Wisconsin

Walker is for certainty -- except when he isn't

October 5, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Here is Scott Walker's own political version of the famous Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in physics:

Republicans are for certainty -- except when that would benefit Democrats. Then, they're for uncertainty.

Walker, commenting on the Department of Revenue's decision to slam small "roll your own" cigaret shops:

"What we hear from employers all the time … is they want the certainty of knowing what the law is, what the rules are, that they're applied universally and across the board."

But when implementing the state's new Voter ID law, the Walker administration has told its Department of Transportation service centers that they are not to volunteer to citizens seeking the IDs the information that, under the law, they don't have to pay the usual $28 fee if they're only going to use the card to get a ballot at a polling place.

So, businesses need certainty to create jobs! But if you're an average citizen? Walker wants you to keep on guessing! Especially if you're a member of the opposition.

Reality bites as Walker insists on regulations that Republicans call job killers

October 5, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Wait till Ron "Regulations Kill Jobs" Johnson hears about this.  WisPolitics reports:

Walker also defended the Revenue Department's decision to require additional permits for so-called "roll your own" cigarette machines amid complaints that some retailers are shutting down because of the regulations.

The governor rejected the argument that the policy was hurting businesses, saying the DOR decision provides certainty for all retailers in the tobacco industry.

"It's not picking winners and losers. It's applying what the law is," Walker said.

"What we hear from employers all the time … is they want the certainty of knowing what the law is, what the rules are, that they're applied universally and across the board," he added.

Funny, what Ron Johnson hears from employers all the time is that it's not "certainty" they want.  What they want is no regulations.

The idea that regulations are what's keeping businesses from creating jobs is as bogus as can be.  But it's become GOP gospel, and Walker says it, too.  Just not in this case. 

AFTERTHOUGHT: Maybe the question we should be asking is which of Walker's special interest friends and contributors is this helping?

Shorewood wants everyone to read novel; Merrill parents try to ban it

October 5, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Larry Watson, left, author of the best-selling novel, "Montana 1948," is speaking in Shorewood today to kick off a "Shorewood Reads" program in which the whole community is being encouraged to read his book. Elsewhere, they're trying to ban it. Shorewood Patch says:

Shorewood Library Director Beth Carey estimated that the book has been checked out of the library more than 200 times and been read by a number of area book clubs over the last few months...

Montana 1948 has been the featured book in community reading programs numerous times since its publication in 1993, something Watson attributes to the fact that it deals with the kind of moral dilemma that “frequently makes for interesting and productive discussions.”

The novel also has provoked an interesting discussion in Merrill, up the road a piece, where some parents tried to get it banned from high school libraries and out of the curriculum for 10th grade English students.

That effort failed, as the Wausau Daily Herald reports: