Saturday, April 22, 2023

Legacy of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker: State as bottom feeder when it comes to funding of four-year public universities

 
Top headline:  Forbes, 8/14/2015
Middle headline:  New York Times, 2/16/2015
Bottom headline:  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/20/2023

Related posts:
December 2018
The first 3 chapters:  environment, transportation, corrections. (12/12)
Chapter 4:  Wisconsin families can't afford basic necessities edition.  (12/12)
Chapter 5:  Scott Walker's shameful legacy: The black-white high-school graduation gap edition.  (12/12)
Chapter 6. Scott Walker's shameful legacy (the higher education edition).  (12/13)

January 2019
Taking credit where no credit is due.  (1/7)
Not telling the whole story.  (1/7)
Gliding over the disparities.  (1/7)
Voter suppression.  (1/7)
Just fine and dandy with treading water over high school graduation rates.  (1/8)
And then, to make matters worse, he apparently hacks his son's Twitter account.  (1/9)
Dear Scott Walker, You forgot to mention this part of "OUR LEGACY".  Best, Retiring Guy.  (1/12)
Scott Walker's toxic legacy: "Power to the people" hypocrisy" (Taking away local control).  (1/12)
Pay to play the groundwater contamination way.  (1/12)
Addicted to political slogans.  (1/12)
Blaming his predecessor.  (1/19)
Fast-tracking bills, stifling public participation.  (1/23)

February 2019
UW Regents as campaign donors' club.  (2/8)
Act 10, not working. (2/15)

April 2019
Scott Walker environmental legacy UPDATE: Little to no review, lax enforcement, more contaminated groundwater.  (4/22)

2020

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GET ME REWRITE: House GOP fights crime and inflation with death wish for the planet

 
Top headline:   NBC, 10/16/2022
Bottom headline: New York Times, 4/21/2023
“Without exaggeration, America’s debt is a ticking time bomb that will detonate unless we take serious, responsible action,” he said this week. 
But the bill Mr. McCarthy introduced on Wednesday would only modestly change the nation’s debt trajectory. It also carries a second big objective that has little to do with debt: undercutting President Biden’s climate and clean energy agenda and increasing American production of fossil fuels.


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Friday, April 21, 2023

GET ME REWRITE: GOP continues to boogy its way to doomsday

 
Poll results:  Real Clear Politics

Full results found here

From the Wall Street Journal
Donald Trump has gained command of the GOP presidential-nomination race over Ron DeSantis, a new Wall Street Journal poll finds, with the former president building support across most parts of the primary electorate as the Florida governor has struggled on the national stage. 
Mr. DeSantis’s 14-point advantage in December has fallen to a 13-point deficit, and he now trails Mr. Trump 51% to 38% among likely Republican primary voters in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup.

Related posts:
2023
Nikki Haley has a polling average of 3.9% 57 days after her announcing her candidacy for GOP presidential nomination.  (4/12)

2022
Trump remains a winner, according to Australia's United States Studies Centre.  (11/22)
GOP horse race to the presidential nomination: Just 620-some days left until the Republican National Convention.  (11/17)

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GET ME REWRITE: Meet the transphobes at the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Flibbertigibbet

 
Headline: Wisconsin State Journal, 4/21/2023
Flibbertigibbets:  Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty

Read more about flibbertigibbet here.

WILL has a long history of being on the wrong side of everything
Related posts:
2023

2022
Tighty Whities at WILL continue to fight for white privilege.  (9/29)
Tighty Whities at WILL keep up their campaign of voter suppression. (9/15)Chalk up another loss for the Tighty Whiteys at WILL.  (3/5)
WILL SHILLS: Conservative Dane County supervisors continue to engage in public health malpractice, promote COVID-19 spread.  (1/8)

2021

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Has any member of your state's congressional delegation endorsed Trump for president in 2024 yet? If not, tell them to get on board with the rest of the crazies!

 
Headline:  Business Insider


Related posts: 
Axios reporter takes acid trip and see signs of support building for DeSantis in Congress.  (4/21/2023)Meet the 8 official Trump sycophants of the United States Senate.  (4/17/2023)
43 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have endorsed Trump for president in 2024. 12 of them are from Texas.  (4/17/2023)

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Covid Chronicles. Chapter 27: New Construction Continues Apace

 
Read chapter 26 here



April 21, 2020


Our governor has yet to follow your governor’s lead as far as face masks are concerned. And after my only experience wearing one, I have to confess that I’m thankful for that. 


