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Privatized state lands

I hate to say I told everyone so. The legislature passed the defunding of the State Park System. The best state park system in the country. The Governor said he would allow corporate sponsorship of state parks. That in my book amounts to privatization! A back door way of doing it but, privatization any way you slice it. What does this have to do with bow hunting? Public hunting grounds. They will be next! Sold off in my opinion. Maybe not all but, given recent actions at least part of the public hunting ground system will fall to developers or profiteers. If that happens, it will put an enormous amount of pressure on the hunting areas that survive and will disenfranchise a large segment of our sport, leaving them nowhere to go. If you are a private land owner or a hunter fortunate enough to have access to private lands, you should be concerned. We all need those public lands, it helps keeps our sport strong.

Many state parks never allowed hunting. I think it is a stretch to think that public land will be sold off and closed to hunting. remember there is county, state and federal lands that are public. I'd be much more worried about federal lands that are in control of forces much less friendly to hunters.

Disenfranchise? Some words and sayings never go away.

Non issue.

The governor is defunding lots of stuff and yet he wants to borrow millions for the transportation budget instead of raise gas tax. I voted for the guy the first time. Wanted a change. Things did change. Some for the better. I think we need another change. When anyone is in charge for too long they seem to change more then what needs to be changed, but what they want changed.

Not even a little concerning.

LIke I said, not all state lands but, some. Let's just say some lands are sold, it would once again push more hunters into less land causing a whole host of problems. Apparently, the good governor and his buddies have a hard-on for any kind of societal responsibility. They must have been at the Young Republicans Convention during that part of grade school.

Capt. I didn't include state parks used for hunting. I'm sure they will be affected by it. IF selling public hunting land does happen, do you really think county and federal lands are enough to support the number of hunters Wisconsin has? I don't.

A stretch, not at all! It is the first step to private management of state parks. Remember, divide and conquer? At the very least he wants to wave his tax cut flag at tax payers and say; look, I just saved you another million. All the while bending them over with higher user fees. The guy is a fraud.

Sportsman for Walker...you've been had !

You're right, everyone does get it. We are cutting your taxes but, you will just have to pay higher user fees. Instead of adding that two dollars to your tax bill for the state parks, we will charge 35 dollars for an annual park sticker and we will get the additional income out the backdoor by selling sponsorship of state parks to a private business. We'll tax you higher at the gate and turn the park into a huge billboard by selling the sponsorship. Sounds pristine! Can't wait. Maybe they can have tent to tent salesmen come around peddling portable vacuums to keep the dirt out of your tent.

Oh you want to hunt the new high fence public hunting grounds, make a reservation by calling Cabela's. Jackson Marsh hunting grounds, oh we sold that land to a developer. Needed the revenue for Christain charter schools. The developer? Maybe you recognize the name, Koch.

Hey 10, you know that little rectangular case that has the days Monday through Sunday on it? You need to flip open Friday, and there should be two little pills inside. Just sayin'!

You hate that man, that we get! ;-)

I have no problem paying for what I use. Beats the heck out of paying for many things I don't use.

Sometimes the thought process doesn't go to the top floor, it just sits at gut level and churns and wrenches and finally stangants and dribbles and dribbles and dribbles and drib......bles

They should sell all state land...put it on the tax roll... it would do 2 important things.. raise tax revenue for the state as the lands collect zero ...and flood the market with acreage making ownership much more affordable...no reason to keep it all out of the service..it's why our property taxes are rediculous...way too much untamed property to draw from means we all pay way more to own lands

I agree with Walker

Pete that is actually very funny! I like your sense of humor.

I see I got the base fired up.

Antler, it's the old, I got mine mentality. True colors come out.

A joint study by the DNR and UW-Madison in 2013 estimated that just the state parks generate $1 billion in economic activity each year, and combined the state parks, trails, forests and recreation areas attract some 14 million visitor-days.

Ironically, Wisconsin's proposed $4.6 million budget cut — more than a quarter of the current operational budget — is the exact amount Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said he planned to ADD to the state parks operational budget there.

