Journal Sentinel

Justice Mike Gableman And That Phantom Giant, Justice Anne Walsh Bradley

August 26, 2011 by The Political E...

From the investigative records of the State Supreme Court fracas, and Journal Sentinel reporting, comes this eyewitness head-scratcher:

Justice Michael Gableman told detectives in a July 5 interview that Bradley "rushed" to Prosser and punched the air around his face. He described Bradley as being a little bit taller than Prosser and compared Bradley's stance with Prosser to a famous photo of then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson leaning over a shorter, cowed senator.

According to the records, Prosser is 5-feet-9-inches tall and weighs 165 pounds. Bradley is 5-feet-3-inches and weighs 131 pounds.

Now where did I just hear that Bradley moves like Packers defensive end Clay Matthews? Oh, I remember. Football maven and expert-in-all-things Mark Belling.

Right-Wing Anti-Rail Politics Could Again Cost Wisconsin Transit Money, Services

August 25, 2011 by The Political E...

Bad enough that Scott Walker turned back $800 million that could have added modern Amtrak service between Madison and Milwaukee and put these cities on the planned Midwest High-Speed Rail system.

His ideologically-driven, talk radio-inspired assaults on rail service also cost Wisconsin thousands of construction jobs, rail corridor development and permanent operating, maintenance and assembly jobs, too.

But the right in the Legislature also wiped out another rail initiative, the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter line, taking down as well the transit authority that was to manage it, and related services, too.

Lost, as well - - years of organizing by regional business groups and transit advocates, an unusual and refreshing coalition that has been subbed and marginalized. 

And, again, there are financial consequences, as Larry Sandler at the Journal Sentinel reports, meaning that federal funds could be lost to the state and region, further setting back cash-strapped bus lines, too.