SIT ON IT, TOM NELSON

Did Rep. Tom Nelson, Democrat from Kaukauna, fail to pay his rent?

Has he been evicted and he needs a place to stay?

There has to be a more reasonable explanation for Nelson's Capitol sit-in than just his frustration over the budget impasse.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Wisconsin lawmaker angry at his colleagues for failing to pass a state budget said he will sit at his desk in the Assembly chamber until they act.

Rep. Tom Nelson, D-Kaukauna, started the sit-in Thursday morning and said he would stay there 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the Assembly and Senate approve a new two-year spending plan, which is more than three months overdue.

"I 'm in it for the long haul, " he said.

His move drew derision from Republicans, who are trying to stop plans by Democrats to increase the cigarette tax by $1.25 per pack and impose a new tax on hospitals. The Republican Party of Wisconsin put out a news release titled: "I 'm not leaving until I raise your taxes, Nelson says. "

hehehe

"I'm not leaving until I raise your taxes."

HAHAHAHA

Nelson said he would leave the chamber only to use the restroom, shower in the Capitol basement and attend committee hearings. He said staff would bring him meals and friends would bring him fresh clothes if needed. He planned to set up a cot or sleeping bags.

Sitting in his high-backed leather chair, Nelson said he would spend his time surfing the Internet on his computer and might even start a blog. He joked that he might have enough time to write a new state budget by himself.

Oooh. A real politician blogging! How thrilling! (I wonder if Russ Feingold is one of his heroes. )

I think Nelson is actually aiming for some media attention, national media attention.

Forget about the news divisions of media outlets. Why not play up the entertainment aspect of this and work it into a reality show?

"Nelson After Dark."

At the very least, there should be a live Internet stream of Nelson's sit-in.

Maybe MSNBC could boost its dismal ratings by following Nelson's stunt, fit him with a "Nelson-cam" to document his every move, get Chris Matthews and/or Keith Olbermann to monitor him.

That would probably bring in an additional 100 viewers to MSNBC.

...Nelson 's theatrics were the latest in a budget stalemate that seems to grow more bizarre by the day. On Wednesday, hundreds of anti-tax advocates and state employees held an ugly shouting match over the budget in front of the Capitol.

The day before, Gov. Jim Doyle warned that University of Wisconsin System campuses might not open for the second semester if a new budget isn 't passed soon. The warning was widely mocked by Republicans as a desperate scare tactic.

There's no question that this budget thing is getting really weird.

Doyle is being downright goofy.

Let's hope he doesn't join Nelson's pajama party. That would be too weird for me to handle.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's All Politics Watch:

As Rep. Tom Nelson (D-Kaukauna) launched his sit-in over the budget Thursday, he had a steady stream of visitors - school groups, union members, TV crews -- to keep him company.

School groups are visiting?

Wow. There's a valuable field trip.

Good grief.

He wasn't sure if he would get clothes or a sleeping bag by 6 p.m. tonight, when the Capitol closes....

Nelson didn't plan very well.

He announces that he's not leaving the chamber but he doesn't even bring clothes and a sleeping bag. What was he thinking?

That's not very responsible. He's not very self-reliant. I guess that's related to his political mindset. Democrats are used to getting hand-outs, dependence as a way of life.

For tonight, he does have a DVD cued up to play on his laptop about an anti-war sit-in 40 years ago at the University of Wisconsin-Madison over Dow Chemical recruiting on campus.

Unbelievable.

Nelson just happens to have a DVD of an anti-war sit-in over the Dow Chemical recruiting at Madison.

That is so lame!

While he's at it, he should watch another DVD, one about the bombing of Sterling Hall.

Ah yes, those were the days.

If Nelson needs more than that to entertain him, he could watch Michael Moore's films. Those would probably keep him fired up.

Nelson says, "I just can't look my constituents in the eyes and say I'm doing everything I can to pass a budget if I'm not here ready to work."

Yeah, right. That's what this is about, the constituents. It has nothing to do with publicity, not a thing.

Bottom line: Nelson's sit-in is nothing more than a self-serving loony stunt.

He's not establishing a reputation as a serious lawmaker by sleeping and showering and doing everything else at the Capitol building.

He's earning a reputation as a media whore.