When Roger West first launched the progressive political blog "News From The Other Side" in May 2010, he could hardly have predicted the impact that his venture would have on the media and political debate. As the New Media emerged as a counterbalance to established media sources, Roger wrote his copious blogs about national politics, the tea party movement, mid-term elections, and the failings of the radical right to the vanguard of the New Media movement. Roger West's efforts as a leading blogger have tremendous reach. NFTOS has led the effort to bring accountability to mainstream media sources such as FOX NEWS, Breitbart's "Big Journalism.
Roger's breadth of experience, engaging style, and cultivation of loyal readership - over 92 million visitors - give him unique insight into the past, present, and future of the New Media and political rhetoric that exists in our society today.
What we are against:
Radical Right Wing Agendas
Incompetent Establishment
Donald J. Trump
Corporate Malfeasence
We are for:
Global and Econmoic Security
Social and Economic Justice
Media Accountability
THE RESISTANCE
NFTOS THINKS' Bill Clinton should be allowed to be President again... Remember when he left us with a balanced budget?
NFTOS Thinks' the attack on teachers across this country is reprehensible...
NFTOS THINKS' the attack on unions is a right wing attempt to destroy the Democratic backbone.
NFTOS THINKS' Hilary Clinton will some day be the nation's first female Vice President...
NFTOS THINKS' it's tragic the way the tea bags ignore the climate change...
NFTOS THINKS' it's somewhat shocking that the USA is still so dependent on oil...
NFTOS THINKS' that Faux News should be held accountable for its lies and actions...
NFTOS THINKS' that Glen Beck-istan, Dana Loesch, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Andy Breitbart should be shipped off to some war torn country and then forced to defend "their" country....then maybe they will have a better understanding and outlook on "their" country..
NFTOS THINKS' that the republican tea baggers should be forced to get an education prior to them opening there mouths...
NFTOS THINKS' that Michele Bachmann, Christine O'Donnell, Sharon Angle, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Scott Walker, are dimwitted muttonheads of epic proportions.....
NFTOS THINKS' that the Chamber of Commerce and Koch Industries need to step away from imposing their business ideologies on politics...
NFTOS THINKS' republicans need to learn to speak for themselves and not their puppet masters..i.e. Rupert Murdock and David Koch...
NFTOS THINKS' that it is the woman's prerogative whether to not abort or not...especially in cases of rape and incest!!!!
NFTOS THINKS' that Democrats are for the working man and Republicans are for the Businessman......
NFTOS THINKS' Democrats think for themselves and Republicans do what they're told.
NFTOS THINKS' that republicans should study and understand the constitution prior to invoking everything is "un-constitutional".....
NFTOS THINKS' that's enough of thinking for the day.....
Either that or she just lies about the smears. Either way, it's not a flattering portrait.
A more flattering portrait of Loesch
CNN hired Dana Loesch as a political contributor in which Loesch calls CNN “the biggest bunch of idiot blockheads,” (June 6, 2009) “state-run media,” (March 2010) and said that the network was the home to “tinfoil hats” (Sept. 2008).
One would guess CNN is really desperate to hire Loesch with comments like above. She ceratainly wouldn't be working for NFTOS and any other reputable media group.
We've documented how CNN's latest contributor Dana Loesch has trouble telling the truth during her nationally televised appearances. But apparently that's nothing compared to the misinformation and falsehoods she peddles on the local level as a right-wing radio show host in St. Louis with ties to the Tea Party.
This latest episode is telling in terms of just how brazen Loesch's lie was this week, and the fact that Loesch is so far out on the right-wing fringe that she's targeting local Republicans for race-baiting smears.
Here's the background, courtesy St. Louis Activist Hub [emphasis added]:
Backstory: the St. Louis Tea Party doesn't like the proposal to restore control of the St. Louis Police Department to the City of St. Louis. In fact, they dislike it so much they made a blatantly race-baiting video suggesting that the bill had something to do with the New Black Panther Party (and remember, in tea party language, New Black Panther Party = "wants to kill crackers"). In fact, the tea party even suggested that House Speaker Steve Tilley is "associated with the New Black Panther Party" because he supported the bill.
That's right, Tea Party conservatives in Missouri are claiming local Republicans (like Steve Tilley) are conspiring with the New Black Panther Party. (Don't ask.)
On Thursday, Tilley appeared on Loesch's St. Louis radio show and she assured him that he wasn't the target of a Tea Party attack:
"I don't think that anyone was specifically trying to tie, like, you to the New Black Panther Party."
Right, except earlier this week Loesch herself tweeted along a link to a Tea Part site that maliciously hyped "Tilley's recent association with the New Black Panther Party."
So on Tuesday, Loesch was helping peddle the smear that a local Republican was associated with the NBPP. Then on Thursday when the Republican appeared on her radio show, Loesch assured him nobody was trying to associate him with the NBPP.
