Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker

[wiphan]

Originally Posted by Riot

And you are simply trying to change the subject.

Hold out and keep hoping for those 250,000 new jobs over the next four years your Governor promised you today. If Walker creates 250,000 new Wisconsin jobs I'll happily vote for him for President of the United States.

But for right now, I'll go with the long past performance history of the economic policies he's inducing, and expect a state-wide deepening recession and massive local municipal job layoffs, myself.

Again you just continue to bash the Republicans for everything they do, but still have not offered the "Riot Budget Plan Solution". In the real world you can't just complain about the other side. You need to offer a viable solution to the problem. Just bitching about the other side's proposal doesn't cut it. Ignoring the problem, not addressing the problem or just complaining about the other side's solution does nothing. Please give me at least 1 idea you have to solve the budget deficit issue in WI

[joeydb]

It should not be controversial to state that the government should not spend more than it takes in. Period.

Everyone has to get a grip. The debt is too high, and if you live above your means today, you will need to live below your means tomorrow. Math, not political alignment, is the sole important factor in this "debate". It's a math problem. Get the spending to a level less than the revenue coming in, and use the amount (revenue - spending) to pay down the debt.

That is the ONLY course of action. There is no such thing as an entitlement. You're not entitled to anything. If you owned stock in a company having negative value, you own part of the debt, and will reap no profit. This absurd situation has been going on for 80 years, since the 1930's and the ridiculous notion of Social Security. It is well past time for all this lunacy to end, before the dollar itself dies. Then your shares in the U.S. will truly be worthless.

[Riot]

It should not be controversial to state that the government should not spend more than it takes in. Period.

Tell that to Gov. Scott Walker. He had $136 million in this year's budget, but first thing he did once elected was to give out $140 million in unfunded tax cuts to corporations.

Now he's bitching he's broke and teachers have to pay for it.

Yeah this thread still sucks.

[timmgirvan]

Originally Posted by Riot

Tell that to Gov. Scott Walker. He had $136 million in this year's budget, but first thing he did once elected was to give out $140 million in unfunded tax cuts to corporations.

Now he's bitching he's broke and teachers have to pay for it.

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/...ve-budget-sur/



the astute political commentator gives us her best lie yet?....and this is your proof,.Riot???....oh dear

[Riot]

Originally Posted by timmgirvan

the astute political commentator gives us her best lie yet?....and this is your proof,.Riot???....oh dear

Excuse me? You are not calling me a liar, I hope? GFY, Timmi. How dare you. I have never posted something deliberately that I knew was untrue. If I post something that's factually wrong, I've always admitted it and changed it (did that once in this thread, in fact)

I don't know what Rachel Maddow said, I don't watch her show, and I'm not responsible for what she says. If you are talking about Walkers budget surplus, yes, indeed, he did have one.

Try reading here, smartazz: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Misc/...os&Darling.pdf And then try reading more than the top line of what you posted from Politifact, so you can see what it actually refers to. Then try reading the rebuttal of that Politifact claim, so you can see it's not as simplistic as you apparently think it is, here http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-me...rachel-maddow/

By the way, where's your budget plan for Wisconsin? C'mon, Timmi - you're really good at jumping in threads and calling names. You demanded I post a budget. You call me a liar about the Wisconsin budget? Do you have anything of substance to offer on the subject? Show us your vast knowledge of the events in Wisconsin, Timmi and post your own budget suggestions. Or are you just a thread troll?

[dellinger63]

A Wisconsin judge has ordered pro-union protesters to be removed from the state Capitol.

Dane County Circuit Judge John Albert ruled Thursday night that protesters remaining in the building should be immediately removed — along with any unauthorized materials such as sleeping bags and signs taped to the Capitol walls.

http://www.gazettextra.com/weblogs/l...s-out-capitol/

I'd like to see the homeless all over the nation protest their 'homelessness' by setting up in Fed buildings that are empty and heated/cooled at night.

[wiphan]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

A Wisconsin judge has ordered pro-union protesters to be removed from the state Capitol.

Dane County Circuit Judge John Albert ruled Thursday night that protesters remaining in the building should be immediately removed — along with any unauthorized materials such as sleeping bags and signs taped to the Capitol walls.

http://www.gazettextra.com/weblogs/l...s-out-capitol/

I'd like to see the homeless all over the nation protest their 'homelessness' by setting up in Fed buildings that are empty and heated/cooled at night.

