Split over union law reaches Wis. court race

By TODD RICHMOND   Wednesday, April 6, 2011
ADVERTISEMENT
 

Reader pollAudio

Did the state budget debate influence your vote in the State Supreme Court race?

  

See the results and comments

PhotoVideo


Justice David Prosser, speaks to supporters at the Seven Seas Restaurant Tuesday April 5, 2011 in Waukesha Wis. as he takes on Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg for the Wisconsin Supreme Court seat.

Justice David Prosser, speaks to supporters at the Seven Seas Restaurant Tuesday April 5, 2011 in Waukesha Wis. as he takes on Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg for the Wisconsin Supreme Court seat.

— A Wisconsin Supreme Court election that turned into a referendum on Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s polarizing proposal restricting union rights remained too close to call Wednesday as a little known prosecutor tapped into voter unrest to mount a serious challenge to the incumbent tied to Walker.

Unofficial results showed challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg ahead by a scant 311 votes over incumbent Justice David Prosser, a former Republican speaker of the Assembly who served with Walker. The results were based on 99 percent of precincts reporting, with just five precincts outstanding.

A recount was nearly certain. Kloppenburg’s lead was 0.02 percent of the total votes cast.

Turnout shattered predictions. State officials had expected 20 percent in line with past elections, but Democrats’ efforts to make the election more about Walker and the union fight than the officially nonpartisan Supreme Court race helped push it to 33 percent.

In another race that became largely about Walker and his policies, Democrat Chris Abele defeated Republican state Rep. Jeff Stone to become Milwaukee County executive, the seat Walker held until he was elected governor in November.

Stone voted twice for Walker’s bill taking away nearly all of most state workers’ collective bargaining rights from, which put him on the defensive in the race. Abele won with 61 percent of the vote compared with 39 percent for Stone, based on unofficial results.

Kloppenburg’s supporters, including liberal outside interests that helped make the race the most expensive Supreme Court contest in Wisconsin history, worked to make the election about Walker’s anti-union law which is widely expected to be decided by the Supreme Court. It remains in limbo pending legal challenges.

The race appeared headed toward a recount, which couldn’t be requested until after the votes are canvassed. The state board that runs elections has until May 15 to complete the canvas.

Kloppenburg, an assistant state attorney general, began her campaign with almost no name recognition and faced long odds against Prosser. The 12-year Supreme Court veteran emerged from a nonpartisan February primary with 55 percent of the vote, while Kloppenburg finished second out of four candidates with just 28 percent.

But opponents of the collective bargaining law redefined the Supreme Court race as a referendum on Walker and all Republicans, working to leverage the anger over the measure against Prosser. They branded him a Walker clone and held Kloppenburg up as the best hope for stopping the measure.

Prosser’s campaign didn’t immediately return a message early Wednesday. However, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that he told supporters at his election-night party that there was “little doubt” there would be a recount.

When the numbers showed her behind, Kloppenburg told supporters she hadn’t given up.

“We’re still hopeful,” Kloppenburg said. “So thank you all and let’s all get a good night’s sleep and see what tomorrow brings.”

Walker has insisted the new law is necessary to help balance the state’s budget, but Democrats see it as a direct assault on unions, a key campaign supporter for the party.

Tens of thousands of people spent weeks protesting the measure at Wisconsin’s Capitol and Democrats in the Senate even fled the state to try to block a vote in that chamber. Walker eventually signed the bill anyway, but the measure is on hold as legal challenges wend their way through the courts. Sixteen state senators — eight Republicans and eight Democrats — face recall efforts over the proposal.

The measure’s opponents ultimately hope a Kloppenburg upset would tilt the Supreme Court’s ideological balance to the left and set the stage for the court to strike the law down. A legal challenge already is before the court, although the justices have not decided whether to consider it. They also want to show the Republican senators facing recalls that they’re next to go.

Prosser pushed back, disavowing his GOP connections. He accused pro-labor groups of hijacking the race and argued Kloppenburg was so closely tied to them she couldn’t ethically rule on the law.