Keep it classy Dana.
Oh, and for the record Loesch then waited until after Tilley hung up and ended his radio interview with her before she launched into an extended attack against him.
I had another blog lined up today, but I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to show my readers how diabolical this gal really is. She has been a top NFTOS topic since our inception as she was a leading factor in us creating our media group. Ms. Loesch is the biggest liar and hypocrite this side of the Pacific.
She loves that her puppet master allows her free reign to spew radical ideology unchecked, why is this you ask, because Andy Breitbart is the creator of the concept.
Loesch also models herself after Ann Coulter, the only difference is that Coulter has the Adams apple. This trio (Breitbart, Loesch, Coulter) have made it their mission to piss off anyone from the left, and will go too great lengths to do so. Even if that means they have to doctor up videos to make their clam.
NFTOS editor-in-chief Roger West sent an open letter to CNN calling for them to rescind the offer to Loesch and this was their reply:
NFTOS said it was told by CNN that "CNN has always been a news organization committed to having political analysts and commentators from across the entire political spectrum. As an independent news organization we don't take sides. Naming someone a ‘CNN Contributor' doesn't mean we endorse their political viewpoint. Instead, it means we have added them to our wide of range of voices which also includes invited guests and analysts on our TV networks, as well as opinion leaders on the CNN.com Opinion section."
Loesch is running full bore with her fifteen minutes of fame, we at NFTOS can only hope that it ends soon with a resounding thud!
Special thanks too Eric Boehlert at mediamatters for the story. Its good to see that someone else recognizes that Dana Loesch is a hack.
Tuesday when Wisconsin Governor (R) Scott Walker woke up, his chest was swollen with pride, and he needed Crisco oil placed upon him so he could fit through standard doors, by days end, Walker was in need of union EMT's to provide him political CPR. Yes, how apropos is it that the "Koch Whore" (pronounced Coke) needed revival from the very group whom he is trying to emaciate.
This story to a progressive blogger is like walking through the woods and stumbling upon the staff that Moses carried during biblical times, its like being handed the keys to the pearly gates of heaven.
It just goes to show you that if you hold your cards long enough - over time - if you give a republican a long enough rope, that sooner or later they will hang themselves. The noose is tight on Walker as the "short drop" has him squealing and squirming like a pig for his political life.
GOV. WALKER GETS PUNK'D
In a move that would have made both Andy Breitbart and Ashton kutcher proud, buffalobeast blogger Ian Murphy PUNKD Scott Walker in an epic way. View both videos here:
Part One
The conversation continues: the other man talks about his plans to threaten workers with layoffs, about sowing divisions between the public sector and private sector unions, and the potential for their union busting efforts to spread to other states. "This is our moment," he tells Murphy when Murphy describes him as "the first domino."
Part Two
[For a longer collection of transcripted highlights of this call, click here.]
Its apparent that Scott Walker and staff failed political office protocol 101. Instead of Walker and staff asking for a call back number, their giddiness to satisfy their dad or the grand Oz overwhelmed their rationale to think logically that this call might not be real.
From listening to the conversation we clearly see that Scotties plan was never about balancing the budget, we see that Scott's ideology is the new order of republican regime, and this choke and puke politics has now been exposed for what it is. Walkers agenda is about busting up unions, make no doubt about it.
Walker's take it or leave politics now has some flaws.
Now tea bags across the land are bashing unions and protesters, especially the "EX" Deputy attorney General portrayed in a Ed Shultz video . Watch his video here:
The smoking gun is this prank call. This puppet governor answers to money guys and to the corporate overlords. Walker wasted no time in taking the fight to public sector unions, but union supporters and the alternative press have spared no expense firing back. Governor Walker's revealing conversation with a gonzo journalist pretending to be one of his wealthy financiers could constitute an ethics violation and a breach of campaign law.
Quoting sources on subject matter like political ethics:
"In a call with who he thought to be billionaire political donor David Koch, Gov. Walker may have broken campaign finance and ethics laws, If he did, he should resign."
"If you didn’t believe it before, you have to now—this fight isn’t about the budget, it’s about favors for corporate special interests. If Wisconsin law forbids coordination with political donors similar to federal law, Gov. Scott Walker is not just in political trouble, but in legal hot water."
This conversation between Walker and the Fake David Koch detail a possible Trojan horse for the Senate Democrats, potential ethics violations, close communication with other Tea Party governors, a belief in plutocracy, and an obvious history of a cozy, top-down relationship between the Kochs and Walker.
NFTOS firmly believes that Walker and the Koch brothers have a alliance to reform politics that best suits them.
Everyone knows that money buys political access. But in Wisconsin, apparently all you have to do to get the governor on the horn is just pretend to be a super-rich contributor – who also happens to be aiding his fight against unions – and he’ll be happy to take your call.
