I buy cheaper USED cars (of whatever make) from sales people every couple of years . . . when the car I was previously driving takes a dumper . . . helping to create and sustain American jobs - but I am not the hypocrite with the America flag stickers and "Support Our Troops" bumper stickers driving a Lexus, which since it's creation has been produced in Japan, a country in which right-wingers are supposed to hate, according to Rush anyways.

Besides Mr. Hogan, I can absolutely guarantee you that whatever device you use to type your responses on was made in China, Japan or Indonesia, but I don't believe that makes you responsible for American laborers losing their jobs - I blame the CEO's and Board of Directors for shipping them oversees to save 15% in labor costs by paying starving wages to children and farmers with no education, no health care and no idea even what they are producing.

I'm not sure I understand what is so hypocritical about driving a Japanese vehicle and supporting our troops. Pearl Harbor was at least a couple of wars ago. I suspect that many of those serving today have owned Japanese built vehicles at some point...

Jason@ next time you need a vehicle why not buy a new American assembled vehicle? Too expensive? Union labor costs possibly? Even so why not spend the extra money and support our fellow Americans?

The difference between the pro- and anti- walker is ones understanding of social mobility.

Before the 1980's the US used to lead the planet in social mobility, Today we make the top 90% possible.

Please research why and how this happened, and spread it among your friends, the future of this country's ideals and freedoms many brave men and women fought and died for depend on it.

@Ben H
Walker caused this instability you decry-by his LIES, and dishonesty.
And you know that state workers were ready to give on the withholding of party of their retirement and headcare, yet Walker gleefully; went and demolished collective bargaining except that we could negotiate for cost of living wage.--A month ago he took that away by freezing salaries for 2 years. And the Republicans in our Legislature are just as slimy in the way they tried to push through the budget bill quickly and with little notice related to oru open meeting laws.

http://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/2011/09/beware-walker-20.html

"Came home from the Super Bowl...had all of my cabinet over...it was kind of the last hurrah before we dropped the bomb." (the bomb was to take away collective bargaining) {Scott Walker}

you Kathy are SO CORRECT!!!!!! I agree TOTALLY!!!

Kathy@ You make an assumption that I listen to Limbaugh or fox news. i listen to music at work and usually watch the local news only. I tend to think for myself. Last time I checked no corporations have called me or even talked directly to me and told me lies. If you choose to live your life as if some big fat executive is controlling your life for you, so be it. But please don't accuse me of not using common sense to figure out that we currently have a society that asks "What can my country do for me", rather than " What can I do for my country". I for one am happy to live in the greatest country in the history of mankind! I'm thankful for everything I have. If you want to tear down this state and country because you have to kick in a little more money for your retirement or insurance so be it. By the way I thought health care costs would be lowering with Obamacare. Guess not. I also thought Gitmo would be closed three years after taking office, guess not.

Didn't you think your side GearHead that they are trying to push America back 100 years? Plus destroy the middle and lower classes? Get informed! Not with FAUX NEWS either that is all lies spewing from that news station!!!!

Public sidewalks and parkways are NOT private property. We ALL pay taxes (besides large corporations, of course) so this land belongs to us all . . . even you. If you'd like, you could set up a table right next to me with petitions of support for Scott Walker - I didn't think so.

Some would consider the claims about 'your side destroying the middle and lower classes' to be 'spewing lies'...

Jason:

Please note that GE and other large corporations have indeed paid their share of the taxes that went into making that sidewalk possible...

@CowDung GE paid no federal taxes, bad example. Maybe you don't hear of such things where you get your news. Laws passed by people like Walker make this possible.
@GearHead Does a "gearhead" usually spell words like "behavor" using "The Queens English"? This is the US where we have a right to redress our grievances. Unalienable rights seem bothersome to you. I suggest moving back to England about 250 years ago. Disturbing the peace is collecting signatures on public property? Maybe- if he was in the middle of the road. Disturbing the peace is often use to silence expression that is not agreed with.

