Act 10 - 10th Anniversary

“Today marks the ten year anniversary of Act 10, Scott Walker’s most consequential government reform and clearly our state’s most successful public policy initiative by far.”https://t.co/FZiWLpoz4z pic.twitter.com/uwyUJc05Bg

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) February 12, 2021

Posted February 16, 2011:

This video from the Republican Party of Wisconsin is priceless.

It exposes the gaping divide between the Left's rhetoric and reality.

Scott Walker is Hitler. He's Mussolini. He's Mubarak. Walker's a terrorist.

Images of Scott Walker in crosshairs.

Hate comes from the Right and not the Left?

Not true.

________________

Photos of protest signs here.

'We Did It'

"We did it. We did it. Judge Barrett's going to the floor."

Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks after the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to advance the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Democrats boycotted the vote. https://t.co/7Oge8WpTSS pic.twitter.com/czYzTUhz7R

— ABC News (@ABC) October 22, 2020

Judge Amy Coney Barrett is on her way to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett was just voted favorably out of Senate Judiciary Cmte 12-0. No democrats showed up to vote. Senator Ernst & I both voted for this highly qualified Supreme Court nominee

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) October 22, 2020

Democrats run away again. Remember when the Democrat members of the Wisconsin State Senate ran away to Illinois in 2011?

Democrats need to grow up.

Green Party: Occupy Trump's Inauguration

Jill Stein retweeted this:

The Resistance: Gearing up to Occupy @realDonaldTrump's Inauguration. Find how you can #ResistTrump this week: https://t.co/pInKqjoXxF ✊️ pic.twitter.com/aYbJADDGws

— Green Party US (@GreenPartyUS) January 17, 2017

Good grief.

The "occupy" stuff backfires. Look at Wisconsin 2011.

Democrat Lawmakers Boycott Trump Inauguration

The Leftist hissy fit continues.

At least 20 Democratic lawmakers plan to skip Inauguration Day https://t.co/BzMxFMO6wq

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 16, 2017

From FOX News:

At least 20 Democratic lawmakers plan to skip Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony Friday after the president-elect lashed out against civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., for calling him an illegitimate president.

All of the lawmakers who plan to skip the ceremony are members of the House. Some are using Trump’s lewd statements about women, remarks about illegal immigrants and the reports of Russian-backed hacking of political committees as reasons for not going to the event.

Lewis said in an interview NBC’s “Meet the Press,” which aired Sunday, to lash out against Trump, saying that he didn’t see the president-elect as a “legitimate president” as well as blaming Russian hacking for helping him get elected.

“I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton,” Lewis said.

Trump fired back at Lewis Saturday on Twitter, telling Lewis that he should focus on fixing his district rather than “falsely complaining about the election.” Trump said Lewis’ district was in “horrible shape.”

...Vice President-elect Mike Pence said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that Lewis should reconsider his Inauguration Day boycott and urged congressional Democrats, and all Americans, to unite under Trump.

“While I have great respect for John Lewis and for his contributions, particularly to the civil rights movement, I was deeply disappointed to see someone of his stature question the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s presidency and to hear him say he was not attending the inauguration," Pence said. "I hope he reconsiders.”

Other lawmakers who don’t plan on attending Friday’s ceremony include: Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., Rep. John Conyers, D- Mich., Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., Rep. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Rep. Adam Smith, D- Wash., Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., Rep. José E. Serrano, D-NY, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., Rep. Mark Takano, D- Calif., Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-NY, Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-NY and Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-NY.

It was wrong of Rep. Lewis to say Trump isn't a "legitimate president." That's completely out of line.

Most definitely, Trump won the election legitimately. Lewis and the Democrats joining his boycott of the inauguration of our 45th president are, in effect, calling the votes of the nearly 63 million Americans that elected him illegitimate.

I know they don't care. They aren't required to care.

Whether or not Democrats show up to witness one of our nation's greatest moments, the peaceful transfer of power, doesn't matter.

Donald Trump will become the president on January 20th.

No Democrat boycott will change that. No boycott of the inauguration by performers will change that. No videos from Hollywood "celebrities" whining about Trump's election will change that.

Just as in Wisconsin in 2011, when the Democrats/Leftists went berserk and occupied and trashed the Capitol over Scott Walker and Act 10, these protests serve to elevate and solidify support rather than diminish it. Their childish and sometimes violent behavior serves as confirmation as to why they lost the election in the first place.

Donald Trump will become the president on January 20th. That's going to happen.