Interest in what could have been an otherwise sleepy race skyrocketed.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a New York University program that tracks spending on judicial races, outside groups, including the Tea Party Express and national labor organizations, had poured a record $3.5 million into race through Monday.

Deborah MacFarland, 67, and her husband, Robert, 69, of Bayside, said the issue helped persuade them to vote for Kloppenburg.

“I can’t stand Walker. I can’t stand conservative Republicans. ... I have had enough of it,” Deborah MacFarland said.

But Kelly Bodoh, 37, a self-described Libertarian from Sun Prairie, picked Prosser, saying she was upset that Democratic senators fled the state.

“The way the past couple of months have gone down in Madison made me very distrustful of that faction,” she said. “Emotions and disrespect ruled the response to the ... bill.”

Walker has said he wouldn’t interpret the election results as either an endorsement or indictment of his policies.

Wisconsin law does not provide for automatic recounts. Instead, candidates have three days after official results are tallied to request one. They must provide a specific reason for such an effort to state election officials, such as a mistake in counting or some other irregularity.

Associated Press writer Dinesh Ramde in Milwaukee contributed to this report.

reader COMMENTS
Click here to view reader comments
(82)
skippy31
Apr 7, 2011 at 5:20 a.m.
Suggest removal

fearandrhetoric4dummies, It is really dumb to base a small election like this on the walker thing. These judges bring other things to the table and that is all I was trying to say. I guess your answer is to forget about everything else and only elect someone because of party affiliation. Considering that judges have to be fair and non partisan. Lets just keep making one stupid decision after another. Lets let the election of a judge show walker, and forget about all the other things a judge might be faced with in decision making. That makes awesome sense. your intelligence is astounding.

kaysbrew
Apr 7, 2011 at 5:05 a.m.
Suggest removal

fearandrhetoric4dummies
It's not grass roots when you are paid and don't even know the cause. Your three counties to combat one city rebuttal was brilliant followed by a ripping good insult. Bravo, so clever

fearandrhetoric4dummies
Apr 6, 2011 at 11:33 p.m.
Suggest removal

Skippy, the point isnt whether or not you are correct. Its the reality of the turnout. Has there ever been a 1.5 million voter turnout? Will there ever be again? Answer to that is easy, NO! Like it or not , this race had very little to do with the court, other than the feeling by some to place a check to Walker and the repubs massive power grab.

skippy31
Apr 6, 2011 at 11:03 p.m.
Suggest removal

Am I wrong or did an election just take place for a supreme court race. thats right people, Supreme court. Not govenor, or president. I don't care who the people running generally support. There are other issues, that one or the other can greatly affect. Why would you base this election on which political candidate the person running generally supports. I guess this is the only issue the Supreme courts should be worried about.

Zoom
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:31 p.m.
Suggest removal

I'm loving the taste of sour grapes tonite.

Zoom
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:24 p.m.
Suggest removal

Unions represent less than 12% of eligible voters, since they represent only about 12% of all working people. Unions can win no election on their own.

fearandrhetoric4dummies
Apr 6, 2011 at 9:52 p.m.
Suggest removal

Vato- I thought you were talking about Prosser. I thought you guys hated career politicians? Aparantly only when you disagree with them. Your premises are ridiculous, as usual. Make good intelligent points, are you capable? Just name calling and false flag fear. That is a sign of desparation. The race isn't over by a long shot , Prosser has a great shot to win. The conservatives that turned out should be proud! They voted FOR Walker again, no doubt. They better turn out more than 700,000 voters if they want him to stay, that is for sure.
Vato, I would love to see you just make your points without throwing out pejoratives. Unfortunately that seems to be the only way you seem to be able to make points. Arguing conservative points can be easy to do intelligently. Using terms like "cartel and "money laundering" when it comes to unions just devalues your attempts to make an argument. Good luck next time.

