@JB - The Racine County DA is often recognized as a Republican - probably because he's on the board for the Racine GOP. http://racinegop.org/local-leadership/

So - a Democrat DA could not have decided for the Dem who won.

Another rethug fairy tale. But if you repeat it loud enough & long enough fiction becomes truth in their eyes. Regardless of the facts.

@Heather
I meant the description as an insult.

There are 3rd world countries with more secure voting then here in the US and lucky for Chiapete, he can claim "rule violation" and not have to do any actual work.

From the JS story:

"Some of the information that was provided was anecdotal, as opposed to firsthand eyewitness accounts," the statement says. "Much of what was reported as fraud was more appropriately categorized as rule violations that are under the jurisdiction of the Government Accountability Board."

The state board is responsible for overseeing elections statewide and investigating such violations.

"Complaints about poll workers, same-day registration procedures and electioneering can be (violations), but in this case did not rise to the level of a crime in Wisconsin," Chiapete said.

And then here is what state Republican Party spokesman Nathan Conrad said: "We will continue to make sure that the will of the voters is heard in upcoming elections and that if the law is being broken, justice will prevail for the people of Wisconsin."

Is that what he would be saying if the Racine County DA was ignoring legitimate voter fraud? Of course not.

@JB - my fault then sorry.

@Paul - we wrote the same type of story.

@Paul
Maybe it would be helpful for you describe your idea of what should constitute voter fraud.

As for the GOP spokes person, if you have been ignored what should you say. When the GOP points out actual fraud, they are called extremist. When they get no help from government officials, they are said to be proven false. When actual cases are found, the left assumes it is the only time in US History that vote fraud occurred and promise it will never happen again. The spokes women said that in an attempt to assure the GOP base that they will try again in November to stop vote fraud. No where in the statement did she say that vote fraud did not take place.

The right wing is very fact challenged and not to be heeded. They imagine weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and we have to waste money and lives to invade it. They imagine that the rich are job creators and we have to sacrifice our futures for them. They imagine voter fraud and we have to suppress the rights of millions in order to prevent it.

A lot of imagining going on under that chrome plate of yours JB.

@Schmitz
Where are these millions you keep telling me about? In the states that currently have voter ID laws, can you please provide me the facts regarding the millions that have been kept from voting in those states?

I can provide for you more reported cases of voter fraud, then you can provide reported cases of people disenfranchised by a voter ID law. You are challenged by this chrome plate only because you have no actual defense.

Here is a fact:

Chiapete is a Walker appointed DA!!

Keith - are you off your teleprompter? Suppress the rights of millions? Why did attendees have to show identification to see Holder speak at the NAACP Conference in Houston? And Holder spoke about voter identification?

Luke, Breitbart and PRN are not legitimate news sources. Paul Doro's sources are legitimate.

Bren,

Don't attack the messenger. It is a fact that there were 113 convictions in MN in one year. It is a fact that a NY official (and others) said that vote fraud is a tradition in his state in front of a court , and convictions resulted. It is a fact that elections often hinge on a very few votes.

If you don't like the datum/data I present, then take steps to prove it/them false. I will continue to help you find other sources of the same information if you won't do it for yourself.

http://minnesotaindependent.com/89855/voter-id-group-says-minnesota-had-highest-voter-fraud-in-nation-in-2008

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Vote-rigging-scandal-rocks-Troy-2429705.php

The truth is that voter fraud is like underage drinking....There are few convictions, so it most likely never happens, and no one is affected by it. (Not!)

From your article: “The reality is that Minnesota Majority’s report was issued as a vehicle for making sure their myth of voter fraud remains alive, when in reality Minnesota has the best elections system in the country. The only thing this report shows, is that many felons don’t know the status of their voting rights. And this is best corrected by passing the felon notification bill next session, not blowing up Minnesota’s excellent elections system.”

The comment from one official in one state proves that voter fraud is a widespread, serious problem nationwide? I think not. And actually I never said that fake votes do not matter. Please do not put words in my mouth.

It's probably as fair as your claim that voter fraud is not a problem since there have been so few convictions...

@Paul

I did not merely quote one official, so you miss my point.

Also, you conclude that "voter fraud is a fairy tale," after providing proof that it actually exists. You leap from the point that claims are "overblown" to the point that they are a fairy tale. So my point stands. Voter fraud is a bigger problem than you admit, and voter fraud can cheat the majority out of their vote and change history.