@Jason Patzfahl -

"Public sidewalks and parkways are NOT private property. We ALL pay taxes (besides large corporations, of course) so this land belongs to us all . . . even you."

Actually, you are WRONG!!!

If you own real property that fronts a public street, check the legal description on the deed to your property and you'll find out that in all reality, you actually own the land to the center of the public street that fronts your property, including the land that the sidewalk is built upon. The state/public at large merely has a usage easement over the private property in question.

And, depending upon how that easement is worded (whether statutory or publicly recorded), it probably doesn't actually include solicitation as an authorized public usage.

So, before perpetuating even more LIES learned from Elizabeth Warren, you may want to get your facts straight on private vs public ownership of land and how easements and real covenants work. Just a suggestion if you actually want to learn THE TRUTH.

Eric:

Yes, GE had no federal tax liability last year. So many people (like Jason) like to point to that and falsely claim that large companies like GE never pay any taxes, and it usually ends up being blamed on Walker.

Even though GE had no federal tax liability last year, GE still paid millions of dollars in state and local taxes, and they have paid billions in federal taxes over the past several years.

As far as I know, Walker has little control over the tax policies of the federal government, so I'm not sure why anyone tries to blame him for companies not paying federal taxes...

Brian, I am NOT a teacher, I just respect them. Too bad you can't do the same.

And what about the poor and elderly who have taken a hit in their Medicare and Medicaid under Walker? Do you have any idea how many little old ladies thank us for giving them the opportunity to recall Walker because they are frightened out of their minds that they won't have the correct ID to vote in the future or that their Medicare will shrink too much?

When you balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable people in society something is wrong with you. Chop from the top!!! When you make it easier to carry a loaded and concealed gun than to go and cast a ballot, something is wrong with you!

You mean the elderly that are taking a hit because Walker increased the state budget for Medicaid by $1.2 billion dollars? I wouldn't call that 'balancing the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable'...

Jason: Apparently you didn't get what I was saying. I do respect teachers but not their union leaders who have lied to them repeatedly. Let's try again; The teachers feel they are fighting for thei compensation packages and collective bargaining. Right? Well the leaders, local, state and national are concerned more about their ability to collect union dues and force membership on teachers. But most of the world isn't very sympathetic to the teachers having to pay a small portion towards their benefits. Why? Because everyone has too. But the union and Democratic leaders are upset because of the dues (political bribe money). Framed as taking away collective bargaining and calling it a right finds some outsiders sympathizing, but why don't they tell you that you still can file grievances, negotiate salary, arbitrate, negotiate work rules. All those are the original tenants of unions. Benefits were just that, benefits.

The poor and the elderly have taken a hit because of the ensuing federal mandates on the state created by the bill, your guy rammed down the throats of Americans in the shadow of the night, telling Republican leaders "We won the election", a bill they never even read in the form of Obamacare. Nice spin though by you democratic leadership.

And as far as voter ID; It wouldn't be necessary if you didn't have one of your own elected Demorats (Lena Taylor, of Fab 14 fame), registering 30 voters out of dilapitated apartment building that only has 8 people living in it.

And as far as balancing the budget off the public worker is a lot like calling the kettle black. As i see it, it is the public workers who were balancing their checkbooks off our backs. Which would be fine, until Doyle's bubble burst and their were no funds to rob from anymore. Your guy Doyle is the one that over-promised and when he couldn't continue those promises, he bailed, never to be heard from again (I guess running and hiding is the Democratic way).

Remembering that balancing the budget is the law in WI, what would you have done. And as far as conceal carry goes, there is only one state that does not allow it. That was a REAL right that Democrats tried denying us for years.

So please understand, while I understand the teacher's plight, I also understand that it could have been much worse. But again, where was all their support when the rest of the world had to kick in for their benie's?

@Brian Dey...You talk about the unions bank rolling Democrats, where is the outrage for businesses bank rolling Republicans. Publicly traded companies making donations without shareholder approval.

You talk about how badly the private sector has suffered, that may be the case; but how have you suffered, porter house instead of filet? The only thing your concerned with is how the politics are going to hit your bottom line. Walker is the rich man's governor, we know why you support him, your own pocket book morality.

