Susan Crawford Wins in Wisconsin

 

CNN calls the Wisconsin Supreme Court race for Susan Crawford pic.twitter.com/qtR9KqYanf

— Acyn (@Acyn) April 2, 2025

Elon Musk spent about $20 or 25million in Wisconsin on behalf of Brad Schimel, and while I won't go so far as to say his "assistance" was an absolute menace to his candidate, it surely did not help. 

I think it would be great if we could all point to the results here as basically a referendum on Musk and his influence with Trump itself, but I don't want to take away that message too cleanly. I think it's more like a referendum on whether Mr. Moneybags can just start throwing his weight around without people getting really suspicious as to why.

When some out-of-state clown with a cheese hat on wants to tell people a state Supreme Court seat is about the fate of civilization and pours millions out in a kind of ostentatiously scammy-looking sort of way, it kind of feels suspicious, doesn't it? 

Like, what makes it so important to HIM, anyway?

Anyway, that's just something everyone should keep in mind for next election. Maybe a whiff of Musk can be a problem for the GOP. 

Why Elon Musk Gets Picked On

 

Huh. Where to start?

Musk alleges that another billionaire is handing out checks so that people will protest his and boycott his businesses. Because when you and your little DOGE gremlins are cutting aid to starving kids, Meals on Wheels, costing thousands of people their livelihoods and prancing about with a little chainsaw because BRRRR CUTTING GOOD!, people need a monetary reason to make them mad--right?

This is the kind of bullshit you get when your mama tells you the reason the other kids are picking on you is because they are just so jealous because they are dumb poors and not as bright and handsome as mommy's little man. 

Taking the Measure of a Man

 

On the second night of the DNC, something happened that to me, was entirely hilarious. Of course, Chicago was rocking because the rollcall affirmed our candidate, and who isn't turned up for the Obamas? But at the exact same time, VP Harris and Governor Walz filled the house in Milwaukee at the same venue the RNC occupied. Who the hell can cast that much shade at night?

Stars do.

I noted in the comments of an earlier post that Trump was going to speak on crime at Howell, MI, a town associated with the Klan, and it happened, and it was dull, and Trump was Trump. He lied a lot, but listlessly. He wonders why suburban women don't want him, a sex pest associated with other sex pests, a serial philanderer, a shitty role model for boys, a misogynist, and a person who does not respect women's rights over our own bodies or lives. It really makes you wonder what funhouse mirror view of himself he's always had. 

And then at the DNC, he got called out in a standup funeral. Sure, Democrats and a few Republicans were there to talk about why Kamala Harris and why now, and what needs to be preserved for our future of this great democratic experiment. 

It was uplifting and magnificent and of course I was teary-eyed and in the front pew of the church of what's happening now. It's a beautiful thing to see people come together to build a better future. I love it, and I love it for us. 

But you know what?  I stay petty. 

"Unity" Trump and the New Attitude

 

Trump: Crazy Nancy Pelosi followed by a hammer motion. pic.twitter.com/TpXuwZlv0Z

— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) July 19, 2024

As the pundits were desperately hoping for--Ecce Homo: the Man Reborn,  who was definitely not going to ramble on, self-pityingly, spitefully, mockingly, calling Nancy Pelosi crazy while once again referring to the tragic assault on her husband, referring to the "China virus" in a way that has inspired racist animosity against Asian people, degrading the discourse as you know....

He always does. Was he supposed to change, now? After all this time? On his biggest stage, he gave an extended-play version of his regular rally speech, with a cameo from our old friend the "late, great Hannibal Lector" and a wistful concern that Kim Jong-Un misses him. 

I'm only mildly surprised we were spared his feelings about the water pressure in his toilets. 

Biden is old. Sure. He gets tired. Sure. He gets tongue-tied. And then there are the things that deliberately come out of Donald Trump's sewer of a mouth. 

Was there anything upbeat at all in his speech to the RNC, coming after the brilliant use of the lead-up by showcasing the values of the current party as represented by Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan and Dana White?

Well, there was a shout-out to Tom Homan, a former Trump Administration official who is a significant contributor to Heritage Foundation's Project 2025--which we were not supposed to think about as being the Trump Agenda except for being constantly reminded of it. But then again, Trump also gave a shout-out to Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who is "doing a great job". At what, I'd bet you two ham sandwiches you could not say. Does Trump think he's still governor? 

Trump's Still at It?

