Meanwhile in Wisconsin
Principled opponents of government waste:
Even though the state is supposedly broke, top officials in Gov. Scott Walker’s team were able to scrape together enough money to give a state job to the woman identified as Sen. Randy Hopper’s girlfriend.
Two officials in the Walker administration secured a state job for the woman identified as the girlfriend of the GOP state senator who is perhaps the top target of the Dems’ recall drive — this, even though Walker spent weeks telling Wisconsinites that the state is “broke” and threatenening state employees with layoffs in an apparent effort to pressure fugitive Dems into coming back to Wisconsin to enable his budget repair bill to pass.
[....]
Indeed, this seems like a standard-issue patronage hire, though we still need to know more about the hike in her salary. Still, against a political backdrop where Walker has repeatedly and falsely claimed that Wisconsin is ”broke,” even as he demanded that public employees give up fiscal concessions and bargaining rights in the spirit of shared sacrifice for the state, unions and Dems will jump on this tale as proof that Walker’s priorities are deeply out of whack. Expect this to appear in an ad.
As soon as I hear any news on how the signature-collecting is going, I’ll put it up.
that would be the Randy Hopper who recently left his family, then moved out of his district, in order to go live in Madison with his new girlfriend.
a randy hopper, indeed.
March 21st, 2011 at 1:58 pm
well we know her union activity has nothing to do with weingarten rights.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:03 pm
The party of fiscal conservatism and family values strikes another blow for prudence and God…
March 21st, 2011 at 2:03 pm
Somewhat related: I just got an email from one of the representatives in my other country (France) commenting on Wisconsin, lauding Walker’s steadfastness in the face of demonstrations “of a rare violence for the United States” and, yes yes, of course, Walker’s methods may not have been entirely good, but really, isn’t it unfair that public employee unions are so lazy and privileged and… etc, etc, etc.
Fuck me. I thought France at least would be relatively safe from teabaggers.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Randy Hopper.
Sounds like he chose the wrong profession…
March 21st, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Here’s the site for recalling the 8 GOP senators; I don’t see any updates on total signatures, though.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:06 pm
@cleek aptly played
How did Wisconsin get to
bananacheese republic so fast? I mean ramming through crony legislation and knee capping enemies is one thing, but they have been going on a totalitarian spree and we are not even 1/4 of the year gone? They have no pacing. What is next jus primae noctis? The State Senate and Assembly in lush compounds outside the fortified city of Madison protected by Wackenhut security? I mean its one thing to have ‘some bad apples’ but there is a whole rotten cart in Madison.March 21st, 2011 at 2:06 pm
If only the union-organized labor had known. They could have all saved themselves weeks of protest and political wrangling if they’d just slept with the Republican State Senate.
Time to tell thousands of Wisconsin’s teachers to put out or shut up.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:09 pm
@cleek: You mean the one who, according to his wife, moved in with his 25-year old hunny-bunny without making “any effort at marital counselling”? Why yes, I believe it is. Small world.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:11 pm
What’s in the water in Wisconsin these days?
Prosser is, according to Think Progress, a close ally of Scottie Walker. Something tells me the Reince Preibus era is gonna make us forget all about the Off The Hook Days of Michael Steele.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Criminy, not only are they shameless but they’re not too bright. (I guess the two got together in the modern GOP.) At least wait a bit longer so they don’t have this embaressing comparison. And probably not a great idea to hike her salary to such a degree. But I’m sure they’ll claim she has unique and special skills, unlike all those parasitic teachers.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:12 pm
That name is pure gold, isn’t it?
March 21st, 2011 at 2:12 pm
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Isn’t he the one in the midst of a special election?
These asshole GOPers in WI really are stupid, aren’t they? I mean, more than your average GOPer nationwide.
Okay, mebbe not.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:14 pm
@Chris:
Yeah, from what I can tell, France has been on a right wing tilt for a while, if only becoming much more noticeable under Sarkozy.
But yeah, nice to see that this particularly strain of ‘fiscal conservatism’ is being called out. You know, like cutting education, university, and entitlement budgets by saying it’s needed to take care of a deficit…then spending all that you save from those cuts and more on giving businesses even more tax cuts. Because that’ll surely and immediately solve your state budget problems.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:14 pm
With all the shit being said about the President by paid cocksuckers, who, in their right mind,would want to be the President of the USA. Geesus, it is a thankless job!
