Retiring Guy's Digest: 2022-11-13

Saturday, November 19, 2022

GET ME REWRITE: Trump still has a hammerlock on the Republican voters

Headline: Jamelle Bouie in the New York Times, 11/19/2022

At each point, at each juncture, conservative and Republican elites were given the chance to dump Trump, to send him packing and to break his official ties to the Republican Party. They would have lost something in the short-term — a presidential election, a tax bill and a conservative Supreme Court majority — but they would have set themselves free of a figure who has been a hindrance as much as he has ever been a help.

Related post:

GOP horse race to the presidential nomination: Just 620-some days left until the Republican National Convention. (11/17/2022)

Misleading headline and news story of the day

WMTV, 11/17/2022

State officials announced Thursday a record high $52 million will be distributed to public libraries in Wisconsin.

The money came from the Common School Fund, which is the sole source of funding for nearly 90% of public libraries, officials said.

Correction #1. Earnings from the Common School Fund are distributed to school districts, not public libraries.

Correction #2. The Common School Fund is the only source of funding for nearly 90% of Wisconsin's school libraries. Public libraries received the majority of their funding from two sources: municipal government (56%) and county government (22.5%)

GET ME REWRITE: GOP gears up to fight crime and inflation by promoting climate change denial

Top headline: NBC, 10/18/2022

Middle headline: The Hill, 11.18.2022

Bottom headline: Sludge, 2/28/2019

From The Hill:

“We don’t see a scenario where the ‘Climate Crisis Committee,’ a creature of Pelosi, will continue to exist,” the office of Rep. Garret Graves (La.), the top Republican on the panel, said in a statement to The Hill, referring to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Gearing up elsewhere:

Nebraska.

Having gone all in for Trump, Adams County Wisconsin voters can't be bothered with school referendums

Adams County voted twice for Barack Obama, then voted twice for Donald Trump by even larger margins. And Republican candidate for governor Tim Michels received more votes than Scott Walker did in any of his three elections (2010, 2014, 2018).

Wisconsin State Journal, 11/19/2022

Meanwhile, the Adams-Friendship School District is going back to the drawing board.

“It’s very disappointing, obviously. The ‘no’ vote from the public in November doesn’t mean that our financial issues go away,” said Superintendent Tom Wermuth.

The rural district that enrolls about 1,376 students, about 66% of whom are economically disadvantaged, asked voters to approve a $12.6 million referendum to help fund operations.

Voters turned it down by 228 votes. Now, the district is looking at two paths for the future: Holding another referendum in the spring, or making cuts to staff and programming.

‘Now what?'

’A big issue the district faces is its demographics. Located in north-central Wisconsin, Adams-Friendship’s only demographic that is currently growing is residents ages 55 and up, Wermuth said. [emphasis added]

Related posts:

Dane County: bigger and bluer. (11/19/2022)

When it comes to failing to swing independent voters, Winnebago County Wisconsin is Exhibit A. (11/18/2022)
Case of the Quadrennial Voter (Ozaukee County Wisconsin 2022 edition) (11/18/2022)

Wisconsin 2022 edition. (11/18/2022)

The Case of the Quadrennial Democrats . (2018 edition)

Dane County Wisconsin: bigger and bluer

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikipedia

In the 2008 presidential election, Republican candidate John McCain received 73,065 votes in Dane County. In the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump received 78,080 votes, an 8% increase in McCain's tally.

In the 2008 presidential election, Democratic candidate Barack Obama received 205,984 votes in Dane County. In the 2020 presidential election, Democratic candidate Joe Biden received 260,185 votes, a 26% increase in Obama's tally.

In the 2010 gubernatorial election, Republican candidate Scott Walker received 63,238 votes in Dane County. In the 2022 gubernatorial election, Republican candidate Tim Michels received 62,264 votes, a 1.5 % decrease in Walker's tally.

In the 2010 gubernatorial election, Democratic candidate Tom Barrett received 149,699 votes in Dane County. In the 2020 gubernatorial election, Democratic governor Tony Evers received 236,497 votes, a 58% increase in Barrett's tally

Capital Times, 11/18/2022

“In this election cycle, we’re talking about pushing 80 percent of votes in Dane County going to Tony Evers. So, that’s tremendous and the turnout is extremely high. Typically, one of the highest in the state.”

He added, “So, you have those three things together. Population growth, high turnout in that growth, and then high Democratic margins of the people who participate. So, Dane County is the most important fuel the Democrats have to win statewide elections.”