 

It's one thing when perennial weirdo and pillow empresario Mike Lindell continues to promise that with One Weird Trick, Donald Trump will be reinstated as president. It's kind of hard to say whether Lindell is a huge grifter or actually potty, but he definitely seems, uh, a rare creature. Ditto some of the so-called "prophets" who from time to time maintain that Trump never really lost.

It's another when participants in the initial Big Lie/election reversal scheme are still trying to work over state legislatures a year and a half late--as John Eastman tried to do a few months ago. 

But it is something quite else to hear that just last week, Trump was still himself working on getting WI Asssembly Speaker Robin Vos to decertify Biden's win. This is why Trump is now calling him a RINO--and um. Trump seems to believe his not being president is still an "everyone else" problem. 

We know Trump running in 2024 will be in part because he wants to put a stop to his current assorted legal woes. (Yeah--that won't work.) But I guess he believes if he can get back into the White House before 2024, he can wish everyone he doesn't like into a corn field. 

Or something like that. But it is definitely very Twilight Zone. 

Is this the "Finding Out", Yet? (UPDATED)

 

Breaking: Federal investigators have subpoenaed Georgia GOP chairman for information related to fake elector scheme there, as DOJ has issued fresh round of subpoenas to people from several states who acted as rogue electors after 2020 presidential election https://t.co/2c35eZBXXO

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) June 23, 2022

Because I was kind of waiting for this part.

UPDATE: Jeffrey Clark's home was searched.  I know, I know. But this is moving in the right direction (concentric circles towards the Trump White House.)

UPDATE: After all Kelli Ward's mean girl stuff over Rusty Bowers. (who still would support Trump as a 2024 GOP nominee for president after all this) I just find her and her husband's grand jury subpoenas funny as hell, because of the fake electors but also how she was behind the Cyber Ninja stupid recount and is now on a whole other grift. And I really feel she is not going to have good answers for herself because this is what you get when political posturing takes over from any sense of reality or accountability.

UPDATE: You know, I would not be surprised in Ronna McDaniel is going to have to go through a few things, because the RNC was on this. Just a feeling. But we're up to fake elector plots in seven states (I think) getting looked at hard, and this is fraud. If they purported to be presenting official documents that were no such thing on the basis of the fraudulent voter fraud claims, then the people who knew very well what they were may have been perpetrating a multistate fraud. Grand theft election?

What I'm saying is--it looks bad. 

UPDATE: Wait what? They got John Eastman's phone and he's so mad he wants it back RIGHT NOW you guys. Based Eastman's two work email accounts and busy behind shopping conspiracy theories and how to overthrow elections advice, i really does feel like shit is getting real. He went on Tucker Carlson tonight so you know what? He has a problem. 

TWGB: See Something, Say Something

 

Per the senator, a House intern, name unknown, was able to get a packet of information on electors, author unknown, to the chief of staff of a powerful GOP senator. His. Who then nearly delivered it to the Vice President of the United States to consider. pic.twitter.com/dmg9DgkbUb

— Robert Costa (@costareports) June 22, 2022

What was that thing we all learned post 9/11? That if some rando handed you off a dodgy package, you should scream bloody murder. Who the hell is this from? Why the hell give it to me? Who the hell is it for? Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, who I helpfully note is stupidly up for re-election this year, is exactly that dumbass. Hrm, Give this unvetted shit from someone I do not know to the VP at our solemn handover of government? Yes, I will be on that shit like enjoying my Fourth of July in Moscow. 

Ron Johnson can fit an entire billiard ball in his mouth--have you seen his mouth? He can do it. I think he should, and keep it in place until forever. Because he lies, and I think his pretense that he doesn't know who gave him the fake elector votes is obviously a lie. 

Now, the people we saw testify today were all people who got death threats. Rusty Bowers had his family threatened. He was only discharging his duty the best he knew how, and the ravening crowd made his personal tragedy harder to deal with. Brad Raffensperger explained the same. But the plight of the Georgia election workers made me exceptionally mad, because they were just regular people doing a good and responsible job.  And were threatened with death because of the lies spread by Trump and Giuliani. The perpetrators of the lie should never know a minute of ease. They need to know accountability for what they provoked against blameless average people. These assholes made election work--the backbone of our democracy--an unsafe thing because wee toddlerbrain Trump was mad he lost.

Maybe someone like Johnson will see accountability, but I can only imagine--not enough. Imagine just casually lying about not knowing who gave him those votes. Like no one would press the matter further. It's the ease of lying that is so galling. The fake votes just magically appeared. He just thought he'd give them to the VP. No big at all. Just stealing an election for Trump. Nothing to see here.