My points stand.

Please carefully reread my original post. It seems as if you have not done so. I specifically said "widespread voter fraud" is a fairy tale. That is true. I never said voter fraud never happens anywhere in any election. See the difference there? And when the head of the RNC says something inane like "Republican candidates need to do a point or two better to win a statewide election," that is fear-mongering nonsense.

When 0.004% is blown up as a wide spread problem; the real problem is the chicken little shouting the sky is falling.

@Paul

I have read your article, but you have not paid attention to what I said, which is evidenced by your response. So, once again........

In Minnisota alone there were more convictions for illegal voting than your sources claim happened in all of America in 5 whole years. The problem is compounded by the fact that the laws are written in such a way that it is almost impossible to prove voter fraud unless someone turns themselves in. But everywhere that the documentation process allows us a window into tracking voters, we always find plenty of fraud.

@Walker

In Sussex only a few people were arrested last year for possession of pot. Therefore, we do not need to be concerned about its use within our fine city. After all, we have captured the criminals, and there is no evidence that there are any others. Same goes for theft.

I don't think anyone suggested we just ignore any claims of voter fraud. And you keep moving the goalposts Luke. Again, I never said voter fraud does not happen. I said claims of widespread voter fraud in Wisconsin and other states are not true and examples of overheated rhetoric.

So there were a couple of pot smokers convicted in your city so every resident should be subjected to a drug test.

@paul

I haven't moved the goalposts. Rather, I have repeated what I said in my first post.

Yet, instead of responding to the content of my post, you have repeated your conclusion without interacting with the content of my post.

Once again, voter fraud is much more widespread than you indicated, and it has serious implications. No one can prove how widespread the problem is, but it is much worse than you claimed, as documented by my sources.

Where does that 0.004% number come from, Walker? Convictions for voter fraud are not an indication of how much voter fraud is happening.

The system in Wisconsin has historically been one under which voter fraud would be very easy to commit. Up until the recent voter ID law passed, voter registration at the polls could be done by having someone 'vouch' for you rather than requiring proper ID and proof of residency. Once fraudulent names are registered, there is no way to detect if a person is illegally voting under a false registration. Having voters show ID when they vote is the only way to be certain that voters are indeed who they claim to be.

@cowdung

Exactly. That is what I was trying to demonstrate with my example of pot convictions. Pot has not been used by anyone in Sussex, except for a couple people. We convicted the ones who were caught, so there is nothing left to worry about.

Straight from Luke's article:
Minnesota Majority says that there have been 113 convictions due to felons voting in the 2008 elections. Their statistics come out of the 2.9 million Minnesota voters who voted in 2008, or about 0.004 percent of the 2008 voting population.

I guess you missed my statement that convictions for voter fraud are not an indication of how much voter fraud is happening...

@walker

And?

FYI, the state of Florida has almost 9 million registered voters. Has there ever been a time when a few hundred votes could have changed the outcome?

Think about it.

@walker

One more thing. That article says that there were more than 2000 illegal votes cast. Since MN law will not allow people who claim ignorance to be convicted, only 113 were convicted. Therefore illegal voting was much worse than the number convicted.

I thought that the main constituency impacted by voter ID were the senior citizens. Don't they tend to vote republican?

seniors are one of 3 "main" constituencies impacted.

@Bren -

It's funny that those same people who you claim have such a hard time getting a photo ID are somehow able to jump through all the hope in order to qualify for and receive government assistance, isn't it?

@Bren -

Off topic, but seeing as how you brought it up, here we go - you have no room to talk about union power, as people like you, that purchase/own/drive non-union made foreign vehicles, have done far more damage to union power than any politician/lawmaker has. So knock off your hypocrisy already - you have no solidarity with unionized labor!

Mr. Hoffa, my father was a career-long member of a private union. And I told you how I received that car! It was at least assembled in the U.S.

From your previous posts you are a restauranteur and an attorney (restauranttorney). Share your union experiences?

@Bren -

Multi-generational UAW family - both of Hoffa's parents were UAW autoworkers and Hoffa's maternal grandparents were both UAW autoworkers.

Typical rethug response always include "I think" never any facts.

Typical lefty response always call names and never include any content for the discussion.