L.L.Bean Boycott

Linda Bean is one of more than 50 family members involved with L.L.Bean. She personally donated to Donald Trump's campaign. Because of that, the business is being targeted with a boycott.

Statement from L.L.Bean Executive Chairman Shawn Gorman:

We were disappointed to learn that Grab Your Wallet is advocating a boycott against L.L.Bean solely because Linda Bean, who is only one of 50+ family members involved with the business, personally supported Donald Trump for President.

L.L.Bean has been a family-owned business since it began back in 1912. L.L.Bean is a values driven company that has long been inspiring people to live life outdoors. For the last 105 years, L.L.Bean has been singularly focused on offering high-quality, satisfaction-guaranteed products and outstanding customer service in the Maine tradition. This commitment has allowed us to not only employ 5,000 hard-working people, but also donate tens of millions of dollars to non-profit organizations promoting environmental stewardship, educational attainment and a host of other worthy causes at the local, state and national levels.

Our owners, employees, and customers hold views and embrace causes that are individual and diverse. We are united by our love for the outdoors and our guiding principles established back in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean himself who believed “do unto others” was not just a saying, but a way of life. We fully acknowledge and respect that some may disagree with the political views of a single member of our 10-person board of directors. Like most large families, the more than 50 family member-owners of the business hold views and embrace causes across the political spectrum, just as our employees and customers do. And as every member of the family would agree, no individual alone speaks on behalf of the business or represents the values of the company that L.L. built.

With this in mind, we are deeply troubled by the portrayal of L.L.Bean as a supporter of any political agenda.

L.L.Bean does not endorse political candidates, take positions on political matters, or make political contributions. Simply put, we stay out of politics. To be included in this boycott campaign is simply misguided, and we respectfully request that Grab Your Wallet reverse its position.

Shawn Gorman
L.L.Bean Executive Chairman

It's ridiculous to target L.L.Bean with a boycott because one person in the business made a personal donation to Trump.

The bullying by these Leftist lunatics is unbelievable.

It's likely that other family members in the business donated to Democrat candidates. In that case, the goofy boycotters should be supporting L.L.Bean.

"L.L.Bean does not endorse political candidates, take positions on political matters, or make political contributions."

That's smart.

Unlike Penzeys Spices, a business that has woven Leftist politics into its marketing and slams those holding opposing political views, including past, present, and potential customers, L.L.Bean remains apolitical.

No business should be targeted for boycott based on personal political contributions. It makes no sense to punish a business and all its employees. Why set out to harm all those people?

Of course, it's no surprise that the Leftists are doing this. They have lost their minds because Trump defeated Hillary.

In Wisconsin in 2011, Leftists boycotted businesses because individuals involved with those businesses had contributed to Scott Walker. They went crazy, absolutely berserk. Their failed recall effort reinforced their insanity, having to deal with yet another defeat.

When Leftists lose, they go completely nuts. They are terrible, terrible losers.

The 2016 presidential election has revealed just how many Leftists, as well as Never Trumpers, are mentally unstable. It's kind of scary. So many are in complete meltdown.

Put on your big boy pants! Get a grip! Behave like rational, responsible adults!

Bottom line: L.L.Bean is not involved in politics. Period.

The business should not be the target of a boycott campaign. Period.

Penzey Email: Women's March

Bill Penzey wants to send his pins to Washington.

Here's his January 10, 2017, email:

Subject line: Heading to Women's March in DC?

Bussing it to The Women's March? Let us send some Kind Heart pins with you.




I received a nice email last week from one of our customers who is heading to the Washington Women's March on January 21st. She was hoping to purchase some of our Embrace Hope stickers to hand out to her fellow bus passengers. We sent the stickers at no charge, and thought it would be nice to send along some Kind Heart pins as well.

We learned in Wisconsin that protests really are an important piece of limiting what damage is done. The forces of open racism and open sexism have been intentionally set free by the rhetoric of this presidential election, and by the leadership proposed for the incoming administration. We believe that Kindness cannot sit down simply because anger has stood up. Without the spotlight and awareness protest brings, open sexism and racism will not be reined in. We all must work to support those with the strength and skills to successfully protest. They really are the front line in defending the goodness that makes America something special in the eyes of the world.

But as much as protest is key to maintaining the hard-won rights of so many that are very much at risk right now, protest alone will only take things so far. It's simply not enough to point and say "Can't you see what they’re doing here?" In the long run you have to offer people a better vision of the future, a vision they want more. This is where I think our Kind Heart pins can help.

