You mean like the individual who stole Jason's sign in the first place, Tom? That kind of classy?

Incidentally, I believe the stolen sign was Jason's third or fourth. Tom, can you explain how removing signs from someone else's property is "classy?" Thanks,

Jason steals his own signs for writing material.
Then on the weekend he burns pro Walker signs for stress relief.

He is just exercising his 1st ammendment rights. Well put Jason!ch is a lot more than i can say about all the Republican ''phony candidates ''. Looks like the Republicans did not learn from Watergate.

Welcome to Nuitari, low information voter and would-be Patch bully. No thank you.

And here am I exercising my first amendment rights... Jason, you are a moron!

And so are you Greg. It was the democrats that invented the idea of "phony candidates" but I guess, in typical liberal hypocrisy, it's different when those tactics are used against you.

Oh, "Lowering the Bar" the way Scott Walker and his Koch Brothers have? Spending all his time out-of-state-fund raising? Cutting teacher salaries, INCREASING class size, cutting benefits for the elderly, the sick, the disabled, the poor? Placing Wisconsin LAST in the 50 States for job creation? Funny, how he's fraudently mangled the numbers once more, EVERYONE I KNOW is either OUT of work, or knows someone who is OUT of work...and the few Walker employees who HAD integrity, either JUMPED from his burning, sinking ship, or have LEFT the Repulican Party to vote DEMOCRAT! So typically cowardly, working behind closed doors...turning back YEARS of Civil Rights for women, workers and making this state a mockery-we shall see

If your claims of owning businesses and managing employees are true, I have to wonder, given your attitude and your posts, how your employees feel about working for you, or if they feel comfortable coming to you with a work issue or personal problem.

My employees are like family. What is wrong with my attitude? Should I be more like you? How can I? Show me the light.

That's the most hilarious, disgusting, confusing insult I've ever read on Patch. Classy, indeed.

You must be very worried to be so defensive. Have you thought about all of the people who own cell phones, support the recall, and may never be part of a telephone survey? If I were a Scott Walker supporter, that would worry me.

And all you Walkeronians belong in the Smithsonian with all the other ancient stuff!

"Most" is a push, but don't look to Jason for an intellegent, reasonable argument.

Facts? He don't need no stinkin' facts! Jason thrives on his own self-serving emotion.

First of all - I am not going to share my personal tax return with anyone here unless they are offering their services as my CPA, but your figures on my wife's salary MUST include the cost of benefits because what her actual salary was about 70% of the figures provided by "Detective Sara Conrad". And "benefits" means health care costs and retirement - not take-home pay - until she is a retired grandma.
And even if she did earn $80,000 or whatever you claim - that is the salary that a professional educator, with Bachelor's or Master's degree, who does one of the toughest, most important, demanding jobs in society should earn.
If you think an ACTUAL salary of less than $50,000 is "astounding" then you must be the socialist here, not me...
Again I ask the question to all of you teacher-haters: "If teaching is so easy and pays so well, then why don't you do it?"
Answer: Because it is neither.
Go try it for a month - in an inner city school where 80% of the students are in poverty and their basic needs are not being met and you are a teacher, mentor, parent, security guard, social worker, nurse, and wear about a hundred other hats each day. My guess is you wouldn't make it past the first kids who calls you a name or the first bloody fight in the hallway.

Whining about Walker but making $80,000 per year plus benefits plus pension
For 8 months of work
6-7 hours per day
It's is worse than I thought.
We must continue the fight and break these slacking union hack teachers until they realize the gravy train they used to ride on.

Jason:

The only one around here guilty of hating anyone seems to be you.

Quote from Jason, "Again I ask the question to all of you teacher-haters: "If teaching is so easy and pays so well, then why don't you do it?"

Quote from me "If teaching is soooooo horrible and pays so little why doesn't your wife quit? or maybe you should just quit complaining

Steve, do you seriously think that teachers work 6-7 hours a day??? What, are you nuts??? I left for work at 6:45 this morning and I just got home at 5:00. I have approximately 3-4 hours of work in my backpack that I need to finish before I go to bed tonight. Also, I love how you depict us as all as lazy and incompetent. Obviously, if we want to earn a good salary, we must be incompetent and lazy! I love my job and I feel that I earn a fair salary but I am sick and tired of being told that, because I was formerly in a union, I must be incompetent and lazy. I'm sure that laziness is behind the fact that I have a BA, two MAs and I speak three languages. All lazy people have dual Master's degrees and are trilingual. I'm sure you have those qualifications, Steve, and I'm sure you're positively BRILLANT!!! Oh, and I'm sure that you work harder and you work longer hours than any teacher around. I know that just because of the fact that you're not a teacher. How about not judging people unless you know them. Yes, I would like collective bargaining back because it forces the school district to treat teachers fairly. It means that I will have some opportunities in the next 25 years of my career to increase my salary. Right now, I have no opportunities for advancement. It means that I am entitled to be compensated for additional assignments. Right now, my district can add extra work days, hours, anything for no pay. Teachers deserve to be treated like professionals.