Damge to the capital is estimated around $5 million some of which can never be fixed.
Way to use tape that wrecks marble. You got your point across now they should have to pay for it

[Riot]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

Dane County Circuit Judge John Albert ruled Thursday night that protesters remaining in the building should be immediately removed — along with any unauthorized materials such as sleeping bags and signs taped to the Capitol walls.

Judge Albert also ruled at the same time that the State of Wisconsin is in contempt for not allowing the protestors access as he previously ordered over the past day. Continuing the next line of your story:

The judge also ruled that the state violated constitutional protections for free speech and assembly by restricting access to the building. He ordered the administration to re-open the building to the general public by 8 a.m. Monday, allowing for a permitting process limiting the times and places where rallies can be held.

The protesters were allowed back in 8:00am this am. Per Judge Albert, they are to be allowed in any time there is business in the capital. They do not have to be allowed in overnight if the capital is closed. The Democratic assemblymen are going to start holding overnight office hours so people can be allowed in 24 hours a day.

Yesterday, three of the Assemblymen moved their desks outside, before Albert's ruling, so they could meet with their constituents.

Gov. Scott Walker better be careful if he wants to win that recall election: two months in office, and already ethics violation complaints, union bargaining complaints filed, caught lying to Senate Democrats, he's violated his citizens rights of free speech and assembly, and every single poll of his voters shows they do not agree with his stripping collective bargaining rights from state employees. Being a dictator isn't working out very well for him.

Yesterday, despite Walker's threats of forcable detainment, the 14 Democratic Senators are still refusing to return until Walker removes the collective bargaining rights strip from the current "emergency" budget repair bill, and places it in the general budget bill.

Because Walker has already lied to the Democrats about compromise (the Koch tape), they will not return until it's actually done and removed from the bill to be voted upon.

Then removing collective bargaining rights can be subject to needed public hearings and calmly debated in the next three months with the rest of the general budget.

Walker so far has refused. Some of the other Republican Senators are fine with that offered compromise, and are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Walker's stubborness in the face of overwhelming disapproval by the public, the concessions offered by the unions, and the concessions offered by the Democratic Senators. Dictators aren't popular in America.

[timmgirvan]

Originally Posted by Riot

Excuse me? You are not calling me a liar, I hope? GFY, Timmi. How dare you. I have never posted something deliberately that I knew was untrue. If I post something that's factually wrong, I've always admitted it and changed it (did that once in this thread, in fact)

I don't know what Rachel Maddow said, I don't watch her show, and I'm not responsible for what she says. If you are talking about Walkers budget surplus, yes, indeed, he did have one.

Try reading here, smartazz: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Misc/...os&Darling.pdf And then try reading more than the top line of what you posted from Politifact, so you can see what it actually refers to. Then try reading the rebuttal of that Politifact claim, so you can see it's not as simplistic as you apparently think it is, here http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-me...rachel-maddow/

By the way, where's your budget plan for Wisconsin? C'mon, Timmi - you're really good at jumping in threads and calling names. You demanded I post a budget. You call me a liar about the Wisconsin budget? Do you have anything of substance to offer on the subject? Show us your vast knowledge of the events in Wisconsin, Timmi and post your own budget suggestions. Or are you just a thread troll?

You have been parading around, yapping about this "surplus" when its FALSE!
I never said I had a proposal, I just wanted you to stop building your supposed platform on a lie! I was calling Maddow a liar. Take a Midol, for Gods sake!

[Riot]

Originally Posted by timmgirvan

You have been parading around, yapping about this "surplus" when its FALSE!
I never said I had a proposal, I just wanted you to stop building your supposed platform on a lie! I was calling Maddow a liar. Take a Midol, for Gods sake!

False? No. Really, Timmi, you should investigate what you post before you make yourself look uninformed. I'd go back and read what I posted about that in the first answer to you, if I were you. Here it is again: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-me...rachel-maddow/

[Rileyoriley]

Originally Posted by joeydb

It should not be controversial to state that the government should not spend more than it takes in. Period.

Everyone has to get a grip. The debt is too high, and if you live above your means today, you will need to live below your means tomorrow. Math, not political alignment, is the sole important factor in this "debate". It's a math problem. Get the spending to a level less than the revenue coming in, and use the amount (revenue - spending) to pay down the debt.

