The Wisconsin Governor does not like unions.

Obviously the elite are Whole Foods customers.

KingGorilla wrote:

Who are the elite? The loonie liberals who are Marquette and UW Madison grads?

Wait, weren't the Koch boys -- you know, the folks who funded the WI GOP last election -- calling out Obama and the left for being dirty "egalitarians"? Shouldn't being elitist, the opposite, be a good thing?!

Quote of the Day
"I struggle to meet my bills right now... The benefits that were offered to me as a congressman don't even compare to the benefits that you get as a state employee. I just experienced that myself. They're not nearly as good."

-- Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), quoted by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, defending his congressional salary and benefits to a constituent who responded, "But $174,000 -- that's ... three times what I make."

Source.

I think that anyone who has trouble paying bills at $174k a year should be kicked out of Congress. You obviously don't know how to manage your own money, why the heck should anyone trust you with the nations?

WipEout wrote:

Obviously the elite are Whole Foods customers.

They have some fantastic cheese there.

NathanialG wrote:
WipEout wrote:

Obviously the elite are Whole Foods customers.

They have some fantastic cheese there.

They call it hipster cheese and costs $25 a slice

It's a really good new kind of cheese. You've probably never heard of it.

It is just that most of the elitists I knew lived in the Milwaukee burbs. And that is by mid west standards. They got nothing on Long Island.

NathanialG wrote:
WipEout wrote:

Obviously the elite are Whole Foods customers.

They have some fantastic cheese there.

I liked that cheese back when it was still curds.

Dude, I was a fan of the cow whose milk made the curds, you feel me? Awww-then-tic!

KrazyTacoFO wrote:
NathanialG wrote:
WipEout wrote:

Obviously the elite are Whole Foods customers.

They have some fantastic cheese there.

They call it hipster cheese and costs $25 a slice

My ex used to bring home a tiny slice of cheese that was wrapped in brandy soaked grape leaves. That was actually $75 a pound.

Psych wrote:
Quote of the Day
"I struggle to meet my bills right now... The benefits that were offered to me as a congressman don't even compare to the benefits that you get as a state employee. I just experienced that myself. They're not nearly as good."

-- Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), quoted by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, defending his congressional salary and benefits to a constituent who responded, "But $174,000 -- that's ... three times what I make."

Source.

Thanks for reminding me that people in Wisconsin elected a former lumberjack that was on the Real World. I needed more things to make fun of them for.

If you start attacking fried cheese curds, I will go apesh*t!

KingGorilla wrote:

If you start attacking fried cheese curds, I will go apesh*t!

Shouldn't that be Gorillash!t??

Speciesism....it isn't a pretty sight

I'm going to stop thinking there's no more contempt the Walker administration can show for the rule of law.

State officials say they will move forward with Wisconsin's controversial collective bargaining law, despite a judge's order barring its implementation — and a threat of sanctions against anyone who violates it.

Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said he has a legal obligation to implement all laws that have been passed by the Legislature, signed by Gov. Scott Walker and "published into law."

Huebsch added that the Department of Justice and his legal counsel agree that the measure has met those requirements "and is now effective law."

"It is my duty to administer that law," he said.

Dimmerswitch wrote:

I'm going to stop thinking there's no more contempt the Walker administration can show for the rule of law.

State officials say they will move forward with Wisconsin's controversial collective bargaining law, despite a judge's order barring its implementation — and a threat of sanctions against anyone who violates it.

Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said he has a legal obligation to implement all laws that have been passed by the Legislature, signed by Gov. Scott Walker and "published into law."

Huebsch added that the Department of Justice and his legal counsel agree that the measure has met those requirements "and is now effective law."

"It is my duty to administer that law," he said.

At what point does the federal government step in?

NathanialG wrote:
Dimmerswitch wrote:

I'm going to stop thinking there's no more contempt the Walker administration can show for the rule of law.

State officials say they will move forward with Wisconsin's controversial collective bargaining law, despite a judge's order barring its implementation — and a threat of sanctions against anyone who violates it.

Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said he has a legal obligation to implement all laws that have been passed by the Legislature, signed by Gov. Scott Walker and "published into law."

Huebsch added that the Department of Justice and his legal counsel agree that the measure has met those requirements "and is now effective law."

"It is my duty to administer that law," he said.

At what point does the federal government step in?

This is uncharted territory as far as I know. I mean, it's probably happened before, but what does it mean when state officials decide to ignore legal rulings by the court? I don't think that's a federal issue. I would think it's up to the judge, at that point, to issue a summons for contempt of court. Perhaps an arrest warrant. The AG for the state should be on top of this as well.

DS, the last time in our history where I recall that happening was pre-Civil War.

I wonder if that guy that does those "dramatic reading of" videos could read the apology. That'd be pretty awesome.

Who could do a whole series, and at the end you would have to choose which one was written by the Dane County Republicans, and which ones were written by jealous middle school girls.

