Archive for Scott Walker

Reince Priebus sums up what is wrong with the GOP in one sentence: “It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it.”

reinvention my ass

It’s been some twenty-four hours!

First we had comedian and performance artist WI Gov. Scott Walker saying that Republicans are “the ones who care for the everyday people.”

Now, at the Patriot Center in Rothschild for the state party’s annual convention, we have RNC Chair Reince Priebus insisting:

“It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it.”

While Walker is in a state of denial, Priebus is in a state of delusion. Okay, they’re both delusional, that much nobody can deny.

Per the Green Bay Press Gazette, Reince has confirmed that the Party of Reinvention is really the Party of Hype. Of Marketing. Of B.S.

Mostly of B.S.

Priebus is actually saying, out loud and in public, that it’s not the substance, it’s not the failed policies, it’s not the divisiveness, it’s not the bigotry, it’s not the racism, it’s not the obstruction, it’s not the disregard for people who look or act differently from you… no, it’s the way you disguise those Neanderthal positions in order to pull one over on voters just long enough to win a few elections.

Wow.

So as they claim to be “reaching out” to minorities, especially Latinos and younger voters, they’ll mute those slurs (“illegals” and “wetbacks” to name a couple) but continue to reject marriage equality, civil rights, women’s rights, reproductive rights, equal rights, and acceptance of anyone who doesn’t fit their corporate, conservative mold. They’ll still push for privatizing the entire damned country, make it tougher to get an education, and deny access to health care and other assistance to those in need:

Republican leaders told Wisconsinites on Saturday that while they’re working to reshape the party’s image, they will stay true to conservative values such as slashing tax rates and keeping government small. [...]

Priebus told reporters Saturday the Republican National Committee is training its politicians to use a softer tone when addressing constituents and steer away from saying “biologically stupid things.” He also revealed that the RNC is employing hundreds of Republican workers in a multibillion-dollar operation in neighborhoods across the country to begin courting voters for the next national election.

It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it,” Priebus said… “Our principles aren’t rusty ideas in some old book; they’re fresh, revolutionary ideas.

Well, actually yes, your principles are very rusty, decrepit in fact. And if you believe that denying basic rights and services to so many while embracing only “certain” Americans is acceptable, then that’s neither “fresh” nor “revolutionary.” To the contrary, that’s self-serving and vile.

The GOP also thinks that using Twitter more effectively to put out their hypocritical message will make a difference. If their message is anything like what has just been described, it will, indeed, make a difference: They’ll fail harder.

Laugh line o’ the day– WI Gov. Scott Walker: Republicans are “the ones who care for the everyday people”

laughing ha ha

Hey, did you guys hear the one about Republicans reinventing themselves? Oh em gee, it’s hilarious. They actually think they’re pulling a fast one on Americans by claiming to reach out to voters who flat out rejected them in 2012. The punch line is, they think saying they’re doing that is the same as– wait for it– actually doing it!

now that's funny laugh

Clearly, they’ve been failing miserably at this sham of a “makeover.” Just follow that link above to see the myriad ways they’ve made fools of themselves. It’s as funny as it is pathetic.

It just got even funnier.

WisPolitics has this Moment of Levity from Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker from his speech to the 2013 state GOP convention:

We’re the ones who care for the everyday people of this state and this country, and it’s about time we stood up and told people about it.” [...]

Walker said that principle was at the heart of his decision to push for more educational opportunities, be it in traditional public schools or charter schools, and to turn down federal money to expand the Medicaid program. [...]

Walker mocked claims from critics that the change was a sign he hates poor people.

walker world

Oh me oh my, where to begin?

  • “We’re the ones who care for the everyday people of this state and this country.” That must be why you were nearly kicked out of office. And why your “screw the 47%” presidential candidate lost in a landslide.
  • Turn down federal money to expand the Medicaid program.” Nothing says “caring for everyday people” like taking away their lifeline.
  • Walker mocked claims from critics that the change was a sign he hates poor people.” Did it ever occur to him that they say that because he hates poor people? See: “Turn down federal money to expand Medicaid.”