Walker is incapable of an independent thought outside of what his puppet masters want him to think, or else he would be asking himself what is going to happen to the state economy and the housing market without a middle class.
Confucius say “To see what is right and not do it, is for want of courage.”
Walker talks about how he might be the next Ronald Reagan, - even recalling that before he began the budget bill fight - he held up a picture of the former president and said: "This is our moment. This is our time to change the course of history."
Here at NFTOS we try to give you a myriad of facts when providing you a story. When we set out to do this blog several groups advised us of do's and don'ts in a digital age. One rule of thumb is to keep blogs short, 300 to 500 words for SEO, (search engine optimization) and also the reader tends to lose focus and attention after 350 words. HUH! Are you kidding me?
I say if reading more than 350 words taxes you that much then "Houston we have a problem"! Maybe we do need teacher unions to enable us to concentrate longer than 350 words. Might it help to take our ADD meds so that we ensure that our country can read more 350 words at a session?
Anyway (in my Ellen DeGeneres sarcastic voice) - we posted a story yesterday about Faux news lying yet again. Because this story was well over 350 words, so editor-in-chief Roger West thought it was best to re-post a portion of the story, which in reality is more meat of the story than Faux News Lying.
Here is the portion of blog we are speaking of:
It’s worth pointing out that, Jim Glassman, the Bush Center director who appeared on the show to argue against collective bargaining, said right after the poll was shown that “many” states actually don’t have collective bargaining. The truth is that only five states do not have collective bargaining for public employees — Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Those states rank 45th, 48th, 49th, 38th, and 34th, in average SAT/ACT scores, respectively. Wisconsin is 2nd.
Unions are the grunt workers in America, they make the product and services that get the "made in America" stamp of approval! They do the work know one else wants to do i.e. go five miles deep into the earth and grab your heat source! Unions are about dignity and respect. If you want to be treated like the 8 year old kid manufacturing NIKE shoes, then continue down this path Governors!
Now we know republicans are allergic to truth, honesty and facts, but the facts are, unions work. Collective bargaining. These two words are viral in our country. Unions are the backbone to our country. They are the men and women whom run towards the fire when you are running away. They are the guy and gal whom get there finger nails dirty. They do the job republicans will not do. Why, because it involves LABOR!
How apropos is it that when in times of disasters republicans often drape the American flag around themselves often encapsulated themselves with union fire and police. How hypocritical can one be?
Rep union hypocrite
Know the facts readers before you try to quash something as important as unions, for if not doing so, you risk the chance of having Governors with hidden agendas like Scott "Koch Whore" Walker destroying the backbone of our middle class.
Giving credit where its due - Sheppard Smith daytime horseshoe guy from Faux news jeopardized his career yesterday at Faux by telling the truth. Yes that's right, a Fauxy told the truth. NFTOS is sure that Roger Ailes has issued the pink slip to Shep, but its good to see that someone inside camp tea bag has the stones to be honest and call a spade a spade when they see it. Watch Shep here:
Yesterday, USA Today and Gallup released a new poll that found that a whopping 61 percent of Americans oppose efforts like those of Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) to strip public sector unions of collective bargaining rights. The poll also found that only a third of Americans support such a policy, indicating that Walker is pandering to the far-right of the American electorate and is hardly representative of mainstream political thought in this country.
This morning, during a debate about the situation in Wisconsin and collective bargaining rights in general, the Fox News show Fox & Friends referenced the USA Today/Gallup poll. With incredible brazenness, the Fox hosts actually reversed the results of the poll in order to claim that two-thirds of Americans supported Wisconsin-style laws rather than opposed them.
REAL GALLOP POLL
During the discussion, Fox host Brian Kilmeade asked pro-labor guest Robert Zimmerman if President Obama was taking a “big risk” by opposing Walker’s law. Zimmerman responded by saying that Obama was speaking “for the mainstream of our country, and the mainstream of Republican governors who are not siding with Governor Walker.” Kilmeade responded by saying, “I think Gallup, a relatively mainstream poll, has a differing view. And here’s the question that was posed. Do you favor or disfavor of taking away collective bargaining when it comes to salaries for government workers. 66 percent in favor, 33 percent opposed, 9 percent up in the air.” Watch it here on NFTOS:
Needless to say, it is hardly “fair and balanced,” as Fox News likes to deem itself, to take the results of a poll and simply reverse them when they do not go your way.
It’s worth pointing out that, Jim Glassman, the Bush Center director who appeared on the show to argue against collective bargaining, said right after the poll was shown that “many” states actually don’t have collective bargaining. The truth is that only five states do not have collective bargaining for public employees — Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Those states rank 45th, 48th, 49th, 38th, and 34th, in average SAT/ACT scores, respectively. Wisconsin is 2nd.
Update: In the final minute of the Fox & Friends episode, Kilmeadeissued a correction and made an apology for reversing the numbers.