Typical rethug assuming anyone outside of the right is a "lefty".

I think it's pretty safe to say that anyone who uses the term 'rethug' is probably a 'lefty'...

There's that "I think" again without facts. FYI you're wrong.

It wouldn't be such a big deal if they hadn't made it such a big pain in the wazoo to get the 'proper' form of that little card.

Nuitari, voting is a Constitutionally-protected right. Shouldn't we be finding ways to be inclusive, rather than actively shutting people out of the process?

I guess it all depends on what you mean by 'inclusive'. If they are legitimate voters, then by all means they should be encouraged to vote. If they are not, then they should be shut out of the process.

@Bren -

I'm still waiting for that citation to either Ryan's Path to Prosperity and/or voted upon budget proposal where it gives oil companies $43B in tax breaks OR an admission that you, morninmist, and the lefty liberal blog were WRONG and were intentionally spreading falsehoods with the intent to deceive low information / non-thinking voters.

Sometime soon would be nice!

And there it is, "we will never prove liberal motivated voter fraud". The whole guise of voter ID.Because when they win it's "get over it whiners" when they lose it's "VOTER FRAUD!!!"

Wouldn't that kind of go against our principle of a secret ballot?

Runner - Accepting mailers clamming "occupant" doesn't have you a bit worried about who is voting where?

Randy - Yes. And since this will not happen there are other ways to limit voter fraud, like voter ID.

@Steve -- I do so appreciate your willingness to violate our Constitution, both the state and the federal.

Where did I propose that we rid of the secret ballot system? Because we can not ID each ballot we can never prove voter fraud to it's extent. The GAB and such organizations do not have the will to look into it further anyway.

The Bill of rights says "my right to bear arms shall not be infringed either and i need a permit or permission to carry my gun .. the hyprocrisy is endless

Does Minnesota have the same type of voter registration system that Wisconsin did before the recent voter ID law disallowed 'vouching' as a form of valid ID?

@Keith Best...Here it is, the official party line. Continue to perpetrate the myth and before long it is a fact. If in fact widespread voter fraud existed because of ACORN and like organizations, wouldn't the wise thing to do would be to make all citizens re-register?

@Lyle -- Would we all have to prove our citizenship as we re-registered, even though we've been voting legally for our entire lives? That might end up disenfranchising the same people -- the ones without birth certificates handy.

@Lyle Ruble---Sorry Lyle...I really hate to prove you wrong again, but this is NOT the official party line. These are my own views based on research I have done on my own. The wise thing to do would be what Florida is doing....remove all names on voter roles of people that don't exist.

I'd be OK with a one time purging of the voter rolls and make everyone re-register with proper ID and proof of residence. As long as we keep the part of the law that now requires proper ID and proof of residence to register at the polls.

We also should have a mechanism in place to remove people from the voter registration list when their death is certificated...

Keith, as usual you are a shameless vessel of political hackery. In those few cases were ACORN was connected with voter fraud, it involved people with ACORN who did illegal things and ACORN turned them in.

It is sad that the Democrats caved over the pressure on ACORN, especially since most of the "charges" we raised by that pathetic twerp O'Keefe, who himself should be in the clink getting to intimately know the black people he hates. They should have kindly told the GOP to shove it and allowed ACORN to go about the business of helping the communities they were working in.

@Keith Best -- Except that the Florida voter purge has attempted to remove several living, genuine United States citizens from the rolls,with little time before the Presidential election left to contest the removal. One is even a WWII vet.

@Keith Best...If it isn't the official party line, then why do I keep hearing it over and over again from your party officials?

The final proof that widespread voter fraud doesn't exist is that Republicans keep getting elected over and over again. Therefore, using the same thread of logic; since Republicans get elected, then there isn't any voter fraud worth worrying about. However, if Republicans keep getting elected, then they must be the ones committing the voter fraud. It works for me.

Keith:

What exactly was wrong with what Mr. O'Keefe did? It seems to me that he effectively demonstrated that voter fraud can easily be committed. I guess you'd rather him be silenced by imprisonment than to admit that he raises a valid concern...

O'Keefe voted illegally to prove something people don't do -- vote illegally. We have stiff penalties that have worked to curtain this. They should be applied on this disturbed young man who was in the employ of that pathetic alcoholic Andrew Breitbart.

When did O'Keefe actually vote illegally?