That is the ONLY course of action. There is no such thing as an entitlement. You're not entitled to anything. If you owned stock in a company having negative value, you own part of the debt, and will reap no profit. This absurd situation has been going on for 80 years, since the 1930's and the ridiculous notion of Social Security. It is well past time for all this lunacy to end, before the dollar itself dies. Then your shares in the U.S. will truly be worthless.

[Riot]

Again you just continue to bash the Republicans for everything they do, but still have not offered the "Riot Budget Plan Solution".

The Republicans have indeed deserved alot of bashing lately And Scott Walker, in his first two months in office, has already proven himself a liar, and seems about as incompetent a Gov. as we've ever seen. Yes, there is plenty to bitch about regarding his attack on collective bargaining.

This thread isn't about the Wisconsin budget, it's about Scott Walkers union busting.

Walker isn't doing very well. Already a restraining order for violating state law regarding access to the capital. Already lawsuit regarding collective bargaining violations from the union. Two serious recall efforts in the works. Today the Democratic Committee of Wisconsin announced that they are initiating recall of the Governor and every Republican that voted for this bill. That goes with the other recall being initiated separately by the state union orgs.

But what would I have done? Well, as opposed to Walker, I can add. So the first thing is I would have done would be not to take the $132 million surplus in this budget year, and give away $140 million in unfunded tax breaks to corporations, immediately increasing my deficit within my first month in office. Walker did that - I wouldn't spend money I didn't have.

Wisconsin has no great sudden budget emergency. That's a lie. The past governor dealt with a 5-plus billion deficit and left Walker a small surplus. The current deficit is 3.6 billion over 4 years. I would address the appalling fact that since 1981, corporate income tax gifts have been so great, 2/3 of Wisconsin companies now don't pay any tax at all. Zero.

How's that "economic development plan" of cutting corporate taxes working for the state? If cutting corporate taxes works to attract, create and grow business, why have there not been 20 years of jobs and companies flocking to Wisconsin? Why has the opposite occured? The state should be flush with successful capitalists. Where are they? Why are there no jobs, no industry, no money, under Reagonomics as applied to the state?

There is a 3.6 billion deficit, and a billion a year can be made up very nicely by having every company who currently does NOT pay tax, pay a small share.

Walker's budget is a complete disaster that is going to ruin Wisconsin. It tears schooling and education apart: AP programs gone. Science, math, arts gone. Teachers gone. But it not only orders individual towns to spend less on each student whether they want to or not, it additionally is prevents towns from raising local taxes, even if they want to, to make their schools better.

Yes, it PREVENTS towns from increasing education spending in their own town, which is a big state government takeover of home rule. So there will probably be yet another lawsuit there. It gives even more tax breaks to corporations. It's shockingly unbelievable.

Your turn Wiphan: post your budget plan right here.

[wiphan]

Originally Posted by Riot

The Republicans have indeed deserved alot of bashing lately And Scott Walker, in his first two months in office, has already proven himself a liar, and seems about as incompetent a Gov. as we've ever seen. Yes, there is plenty to bitch about regarding his attack on collective bargaining.

Walker isn't doing very well. Already a restraining order for violating state law regarding access to the capital. Already lawsuit regarding collective bargaining violations from the union. Two serious recall efforts in the works. Today the Democratic Committee of Wisconsin announced that they are initiating recall of the Governor and every Republican that voted for this bill. That goes with the other recall being initiated separately by the state union orgs.

But what would I have done? Well, as opposed to Walker, I can add. So the first thing is I would have done would be not to take the $132 million surplus in this budget year, and give away $140 in unfunded tax breaks to corporations, immediately increasing my deficit within my first month in office. Walker did that - I wouldn't.

Wisconsin has no great sudden budget emergency. That's a lie. The past governor dealt with a 5-plus billion deficit and left Walker a small surplus. The current deficit is 3.6 billion over 4 years. I would address the appalling fact that since 1981, corporate income tax gifts have been so great, 2/3 of Wisconsin companies now don't pay any tax at all. Zero. How's that "economic development" of cutting taxes working for the state? There is a 3.6 billion deficit, and a billion a year can be made up very nicely by having every company who currently does NOT pay tax, pay a small share.