That said, I don't think an additional $2 per campsite and a $3 per year hike on the admission is that big of a deal. In fact, I'd say up the sticker fee an even $5 and be done with it. But the current $16.7 million parks budget would decrease to $15.6 million under the budget plan, making a $4.6 billion cut an even bigger deal.

The Minnesota proposal would increase the state park operations budget by $4.6 million in a fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, and $4.9 for fiscal year 2017. This would be in addition to the current state parks and trails operations budget of $34.6 million. That's a budget more than double what Wisconsin allocates, with five million fewer visitor days than Wisconsin lures, and an economic impact 60 percent lighter. Yet Minnesota, citing the economic impact to its state, is choosing to invest in its parks.

As for Stewardship $, I think scaling back and purchasing only the best pieces is a good idea (while selling landlocked parcels and other pieces with poor habitat), but am not in favor of scrapping it altogether. A statewide poll of 600 voters recently showed overwhelming support on the need to continue dedicated state funding for the program. Thirty-nine percent of those polled identified themselves as Democrat, 35 percent Republican, 25 percent Independent and 1 percent wouldn't say.

Nearly 90 percent said they agreed that even when the budget is tight, the state should continue investing in protecting Wisconsin's land, water and wildlife. Most voters believe that protecting the natural resources is important to a healthy economy, and four-in-five voters would tell their legislator to continue conservation investments through the Stewardship Program. And, more than three-fourths of those surveyed rejected the idea that "Wisconsin has more than enough natural areas and wildlife habitat, and we do not need to do any more to protect them."

This week, legislators will decide whether to slash funding for County Conservation staff by $1.6 million over two years. Among other duties, staff does critical testing and monitoring of run-off that can affect drinking water and lakes. That's big in ag areas.

The only reason things need to be "Slashed" is because liberal big tax and spenders agreed to ridiculous contracts and budgets in past Administrations..it's not like these areas are where our dollars should be....it's prioritizing..

like it or not.. the only reason for any budget cut is from way over spending in the past...

no reason the state needs all this land..there is room for moderation

Antler, how about Scottie Boy and his 2 billion dollar deficit? But, of course we won't talk about that, too busy passing the buck.

Once again, I'd rather pay for things I do use as compared to all that I don't use, yet am still forced to pay for.

2 billion in deficit??

I don't buy it... you can if you want..but try watching real news as opposed to politically funded reports by the lefties.

point here is .. the lands would be better managed under private ownership..Heck we all are saying there needs to be more regeneration and cutting on state lands to support more deer and other wildlife... this would allow that as private landowners are where the cutting is taking place...they don't have to deal with the left wing tree hugger nut jobs.

Paper mills can't get wood fast enough...the price is top dollar for hardwood..yet the lefties are hugging the public woods as opposed to taking advantage of the rates for wood.....private firms would manage the property much better..

Antler, read it for your self from that extremely liberal Milwaukee Journal Company. The same company that employs that flipp'n liberal tree hugger, anti hunter Charlie Sykes! Even fellow Republicans are having second thoughts. Must all be closet liberal Republicans. That is ok, be a good little sheep and follow the rest of the flock.

The expected shortfall for the next two-year state budget starting in July has risen to nearly $1.8 billion, or about half of what it was when Gov. Scott Walker took office in January 2011.

Meanwhile, the state's projected gap in its current budget ending June has risen to $396 million — or about 1.2% of the spending planned for the 2013-'15 budget.

The Republican governor resolved a more than $3 billion budget shortfall in the months after taking office, but the latest projections show the state is running through the resulting surplus. The state is again facing a gap in the 2015-'17 budget because of tax cuts enacted by Walker and lawmakers and lagging growth in other state taxes in recent months.

The projected weakness in the state budget matters because it eventually could lead to cuts in spending on priorities such as schools or increases in state taxes or fees.

The latest estimates by the Legislature's nonpartisan budget office jumped by more than $1.1 billion over the previous estimate of a $642 million gap released in May. The projections from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau were released Monday for the budget beginning in July 2015 and ending in June 2017.