It doesn't sit right with me that people who did the right thing went through hell and people who obviously did the wrong thing are so comfortable.

Wisconsin Showed Up

Among the more absurd images from last Tuesday's Wisconsin primary vote was the one above, of Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos--a Republican, who urged voters that it was incredibly safe to go out and vote while dressed up in a way that strongly fashion-signaled "not incredibly safe." 

The discouragement if the visual was the point. Republicans were counting on low turnout in the hopes that it would benefit their preferred judicial candidate, the incumbent WI Supreme Court justice Daniel Kelly. By blocking the Democratic governor's executive order to delay the vote due to outbreak fears, they aimed at disarray. 

It did not work, however. I think the takeaway is, volume of turnout aside, the voters who made it out to the polls were strongly motivated. (I note that President Trump strongly supported Kelly). It's possible that by so obviously showing this level of low regard for voters' rights and public safety, the GOP did not help themselves at all. 

I would not be surprised if there is more where that came from, too. 

It Looks Like Voter ID Laws' Days Are Numbered

Voter ID laws have now been struck down in Texas, in North Carolina, in Wisconsin, and in Kansas.  This is despite the SCOTUS ruling that struck down portions of the VRA, and in particularly the North Carolina instance, a rebuke to the opinion of SCJ Roberts that racism is over, because the North Carolina law's justification was explicitly race-based. (As a GWB nominee, should we be especially concerned that he never was a fan of voting rights? After all, that administration was famous for thinking they should get people who didn't believe in voting rights so much as voting wrongs, even if this wasn't even an actual election-swinging thing.)

Now in the case of North Carolina, the justification for the NC voter restriction was explicitly race-based. But I wouldn't be surprised if NC and Texas, particularly, tried to bring their cases to SCOTUS.

But if these state governments want to push the issue to the Supreme Court, I'm 1) perversely glad Scalia is gone, and  2) wishing a Hillary-Clinton approved justice or Obama's pick, Merrick Garland, was in place.  It just wouldn't be regular for such an important issue to come up before a 4-4 court.

UPDATE:

And some communities don't bother with voter ID laws at all and just resort to old-fashioned intimidation.

The Civil War Should be About Gay Marriage Now, For Reasons

Strangely Blogged has never awarded any prizes for stupid, because, in a way, I cover the politics front, stupid is my beat. But I am breaking down and awarding the "Stupidest of the Day" award to Wisconsin's own Glenn Grothman, Bryan Fischer doppelganger and all-around schnook, who provided the actually dumbest protestation against marriage equality imaginable--because the Civil War, that's why.

“In the Civil War, some 600,000 people died in a country that was much less populated than that today, and it was a much more religious country,” the lawmaker said. “I think a lot of people who died fighting in that war felt they died fighting for a religious cause — you know, ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’ and all that.”

As former slave states debate whether to remove the Confederate battle flag from government buildings, Grothman said Union troops would find the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling “particularly offensive” to their religious beliefs.

“I think it would shock those people who died in that war to find out the constitutional amendment which was ratified kind of as a culmination of their great efforts and their great deaths would be, 150 years later, a little less than 150 years later, used by these five robed, arrogant, robed people to take this constitutional amendment and say that that constitutional amendment that was drafted after the Civil War was in fact an amendment designed to say that same-sex marriage had to be legal,” Grothman said.

Is this even for real?

I'm not sure that should be a thing someone can do without totally filling out some paperwork and stuff. He stone-cold voted for other people. That looks wrong. Srsly.

Am I actually titling a blog-post "On, Wisconsin"?

I have no idea what is going to happen in Wisconsin tomorrow, although the recent (I guess, last, except for exit polling) poll showing Walker only up by 3% is heartening.  That's within the margin of error, and if turnout is significant enough (sounds like it is) there's a good chance a recall might be pulled off.  There is a gap though in voter enthusiasm according to WSJ (yeah, I know) indicating that GOP voters might actually be more motivated. I'd say I don't understand that, except I kind of do. Walker has probably got some serious fans because he's a piece of work and so is the Republican Party in Wisconsin right now (think Paul Ryan, Reince Preibus, Mark Block--chief of staff of Herman Cain's campaign came out of Wisconsin, and my gosh, they've got a Republican history in that state from the birth of the party through Sen. McCarthy right up through Kathy Nickolaus--vote misplacer). And there has been some discussion on yon blogs regarding what the impact of a Walker win/loss would be, and how it might impact the presidential race.

