how long you wait for them. When will people learn that without affordable healthcare this country is screwed? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens with the original topic of this thread, won’t we? We know he’ll be recalled, but will he win reelection, lose reelection, or end up in jail before the election.
@Dont Drink The Kool-Aid. Typical and expected. Just forget about the signs, just forget about any other stuff I said that you caught as being a bunch of BS and assumptions, just forget each thing that we have done in the past and been caught at. it is the liberal way. Keep throwing the hook in the water hoping for a bite on a baitless hook.
@Just me. Well I don’t know what you pay in property taxes but mine keep increasing with a decrease in public services over the years. We are also headed to a socialist state if something does not change, and I mean change by both party’s. Neither one of them is doing us any favors right now or has been for quite some time.
As for the issue of no health insurance I sure do know a lot of people with no health insurance that walk right into the hospital and get the same care as i do with health insurance. Not sure what you are getting at there?
@really . Yet agian you ignore everything else and continue to take one thing and keep beating it into the ground, over and over and over like a broken record. Because you have no logic to back your mouth up! I stand behind every word I’ve said, the only reason I wanted to change topics is because we were at a stalemate. But as a typical conservative you just won’t let go! And still you avoid my new questions and return to your same old rhetoric. It’s like having a battle of witts with an unarmed person! I try to play nice, I recsind the name calling and have a mature dialog but you refuse to ! So keep watching fox news , and spreading fear and hatred , making extremely wild accusations about other people and their personal lives just like you did agianst jerry in the other thread, because you have no facts to back anything up! I’ll be here if you want to open your eyes and have an intelligent conversation, were maybe we could find some common ground. But I’m sure you will just reply to this with more name calling and fox news induced delierium until you take your blinders of and see the real truth out there. As I’ve stated before if you put as much time and effort into some community organization as you do spreading fear and hatred on here you could really do some good ! Kettlebowl needs help humaine society needs volunteers. And just because the try to do something equally across the board doesnt make them scary
Liberal organizations . And the same goes for support Scott walker!
@Don’t Drink The Kool-Aid . This is the longest game of musical chairs I have ever played. Really said this so I am going to say he is doing the same thing to avoid the obvious BS I added to may comment and maybe at some point I wont have to explain the made up comments? It is what it is no matter how good of a dancer you. Only a blind man would not understand your tactic.
@ really,lets talk about dancing, i have purposed how many other questions to you? and yet typical tea party member you still stick to one part of one topic and beat it into the ground,over and over and over and over, why do you avoid all the other questions? YOU and my sign comment prove my point all the more because you support walker who is anti union yet you are in a union have a union pension, and you still have your collective bargaining rights, so stand on your soap box and keep talking and avoiding all my other questions you just keep making me look better!!!
p.s. if this is dancing you better take some lessons you keep tripping yourself!
Fraud in recall signatures identified. Today’s Wausau Daily has an article that identifies the signature of John Spiegelhoff of Merrill on the recall petition for Sen Pam Galloway. His name and signature appear on line 6 of page 1274. Mr. Spiegelhoff is a local union representative. Mr. Spiegelhoff attended one of Sen Pam Galloway’s listening sessions last fall and he acknowledged publicly that he is in fact not one of Sen Galloway’s constituents.. By signing the recall petition and knowing full well that he does not reside in the 29th Senate District, Mr. Spiegelhoff committed fraud. The circulator who allowed Mr. Spiegelhoff to sign, Jeff Johnson (who announced that he will run for the 85th Assembly District seat) was aware Mr. Spiegelhoff was not a constituent of Sen Galloway and allowed him to sign the recall petition.
Mr. Spiegelhoff responds: Truth be told, I messed up. At the time of the signing, there were multiple petitions in front of me. There were three petitions there for Gov Walker, Lt Gov Kleefisch and Sen Galloway. Clearly I wasn’t paying attention. I should have checked more carefully. “It was an honest mistake”.
Yea, right.
Hey koolaid. you can support gov. walker and you can support firefighters. You don’t have to support unions to support the people who are in them. Just remember that the unions don’t really care about their members. they just care about their union dues. That is what is really driving this recall. Members no longer have to belong to a public service union to work in wisconsin , so the unions are losing their control of their membership and the taxpayers of wisconsin. Unions served a purpose when they were started, but since labor laws have been passed, the gains that they achieved are now a part of united states labor laws. And you also asked why gov. walker did what he did, because he was elected and he has the authority. just like when the early release program was put into place. the reforms are working and this recall is just a waste of taxpayer money. I also can tell you don’t like fox news.Just proves that you only want 1 angle when it comes to getting your information. The problem with that is media nowadays is not what it use to be. reporters use to question its leaders , but today they just repeat what the administration feeds them. Which means it is just propaganda. You may not like what fox news does, when they point out that the info from the admin. is false and misleading But they do point it out when the admin. is feeding false and inaccurate information. Which is what the media should be doing, but are afraid to do.
@Dont Drink The Kool-Aid. Humor me and ask me the questions once again that have been answered over and over and over or already have an obvious answer to them.
We will through them one at a time so we can check each one off your to do list.
Walker fans, please note – http://www.jsonline.com/business/us-adding-jobs-while-state-loses-ll4c8qp-141333083.html
“Wisconsin desperately needs new jobs.
“Alone among the 50 states, it has lost private-sector jobs for six straight months, raising the political and economic stakes of the next jobs report, due Thursday for the month of January.”