►O'Keefe voted illegally to prove something people don't do◄

yeah, too bad for you he never actually voted, but easily could have. Once the ballot is in the box it is there forever and ever. Keep up the pipe dream.

You are really loosing it Jimmy.

Bush spent $77 million of our hard earned money chasing down this rat hole, not to mention firing fed attorneys who failed to find the none existent voter fraud.

Finding voter fraud is easy. Someone shows up to assume someone else's identity to vote. That person shows up and finds out someone voted in their place.

How many people do you know of Jimmy who has experienced this.

Kindly stop the BS. We know what this all about -- voter suppression. Thank you Mike Turzai. You outed the GOP on "voter fraud." http://www.ohio.com/blogs/mass-destruction/blog-of-mass-destruction-1.298992/freedom-to-suppress-votes-1.319507

I know that there are a number of disengaged people who have bought into the argument that the GOP so skillfully put out there. But there are many of you on this blog who are GOP plants and hacks.

We're on to you. You're going to get called out on this shameful attempt to steal elections along with this and cranking out high priced lies to fool disengaged voters.

It's too bad you don't offer up things that aren't self serving. Maybe people would vote for you.

Keith:

First off, it's "losing", not "loosing".

Second, finding voter fraud isn't that easy. The 'person' that is registered to vote might not actually exist. One doesn't have to worry that he'll show up and find that someone voted in their place.

Why are the dems so devoted to fighting the ID requirement instead of being devoted to helping to get proper ID to the people they fear are being disenfranchised?

Right on James.

Just look at the recall "petitions" What did the GAB look into there? Nothing, just counted the lines and went to lunch.

Keith - You're communist party is much better at voter fraud than just trying to vote for their neighbor. With same day registration and no solid way of validating the persons existence, address, or voting ward it's much easier than shooting for my grandpa never votes so I will show up for both of us.

@Schmitzy -

You haven't proven anything to us. Show me an investigation where the addresses listed on registrations were visited to confirm if the elector actually lives where they claimed to live. The fact of the matter is that there has NEVER been such an investigation.

Absent fake ID's, Voter ID would have stopped registration fraud from occurring, in addition to stopping this kind of fraud from happening:

http://mediatrackers.org/2012/07/16/exclusive-seiu-subpoenaed-in-milwaukee-vote-fraud-investigation/

Changing our registration laws to use the standard of domicile instead of residency for out-of-state students would prevent this from occurring:

http://www.maciverinstitute.com/2011/08/students-warned-on-absentee-ballotresidency-issues/

Let's fix our system to make it fair for everyone and to preserve the integrity of the vote!

I could buy that Jimmy if there was some sincere effort on the part of Walker and the GOP to make IDs easily available. Have they expanded the number of DMVs to make them accessible? Have they expanded the hours at the DMV.

No, which demonstrates that this voter ID thing has one purpose -- make it as difficult as possible for large numbers of traditionally Democratic voters from exercising their rights. Give me any thing that the GOP has done to facilitate access to IDs, which are pure nonsense. We have the guy from Pennsylvania on record.

You're basically a nice guy and I hope you are naive and not duplicitous. For any one to insist that this is about voter fraud is lying. The cure should not be worse than the disease. It sure as hell is in this case.

Bush spent $77 million. What did they find nothing. Case closed.

@Schmitzy -

I've already stated several times on Patch that I'd support expanding the places to procure a Voter ID to include the County court houses that are equipped to process federal passport applications. If this was done, would you then support such an initiative?

You honestly trust the federal government to competently end efficiently conduct an investigation? How exactly was that $77M spent?

"Ironically, one group of public employees (elected officials) is attacking another group of public employees (Teachers, police and firemen, and municipal workers) in order to inflame the voters."
I think you have that backwards, but replace the words "public employees (Teachers, police and firemen, and municipal workers)" with "government sector unions".

Hoffa
go tell that to the Racine sheriff and the Racine Walker appointed DA!!

......
James R Hoffa

12:17 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012

@morninmist -

A thorough investigation was NEVER conducted, was it?

Socialist liberals profit off of both voter fraud and global warming myths.

@Taoist -

Pertaining to voter fraud, how do you know "there is no evidence for it?" Did you personally visit every residence listed on a voter registration form to verify if the elector actually lives where they claimed to live? If not, then how can you be so sure?