My comment was directed at Jason.

I usually work 15 hours a day and actually produce jobs, products and revenue. Your fellow teachers have not put a good face on the profession this past year and your union has ripped our taxpayers off for billions. You bet we are a little mad. But you'll keep on teaching because it is what you love and what you invested all those pieces of paper into.

Enjoy the 3 months off, I have to only guess that is why you have an extra work load at this time. But next time you get a janitor fired or call in sick with fake doctor notes don't expect much sympathy.

ha! who advertises on Patch? maybe you should thank Jason for helping you make a wise business decision.

Who advertises on Patch? (look up, look to the right, enter to win, your airfare is covered).

Can I get delivery?

From what it says here his wife is a teacher, and probably not a very good one. Those are the type of public employees that really needed to hide behind collective bargaining.

Is Paul Ryan a maker? Anyone want to grab an answer to that one?

Moammar Walker only has HIS best interests in mind, always has and always will... as for the "God Bless America and thank God for Scott Walker" comment, I just have to ask you which GOD? Would that be Allah, Yaweh or the invisible man - that MAN created to control your behavior - sittng on a cloud.

You really sound terribly enlightened and grounded, especially about Moamar Walker and imaginary dieties... Zeus wanted me to inform you...

Nothing wrong with what patch did. This blog just shows the true colors of the recallers and their self-serving motives. Emotion will never win a dispute and jason is just filled with fear and hate.

Why Fred, so you can meet the guy and improve even more on your brand of hate?

Bob, you didn't get the memo?

Republicans don't get to vote in the recall until June 6, 2012...

Let's see we have Jason...John...Keith. Not quite enough to fill a full sized clown car, but you might all fit snugly in an Isetta. Jump in, boys.

What a ridiculous pack of lies. Wisconsin has gained 33,000 jobs since Governor Walker has taken office, and it would be even more if the Democrats hadn't thwarted the mining proposal. Typicl liberal cry baby. Get your facts straight.

Time to take the hair shirt into the cleaners, Jason. It's giving off an unfresh aroma.

Any teacher who doesn't like the way they're treated, feels they're unappreciated or under-compensated always has the option to find something else to do. Frankly, as far back as I can remember, teachers have been complaining about the job and its compensation. Yet we still have plenty of them, they're still pumping them out of college (I don't know what they're telling them there that's leading them to be so disappointed once they actually enter the profession, but certainly they've never had to look very far to hear the horror stories, ad infinitum, from those already in the profession) and I've yet to see a mass defection of any degree as a result of these changes Walker has made. I know "JUST WAIT!! IT'LL GET WORSE!".

Well, if it does and the general public decides that trumps whatever else he's doing, then he could be voted out of office next regular election. Instead, we have this. If you think this is doing anything to lessen the degree to which teachers are viewed as malcontents and complainers, you're wrong. You're not helping, either, when you complain about the same kind of stuff many in the private sector have been putting up with for years.

It is what it is, Jason. If you actually think it's going to change under Barrett or any other office holder, you're mistaken.

@Jason
You said, "A properly, well-funded public EDUCATION system is the best investment we can all have"

Please tell me why our education system continues to drop in the global ranking as we throw more and more tax dollars at it. Is it because we are finding millions wasted on a WEAC health insurance company? Maybe because teachers unions in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Janesville are more willing to let teachers get fired then work with school districts suffering from low tax revenues? Also it probably has nothing to do with teacher contracts making it nearly impossible to fire the bad teachers?

Of course not, it is evil republicans and their unwillingness to let school districts have unlimited funds to uneducate our children. When the tax dollars run dry it has nothing to do with over spending, it is the fault of business for not coughing up more of their profits for your wife.

When the State of Wisconsin last surveyed school districts, prior to the recession(2006-'07), the compensation levels for elementary school teachers is notably far in excess of what is required to attract those that are qualified;on average 67 teacher applicants per job.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/92278619.html

More liberal garbage. The teachers' union rakes the taxpayers over the coals by inflated health insurance from WEAC, and you feel set upon. Grow up and pay your own bills.

Keep whining...it's working.

I thought their union was supposed to fight for them

I think your claim that teachers have to deal with 100 kids in a classroom is as credible as all the other misinformation in your post...

Cowdung, go to MPS and look in at some of the elementary classes, where 1 of my friends is principal. So far 4 out of 5 of his 1st grade class has over 100 kids in them. I think the misinformation comes from the way right, which you are part of, way, way right.

@Mike...please either tell us here or email me (saraannconrad@gmail.com) the name of the school where class sizes are more than one hundred students. I would like to research this claim before I comment.

Mike:

You do realize that MPS is one of the districts that is not taking advantage of the savings opportunities provided by Act 10, don't you?

I am also curious to hear which of the MPS schools have 100 kids in a classroom.

