Saturday, February 26, 2011

An American Dictator

Here is a picture of an American Dictator.  Well, at least a picture of a person that wants to be an American Dictator.


This is Scott Walker, Governor of Wisconsin.

Here, courtesy of ThinkProgress.org, are ten policies that Walker is trying to get passed.

1. ELIMINATING MEDICAID: The Budget Repair Bill includes a little-known provision that would put complete control of the state’s Medicaid program, known as BadgerCare, in the hands of the state’s ultra-conservative Health and Human Services Secretary Dennis Smith. Smith would have the authority to “to override state Medicaid laws as [he] sees fit and institute sweeping changes” including reducing benefits and limiting eligibility. Ironically, during the 1990s it was Republicans, especially former Gov. and Bush HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, who helped develop BadgerCare into one of the country’s most innovative and generous Medicaid programs. A decade later, a new generation of radical Republicans is hoping to destroy one of Wisconsin’s “success stories.”
2. POWER PLANT PRIVATIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL NEGLECT: The same budget bill calls for a rapid no-bid “firesale” of all state-owned power plants. One progressive blogger called the proposal “a highlight reel of all of the tomahawk dunks of neo-Gilded Age corporatism: privatization, no-bid contracts, deregulation, and naked cronyism” and suggested that the provision will open the way for large, politically connected corporations to buy up the state’s power plants on the cheap. While it’s unclear whether corporations would be interested in buying the plants, a similar proposal was vetoed six years ago by Gov. Jim Doyle (D), who called the plan fiscally and environmentally irresponsible. Many of Wisconsin’s power plants are in violation of federal clean air regulations and desperately need to be upgraded and cleaned up — not dumped into the private sector.
3. DANGEROUS DRINKING WATER: Republican lawmakers have introduced bills in both the Senate and the House which would repeal a rule requiring municipal governments to disinfect their water. Conservatives have said that the clean water rule — which went into effect in December — is simply too expensive. Yet the rule only affects 12 percent of municipalities and the price may be worth it. In 1993, 104 people died and 400,000 fell sick when the Milwaukee water supply became infected. Even two decades later, the Environmental Protection Agency Advisory Board notes that 13 percent of acute gastro-intestinal illnesses in municipalities that don’t disinfect their water supplies are the result of dirty water. Municipalities can keep their water clean for as low as $10,000 per well — but apparently for the Wisconsin GOP that is too high a price to pay to keep citizens safe from deadly microorganisms.
4. DESTROYING WETLANDS: In January, Walker’s proposed regulatory reform bill exempted a parcel of wetland owned by a Republican donor from water quality standards. But the exemption was more than just an embarrassing giveaway to a GOP ally: environmental groups believe the bill’s special provision would actually affect the entire county, eliminating public hearings on proposed wetland development, short-circuiting approval of development projects, and disrupting the region’s water system.
5. FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY: Walker signed a bill this week requiring a 2/3 supermajority in the legislature to pass any tax increase. Republican lawmakers are now reportedly considering a constitutional amendment that would make the rule permanent. A similar constitutional amendment in California has been called the “source of misery” of that state’s crippling budget crisis and has forced lawmakers to “gut public education, slash social services and health care programs, close prisons, and lay off record numbers of public employees.” While claiming to “make a commitment to the future instead of [choosing] dire consequences for our children” Walker and GOP lawmakers are instead putting generations of Wisconsinites in a “fiscal strait-jacket.”
6. DISENFRANCHISING VOTERS: This week, Republican lawmakers moved forward on a bill that would require voters to present a photo ID from the DMV at the polls, making it significantly more difficult for the elderly, the disabled, college students, and rural residents to participate in elections. While Republican lawmakers insist the bill is necessary to prevent voter fraud, there have been almost no documented cases of fraudulent voting in the state. Instead, the Wisconsin State Journal writes, the GOP bill is going “overboard in limiting ballot access in a state proud of its long history of high participation in elections.”
7. CUTTING JOBS, LOSING THE FUTURE: Last fall, Walker killed an $810 billion federally funded high-speed rail project, forcing the Transportation Department to pull its funding. Walker’s decision killed 130,000 expected jobs and forced the Spanish company Talgo to close its Milwaukee factory and layoff its 40 person staff. A spokeswoman for the company told The Daily Reporter that “the state’s decision to back away from the high-speed rail project sends a terrible message to businesses considering locating in the state.”
8. STIFLING INNOVATION: In late January, Walker introduced a bill that would ban wind-powered energy from Wisconsin and exacerbate the state’s dependence on out-of-state coal. If passed, it’s estimated that the law would immediately eliminate $1.8 billion in new wind power investments and jeopardize eleven currently proposed wind projects. After a public outcry earlier this month, Walker’s bill is (for now) dead.
9. “NAKED POWER GRAB”: Earlier this month in a party-line vote, the legislature ceded “extraordinary control” of the state’s rule-making oversight process to the governor. Walker now has complete power to draft agency rules which the legislature must then either approve or reject. The law gives Walker the power to write rules for formerly independent state agencies like the state Departments of Justice and Education — and most ominously the Government Accountability Board, the state’s ethics watchdog.
10. POLITICIZING STATE AGENCIES: A provision in Walker’s budget repair bill would convert thirty-seven state employees from civil servants to political appointees — consolidating his power over state government and expanding his power to “hire, fire and move key employees to carry out his agenda.”