March 21st, 2011 at 2:15 pm
@Benjamin Cisco: He’d be a hit at an Easter orgy.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:17 pm
@Professor:
Republicans, obviously, since they’re the only real LEGIT Preznits, and the paid cocksu-ahem….national press knowzit!
March 21st, 2011 at 2:17 pm
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
It’s crazy. They all hate each other. They were discussing hiring a third party mediator-type for judicial discussions.
State courts are big-money influence, now. They’re going to have to scrap the whole system and go to appointments, especially after Citizens. It was bad before. It’s going to get a whole lot worse.
It’s a freaking tragedy.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Wisconsin’s new state motto: IOKIYAR
March 21st, 2011 at 2:19 pm
@Chris: Turns out self centered greedy ignorant assholes aren’t just created in America.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:20 pm
...”though we still need to know more about the hike in her salary.”
Well, my guess would be, the higher she hiked up her skirt, the more her salary got hiked.
Another fine example of a “Family Values” Republican.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Famous republicans of days gone by: Ronald Reaganhood, Steal from the poor to give to the rich. The poor are used to having nothing so they won’t miss it. The rich, on the other hand, would miss every penny.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Every time I start to have doubts about the Democrats, Republicans come to the rescue, with the WTF-meter going to 11.5 an’ a hundred. WTF? I mean, seriously.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:27 pm
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: The Walker clone’s email remarks are especially striking for anyone who has known an abuser or two. (Or who has even watched a Lifetime movie about one):
“I probably overreacted, but I think it was entirely warranted. … They (Abrahamson and Justice Ann Walsh Bradley) are masters at deliberately goading people into perhaps incautious statements. This is bullying and abuse of very, very long standing.”
Ah, yes. I did it, but it was really the bitch’s fault for provoking me. Really, I’m the abused one here…
Some people have no idea how much they reveal about themselves with every utterance.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:27 pm
@Barb (formerly Gex):
Oh, I’ve always known that.
@The Political Nihilist Formerly Known As Kryptik:
Technically, France has only had one left wing president since the Fifth Republic was founded: at the same time, being right wing in the Gaullist sense is very different from being a teabagger (more like an Eisenhower Republican).
I’ve never followed French politics closely the way I do American ones (mostly because I live here), but I’m starting to pay more attention. The anti-immigrant sentiment especially doesn’t sit well with me (anymore than it does here).
March 21st, 2011 at 2:28 pm
With any luck the tune “Love Shack” will feature prominently…
March 21st, 2011 at 2:28 pm
As far as I can tell, no one’s being terribly specific about numbers. Zach W. at Blogging Blue (a Wisconsin blog) said last week that he had credible reports that signature collectors had gathered 50-60% of what they need for three of the Republican senators (I have no idea how credible the credible reports are).
This past weekend was relatively quiet at the Capitol (only about 20,000 people maybe), because the energy was more in getting out into the districts to collect signatures. On Daily Kos this past weekend there were several diaries about experiences collecting signatures: Giles Goat Boy in Fond Du Lac (Randy Bed Hopper’s district), noise of rain in the Milwaukee suburbs (Alberta Darling), and invisiblewoman (actually her husband) in La Crosse (Dan Kapanke). No one seems to report gathering tons of signatures, but it sounds like there are a lot of people out there knocking on doors or sitting at tables in public places, so maybe it’ll all work out. I’m feeling a bit pessimistic, but then, it’s Monday.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:29 pm
“I probably overreacted, but I think it was entirely warranted. … They (Abrahamson and Justice Ann Walsh Bradley) are masters at deliberately goading people into perhaps incautious statements. This is bullying and abuse of very, very long standing.”
Aha, not only is she a bitch, but the bitch set you up. I see. She probably wears short skirts under her robes, too, trying to bully and abuse you into raping her.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:29 pm
@ppcli: a few years ago, I would’ve been confident that something like this would cost him an election, but now it seems the great gaping electorate just shrugs. I hope I’m misunderestimating the good people of Packerland
March 21st, 2011 at 2:30 pm
To be fair, this is exactly how I see originalism playing out. The framers wouldn’t put up with this kind of shit from a woman, why should he?