KingRizzo
Apr 6, 2011 at 7:54 p.m.
Suggest removal

newglasses: forget 5%. Five Wisconsin supreme court justices TOTAL since 1852 have been unseated at election. THAT is statistically significant.

newglasses
Apr 6, 2011 at 4:51 p.m.
Suggest removal

Kay... What do you think about removing Waukesha instead of the Capitol of our State from the electorate?

fearandrhetoric4dummies
Apr 6, 2011 at 4:49 p.m.
Suggest removal

Kaysbrew- foot minions? I thought grass roots were a good thing?
Keisha-Reagan , a strong republican? when he had all of his facilities about him he was actually quite progressive. Then he was taken over by bankers(Don Reagan) and told what to do. There are videos out there when he was seen telling Reagan to "Wrap it up" while he was speaking! Thats strong!

newglasses
Apr 6, 2011 at 4:49 p.m.
Suggest removal

Time to revisit poobah's 11:17 post. Historically, incumbent supreme court justices only lose re-election 5% of the time. That means it is 'statistically significant' that Prosser lost... pending recount, of course.
http://www.stanford.edu/~cshlim/Judge_Oc...
In February, the nonpartisan primary afforded Prosser 55% of the vote and Kloppenburg 28% of the vote. Again, the unofficial results indicate a significant shift in the electorate regardless of who wins the recount. (This report also suggested that "Prosser should easily coast to victory.")
http://www.wigderson.com/index.php/2011/...

fearandrhetoric4dummies
Apr 6, 2011 at 4:22 p.m.
Suggest removal

I would also like to point out thatmadison (the most left wing part of WI) has far and away the LOWEST unemployment rate in the state. FYI

fearandrhetoric4dummies
Apr 6, 2011 at 4:20 p.m.
Suggest removal

Kay_ifs and buts were cherries and nuts we'd all have a merry Christmas. Like it or not Madison is a part of the state, and the most desireable place to live.
Your assertion could also be flipped. Take away Waukesha, Washington, and Ozaukee counties and you would have a huge swing blue. So lets stop with the "ifs" because it works both ways!
The race is far from over. Recounts and challenges yet to come, so lets not start with the hyperbole. I am just impressed with turnout on BOTH sides!
the amount of votes cast in the three suburban Milwaukee counties is equal to the amount cast in Dane. The percentage in the three counties was MORE in favor of repubs than dane was for dems , so........ Saying, take away this, and that and "my side" wins is a juvenile arguement , period.

kaysbrew
Apr 6, 2011 at 3:48 p.m.
Suggest removal

weeks or months- we'll shall see

DwightKSchrute
Apr 6, 2011 at 3:42 p.m.
Suggest removal

Settle, settle. It'll be a few weeks before we know anything for sure.

KingRizzo
Apr 6, 2011 at 3:40 p.m.
Suggest removal

kaysbrew: Wish in one hand . . . how does the rest of that go?

916WI: Only 5 other times in Wisconsin history has an incumbent judge been ousted. Just a few months ago Prosser won 55-25. Now it's a tie. Considering Walker has built his administration on a far swing to the right, I would say this is a significant defeat for him.

kaysbrew
Apr 6, 2011 at 3:35 p.m.
Suggest removal

I'm back - wow 41 counties not 71 - sorry for the typo (not a perfect robot) - my point is you remove Madison just the city and it is an 80,000 vote swing. Just like Walker with 52% - one blue bubble over Madison and a smaller blue bubble over Milwaukee and a couple pockets.
Just fasten your seat belts folks - Abrahamson will have to refuse herself in the end due to the relationship. The left did not expect to still be fighting for this but the right came out just as strong to "support" Walker.
And don't be to sure that if Klopp gets in she can even rule on the Budget bill because she ran to directly fight it. Preconception, ruling before even seeing the case is already a US Supreme court ruling offense- She may be out of that too. Be patient and we will see how this plays out.

i_luv_jvl
Apr 6, 2011 at 3:14 p.m.
Suggest removal

Yessssssssssssssssssss!