...and there are lots of people way farther to the right than I.

According to this post from MPS, class sizes don't seem to be anywhere near 100 kids in a classroom.

http://www5.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/dept/budget/priorities/

"For the 2011-12 school year, the majority of classes in Milwaukee Public Schools had 25 or fewer students and vast majority had 30 or fewer students."

Does any MPS school have 4 or 5 class-rooms that can accommodate 100 1st graders seated on the floor? Can 100 kids fit into a class-room seated in chairs, at desks or tables?

They stack them? Oh the humanity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am a former MPS employee. 100 kids is absolutely untrue, however, the average class size in the high school I worked in was 40. The PE classes (including swimming) were at 50 and during summer school there was one Algebra class they capped at 60. I am not lying...this is the absolute truth. Students were literally sitting on the floor and out the door in the hallway. It was disgusting and unsafe.

@RMT: I don't mean to sound like I'm challenging your claim, but I would like to know which companies have posted signs that they are hiring. I know Andis (I think) is. But I don't recall seeing any others. Anyhow, it would be helpful if you could provide the names of those companies since I do frequently meet people looking for jobs. Thanks in advance.

I don't think that my company posted any signs, but we hired several people over the past year or so.

There are lots of companies looking to hire in Wisconsin (and most don't advertise by putting up signs).
http://www.wisconsinjobnetwork.com/jobs.asp?pagemode=1

@CowDung: Thank you for the link. It will be useful.

C.D., I like your link as well. Why is Walker the goat on jobs? It looks like my business is far from the only one that can't fill great paying, full time jobs. Where are these businesses going to find employees? Are people just too damn lazy to apply for these jobs or is our workforce stupid? If it's the latter, you can't put that on Walker. Recall my butt, shut-up and get back to work.

@Paul....Once again someone wanting everyone else to do the work for them! Hmmm let me see what line of work would you like ME to find "YOUR FRIEND" a job in? I ate at Japanica tonight and they had a help wanted sign in their window. I went to Office Max, they had a Now Hiring sign in their window. In the last 3 minutes I looked on Kohls.com website and saw they have 15 open positions in the Milwaukee area. Now we are in the year 2012 and most companies do not actually put a piece of paper in their window.....they post their jobs online or larger corporations work with placement firms! If you are looking for a job in the construction industry, well those are fewer - maybe consider switching fields! But that isn't Scott Walkers Fault. In fact since Obama has been President longer I guess I will say it is his fault that there are no construction jobs in Wisconsin or other States! If your friends don't have access to a computer I would recommend that they go to the Library - free internet usage there! All you have to do is google search Milwaukee area jobs! You could spend hours scrolling through all of the available positions in Metro-Milwaukee!

@RMT: Why do I deserve an insult? Do you think I'm lazy simply because I asked someone else what they considered to be a good source for job info. And CowDung gave a respectful response for which he deserves credit. He clearly demonstrates maturity and intelligence.

How dare you assume I'm lazy! You have no idea who you've just insulted. It leaves the impression you are not capable of respectful, intelligent discussion.

So you think it's wrong or lazy for people to seek out other sources of info to expand their knowledge to help others find jobs? I suppose you never ask for advice from others.

The reason I asked for some info is because I'm retired. I haven't been in the loop for job search for a while and want to get as much info as I can as quickly as I can. My motivation is so I can help others as much as possible by sharing the info with them.

I've had a very long, and if I say so myself, reasonably successful career in business. And I have this odd desire to help others find opportunity just as others helped me in my career. I imagine you think that's despicable behavior, but that's how my totally Republican parents raised me.

Why should Walker be concentrating on specific industries? Do you really think it's a good idea for politicians to be determining the winners and losers in the business world?

Walkers tax credits do have an apparent reason or plan--they are given based on jobs created. If they don't create jobs, they don't get the tax credits.

Walker limited collective bargaining after he was told by union leadership that the unions are unwilling to negotiate or make any concessions. It wasn't for the sake of 'breaking unions'. Note that private sector unions are unaffected by Walker's policies.

How much did the class sizes actually increase in your child's school?

How much did your property taxes increase in previous years compared to last year? Considering the typical increases in taxes every year, my savings were more than $30.

The state is better off because we are bringing spending down to sustainable levels.

Karen, good point, but hey we HAVE TO HAVE THE Mine, that will save everything. I own a business and have zero plans to hire in the future but yet we are maintaining our own. Walker has not given small business (our business) any tax incentives, low interest rate loans, etc. I guaranty if I wrote a check for $500k like Diane Hendricks, I would be "in on all the little secrets about dividing and conquoring this state". Or if I am SC Johnson and make huge political contributions to the GP, I pay no taxes. Yes small businesses pay their fair share of taxes just like the middle class. Walker is for empowering the rich and following the brass from the GOP and initiating phase 1 of their own game plan across the nation. BTW, the dog pics are funny Jason.