These estimates aren't final — they could still get better or worse depending on the whims of the global economy. The so-called "structural deficit" projections aren't perfect, either — they don't attempt to estimate how much state tax revenue may grow if the economy picks up or how much state costs might rise due to inflation in spending programs such as state health coverage for the needy.

Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick downplayed the report, saying the state could still see revenue grow in future years and take new steps to control spending.

"We have a proven track record of managing the taxpayers' money well. By continuing to grow the economy, finding further efficiencies in government, continuing to eliminate waste, we will take care of any future structural issues," Patrick said.

The memo describing this so-called "structural deficit" has been issued regularly by the fiscal bureau going back to the 1990s. It could have a political impact as well. Walker has campaigned for re-election on his handling of the budget. His challenger, Mary Burke, a Democrat, is running on the idea that she can do better.

Burke, a former Trek Bicycle executive, seized on the new projections.

"Governor Walker's fiscally irresponsible approach and his failed stewardship of a lagging economy have resulted in a state budget picture that is a mess," she said in a statement. "I have spent my career balancing budgets and insisting on accountability; setting priorities and getting the biggest bang for the buck. Gov. Walker has spent money we don't have. In the business world, if a CEO created this big of a financial mess, he would be fired."

The memos released at the end of a legislative session or after a budget often change by the time the governor and lawmakers take up the budget in February of odd-numbered years.

For instance, a memo released at the same point in 2010 put the expected shortfall facing Walker in 2011 at $2.5 billion, or more than a half-billion dollars less than it actually was.

This latest projected shortfall is the third highest predicted in a comparable fiscal bureau memo since 1997.

To help handle the potential deficit, the state could draw on some $280 million in reserves that sit in the state's rainy-day fund.

Lawmakers concerned

Even some Republican lawmakers expressed concern Monday about the latest figures.

Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) said the numbers show that lawmakers need to do more to urge caution in how the state budgets. Cowles held out for more spending decreases in a tax-cut bill passed last spring before supporting it because of his concerns about its overall impact on the budget.

"We should have done a better job — that's it," Cowles said.

Senate President Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) said the size of the projected shortfall likely meant that lawmakers would have to pass a budget-repair bill early next year.

"They need to come in in January and fix it," said Ellis, who is not seeking re-election.

Ellis was part of a group of Senate Republicans who raised concerns that recent tax cuts went too deep and could harm the state's finances in coming years.

"A number of us were concerned, but they did it anyway," Ellis said. "But we (Republican senators) voted for it, so we can't hide behind 'I told you so.'"

The more than $3 billion projected budget shortfall that Walker inherited as governor represented the gap between the state's expected tax revenue over the next two years and what state agencies were asking to spend over that period. The gap worked out to about 10% of the overall budget in the state's main account.

The new projected shortfall works out to about 5.8% of the 2015-'17 state budget.

To summarize, the state closed a roughly $3 billion shortfall in Walker's first budget, is now a little out of balance in his second budget — the current one — and is expected to face a shortfall in the next budget that is about half the size of the initial one.

To close that first shortfall, Walker lowered state aid to schools and local governments, and then covered most of that lost money by cutting the benefits and take-home pay of teachers, state workers and other public employees. Labor groups organized massive protests against those measures, which included a repeal of most union bargaining power for most public employees.

Walker and GOP lawmakers also reduced income and property taxes across the board in the state, along with other tax cuts for businesses such as nearly eliminating all income taxes for manufacturers in the state.

Walker's administration is expected to provide a fuller picture of where the overall budget stands in an Oct. 15 report.

For now, the fiscal bureau said it expects a ripple effect into the future from an unexpected dip in state tax collections over the past year.

The challenge of a slow growth rate in the early year of a budget is the same for the state as it is for any worker given a low starting salary — it provides a small base that can hinder income growth in future years. For instance, a 2% raise comes to $400 for a worker with a $20,000 salary but adds up to $600 for a worker making $30,000 a year.

Another challenge is that there was relatively little cushion built into the current state budget — like most of the previous ones drawn up by both Democrats and Republicans over the past 20 years. That leaves Wisconsin vulnerable to gusts of unexpected economic winds.