MikeF
Apr 6, 2011 at 3:02 p.m.
Suggest removal

KingRizzo and Concernedperson- Yes I know. I just couldn't resist throwing that at her. Sometimes I am incorrigible. :)

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:53 p.m.
Suggest removal

Thanks, newglasses, for your facts. MikeF, Kaysbrew will not give you the facts. Yes, I agree with you.

shagcarpet
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:51 p.m.
Suggest removal

The state is split down the middle - at least the middle of the 40% that took the time to vote.

poorrichard
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:49 p.m.
Suggest removal

And George Soros didn't buy Obama's election?

garyprimer
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:47 p.m.
Suggest removal

916WI, absolutely right.
Right down the middle.

garyprimer
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:45 p.m.
Suggest removal

I counted 31 counties where Kloppenburg had 51% or better. I may be off by one or two, but how do you get Prosser taking 71 counties?
You know, I used to give you the benefit of the doubt.

916WI
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:45 p.m.
Suggest removal

Kingrizzo......How do you figure that this counted as a loud defeat on Walker? Both sides had conceded that this election came down to support(or lack of support) of Walker's policies. Prior to the election, both sides had claimed overwhelming support of Wisconsinites when it came to their position on Walker's legislation. It turns out that neither side has an overwhelming majority--the state is split right down the middle when it comes to their perspective on the path that Walker is taken.....

KingRizzo
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:40 p.m.
Suggest removal

"Unless they are manufacturing top hats. monocles, and caviar, the tax breaks won't work."

Thank you for the business idea. That might just work . . .

"You know there are 72 counties in WI, right?"

You know you're talking to kaysbrew, right?

shagcarpet
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:36 p.m.
Suggest removal

poorrichard - because you know the Koch brother's didn't buy the last election.

garyprimer
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:36 p.m.
Suggest removal

Here come the hanging chads!

MikeF
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:35 p.m.
Suggest removal

"lost boxes of ballets, and hundreds of suspicious voter activity that will be looked into by J.B. Van Hollen before this is over. Still only managing half the vote with Prosser taking 71 counties."
kaysbrew- links to back this up? what boxes were missing from where? and you know there are 72 counties in WI, right? So if Prosser took 71, which one did he not take? Adams, Ashland, Bayfield, Chippewa, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Green, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Trempealeau, Vernon, Washburn, or Wood? According to the AP at http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elect... these were all taken by Kloppenburg.

garyprimer
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:34 p.m.
Suggest removal

Tax breaks do not make businesses hire new employees.
Only one thing does that and that is market demand for their products.
Unless they are manufacturing top hats. monocles, and caviar, the tax breaks won't work.

KingRizzo
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:32 p.m.
Suggest removal

Only 5 justices have ever been unseated by the voters since the birth of the court in 1852.

If the likely outcome of the election holds up, it certainly counts as a loud defeat for Walker. Even if Prosser comes out the winner, that it was so close (especially after Prosser won 55% to KloJo's 25% in the primary), is a significant blow to the republicans.

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com...

newglasses
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:26 p.m.
Suggest removal

AP update (14:18 CDT)... all precincts have reported. Kloppenburg by 204 votes.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elect...
http://www.piercecountyherald.com/event/...
-
BTW. Professional conservatives outspent professional liberals 3:2.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/04/...

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:25 p.m.
Suggest removal

commonsense123: Very eloquently put. I again am very glad that someone knows what is going on in the world. I agree with you totally.

commonsense123
Apr 6, 2011 at 2:17 p.m.
Suggest removal

I don't see businesses using tax breaks to hire new employees. Business owners hire people IF they feel they need more to help meeting orders, customer service, or a skill set needed. The tax breaks are accepted, but if they can use robots to manufacture product or self serve technology to eliminate a person, that is the way many businesses are going. It is all in the numbers. They know exactly down to the penny the cost of producing goods or how little customer service is needed before losing business. Unless there is a need, nothing will "trickle down". Efficiency is the name of the game.

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:58 p.m.
Suggest removal

Zeussmom: Kudos to you!

kaysbrew
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:55 p.m.
Suggest removal

Oh and one more thing - should this go to the Supreme Court - Shirley Abrahamson will probably be called out as having close ties to Klopp- as she clerked for Abrahamson and Klopp claims with great pride was mentored. 3-2 conservative panel - fasten your seat beats!

poorrichard
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:52 p.m.
Suggest removal

Milwaukee county,Dane county and Dane county south (Rock) won this election. Go figure. In the grand tradition of our union brothers and sisters I will be boycotting these three counties. Call me a sore loser or whatever I don't care. Thankfully most of the state is still normal and can't be bought or paid off by union money.