The fact of the matter is that one one really knows for sure because proper and thorough investigations are NEVER conducted.

And if it never happens on a widespread basis, as you claim, then why did a federal judge order a re-election in the City of East Chicago because of such unproven accusations and election irregularities?

If you're looking for the real fool or liar, perhaps, you should start by looking in the mirror!

BTW - Still waiting for the link to where Obama admits that his previous campaign promises were a mistake...

Yeah, crickets are exactly what I expect from a hack like you!

@Steve...How do socialist liberals profit from voter fraud and global warming? Seems your claim is pretty far fetched.

Hey Hoffa and other.

It was you and other silly TeaGOP who made fools of themselves yelling voter fraud week on end. You and others and made the claim and presented NO credible evidence. Find and evidence before you make fools of yourselves again!

...........
James R Hoffa

12:02 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012

@Taoist -

Pertaining to voter fraud, how do you know "there is no evidence for it?"

@morninmist -

A thorough investigation was NEVER conducted, was it? If just one of the new registration verification post cards is returned to the City as being undeliverable as addressed, then we have concrete solid proof of voter fraud, don't we? Let's just hope that this story is followed up on!

Hoffa,

Give me a break. If there was any evidence of widespread voter fraud, you loons would be trumpeting it at every opportunity. Your reply tells me that you're solidly in the "fool" category; besides you never addressed the issue that I raised - why are Republicans so quick to believe that there's voter fraud behind every rock and tree, and yet the global consensus on climate change doesn't persuade you?

Again, the answer is that you're not using your brain, for one reason or another. You just believe what you want to believe, and vote for whoever panders the hardest.

Steve - If you do hate "socialism" is any form, get off the roads.

@Taoist -

I ignored your query because the correlation you propose is highly illogical.

As far as the possibility of global warming is concerned, the verdict is still out on that, as contradictory evidence is being discovered all the time:

http://www.uni-mainz.de/eng/15491.php

And once again, you've proven yourself to be the fool in that you'll jump to party line conclusions despite the apparent fact of incomplete and non-thorough investigations into both of the issues you raise.

Try again!

Hoffa,

"And once again, you've proven yourself to be the fool in that you'll jump to party line conclusions despite the apparent fact of incomplete and non-thorough investigations into both of the issues you raise."

Do you even read this stuff? The difference in the two issues is that climate change isn't a "party-line conclusion," whereas voter fraud absolutely is.

I'll ask you again. Is there more evidence of widespread voter fraud in Wisconsin, or of human-caused climate change? Which of these issues has convinced insurance companies to alter their calculations? Which of these issues has motivated international conferences and treaties? Which of these issues is for serious adults, and which is red meat for bitter partisans and slow children? Open your eyes, man - you've been had.

Wow, Hoffa -

Just to give you the benefit of the doubt, I clicked your link. Did you read the article yourself? Are you aware that it doesn't support your position at all?

The article describes a study that identifies a cooling trend over the last 2000 years, and claims that this cooling trend supports the position that there is considerable natural variation in Earth's climate.

The theory behind human-caused climate change is that an increase in the level of CO2 in the atmosphere corresponds to warmer temperatures. This is supported by measurements from ice cores that go back 600,000 years. As CO2 levels in the atmosphere are currently at record highs, the theory predicts that one component of today's average temperature is an increase that is due to the high concentration of CO2. The concentration of CO2 is expected to continue to increase, due partly to industrial and transportation outputs; consequently the theory predicts that the average will continue to increase.

The phenomenon your article points to, if it truly exists, is perfectly compatible with the theory of global warming, and doesn't in any way invalidate it. Seriously, if you're going to throw out links to articles that supposedly support your position, you should try to read them first. Otherwise, all you do is demonstrate (again...) what a hard time you have with this whole "thinking" business.

@Taoist -

There isn't enough conclusive evidence to make a sound case for one to take a definitive position on either issue - was I not clear on this point before?

One thing that we do know for sure is that Scott Walker, who is publicly able to admit his mistakes after he makes them, is a much more honorable man than our President, who has yet to admit the mistakes of his previous campaign promises that he not only broke, but went in the complete opposite direction on!

So, Hoffa, you're saying that "There isn't enough conclusive evidence to make a sound case for one to take a definitive position" on the issue of voter fraud?