"This budget crisis was completely avoidable and will only get worse if we don't act now to balance our budget and grow our economy from the bottom up," said state Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-LaCrosse), a member of the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) shot back that Democrats like Shilling "are looking for dark clouds on a sunny day."

"No one can ignore the fact the state is headed in the right direction," Vos said in a statement. "Unemployment is down, more jobs are being created and new businesses are opening their doors.

Help with what Dave? Just posting what was reported. So what you are saying is the Milwaukee Journal Company is fraudulent in their reporting?

Are these people bat crap crazy and fraudulent in their claims as well? All I am doing is puking out what already exist for anyone with half a brain to read. Everyone must be lying.

The job creation agency founded by Governor Scott Walker has been routinely violating its own rules and state law, according to a damning report released Friday by Wisconsin’s non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau. Walker set up the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in 2011 in order to give taxpayer dollars to private corporations to help them create jobs for Wisconsin workers. But a new audit of more than 100 grants from the agency found that the WEDC failed to follow up on whether the companies were actually using the funds to create and retain jobs. The group also gave loans and tax credits to companies that did not meet its requirements, and did not even attempt to fact-check claims by the companies about the number of jobs they created. Additionally, the agency forgave, wrote off or deferred more than $4 million in loan payments that the corporations were supposed to pay back to the state. Critics of the Governor, including Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate, cited the new data as evidence of his “ineptitude…bordering on criminal negligence” and called for legislators to pass reforms. Since its creation in 2011, the WEDC has been plagued by scandals. An audit in 2013 found the agency repeatedly failed to follow state laws regarding the use of public funds. And in 2014, two corporations that received millions taxpayer funds from the WEDC, Eaton and Plexus, outsourced jobs to Mexico and other foreign countries, and laid off hundreds of Wisconsin workers. The new report comes as Governor Walker and the legislature struggle to come to agreement on how to address the state’s nearly $2 billion deficit, a problem greatly exacerbated by the corporate tax breaks passed in conjunction with the WEDC’s creation. As he seeks to slash about $300 million from the University of Wisconsin system, Governor Walker has asked for more than $47 million for the WEDC — despite the fact that the latest audit found the group to be sitting on a surplus much larger than what it needs to operate.

If Mike Tate said it then it must be true. Same for that stalwart bastion of conservativeness, the Milwaukee Journal! LOL! Rant on ten, you do more to confirm your lunacy than anyone else.

The only "lunacy" circulating here, is the belief that scooter has and will continue to make WI. a better place. He hasn't and he won't !

As a taxpayer, he has made it better for me. Maybe your perception comes from another angle?

Pretty tough for any leader to please both groups, those seeking hand outs, and those forced to fund and provide the hand outs.

Personally, I do not like entitlements and therefore agree with davebow.

Sawtooth, I don't like entitlements either. i.e., I'm still trying to figure out how we can keep saying Social Security is running out of money but, Welfare never does. Baffling!

Having said that, the public sector workers, (I'm not one and never have been one) earned what they had. Nobody gave them a free-ride. They negotiated for and earned what they had fair and square. Always easy to point the finger at unions and blame it all on unions but, the unions would not exist if people were treated with respect and value. Yes, he lowered taxes but, at what cost? The $125.00 he saved me in property taxes turned into $800.00 worth of front end work on my truck because the money was not there to properly fix county roads.

Ten, because public sector workers once had something, does that mean they are entitled to it forever?

Do all road users pay for road improvements? As I stated above, I have no problem paying for what I use. That includes roads. My problem would be only having some users pay for the roads.

Guess I am lucky as I travel county roads each and every day but have no repair bills due to poor roads. That includes four vehicles that are used on a daily basis.

Also, don't just measure the amount your taxes went down but also figure in how much your taxes would have gone up had there been a different governor.

Taxes will always fluctuate. Not fair to measure any politician based only on tax's. And what entitlements are we talking about ? If it's the unions, their contracts were negotiated by two parties and signed by both. Don't see where the entitlement comes in.

Taxes seldom fluctuate. They often go higher but not very often do they go lower. Both parties are guilty of it but once given money, it is darned hard to get it back from them. If talking to me, I made no mention of entitlements. I did ask if certain workers are entitled to something forever, simply because they once had it.