Have you seen the balanced budget? Have you seen the contributions to the State Emergency Fund? Walker is ackomplishing his goals in spite of the road blocks.Just think what he could do with some cooperation?

Walker must be doing well, if your best defence is lowering the bar to showing dogs wrecking his signs. PS, The dog is mans best friend 12 months per year. They don,t get three months off.

@CowDung: My impression of what Karen meant by focusing on specific industries was three things.

One, if there is a business that could make use of the existing workforce, it would be a quick way to affect unemployment (ie, no retraining needed). That also could save the additional cost of retraining.

The second possibility is to solicit businesses that are more likely to remain in the US (ie, not ship jobs overseas). (BTW, it was great to see MasterLock bring jobs back here. Hopefully more will follow.)

And the third is to solicit businesses that are oriented towards new industries that make use of newer manufacturing techniques, technologies, or are focused on new, emerging markets.

I didn't take her reference in the context of "winners or losers." There is a strategy for inviting businesses to our state for both the present and the future.

So I think it is realistic to expect a well-defined strategy re which industries WI should go after.

It seems more effective to me to create a business friendly atmosphere to attract any and all businesses to Wisconsin. Let the business owners decide for themselves if they want to work on newer manufacturing techniques, or emerging markets.

How does one determine if a company is likely to ship jobs overseas? If they have to compete with other companies that use much lower labor rates, then shipping those jobs overseas might be the only way for them to remain in business. Having a company that has a home office in Wisconsin and manufactures overseas is better for us than a company in another state that manufactures overseas.

The eternal questions....What has Barrett done? What are his plans?

Karen, if your class size is going up, then that is on your school district - not Walker. Ask why the school district has so many "administrators" making such large salaries? School districts cut from the bottom up, not the top down. They would rather close programs than eliminate an administrative position. They would rather drop a teacher than remove a secretary. Look at the books, see where it is that your money goes! For the most part, though, it's poor planning on the school district's part. Relying on bigger chunks of property taxes & other government grants to operate instead of making good business deals.

As for school fees - did you just discover this? It has been going on for at least the last 20 years. When I sent my children through the schools 15 years ago, I paid all kinds of fees, & this was way before Walker! Back when I went to high school, my school "provided" all of my extracurricular items & materials. Only the football team had to pay a modest fee for participation. The rest of us just had to provide a doctor's statement saying we were healthy enough to play a sport. As the ad once said, "We've come a long way baby!"

Again, being the liberal that you must be, you might try Walker's website to find out about his "non-existent" plans for economic development. Why, there's even a $100 million economic plan for Milwaukee. You like re-hashing liberal talking points, but you fail to exercise due diligence in researching anything tangible for your post.

There are states that do cluster strategies for developing promising industries, such as biomes here is Wisconsin. That sprang out of the UW system, which Walker wants to cut the crap out of for billionaire tax cuts and to finance his prison system.

And of course class sizes are going up, thanks to Walker and his draconian cuts to education.

Check your facts. The number of people going into college to study to be a teacher has dropped dramatically. Why would anyone in their right mind go to school to get a job that makes them the pariah of Wisconsin? I am 100% sure of MY facts.

Simple, childish temper tantrums.

There were never any guarantees that jobs would be created by the mines.

Keith... you just need to go away. You are like a pesky mosquito buzzing around my ear. When Walker wins, can you cancel your Patch login? You offer nothing to the conversation.

There isn't any indication that Walker isn't working within the context of what you describe as what he should be doing.

@CowDung: I agree. I'm just pointing out that Karen's point is valid. I wasn't disputing whether Walker is doing it or not. Your original response left me with the impression you felt she had made an inappropriate assumption re her expectation that Walker focus on specific industries as part of a recovery strategy. Maybe your first response to her should instead have been your response to me; ie, there is no evidence that Walker doesn't have a plan. That would be a valid statement.

What Karen probably should have asked is whether Walker has a plan and, if he does, what is it.

I'm not taking sides here. I'm just trying to clarify what I think she was trying to say, because again, it seemed to me you were challenging one of her comments and I thought I might be able to shed some light on it.

So I guess we agree. Her comment is valid. The real question should be what is the plan?

Again, I don't doubt Walker has a plan. With the extent of his experience, I would be astonished if he didn't. And based on my experience and my degree in business, I know I would be looking at some of the criteria I mentioned.

So it's a family condition, apparently. Genetic or environmental I wonder...

Oh this is about sign stealing....Then Jason is right on point.
Just one more misrepresentation by the whacky leftys.

Take the time to sort through all the misinformation and propaganda coming from the Anti-Walker crowd, and maybe you'll see the light, Greg.

Have you picked up a newspaper lately?

So you can afford much higher taxes? You want schools and services cut at the levels that are happening in California?
Our buget is ballanced and services have not been cut. Women are having abortions and the gays have Obama. All is well.