Am I reading that correctly?

@Taoist -

What do CO2 measurements in ice cores have to do with levels of CO2 in the atmosphere? Can you link me to a study that shows where measurements of CO2 have been collected from the high atmosphere over a substantial period of time and actually show an increase in the amount of such gas in the atmosphere?

@Taoist -

Yes, that is correct, because no one has ever conducted a thorough and complete investigation into voter fraud. However, there is enough evidence of irregularities and rules not being followed to support the need to conduct such an all encompassing investigation.

Hoffa,

Fortunately for the world, the design of experiments relating to atmospheric CO2 concentrations isn't the responsibility of "Hoffa." So, your inability to understand the methodology of ice core sampling, and your reflexive distrust of this uncontroversial practice, really aren't anyone's problems but yours.

Although, I do find it fairly hilarious that you're taking issue with the accuracy of ice core sampling, shortly after huffily presenting a study (which you misunderstood, for which you were righteously spanked by the massive spanking paddle that is my intellect) which interpreted the sizes of the rings of nearly fossilized trees at the bottoms of frozen lakes. Were those trees, at any point, up in the "high atmosphere?" 'Cause, you know, if something's not up in the high atmosphere, it's not science... dude...

Back to what you said before - "There isn't enough conclusive evidence to make a sound case for one to take a definitive position" on the issue of voter fraud. Are you going to stand by that statement?

Okay Hoffa, so you'd probably agree that passing a voter ID law, which will impose costs on taxpayers, is premature until your "all encompassing" study of voter fraud is complete, right?

So you're probably pretty irked with Wisconsin's legislators and governor for jamming such an ill-researched, and probably unnecessary, expansion of government up our a$$es, right?

@Taoist -

To the contrary - Voter ID would eliminate the need for the study, as it would prevent the kind of fraud that Hoffa linked to above from the potential of being committed. Also, the cost of the ID's is probably equal to or less than the cost of a completely thorough investigation into the issue of voter fraud. Accordingly, I have no problem with the Voter ID legislation and openly support it!

As to ice core sampling, all that scientifically proves is that the atmosphere rejects large concentrations of CO2 gas and sends such compound element back down to the surface of the planet in the form of precipitation.

Kay, Hoffa - just so you acknowledge that you're supporting unnecessary bureaucracy.

As far as the ice cores go - the fact that you don't understand it doesn't mean the method is flawed; it just means you're too lazy to do some basic research. Why don't you start with this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_core

@Taoist -

Why then is an ID required to exercise one's constitutional right to bear arms? Require proof of who you are to exercise one right, but not others?!?! Why the inconsistency?

Wikipedia - how scientific of you.

BTW - Did you ever take the 5 mins to find that link to where Obama admits that his campaign promises about federal deficit spending were in fact a mistake and that he never should have made such promises in the first place?

Steve - You are looking foolish on the global warming "myth".

If we can't trust our elected officials to be intelligent and humane as bosses, who can we trust?

...and considering that the vast majority of workers are non-union and seem to be doing just fine, we must have a lot of 'incredibly intelligent and humane' bosses in Wisconsin.

Dave, What of any of this has anything to do with my reply?

"Unions mitigated this behavior to a fairly large extent."

To the contrary - unions exacerbated the contempt between management and labor.

Cow Dung

The vast number of workers wages have been going down. Union wages help to keep wages as a living wage.

Dave:

Have the majority of workers been non-union only recently? This isn't a case of workers being desperate in bad economic times, it's about people being compensated according to the actual value of their work...

Not sure I understand the outrage of a company head earning 200 times as much as their employees. Many company heads are responsible for 200 times as much as the average employee.

Are you saying that the CEO of a grocery store chain shouldn't earn as much as the CEO of a small engineering firm because his employees earn far less money on average? Shouldn't the compensation of a CEO be based on company revenues, complexity and such rather than the average salary of the employees?

@CowDung...The problem with executive pay is that they are not generally paid on performance but potential. If a company performs, then the CEO should be compensated accordingly. Not the way we have the current system. Look at that Duke Energy CEO that was in place for 48 hours and walked away with millions. It is clear board of directors aren't doing their jobs because most of them are executives of some other firm and their compensation is also based on maintaining this bass ackwards system.

What is the solution, Lyle? I certainly don't want government dictating compensation levels for CEOs. That's a job for the business owner or the boards of directors.