If you are one of the many who have made plans to bus it on out to our Capitol for the Women's March, we would like to send some Kind Heart pins with you. Our supply at the moment is not unlimited, but while they last we would like to send three for each person on your bus—one to keep, and two to pass out as a thanks for kindness found along the road or in the capital. In the short term protest is key, but in the long run our compassion is our greatest strength.

If the idea of sharing Kind Heart pins with your fellow bus passengers appeals to you, please contact us at editor@penzeys.com. We could use an address to send them to, a head count of those going along, and what day you are planning to leave. And since we've created a bit of an angry buzz in the right wing media world recently, if you could add a couple of sentences about why you believe it's important to take the time and effort to attend the march, it would help us make sure our pins get to those actually taking part.

And even if our pins run out before we can meet all that are requested, I do want to thank everyone taking the time to travel to our capital and to all the other cities across the country where people are gathering to stand up for the rights of women, and to make it known that the majority of Americans do not want or accept the sexism at the heart of this last election. Your voices are so important right now. Thank you for standing up for the values of America.


Bill
bill@penzeys.com

This is funny: "We learned in Wisconsin that protests really are an important piece of limiting what damage is done."

No, Bill, you didn't learn.

The protests in Madison over Act 10 only served to elevate the status of Governor Scott Walker and Wisconsin Republicans. The country was disgusted by the outrageous behavior of the Leftists and the runaway Democrat Wisconsin state senators.

Penzey's accusation that the "forces of open racism and open sexism have been intentionally set free by the rhetoric of this presidential election, and by the leadership proposed for the incoming administration" may play well with his fellow Leftists, but it's not helping their cause overall.

The Leftists never learn.

Anti-Trump Protests - Chicago, New York, Nationwide

What a surprise! Anti-Trump protests are taking place across the country.

Chicago:

Hundreds of anti-#MAGA protesters march with Mexican flag chanting "not my president!" In Chicago. @Cernovich @gatewaypundit pic.twitter.com/j8ArZI9iy7

— Andrew Marcus (@ImAndrewMarcus) November 10, 2016

New York City:

Anti-Trump protest happening right now in NYC pic.twitter.com/eWGjmCBbZy

— billboard (@billboard) November 10, 2016

We saw this in Wisconsin when the Leftists occupied the Capitol in 2011.

Their craziness motivated us to vote in the Scott Walker recall.

We, of course, won.

Sane, peaceful protests are fine, but when the loons go nuts, there's a backlash.

The protesters elevated Walker. They helped him.

These protests can only help Trump.

Not the desired outcome for the protesters.

__________________


Protests to Trump’s Election Spread Nationwide

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Manhattan on Wednesday night and converged on Trump Tower in Midtown to protest the election of Donald J. Trump as president.

Similar protests happened in several cities across the country, including Boston, Chicago, Seattle and Washington, and at college campuses in California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

In New York, the protests started in separate waves from Union Square and Columbus Circle and snaked their way through Midtown.

The protesters chanted “You’re not our president” and “New York hates Trump” and carried signs that said, among other things, “Dump Trump.” Restaurant workers in their uniforms briefly left their posts to cheer on the demonstrators.

Charlie Sykes: False Statement About Breitbart

Time to fact check Charlie Sykes.

Yes, we know that Sykes and his Right Wisconsin minions are on a Never Trump (AKA Always Hillary) mission.

I tuned in to Sykes' radio program this morning to hear his interview with Mike Pence. After, Sykes discussed Paul Ryan's primary race with Paul Nehlen. In the process, he bashed Drudge, Breitbart, Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, and others.

First, I wholeheartedly support Paul Ryan and will be happy when he wins tomorrow as he undoubtedly will.

Now, back to Sykes and his flat-out false statement about Breitbart.

Sykes was whining about figures in the national conservative media, including Breitbart.

Sykes said that they don't understand Wisconsin, that they "had absolutely zip to do with the Republican revolution in Wisconsin." He said they were "absolutely nowhere during the recall elections." He said they "never lifted a finger for Scott Walker."

That is BS.

Andrew Breitbart most definitely covered the struggle in Wisconsin in 2011. He came to Madison and spoke at rallies and did exposés on the Leftist protesters. Sarah Palin came to Madison in 2011. Certainly, Drudge posted links to stories about the war on Scott Walker.

From a previous post:

Here in Wisconsin, we all remember the insanity of early 2011. Breitbart was here, helping us fight to save our state.

When doctors in Madison were handing out fraudulent medical excuses to teachers and others skipping work to protest Gov. Scott Walker's reforms, Breitbart was there. He had no problem being diagnosed with "Walker pneumonia."