Greendale Dad....bravo. The far right will come on here and state the same thing everyday like a robot. Walker balanced the budget, Walker now added jobs, Walker this, Walker that. What Walker has done is creat a division. He created a state government this is untrustworthy. He created a legal fund for himself and probably his cronnies. Walker has shown he'll lie, distort (remember those millions of dollars in "damage" they said protesters caused?), exaggerate, attack, invent, and propagandize in order to get and maintain power. He promised 250,000 new jobs and delivered job loss after job loss. This is Walkers achilles heel, job loss. Scott Walker was out with his "miracle math" jobs numbers 2 days ago in public and with a campaign ad talking about how Wisconsin gained jobs in 2011 (some ads are 57k and others 30k, not sure which it really is but all are lies) to get ahead of another really official report on how Wisconsin lost jobs again. Walker is deceptive. He is the GOP puppet. He wants to be the GOP "Rockstar" but all he is a puppet to be played out by the GOP brass. Anyone that votes for walker votes for an undesireable bleak future. An uneducated public and a crooked and corrupt politician that cares only for himself.

The only job Walker is concerned about is his own.

Mike everything you said could be said about Barrett, just change GOP to UNIONS.

When asked where he was on Wednesday, for theservice for fallen Police Officers, Barrett said "I don't know". This was the very next day. He was in a meeting with Oshkosh UNIONS.
YOU don't want lies?
...

Unions enable decent incomes for tens of thousands. Walker's billionaires enable wealth for themselves -- http://tinyurl.com/6prbb42.

Sounds to me like you tend to voluntarily acquiesce to a suggestion without critical analysis or research...

@SplitChest95
Are you claiming teachers are under paid? Or simply complaining that you want more money? Take the salaries of the teachers you work with, walk to the nearest parochial school and compare. After you have been humbled by people who actually work for the student rather than the pay check, apologize for your ignorance.

Will WEA Trust repay the hundreds of millions that it overcharged the taxpayers? No. Will the teacher's unions repay the taxpayer's for the bad teachers that we had to keep on staff? No. So the answer to back wages is probably No.

The only thing that I blame the teachers for is the cotinuous whine about their "tough job" that gives them summers off, and "low compensation" that includes awesome benefits.
I would like to see teachers paid on merit and that can only happen with local control, not through collective bargaining.

@SplitChest95... When the State of Wisconsin last surveyed school districts, prior to the recession(2006-'07), the compensation level for elementary school teachers is notably far in excess of what is required to attract those that are qualified;on average 67 teacher applicants per job.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/92278619.html

I'll reply to all in one simple comment. You pay for what you get. If you want quality pay for it, if you want less pay less. While I am not a teacher I accepted .25% wage raises in the last contract I accepted working for the Bad side of the state, while at the same time the average private industry wage during the same period was 3%. I decided that the benefits were not going to be that great in the future so I changed my employer and went to work making an insane amount of money for what is considered a privatized Milwaukee County operation. Yes I have less benefits but privatization of the government entities is a wonderful thing. The wages are going up and up every year and no one even cares. Teachers pay taxes just like you and me. If you think they are so over paid then point out to me where are the school parking lots are lined with all the BMW's, Cadillacs, Saab's, point me to where they are living in these houses with maid services and servants. You know a teacher? Do you know a public employee? I'll tell you what the next time you need your garbage hauled off go say "Hi' to the people on the truck and ask if you can stick your nose into all those garbage containers along the street. You're not just talking about teachers here but all state employees. Yes even the Firefighters were affected by the new rules. See I do know many city employees and none are living so high and mighty. They're no different than you or me.

I don't get the summers off. My last pay increase was .0000000%. My health insurance deductible is $6000.
They're no different than you maybe. And I know a lot of public employees. Some live in nice houses, no maids but a cleaning service. Some drive nice cars, plural. Some even think they got it pretty good. There are more private garbage collectors than there are public, they seem to be OK with their jobs.

@Mike
Degree based pay is stupid. If I had a masters in basket weaving and you have a bachelor in chemical engineering; do you honestly believe I should make more money? Are all Doctorate degrees the same in your eyes?

Pay can only be based on production.

If it was a free market your pay is based on what the market requires ... So Mike, your point is completly nonsensical

I agree with JB on the degree and pay thing, Mike. A good plumber, an auto mechanic or Bill Gates may not have a college degree, but they can earn a very good living by being very good at what they do. Pay should reflect the value of one's work, not their amount of formal education...

Send them more. Easy game.
Kinda a put-up or shut-up moment.
As an Ex-proffessor you probably are pretty well educated so you must have the x-tra jing laying around. It will only take you and a few of the other like minded blow-hards and soon teachers will be compensated to the levels you would like. Let's face it, there are only 18,000 public uionion employees and "over 1 million" recall petition signers. So if each of you paid $1000 extra, each public union employee could be paid $56,000 more. If that's not enough, chip in 2 grand. By the way, I paid 100% for my children's educations and pay all of my taxes too. Probably more than you can say.

