Wisconsin Doesn't Like the Gays

Up there in Wisconsin, which is slowly turning into Wisconsizona, wingnut Governor Scott Walker believes a new law that gives gay couples hospital visitation rights violates the state constitution. He has asked a judge to allow the state to stop defending it.

A law that allows people to visit their loved ones in the hospital is unconstitutional? Oh, not 'people,' but gay people.


Back in 2009, when Democrats controlled the Legislature, they changed the law so that same-sex couples could sign up for domestic partnership registries with county clerks to secure some--not all--of the rights afforded married couples.

Like being able to visit your partner in the hospital, like you'd visit any family member. But Scott Walker doesn't think gay couples are a family. he thinks, along with the homophobic, bigoted, Wisconsin Family Action, that the registries violate a 2006 amendment to the state constitution that bans gay marriage and any arrangement that is substantially similar.

See, gay folks and gay families and gay couples don't deserve to be treated equally in Wisconsizona. At least while Scott Walker is governor, which, hopefully, won't be more than one term.

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Filed Under: Please Let It Come To Be

It looks like openly gay Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, the Democrat from Wisconsin, will very likely run for the US Senate seat now occupied by Senator Herb Kohl, who has said he will not seek reelection in 2012. 

If Baldwin runs and wins, she would become the nation’s first openly LGBT member of the US senate. Seriously? The first? How is this 2011 and we have no openly gay senators in this country?

Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund:
“This would obviously be a top priority for us. Tammy Baldwin has been an outstanding congresswoman, and she’d be an outstanding senator. This would be a remarkable milestone for LGBT Americans. Congresswoman Baldwin is one of the most admired public officials I know. She would have the strong support of those who want to see our economy work for all Americans, and who believe that all voices deserve a place at the table.”

Yes, all voices deserve to be heard.

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Wisconsin Gives Scott Walker The Election Smackdown

Scott Walker, Republican Governor of Wisconsin, and Bootlicker of the Koch Brothers, figured he could do whatever he wanted to do in Wisconsin, and repercussions be damned.

His battle with labor unions turned what might have been a routine state Supreme Court race into a nationally watched precursor of what lies ahead for Teabaggers and Republicans if they continue witht their Party of No, and Our Way Or The Highway, brand of politics.

You see, for this routine election, almost 1.5 million people turned out--which is 68% higher than the 20% that most officials predicted. And though JoAnne Kloppenburg, the one Scott Walker wanted to keep off the bench, declared victory over incumbent David Prosser, the race is expected to head to a recount. 

Still, what this shows is that the people of Wisconsin are disgusted by their governor. There were 19 counties that went for Scott Walker in the 2010 elections, but flipped and went for Kloppenburg. Now, there were no party affiliations on the ballot, but Kloppenburg was heavily backed by Democrats and Prosser by Republicans, making it a fierce proxy battle for the two parties. 


And nineteen counties Walker once had in his back pocket sent him a very clear message: Get ready to pack it in, Scotty.

Democrats are naturally thrilled by the outcome. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said the election results represent a "watershed moment for Wisconsin and a Waterloo for Scott Walker," and added, "It should give Republicans, who are--for the moment--in the majority, pause about how they proceed in enacting Walker's terrible budget."

Indeed, the people of Wisconsin have spoken and Scott Walker, who has said he won't compromise with the Democrats must be rethinking his stance.
Or else he's planning for his retirement.

source: HuffPo

Just a Thought: Sean Duffy Needs To Be Voted Out Of Office

Click to emBIGGERate

Boy, Wisconsin, you sure can pick 'em.

Your governor is in the pocket of big business, AKA the Koch boys, and now you have a state senator who complains about his salary, even though his salary is three times the median salary for folks in Wisconsin; not to mention all the benefits to which he is entitled as a member of the government.

See, at a town hall meeting in Polk County, Wisconsin earlier this year, Republican, of course, and wingnut, Representative Sean Duffy was asked whether he'd vote to cut his $174,000 annual salary. 

He sort of bobbed and weaved around the issue, and then he came right out and said it, that $174,000 really isn't that much for his family of seven to live on. After whining a bit about how hard he has it, he then had the balls to say he supports cutting compensation for all public employees.

Asshat say what?

The good news is that the whole thing was caught on tape [you can see it at Talking Points Memo] and subsequently posted on the Polk County GOP's blog, alongside other clips from the town hall. But then Duffy's clip was mysteriously removed from the blog, and was even removed from the Internet by the Polk County GOP because, as an official explained, the YouTube clip "was being republished without our consent."

Was that the real reason, or was it that Duffy comes off sounding like a pampered and spoiled GOP'er?

Let's take a look at what Sean Duffy said:

"I can guarantee you, or most of you, I guarantee that I have more debt than all of you. With 6 kids, I still pay off my student loans. I still pay my mortgage. I drive a used minivan. If you think I'm living high on the hog, I've got one paycheck. So I struggle to meet my bills right now. Would it be easier for me if I get more paychecks? Maybe, but at this point I'm not living high on the hog."

Now, let's take it apart.

• Sean Duffy says he has more debt than anyone else. M'kay, but who's fault is that, Sean.
• Sean Duffy complains about having to raise six kids because of the expense. M'kay, but who's fault is that Sean?
• Sean Duffy has to pay off his student loans and his mortgage. M'kay, but are you the only person doing that in Wisconsin. Sean?
• Sean Duffy drives a used car. My heart is breaking. Except for the fact that, as soon as you drive any car off a car dealer's lot, it becomes a used car, so we're all driving used cars, Sean.
• Sean Duffy got just the one paycheck. Paid for by his constituents who, most of them, make about a third of what he makes, and pay off their bills and raise their kids and drive used cars.
• Sean Duffy says he's not living "high on the hog," and maybe he right about that, but he is living higher on the hog than the majority of the people he represents, and higher on the hog than the people whose salaries he wants to cut.

What's good for the goose, Sean, is good for you, too.

And, so Wisconsin, come election time when you vote Scott Walker out of office, have him hitch a ride home with Sean Duffy in his sued mini-van, because you've also told Sean Duffy where to go.
 
Talking Points Memo