My take is--it doesn't have a thing to do with the presidential race at all, as the White House has pretty carefully kept itself out of Wisconsin affairs, and some say the DNC support has even been tepid. There's numerous reasons for this. The cynical but probably dead-accurate cost-benefit analysis on political capital expenditure suggests that a loss would be more of a pain in the ass for the president and the national party than a possible win would offset, so things being roughly even--they'll just let this one go--keeping in mind of course that grassroots progressive support and the local party organization have been phenomenal to get this far.  But the Wisconsin race is special to Wisconsin, and is more particularly a referendum on whether Governor Scott Walker has gone too far as an aggressive partisan, than a statement on the relative merit of the Democratic organization in WI.

What I do suspect, though, is that the vote in Wisconsin will set an example for other states--as it has been doing. Political reality is what you can get away with. So even if a win for Scott Walker might not mean, for example, that people are less likely to vote Democratic in the fall, it does mean that other GOP administrations in other states might feel more comfortable adopting Walker's strategies. You know--bastardy. 

I'm rooting actively for Walker's defeat, but I fear it'll be close and probably contested and/or controversial. And even if Walker wins, I'm still bolstered by the idea that he is the target of the "John Doe" investigation, owing to, most likely, his own self-serving ambition in his previous elected office.  I hope the general rule of right bastards not prospering is an actual thing.  Otherwise, this political season will feel really and truly too long.

Postcards from Walkerstan

From The Christian Science Monitor:

Wisconsin lost 23,900 jobs between March 2011 and March 2012, according to data released Tuesday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s lead in job losses is significantly greater than the rest of the 50 states: No other state lost more than 3,500 jobs. 

The majority of the losses in Wisconsin, 17,800, were in the public sector. However, the state lost more private-sector jobs, 6,100, than any other state. The only other states to report private-sector job losses in the same time period (instead of private-sector gains) were Mississippi and Rhode Island.

Just sayin'.

Walker Recall Drive Gets Over One Million Signatures

The peteitions have finally been rounded up and submitted in the bid to recall Scott Walker (R-etrograde corporatist lackey), and the total is mighty impressive: the figure is said to be over a million, already pre-sorted for duplicates and general fuckery.  This is large compared to the original vote.

This is a pretty big deal.  What it demonstrates is that grass-roots support and organization can pull off big things. What it should also suggest is that outside big money still doesn't take the place of bodies--maybe Walker can raise some big money--but will it translate to votes? Also important, will signatures translate to votes against?

We will have to see.  But this has been a very promising sign about what regular people can accomplish regarding their representation when they feel it has not been truly representative. And also, this is an example that might be followed in other states--some may work their own recall processes; some states may be encouraged to try to legislate such a process. And I think this is a good thing. If a candidate isn't what you expected once they get in office, maybe it is a good plan that they be "returned" for a better exchange. If you can do it with shoes--why not with a governor?

WI Gov. Scott Walker gets a "Mic Check"

I haven't visited with Weasely Walker in a while--so I think this version of the human microphone to describe Walker's infamy is a nice reminder that he's still about, and in need of recall.   Also of note--the points that the protesters here are spelling out:  Scott Walker is a creature of the Koch brothers and their money and its influence, that corporate money has too much to do with who gets power as well as who gets heard in our democracy and that people must have the right to organize in order to express their assembled power to protect their needs.

This protest was a beautiful thing.

Oh, I get it now, Lower taxes and Limited Government!

So, I think I'm beginning to understand how this lower taxes and limited government thing goes--

WI Governor Scott Walker just proposed actually raising taxes on poor people and students, to go along with his tax cuts for corporations.

Because you would obviously want to collect revenues from people who don't have a lot of money, instead of from entities whose sole existence is for the purpose of generating profits. (Wait, what?)


But wait, I haven't just caught on to this whole taxation business--I'm starting wrap my head around this whole "limited government thing", too.

MI Governor Rick Snyder's government has effectively taken over the entire government of the town of Benton Harbor, disenfranchising the whole town from any say in their local government leaders or how the town is to be run.

Government is being limited to the people Rick Snyder trusts to run it, the way he thinks it should be run.  See what they're doing over there? Limiting who has access to the government.  Which is what....democracy....was....

Hmm. I think they're doing something wrong, here.