Capt. no, they are not entitled but, they did have a contract and it needs to be honored. Don't forget, both Republicans and Democrats approved what public workers and teachers had. I can't wish for someone to lose something just because I don't have it. Not very Christian like is it Mr. Walker? The roads in Wisconsin are the worst they have been in my lifetime. He allocates money for new roads at the expense of existing. We need a new road in Wisconsin as much as we need another bank, insurance company, church, or gas station. Taxes going up? You don't know that. Purely speculation.

Ten, no contracts were broken. They were simply not renewed at the exorbitant wages and benefits that they once were. That is part of negotiations, you know, like the negotiations that once got those packages they were enjoying. This is being done by our legislators. Those people who were voted into office by a majority of the voters.

Again, I have encountered no bad roads to any degree worse than at any time I have lived here. As I said, no damage to any of my vehicles.

I'd welcome another bank, insurance company and gas station. They would provide additional jobs and pay additional taxes. And, that does not include the potential for lower cost products and services due to the additional competition. Not sure why you'd be against that?

Taxes going up is speculation? Did you just move here? Didn't you get to enjoy the rising taxes from the Doyle era? That was not speculation. Add to that the plethora of social programs that helped to give away tax-payer dollars.

What is Christian is people helping themselves. Not helping themselves to tax-payer money but helping themselves in the sense that they do for themselves.

Well said Capt.

Gotta agree with the Captain here too.

10 wrote, "I'm still trying to figure out how we can keep saying Social Security is running out of money but, Welfare never does. Baffling!"

I'm sure someone here can explain it better than I, but I'll give it a try. SS is self funded by us workers and our employers. Each month the government takes out SS from our paychecks and plans to give it back to us with interest when we retire. The problem is, they take our money out of this account and spend it on other things. My guess, is that they spend it on roads and welfare (I've have no idea if that is true but I do know they spend it instead of save it for us and our future). SS is running out of money because we are spending it faster than we are replacing the money. Welfare isn't self funded. It's funded by us that work to pay for those that don't. You can think of it this way, SS is a saving account we pay for, for our retirement. Welfare is given to someone, not from a saving account, just as a gift.

For the record, I'm not against our welfare program. I do believe that there are times in peoples lives when they need help. I do think the program needs some reform.

How did I do? BC

BC, I am no expert on it either but basically you are correct. SS is being handed out at a much higher rate than it is being funded by. The baby boomers I believe are the largest generation we have had in this country. They are retiring now and drawing their SS. That commands a huge amount of money from the fund. Now add into the mix all the people who are paid from it that never contributed their fair share and it is easy to see how it cannot go on. There are illegal immigrants who draw from it, along with people who were injured with loss of limbs or eyesight, along with the huge amount of fraudulous claims perpetrated by people who would rather use their brains to scam the system instead of working in it.

If that money is used specifically for roads I am not aware of but from what Ten said I am not thinking it was.

BC and Mike are correct again. The baby boomers are taking a huge toll on the SS monies available now.

SS is not broke yet,it is still running a surplus but not for long. Its a Ponzi scheme. A person pays into a fund (not your own) 15% of income half between you and your employer or all if you are self employed. The money I paid in went to pay the folks collecting it. Now I am collecting and the young folks have to pay me. The amount left over goes into a general trust fund. The government is allowed to borrow that money and spend as it wishes. They have to put in an IOU for the amount it takes out. At this time it has never been replaced. When the SS coming is not enough to pay out then the government has to start paying back the money it borrowed. That will come from general income taxes or borrow money to to pay back the borrowed money. So at one point when the IOU's are gone,then what? Government workers do not pay into SS as they have a separate pension. Some government workers retire early and work in private sector for a few years and then collect SS.Double dipping. The first ones that collected SS did well (like my Dad)I have been on it for 11 years and will probably get back as much as I paid in being 73. Its not only 15% you pay in but that is also taxed as it is not deductible. Plus I have to pay income tax on a portion that I collect. SS is a big rip-off for WORKING RESPONSIBLE people

Capt. so your assertion is that all public sector workers were just helping themselves to tax payer money. You don't think that teachers who put in 8 to 10 hours a day and then another 4 to 6 hours at home correcting papers and making lesson plans were working for a living? Not to mention they had to take University level classes very year on their own dollar, just to stay certified. My guess is there probably are not too many other people here that have to be certified every year.