"The only thing that I blame the teachers for is the cotinuous whine about their "tough job" that gives them summers off, and "low compensation" that includes awesome benefits.
I would like to see teachers paid on merit and that can only happen with local control, not through collective bargaining."

@Mike... The statistics, that 67 teachers apply for each job, indicate that the teachers themselves consider the compensation to be more than adequate. Teachers are an intelligent group, on the whole they would seek other opportunities if they felt under-compensated.

I am not advocating for any further changes in the compensation model. We need to assess if the one time pay reset of 4.5%, on an after tax basis, changes anything in a deleterious way.

No Jay. you hate ALL teachers and you want them to work for free. This is black or white, you're in or you're out. No grey, no half measures.

Mike - Just a thought, how many other professions are there, that most of the employees have masters degrees, that are unionized?
Unions are generally for the trades and masters degrees are generally for professionals.

Mike, I have a Master's degree. The owner of the business I work for has one semester of technical school under his belt. Today I suggested that he should pay me more than he gets since I have the advanced degree.

I can't type his response on this blog.

This is what comes of paying kids for getting A-s on their report cards.

Mike, as I'm sure someone has mentioned, the true comparison of what teachers are worth are what they get in the private sector, sans a union negotiated compensation package. Which is why, despite all gnashing of teeth and complaining, you don't see them flocking to compete for those positions.

What teachers really need to start worrying about is the day when technology eliminates need for as many of them as there are now. Right now, goodwill based in part on an emotional attachment to having a live teacher in every room is pretty much the only thing keeping at least some of them on the payroll. Efforts like this one that, in some ways, wear out their welcome so to speak, could very easily result in systems that provide a comparable education at a cost savings without being subjected to as many potential hassles like this one.

Don't fool yourself into thinking it couldn't happen...

Typical union goon response, I have a Masters degree so pay me....too bad they obtained these precious 'masters degrees' from clown colleges.

"f someone has a bachelors degree they should make more money than someone who does not have a bachelors degree" doofus, tell that to Mark Zuckerberg

Teachers are required to have a master's degree in their area of expertise, not whatever they want. Basket weaving? Really? Paying for education is part of the equation. Pay for performance? How? If we enact that for teachers, we need to enact it for others. I would like pay for performance for my dentist. If I go there 2 times a year, and try to follow his directions and I still get a cavity, I am not going to pay. After all, it is his fault. I would also like pay for performance for my weather man. If he tells me it isn't going to rain and I play an outdoor party and it rains...he gets no paycheck that week!! Pay for performance...right! It is obvious by reading some of these posts that the lowering of our children's IQ is a direct result of the types of parents that are out there...not the types of educators teaching them!

Really Anne? Why?

Yep, those were the dog's talking points too. Or was it the parrot?

Leave the dog out of this. He can't help it. Poor thing probably had to stand there and hold it long enough for Jason to run snag a "I stand with Walker" sign off of someone's lawn and then defecate while his owner was trying to strategically position the giant blue paddle under his butt.

I doubt it, the dog is probably just as constipated as Jason.

Doyle divided the state even more, but we republicans are civil and we waited for the next election to vote the way we wanted. Now that the grown-ups have taken away the credit card with seemingly no limits, the children are throwing a temper tantrum.

James

Just think how much better it would be if the state just got rid of public elementary education altogether. Got kids, YOU educate them! Love your thoughts! MONEY in our pockets! Dissolve school boards. You rock dude! money, Money, MONEY!

Hey, $$andNonsense is back and wants to put in his two cents.

First of all, Conservatives ARE NOT against spending money for productive social programs like education. We are against spending money foolishly and throwing tax money at a problem without any results.

James was pointing out the money Port Washington saved by switching carriers. Accoring to my school board rep, the school district I live in saved two million just by switching from WEAC to Humana. Exact plan, coverage and everything.

Maybe you should take that two cents and get yourself educated.

Thank GOD for Scott Walker!

I can't believe some moron would make a comment like the one above, then state this "My pseudonym, $$andSense, is based on Ben Franklin’s philosophy of money wisely spent and common sense. Got a problem with Ben Franklin?" a few comments later. I think this may show a serious phycological Issue.
Even if collective bargaining is ever restored, I don't think the people of Wisconsin will ever let WEA Trust rip-off the taxpayers, the way it did the people of Port Washington.

Each school district handles contractual arrangements differently, and this is prior to Scott Walker. James, please provide documentation that the school district in Port Washington's negotiations were specifically due to Act 10, and how, otherwise we may assume this is more ALEC talking points b.s.

Um, yes to Act 10. No known connection to ALEC.
http://www.ozaukeepress.com/component/content/article/49-feature-1/2825-health-insurance-changes-to-net-big-savings-for-school-district

Anyone seen a comprehensive list with the 425 Wisconsin school districts showing the Health Insurance savings and/or percent increase v. last year. Any increase of less than 8% would be a savings for 2012 v. the average rate increase proposed by WEA Trust.