Jerry all 50 states need jobs. Don’t buy into this fantasy that the obama admin is trying to get the main stream media and the people of this country to believe. the jobs numbers are based on false information. For the last 2 months they have said that the economy has added more jobs. But the other reports coming out of washington don’t back it up. when in fact less people are working now than any other time in the last 3 years. And if more people are working why are taxes being collected into the govt. lower now then this same period last year. also there are more people depending on the govt. for food and other necssities than at any other time in america’s history.Obama is trying to sell you and me on the idea that things are getting better. Food prices are up, gas prices are up, home prices are falling. Lets face it, obama is a complete failure as a leader and a president. the answer is to get him out of office before he can do anymore damage. if he wins another term then there would be no limit to the damage that he will do, and i’m afraid that we will not be able to save this country. Obama’s dream is a socialist style govt. and we have proof in europe that socialism does not work. So wake up and smell the coffee stop obama 2012! your grand kids will thank you. and as far as wisconsin goes maybe if the dems in madison were worried about job growth instead of battling against the republicans. something would get done. the mine bill is just one example of them standing in the way of jobs in wisconsin. They are more interested in pleasing a chosen few special interest groups and not the people who voted for them. thats Ok when the next elections come around the voters will remember who got the support of their elected officals and they will be removed from office. Also using jsonline as a source of the truth is putting your faith in the wrong people. stop being lazy and do your own research and you will find that the obama admin is spinning a web of untruths.
The Journal article drew upon Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tell me, Ben, what is YOUR recommended source for unbiased, substantiated information and data?
If Obama, Pelosi, Reid, et al are for everyone paying their “fair share”, then why are people (unions etc) raging, protesting and recalling because they are being asked to pay their “fair share”?
I anxiously await your finger-pointing, convoluted, self-righteous, illogical responses to my very simple query.
@Hazy Davy – Let me clear the haze for you. (1) The unions AGREED to pay the “fair share” increases requested (demanded) by Walker in their contributions to pension and health care funding as soon as the request was made. (2) Walker responded by cutting off union bargaining rights, anyway, even though he had achieved his ostensible goal. (3) Walker then cut state funding to education by $1 billion, claiming that the drastic cuts would save jobs, since the local tax entities could make up the difference by cutting pay and benefits for their public sector employees, those same folks who had already agreed to pay their fair share. And there, provided by Walker himself, you have the finger-pointing, convoluted, self-righteous, illogical response to your simple query.
@ the liberal likes of Kool-aide and their co-horts:
One issue that is seen nationally among liberals is the constant need to bash Fox News. while I am not a fan of many of the personalities, at least they make no attempt to “hide” behind the idea that they are an un-biased reporter. In the old days, a reporters job was to report the facts of an event and leave it to the people to decide as more truths came out. If an institution that is openly conservative reports stories that uncover myths regarding public perception of a poilicy, individual or party, they are attacked by the left. Disagree with the Libs, get attacked. Contrary to popular leftist beliefs not all conservatives believe in coperatism. The continual need to rant about the rich vs. the poor the good vs evil is a tired argument.
The unions are practically treated like a sovereign nation up to this point, and have had no backlash until Walker. Would you say it is fair that as a private sector employee I am subject to “at will employment” agreements? That means I can quit or be fired at anytime…unions ultimately protect employees with job security (whether deserved or not..look at how some teachers are just re-districted). while I agree that laregely teaching is an underpaid profession, the benefits that have been offered up to this point have been pretty amazing. In the private sector, we get what we get depending on the employer, and our performance dictates our salary growth as well as security in the company.
The reason why firemen and police have not been included in the union argument is due to the fact they have been considered necessary for the protection of the community. I know I support them, but do not support unions. If you were to look at the overall spend by unions to the democratic party 9as previous posters have mentioned) you would see the contributions far exceed that of private monies such as Koch. And if you look at Koch, while they have been labeled as big money special interest, they are not even controlling the market price on petroleum…they sell a commodity…if they are allowed to drill/ explore in new areas, this ultimately drops the price of the said commodity, somple rule of supply and demand. And this brings us back full circle to liberal vs. conservative agendas. Liberal (Obama) agendas do not look to open free markets up, thus continuing our dependence on a limited available resource, which keeps market prices high. Look at the Chevy Volt…government subsidizes tons of money to bring an automobile to market (because they are smarter than the market) and no one wants to buy it, even with the subsidies. Governement has no place in generating / stimulating the economy. Where people get it wring is they think that government has everything. They have nothing, therefore they have to take from someone else to obtain it, the redistribute it.
I believe Walker is trying to narrow that gap as well. And while i know it will make you red in the face, the people voted, he won, you didn;t like it and now want a do-over. Classic Liberal.
DO overs are for little cry babies. Then again that is what the liberal base is made up of.
Jerry go to the BLS or the CBO and get the info yourself. You would be surprise what the JSOnline forgets to report about the unemployment numbers. Is it just a mistake or is whole truth left out on purpose? don’t just read the numbers study them , don’t let your hatred for the conservatives blind you to the facts.If JSonline reported the whole story then obama’s fantasy about the economy getting better would fall apart. Stop Obama 2012 !
@Notafreakinsocialist, how can you possibly claim that Fox doesn’t “hide” behind the idea that they aren’t biased? Isn’t their motto “fair and balanced, we report you decide”? Doesn’t that in of itself suggest they’re trying to claim that they aren’t biased?
@ just me. You are trying to lump the whole fox news channel into one. There is a difference between the news programs that they offer and the opininon shows. They even have a mix of left and right on the opinion shows. And they are far more fair and balanced compared to the other news offerings on the main stream media channels. they are closer to what news reporting use to be when they reporters would question the administration , rather than accept what they are told by the admin. as true. All the main stream media does is repeat what they are told by the admin. , without even trying to verify if it is true or not. which means that they are just spewing propaganda.