Walker's budget is a complete disaster that is going to ruin Wisconsin. It tears schooling and education apart: AP programs gone. Science, math, arts gone. Teachers gone. But it not only orders individual towns to spend less on each student whether they want to or not, it additionally is prevents towns from raising local taxes, even if they want to, to make their schools better. Yes, it PREVENTS towns from increasing education spending, which is a big state government takeover of home rule. So there will probably be yet another lawsuit there. It gives even more tax breaks to corporations. It's shockingly unbelievable.

Your turn Wiphan: post your budget plan right here.

First off, Scott Walker is not a liar. He campaigned on this, he did this as Milwaukee County Executive and he promised to do this as a governor which is why he crushed Tom Barrett in the election. The majority of people in our state believe in Scott Walker and believe he is doing the right thing. You view of him is completely inaccurate and fed by the liberal media and misguided polls you read. You may not like Scott Walker or his views but he is a man of his word period. You may think Walker will get recalled, but I will give you 4-1 odds that there will be a recall of a democratic senator before walker is ever recalled.

Second, so your view is to not give tax breaks to corporations to do business in our state. I understand that. It doesn't make sense in your opinion to promote growth thru corporations and employers who spend $ in the state, create jobs, pay property tax, and payroll tax . In your world you would rather see the corporations many who have fled the state already leave instead of providing incentives to stay. You say they pay no taxes, correct? So the corporations do not pay property taxes on the buildings and land they own? They do not pay payroll taxes? The people they employee do not pay income taxes? They do not pay unemployment? I get your point. I just completely disagree with it.

You do not believe that there is a problem so thus your point of view. I get it again I disagree.

I am sure that our schools are going to hell now because of this plan. No child will get a good education, etc. Get real! I have 2 small children, who most likely will attend public schools and I am not worried about this. Why are you? You do not live here and it doesn't affect you. Actually if you just approve the governor's repair bill all of these things will be just as they are today, because of the simple cost cutting measures that the local municipalities would soon have. They could actually shop for health insurance instead of being required to buy it from the teachers union plan. This would save millions of dollars, but since the democrats do not want this to happen yes people will be laid off. That is the democrats choice, not the republicans.

Unlike you I believe Gov Walker's repair and budget are necessary for the state to move ahead and not become California, etc. If you create an environment to do business in everything else will take care of itself.

You also state that part of the legislature is compromise. Is there anything the Obama administration compromised on in 2008-2010? Elections have consequences. If you do not like what is going on vote the other way and encourage others to join you. Acting in childish manners as the democrats have since they do not have their way is not professional or responsible. If the majority of Wisconsinites believe what you think they do then there will be a change in 2014 and then they can choose to enact legislature that they believe in.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by wiphan

First off, Scott Walker is not a liar. He campaigned on this,

Please quote where Walker campaigned on taking away the collective bargaining rights of public unions? A copy of an interview, a campaign platform?

He's a liar, as he said this was about the deficit, but during his telephone call with "fake Koch" he said it was indeed about union busting. He also lied to his Democratic Senators (see below)

The majority of people in our state believe in Scott Walker and believe he is doing the right thing.

Not according to the three polls I posted. Do you have any different information?

You view of him is completely inaccurate and fed by the liberal media and misguided polls you read.

No, my view is fed by seeing what Scott Walker says and does in Wisconsin, and reading the Wisconsin paper websites.

You may not like Scott Walker or his views but he is a man of his word period.

I've never met him. He seems very pleasant. It's his politics I don't like.

So far I've seen he's not a man of his word: he admitted during the Fake Koch call that yes, he told the Democratic Senators to return and he'd bargain with them, but that was a trick and a lie, they'd take the vote behind their backs. That makes Walker a liar in at least two ways.

You may think Walker will get recalled, but I will give you 4-1 odds that there will be a recall of a democratic senator before walker is ever recalled.

It will be interesting to watch!

Second, so your view is to not give tax breaks to corporations to do business in our state.

No, my view is not to give unpaid for incentives when the state is broke.

It doesn't make sense in your opinion to promote growth thru corporations and employers who spend $ in the state, create jobs, pay property tax, and payroll tax .

But your corporations do not pay corporate taxes. That's a huge funding loss that has increased over the past 30 years.

If the above works so well, how come Wisconsin is broke?

