YES!
As I posted yesterday, "all out hell" was promised by Wisconsin Democratic State Senator Jon Erpenbach yesterday after plans for yet another ram-through of GOP sponsored anti-women bills were unveiled.
A day after a Democrat pledged "all-out hell" on the Senate floor over abortion, Republicans backed off their plans and put off votes on two bills until next year, if then.
Republicans had said they were planning to take up two abortion measures on Tuesday, their final day of floor votes in 2013. But on Friday, they issued a tentative schedule that did not include those bills, and a top aide to Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said they would not be taken up this year.
"We wanted to end the November session with a 'light' calendar and focus on the economic development and jobs bills that we've included for Tuesday," Fitzgerald's chief of staff, Dan Romportl, said in an email.
Romportl did not say whether the abortion bills would be taken up in the spring, noting only that they "will remain available for scheduling."
Unable to sneak those bills through the way that they pushed through 2 bills earlier this year that would close abortion clinics via requiring admitting privileges in nearby hospitals and mandating ultrasounds for anyone seeking abortions, they've folded their tents and packed their camels for now.
And it's not just the abortion bills they're cancelling. They've cancelled plans that would limit regulation of high capacity wells (which would help their pals in the sand fracking industry) as well as nominations for seats on the Government Accountability Board (which regulates campaigns and handles elections) after Scott Walker pulled one member from that board already.
Naturally, Republican leaders claim that the pledge of "all out hell" had nothing (yeah, this is a good one for a laugh), that's right, NOTHING to do with pulling the anti-abortion, anti-contraception bills from their speed of light trip to the Governors desk for signature.
Erpenbach's comments were not a factor in the Republican change of plans, Romportl said.
Right.....
Erpenbach said he did not know if Republicans changed course because of his response to their plans, but noted he believed Republicans were seeing the public react negatively to restricting access to abortion and contraception.
"I hope they realize they've done enough damage to women already," Erpenbach said.
Mandating costly and unnecessary ultrasounds and causing the closure of all but 3 abortion providers has damaged the GOPs reputation enough.
How long their "no controversial legislation" mood will remain in effect is anyones guess, however, the entire Assembly, half the State, and the Governor, Lt. Governor are all up for re-election next year with a record of extremism that is incredible.
NOT ONE jobs bill has been introduced even during a special "jobs" session called in 2011. Walkers own campaign pledge of 250,000 new jobs in his first 4 years is a miserable failure and the few jobs he HAS brought in have been low wage. Median wages in Wisconsin have continued to fall during the Republican Majority Rule Era and Wisconsin has slipped from #11 in new jobs to #44.
What we have to show for the last 3 years is job losses, income losses, the virtual elimination of union rights for public employees, nearly a billion dollars taken out of school budgets, slashes of state shared revenue to municipalities, the virtual repeal of environmental protection to enable strip mining, huge peel-backs of the wages of public employees to pay for benefits, anti-women legislation, the closure of our Department of Commerce with the creation of a quasi-private entity under the direction of Scott Walker that has "lost track of" tens of millions of dollars in loans and grants to business. And, of course, huge tax breaks for corporations and the rich.
Perhaps they've realized that their extremist agenda may not be easily forgettable in a year, particularly if they keep adding to it. However, it wasn't until Senator Erpenbach raised a stink big enough to get press coverage that their plans changed.
Good. The Clown Show under the marble Big Top has been put on hold. And that's worthy of celebration.
.
More Scottenfreuden
For your added enjoyment:
The U.S. arm of a Spanish train-maker filed a $65.9 million claim against the state Thursday, setting up a likely lawsuit and reviving debate over Gov. Scott Walker's rejection of $810 million in federal stimulus money for a high-speed rail line.
In its filing with the state Claims Board, Seattle-based Talgo Inc. also maintained Wisconsin owes bond holders an additional $70 million because it borrowed that much for two train sets but never took possession of them.
If the train company's reasoning is correct, taxpayers would have to pay Talgo $65.9 million and immediately refund $70 million to bond holders rather than paying that sum off over the coming years. Even then, the state still wouldn't own the trains.
The request for more money comes on top of about $40 million the state has already paid Talgo.
The very first action of Scott Walker, on winning his election in 2010, was to cancel $810 million to build a high speed rail line from Milwaukee to Madison. That route would have not only provided construction jobs, but a Spanish high speed rail car manufacturer was planning to build a factory to build high speed rail cars in Wisconsin. The high speed rail plan cancellation also vaporized the factory (and all those good paying jobs it would have brought) as well as the elimination of Talgos existing facility in the state and the existing jobs there.
In all, Talgo is seeking $65.9 million from the state Department of Transportation — including $18.6 million in unpaid invoices and interest, $23.5 million in lost business, $10.5 million in damage caused by state officials "continually defaming" Talgo's reputation and $9.8 million in lost maintenance work. The remainder covers an array of others costs, such as for insurance and legal work.
Looks like Talgo has a good case. Sadly, it will be taxpayers who will be footing the bill created by Scott Walkers pandering to the Tea Baggers by rejecting stimulus funds.
Update: Christy1947 makes an interesting observation in the comments as to the timing of Talgos lawsuit. It's going to be big news in an election year when Walkers dismal jobs record will be on display. The refusal of those stimulus funds led to job losses.
.
Even MORE Scottenfreuden:
After stringing along several of Wisconsins Native American Tribes regarding his approval of a new casino complex in Kenosha, Scott Walker has backtracked on his promise of a decision this week.
Legally, we've got plenty of time to take all the time we need," he said, adding that the federal government considered the application for years before approving it. "We're going to spend the appropriate amount of time to make a good decision."
Walker said he's trying to balance compelling arguments about the need for jobs in the Kenosha area and potential job loss in other counties, both of which might occur should the casino open.
Translation (my take): I'm running for re-election next year and neither I nor my Band of Not So Merry Men have squeezed every last nickel possible out of both sides in the casino issue. Plenty of time to keep those checks coming in from both sides until I make my decision.
Sadly, it's the Menomonee Tribe, the poorest in the state, that wants to build the off-reservation casino. They are opposed by 2 of the richest who have extensive casinos funneling hundreds of millions in profits to them already.
Update: Looks like my take on drawing out the decision process has support in an earlier published(Oct. 30) article.
.