Lyle- Not all small business owners are wealthy. I would be considered middle class and nothing more. In a recessive or stagnant economy, there are very few that are not affected. When customers are slow to pay, who doesn't collect a paycheck? It's not the employees, that's for sure. And when their is a major equipment purchase or repair, and banks aren't lending to small businesses, who's pocket does that money come out of? Not the employee's. It's attitudes like yours that is this false impression that you portray so that other's can pay for services you enjoy.

And as far as or corporate donations, up until the last election, the scale was tilted heavily towards labor. Corporations couldn't make donations, but unions coud. Now that the playing field is level, you liberals whine. It's the same playbook for the lefties, stick it to them, and give it to us. Well "us" have had it. More regulations? More jobs overseas. Tax the rich? More jobs overseas. Let unions walk all over their employers? More jobs overseas. Don't drill here. More jobs overseas. You can't spend your way out of a recession just like you can't get more credit when you can't pay your bills. And if a company can't move overseas, they shut their doors.
There is still a huge gap between what the unions spend on campaigns compared to corporations. Lile I said in 8 years, the Koch Bros. spent $160K on all "R's" in the state, unions spent $1.2mil on Barret for Gov? There's the outrage!

@ Lyle; You said:

@Brian Dey...You talk about the unions bank rolling Democrats, where is the outrage for businesses bank rolling Republicans. Publicly traded companies making donations without shareholder approval.; Um Hum, the truth shall set you free

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?order=A

If you want to tell us there is too much money in politics,sure, I'm sure we could all agree on that. However, let's actually discuss the facts here. The entire republicans and those evil corporations shtick is quite the fairy tale. BOTH sides get an extravagant amount of money from corporations in the form of both lobbying and PAC's.

@Brian Dey...You don't have to tell me about being a small business, "I R One" or at least until I retired. When you have to meet a payroll, you meet that first. That is the cost endured to take advantage of not being limited in how much money you can make when times are good. Of course you always limit your exposure with buying correctly, never over staffing and good tax accounting. Unlike your business, which is a service business, I was mostly focused on manufacturing and the sale of components. In my business I was always challenged with maintaining inventories, logistics streams, etc. As far as stringing out collectibles, I did business with large corporations who would put you on a 45 day pay and when things got tough they would extend it out to 60 + days. You are not getting any sympathy here for you having to face business challenges. When you go into business for yourself you better know what the challenges are.

Lyle- Not asking for any sympathy or hand outs (like the unions). I haven't been in business for twenty because I don't know how to run one. The point is, in an economy that is as hamstrung as it is today, the very idea of raising taxes on corporations is the worst thing you can do. Many areas in the cost-of-doing-business can't be controlled, however, government can control tax and spending. Putting extra pressures on the business community will likely lead to less revenue from them in the end. A number of business owners I know have considered early retirement, down-sizing, or expecting employees to do more so that they don't incur the employee costs. Many employees are willing to do more just to keep a job. With the uneasiness in the business community due to the Obamacare mandates and the fear of rising taxes and fees have reduced the chance of expansion, which leads to jobs, which leads to more taxpayers, which leads to increased tax revenue. And actually, Walker did more to save public workers jobs than anyone in the country. You may want to look up the definition of "sustainability." Much like the housing and lending bubble burst, so did the public workers benefits. They are simply unsustainable. Without their contributions, it is estimated that 14,000 public workers would have lost their jobs to pay so that the remaining would have an elite class of benefits. Not suprised that you are out of business.

@Brian Dey...Of course at least 14,000 public employees would have lost their jobs because the governor and legislature were not prepared to fund at levels to sustain all the jobs. Everyone I know who were represented by state unions were prepared to take pay and benefit cuts. They were more than willing, not happy about it, but the loss of most of their collective bargaining was rubbing salt into the wound. It was done not to balance the budget but to break the political power of the public unions.