Why do you think it's better to make private citizens, the average middle class person, yourself, pay more to support these corporate tax incentives? You are willing to pay more state taxes, and have less teachers in your kids schools, so corporations can get tax breaks?

In your world you would rather see the corporations many who have fled the state already leave instead of providing incentives to stay.

No. I absolutely believe in incentives. When you have the wherewithal to give them.

You say they pay no taxes, correct? So the corporations do not pay property taxes on the buildings and land they own? They do not pay payroll taxes? The people they employee do not pay income taxes? They do not pay unemployment?

No. I said they pay no corporate taxes. How's that working out for Wisconsin, to not have that revenue?

You do not believe that there is a problem so thus your point of view. I get it again I disagree.

No. I think there is a budget problem in Wisconsin. I don't think it is a eminent disaster requiring the massive layoffs of teachers, and union busting.

I am sure that our schools are going to hell now because of this plan. No child will get a good education, etc. Get real! I have 2 small children, who most likely will attend public schools and I am not worried about this. Why are you? You do not live here and it doesn't affect you.

I worry because I benefit from your educated children. America is falling futher and further behind in the world in education. We suck. Your governor wants to cut 1/10 of your child's teachers, enlarge their classroom size, decrease their advanced placement and special programs, decrease science and math funding, and prevent your town from doing anything about it. I don't like big government takeovers.

Actually if you just approve the governor's repair bill all of these things will be just as they are today, because of the simple cost cutting measures that the local municipalities would soon have.

I see the above statement as pure propaganda unsupported by the facts.

They could actually shop for health insurance instead of being required to buy it from the teachers union plan. This would save millions of dollars, but since the democrats do not want this to happen yes people will be laid off. That is the democrats choice, not the republicans.

Wrong. No layoffs are needed. Layoffs are simply a nasty threat your governor is making, and blaming the Democratic Senators if he does it is just covering his ass.

Unlike you I believe Gov Walker's repair and budget are necessary for the state to move ahead and not become California, etc. If you create an environment to do business in everything else will take care of itself.

Again, how has those very same economic incentives worked out over the past 30 years in your state? Why is the state broke if that works?

Have you seen how Reaganomics and "trickle-down" economics has historically worked in this country? This isn't a new idea, it's an old one, with a proven performance level documented.

You also state that part of the legislature is compromise. Is there anything the Obama administration compromised on in 2008-2010?

Dear god yes. Health care, budget, war .... every single thing that came through the Senate

Elections have consequences. If you do not like what is going on vote the other way and encourage others to join you.

If the recall elections are held next April, we'll see.

Acting in childish manners as the democrats have since they do not have their way is not professional or responsible.

I've very glad the Dems froze the voting on this 144-page rush-attempted bill. Especially as what's in there has nothing to do with budgets or deficits.

Wiphan: do you support Gov. Walker being able to sell or lease your utility companies to anyone he wants, for whatever price he wants, with no legislative oversight? Yes or no?

Do you support Governor Walker taking away the power over Badgercare and medicaid in your state from the legislature, and making himself the only one in charge of determining qualifications and benefits? Yes or no?

Both the above are in that 144-page bill you like so much.

[geeker2]

Re: selling the power plants

Reality is that the Plants the state owns aren't worth much on the open market. They must be upgraded to new emission standards or converted to natural-gas from coal. The co-gen plant at the campuses and prisons need upgrading.

Bottom-line - Sell this crap as quick as possible and as soon as possible to anyone who is willing to buy it. The amount of money the State will have to invest will never be returned. Also these State run facilities are usually very inefficiently run by the State. It should be in the private sector with oversight by the state agencies. If the Koch Brothers are stupid enough to buy them - sell it to them quickly.

Walker maybe smarter than you think....

[Riot]

Originally Posted by geeker2

Re: selling the power plants

Reality is that the Plants the state owns aren't worth much on the open market. They must be upgraded to new emission standards or converted to natural-gas from coal. The co-gen plant at the campuses and prisons need upgrading.

Bottom-line - Sell this crap as quick as possible and as soon as possible to anyone who is willing to buy it. The amount of money the State will have to invest will never be returned. Also these State run facilities are usually very inefficiently run by the State. It should be in the private sector with oversight by the state agencies. If the Koch Brothers are stupid enough to buy them - sell it to them quickly.

Walker maybe smarter than you think....