Here's video:



Here's Breitbart at a Tea Party rally in Madison, February 19, 2011:



He was passionate. He was fully committed to the cause. His enthusiasm and tenacity was inspiring. He was funny.

Here's video of Breitbart's remarks while introducing Sarah Palin at a Tea Party rally in Madison, April 16, 2011:



He was not afraid to call out the divisive, pro-union protesters there on the periphery of the gathering as lying, rude, disrespectful people. Breitbart told them to "go to hell." He defended the courageous Sarah Palin for her effectiveness in calling out the "community organizer-in-chief, Barack Obama."

And here's Andrew Breitbart's speech at CPAC, February 11, 2012:



One of my favorite lines: "Everything has changed, everything has changed in the last few years. Conservatives used to take it and we're not taking it anymore."

Bottom line: Sykes is wrong. PANTS ON FIRE wrong. The people he now maligns were a part of the Wisconsin Republican revolution.

Breitbart was here, as were others. They brought national attention to our fight against the Leftists occupying Madison.

Sykes and his Right Wisconsin crew need to be careful. Their credibility is at risk. They are not allowed to rewrite history.
____________

I'll offer specifics of the Sykes interview with Mike Pence later.

I couldn't wait to correct the falsehoods being spread by Sykes on WTMJ. His statements needed to be refuted immediately.

Day Without Latinos - Madison, Wisconsin Capitol

Looks like 2011.

Thousands of people protest
"anti-immigrant" legislation in Wisconsin https://t.co/NplLmArjCX via @GregJKrieg pic.twitter.com/SMVNx15pgr

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 18, 2016

Act 10: Four Years Ago

4 years ago today, @GovWalker introduced his collective bargaining reforms that would become Act 10. http://t.co/nBZ0YvzVKa #WIPolitics

— MacIver Institute (@MacIverWisc) February 11, 2015

Remember it well MT @MattBatzel: 4 years ago, Scott Walker introduced collective bargaining reforms, which have saved taxpayers $3 Billion

— Senator Leah Vukmir (@Leahvukmir) February 11, 2015

Dropkick Murphys HATE Scott Walker

I've attended performances by Dropkick Murphys in Milwaukee.

Family members are fans of the band.

It's unfortunate that they turned out to be such HATERS.

The other night, I saw on Twitter that Dropkick Murphys requested that Scott Walker stop using their music because they HATE him.

@ScottWalker @GovWalker please stop using our music in any way...we literally hate you !!! Love, Dropkick Murphys

— Dropkick Murphys (@DropkickMurphys) January 25, 2015

The tweet no longer appears on the band's timeline, but it lingers in cyberspace.



This morning, I'm glad to see that their expression of HATE is getting attention.

I love it when the truth about a HATER is exposed.

From the Washington Times:

Boston-based Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys admonished Scott Walker for using their music for his political purposes, issuing a scathing tweet that they “literally hate” the Wisconsin governor.

The band took exception to Mr. Walker’s blaring of the band’s “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” as he took the stage Saturday at the Iowa Freedom Summit, tweeting to the Republican governor to “please stop using our music in any way … we literally hate you !!!”

The Dropkick Murphys have been at odds with Mr. Walker since 2011, when he introduced and brought to fruition a bill that limited the collective bargaining rights of unions. The band responded by selling pro-union T-shirts on their official website, A.V. Club reported.

My family member fans of the band dismissesd the 2011 stuff, but I'm hoping the "we literally hate you" line moves them to reject listening to these HATERS.

I encourage Scott Walker to use music performed by more civil individuals.

Graeme Zielinski: Scott Walker Birthday Rant

Crazed Democrat Graeme Zielinski, the guy who worked as a "researcher" for Chris Abele, produced a stream of spewings on Twitter early yesterday evening.

Sunday was Scott Walker's birthday and the 4th anniversary of his first election as governor of Wisconsin. (God, that was a great night! So many terrific victories!)



Of course, the nightmare would begin a few months later - the protests and all the ugliness. Then came the recall.

But that ended with Walker's historic victory, defeating Tom Barrett - again.



This stinging defeat for the Democrats left some of them angry and bitter and bent on revenge. Of course, some were angry and bitter long before the recall.

Read some of the weird poison tweeted by Zielinski:

True story: @ScottWalker celebrated his 4th birthday by rigging the pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game.

— Graeme Zielinski (@gjzielinski) November 2, 2014

For his 7th birthday, @ScottWalker denounced the clown as "pro-abortion."