Shouldn't CEO's be compensated however the board of directors of the PRIVATE company decides to compensate them?

So your reply is actually your defense of why "Ironically, one group of public employees (government sector unions) is attacking another group of public employees (elected officials) in order to inflame the voters."

@morninmist -

All the more reason why those registrations need to be verified in person by visiting the listed addresses to confirm if the elector lives where they claimed to live, isn't it?

Go do it instead of crying on a social board!!

Dirk - and Frosted Lucky Charms are filled with vitamins and nutirents.

BTW - why the hate for DMV? You are helpless. It is amazingly simple, painless and easy to get an ID or drivers license at a DMV. The DMV is remarkably efficient, lines are short and fees appropriate and fair.

Ima Hippee - From your sarcasm about the DMV, you make one of my points.
Try getting to a DMV without taking off work, and without a car. The Repubs got so extreme in getting a voter ID, they blew it Constitutionally. Not a lot of savvy there in crafting a bill. They were full of more than Lucky Charms.

Private businesses should have the power to compensate their employees as they see fit. If the owners are stupid enough to give bonuses when company performance is down, that is their business...

and won't be for long if it stays down

@Dave Koven -

CEO compensation should be decided by the board of directors of the individual privately or publicly traded firms, as those companies are all privately owned, are they not?

Public sector compensation should be set by the duly elected representatives of the people that are also charged with levying taxes. There's no need for a union in the public sector as such employees are already represented by the officials that they also get to vote for.

Since we let you vote, we have to let all the ignorant blowhards vote...

Only if he can present the proper ID.

Sunday night I had rotisserie chicken on the grill, not a stinkin lefty in site.

Did you dine and dash?

He went for the "Buy One Entree, Get One Free" deal. That always impresses a woman.

Somehow, suburban Republican food just seems boring, and the clientele boorish.

@Blade - Where was your Civics class? Homeschooled by the guy that maintains the trailer park? English was apparently not even taught. The only persuasive writing you do is for showing how rednecks should be forced to attend school until they are through the fourth grade, no matter what their age.

How many planks do you subsrcibe to DIRK the commie Biotch

THE TEN PLANKS OF THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO.
(Walk these planks at your own risk.)

“These measures will of course be different in different countries. Nevertheless in the most advanced countries, the following will be pretty generally applicable.
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production” (11)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfbX5dPODZs

Yep, you're right - unions certainly did create a lot of love between management and labor, didn't they?

Today, we have labor laws on the books that effectively cover and prevent all of the abuses you're referring to. Thus, all unions do today is create further contempt between management and labor because the unions became lazy and lost their way.

@Dave Koven -

Publicly traded companies are truly privately owned enterprises. Just because they're publicly traded doesn't mean that they're not still privately owned! Publicly traded just means that anyone who can afford to purchase a share of stock may do so if they desire such ownership interest. The ownership interest is still privately owned among all the various investors, just as it is with non-publicly traded companies.

No one is forcing anyone to buy shares in such companies, are they? If you don't like how a board is compensating a CEO and if you don't have enough shares to be able to vote in a board that is more apt to run the company how you'd prefer it to be run, then don't buy any shares in the company. Pretty simple solution, isn't it?

@Dave Koven... You are right many shareholder votes are 'advisory' in nature. Recently "Say on Pay" legislation was enacted as part of Dodd-Frank, it is advisory too. Recently, Citi lost their 'say on pay', here is an article on how it is all playing out.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/citigroup-has-few-options-after-pay-vote/

@Dave -

How does any of this change the solution - if Joe Blow doesn't like the way a company is being run, no one is forcing him to buy into such public offerings of the ownership interest in such companies, are they?

Likewise, no one is forcing Joe to patronize such companies, are they?

Joe is just as free in his choices as a company is to decide how to compensate its CEO.

So if we lower CEO compensation, the Democrats will stop stealing votes?

Anyway you look at it. skinnyDUDE continues to look like a fool screaming fraud!

skinny - So where are all the arrests, indictments, fed investigations, etc.in Racine?
Press charges, file complaints, civil lawsuits, etc. Why are Republicans such abunch of crybabies over fairy tales with bad endings? Be a man and prove your charges, a Democrat wronged would not be so wussy. Geez, get out there and get evidence, get off your duffs, Repubs.