I'd love to have you over.

I multi-task. You don't seem very concerned that some of your ilk is posting too. Why is that?
"then you public sector and teacher haters are of the same class you condemn"
What does this mean? Are you saying that public sector and teachers don't work?
Watch what you say, I have friends that are public sector employees/teachers.

@$$andSense: Outstanding! I was wondering if anyone would notice that. And I agree about them being of the same class and I would do the same with them. As a matter of fact, I did in one of the positions I held.

Thank you. You made my day. A valid, unbiased observation.

My boss doesn't give a rat's a$$ (ah, that's where the $$ in $$andSense comes from) if I use company equipment to post here (as long as it doesn't cost him money). In fact, he gets a good laugh at most of the stuff I comment on.

By the way, it's the hypocricy of giving a pass to Kris Barrett for using public resources to campaign, while attacking Governor Walker, that we are pointing out.

Thank GOD for Scott Walker!

You haven't justified the time stamps on your ilk's time marks.
Just more hypocricy from your side.

My version of multi-task means that I run MY businesses and I make MY comments while I do other things, such as talking on the phone to MY customers or suppliers. I am in the office, taking care of business, from 6:30 in the morning to as late as 10:30 at night. I work 5 to 6 days a week, down from 7 when I was starting my businesses, so I have little of your "free time".
I currently have 3 businesses that employ full time, skilled employees that I provide full benefits. This is why I understand the real world, unlike you and your ilk that only believe in entitlements, government control and finger pointing.
When or how I blog is my choice and I will keep it that way.

I too like Benjamin Franklin, we all should learn from him and the other founding fathers.
"Ben Franklin said, “… Think what you do when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty.” Thomas Jefferson said, “I, however, place economy among the first and most important of republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared.” Ours is the first American generation to leave an unwieldy debt to our children. More insidious forms of taxation are not the answer. Less spending on entitlements and through earmarks is the place to start.
None of our current politicians could stand in the shadow of these men.

Ah $$, still trying to push my buttons.....and failing, just like this reall.
1) Why would I want to run for public office when I already work upwards of 70 hours? I make a difference by contacting my elected reps and giving my opinion.
2) Not only do I know someone who knows someone, I know several of my elected officials. I don't know all the local ones, but the ones I do are conservative enough to vote the way I would like them too.
3) My boss has created some 120 jobs throughout the state. My job is to keep them employed through sales and by making sure they do a quality job.
4) The company I work for provides retail support.

5) My pseudonym is from my belief that Saul Alinsky amd his rules for radicals is completely wrong. Decisions should be based on facts, not intimidation and temper tantrums.
6) I have no problem with Ben Franklin, but I do have a problem with people trying to tie one of our freedom loving founding fathers to their Socialist agendas.
7) Since I seem to be at work constantly, I post when I have free time. I am salaried, which means I am paid for the job I do not the hours. If I could do the job in 20 hours per week, I would still get the same pay. To get the quality of work I have to typically put in 70 hours or more a week.
8) Your ilk are you and your fellow Saul Alinsky followers that just throw out inaccurate data and try to pass it off as an absolute truth.
9) I get along great with my bosses ex-wife and current wife, so they really don't care when I blog, as long as the quality of my work stays as high as it does.

I too am confused by everything you say. By any chance do you suffer from schizophrenia, or the like? I'm not trying to be mean with this question.

oh $$, you just keep coming across as the fool. I begin to think that's how you like it.
I guess I need to flat out say it: I am married! I have kids! Apparently my sarcastic comment stating that in the above post went over your head.

Wait a minute, didn't you just give Greg grief about that? (actually, I think he got it, he was just ignoring it because, let's face it, it was a not very good).

The election is supposed to be about jobs and the economy.

**********************

Says who?

We shouldn't be talking about an election at this point, period. There's no emergency warranting this expensive, disruptive process the result of which isn't going to correct any of those issues you mention.

Where's you facts that support your claim that Wisconsin is "demonstrably worse"? Links to news sources would be nice...

Over 30,000 jobs added last year seems like a pretty good thing to me.

You ask if Walker backers can deal in honest facts, yet you don't seem at all concerned with the dishonest attack ads being run against Walker, or the dishonest anti-Walker tweets that Zielinski is becoming famous for making...

I can answer your question as to why Walker should not be recalled with one word, Barrett.
You do understand that to recall Walker means filling the office?
The left's continious Platform of "Not Bush" or "Not Walker" is "Not enough". You need to put up an alternative. Your candidate should run on his merits and ideas, rather than just that the other guy is bad.
The entire recall has been about everything under the sun, but nothing sticks. And your candidate is an empty suit union puppet.