— Graeme Zielinski (@gjzielinski) November 2, 2014

.@ScottWalker celebrated his 11th Birthday with a "Jail Mandela" cake.

— Graeme Zielinski (@gjzielinski) November 2, 2014

For @ScottWalker's 17th birthday, he promised his friends Amy Grant tickets and made off with the money.

— Graeme Zielinski (@gjzielinski) November 2, 2014

You don't want to know what happened for @ScottWalker's 20th birthday. But the out-of-state press might someday.

— Graeme Zielinski (@gjzielinski) November 2, 2014

Zielinski, Abele's "researcher," is really twisted. A mentally balanced adult wouldn't publish such bizarre statements.

Why not tweet about Mary Burke's accomplishments and her qualifications to be governor of Wisconsin?

Right.

One tweet, 140 characters, is more than enough to tell that story.

Lee Saunders, AFSCME, Targets Scott Walker

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has a "score to settle" with Scott Walker.

From the Washington Post:

The nation’s largest public sector union is mounting an intense effort to eject Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker from office this fall, determined to oust the Republican who punctured the power of organized labor in the state.

“We have a score to settle with Scott Walker,” Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said in his first interview about the union's midterm strategy.

“He took collective bargaining away from us,” Saunders added, noting that the union was first started in the 1930s by state employees in Madison. “He stole our voices, in a state where we were born.”

...Saunders declined to specify how much AFSCME would pump into politics this year, saying only: “We play hard.”

That sounds rather thuggish.

...The union’s top target is Walker, whose 2011 legislation curbing the collective bargaining rights of public employees set off a political storm. The law, which prevents the automatic deduction of union dues from worker paychecks, has cut deeply into the membership of AFSCME and other unions in Wisconsin.

“We’ve lost 70% of our membership in the state,” said Saunders, adding that the union is down to about 25,000 members there. “But let me tell you something: the members that remain are some of the most committed and dedicated members that we have all across this country.”

Walker survived a contentious recall attempt backed by AFSCME and other unions in 2012. But labor officials said that they believe they have a better shot defeating the governor in a normal election year.

Why did the union lose 70 percent of its membership in Wisconsin after Act 10 became law? What does that tell you?

The union wasn't outlawed. Members CHOSE to leave the union.

In effect, Scott Walker and the legislature gave the members their freedom to choose, and the members acted.

No wonder Walker is AFSCME's Public Enemy No. 1. The union leaders don't want people to have a choice.

This "[Walker] stole our voices" crap is crap.

Hey, Lee! Your past members decided to bail. Walker isn't responsible for your membership bleed.

AFSCME wants power and control. The union wants to force people to serve the organization. Unfortunately, for Saunders and his brethren, the members aren't cooperating, 70 percent, 25,000 strong.

Scott Walker didn't steal their voices. He gave them a choice.

Free will is a bitch, isn't it Lee?
_____________

Full disclosure: Years ago, under previous employment, I was forced to be a member of AFSCME. Back then, I wish I would have been able to make a choice.

Scott Walker's Success

In 2005, 2006 & 2007, no recession, no massive protests, no recalls, yet WI had a lower job growth rate & fewer jobs created than past 3 yrs

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) September 6, 2014

Remembering Andrew Breitbart

It's hard to believe it's been one year since Andrew Breitbart passed away. It doesn't seem possible.

Here in Wisconsin, we all remember the insanity of early 2011. Breitbart was here, helping us fight to save our state.

When doctors in Madison were handing out fraudulent medical excuses to teachers and others skipping work to protest Gov. Scott Walker's reforms, Breitbart was there. He had no problem being diagnosed with "Walker pneumonia."

Here's video:



Here's Breitbart at a Tea Party rally in Madison, February 19, 2011:



He was passionate. He was fully committed to the cause. His enthusiasm and tenacity was inspiring. He was funny.

Here's video of Breitbart's remarks while introducing Sarah Palin at a Tea Party rally in Madison, April 16, 2011:



He was not afraid to call out the divisive, pro-union protesters there on the periphery of the gathering as lying, rude, disrespectful people. Breitbart told them to "go to hell." He defended the courageous Sarah Palin for her effectiveness in calling out the "community organizer-in-chief, Barack Obama."

And here's Andrew Breitbart's speech at CPAC, February 11, 2012:



One of my favorite lines: "Everything has changed, everything has changed in the last few years. Conservatives used to take it and we're not taking it anymore."

_________________

In Memoriam: Arlene Mae Breitbart, 1925-2013

WEAC Letter: 'Proud of Composure and Professionalism'

It's only Monday, but the award for the most ridiculous comment of the week goes to WEAC.