 Last Thursday, JoAnna had an appointment at the Red Cross to give blood. Not just blood, actually, but also platelets, a process that involves separating them from the red and white cells and then returning the latter to the donor’s bloodstream. (Sounds like what I did on a weekly basis for about a year in Buffalo to earn some extra money.) She thought her visit would take up no more than a couple of hours. 

“Let me ask you something,” I said, a bit hesitantly, while she was getting ready to leave. “Would you have a problem if I take you there and then drive around to take some photos of various construction projects for my blog?” 


I thought she might consider my request, if not dangerous, a nonessential activity. Which it is, of course, but one that involves extensive social distancing. Even in pre-pandemic times, I rarely came within hailing distance of anyone while on these excursions. 

“No, I don’t have a problem with that,” she replied matter-of-factly. 

I detected no hint of concern or questioning in her voice. 

I’ve been taking these excursions since the early 2010s, when a construction boom transformed neighborhoods and business districts throughout Dane County. In the process, I have created a visual record of various construction projects — homes(teardowns in particular), office buildings, apartments, schools, streets and highways, to name a few – from start to finish. These post, represented by a handful of ‘before and after’ photo pairings, comprise a considerable percentage of updated posts on Retiring Guy's Digest. 


I returned to the Red Cross then minutes before our prearranged time of 1:45. I passed the time writing a section of my weeks letter, composing an email to myself as I usual do, later cutting and pasting it into a Word document and adding photos and other illustrations. With no sign of JoAnna by 2:15, I wondered if I should enter the building and check on her progress. I decided to wait. After her previous visit, she complained about how long it took for red and white cells to return to her bloodstream. I figured it was more of the same. By 2:45, I became a bit worried. 

“Do you have an appointment? asked a middle-aged woman, most of her face covered by a cloth mask, as I approached a table set up in the lobby. 

“No, I’m just here to check on my wife,” I explained. 

After taking my temperature and verifying that JoAnna’s name was on the list, she handed me a face mask, probably the cheapest model available, and directed me into a large room set up with blood donor beds for giving blood. As soon as I put on the mask, my glasses fogged up to the point where I could barely see where I was going. I took them off so they could clear up, but the lenses immediately fogged up as soon as I put the glasses back on. 

 Another masked woman told me that JoAnna was just about done. 

“Do you want to see her?” she asked. 

Under the circumstances, I didn’t think that was necessary or advisable and was surprised even to be asked the question. 

“No, thank you, just tell her that her husband will be waiting for her in the car,” I replied. 

If it comes to the point in Wisconsin where it’s necessary to wear a mask to enter a store or other building, I need to find one designed to keep my glasses fog-free.


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Just in case you thought Roe v. Wade was the anti-abortion end of the line

 
Source:  Pulse Life Advocates (red boxes added), Slate (4/21/2023)


From Slate:
In other words, counter to a refrain that has taken hold on the left since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, conservatives are not coming for birth control next. They’re coming for birth control now. 
Some corners of the right are already in full-blown attack mode. Pulse Life Advocates, one of the Iowa-based anti-abortion groups that is advocating against the over-the-counter contraception bill, states on its website that “contraception kills babies.” 
It’s relatively uncommon for an anti-abortion group to state its animus toward birth control so plainly. For years, the major players on the anti-abortion right have claimed to support contraception. They seem to understand that more than 90 percent of Americans are in favor of legal birth control and that most people opposed to abortion likely see contraception as an effective means of reducing demand for it.



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Dear Elise Stefanik, The Tennessee General Assembly GOP leadership seconds your idiotic comment! Best, Retiring Guy

 
Tennessee Senate
Tennessee House
@RepStefanik

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Dear Elise Stefanik, Yup, that's exactly how we see it in Wisconsin, too! Best, Retiring Guy

 
Wisconsin State Senate
Wisconsin State Assembly
@RepStefanik


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GET ME REWRITE: Election denier and Trump sycophant Tom Tiffany considers challenging Tammy Baldwin in 2024

 
Say 'no' to the insurrectionist!

Headline;  Wisconsin Watch, 4/20/2023
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican who represents the majority of northern Wisconsin, objected to certifying the 2020 presidential election results in two states. 
The objections on the Arizona and Pennsylvania elections — voted on just hours after pro-Trump protesters overran the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021— ultimately were unsuccessful. Joe Biden won both states. 
Tiffany and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin were among 147 Republicans who voted to decertify the result of one or both state’s elections.