Doyle was an idiot but, Scott MaCallum crapped the bed and Doyle was left to clean it up. The only thing MaCallum did was watch Chrysler Engines and Jacobsen leave Racine, Briggs & Stratton leave for Perry Georgia, Kohler move operations to Mexico… and he did absolutely nothing to save those jobs. Wisconsin's economic problems extend way deeper than Doyle! Walker's actions wrongfully hurt a lot of good people in this state. He kicked them when many were already down! Not very Christian, and he has stated many times that his path is calling, (as in from God himself). Really? Is he sure of what voices he is hearing? I'm sure you are aware the other 21 Republican candidates have all claimed a calling as well. That is hysterical! Hell, I've never even gotten a dial tone. LOL

Dave, it is amazing that only Republican presidential candidates have divine intervention! And, all 22 of them at once! Actually, I'm just the type he wants to save, at least according to scripture. So you might just have it a little backwards. I find it a little suspect that only a select few Republicans have direct access to the Heavenly Father. Perhaps they would be will to record their personal conversation or the voices they hear and share with the rest of the world. I know I would appreciate it. Very reasonable to think sharing of that high profile conversation would clear up an awful lot for me and the rest of the sinners. Of course there is the possibility that an all religious war is brewing. It would n't be the first time!

Agree with Redclub and Davebow.

Agree with Redclub and Davebow.

I've wore this one out. Fun is over, the base is fired up, a few guys got their undies in a bundle, time to get back to bow hunting topics. A little diversion once in a while is a good thing. Thanks for participating.

Don't confuse "undies in a bundle" with fact and reason.

Maybe land could be managed better in the private sector.....

Seems to be a lot of threads bashing how forest rangers and law makers know nothing and public lands are totally mismanaged. Guys are blowing their belly buttons on their beer guts over this.

Was not a competition Dave! Don't know where you got that from. If it was to you, then you won and you deserve a trophy.

Let me make sure I have this right, you have a direct line to Christ and are able to spew exactly what he or she is saying to Democrats? Last I checked with my Minister, Christ love and guidance was unconditional. I wasn't aware of all the conditions your are privy to. Wow, you've been climbing the ladder. You wouldn't be a Self Ordained Minister would you? It would take more than a so called shelling to make me go away. Actually, I probably would have to croak to go away. haha

Konk, you are right. I apologize, I just like to push that Republican button once in a while. For no particular reason, I can't resist. All in fun.

"Konk, you are right. I apologize, I just like to push that Republican button once in a while. For no particular reason, I can't resist. All in fun."

What you don't realize is that while you believe you are pushing buttons, what most of the rest of the world sees is a misguided person who unwittingly and inappropriately shows his lack of understanding for the real world and its' workings.

Aren't you tardy from the protests in Madison?

This is no different then Miller Park, The Kohl Center, ect. Some things won't survive without private money. Look around there are so many other states/entities do this just to survive. Its more name recognition for the businesses then actually taking things over. I know I hate paying for things I never use and just because I don't buy a park pass doesn't mean some of the tax dollars I pay aren't used for these parks. I say privatize them. It takes money to keep parks running and the state is running out.

DBL, you nailed it. In general, most aspects of government would benefit from being privatized.

I can see where this is heading, next thing you know they will be naming local schools, government buildings, streets, and parks for politicians.

Capt., Dave, Ouch! Come on guys that really hurts.

Which protest are you referring to? I didn't get this months schedule. It wouldn't be the Save the Whales protest, would it?

I wonder if I can have my Walker Derangement Syndrome covered under Obama Care? Or maybe, I can claim loss of earning power, go on welfare and collect Social Security. Whatever the case, keep paying your taxes, I need the money.