None of the above has anything to do with anything. The Legislative branch has control over who buys public property, soliciting bids or not, and for how much. Walker is trying to take that constitutional power away from the Legislative branch and put it with the Executive. Same with his trying to gain sole control over state medicaid/aid. The Legislature is charged by law with budgetary matters for the state, just like for the US Government it is the House.

Budgetary power is NOT a power the President, or the Governor, can simply grab because they want it.

The power plants, whether they need to be sold or not, has nothing to do with a Governor attempting an illegal power grab. The issue isn't "should the power plants be sold or not". The issue is, "To whom does the Wisconsin constitution give power to buy/sell state property?" The answer is NOT "the governor".

BTW: Newly-elected Governor Rick "My company stole billions from Medicare" Scott in Florida apparently sold two state-owned jets. Unfortunately, he didn't have the legal authority to do so. All hell is about to break loose over that down there. In between Legislators from both parties suing him for refusing the federal high-speed rail project the Legislature already approved. The Legislature maintains he didn't have the authority to capricously line-item veto a budget item already previously approved legally by the legislature and the previous governor. Governors cannot be dictators - no matter how much they want to be.

[Riot]

http://forums.abcnews.go.com/n/pfx/f...ics&tid=383140

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker did not campaign for office calling for the destruction of public unions, but a closer look at his past actions shows that he acted rashly toward union workers before, with disastrous and costly results.

In early 2010, when Walker was Milwaukee County Executive, he fired 26 union security guards who worked at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. They were public employees and were represented by a union, but he fired them anyway, in favor of hiring private security guards. The county board opposed Walker’s security-outsourcing move, but he pressed ahead with it anyway, claiming the action was needed due to a budget crisis, to help ameliorate a potential 2010 year-end deficit of around $7 million. After firing the guards, Walker hired private security contractor Wackenhut G4S to provide security services at the Courthouse, as well as two other venues in the county, under a $1.1 million contract.

Walker’s strategy of firing the union security guards to cope with a contrived “budget emergency” went awry. Just last month, on January 10, 2011, an arbitrator ruled that the county did not have a true budget crisis at the time Walker fired the guards, and county officials failed to give the union representing the guards a chance to propose alternative cost-saving measures before laying them off. The arbitrator also said the annual savings Walker claimed the county would realize from privatizing courthouse security was overstated.

The ruling ordered the county to immediately hire back the fired guards, with back pay, and unemployment compensation or wages from any new jobs subtracted. It also guaranteed the fired guards at least 180 days of work — the same amount of time that should have been given to the guards’ union to react to Walker’s plan to privatize.


This means that Walker’s last rash action toward the public’s employees cost the county plenty.

[geeker2]

Originally Posted by Riot

None of the above has anything to do with anything. The Legislative branch has control over who buys public property, soliciting bids or not, and for how much. Walker is trying to take that constitutional power away from the Legislative branch and put it with the Executive. Same with his trying to gain sole control over state medicaid/aid. The Legislature is charged by law with budgetary matters for the state, just like for the US Government it is the House.

Budgetary power is NOT a power the President, or the Governor, can simply grab because they want it.

The power plants, whether they need to be sold or not, has nothing to do with a Governor attempting an illegal power grab. The issue isn't "should the power plants be sold or not". The issue is, "To whom does the Wisconsin constitution give power to buy/sell state property?" The answer is NOT "the governor".

BTW: Newly-elected Governor Rick "My company stole billions from Medicare" Scott in Florida apparently sold two state-owned jets. Unfortunately, he didn't have the legal authority to do so. All hell is about to break loose over that down there. In between Legislators from both parties suing him for refusing the federal high-speed rail project the Legislature already approved. The Legislature maintains he didn't have the authority to capricously line-item veto a budget item already previously approved legally by the legislature and the previous governor. Governors cannot be dictators - no matter how much they want to be.

Huh?

My point was valid - sell the power plants at all costs no matter who is in power. It is a good business decision and a waste of tax payer dollars not to.

I guess if the people elect their representatives and the representatives vote to change the previous laws - then that's how a democracy works.

If during the next election cycle if people don't like it - they can vote them out.

btw can you site any instances where the President of the US has over stepped his power over other branches of government? I think we all know Obama wouldn't do that - but I am sure Bush did

[wiphan]

Originally Posted by Riot

Please quote where Walker campaigned on taking away the collective bargaining rights of public unions? A copy of an interview, a campaign platform?