Dimmerswitch wrote:

The Republican Party of Dane County doesn't know what an apology is.

The Republican Party of Dane County sent out a press release on March 29th criticizing Judge Maryann Sumi for holding up the publication of Governor Scott Walker’s collective bargaining reform bill. Upon further reflection we’d like to apologize for not understanding her point of view.

Sure, Governor Walker’s bill is unquestionably constitutional, increases worker’s rights and helps local government balance budgets without having to fire public workers. The Wisconsin state legislature consulted with their non-partisan parliamentarian to make sure that the passage of the bill followed the rules of the Senate and Assembly. But this isn’t about the law, is it?

The Republican Party of Dane County recognizes that Judge Sumi is a leftist living in Dane County. Her friends are leftists living in Dane County. Her son is a left wing activist in Dane County. She goes to cocktail parties held by leftists in Dane County. She shops at organic gourmet food shops run by leftists living in Dane County. If she were to enforce the law of Wisconsin and do what was in the best interest of the people of Wisconsin, she’d be exiled from her lifestyle. She’d lose her friends!

The leadership of the Republican Party of Dane County have all made the choice to stand against the Dane County elite. We accept that Left feels righteous vandalizing our homes and keying our cars. It's only fair. We disagree based upon logic and principle. That is intolerable! We prioritize the Constitution and the well being of the people of Wisconsin over foie gras at cocktail parties. That’s the choice we made. We respect Judge Sumi’s decision to live her life with the rich diversity that liberals cherish.

I'm no expert on American law, but isn't that both contemptuous of the court and defamatory?

I've got my popcorn ready. This is going to be a horrible train wreck, and I can't look away.

Tkyl wrote:

I've got my popcorn ready. This is going to be a delicious train wreck, and I can't look away.

DSGamer wrote:

This is uncharted territory as far as I know. I mean, it's probably happened before, but what does it mean when state officials decide to ignore legal rulings by the court? I don't think that's a federal issue. I would think it's up to the judge, at that point, to issue a summons for contempt of court. Perhaps an arrest warrant. The AG for the state should be on top of this as well.

It'll have to be this. Up to the judge to issue bench warrants for contempt at this point.

Remember the $7.5 million estimate the Walker administration tried to use as a rationale for restricting access to the Capitol? One of our newspapers did an open records request to determine how that was determined.

The only document the Walker administration produced was a single sheet of notebook paper.

IMAGE(https://img.skitch.com/20110331-m3ydgc3gb7nkemf9cmgmuidp75.preview.jpg)

Either they're astoundingly incompetent, or they're withholding documents showing that the number was inflated to further a political goal. (I'm open to other interpretations, but don't see any that are remotely plausible).

Is it remotely plausible that liberal ninjas broke in and stole the documents that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that passenger rail is environmentally and economically inferior to automobiles?

Judge Sumi has just explicitly ruled that the law is not in effect.

Link to PDF of ruling.

For the reasons stated on the record at the March 18, 2011, hearing conducted by the Court, as well as based on the testimony and evidence submitted at the March 29, 2011 hearing conducted by the Court, and pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 813.02, Secretary of State Douglas La Follette, in his official capacity, is hearby ENJOINED from designating the date of publication for 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, or any further implementation of 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, including but without limitation publishing in the official state newspaper, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 14.38(10)(c), until further order of the Court.

FURTHER, based on the briefs of counsel , the oncontroverted testimony, and the evidence received at the March 29, 2011 evidentiary hearing, it is hereby DECLARED that 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 has not been published within the meaning of Wis. Stats. §§ 991.11, 35.095(1)(b) and 35.095(3)(b), and is therefore not in effect.

SO ORDERED this 31st day of March 2011, at 8:15am.

Yonder wrote:

Is it remotely plausible that liberal ninjas broke in and stole the documents that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that passenger rail is environmentally and economically inferior to automobiles?

Do the empty cabinets smell of granola and apologies? I think you might be onto something.

I'm no expert on American law, but isn't that both contemptuous of the court and defamatory?

To be in contempt of court, you have to violate a judge's order (including, say, "Quiet in the court room"). You can't violate it without being subject to it first, of course. And you're allowed to lampoon, criticize or satirize people, especially public figures. So they're in the clear, legally, as I understand it.

Robear wrote:
I'm no expert on American law, but isn't that both contemptuous of the court and defamatory?

To be in contempt of court, you have to violate a judge's order (including, say, "Quiet in the court room"). And you're allowed to lampoon, criticize or satirize people, especially public figures. So they're in the clear, legally, as I understand it.

It's not illegal, but it is pretty stupid. She is the one who is going to decide what happens to their precious law. She can't technically let personal feelings interfere with her judgement, but it's not going to make her inclined to cut them any sort of slack during the hearings if they keep intentionally trying to piss her off.

If the public outcry were limited to that, I think I'd agree with you. But that statement is just one drop in a very large bucket of venom and vitriol.