As far as my being out of business; in my business career I have made fortunes and I have lost fortunes. As an entrepreneur that goes with the territory. At some point in one's career you have to make the decision to retire. I don't have any plans to jump back in, but economic necessities might make it mandatory. When I was your age I thought I would never retire, but health and other issues bring one to reality. Now I am able to pursue those things I was always too busy to pursue.

Lyle- I am not trying to disrespect you, even though you have taken some personal shots at me, but I have always thought we were above that.

I do beg to differ with you about the willingness of the unions to accept the cuts. Granted, I only dealt with six public workers unions, but in contract negotiations with all six, twice they were never in the mood to even discuss such ideas. They balked at the notion. Limiting negotiations to salary, work rules and grievances was the only way to sustain these measures. Why? Look at the rush to sign bad contracts just to avoid compensation increases that took place prior to passage. One only needs to realize that all savings would have been negotiated back in without that limitation.

As I have stated many times, for the union leadership, this is about not having the ability to control the union workers and collecting their dues. Most in the genral membership don't think that way, but the leaders certainly do. On the other hand, in this country, a mother has the right to terminate a pregnancy, but a state worker didn't have the right to not be represented by the union.

And yes, it is politically motivated, because there has been an unfair advantage in spending on campaigns by the unions. Take a look at any Democratic Finance Report and you will see the influence wielded by the unions. I'd prefer that all corporate, union and special interest money be abolished. That is real campaign reform.

@Brian Dey...My spouse is a state employeed social worker working with abused and neglected children. Fifteen years ago when she went to work for them she was given a choice to join AFSCME. Those that didn't join the union were not represented in grivances and they had to pay more for their health insurance. Most joined the union, but in the course of 15 years she has only received 2 pay raises and one of them was for only 1% the other for 3% that Doyle immediately took away through his furlough system. The real value of the union was to negotiate limits on case loads and other work place rules. Since ACT 10 she has lost all seniority and at nearly 60 years old and one of the more expensive employees because of her licensed tenure, she can be laid off first and then what? There are many unintended consequences of ACT 10 that have put long term effective employees at risk. She doesn't care if she is represented by a union or not, but she does care that she doesn't become a target without recourse of having to take the state to court to get redress. She is in one of those service professions that can't be privatized but she and her profession has been demonized. She has been working with families and children for 30 years and this is what she gets.

The upper class is not the "job creators" they can PAY THEIR SHARE TOO!!!

@GearHead...Are you saying your without anything? Continuing to support the oligarchy is costing you your liberty.

Bren you simply are a lost cause

Bren@ " Personally, I believe that everyone deserves health and security" DOES THIS INCLUDE THE UNBORN?

Ben Hogan, insults are the first refuge of the inarticulate. But you make a good point about fetal health and security. Economics have a highly significant role in fetal health. I have not had time to specifically research the gender-socio-economic demographics of the 60,000 threatened by Walker's proposed cuts to BadgerCare, but know there is an income ceiling involved. If these numbers include low income pregnant women, then Scott Walker would have even more to answer for in my book, in terms of threatening the health and security of pregnant women and their unborn children by cutting off access to proper healthcare.

MLK Jr. is rolling in his grave seeing how the likes of Jesse Jackson Jr. and his ilk have corrupted his vision, shaken down corp after corp, flys around on his own jet to get out in front of any TV camera in sight (including in Racine) to line his own pockets. The Democrat party you fondly look back on, Jason, has been uttely corrupted. And BTW, MLK was a Republican. But why let fact get in the way of your delusion.

Hey Jason 2011 called they want some common sense back. Your vision and the democrat party in 1965 was one we all would still be supporting . Unfortunetly the rest of us are living in reality and now. It's 2011, and that democrat party is not even close to being the same as it was 46 years ago.

What a skewed view of the world. Seniors are losing their homes over rising property taxes - which funds the Teachers. Property tax is done at the point of a gun and is a wealth re-distribution scheme. If you are TRULY concerned you will demand that property and income taxes be abolished and that Government funds itself with VAT and consumption taxes. Restoring and protecting personal property rights must become a priority, as well as changing the tax structure. A Tobin tax and the re-instituting Glass- Stegall would be enormously beneficial.