Zeussmom
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:52 p.m.
Suggest removal

Kaysbrew- You can't believe that the good people of Wisconsin are sick of getting the shaft from their elected officials and hit the polls? (Oh and by the way, most of them are not Union thugs). DEAL WITH IT!

kaysbrew
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:50 p.m.
Suggest removal

Good thoughts for you to hold on to

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:49 p.m.
Suggest removal

Some said before the election that whatever the results are, both sides have to accept it. And that still holds true.

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:47 p.m.
Suggest removal

It should be investigated if you think that there was. I'm not too concerned, though.

kaysbrew
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:45 p.m.
Suggest removal

don't be hating concernedp - this will all be investigated - all of it.

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:36 p.m.
Suggest removal

Kaysbrew: What suspicious voter activity? Oh, do you mean like the kind that occurred in the presidential election of 2000 by the Repubs.?

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:33 p.m.
Suggest removal

Kaysbrew: Really? J.B. VanHollen is another crook who was at the secret meeting held last fall by the Koch Bros, along with Glenn Beck and Ryan. Talk about greed and corruption all at one meeting! I have no faith in J.B.
Van Hollen.

heidib93: I read Ryan's plan differently than you do. It is the same old tactics Repubs. always use to confuse people.

kaysbrew
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:17 p.m.
Suggest removal

Thank you voters – the professional left threw everything they could at us – millions of dollars that come from forced union dues, hundreds of foot minions, Jesse Jackson, lost boxes of ballets, and hundreds of suspicious voter activity that will be looked into by J.B. Van Hollen before this is over. Still only managing half the vote with Prosser taking 71 counties. Take out Planet Madison and you’ve got another good old fashion shellacking by 80,000 votes. Good news for 2012 for sure.

pubsrus
Apr 6, 2011 at 1:04 p.m.
Suggest removal

Bellagio_Bound
Apr 6, 2011 at 6:32 a.m.
Suggest removal Yada, do you not understand that if businesses are not given some tax incentives to come to and stay in Wisconsin, that they will just move to more business friendly states? That is not a very hard concept to understand. Wisconsin NEEDS businesses in order for people to make any kind of a living at all.

If all states quit whoring out to business and bankrupting themselves by giving all these tax incentives you would not have to worry about losing a business to another state. Figure it out, sometimes states will give $100,000 in tax breaks per job for $25,000 a year jobs and then wonder why their revenues fall short.

wando
Apr 6, 2011 at 12:51 p.m.
Suggest removal

It's over folks! Prosser only picked up 2 votes in Lake Mills!!! Results should be posted on AP shortly. Kloppenburg WINS!!!

newglasses
Apr 6, 2011 at 12:41 p.m.
Suggest removal

Nice report, poobah.
-
AP update (12:34 CDT) claims only 1 precinct has yet to report (in Jefferson County). Kloppenburg is up by 235 votes. Could be an interesting recount.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elect...

heidib93
Apr 6, 2011 at 12:37 p.m.
Suggest removal

Concerned,
Where does it say in Ryan's plan that businesses will not have to pay their fair share? The way I read it is that he wants to close loopholes that resulted in companies such as GE not paying taxes.

I also did not see the part about eliminating Medicare and Medicaid. It looked to me like he is proposing a different way of paying for them that will allow states to have a measure of control over the rapidly rising costs.

I see his plan as much more comprehensive and well thought out than anything that has been proposed by anyone else.

KingRizzo
Apr 6, 2011 at 12:34 p.m.
Suggest removal

Jefferson County so far has voted 58/42 in favor of Prosser. 22,225 votes have been counted so far in Jefferson county with 97.56% of precincts reporting, which would suggest we can expect 556 more votes from the one remaining. If the one remaining follows the same percentage as the rest of Jefferson County we can expect the final numbers to be KloJo 739,589, Prosser 739,354: KloJo by 148 votes. Crazy.

Zoom
Apr 6, 2011 at 12:23 p.m.
Suggest removal

...in canada...