Source: Wikipedia

Lurking in the background is not so "WOW" anymore Ozaukee County, trending purple.

Closing the gap

Wisconsin 2022 edition. (11/18/2022)

The Case of the Quadrennial Democrats . (2018 edition)

GET ME REWRITE: GOP gears up to fight crime and inflation by going after Hunter Biden

Headline: Washington Post, 11/18/2022

Wednesday evening, Republicans formally won control of the House.

Thursday morning, in the first public act of the new majority, senior House Republicans revealed their most urgent priority: They would investigate Hunter Biden. [emphasis added]

The incoming chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the incoming chairman of the Oversight Committee, James Comer (R-Ky.), and about 10 other members of the brand-new majority walked into the House TV studio first thing Thursday to announce multiple probes into the president’s son.

11/14/2022 original post starts here

Top headline: NBC, 10/18/2022

Bottom headline: New York Post, 11/12/2022

The moderate stance won’t extend to Hunter Biden, the president’s son, whose foreign dealings will come under intense scrutiny in the new House.
“The [Hunter Biden] probe is still on track with a Republican majority,” a GOP aide to the House Oversight Committee told The Post.

Gearing up elsewhere:

Nationally

Florida

Nebraska.

Tennessee.

Wisconsin

Friday, November 18, 2022

GET ME REWRITE: When it comes to failing to swing independent voters, Winnebago County Wisconsin is Exhibit A

Headline: Green Bay Press Gazette, 11/17/2022

In Winnebago County, where Republicans had the smallest winning margins this election, Walker was able to get just over 50% of the vote in 2018 and almost 55% of the vote in 2014.

Wisconsin 2022 edition. (11/18/2022)

The Case of the Quadrennial Democrats . (2018 edition)

GET ME REWRITE: Frankly, Chris Licht is turning CNN into a clown show

Headline: The Wrap, 11/17/2022

“I’m not looking at it through trying to appeal to ‘lean into the left’ or ‘try to appeal to more people on the right.’ I think that that’s not a good business model because you’re fighting for a bigger slice of a shrinking pie,” said Licht on the newest episode of Swisher’s Vox Media-based podcast, which interviews influential names in politics, the entertainment Industry and more.
Just another rich white guy making an ass of himself.

Pastor Doug poses with his Christ Church congregants

Headline: The Roys Report

A century after the 19th Amendment to the U.S Constitution gave American women the right to vote, a group of male leaders associated with controversial pastor Doug Wilson say that was a mistake. Women, they say, lack the discernment to vote, and therefore, shouldn’t be given the agency.

“Yes, women are more easily deceived than men . . .” tweeted Joel Webbon of Right Response Ministries, which partners with Wilson on lectures, YouTube videos, and events. “Yes, the 19th Amendment was a bad idea.”

Not supported by the evidence!

Blob and Mablog, 10/5/2020

Case of the Quadrennial Voter (Ozaukee County Wisconsin 2022 edition)

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikipedia

Ozaukee is one of the "WOW collar" counties, three reliably red counties in the Milwaukee metro area.

Ozaukee County, as it turns out, is something of an outlier. In 2016, for example, Donald Trump received 5,713 fewer votes than Mitt Romney did in 2010. And 2018, Scott Walker, unsuccessfully running for a third term as Governor, beat Trump's tally by 1,944 votes.

What's most telling in Ozaukee County's journey from red to purple is the gap in the number of votes cast by Republicans and Democrats. It has plummeted from 19,573 in 2014, when Walker was elected to a 2nd term, to 5,723 in 2022, when Tony Evers won a second term. That's drop of 70% in 8 years.

In 2022, Evers cut the GOP margin by 58%.

You can blame it on the 45th president. Ozaukee County is not a part of Trump's America.

Related posts:

Wisconsin 2022 edition. (11/18/2022)

The Case of the Quadrennial Democrats . (2018 edition)

GET ME REWRITE: At Fitchburg AMC multiplex, horror is not limited to the screens

Photo by Retiring Guy

Wisconsin State Journal, 11/18/2022

One of the priority violations was classified under "employee heath reporting" with the inspector finding that "a few of the employees have not been informed they must report symptoms, lesions containing pus, diagnosis of foodborne illness, and situations of exposure to foodborne illness to the person in charge."

Needless to say, use of the word 'pus' in news reporting is always a turn-off.