@Cow Dung -- What could be more dishonest than an implied promise to a rich backer to do one thing ("How do we make this a red state? A right to work . . .?" "The first step is, divide and conquer . . .") and telling the MJS editorial board just last month that he had no plans to make Wisconsin a right to work state? What could be more dishonest than saying publicly in December of 2010 that he intended to negotiate with public sector unions and changing his tune in private with Ms. Hendricks not a month later? What does the slew of socially conservative laws our legislature has been passing over the past year have to do with jobs?

Thomas Raiston is right -- this is about the future of our state.

Why does every piece of legislation that goes through these days have to be about jobs? We can't really legislate the hiring process in the private sector. Walker already put his tax breaks into play--what kind of jobs legislation would you have preferred to see?

As far was Walker negotiating with Unions, it was January 2011 when he spoke with Hendricks. In December 2010, Walker was told by Marty Beil that the union would never negotiate with Walker, nor would they make any of the concessions that Walker was asking for. Can you really not see how Beil's statement might bring about a change in Walker's intentions to negotiate with the unions?

More dishonest is saying that you do not know where you were the day before, when you were trying to hide the fact that you were pimp'n union votes instead of being at the ceremony, like you had promised. Barrett knows where his money comes from too.

It's called "satire"... and it's more fun to write than a typical opinion piece - but how you feel about the title of my blog is how most liberals and state employees feel about the entire Walker agenda.

You know nothing, and yet you tell others to "look it up" or "track down information"
"When you have human fecal matter in your drinking water"??? We do, have you heard of MMSD? Or raw sewage dumping?
"elimination of legal recourse when women are not paid equally for equal work"??? Another great talking point, but WRONG. Women still have recourse. Excessive punitive damages have been removed.
The rats have been trapped for 2 years, they ain't squealing.
"To Greg, we should keep Walker because you claim Barret is a puppet for the unions? What is your take on all the money the Kochs have sent Walker?" My take is, money well spent on a good cause, Walker was elected to a 4 year term and the recall is total B.S.
Lastly, Walker ran on a platform of ballancing the budget too. He did that.

Thomas:

Isn't it customary for the person making claims and presenting them as facts to provide the proof to back up their statements? I don't want to waste my time looking for supporting evidence that doesn't actually exist.

What are you talking about Thomas? Can't you just post a link here for all to see?

...and 'C.D.' would be the more fitting initials to use when addressing me.

OK, Thomas. But what about the other issues, that I pointed out to you? Do you concede to the "audience" that you were Wrong? If not, I can not take you seriously, as it is not of good character to make accusations then only be willing to back part of them. I did not challenge your sales tax info, but I will be glad to look at it along with any confirmation of your many other bogus claims.

I think the 'full of himself' comment was more due to your lack of facts for the discussion. Rather than posting links that support your claims, you come back with 'look it up yourself', and requests for us to 'swear or affirm' that we saw the 'proof' that you say you will provide.

Why is it so difficult to just post a link to whatever proof you have that your statements are indeed factual?

Here is something that shows who the real sheep are, facts are not part of the equation, get in lock-step already.

Alinsky summarized it this way: “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it…. [T]here is no point to tactics unless one has a target upon which to center the attacks.” He held that the organizer’s task was to cultivate in people’s hearts a negative, visceral emotional response to the face of the enemy. “The organizer who forgets the significance of personal identification,” said Alinsky, “will attempt to answer all objections on the basis of logic and merit. With few exceptions this is a futile procedure.”

Sorry if it is rude, but I really don't understand what you are trying to accomplish with your 'swear and affirm' comment. What kind of proof are you intending to provide for us that require us to secretly view it and post back here stating that we saw the proof?

I'm not going to agree to do anything unless I understand why you are asking me to do it. Please just post links to news articles or the like that support the claims that you are making that some of us are not accepting as true.

...we are not trying to 'revel in self imposed ignorance', we just don't want to waste our time trying to find evidence that we don't believe exists.

CD, Please post a picture of you posing. That would be 99% hilarious.

Ken:

Elected officials are subject to the contribution requirements under Act 10 just like all the other public employees...

http://etf.wi.gov/news/Budget_Repair_Bill_Whats_New.pdf

You may want to read up a bit about the tax breaks for jobs creation. If a business doesn't create a job, they aren't eligible for the job creation tax break...

People still have labor rights. Private sector unions have not been affected in the least by Walker's policies. The public sector employees do not work for profit based entities. Your worries about the 'evil' corporations oppressing workers in the name of profit don't apply to the public sector.

@CowDung -- We've just had a reminder that any labor 'right' given by law -- minimum wage, forty hour week, workman's comp -- can be rescinded by a legislature bent on doing so. How many people used to take paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave for granted?

Private sector workers are 'protected' until our lawmakers decide they're not.

What was the reminder?

@CowDung -- the reminder was the repeal of one fifty year old law and one from 2009. They can do anything they please, both here and at the national level. All you have to do is say that it 'kills jobs' and costs money.

And the net effect was???
Fear is not a rational reason to keep bad laws on the books.