He's a liar, as he said this was about the deficit, but during his telephone call with "fake Koch" he said it was indeed about union busting. He also lied to his Democratic Senators (see below)

He campaigned for budget cuts and to fix the budget. He campaigned to do the opposite of what Jim Doyle did. You can't negotiate with the teachers union without gaining some of the control back to the people. Remember the teachers work for us. If you believe you can check past and recent history. Average time to negotiate a teachers contract 14 months. Recent actions from technical colleges who called emergency meetings and passed extensions prove they really don't want to work with walker

Not according to the three polls I posted. Do you have any different information?

Polls can say anything that you want them to say. It is the matter in which you ask the question and who you target. They hold no value in my opinion
No, my view is fed by seeing what Scott Walker says and does in Wisconsin, and reading the Wisconsin paper websites.

You mean the liberal Milwaukee Journal Sentinel or the Wisconsin State Journal or the Capital times. Yeah those are not biased at all:rolleyes:

I've never met him. He seems very pleasant. It's his politics I don't like.

So far I've seen he's not a man of his word: he admitted during the Fake Koch call that yes, he told the Democratic Senators to return and he'd bargain with them, but that was a trick and a lie, they'd take the vote behind their backs. That makes Walker a liar in at least two ways.

Did you listen to the entire call. If you did I feel bad for you because you simply can't hear. BTW- do you negotiate with a kidnapper in a hostage situation? What makes this any different
It will be interesting to watch!

Want to put some $ on it? I said I will give you 4-1 odds.

No, my view is not to give unpaid for incentives when the state is broke.

Your view is to leave things status quo and have the power continue to be with the unions and the democrats that are funded by the unions who keep driving the state farther in debt without any revenues. Businesses create tax revenues. State employees and teachers create no revenue. They are expenses. When times are tough you cut your expenses and do what you can to increase your revenue. It is time government agencies start acting like a business.
But your corporations do not pay corporate taxes. That's a huge funding loss that has increased over the past 30 years.

If the above works so well, how come Wisconsin is broke?

Because we have not been business friendly for years and because govenor Doyle stole money from many different funds for government entitlement programs and refused to deal with the problemsWhy do you think it's better to make private citizens, the average middle class person, yourself, pay more to support these corporate tax incentives? You are willing to pay more state taxes, and have less teachers in your kids schools, so corporations can get tax breaks?

No because in the long run if you create a good business climate, unemployment improves, state income and property tax revenue increases and everything works



No. I think there is a budget problem in Wisconsin. I don't think it is a eminent disaster requiring the massive layoffs of teachers, and union busting.

$3.6 billion is not a major issue
Unlike most politicians Walker is taking the problem that will occur in the future and addressing it now. I know this is a little progressive thinking for most people but it is absolutely the right thing to do. The american way of life is why do today what you can put off until tomorrow. Time to change that!

I worry because I benefit from your educated children. America is falling futher and further behind in the world in education. We suck. Your governor wants to cut 1/10 of your child's teachers, enlarge their classroom size, decrease their advanced placement and special programs, decrease science and math funding, and prevent your town from doing anything about it. I don't like big government takeovers.

Well if we didn't protect bad teachers by being fired this may not be the case. Once you are in the system for a certain period of time you can not be fired unless you commit a felony and even then the union would still fight for you to keep your job
Wrong. No layoffs are needed. Layoffs are simply a nasty threat your governor is making, and blaming the Democratic Senators if he does it is just covering his ass.

Really?

If the recall elections are held next April, we'll see.

Again want to wager?
I've very glad the Dems froze the voting on this 144-page rush-attempted bill. Especially as what's in there has nothing to do with budgets or deficits.

So you support the democrats actions whereas I think what they are doing is an injustice to the democratic process and the constituents that they represent. Just a differing point of view. Pretty soon "Dog the Bounty Hunter" is going to be going after them. There is no way it can end well for them.
Wiphan: do you support Gov. Walker being able to sell or lease your utility companies to anyone he wants, for whatever price he wants, with no legislative oversight? Yes or no?

The government does not own a single utility company in WI. I actually own part of Madison Gas and Electric. It is a publicly traded company. Look under the symbol MGEE in the stock exchange. Wisconsin Energy Company (WE energies) is traded under the symbol WEC

see above for my responses