Despite what the media keeps claiming, the most gaping divide in politics right now is not between the left and the right. It is between the honest and the dishonest.
The more that honest Republicans allow their party to be dragged down by brazen corruption under Walker and the current state party leadership, the harder it will be to restore integrity to the democratic (small “d”) political process.
Even though the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, organized labor and citizens' groups throughout the state will begin circulating recall petitions against Walker on Nov. 15, no one was surprised a Waukesha County Republican filed papers creating a sham “Recall Walker” drive on the first day it was legally allowed.
The phony campaign, filed by David Brandt of Muskego, who with his wife has contributed money to Walker and the Republicans in the past year, has no interest in recalling Walker.
The purpose of lying publicly on documents officially filed with the state is an incredibly sleazy one. It is to allow Walker to begin accepting unlimited campaign funds from the same wealthy contributors who have backed his governorship and written much of his legislation giving away hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds to—you got it—wealthy campaign contributors.
In an ordinary election, state law prohibits a gubernatorial candidate from accepting more than $10,000 from any individual donor in a four-year election cycle. However, politicians have written special rules for themselves in recalls. They can gorge themselves on all the contributions from the wealthy they can possibly eat.
From the time the first organization files papers to begin a recall until a recall election is ordered and all legal appeals are exhausted, the super-rich can literally back trucks up to the governor's campaign office and unload as many bags of money as it takes to buy whatever political favors they desire.
That is the only reason for Brandt's “Close Friends to Recall Walker,” which apparently involves no friends except for a possibly fictional dead one. In the papers filed, Brandt said he was organizing the recall to “fulfill my friend's last request.”
To collect 540,000 signatures within 60 days to recall Walker, Brandt said he shouldn't be required to file any financial reports because he won't raise even $1,000.
Continuation of Lies
The reason absolutely no one is surprised by the brazen dishonesty of this phony Republican non-recall is that it is a continuation of the public lies by Republicans during last summer's state Senate recalls.
In those elections, Republicans invented phony candidates to hold onto power longer. Republicans publicly lied about their party affiliations to run as Democrats against real Democrats in primaries to delay the final elections that defeated two Republican state senators.
In those recalls, incumbent Republicans took advantage of the same corrupt “no limits on contributions” loophole to rake in most of the $900,000 above normal campaign limits that poured into those elections.
In the Walker recall, the bounty is expected to be in the tens of millions. That's why Republicans couldn't even wait until Nov. 15 to begin stuffing their goody bags.
Anyone who claims politicians in both parties have always been so openly dishonest is distorting history. There was a time when catching a politician in a lie could end his political career.
“I am not a crook,” President Richard Nixon told the nation. But he had to resign the presidency when his own tape recordings showed otherwise.
Walker, an Eagle Scout and preacher's son, has an ability to lie with boyish charm.
Since being elected on a promise to create 250,000 state jobs—a number made up out of thin air—Walker has called two special sessions of the Legislature he said would focus on jobs.
The first session was about jobs, all right, but not about creating them. It killed most collective bargaining rights for public employees, cutting jobs and wages. It also slashed state aid, forcing every school district and local government to eliminate even more jobs.
The second session, just ended, mostly seemed interested in creating more jobs for undertakers.
When they weren't increasing places and ways for people to shoot other people with guns, Republicans were reducing penalties for nursing homes that abuse the elderly and limiting legal liabilities for businesses that harm or swindle the public.
Decent, thoughtful Republicans—and we should assume there still are some—should be embarrassed and concerned that under Walker dishonesty is now openly embraced by their party as the route to mountains of dirty money from millionaires.
Politics can sink only so deeply into the quicksand of corruption before it becomes impossible to climb out.
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"Generac announced Monday it will add 300 to 400 jobs in Waukesha, Whitewater and Eagle, along with 50 to 60 jobs at its recently acquired Magnum Products LLC subsidiary in Berlin"
Stories like this are announced almost daily. Help wanted signs are everywhere. I'm keep seeing more people from India moving into my neighborhood because of all the new jobs. There is no recession and people like Joe McNally continue to spread the lie the economy is bad.
Umm, the Walker administration itself has recently admitted that they won't meet the 250k jobs promise, http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_c9af610c-fcb7-11e0-a291-001cc4c002e0.html. I guess the Republican obstructionism in Washington has had detrimental effects not only for millions of Americans who remain unemployed but also for Republican governors like Mr. Walker.
"the recall by the Republican's is phony but its legal," I think you actually reinforced Mr. McNally's point that the filing was a lie, just as the phony Dems who ran in the recall primaries lied through their teeth when they declared themselves to be Dems on the forms they submitted to get on the ballots. I think we're in trouble when a large proportion of the public thinks that lying isn't a form of corruption.
You also inadvertently reinforced the need for such things as Badgercare and food stamps with your comments, I would think it would be next to impossible for someone with children to live on $9/hour. You're a millionaire though so it's not your problem. Why not just admit that you and the rest of the 1% would do away with the social safety net because it would force people like her to work for peanuts, which of course would enrich you even more?
"people like Joe [sic] McNally continue to spread the lie that the economy is bad" I don't even know how to begin with that one, anyone reading that should automatically dismiss you as un-credible. Seriously?
How could anyone complain about the economy. You can buy a house at 4% interest at prices not seen in 10-15 years. Considering inflation - you can buy a house really cheap. We have some of the cheapest gas in the world. Some of the cheapest food. My stock porfolio is way up over two years ago. Businesses are making record profits. Taxes on your dividends and capital gains are super low now. You can borrow money for investments at 4% and get safe dividend (mostly tax free real estate investments) yields at 6-7%. I can get safe double tax free municipal bond returns of over 4%. No complaints from me. Gov Walker and his friends know that this is a better lifestyle than being a slave to collective bargaining. He has set people free so they can be creative in new ways of earning money rather than just stealing from the texpayers.
So you'll be voting for Obama next year then, right? I didn't think so.
I hate to burst your bubble so to speak but what you're describing is not "the economy." What you're talking about are actually symtoms of a weak economy and flagging demand. They're also enrichment opportunities for people like you who have money to invest and who have profitted handsomely from the downturn. Thank you for providing a perfect, real world example of the disconnect between the 1% and the rest of us. Take note of what happened around the country yesterday because it's coming to a state near you soon.
I won't vote for Obama, but I have no complaints about him. I've made out very well with him in office. With him in office, my bank loan interest has sunk (other peoples money I use to make money for me). He kept my taxes low on dividends and capital gains - my main source of income. Really no complaints. When it comes down to it, he will do what I want him to do. If he wants money to get re-elected, then he better dance for the man. Obama works for me.
IT'S SO HOPELESS TALKING TO RETHUGLICANS. THEY HAVE SWALLOWED ALL THE LIES. AND PLUGGED THEIR EARS.
Isn't it funny that when liberals are up to their usual dirty tricks, like bringning in out of state union toadies to stack and election - scooping up homeless folks and bribing them with food and cigarettes to vote - that is all good.
But God forbid there is even a whiff of foul play by conservatives, then they scream so loud they almost fall out of their cribs!