This is republican democracy.  Is this what you want?  Is this what the Founding Fathers envisioned?

13 comments:

  1. Walker/Koch could be a God send IF and that is a BIG "IF" the dems are aggressive enough on these issues.
    They can now show who and what they really are.
    The next 2 years will determine the next 20 years.
    The next 20 years will determine eternity.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "ISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY: Walker signed a bill this week requiring a 2/3 supermajority in the legislature to pass any tax increase"

    That's fiscal responsibility. The government in Wisconsin has apple revenues if only it would stop flagrantly wasting money.

    Putting limits on the legislature's ability to get even greedier and rob the people even more is a good thing.

    The photo ID thing is a great idea too. Voter fraud is rampant, and the only people who fear this are political parties that rely on fake voters.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's so sickening I can barely get through the list. These wingnuts need to be defeated or we are done, RZ is right. If we defeat them by exposing their evil plans then we have it made, if not we are doomed....

    ReplyDelete
  4. This man is very dangerous, and he obviously hates workers and a clean environment. What the hell good will a balanced budget be if those still here won't be able to drink the water, breathe, or be able to afford ford? This guy is crazy and needs to be thrown out of office!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anon,
    How about requiring a 2/3 vote on any tax cut? It has the same effect on the budget as a spending increase. Actually a tax increase helps balance the budget - that sounds more fiscally responsible than cutting taxes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm surprised someone hasn't started an impeachment drive.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Actually a tax increase helps balance the budget - that sounds more fiscally responsible than cutting taxes."

    A tax increase steals money from the people and kicks the economy, which can result in more revenue, and impoverishes the people,

    Tax cuts do not do this, and leave government with vast adequate resources while crushing the people less.

    ReplyDelete
  8. my cousin from Madison says a recall will be started in the next 10 days, she heard...we'll soon see!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, get real, Anon. A tax increase is not stealing. You are just wasting everyone's time with such crap. Go away.

    ReplyDelete
  10. ..will try to post again.

    Sad to hear this. I'm studying the Buddhism beliefs (more of a way of Life and not a religion)...and it is just commonsense to want a civilized loving society. Politics need to realize they are humble servants; not dictators.. and should act with LOVE.

    ReplyDelete
  11. OK, let's agree that is not stealing. But a tax increase is completely unnecessary. There's plenty of money available, if they cut waste, which includes overpaying people.

    That's real fiscal responsibility.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the listing of the environmental sins buried in this b.s. union-busting bilge, critter. Those aspects are mostly overlooked. We'll get into that on The Enviro Show tomorrow evening.

    ReplyDelete
  13. To the fucking idiot who claimed voter fraud is rampant... Go back to school, or use your Internet time more wisely.
    The FACT is that actual fraudulent votes cast in the US is exceedingly rare. look it up, FOX bullshit lies don't count.
    Idiots like you are ruining this country, jerk off fuck face.

    ReplyDelete