Update: Yesterday, scores of New York City residents protested outside of the Fox News headquarters about the network's coverage of the Wisconsin protests, timing their protests to coincide with the 5 pm start of Glenn Beck's show. One protester carried a sign that appropriately read "Fox Lies":
FAUX LIES
Too bad guest Robert Zimmerman wasn't familiar with the Gallup Poll or he could have called Kilmeade out on it right then and there. As far as Glassman, he took the FOX "news" point of view - no surprise there. The fact remains that Kilmeade and his Fox & Friends producers falsified the poll results for their viewers.
Well, I guess we'll see what happens with regards to FOX's policy about "zero tolerance" for on-screen mistakes and their claim that "immediate disciplinary action" would take place "against those who played significant roles in the "mistake chain," and those who supervise them."
To end a high-stakes stalemate over union rights that has captured the nation's attention, a handful of Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin might have to stand up to their new governor.
Gov. Scott Walker made it clear Monday he won't back off his proposal to effectively eliminate collective bargaining rights for most public employees. Senate Democrats who fled the state last week to delay the plan vowed not to come back to allow it to pass – even if they have to miss votes on other bills Tuesday. And union leaders said they would not let up on protests that have consumed Wisconsin's capital city for a week and made the state the center of a national debate over the role of public employees' unions.
Walker said on "Good Morning America" that there is "no room to negotiate" and rejected a compromise proposal from a Republican state senator.
Protesters who crowded inside the Capitol for a sixth day Sunday had a similar message. They hung a banner in the Capitol reading "Wisconsin needs 3 cou(R)ageous Senators," referring to the number of Republicans needed to join with Democrats to block the bill.
While there has been significant attention devoted to the fact that Walker's 144-page budget repair bill would strip away collective bargaining rights for public employees, the site "Rortybomb" points out a less noticed provision that would allow the state to sell or contract out any state-owned energy asset in no-bid deals with private corporations. From the legislation (emphasis added):
16.896 Sale or contractual operation of state−owned heating, cooling, and power plants. (1) Notwithstanding ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.705 (1), the department may sell any state−owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state. Notwithstanding ss. 196.49 and 196.80, no approval or certification of the public service commission is necessary for a public utility to purchase, or contract for the operation of, such a plant, and any such purchase is considered to be in the public interest and to comply with the criteria for certification of a project under s. 196.49 (3) (b).
It's truly unclear to NFTOS what "the best interest of the state" is.
But if this deal does goes through, one of the companies that will stand tobenefit significantly is Koch Industries. Koch already has several companies in the state, including a coal subsidiary, timber plants and a large network of pipelines.
During the 2010 election cycle, Walkerreceived $43,000 from the Koch Industries PAC, his second-largest contribution. The PAC also gave significantly to the Republican Governors Association, which in turn helped out Walker considerably in his race. Koch also contributed $6,500 to support 16 Republican legislative candidates in the state.
The Koch-funded group Americans for Prosperity has also been standing with Walker throughout his budget battles, busing in Tea Party activists and launching the site, Stand With Walker. After the election, Walker and other Republican governors received guidance from the American Legislative Exchange Council, a group that is also funded by Koch dollars and has pushed anti-union measures.
As we see Koch Industries and Gov. Walker are intertwined tighter than two redneck cousins seeking a marriage partner at a family reunion. I am sure that if one looked deeper into the "corporate funding to tea party alliances" that Faux News and the Chamber of Commerce would be linked to Walker's hip as well.
The last time Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) went after public sector unions it had “disastrous results” for him and for taxpayers. As Milwaukee County Executive in 2009, Walker tried to get rid of the unionized security guards at the county courthouse and replace them with contractors, which hepromised would save the county money. The County Board rejected the idea, but in March of 2010 Walker “unilaterally ordered it,” claiming there was a budget emergency. Walker hired the British security contractor Wackenhut — of Kabul Embassy sex scandal fame — to replace the guards. Unfortunately for Walker and Milwaukee taxpayers, an arbiter later ruled that Walker had overstepped his authority, and ordered the county to reinstate the unionized workers, pay backwages, and pay tens-of-thousands of dollars in arbiter fees. As MSNBC’s Racheal Maddow pointed out last night, Walker’s “dress rehersal” for his current union busting effort may end up costing Milwaukee taxpayers an extra half a million dollars. Watch it here at NFTOS:
While his anti-union crusade proved to be a boondagle for Milwaukee County, Walker had escaped in time to wash his hands clean of it, as the arbiter’s ruling against didn’t come down until last month — after Walker had been sworn in as governor. Maddow also notes that the man put in charge of Wackenhut’s security at the courthouse had a criminal record and had served prison time.
Oh Scotty, maybe you should stop while your ahead big guy. In politics of late we certainly hear often about "minions" and "puppet masters". Koch Industries is the great and powerful Oz of the GOP, they are behind the curtain pulling the strings that make the talking heads dance and sing.