Related post:
Trump sycophant Tom Tiffany considers a Senate run against Tammy Baldwin.  (4/18/2023)

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GET ME REWRITE: Axios reporter takes acid trip and see signs of support building for DeSantis in Congress

 
At last count, Trump has the endorsement of 48 GOP members of Congress, including 8 from Florida.  DeSantis has the endorsement of 3, including 1 from Florida.

View the headline for yourself
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) heads to Washington on Tuesday for an event with at least nine conservative Republicans in Congress — a sign he's gaining support on Capitol Hill as an alternative to former President Trump in 2024. 
Why it matters: It's the latest indication that a growing number of GOP lawmakers aren't afraid of a Trump backlash if they don't fall in line with him — and suggests DeSantis could get a wave of endorsements once he officially enters the race.
As it turned out.....

Politico, 4/19/2023

    
New Republic, 4/19/2023


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The Art of the Texas Gerrymander: U.S. House District 6

 
Diving Creature Excretes into Dallas-Fort Worth
Wikipedia

Jake Ellzey (R-Midlothian) ran unopposed for a second term in 2022.


For decades, redistricting in Texas has tracked a familiar rhythm — new maps are followed by claims of discrimination and lawsuits asking federal courts to step in. Over the years, Texas lawmakers have repeatedly been ordered to correct gerrymandering that suppressed the political power of Black and Hispanic voters.

Related posts:
District 1.  (4/19/2023)
District 2.  (4/19/2023)
District 3.  (4/19/2023)
District 4.  (4/21/2023)
District 5.  (4/21/2023)
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The Art of the Texas Gerrymander: U.S. House District 5

  

Big Fish Sucks Off Door County Wisconsin
Wikipedia

Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) won a third term in the House with 64% of the vote, beating his Democratic opponent by 30 percentage points.


The biggest blow to Texans’ voting rights isn’t found in the election laws. It’s in the political maps, where voters’ choices are overwhelmed by the partisan desires of politicians. 
Redistricting removes voters’ choices, undermines public opinion, and makes government less responsive and less respected as it slips out of the control of its citizens. 
Politicians have gotten so good at drawing political maps that they’re spoiling democracy. Few of the races for the Texas Legislature and the state’s congressional delegation are competitive in November; districts are drawn for either Republicans or Democrats to win, with few designed to promote competition between the parties.

Related posts:
District 1.  (4/19/2023)
District 2.  (4/19/2023)
District 3.  (4/19/2023)
District 4.  (4/21/2023)

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The Art of the Texas Gerrymander: U.S. House District 4

 
Seahorse barfing on Dallas
Wikipedia

Pat Fallon (R-Frisco) won a second term in the House by a more than 2 to 1 margin.


Texas Tribune, 12/13/2021
Dallas-area Latinos hoped their growing numbers would finally translate into political clout this year through the creation of a new congressional district anchored by their communities. Instead, their neighborhoods were splintered between numerous white-majority districts.

Related posts:
District 1.  (4/19/2023)
District 2.  (4/19/2023)
District 3.  (4/19/2023)
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U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 population estimates: Iowa's 30th smallest county (Montgomery) has fewer residents than it did in 1880

 
Iowa has 99 counties.

92.9% Trumpy white Montgomery County's population has decreased 43% since its 17,803 peak of 1900.   
 
Sources:  Wikipedia (1860-2020), U.S. Census Bureau (2022)


KMA, 4/6/2023
County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, based at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, released its results recently of over 3,000 counties nationwide and ranked each county within its own state. Nicholas Schmuhl is a research and analytics scientist with County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Schmuhl tells KMA News the reasoning behind the study is to help bring attention to the various social, economic, and environmental factors that can play into the overall health of a county's population. 
"Not just the things that we might normally think of like access to clinical care or some of the health behaviors like smoking, diet, and exercise," said Schmuhl. "It really has a lot to do with social and economic factors like income and education and it has to do with factors related to the physical environment -- do you have clean air and water where you live, safe housing, and good transportation."