10/11/2022 update, "Fitchburg AMC multiplex reopens with special showing of "Ratatouille", starts here

Yeah, easy target.

Headline: Wisconsin State Journal, 10/11/2022

Public Health Madison and Dane County spokeswoman Morgan Finke said her department was notified of a reported rodent sighting at AMC Fitchburg 18, checked the theater Tuesday, and issued five citations.
“As a result, the inspector ordered the theater to close and provided instructions to resolve the violations before reopening,” Finke said.
She said that at a reinspection Thursday, the theater was still trying to correct the violations and remained closed.
Friday, with a second reinspection, all the violations had been corrected with the exception of one, which isn’t due until early November, Finke said.
She said the theater was allowed to reopen, which it did Friday.
Finke said inspectors plan to return next month to ensure all violations remain corrected
A trip back to 1963.

Original 9/6/2022 post, "Knives out for New Visions multiplex in Fitchburg Wisconsin", starts here.

Photos by Retiring Guy

New Vision Theaters Fitchburg IMAX to close. (Channel3000, 7/13/2020)

Hasz said attendance was never an issue, but the impacts of the pandemic put an added financial strain on the cost of running a theater. “It was always kind of in the back of my mind. I knew it was a definite possibility. Our attendance has always been great. We’ve never had issues with that. It was only a matter of how long this would last and what kind of precautions would need to be taken once doors do reopen.”

Related post:
Coronavirus bricks and mortar retail death knell (Manna Cafe and Bakery edition). (7/4/2020)

Patricia Miller Van Cise (1933-2022) Warren High School class of 1951

1951 Dragon yearbook

"Here comes the bride"

Source: Donald Lewis Funeral Home

1967 Warren City Directory

Patricia and William live in Russell

1983 Warren City Directory,

Van Cise Patricia 54 Frantz Road

The popularity of Patricia as a baby name is graphed here. Let's take a look at April.

Social Security Administration

April burst onto the baby name scene in 1939, shooting into the top half of the chart within 3 years. After a couple of fits and starts, she climbed into the top 100 where she spent 25 years, peaking at #23 in 1979. She's been in a slow decline since her peak year.

Other members of the WHS class of 1951 (33):

2022
Dennis Bonace. (6/15)

2021

Dora Pace Cicchini. (12/19)

Robert Hampson. (11/24)

Barbara Gray Lauffer. (5/18)

Dorothy Cook Hanson. (5/5)

Alice Hollabaugh Lindell. (3/23)

Dorothy Anderson Barstow. (3/2)

Doris Whipple Cunningham. (1/29)

2020
Doris Mason Sadler. (8/21)

Sarah Irving Crecraft. (8/10)
Mary Cotillion Young Shaffer. (6/9)
Richard Campbell. (5/14)
Patricia Hamm Suppa. (4/27)

2019
John Steele Sr. (9/9)
Josephine Gregerson Baker. (6/1)
Tilda Hildum Hulteburg. (2/7)
George Gern (2/6)

2017
Patricia Elaine Black Williams. (10/12)
Marilyn Albaugh Frycklund. (9/23)
Carol Amacher. (5/30)
John Wood.  (5/28)
Catherine Collins Sheldon. (4/22)
Ronald McCain. (4/13)
Elaine Crecraft McDunn. (3/1)
Albert Kondak. (2/28)
Richard Cook. (2/16)
Marilyn Pasquino Nyberg. (1/19)

2016
Mark Bevevino.  (8/26)
Diedra Peterson Andersen.  (6/8)

Marilyn Lyke Bonace. (6/6)
John Tingwell.  (6/5)

2015
Donald Quiggle. (12/19)
Genevieve Larson McKown.  (12/16)
Franklin Reiff.  (7/14)

Mary Ann Font Schafer. (6/29)

Case of the Quadrennial Voter (Wisconsin 2022 edition)

Voter turnout is always lower in midterm elections, averaging about 40% nationally compared to 60% in presidential elections. Wisconsin is not immune from this trend.

Wikipedia

Democrats tend to experience a much bigger midterm drop-off than Republicans.

In 2010, two years after Barack Obama's big win, the drop-off in Wisconsin Democratic voters was 40.1%, which opened the door to the Tea Party here and elsewhere. That's what happens when you sit out elections. The number of GOP votes dropped just 10.6%

A similar pattern occurred in the 2014 midterms: 30.7% drop for Democrats, 11.8% for Republicans.