When MSNBC speaks on Koch Industries they should embed the caption on their crawl "Republican Puppet Master".
Koch's ideology in itself is incongruent and inimical with the Republican image of strength and individualism.
There lies a hammer that nestles itself next to a sacred stained glass window of Ronald Reagan that watches proudly over the Republican Party. Someone needs to pick up that hammer and start swinging. Now.
Koch Industries Slashed WI Jobs, Helped Elect Scott Walker, Now Orchestrating Pro-Walker Protest.
Wisconsin’s newly elected Republican Gov. Scott Walker is facing a growing backlash over his attempt to cut pay and eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees in his state. Although Walker is claiming his power grab is an attempt to close a budget gap, the budget “crisis” was engineered by Walker as soon as he got into office. As Brian Beutler reported, half of the budget shortfall comes from Walker’s own tax cuts for businesses and other business giveaways enacted in January.
A number of the big business interests standing with Walker are beneficiaries of his administration’s tax giveaways. But the greatest ally to Walker is the dirty energy company Koch Industries. In response to the growing protests in Madison, Koch fronts are busing in Tea Party protesters to support Walker and his union-busting campaign. Last night, MSNBC’s Ed Schultz reported on the involvement of Club for Growth and the Koch-financed Americans for Prosperity in the pro-Walker protest scheduled tomorrow. Watch it:
Koch Industries is a major player in Wisconsin: Koch owns a coal company subsidiary with facilities in Green Bay, Manitowoc, Ashland and Sheboygan; six timber plants throughout the state; and a large network of pipelines in Wisconsin. While Koch controls much of the infrastructure in the state, they have laid off workers to boost profits. At a time when Koch Industries owners David and Charles Koch awarded themselves an extra $11 billion of income from the company, Koch slashed jobs at their Green Bay plant:
Officials at Georgia-Pacific said the company is laying off 158 workers at its Day Street plant because out-of-date equipment at the facility is being replaced with newer, more-efficient equipment. The company said much of the new, papermaking equipment will be automated. [...] Malach tells FOX 11 that the layoffs are not because of a drop in demand. In fact, Malach said demand is high for the bath tissue and napkins manufactured at the plant.
Koch Industries was one of the biggest contributors to Walker’s gubernatorial campaign, funneling$43,000 over the course of last year. In return, Koch front groups are closely guiding the Walker agenda. The American Legislative Exchange Council, another Koch-funded group, advised Walker and the GOP legislature on its anti-labor legislation and its first corporate tax cuts.
According to the EPA, Koch businesses are huge polluters,emitting thousands of pounds of toxic pollutants. As soon as he got into office Walker started cutting environmental regulations and appointed a Republican known for her disregard for environmental regulations to lead the Department of Natural Resources. In addition, Walker has stated his opposition to clean energy jobs policies that might draw workers away from Koch-owned interests.
Moreover, other organizers for the pro-Walker protest are from groups associated with corporate and Koch interests. American Majority, a Virginia-based front group founded by organizers funded by millionaire investor Howie Rich, is on the ground contacting Wisconsin Tea Parties to support Walker in Madison. Austin James, an American Majority official who wascaught teaching Tea Party members to spam Amazon.com profiles of liberal books with negative comments, is the contact for the Facebook page organizing the pro-Walker protest. Eric O’Keefe, a longtime conservative operative who helps lead American Majority, attends Koch strategy meetings.
Update: Koch's Americans for Prosperity group has launched a new website and petition called www.standwithwalker.com. The new site attacks all collective bargaining, not just for public sector unions. Koch's front group also declares: "In fact, every state should adopt Governor Scott Walker's common sense reforms."
"Wisconsin Gov. Walker Has Ginned Up Budget Shortfall To Undercut Worker Rights"
It's important that our readers understand this: This is a fight Gov. Walker picked for the specific purpose of breaking the unions. Wisconsin had a surplus, and as soon as he was sworn in, Walker gave it away to special interests in order to put the state into deficit. Is it a coincidence that every Republican governor is suddenly going after the unions and the pensions? Is it simply bubbling up from the ground for no special reason? Hell, no.
"This republican governor deliberately spent Wisconsin surplus to pick a fight with unions."
Wisconsin's new Republican governor has framed his assault on public worker's collective bargaining rights as a needed measure of fiscal austerity during tough times.
The reality is radically different. Unlike true austerity measures -- service rollbacks, furloughs, and other temporary measures that cause pain but save money -- rolling back worker's bargaining rights by itself saves almost nothing on its own. But Walker's doing it anyhow, to knock down a barrier and allow him to cut state employee benefits immediately.