MacIver News Service has a letter WEAC sent to its members after their humiliating defeat in last Tuesday's recall election.

Mary Bell, President of Wisconsin Education Association Council, writes to her minions:

We are all disappointed in the outcome of the recall election, yet despite an electoral defeat, there is a lot we have accomplished in educating and informing the people of Wisconsin about public education, workers' rights and the need to restore civility and honest government. That work continues and we must remain vigilant.

...We can be proud of the composure and professionalism we maintained throughout the past year and a half while our profession and rights were under attack. We can be proud of taking a stand for what we believe in: honest government, public education, professional respect and having a voice in our schools.

This is what "rewriting history" looks like.

The union leaders and minions and allies lacked all composure and professionalism.

Example: Fred Levenhagen, teacher for the Lake Country School District, Hartland, Wisconsin.



Their behavior was despicable. They should not be proud of the disrespect and selfishness they displayed.

Not only Wisconsin but the entire country was watching as they shut down schools so they could protest at the Capitol. We saw them collect fake doctors' notes to excuse themselves from skipping school, at taxpayers' expense. We saw them chanting and screaming like fools.

"[P]roud of the composure and professionalism we maintained throughout the past year and a half"?

No.

Do not be proud. Be ashamed. Be very ashamed.

But thank you, unions, for giving Scott Walker a mandate. Thank you for solidifying the Walker Coalition.

SOLIDARITY!

Voting for Walker and Kleefisch

Finally, election day is here. June 5th has arrived.

Soon, I will go to my polling place. I won't bring drums or vuvuzelas. I won't chant. I won't be disruptive or spew obscenities.

There will be no chaos. I will quietly and patiently wait in line if necessary for the opportunity to complete the most important ballot I have ever cast as a Wisconsin voter.

With great satisfaction, I will vote for Governor Scott Walker and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. My voice will be heard.

I am going to make sure other Walker and Kleefisch supporters get to the polls.

That's what democracy looks like.

Let's take a look back. Over a year ago, Leftists/Democrats/union activists showed all of us their idea of what democracy looks like.

It's violent and thuggish and destructive and divisive. It's disorderly. It's dishonest. It's scary.

From March 10, 2011:

What demonstrators did at the Capitol on Wednesday evening can in no way be deemed a peaceful protest.

They used force to storm the building. They disobeyed the orders of the police. They streamed in the closed building through windows. Windows were broken.

This was out of control and violent. It looked like a riot. It was worse than Wal-Mart or Best Buy on Black Friday.



From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Protesters took back control of the Capitol on Wednesday night after Senate Republicans passed a bill curtailing most collective bargaining rights for public employees.

Surging past security, the demonstrators reclaimed the Capitol rotunda - the site of nearly three weeks of continuous protests.

The scene took on the intensity and passion of the early days of the protests after senators voted on a bill Wednesday with none of their Democratic colleagues present.

Outside, protesters chanted "Let us in," banged drums and blew horns in protest and threw snowballs at windows of the Capitol.

Inside, they yelled "You lied to Wisconsin" and "Kill the Bill."

...Protesters poured into the Capitol after police stopped guarding at least one entrance and outside doors were opened.

Scott Golueke of Madison said he had watched as demonstrators on the inside of the building attempted to force their way past police to the doors of the State St. entrance of the Capitol. The demonstrators were not using their arms but were attempting to walk past police as the officers attempted to drag them back.

But then the police left and the demonstrators inside the building were able to open the doors, allowing protesters to stream in, he said.

In a scene at another entrance, scores of protesters pressed against the door as two dozen police officers pushed them back.

Tim Donovan, a spokesman for Gov. Scott Walker's Department of Administration, said some protesters inside opened doors for others to get in, while some also came in the windows.

"The doors were breached," Donovan said.

As the crowds grew, the decision was made to let people in rather than have a confrontation, he said.

...Shortly before 10:30 p.m., Donovan, the spokesman for the Administration Department, said no arrests had been reported. Donovan said police would not force the estimated 5,000 to 7,000 people in the building to leave.

He said police were concentrating their efforts on keeping people safe, rather than forcing them to leave.

"Some doors were damaged, knobs and handles broken off," Donovan said. "Some windows were either opened or broken. We can't confirm whether any window glass was broken."

So the Capitol is once again under siege.

The protesters have returned with their sleeping bags and bedding. And their drums.

Let's cut the crap. These protesters are not peaceful. They're vile and violent. Their chants and signs are ugly and vulgar.

