Caught in the web of his own corruption, failing Wisconsin governor Scott Walker has asked a Dane County judge for a second extension in order to allow the continued review of over 1 million signatures that the people of the State of Wisconsin signed between mid-November and mid-January. The first extension granted his people an extra twenty days to review the petitions. They are claiming that they are finding a 30 percent failure rate. If these claims are anything like other tea party claims, it translates to less than half that, though they'd need an almost 50 percent failure to stop Walker's recall. The stall for time helps corporate darling Walker in his endless bid for funding. At least that is something he is having great success with. Too bad it doesn't translate into jobs for his state.
The Overpass Light Brigade in Racine tonight...
Meanwhile, there is a palpable sense of desperation in Fitzwalkerstan. Bills are getting rammed through on the midnight shifts. Last night, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgrifter pushed out a bill to weaken vital Wisconsin wetlands. He made the Senate assemble at midnight in order to show his featherbed fluffers what a total dick he really is. Today, he cancelled all public hearings for the egregious Mining Bill. No hearings, no trouble. No trouble, quick passage of bill slated for next week.
Senator Bob Jauch, (D) states it clearly:
I’m shocked and disgusted with the callous elimination of a mining committee that was taking the time to create a transparent process and openly deliberate changes to Wisconsin’s mining law.
Senator Fitzgerald’s decision to abruptly disband this committee is a clear sign that he was afraid that this group of legislators would put together a reasonable alternative to the irresponsible bill put forward by his brother. His action is nothing short of a declaration of war on responsible government.
For almost a year I have been working toward responsible legislation that would establish a mining regulatory process that is fair and flexible for every applicant but protects the public interest. I have offered constructive suggestions to streamline the bureaucratic process while avoiding weakening of the environmental standards. I have been willing to seek compromise to achieve a responsible bill. After all, if one supports responsible mining they ought to support a responsible mining law.
It is sadly apparent that Senator Fitzgerald doesn’t believe in open government as his decision to disband the committee will disenfranchise the hundreds of citizens who are eager to testify at the Platteville and Ashland hearings.
Senator Fitzgerald created the mining committee to consider responsible legislation. His reliance of a nuclear option to destroy this committee just might eliminate the chance for any mining bill to pass the Senate.
The decision to ram the mining bill through the legislature is a well conceived plan supported by special interest groups to once again seize control of the Government because they didn’t like the fact that some legislators were considering a reasonable alternative. It isn’t an accident that shortly after Senator Fitzgerald’s announcement that a political action committee called “Wisconsin Club for Growth” began making robo-calls into my Senate district to proclaim that “I was against the mining bill” and people should contact my office.
Their actions are a direct attack on our democratic process. Apparently they did not learn from their mistakes from exactly one year ago today.
Governance is simple when you control a majority of sycophants willing to carry your slops. But we're sensing desperation here. Things are happening fast. They are coming unglued.
The question isn't "Will they fall?" It is "How far, and how fast, and what damage do they do on the way down?"
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UPDATE: Here is an excellent article at the blog Badger Democracy about the move to dissolve the Mining Committee, and some potential Republican push-back.
A great crew with some new signs hits the streets...