Recall petition signatures
Here is the link with all of the signatures collected for the Walker recall. I was able to open some of them but not all of them. Some of the forms only have 4-5 signatures per page.
http://webapps.wi.gov/sites/recall/Recall%20Petitions/Governor/GOV%201601-1650.pdf
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Drug testing should be a violation of our rights
I have understood that the reason the laws were drawn up the way there were is because the Government can not tell us what we can and can’t ingest. That would be a violation of our rights. So, instead they created the laws so that it is illegal to POSSESS drugs, MANUFACTURE drugs, etc., but, not INGEST drugs.
With that being said, shouldn’t it also be a violation of our rights to be drug tested? If no one has a right to tell us what we can and can’t ingest then how is drug testing legit? It ASSUMES the fact that if you have drugs in your system, then at some point you POSSESSED them, and so you broke the law. This is completely ridiculous to me.
Another thing that is ridiculous is how the drug companies have created synthetic heroin and many other variations of drugs that resemble our current “illegal” drugs. It’s OK for people to be on those because they are prescribed. Not much different than medical marijuana in my opinion.
I think our government is too big as it is, and we should not be controlled by them in this manner. If we want to kill ourselves with drugs, we should be able to. It should be our right.
Just for the record, I am NOT a crackhead.
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This article appeared in multiple Wisconsin news papers today.
There is good news and bad news in the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling’s 2011 annual report.
Make that extremely bad news. But leaders of the organization were stunned to learn that the average reported debt from callers in 2011 was an eye-popping $157,074 — the largest debt level in the center’s history and more than $113,000 higher than in 2010.
Way to go Wisconsin. Legalize gambling in an effort to create revenue, but create a massive gambling addiction, ruin lives, and then spend millions of taxpayer dollars to create a gamblers hotline and rehab program. What a joke. I personally know a person who cashed his paycheck (2 weeks pay) at the casino and left pennyless. The very next payday he returned to the casino “to win his money back”. Needless to say, he left another 2 weeks of pay at the casino and then asked to bum a few bucks off me on Monday so he could eat lunch. Legalizing gambling was one of the worst decisions the state ever made.
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This article appeared in multiple Wisconsin news papers today.
There is good news and bad news in the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling’s 2011 annual report.
Make that extremely bad news. But leaders of the organization were stunned to learn that the average reported debt from callers in 2011 was an eye-popping $157,074 — the largest debt level in the center’s history and more than $113,000 higher than in 2010.
Way to go Wisconsin. Legalize gambling in an effort to create revenue, but create a massive gambling addiction, ruin lives, and then spend millions of taxpayer dollars to create a gamblers hotline and rehab program. What a joke. I personally know a person who cashed his paycheck (2 weeks pay) at the casino and left pennyless. The very next payday he returned to the casino “to win his money back”. Needless to say, he left another 2 weeks of pay at the casino and then asked to bum a few bucks off me on Monday so he could eat lunch. Legalizing gambling was one of the worst decisions the state ever made.
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The Point of Diminishing Returns by Ben
One of the smartest college instructors I had back in the day taught me one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned in school. A principle that I have used many times over to succeed in several areas of my life. It is called “The Point of Diminishing Returns”.
The principle of the point of diminishing returns can be applied to many things. It goes like this.
A high school student is preparing for a final exam. If the student studies for 2 hours, he can probably be assured at least a “C” for a grade on his final exam. If he studies for 4 hours, he can probably be assured at least a “B”. If he studies 6-8 hours he can probably be assured an “A”. If he studies for 10 hours, the best he can achieve is an “A+”. If he studies for 20 hours, the best he can achieve is an A+. Any amount of time spent studying over 10 hours cannot achieve anything better than an A+. At some point, investment on return max’s out.
The same principle can be applied towards spending money. Lets use a rural fire department as a good example. People who live in rural areas know that time and distance from the fire department is a negative, if their house or barn catch fire. If someone living in the country has a fire, they call 911. From that point forward, living in the country is very different than if you live 8 city blocks from the fire department in town.
The 911 dispatcher sends out a call to the rural fire department volunteers. They may be sleeping, they may be at work, or whatever. The volunteers hop in their vehicles and drive to the rural fire department where the trucks are located. From there, they hop in the fire truck and drive 10, 15, or 20 miles to the location of the fire. Depending on the circumstances, by the time they arrive, there may be nothing they can do to save the burning structure.
So having said that, lets apply the point of diminishing returns to the rural fire department. Say the rural fire department has an annual budget of $250,000 dollars. I’m just throwing that number out as I have no idea what an annual budget of a rural fire department is. The budget pays for an old fire department building that once was an old commercial business building, a couple of used fire trucks, and enough used equipment to supply 20 volunteer fire fighters. It may get the job done with room for improvement.
So we bump the annual budget up to $300,000. That allows some newer equipment and maybe adding a few more volunteers. Bumping the budget up to $400,000 allows new fire trucks to replace to used fire trucks. Bumping the annual budget up to $500,000 allows a brand new fire department building, new fire trucks, and all new equipment for 25 volunteer firefighters. Very nice.
The problem is, from the time the 911 call comes in, the call goes out to the 25 volunteers who still have to drive to the fire department, still have to hop in the fire trucks and still have to drive 10, 15, or 20 miles to the fire, nothing has changed. The end result is the same. The burning structure cannot be saved because of inherent factors.