Have you forgotten about Waukesha already, Dirk?

Liberal Democrats will ignore fraud because it benefits them. From votes for smokes, to BBQ for votes, to cemetary residents voting, this is what they do for it is the only way they can win. To them, the end justifies the means.
One of these days it will come to an end....hopefully it will mean honest elections.
What those that claim disenfranchisement are REALLY saying is some are too stupid to get a photo ID to vote. They need to be held accountable for this.

@morninmist -

How do do you reconcile liberal / leftist / Democratic pundits encouraging voter fraud?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB3j9fpTKkk

Didn't Ed Schultz visit Racine just before this the recall election? And then you wonder why everyone is up in arms - seriously?!?!

Maybe you should get your own people in order first before trying to lecture the other side of the aisle - just a thought!

@Keith Best....What insight you share. We've only been hearing this same party message for the last year and a half. Next time you comment see if you can't come up with something new and original. Pull your string and it's the same old party line rhetoric.

@Lyle...."What insight you share. We've only been hearing this same party message for the last year and a half. Next time you comment see if you can't come up with something new and original. Pull your string and it's the same old party line rhetoric."

I'm referring, of course, to your demonstrated history of suggesting there is no problem that can't be solved with a tax increase and corresponding government program. Your last few Patch articles are exhibit "A"

@GearHead...What do you expect from a self proclaimed social democrat?

@Dirk Gutzmiller -

How do do you reconcile liberal / leftist / Democratic pundits encouraging voter fraud?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB3j9fpTKkk

Didn't Ed Schultz visit Racine just before this the recall election? And then you wonder why everyone is up in arms - seriously?!?!

Maybe you should get your own people in order first before trying to lecture the other side of the aisle - just a thought!

@Dirk Gutzmiller--- of course the loss in Racine was due to cheating. In my conversations with folks that were involved there, there are all kinds of irregularities and outright fraud that was ignored by the DA as well as GAB.

All I'm saying is people are learning how it's done......and are determined to be more able to prove it in the future.

Being a good loser is one thing, having something stolen from you is another. When you get right down to it, the win for Democrats is symbolic at best. The senate goes back to session in January, after the Republicans pickup 2-3 seats in November. And take back the majority. But in the meantime I will preserve my dignity by not being a sucker to fraud, corruption and dishonesty.

Keith Best - Your insistence that the Racine election was stolen puts you in an awkward and incredible position. Your governor and most of the legislators and most of the Supreme Ct. are Republicans. Why can't they do something in spite of the Constitution about this rampant and flagrant voter fraud thing you are imagining? Sounds to most of us like whimpering.

Hoffa - Ed Schultz does not speak for Liberals in the same way that Limbaugh speaks for the doting extreme right. Liberals are more discerning.

@Dirk -

That's the biggest crock I've heard all year!

Limbaugh does not speak for me at all, but Ed has to speak for Dirk because he has his lips sealed to Ed's butt.

David Flanagan, judge, recall petition signer.

Where do they pull this 300K number from? Was it from the same 1 million signatures count from the recalls?

Related story--and good to see this:

Via @TPJustice: Obama Campaign Sues Ohio Officials, Calls New Limits On Early Voting Unconst... http://bit.ly/Nz9t9t | #p2 #law #justice

The 300k number was an opinion by a UW poli-sci proff., not the actual data that was presented by the state.

"Given the sacred, fundamental interest at issue, it is clear that Act 23, while perhaps addressing a legitimate concern, is not sufficiently narrow to avoid needless and significant impairment of the right to vote," Flanagan wrote.

So what is the real number and why am I not surprised a leftie judge is making an emotional ruling on false data and misty buys it hook line and sinker?

Remember, it starts at the top. Obama has attended 106, (one hundred and six,) fundraiser parties and 0 jobs meetings. (zero). Now, every president has a right to campaign, but this guy believes golf and fundraisers are MORE important.

Let's not forget his # 1 priority in 2009 was supposed to be jobs, but then he rammed thru Obamacare. He must be removed in November.

Dave Koven....the country will start to come back to a more solid footing once Obama loses. HIs policies are failing, don't you get it? We need a president who understands the free market, who understands how business works. Currently we have a chief executive who has never even run a lemonade stand.

I haven't seen that study either. Would you care to share the link?