As NFTOS stated yesterday, this broadside comes less than a month after the state's fiscal bureau -- the Wisconsin equivalent of the Congressional Budget Office -- concluded that Wisconsin isn't even in need of austerity measures, and could conclude the fiscal year with a surplus. In fact, they say that the current budget shortfall is a direct result of tax cut policies Walker enacted in his first days in office.
"Walker was not forced into a budget repair bill by circumstances beyond his control," says Jack Norman, research director at the Institute for Wisconsin Future -- a public interest think tank. "He wanted a budget repair bill and forced it by pushing through tax cuts... so he could rush through these other changes."
"The state of Wisconsin has not reached the point at which austerity measures are needed," Norman adds.
In a Wednesday op-ed, the Capitol Times of Madison picked up on this theme, which was first disclosed by Ed Shultz.
In its Jan. 31 memo to legislators on the condition of the state's budget, the Fiscal Bureau determined that the state will end the year with a balance of $121.4 million.
To the extent that there is an imbalance -- Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit -- it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January.
You can read the fiscal bureaus report here (PDF). It holds that "more than half" of the new shortfall comes from three of Walker's initiatives:
$25 million for an economic development fund for job creation, which still holds $73 million because of anemic job growth.
$48 million for private health savings accounts -- a perennial Republican favorite.
$67 million for a tax incentive plan that benefits employers, but at levels too low to spur hiring.
In essence, public workers are being asked to pick up the tab for this agenda. "The provisions in his bill do two things simultaneously," Norman says. "They remove bargaining rights, and having accomplished that, make changes in the benefit packages." That's how Walker's plan saves money. And when it's all said and done, these workers will have lost their bargaining rights going forward in perpetuity.
"This hostile takeover of the middle class worker is the aftermath of the Petri dish experiment founded by the radical tea bags. This choke and puke politics is the new republican order. The republican party and the tea bags are like two viruses in the same Petri dish; one is virulent and the other attenuated, but they both are still viruses. To me, there is no difference between the republican party and the tea bag party. As the French would say - "they are the tobacco of the same pipe" and as the Luba of Congo say, “Languages differ but coughs are the same."
Message to radical teas
West goes on to say:
"This blatant attack to destroy the common working mans spinal column is viral. It makes little sense for Gov. Walker to emaciate the unions. Therefore, NFTOS strongly encourages Walker to drop his proposal to strip collective bargaining rights from the unions. If he were to do so, he might find that the opposition to his budget fix evaporates almost as suddenly as it appeared on the steps of the capital building."
"This tea bag Petri dish has runneth over, and this excessive engorgement of political power has run well past the state of reality. Extreme "dictatorship" or "governorship" will not be tolerated anywhere, especially here in the United States. Whether its Egypt or Wisconsin, leaders need to understand that radical leadership leads to "revolting" in the streets."
Unless you have been hiding under a bed of late you have to be cognizant of Wisconsin's Governor (R) Scott Walker and his attempt to "trim' the states deficit.
State workers in Wisconsin are protesting a statement by Republican Governor Scott Walker that, union reps say, amounts to a threat to use the National Guard to help break the public union.
Citing a $137 million budget deficit, Walker announced a plan last week which would essentially take away the public union's collective bargaining rights and slash benefits for state employees. Meanwhile, the share of corporate tax revenue funding the state government has fallen by half since 1981 and, according to Wisconsin Department of Revenue, two-thirds of corporations pay no taxes.
The only thing readers is that if you view the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau numbers cited Jan 31, 2010, two months prior to walker taking over - says "that our analysis indicates a general fund gross of $121.4 million and a net balance of 56.4 million exists" in the Wisconsin 'till". Not a 137.0 million short fall as regurgitated by Scotty.
What has happened is that "Scotty" invoked the number one republican rule, which is to slash taxes on the rich, which in Scotty's short term (two months) as Governor will reduce Wisconsin's general fund tax collections by 55.2 million in 2011-2012 and 62.0 million 2012-2013.
"concludes that the adoption of combined reporting would increase corporate income tax receipts on the order of 10 to 25 percent." This "write off" to the corporations would cost Wisconsin 187 million dollars over two years.
Walkers "Cuts" to the unions would cost the state 9,000 jobs and 111.0 million dollars in lost revenue.
Is this really how we want "red states" and republican governors running our states?
These "enemies of the state" are on one mission, and that mission is too bust every union that is under republican governorship rule. This choreographed attack is also taking roost in New Jersey, Alabama, Arizona and the list goes on. Some thirty states are now governed by radical tea bags, to include my own of Virginia.
This scene may become a familiar one to other states that are considering similar measures:
Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) is supporting a bill that will potentially eliminate collective bargaining for all state workers. Governor Kasich has said he may propose additional measures such as eliminating automatic pay increases and banning public-employee strikes, both to help cut down the state’s $8 billion budget gap. On Tuesday, hundreds of people jammed into the state capitol to protest the measures.