Every time I read about our local, state, and federal government spending taxpayer money, I can’t help myself from applying the principle of diminishing returns and realizing how foolish, wasteful and just plain stupid some of the spending is. Spending thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars that have absolutely no positive impact for the taxpayers investment. A lot of people in charge of our tax money are totally clueless and cannot even apply a simple principle like the point of diminishing returns. It starts right here in Langlade County and the City of Antigo. Hold your local representives accountable for the money they spend.
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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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WI DOC Website Lists Probationers & Photos
Have you ever wondered if someone is in jail, or on probation? Well, now you can find out.
Some people may find these new capabilities useful, and some may use it against others, but, regardless, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections has opened to the public a website from which you can search for people who are on Extended Community Supervision.
There has been a separate website for awhile now that can be used to search for Prison inmates and now that also includes local jails.
The DOC site, which gives information about offenders on Extended Community Supervision (probation) includes the court cases that they were sited for and photos of the offender.
You can find the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Locator website here:
http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/lop/
You can locate persons who are currently incarcerated in either the State Prison system or Local County Jails by using the VineLink website:
https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/tiles2-multiple-sites-home.do
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Priorities
Every day we hear/read about the lack of money for priorities like affordable healthcare, social security for the elderly and disabled, infrastructure, education, border control, fight against terrorism, and life’s basic needs in this country.
Then the U.S. government throws out another article about how they are spending billions of dollars to explore Jupiter for the “recipe for making planets“ or whether or not there is water on Mars.
http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110805/ap_on_sc/us_sci_journey_to_jupiter
http://news.yahoo.com/mars-may-flowing-salt-water-nasa-180508358.html
With all of the problems in our country isn’t it about time to prioritize what is important and essential and put the rest on hold for a while?
Priorities should be defending our nation/borders against illegal immigrants and terrorists, keeping citizens safe by keeping outlaws in jail where they belong, providing quality education in our schools, providing adequate social security to our elderly and disabled living on fixed incomes, providing quality roads and bridges for transportation, providing basic quality healthcare at affordable rates, and creating jobs that actually have a positive impact on society.
So what if there is water on Mars, does it really matter to us at this point? So what if we do learn the recipe for making planets, are we going to build one?
Is it any wonder why this country is not only broke, but nearly 15 trillion dollars in debt and growing by the second.
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Campaign Ads (by Ben Drinken)
Campaign advertising by all political parties are filled with misinformation, half truths, and just plain old lies. How anyone can take even a morsal of information from these ads as fact, is beyond comprehension. A person would have to be living under a rock to believe anything from a campaing ad.
I heard an ad on the radio today from MoveOn.org. MoveOn is an American non-profit, progressive or liberal public policy advocacy group and political action committee, which has raised millions of dollars for candidates it identifies as “moderates” or “progressives” in the United State. (Progressives and liberals tend to vote Democratic).
The ad on the radio was an anti Sean Duffy advertisement linking Duffy to (those evil) rich millionaires.
The ad said ” It’s about time all those rich millionaires and billionaires start paying their fair share of taxes like the rest of us”. One more time. “It’s about time all those rich millionaires and billionaires start paying their fair share of taxes like the rest of us”.
Fact: 38% percent of households (low income) have zero or negative income tax liability.
http://www.factcheck.org/2008/11/americans-paying-no-taxes/
Fact: nearly 70% of federal taxes paid in this country in 2008 were paid by the wealthiest 10% of the U.S. population.
Fact: The top 50 % of wage earners paid over 97% of federal taxes in 2008.
Fact: The bottom 50% of wage earners in this country paid only 2.7% of the total federal income taxes collected in this country in 2008.
http://www.ntu.org/tax-basics/who-pays-income-taxes.html
The Moveon.org ad says “It’s about time all those rich millionaires and billionaires start paying their fair share of taxes like the rest of us”.
The really sad part is, some people actually believe this crap and actually vote based on the total misinformation and lies being spoon fed by political action groups.
People, educate yourself before casting a ballot. Know the facts whether you vote Republican, Democratic or Independent.
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Fed Acknowledges Economy Growth Slower Than Expected (By Ben Drinkin)
The front page of the June 22 2011 Antigo Daily Journal states “Fed acknowledges economy growth slower than expected”. “Ben Bernanke of The Federal Reserve acknowledged Wednesday that the economy is growing more slowly than it expected“. “Bernanke and his colleagues are trying to keep a fragile economy on track two years after The Great Recession officially ended“.
For those of you liberals who cannot read between the lines, I will translate this for you into layman’s terms. President Obama’s Keynesian economics theory has never worked, is not working, and will never work. Keynesian economics has been tried multiple times by multiple countries and has never worked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoxDyC7y7PM
Albert Einstein Quotes – Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results…
So after 2 years of TARP, the bail out of AIG, the bail out of G.M., the bailout of Chrysler, the bail out of Wall Street, the bailout of Fanny & Freddy, record high unemployment, etc, etc etc, what part of the Keynesian economics doesn’t Obama, Bernanke, and Geithner understand ?
Ronald Reagan inherited one of the nations worst economies from Jimmy Carter, I know, I was there. Home mortgage rates in 1982 were 17%-18% interest, used car loans were 21% interest right here in Antigo Wisconsin. Within a few short years Reagan had the economy whistling.
Listening to Obama, Bernanke and Geithner stumble for select words attempting to explain why the economy is “growing more slowly than it expected” is laughable.
Barry Soetoro also known as Barack H. Obama has failed miserably. His campaign rhetoric was “Hope & Change”. So how is that Hope & Change working out for all you liberals out there ?
Jimmy Carter sleeps better at night knowing he will no longer be known as the worst president in U.S. history.
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