Wisconsin Politics

Citizens can help keep concealed weapons out of public places; Here's how

October 14, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Concealed carry of weapons becomes legal in Wisconsin on Nov. 1, and local governments across the state are deciding whether to allow weapons in public buildings. Most communities are saying no.

It is also a decision business owners face. The law allows them to forbid their employees from bringing guns to work, and allows them to ban weapons on their property simply by posting a sign at the entrance.

Rather than sit back and watch, Wisconsin citizens, individually or in an organized way, can help them make that decision.

Every day, as you spend money in businesses you normally patronize -- the coffee shop, hair salon, grocery store, gas station, restaurant -- ask them to post a sign keeping weapons out. The Wisconsin Anti- Violence Effort has produced some small cards you can give to businesses, asking them to post a sign and giving them some reasons it makes sense to do so. (For example, workers at businesses that allow guns are 5 to 7 times more likely to be murdered, and 80% of all businesses in the country prohibit guns.)

Scott Walker, Koch Money And That Iran Taint

October 14, 2011 by The Political E...

Let's go out on a limb and predict that when Scott Walker is allowed to raise unlimited funds in the recall election coming his way that the Koch brothers will again be major donors.

[Update: Dan Bice discloses Walker appearance at Koch-related conservative gathering.]

And let's also predict that Walker will take every dime of these funds without flinching at the disclosures about Koch interests' bribery in relationships with Iran.

In May 2008, a unit of Koch Industries Inc., one of the world’s largest privately held companies, sent Ludmila Egorova-Farines, its newly hired compliance officer and ethics manager, to investigate the management of a subsidiary in Arles in southern France. In less than a week, she discovered that the company had paid bribes to win contracts.

Everybody else hates it, but Paul Ryan loves Herman Cain's goofy 9-9-9 plan

October 13, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

The Chief, an Oshkosh blogger who deserves a wider readership, asks:

If Paul Ryan takes Herman Cain's 9-9-9 Plan Seriously, should we keep taking Paul Ryan Seriously?

It's entirely possibly that there has never been a more ridiculed and completely dismissed domestic policy proposal than Herman Cain's 9-9-9 Tax Plan. Democrats hate it. Conservatives hate it. Even Grover Norquist hates it. Bruce Bartlett says of the plan:
 
Even allowing for the poorly thought through promises routinely made on the campaign trail, Mr. Cain’s tax plan stands out as exceptionally ill conceived.