The police gave up trying to control them. They couldn't maintain the peace.

These people should not be in the building after hours. They should not be sleeping in the Capitol.

The protesters yell, "This is our house."

Yeah, well, it's my house, too. I want them to abide by the house rules. People don't have the right to break in whenever they want. Government buildings have hours of operation when they're open to the public.

I think it's time to restore order.

I realize that Governor Walker and the Republicans don't want to deal with the protesters heavy-handedly, but there comes a time (like now) when enough is enough.

What we saw Wednesday night was not a peaceful protest at all. It was chaos. It was thuggery - breaking doors, ignoring police, and crawling in windows.

I have absolutely no problem with protests, marches, and rallies. As disgusting as some of the chants and signs are, I believe the right to free speech should be protected. I don't want protests to be halted. I'm just not at all comfortable with the inability of police to control the mob.

I have loved ones working at the Capitol and this disorder is freaking me out.

If the police cannot manage the thousands of protesters and maintain order, and clearly they cannot, then I think it's time for the National Guard to do it.

If the police have no control, and they don't, then public safety is compromised.

That's unacceptable. Not in my house.
________________

Here's video of protesters taking over the Capitol on Wednesday night, from Althouse:



Here's video of protesters trying to break in a bathroom window at the Capitol, from Breitbart:



More video, from March 10, 2010: Protesters being dragged from the Capitol

____________________

Back to June 5:

Watching these videos, reliving the hell, is very unpleasant.

We've put up with a lot - state senators fleeing to Illinios, the ugliest of protests, the vilest of threats.

As the Leftist/Democrat/unionista hissy fit went on and on, we saw Act 10 didn't bring about the end of the world. To the contrary, the reforms were beneficial and liberating. Property taxes actually were lowered.

How do the Leftists respond to successful reform? Recall.

Mercifully, the end is hours away. The polls will close.

We will soon be spared the torture of Tom Barrett's slimy campaign and his sleazy ads.

I am praying that Gov. Walker and Lt. Gov. Kleefisch win and win decisively.

No doubt, the Democrats have plans to challenge the results, whatever the numbers. That's SOP.

I can't bear the thought of the races being so close that recounts are required. If that happens, I don't what I'll do. Collapse, I suppose.

I want it to be over.

Dem lawyers and paid union activists, go home.

Past 16 Months in Wisconsin

Time for some reflection.

From the MacIver Institute:

It's been a strange 16 months in Wisconsin. After Big Government Labor Unions poured in tens of millions of dollars in unsuccessful efforts to stop ACT 10, win a Supreme Court Seat and gain control of the State Senate, Governor Scott Walker faces a recall election on Tuesday, June 5th.

I wish I could say it's been fun, but it hasn't.

It has been enlightening though.

We've seen the tactics of the Leftists/Democrats/unionistas. We've witnessed their thuggery.

The Left is in full meltdown. They've come undone.

What did they achieve by throwing their most hissy of hissy fits?

Hopefully, NOTHING.


Dear Leftists,

GROW UP!

Kris Barrett - MPS Emails

Kris Barrett, wife of Tom Barrett, the disastrous mayor of Milwaukee and Democrat candidate for governor (again), thinks she doesn't have to play by the rules.

On the taxpayers' dime, Kris Barrett, former MPS teacher, engaged in lobbying and campaign activity.

That's a no-no, Kris.

Media Trackers broke the story.

A Media Trackers open records request revealed that Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett’s wife, Kris Barrett, who taught at Dover Elementary used her Milwaukee Public School email account to twice lobby Democratic lawmakers and a third time to recruit fellow teachers to campaign against County Executive candidate Jeff Stone. The use of a taxpayer funded email account for such political purposes is a gross misuse of resources and forbidden by the Milwaukee Public Schools Employee Code of Ethics as well as the MPS Staff Acceptable Use Policy.

On Monday February 14, 2011, Kris Barrett emailed Democrat State Senator Spencer Coggs and Democrat Rep. Tamara Grigsby to encourage them to vote against Governor Walker’s Budget Repair Bill. The title of the email was “a teacher’s voice” and Ms. Barrett decried that “we are all under attack.”

See the emails here.

When a fellow teacher asked if Ms. Barrett had seen the news that night (the passage of the Budget Repair Bill), Barrett answered “Unfortunately, yes. Oh my God. What country is this????”

The use of an MPS email account for political purposes such as lobbying Democratic lawmakers and recruiting fellow teachers to go campaign certainly violates the Milwaukee Public Schools Employee Code of Ethics.