A bill moving through the Tennessee state legislature will, if passed, eliminate collective bargaining rights for unionized state teachers and make achieving tenure more difficult.
A bill moving through the Tennessee state legislature will, if passed, eliminate collective bargaining rights for unionized state teachers and make achieving tenure more difficult.
In Michigan, a state commerce committee introduced legislation in January that would dismantle the power unions have in negotiating state-worker contracts.
On Wednesday, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) signed a bill that limits certain state workers’ rights to join a collective bargaining unit.
This republican mentality of "letting the tail wag the dog" has established itself well within the rank and file of teas.
Last November our President lost his testicular fortitude in the "shellacking" during the mid-term voting.
While progressives anxiously await for Barack's testis to descend, Democrats are left to defend the rights of unions by themselves. Until the President can stand up with his pair firmly entrenched where they need to be, middle class America will continue to suffer at the hands of republican leaders.
The biggest irritant for the Obama administration so far this calendar year has not come from Senate Republicans eager to filibuster, nor from recalcitrant House Republican leaders threatening a government shutdown.
Rather, the most effective stymieing of the White House has come from a relatively new batch of governors buoyed by the national political climate and eager to showcase their conservative bona fides in opposition to the administration.
Regardless of what's compelled Republican governors to rebel, the political ramifications remain both unknown and potentially drastic.
In modern history our governors have been, of necessity, both pragmatic and moderate. Today, there are a more than few of these Republicans, like in Florida and Wisconsin, who just seem to be so radical, extreme and ideological.
Clearly the numbers above show that the "unions" are not the down fall for the "cheeseheads" woes.
This "subliminal" message, or the hidden agenda of the radical right is to push the envelope when it comes to governing states. Unions are not the fault of huge deficits that reside within states.
If Faux News and radical republicans thought the "Egyptian Revolution" was bad, should righties continue down this ugly road, then republican governors can only expect that the "Madison Revolt" will cascade and escalate to a national voice of displeasure for right wing ideology.
Karl Rove explained it best on Faux news, stating that busting up the unions is just and right for they are the formidable opponent to the next tea bag to run for office. A great strategy from camp tea bag, but I am not sure the "majority' of Americans are on the same page as the delusional tea partier.
Unions are verybeneficial to workers here in the United States. For if not there would not be:
Vacations, minimum wage wouldn't exist (meaning your current salary would be less than this current rate), collective bargaining would not be available. All unequivocally are the staples to the working folk in the USA.
So Mr. and Ms. republican, keep encouraging "union busters", for soon all Americans can say that have been treated like the 8 year old Nike worker in Singapore.
Two incidences within the last 24 hours assure most that at least in some form or fashion the 'redenck", "civil war" mentality is strong and bountiful in the good ole USA.
African-American leaders have reacted with shock at a plan to feature an early Ku Klux Klan leader on Mississippi license plates.
The proposal by the Mississippi Division of Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) asked that the state issue a series of license plates between now and 2015 to honor the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
A 2014 plate would feature Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, who became an important leader of the Klan after the war.
Forrest was most known for directing a massacre of black Union soldiers who had already laid down their arms at Fort Pillow in April 1864.
"It is in connection with one of the most atrocious and cold-blooded massacres that ever disgraced civilized warfare that his name will for ever be inseparably associated," according to an obituary published in The New York Times at his death in 1877.
"The garrison was seized with a panic: the men threw down their arms and sought safety in flight toward the river, in the neighboring ravine, behind logs, bushes, trees, and in fact everywhere where there was a chance for concealment. It was in vain. The captured fort and its vicinity became a human shambles."
"The news of the massacre aroused the whole country to a paroxysm of horror and fury," the Times added.
"Forrest probably did not object to the violence, per se, as a means of restoring the pre-war hierarchy, but as a military man, he deplored the lack of discipline and structure that defined the growing KKK," according to a biography by PBS' Antiques Roadshow.
NAACP president Derrick Johnson reacted with surprise when first told about SCV plans to honor Forrest.
"Seriously?" he said. "Wow."
A Facebook page titled "Mississippians Against The Commemoration Of Grand Wizard Nathan Forrest" had 820 members at the time of publication.
"We are united in sending a message to the state government of Mississippi that WE WILL NOT STAND for the public glorification of one of the original leaders of the Ku Klux Klan," the page said.
Robert McElvaine, director of the history department at the private Millsaps College in Jackson and a member of the Facebook group, told The Associated Press that Forrest should should not be honored due to his role in the massacre.
"The idea of celebrating such a person, whatever his accomplishments in other areas may have been, seems like a very poor idea," he said.
Celebrating Forrest is not something that is unprecedented in the South. In 1998, a statue was erected of the Civil War leader in Nashville, Tennessee.
NFTOS occupies space and resides in the glorious state of Virginia. "having live here for over 35 years you see this "hillbilly" mentality constantly in the south" said Roger West, Editor-in-Chief of NFTOS.