On second thought, this wasn’t very funny after all. More like infuriatingly, hypocritically tone deaf.

outreach my ass reach out inclusive

Wisconsin public schools scored better than private voucher schools in standardized achievement tests

school vouchers

The Journal Sentinel has the following story in full, but I’ve hit my view limit and now would have to subscribe, so I’m relying on HuffPo’s summary. The Sentinel’s article is titled “Wisconsin voucher students lag in latest state test.”

As you may recall, Republican WI Gov. Scott Walker has been pushing for school vouchers, and he’s also tried his best to bust unions, as in teachers’ unions, as in public schools. Remember this?

Previously I’ve posted that Walker’s budget funds school vouchers and charter schools “leaving public schools on life support” followed by Oops! Three Wisconsin voucher schools got state money after losing accreditation. He claims he wants more “choice,” but does Wisconsin spend more per student on vouchers than public schools?

Now it looks like public schools are getting the last laugh. Students who go to private schools, aka voucher schools, in both Milwaukee and Racine got lower standardized achievement test scores than the kids in Milwaukee Public Schools and the Racine Unified School District.

Must be all those thuggy union teachers and their thuggy union ways.

Meantime, Wisconsin Public Radio is reporting this:

A government watchdog group says voucher advocates have spent nearly $10 million over the past ten years trying to influence elections in Wisconsin.

And that’s what all this is about.

public school cartoonUPDATE: Speaking of union busting, please read Lee Fang’s latest at The Nation:

The Commonwealth Foundation, a right-wing think tanks in Harrisburg, is plotting to go after public sector employee unions.  In a letter from Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) on behalf of the Foundation, the think tank announced “Project Goliath,” a new effort to make Pennsylvania the next Wisconsin or Michigan.

New court filing: Democrats say Wisconsin redistricting files deleted at “suspicious times”

Doonesbury speaker boehner voter suppression gerrymandering

I’ve been covering the “alleged” corruption and attempts at voter suppression that have “allegedly” been occurring under Governor Scott Walker’s alleged watch, the most recent being: Documents were deleted from WI GOP redistricting computers, per court filing. And before that, WI officials were subpoenaed over missing computers, docs involved in redistricting that benefited Republicans.

You know, the alleged usual. Here’s the alleged latest, via WisPolitics:

According to a new court filing, a forensic investigation of computers GOP lawmakers, their aides and their lawyers used in the redistricting process found some files were deleted just after a federal court ordered three witnesses to turn over documents to the plaintiffs. Other files were deleted one week before the lawmakers’ firm, Michael Best & Friedrich, turned over its redistricting files to Dems after they took control of the state Senate following a recall election. [...]

Yesterday’s filing updated the court on a forensic examination of the computers and noted the cost of the review had now reached $100,000. The plaintiffs asked the court to require the Legislature, its employees and/or its attorneys to cover the costs of the forensics.

Ohhh Scotty, you’ve got some reinventing to do!

lucy you've got some reinventing to do

In other news, Walker won’t push for gun background checks.

Dep’t. of Get the Point, GOP? Report paints grim picture of Wisconsin’s, and nation’s, infrastructure

infrastructure cartoonVia

Question: How many times, and for how many years, has President Obama pushed hard for programs to build and repair our crumbling infrastructure?

Answer: Too many to count.

Question: How many times, and for how many years, has President Obama insisted that programs to build and repair our crumbling infrastructure would create more jobs and improve our economy?

Answer: Too many to count.

Question: How many times have Republicans blocked President Obama’s proposals to build and repair our crumbling infrastructure?

Answer: Too many to count.

Via Wisconsin Public Radio:

A new report by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) shows that infrastructure in the United States needs major upgrades… 71 percent of the state’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition.

Julie Hoppe, the ASCE Wisconsin president, and transportation manager at Mead and Hunt, an architectural and engineering firm, spells it out clearly for those who still don’t seem to get it:

Our infrastructure is how we get all of our goods and services to our businesses, so it’s a huge part of our economy. We can’t be competitive if we don’t have quality roadways.

clear clearA few things that need upgrades in Governor Scott Walker’s state include its drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, public school buildings, dams, and renewable energy.