In 2018, the Democrats actually had a smaller drop-off than the Republicans. That's because too many Democrats sat out the election with Hillary Clinton at the top of the ticket, helping to put Donald Trump in the White house. That's what happens when you sit out elections.

Now in 2022 we find that the Case of the Quadrennial Voters infected more Republicans than Democrats. All that Trumpy talk about a stolen election seemed to deflate GOP voters.

Related posts:

The Case of the Quadrennial Democrats . (2018 edition)

Le Nails salon in Middleton WI is temporarily closed

Photo by Retiring Guy

Headline: Channel 3000, 11/15/2022

According to the department’s investigation, a driver was parking in front of the business when her boot got stuck between the gas and brake pedals. She then crashed through a glass panel in the front of the building.

Adventures in Journalism: You don't write about how the GOP won the House without at least mentioning gerrymandering

Top headline: The Badger Project, 5/25/2022

Bottom headline: New York Times, 11/16/2022

From The Badger Project:

Black, who retired from the state Assembly in 2010, for years pushed his party to enact a nonpartisan redistricting commission that would draw maps without partisan tilt. Democrats had the chance in 2009, when they held complete control of state government.

Despite pleas from Black and pro-democracy groups such as the League of Women Voters, party leadership did not act. That was a “big mistake,” Black said.

“I wish they had heeded my advice back then,” he said. “I suspect in hindsight they have changed their minds.” The Tea Party wave followed in the 2010 elections, wiping out Democratic majorities.

Fortified by gerrymandering, Republicans have been in near-total control of the state legislature since. [emphasis added]

More adventures in journalism:

If only the MSM's inept, horse-race political reporting was as funny as this video. (11/9/2022)

Kitchen staff wrestles with what to serve pollsters and pundits once all the midterm election results are in. (11/8/2022)

Short attention span of reporters. (11/7/2022)

New York Times headline writer reveals his own ball of confusion.. (11/5/2022)

When Democracy dies. (11/3/2022)

New York Times continues to promote baseless claims about Pelosi attack by far-right groups. (11/1/2022)

Thursday, November 17, 2022

GET ME REWRITE Old man in Iowa promotes religious bigotry

Top headline: Cedar Rapids Gazette, 9/22/2022

Bottom headline: Des Moines Register, 11/16/2022

In a lengthy statement following Wednesday's vote, Grassley said he supports same-sex and interracial marriages. But he argued the proposed legislation is needless because "no effort" exists to overturn the Supreme Court decisions that protect those rights. Grassley also raised concerns the bill would create new legal challenges for people who have a religious opposition to gay marriage.

He's got a funny way of showing it.

And as for 'lengthy'. There's not way you can talk your way out of this mess, Chuck.

Related posts:

2020

In other words, Iowa Republicans are doing what every other GOP campaign does: Bombard the opponent with lies and smears. (10/22/2022)
Hello, Iowa! Your gerontocracy exhibit, Charles Grassley, is a career politician who long ago overstayed his welcome. (6/12/2022)

2021

More than one-quarter of Iowa poll respondents are fine and dandy with being represented by a senile old man in the U.S. Senate. (6/21/2021)

2017

The thinker: Chuck Grassley goes to bat for Mitch McConnell, secrecy, closed doors, no transparency. (6/22/2017)
Chuck Grassley not sure GOP Senators can get it up. (7/8/2017)

2016
Wrong answer on The Mitch McConnell and Chuck Grassley Show. (2/20/2016)
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) leads the Republican hypocrisy parade for the moment. (2/15/2016)

2013
Chapter-a-Day (1): Republican Obstructionism. (5/2/2013)

Wonder how much the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade upended Allan Fung's congressional race in Rhode island

Days before the Supreme Court decision was announced, Republican Allan Fung had a 6-point margin in a Suffolk poll.

In an early October Boston Globe poll, the results flipped. Advantage: Magaziner.

Source: Real Clear Politics

NPR, 6/24/2022

Democrat Seth Magazine won the election by more than 7,000 votes.

GOP horse race to the presidential nomination: Just 620-some days left until the Republican National Convention

And the pollsters are already hard at work!

Here are the results of the first post-midterms poll.

Source; Morning Consult

Just 31% of the respondents said that Donald Trump should 'definitely' or 'probably' run.