RustyRotor
Apr 6, 2011 at 12:11 p.m.
Suggest removal

"My boss is laughing out loud right now... saying he would be getting himself a new truck", that miraculously manufactured itself!.

poobah
Apr 6, 2011 at 11:17 a.m.
Suggest removal

I wonder how many people understand the electoral significance of defeating an incumbent judge. In a study done by Stanford University on the turnover and accountability of elected and appointed judges, they found that an average of just around 5% of elected judges are defeated! FIVE PERCENT. This means Kloppenburg was starting from a near impossible position...like dragging a grand piano in a 100 yard dash and winning! The study can be found at the link below.
-
http://www.stanford.edu/~cshlim/Judge_Oc...

poobah
Apr 6, 2011 at 11:10 a.m.
Suggest removal

sharkster said, "still 33% voter turnout is ridiculous. Typical... people sitting on their assess expecting others to do something for them. "It doesnt affect me why should I bother." The dumbing down of America continues. I SEE STUPID PEOPLE"
-
I see people expressing the freedom our Constitution provides them. You know, America, land of the free. Remember? Quit looking in the mirror.

SpeedKills13
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:54 a.m.
Suggest removal

i understand that this is a vote that is put to the people and politics can/do play a role. does anyone other than me find it troubling that people are trying to get one candidate elected over another due to how they feel a justice would rule on a particular case/support a cause? law is supposed to be unbiased and unflinching. the fact that a law is only a law based on one person's political leanings lends very little credence to the law or its invalidity. judicial activism has no place in this country.

newglasses
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:25 a.m.
Suggest removal

According to the Associated Press, Kloppenburg is up by 311 votes. 5 precincts out of 3630 have yet to report: Jefferson, Juneau, Taylor, and 2 from Milwaukee. Methinks a recount will be in order no matter who wins this tally. 311 votes out of 1.5 million separate the two candidates... What are the odds of that happening?

newglasses
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:14 a.m.
Suggest removal

Kiesha... I quoted 'libertarian conservative' because that is what the tea party controlled GOP is claiming they represent.
http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/52...
-
The policies they are enacting are anything but 'libertarian'.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/...
-
As far as claim on Reaganomics. I'm not sure you understood what I meant. or supply-side economics has been perpetuated by every adminstration for the past 30 years. Would you claim it a success?
http://www.quickoverview.com/issues/supp...
http://www.wordwiz72.com/econ.html#suppl... side
-
I would respond to the rest of your post, but it is irrelavent or your point is lost in an attempt at quippy rhetoric.

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:13 a.m.
Suggest removal

Kiesha: Newglasses is correct. Some of the problems we are having today go directly back to Ronald Reagan. And yes, it was the worst recession due to the policies of this man. Reaganomics never worked. The money never trickled down like he said it would. We are still waiting for Reagan's trickle down effect to take place. But what corporations found out during this time is that they could pay less taxes. That's what they like, and that's why it is still being implemented today, at the expense of the working class people. Please go check on history.

Did you notice that Paul Ryan in his bill is still going to let corporations and big business not pay their fair share in taxes? But basically get rid of Medicare and Medicaid. How hypocritical is that? He will be the ruination of America.

Kiesha
Apr 6, 2011 at 9:25 a.m.
Suggest removal

You know newglasses, I don't think your driveway goes all the way to the road. You say we have a "'libertarian conservative' government" and I'd really like you or anyone else to show me where that government is because I sure as heck don't see it. And when you say "30 years of Reaganomics resulted in the worst recession since the Great Depression" you blame a strong republican from 30 years ago to to explain why we are where we are today. I think your boss was laughing at you, not the money. I know I am...

concernedperson
Apr 6, 2011 at 8:55 a.m.
Suggest removal

newglasses: Something tells me this is not going to change. That is true. That corporation is not going to hire people, like you said. You explained it very well. But, again some people do not want to read the writing on the wall. Usually those kind of people have more than enough money.