Related posts:
Adair County.  (4/13/2023)
Adams County.  (4/10/2023)
Audubon County.  (4/10/2023)
Calhoun County.  (4/20/2023)
Clarke County.  (4/19/2023)
Davis County.  (4/17/2023)
Decatur County.  (4/15/2023)
Emmet County.  (4/17/2023)
Franklin County.  (4/20/2021)
Fremont County.  (4/11/2023)
Greene County.  (4/16/2023)
Guthrie County.  (4/21/2023)
Howard County.  (4/18/2023)
Humboldt County.  (4/18/2023)
Ida County  (4/13/2023)
Keokuk County.  (4/20/2023)
Lucas County.  (4/15/2023)
Mitchell County.  (4/21/2023)
Monona County.  (4/16/2023)
Monroe County.  (4/15/2023)
Osceola County.  (4/11/2023)
Palo Alto County.  (4/16/2023)
Pocahontas County.  (4/13/2023)
Ringgold County.  (4/10/2023)
Sac County.  (4/19/2023)
Taylor County.  (4/11/2023)
Van Buren County.  (4/13/2023)
Wayne County.  (4/11/2023)
Worth County.  (4/14/2023)

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U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 population estimates: Iowa's 29th smallest county (Mitchell) has fewer residents than it did in 1880

Iowa has 99 counties.

96% Trumpy white Mitchell County's population has decreased 30% since its 14,916 peak of 1900.   
 
Sources:  Wikipedia (1860-2020), U.S. Census Bureau (2022)



Mitchell was one of a number of smaller eastern Iowa counties that voted Democratic in presidential elections from 1988 to 2008, then we fell for Trump and his MAGA message  The county went from a 3.4 percentage point advantage Obama in 2012 to a 24 percentage point advantage Trump in 2016.  That's quite the swing.





Related post:
Adair County.  (4/13/2023)
Adams County.  (4/10/2023)
Audubon County.  (4/10/2023)
Calhoun County.  (4/20/2023)
Clarke County.  (4/19/2023)
Davis County.  (4/17/2023)
Decatur County.  (4/15/2023)
Emmet County.  (4/17/2023)
Franklin County.  (4/20/2021)
Fremont County.  (4/11/2023)
Greene County.  (4/16/2023)
Guthrie County.  (4/21/2023)
Howard County.  (4/18/2023)
Humboldt County.  (4/18/2023)
Ida County  (4/13/2023)
Keokuk County.  (4/20/2023)
Lucas County.  (4/15/2023)
Monona County.  (4/16/2023)
Monroe County.  (4/15/2023)
Osceola County.  (4/11/2023)
Palo Alto County.  (4/16/2023)
Pocahontas County.  (4/13/2023)
Ringgold County.  (4/10/2023)
Sac County.  (4/19/2023)
Taylor County.  (4/11/2023)
Van Buren County.  (4/13/2023)
Wayne County.  (4/11/2023)
Worth County.  (4/14/2023)

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U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 population estimates: Iowa's 28th smallest county (Guthrie) has fewer residents than it did in 1880

 
Iowa has 99 counties.

94.4% Trumpy white Guthrie County's population has decreased 43% since its 18,729 peak of 1900.   
 
Sources:  Wikipedia (1860-2020), U.S. Census Bureau (2022)

The county went all in for MAGA, Biden receiving a smaller percentage of the Democratic vote in 2020 than Clinton did in 2016.



Related post:
Adair County.  (4/13/2023)
Adams County.  (4/10/2023)
Audubon County.  (4/10/2023)
Calhoun County.  (4/20/2023)
Clarke County.  (4/19/2023)
Davis County.  (4/17/2023)
Decatur County.  (4/15/2023)
Emmet County.  (4/17/2023)
Franklin County.  (4/20/2021)
Fremont County.  (4/11/2023)
Greene County.  (4/16/2023)
Howard County.  (4/18/2023)
Humboldt County.  (4/18/2023)
Ida County  (4/13/2023)
Keokuk County.  (4/20/2023)
Lucas County.  (4/15/2023)
Monona County.  (4/16/2023)
Monroe County.  (4/15/2023)
Osceola County.  (4/11/2023)
Palo Alto County.  (4/16/2023)
Pocahontas County.  (4/13/2023)
Ringgold County.  (4/10/2023)
Sac County.  (4/19/2023)
Taylor County.  (4/11/2023)
Van Buren County.  (4/13/2023)
Wayne County.  (4/11/2023)
Worth County.  (4/14/2023)

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Thursday, April 20, 2023

GET ME REWRITE: 1.3% of GOP voters are starving for Tim Scott's "optimistic, positive message"

 
Poll averages:  Real Clear Politics
Headline:  New York Times newsletter subscription (Jamelle Bouie)
“I have found that people are starving for hope,” he said. “They’re starving for an optimistic, positive message that is anchored in conservative values.”
Related posts:
2023

2022
Trump remains a winner, according to Australia's United States Studies Centre.  (11/22)
GOP horse race to the presidential nomination: Just 620-some days left until the Republican National Convention.  (11/17)
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