March 21st, 2011 at 2:30 pm
@geg6: It’s Wisconsin. As soon as you cross the border you have a 0.05 BAC from breathing the air. It’s how they reach such ridiculous heights. Such as frequently arresting dudes for fucking dead deer.
ETA: Okay, not frequently. But still.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:32 pm
@Chris:
Front National just picked up 15% in the first round of the local elections, so there you go. Still not 27% though.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:35 pm
@geg6:
The latter only drop the mebbe.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Ah, another master of the non-apology. Along with the classic, ‘I’m sorry you were offended by what I said. Not that I’m sorry for what I said, just that you chose to be offended by it.’
March 21st, 2011 at 2:37 pm
No, he meant “broke” as in “broken.”
As in, “dang, I done broke the state of Wisconsin!”
March 21st, 2011 at 2:37 pm
@jibeaux: Also, he overreacted in a way that was warranted. I appreciate his attempt to store matter and antimatter in the same vicinity. If only he would have been obliterated when that happened.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:40 pm
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
What a bad way of handling it. He should have said that once happens in chambers stays in chambers, and shame on her for going public.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:42 pm
meanwhile, back in the jungle...
March 21st, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Budgets are moral documents, Gov. Haslam.
Our new Republican governor miraculously “found” $31 million to keep open a CCA prison—though the same budgetary sleuthing can’t manage to find any money for higher education, community treatment centers for the mentally ill and drug addicts, the Dept. of Children’s Services, breast and cervical cancer screening, HIV testing, etc.
Our Democratic governor defunded the prison last year but the state legislature—all GOP —overruled him. CCA is based in Nashville. They know where their bread is buttered.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:43 pm
@Calouste:
Yep. If memory serves, when Sarkozy won in 2007, a certain amount of the FN’s voters supported him (law and order rhetoric and all that). But those guys slipped back to the FN in the recent midterms, hence the recent hardening on immigration issues.
Reminds me of Nixon in 1968: gotta be visibly racist enough to pick up Wallace voters, but not so visibly racist that you’ll alienate the rest of the country.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:44 pm
“She… was… provokin’ me….”
March 21st, 2011 at 2:44 pm
@Barb (formerly Gex): WTF?
March 21st, 2011 at 2:45 pm
The “recall” thingy will NEVER happen. Another diversion for Mr. Obama and his flat out pursuit of all things Wall Street and military industrial complex. Hard to blame Republicans when this nation’s DNC is ignoring the American worker as well.
Look at Pelosi, she was in Rome kissing the former Nazi Pope’s ring!
March 21st, 2011 at 2:52 pm
@Omnes Omnibus: I would hate to have been the attorney who had to argue that the act didn’t violate statute because the deer was dead.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:53 pm
@ppcli:
Bonus winger points to the first righty blogger to have a post defending the integrity of James O’Keefe immediately preceding a post defending Prosser for making incautious statements as a result of Bradley’s goading.
March 21st, 2011 at 2:58 pm
@cleek:
That’s kinda blatant—gonna make the “Jesus has forgiven me” act a little tough.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@Paul in KY: Annnnd, another beverage lost to a Balloon-Juice spit take.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@Ronc99:
So, in other words…
PUMAs and Firebaggers rool! Obamabots drool!
Jeebus but I’m sick to death of the idiots on my own side.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
I just don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Hell, putting that randy hopper’s girlfriend on the state payroll does not increase the state’s deficit to any appreciable degree. Plus, as long as she is over 21 years of age, who she chooses for a boyfriend is a matter entirely up to her own feelings and judgment.
(Note: since I am aware of ALL internet traditions, including the tradition of misunderstanding people’s posts, I feel it incumbent upon me to acknowledge, albeit with a certain reluctance, that the above is intended as snarkasm.)
March 21st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@Calouste: L’Indice de Crazification Francaise, c’est 15%.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:03 pm
This site is also helpful for the Walker recall pledged totals: http://www.unitedwisconsin.com/
March 21st, 2011 at 3:04 pm
@gnomedad:
Jesus has a fuckton of patience for Republicans.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:05 pm
@Just Some Fuckhead: I’m always torn between being embarrassed or relieved that I don’t know exactly how much a fuckton is.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@gnomedad: Haven’t you noticed? The thing is to believe in the right Jesus. You can fail, spectacularly, so long as you beg Jesus’ forgiveness. The worst murderer-thief-rapist-Christian in the world is better than any atheist, because they can be forgiven and saved. It’s why they don’t consider all the right-wing closet cases and adulterers to be hypocrites.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@geg6:
You’re now one step away from casting aspersions on the Popular People’s Front of Judea.