But apparently his priorities (and so many other Republicans’) sure don’t take public school buildings into account since they focus way more on privatization and pushing school vouchers. He also cares more about deleting files from GOP redistricting computers, and busting unions than he does about clean energy or the deterioration of his state. And it’s crystal clear that job creation sure isn’t on the radar.

walker world

What do Republicans think we need? More forced-birth, more tax breaks for the wealthy, more plans to repeal Obamacare, less opportunity, more guns, more discrimination, more bigotry, more slurs, more voter suppression, and of course, more rebuilding. Wait what?

Oh, no, nonono, not rebuilding bridges and roads. Rebuilding what can be laughingly referred to as their image.

WI ranks 44th in nation for job creation under Gov. Scott Walker’s watch. He blames protests, recall.

blame game smaller

Check out these headlines:

From JSOnline, Scott Walker budget could create deficit in next biennium:

Gov. Scott Walker’s 2013-’15 budget bill would leave the state with a potential shortfall of $664 million for the following two-year budget, a new report shows.

The memo from the Legislature’s nonpartisan budget office shows the state’s finances would take a big swing from the current budget, which according to the method used in the memo will leave a $146 million surplus going forward. But the Legislative Fiscal Bureau still pegs the potential shortfall at the second-lowest level since 1997.

The impact of these budget figures could fall on everyone from taxpayers to students and those in need of government-funded health care.

$30 million of the spending would go to state aid to private voucher schools that Walker’s been pushing.

From FDLreporter, Walker blames jobs report on politics:

Gov. Scott Walker… said Thursday that recall-election politics are responsible for the state’s drop in private-sector job creation. A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released Thursday shows the state is ranked 44th in the nation for creating private-sector jobs. The data, which covers a year-long period that ended in September, shows a recent steady decline. Wisconsin ranked 42nd in the previous quarter, and 37th in the quarter before that.

From WisPolitics, Dems, Walker spar over latest job numbers:

New monthly job numbers out Thursday showed a mixed economic picture for the state, but most critics focused on quarterly numbers showing Wisconsin still lagging in job creation.

The state’s unemployment rate rose to 7.2 percent in February, a 0.2 percentage point increase over the previous month. While the state gained 12,100 jobs the same month, it also lost 2,300 private sector jobs.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics also released state job numbers for the third quarter of 2012. They showed the state creating jobs but at a rate slower than most states. Wisconsin ranked 44th among states in job creation from Sept. 2011 to Sept. 2012.

That last report also said that Walker blamed the protests and recall election for the poor numbers. What he failed to do is blame himself for being the motivation for the protests and recall election in the first place.

But surprise! He didn’t blame President Obama. Yet.

GOP reinvention? Republican WI Gov. Scott Walker to push school vouchers

walker world

It was only yesterday that I posted this:

Dear GOP: Do you think America is deaf, blind, and/or stupid? On second thought, don’t answer that. Their claims of reinventing themselves are a joke. They can use all the carefully parsed words they want, but they are fooling nobody.

Of course, that was about a personhood bill that would ban abortions in North Dakota. Today it’s about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s war on public education and unions.

Previously I posted that Gov. Scott Walker’s budget funds school vouchers and charter schools “leaving public schools on life support” followed by Oops! Three Wisconsin voucher schools got state money after losing accreditation. He claims he wants more “choice,” but does Wisconsin spend more per student on vouchers than public schools?

Walker is doing everything he can to make it harder on children, including special needs children, to access public education:

Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to increase funding for voucher and public charter schools as well as his plan to create a new stream of funding to allow special-needs children to attend private schools drew immediate criticism Sunday from the state’s largest teacher union, public school advocates and a major disability rights group. [...]

(Walker’s) real focus is privatizing public education with another infusion of resources to the unaccountable taxpayer-funded private school voucher program while leaving our neighborhood public schools on life support,” [Mary Bell, president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state’s largest teacher union] added.

Now the Madison Capital Times is reporting more about his plan to force expansion of vouchers to nine school districts:

And influential former GOP leaders are suiting up to lobby for Walker’s plan to make more public school districts offer a voucher option, in which parents can get state funds to help send their children to private schools.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers said that “tying report cards to voucher expansion, as Walker proposes, would undermine bipartisan school reform efforts underway.”

How’s that reachy-outy thing workin’ for ya, GOP?