As far as jobs, forget that, Walker sends jobs away rather than bringing them to Wisconsin. That company in Illinois said they would not come to Wisconsin under the current "legislative business climate." Walker will lose more jobs for Wisconsin with that kind of mentality.

westorbust
Apr 6, 2011 at 8:46 a.m.
Suggest removal

couldn't have said it better newglasses. bravo.

newglasses
Apr 6, 2011 at 8:09 a.m.
Suggest removal

Joy, do you really think that a business, if given $50k by the tax payers, would use the full $50k to hire an individual? My boss is laughing out loud right now... saying he would be getting himself a new truck. Supply side economics does not trickle down. Wake up. 30 years of Reaganomics resulted in the worst recession since the Great Depression.
-
I see your point that WI must follow other states. We don't want EVERY business in America moving to Texas because they offer the biggest tax incentive... LOL. Instead, we must perpetuate the downward spiral for employee compensation and state revenue. I just hope the trend changes prior to the complete annihilation of the Middle Class.
-
Wages continue to go down despite corporate taxes being at an all time low and profits being at an all time high... Our 'libertarian conservative' government is excercising an unprecedented authoritarian agenda... Soon, no one will be left represent the employee in government and we will be a plutocracy resembling that of China. We, the electorate, are sheep.

jvldss
Apr 6, 2011 at 8:09 a.m.
Suggest removal

To the justice with the most ridiculous negative ads go the spoils.

jvldss
Apr 6, 2011 at 8:08 a.m.
Suggest removal

Sarah - go be a CEO. Then you can give your 8 million to whom ever you choose.

Zeussmom
Apr 6, 2011 at 7:44 a.m.
Suggest removal

JoyM: In theory that sounds good, but fact is that is not what has been happening, which is why there is such a huge gap between the "haves" and "have nots". The turmoil in this state and the country right now is caused by the few rich want to hang on to every dime and wont pay their fair share, nor do they care to hire more people if they don't need to. And they have the money to buy our politicians to see to it that they get their way. Greed = corruption.

JoyM
Apr 6, 2011 at 7:17 a.m.
Suggest removal

Yada, Bellagio is right, you know....you could tax that business owner an extra $50K a year for the nanny state, or you could let the business keep it and hire an employee so they could expand and keep work here in our state.

yada
Apr 6, 2011 at 6:21 a.m.
Suggest removal

Scott Walker has caused more than a split in the voting for this election. His decision making and lack of flexibility are causing hatred between the people. He does not care about the working class people because it is all about big business and giving the wealthy and corporate America all of the financial gain. We need to tax the wealthy and the large corporatiions so they can pay their fair share. How fair is it that companies like General Electric pay nothing!

sharkster
Apr 6, 2011 at 6 a.m.
Suggest removal

still 33% voter turnout is ridiculous. Typical... people sitting on their assess expecting others to do something for them. "It doesnt affect me why should I bother."
The dumbing down of America continues.
I SEE STUPID PEOPLE

BunBun
Apr 6, 2011 at 5:39 a.m.
Suggest removal

33% vs. the estimated 20% is "shattering"? I guess Mr Richmond felt he had to use something more than "more than".

Before you post a comment, consider this:

Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy Agreement
  • Keep it clean. Comments that are obscene, vulgar or sexually oriented will be removed. Creative spelling of such terms or implied use of such language is banned, also.
  • Don't threaten to hurt or kill anyone.
  • Be nice. No racism, sexism or any other sort of -ism that degrades another person.
  • Harassing comments. If you are the subject of a harassing comment or personal attack by another user, do not respond in-kind.  Hit the "Suggest Removal" button on offensive comments.
  • Share what you know. Give us your eyewitness accounts, background, observations and history.
  • Do not libel anyone. Libel is writing something false about someone that damages that person's reputation.
  • Ask questions. What more do you want to know about the story?
  • Stay focused. Keep on the story's topic.
  • Help us get it right. If you spot a factual error or misspelling, email newsroom@gazettextra.com or call 1-800-362-6712.
  • Remember, this is our site. We set the rules, and we reserve the right to remove any comments that we deem inappropriate.

Post Comment

Commenting requires registration.

Username:
Password: (Forgotten your password?)

Comment:

ADVERTISEMENT