SPLITTERS!
March 21st, 2011 at 3:08 pm
@priscianus jr: Some people are tired of being told we all have to sacrifice, sacrificing a lot, and then seeing the people who told us that living high on the hog. Wasted spending is wasted spending. A penny saved is a penny earned. If they are so tight on the budget, ever bit counts.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:09 pm
@Ronc99:
Thanks for sharing.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:09 pm
OT: Manchin says he will not vote to raise the debt ceiling without serious concessions from the party he is a member of. I despise that guy.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:12 pm
http://cdn.imgfave.com/image_c.....22133.jpeg
March 21st, 2011 at 3:12 pm
If she owns a blue dress will anyone get impeached?
March 21st, 2011 at 3:12 pm
@Barb (formerly Gex):
I know that, Barb, and I’m one of them. That’s why I said I was being snarkastic. But you still thought I was serious. My God, what’s this world coming to?
March 21st, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@Lolis: I think John should leave a flaming paper bag of dead shit on Manchin’s porch.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@Barb (formerly Gex):
You’re right, of course; it’s just that it will be amusing to hear “in the heat of passion, caused in part by my intense love of America,I left my family and moved out of the district I represent, for which I have asked and received Jesus’s forgiveness.”
March 21st, 2011 at 3:14 pm
@Benjamin Cisco: Jesus doesn’t think you are funny.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:14 pm
@Barb (formerly Gex): This.
Waxing poetic about how times are tough and we all have to tighten our belts, then handing out plumb government jobs to your twenty-something mistress sends some mixed signals.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:15 pm
@David in NY:
Faut espérer que ça en restera là.
@Barb (formerly Gex):
Yep, which explains why the Christian fundamentalist and Republican constituencies overlap so much – it’s a tribal belief system in which the definition of “good” and “bad” is limited to “if you’re One Of Us, or not.”
Catholics have it harder: the church puts an emphasis on the need for good works in the real world as well as pure faith to be a good person. Which explains conservative Catholics’ obsession with abortion – it’s pretty much the only real world issue (that and gay marriage) that justifies their being Republican in terms of church teachings.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:18 pm
@geg6:
Well then, perhaps this will come as a small ray of sunshine: I guarantee you this is one idiot that’s not on your side. Just google “ronc99”and “Bush”, or anything else connected with our hero, and you may learn some things you never knew.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:23 pm
@Zifnab:
If this guy were a Dem in the GOP’s sights, throwing him under the bus wouldn’t be good enough. They would have to throw him under the bus, and then take that bus and throw it under the wheels of a bigger bus.
You know you are a Dem when every movie is Jaws, and you’re always needing a bigger bus.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:24 pm
@Zifnab: But doing it while tightening your belt makes it more intense!
March 21st, 2011 at 3:25 pm
@priscianus jr: Ah, Poe’s Law strikes again! I think you know what the world has come to. Ramblings made in jest by some are actually serious policy ideas to others. Not good.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:25 pm
@Professor: It’s like the LBJ quote, which I paraphrase: If I walked on water, the press would report I couldn’t swim.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Just goes to show that one can’t go over par on the teabaggin GOP political course, cuz par is infinite.
March 21st, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Fair hiring practices are for losers who aren’t good enough to get a job in the private sector. Oh wait…
March 21st, 2011 at 3:47 pm
@FlipYrWhig: as said by Michael Hutchence to David Carradine
March 21st, 2011 at 4:01 pm
@Bill Murray: Poor Michael Hutchence.
March 21st, 2011 at 4:05 pm
So, this sweetie hiked her salary by hiking up her skirt. Ass for cash—capitalism at its best. It’s the Republican way….
March 21st, 2011 at 4:10 pm
@Comrade Mary:
If he has access to live shit, that would be even awesomer.
March 21st, 2011 at 4:32 pm
corrupt to the bone.
March 21st, 2011 at 5:10 pm
@Just Some Fuckhead: On the contrary, I spoke to Jesus just the other day and he was laughing his ass off. He even tweeted, “RFLMFAO”
March 21st, 2011 at 5:38 pm