Not making the cut, i.e., listed with 0% of responses:

Chris Christie
Josh Hawley
Kristi Noem
Mike Pompeo
Rick Scott
Tim Scott

Texas 15th congressional district: The precarious balancing act of GOP gerrymandering

Find at least six differences in details between old and new districts. (The GOP isn't known for its subtlety.)

Source: Ballotpedia (and election returns below)

The GOP everywhere loves Hocus Focus.

As a result for this gerrymander, Republicans Monica de la Cruz was able to wind in 2022.

Related reading:

Texas Tribune, 10/18/2022

Ronald Massa (1929-2022) Warren High School class of 1948

1948 Dragon yearbook

Source: Donald Lewis Funeral Home

Ronald's high-school activities:

Latin Club (2); Football (2, 3); Carnival (2, 3); Art Club (4); Athletic Association (2, 3)

1967 Warren City Directory

Massa R J employee Sylvania r1006 Fifth Avenue East Extension
Massa Samuel J (JoAnn M) attendant Warren State Hospital h25 Ludlow Street

1983 Warren City Directory

Massa Ronald 1006 Fifth Avenue East Extension
Massa Samuel J & JoAnn M retired h25 Ludlow Street

The popularity of Ronald as a baby name is graphed here. Let's take a look at Alberta.

Source: Social Security Administration

Alberta had a good run during the first half of the 20th century, spending 41 years in the top 200 and peaking at #104 in 1910. She quickly faded in the 2nd half, falling off the chart after 1971

Other class of '48 graduates (42):
2022

Jean Dyke Krieg. (10/12/2022)

Douglas Rudolph. (9/17)

Sallie Rapp Briggs. (6/28)

2021

Richard Betts. (10/31)

Geraldine Kiester Ristau. (10/19)

James Stearns. (10/4)

Carol Somers Wilson. (8/28)

Wyllis Mead, (8/16)

Mary Radspinner Probst. (3/13)

Mary Masci Valone. (3/4)

Henry Hathaway Bailey. (1/15)

Anne Tingwall Sandstrom. (1/12)

Agnes Hessley Higham. (1/5)

2020
James Suppa. (12/23)

Mary Ann Hoflund Erik (5/24)
Thomas Lundberg. (4/24)
James Zock. (1/25)
Frances White Brown. (1/5)

2019
Helen Yarzabek. (11/7)
Betty Fitzgerald Bearfield. (10/29)
Georgia Ann Valentine Kargle. (7/26)
Shirlie Jean Kauffman. (5/22)
Joanne Swanson Massa. (2/23)

2018
Joanne Chester. (11/13)
Betty Burke Dickinson. (9/1)
Stephen Cosmano. (8/29)
Beulah Fox Boll. (3/16)

2017
Phyllis Miller Maze. (12/27)
Dorothy Anderson Turner. (9/27)
Margaret Mathyer Conroy. (4/26)

2016
Ruth Figliuzzi.  (11/5)
Donna Mack Schuler.  (3/19)

2015
Carol Jean Niver Hampson.  (10/22)
Frank Marlett.  (9/13)
John Giltinan. (7/6)
Lela Nichols Akeley. (6/24)

2014
Ella Atwell Blum. (12/24)
Betty Carlson Johnson. (10/26)
H. Kent Peterson. (10/1)
Kenneth Lundahl. (9/21)

2013
Carl Leave. (12/26)

Carl DeStefano (1932-2022) Warren High School class of 1949

1949 Dragon yearbook

Source: Donald Lewis Funeral Home

1967 Warren City Directory

DeStefano Carl J (Margaret J) employee Sylvania h8 Victor Street North Warren
DeStefano Sam B (Lena M) h136 Mohawk Avenue

1983 Warren City Directory

DeStefano Carl J & M Joan molder GTE Sylvania h136 Mohawk Avenue

The popularity of Carl as a baby name is graphed here. Let's take a look at Brantley.

Source: Social Security Administration

Brantley made a one-and-done appearance in 1998 and then returned with a vengeance in 2010, closing in on the top 100 within 3 years. Looks like he's a flash in the pan, though.

Other class of 1949 obits (39):

2022

Abigail Bevevino Lopez Wolfe. (7/28)

Donald James Andersen. (2/22)

Mary Barheight Young. (2/1)

Joan Shriver Madigan. (1/29)

John Curtis Hanson. (1/18)

David Winans. (1/10)

Sylvia Woodruff Anderson. (1/8)

2021

Margaret Gott. (9/30)

Keith Reyoolds. (9/5)