Ten, truth sometimes stings. Good thing is most anything can be covered under Obamacare if you promise to keep supporting it. Just send in two box tops and $.25, and, if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor!

There is enough bad news for the Walker camp these days when it comes to his budget and various scandals we expect whenever a candidate is extreme right or left. This one you might have missed though Dave.

I see you guys are still posting. Ok, I guess. Chew on this for a while. Once again, not my words, not my hunt. Just sharing what is out there.

A nonprofit watchdog group filed a lawsuit in a Wisconsin circuit court against Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Tuesday, alleging that he is refusing to make public documents relating to an effort by his office to change the mission of the University of Wisconsin that is embedded in state law.

Earlier this year, Walker submitted a budget proposal that included language that would have changed the century-old mission of the University of Wisconsin system — known as the “Wisconsin Idea” and embedded in the state code — by removing words that commanded the university to “search for truth” and “improve the human condition” and replacing them with “meet the state’s workforce needs.”

The change is not insignificant; the traditional mission speaks to a role for the university system of broadly educating young people to be active, productive citizens in the U.S. democracy, while Walker’s suggested change would bend the school’s mission towards becoming a training ground for American workers.

Walker didn’t mention the suggested change in a speech he gave about the budget, but it was discovered by the nonprofit Washington -based Center for Media and Democracy and widely publicized. Walker quickly backtracked and said it was a “drafting error.”

The Center for Media and Democracy filed a Freedom of Information Act request to Walker’s administration requesting documents about the “drafting error” and how the language to change the university’s mission wound up in the budget document. The center says it received some documents but not all; Walker’s office saying that the withheld papers are protected by something called the “deliberative process privilege,” which the center says is not recognized under Wisconsin’s public records law. That’s why it filed the lawsuit in circuit court against Walker and his office.

“CMD believes there is significant public interest in how this attack on Wisconsin traditions was developed, and that blowing a new hole in the public records law to keep that a secret would do grave damage to Wisconsin’s traditions of clean and open government,” Brendan Fischer , the center’s general counsel, said in a statement.

You know dave, I have to admit, there is one case in which I would vote for Walker as president. If he had the balls to use the US Military to find and exterminate all motorcycle gangs and gangs of any kind! With prejudice, all gangs white, black, hispanic, asian,…not jail and prosecute them but, exterminate them. Not talking peaceful, law abiding clubs that contribute positively to society, I'm talking gangs that should have no human rights within the borders of the United States. I don't care if they all wear an American flag on their jackets, I don't care if they ride Harley's or served military time. If they are even remotely connected to a criminal gang, exterminate. Walker won't though because he is no different then any of the other politicians that give nothing but, lip service to the drug problem, exploitation of women, and murder. He is a scum of the earth politician, nothing more, nothing less.

Well produced video with a good amount of production value. Paced just fast enough to make it difficult to impossible to verify both the manufactured and so called official documents shown in the video That is unless you have a professional edit system to view it frame by frame in like I do. I give them credit, excellent propaganda piece. Equal to the propaganda crap the Democrats are equally adept at putting out there.

Stuff like that reminds me of the 1970's Cheech and Chong Wedding Album with the skit of the guys sneaking into the drive-in movie. In the background you hear the audio of the movie with the two queers saying "Captain, Captain, see what he did to me". Very funny bit! You will have to listen to it sometime, it puts both the Republican and Democrat propaganda machines into perspective. Actually it puts the politics of both parties and their candidates into perspective. There are no honorable politicians these days. Like I've said a thousand times, I'm not tied to either party, I don't follow blindly, no man crush here. I guess that is why I enjoy bow hunting so much, true independence!

RC, your site was as far right as the other was far left. Why can't someone just post facts from the middle?

Walker has done a lot of good things for WI. He's also out in left field on a number of issues (as he's finding out with the current budget process and his big dip in approval ratings). And, now that he's got his eyes set on D.C., he's flip-flopping faster than an Asian carp out of water (not talking about the current WEDC fiasco, either). Doesn't matter if R or D, they both do it. Too bad the "Common Sense" Party in the middle has no chance of taking charge right now.

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