...In addition to the Employee Code of Ethics, Ms. Barrett also appears to have violated the MPS Staff Acceptable Use Policy for the use of the MPS network system and computer resources.

Kris Barrett clearly doesn't care about ethics.

She knew what she was doing.

This is an embarrassment for Tom Barrett and the Democrats, especially since they're trying to paint Scott Walker as a crook.

Yeah, awkward.

If Kris Barrett shows up on Barrett's campaign commercials, like she has in Barrett's other attempts at becoming governor, remember that Kris disregards the rules.

Ethics. Shmethics.

At the very least, Milwaukee first lady and wannabe Wisconsin first lady should issue a statement acknowledging her misdeeds and apologize to the taxpayers and MPS students.

Maybe she doesn't care about being a role model for students. If she doesn't, she should ignore the matter.

We'll understand what her silence means.
________________

MPS isn't staying silent.

Here's the statement from Milwaukee Public Schools:

"The emails sent from an MPS account appear to constitute a violation of our policies. We did not become aware of the emails until after the employee was no longer working for Milwaukee Public Schools."

From 620 WTMJ:

MPS officials say because Kris Barrett is no longer working at the district and no further action will be taken.

That makes sense. Tom Barrett's comment on his wife's violation, however, makes absolutely not sense.

"They are going to try to drag my wife into this, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to drag my kids into this," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. "They will do anything they can because they are fighting for their life because Scott Walker knows he cannot defend his record."

...Mayor Tom Barrett defended his wife. "My understanding is that there was one email out of gazillions that they sent out where she talked about a rally in the county executive race last year. There was nothing in there that had to do with this race whatsoever," said Tom Barrett.

I think it's a mistake for Barrett to defend wrongdoing. It's always best to own up to the offense and apologize.

No kidding Kris Barrett didn't write any emails about the current race.

She wasn't an MPS employee when the recall election got going. What a stupid thing for Barrett to say!

It's wrong for Barrett to lash out at Media Trackers. An open records request isn't dirty politics. It's transparency.

The Barretts should take responsibility for their behavior, not shoot the messenger.

Now, about this statement from Barrett:

"They will do anything they can because they are fighting for their life because Scott Walker knows he cannot defend his record."

OK. That's just sad.

Scott Walker is running on his record. His record is what makes the case for voters to keep him as our governor.

Barrett, on the other hand, has a miserable record as mayor of Milwaukee, absolutely miserable. I've experienced it. I've seen what's happened to the city since Barrett has been in office.

The notion that Gov. Walker "knows he cannot defend his record" is absurd. Barrett is in the position of defending the indefensible. Milwaukee is a mess.

Very sad, but true.

Madison Det. John Messer: Protests and Crime

This story is explosive.

In court, under oath, a Madison Police detective testifies that he was unable to do the appropriate follow-up in the investigation of an armed robbery because he was assigned to the Capitol instead, to manage the PROTESTERS.

Detective John Messer blames the protests for the shoddy job done by police in the investigation of the case.

Thanks to the anti-Scott Walker, union, Democrat, Leftists' hissy fit, resources were diverted and criminals remained on the streets.

Even worse, the suspects allegedly committed a MURDER months after the armed robbery.

From the MacIver Institute:

The Capitol protests in Madison during February and March 2011 were not peaceful. At times, protesters stormed the building through windows. One protester attempted to remove the exterior door hinges. Thousands stormed the building, camped out for weeks and often harassed the lawmakers and staff that worked in the building.

The disruptive nature of the Capitol Occupation required round-the-clock police presence for crowd control and protective detail for those who worked in the building. That diversion of resources had a ripple effect through communities across Wisconsin as officers who normally would be on the job at home, had to spend time attempting to keep the peace at the State Capitol.

In this video, a Madison Police Detective testifies in court, under oath, that his diversion to the Capitol prevented him from questioning two subjects identified by the victim of an armed home invasion, which he had begun to investigate prior to the Capitol Occupation.

The suspects are now currently in the Dane County Jail, awaiting trial for a different crime--a murder they are alleged to have committed several months after the robbery. It was a robbery for which they were implicated by others, but for which they were never questioned by police.

MacIver News Service's Bill Osmulski reports from the Dane County Courthouse in Madison.

Video.



So here is part of the fall-out from the protests in Madison last year.

Sickening.

This story should receive wipespread attention.

I'm sure the local media will pick this up immediately. MSNBC will run it.

Just kidding.

NBC News will probably edit the audio to say Scott Walker was responsible for the armed robbery and the murder.