Since African Americans started voting in the south - openly racist position are not rare to find, but here is what history tells us.
In 1948 Strom Thurmond running on a segregationist platform carried LA, MS, AL and SC.
In 1968 George Wallace carried AR, GA, LA, MS, AL, all of these states are about 1/3 black except AR which was at 15% .
Average Black Victims of Lynchings per year per 100,000 Blacks 1882-1930
Virginia 38.0
Mississippi 52.8
Georgia 41.8
Louisiana 43.7
Alabama 32.4
South Carolina 18.8
Florida 79.8
Tennessee 38.4
Arkansas 42.6
Kentucky 45.7
North Carolina 11.0
In a 50 year adult life time a black male in most of these states would have had a more than 2% probability of being Lynched.
It would appear with Montana, Mississippi, that "lynching's" still exist in some fashion in America circa 2011.
There is no "MOST" Racist state in our "Union".......... the most racist are the people of these United States.
All states have the same problem, and the amount of racism depends on what type of racism you are talking about, and so it appears that still today African Americans are still exposed to "racial lynching's".
Michelle Obama has fallen foul of the most vicious slight yet with her portrayed as an overweight, hamburger-munching glutton in a very personal cartoon attack.
The offensive caricature, which was posted on Biggovernment.com, is a dig at the U.S. First Lady's obesity campaign, which celebrated its one-year anniversary last week.
It comes as Barack Obama's wife pushes her campaign to improve workplace rules for breastfeeding to reduce the number of overweight children.
First Lady Being Slammed by Tea Bags
Conservatives have hit out at the campaign by Mrs. Obama, calling her a hypocrite and suggesting it is not her place to tell Americans what they can and cannot eat.
In the cartoon, she is seen telling her husband: 'I've stepped up my efforts to control America's eating habits by telling restaurants to lower portion sizes and fat content.'
Sarah Palin criticized Mrs. Obama's campaign last year, saying: 'What (Michelle Obama) is telling us is she cannot trust parents to make decisions for their own children, for their own families in what we should eat.'
"No Sarah since most of our families and kids are lazy lard asses!"
Tea bags have hit an all time low with this smear attack on the first lady. Andy Breitbart and Co., and its dwelling of blogger trolls have had a myriad of less than ethical instances with the African Americans. Let us not forget the Shirley Sherrod instance, where lead buffoon Andrew Breitbart was caught doctoring videos and is now currently being sued by Sherrod for his less than ethical shenanigans.
Yes, Big government and the tea bag movement have supported African Americans, twice to be exact. We constantly hear Dana Loesch backing the "Pigford" issue. This along with the Sherrod facade would be the only times you will see or hear the radical tea associated with African Americans. And lets be clear, the Sherrod fiasco is not supporting the "African American movement"!
Loesch, Breitbart, and tea bags galore will tell you in blogosphere land that the cartoon attack on Michelle Obama rests on her hypocritical stance on healthy eating, as the Obama's ate fat and greasy foods during their super bowl party.
If this is not a pot and kettle moment, then I am not sure what is. If Dana and Andy practiced what they preached, then certainly they would be taken more seriously. Dana and Andy always look for the "double standard", or "oh "X" did this so its acceptable for "Y" to do the same. I say to Dana Loesch and Andy....."practice what your preach"!
The radical extreme rights stance has always been that they will not allow "big government" tell them how to operate anything, never mind tell them the type of foods that they should intake, and having it come from an "African American" woman......... well its insult to injury to the republicans.
Until Breitbart and Company dumps the grade school playground mentality, then and only then can we take them at their word and truly believe that they are not white trash racists.
For all you republicans whom are complaining about President Obama's budget, you now have your chance to put your economic wit to use and "balance the budget". Is it realistic to believe that the United States of America can or ever will balance the budget? Probably not.
Today, you’re in charge of the nation’s finances. Some of your options have more short-term savings and some have more long-term savings. When you have closed the budget gaps for both 2015 and 2030, you are done.
President Barack Obama's 2012 budget proposal aims to slash $1.1 trillion from the U.S. deficit over 10 years. It includes a range of domestic spending reductions. The president faces the twin tasks of bringing down the ballooning budget deficit while keeping the economy afloat.
The Congressional Budget Office expects the budget deficit to hit $1.5 trillion this year. Couple that with a national debt nearing its $14.3 trillion ceiling, and a stubbornly high unemployment rate, Obama has his work cut out for him.
However, Republicans retort that the plan does not go far enough, and that it still spends, taxes and borrows too much. They are promising a plan of their own that will go further.
Most families have mortgages and credit cards, and they rarely if ever balance their budget, so are we ever to expect our Government to balance the budget?
Give the budget puzzle a try, and if you balance the budget and are able to sustain the economy, then you get the nod for the 2012 Presidential run.