You present fine union talking points and positions - but you are intelectually dishonest with your claims - at best.

@Seriously Concerned
So I assume you were proud of Doyle's ability to ram through whatever legislation he wanted because he had control of both state houses. Legislation that the Republicans disagreed with.

You are just a liberal sad to see your progressive ways being defeated by a public not interested in them and your only response is a recall. This recall is all about power. The justice you wish, is to have only liberal policy pushed through the Wisconsin Legislature. You are trying to silence the republican voter.

Oak creek resident is a rude person who hides behind internet anonymity to make nasty comments about people who are sharing their views as this website invites them to do.

Oak creek resident, my father was in a private union. He knew that entering that field involved being in that union and was fully aware of the costs and benefits when he entered. And he accepted this. So do other union employees. No one forced my father into his profession, no one forces people to become public employees. Resist drinking the Koch-brothers' kool-aid!

If the job is union affiliated then move on if you do not want to join the union.

Stop LYING. It makes you look stupid which you are if you think people are forcing others to join a union.

There is NEVER a need to argue the FACTUAL basis of Teachers salaries. I always go directly to the source - the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction - just like you should. http://dpi.wi.gov/lbstat/newasr.html

From the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Milwaukee Teachers salaries:
LOW: $15,080; HI: $98,871; AVERAGE: $57,602 FRINGE (AVG) $36,040.

A school year is about 180 days. 180 days X 8 hours = 1,440 hours. For people in PRIVATE business, a work year is 260 days X 8 hours + 2,080 hours.

Avg. Salary ($57,602) + Avg. Fringe ($36,040) = $93,642.

Teachers are: Underworked, overpaid, overcompensated, and retire too early with too much.

"Jason Richwine and Andrew Biggs, researchers at the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute, two leading conservative think tanks, argue in a new report that the country's 3.2 million teachers may be overpaid by over 50 percent or more, given their salary, benefits, job security, and intellectual ability."

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/11/04/teachers-are-actually-overpaid-says-report/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk2%7C110490

Personally, I believe $100K/annum salary is acceptable for an individual with an advanced degree.

@Bren -

What about the acceptable salary for a college, or even a high school drop out that has a great idea and possesses the where-with-all to turn that idea into something huge, like let's say Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Kirk Kerkorian, etc.?

Why should one's level of education have anything to do with acceptable salary quotas?

If I was the world's foremost expert on dead languages and had advanced degrees up the wazoo, but there wasn't a demand for a dead languages expert, then why shouldn't I make absolutely nothing?

It’s not as simple as you make it out to be, is it?

Stormy, how does stating facts translate into throwing private union employees under the bus in your brain? I honestly would appreciate knowing how you got there.

If an individual enters a profession with a union/guild, they know and often identify with that association. Some folks seem to have a really hard time wrapping their head around the concept of "compensation package" despite the fact that they may also receive additional compensation (in the form of direct deposit, health care/401K management contributions) at their own jobs. Doesn't seem all that complicated to me.

Caledoniagirl, cling to your beliefs if they give you comfort. Or if you really are interested in "helping people in our community," you could employ some time doing some objective research into what's really going on in our state. The best way to "help" people is to restore social and fiscal balance and that's not going to happen under Scott Walker. He is polarizing the state and we continue to hemorrhage jobs.

@Bren -

It's the instability resultant of these protests, boycotts, recalls, etc, that have polarized the state and have caused us to hemorrhage jobs – not Walker and his policies. Is it really a coincidence that we only started hemorrhaging jobs after the senatorial recall elections were held? Are you really that ignorant while preaching to others to do “some objective research into what's really going on in our state." After all, aren't you the one who was constantly touting and perpetuating the Koch Bros conspiracy theories and linking to liberal blogs as your 'sources' of 'information?'

Give it up already Bren!

@oak

Jealousy is not a good trait to show off on comment boards.
So,--why didn't you go into the profession of teaching?