So there you go--lowering taxes and limiting government. Courtesy of the GOP, a subsidiary of whoever has the checkbook.

(Re: Unions) I don't understand all the law-stuff--but this makes me happy:

Via Daily Kos:

Last Thursday, March 31, 2011, a federal judge overturned laws enacted last year by the Illinois State Legislature which benefit the trade show and convention industries.

The suit was filed by the Teamsters Local 727 against The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority.

The Illinois judge in this case, Ronald Guzman, held that:

a) collective bargaining rights cannot be overturned by governmental edict;

b) the National Labor Relations Act preempts the Legislature from dictating terms for unions.

This seems to mean that far-flung laws in WI, OH, IN, etc., are good for nothing because national law takes precedent. Which sounds awesome.

So, the GOP in Wisconsin went and did it.

The tactics that have been used all along in this union-busting debacle in Wisconsin have been overtly anti-democratic and bullying.  From the opening salvo a month ago when Governor Walker threatened to use the National Guard to clamp down on any demonstrations over his proposal to end collective bargaining rights for state workers--

what we've been treated to since has been a spectacle of unfairness and over-reaching.  There's this. And this. And this. And this. So why in the world would anyone be surprised that Governor Grabby and the Gross Old Party resorted to this?

Wis. GOP bypasses Dems, cuts collective bargaining

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Senate succeeded in voting Wednesday to strip nearly all collective bargaining rights from public workers, after Republicans outmaneuvered the chamber's missing Democrats and approved an explosive proposal that has rocked the state and unions nationwide.

"You are cowards!" spectators in the Senate gallery screamed as lawmakers voted. Within hours, a crowd of a few hundred protesters inside the Capitol had grown to several thousand, more than had been in the building at any point during weeks of protests.

"The whole world is watching!" they shouted as they pressed up against the heavily guarded entrance to the Senate chamber.

All 14 Senate Democrats fled to Illinois nearly three weeks ago, preventing the chamber from having enough members present to consider Gov. Scott Walker's "budget-repair bill" - a proposal introduced to plug a $137 million budget shortfall.

The Senate requires a quorum to take up any measures that spends money. But Republicans on Wednesday took all the spending measures out of the legislation and a special committee of lawmakers from both the Senate and Assembly approved the revised bill a short time later.

Note to Teabaggers--this is what something being "rammed down people's throats" actually looks like.  And this is also what actual freedoms being taken away looks like, courtesy of the Republican party. And this is what very justifiably angry people with purpose look like. They aren't being bussed in by astroturf groups and treated to the stirring support of Joe the Plumber, a folk hero who once...asked then-candidate Obama a slightly contentious question. They have the support of people who demonstrated in all 50 states, and they have been sent pizza and water by people not just here in the States, but all over the world.

I just don't see how this can stand.

Gov. Walker's Budget--some Cradle-to-Grave Perspective

Two items via ThinkProgress, which has really been on the Governor Walker/Koch Brothers stuff in the best way, that when juxtaposed, kind of elaborate where this flagrant ice-water douche sees the role of government in addressing the needs of the people of his state.

Item One:

Scott Walker's Budget Limits Birth Control Coverage, Eliminates Access to Health Care Services for Women


Item Two:

Walker's Budget Slashed Medicaid, While Increasing Funeral Assistance For Destitute Who Die

I think his guiding motto is "FOAD, Wisconsin."

So, a funny thing happened to WI Gov. Walker.

I haven't been blogging for a while, even though I have been watching what's going on in Wisconsin with a lot of interest. I'm a union-represented state-worker, myself, and I don't really like the rap we get as being overpaid or lazy--the reality is, we are working people, and if we have good pay and benefits, we have our unions to thank for them--and that is what a union is for. There is no shame in wanting to be properly compensated for one's labor. And for what it's worth, the power of collective bargaining is about demonstrating to employers the raw value of the work people do by making them recognize the man (and woman) power behind any productive operation, and if need be, forcing them to recognize the value of that work by withholding it. Make no mistake--the labor movement that the anti-union forces want to represent as "thugs" is made up of working people whose paychecks and benefits are a crucial support of middle-class households, and an attack on their collective bargaining rights is an attack on regular folks by a government that is not recognizing their value as people.

So I can't help but boggle at the misguided efforts of some tea-party fools trying to make mischief against regular people on behalf of Big Government aligned with Corporate Backing. That just makes no sense.

But on to the funny crank call, because finally--there's something I have to comment on.