This Kind of Hypocrisy is Almost "Criminal"

During the last budget, draft legislation was circulated that would give companies tax credits for hiring ex felons. Seizing on a perceived politically opportune moment, the right-wing Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI) feigned all kinds of outrage over the idea. WPRI's blogger dutifully wrote an attack piece entitled "Is the Recession Hitting Felons Too Hard?" In that blog entry he commented that "...using the financial crisis to socially engineer changes that benefit those who have harmed others isn't the 'stimulus' we need." It didn't take long for right-wing talker Charlie Sykes to jump on the always opportunistic bandwagon. What I do find interesting, however, is that I haven't heard a peep from WPRI or Sykes about Ron Johnson's use of employment programs involving convicted criminals.

State records show that Ron Johnson has been using prison labor at the family company since 1998. He has been doing this even as the unemployment rate in Oshkosh has nearly doubled. So maybe WPRI and Sykes should ask Ron Johnson why he is still employing felons, some with violent histories, instead of working families in Oshkosh?

They have not and will not ask Johnson that question but I have a few ideas about the real answer. I suspect that it just might be because Johnson is able to offload health care costs to the state while still having people do the work for him. Again, it seems like this is yet another example of Johnson's double-talk on "small government". It apparently should be small unless it is helping his own bottom line. The AP has reported that the prison labor is saving Ron Johnson about $10,000 per employee per year. Rather than call out the hypocrisy WPRI and Sykes prefer instead to join in with a bit of their own, by remaining suddenly silent.

WPRI, Sykes and the rest of the right-wing brigade continually attack Governor Doyle for the "earned release" program. Usually they go about chronicling the name and criminal record of dozens of people who have (and have not) qualified for the program. So why aren't they raising even a whisper about the inmates — who are still serving time —who are allowed to get out to work in Ron Johnson's factory? While on work release, these people are monitored by the company, but not always by corrections employees. And some of them have serious charges for which they have been found guilty. Consider this listing of offenses by those that work for Johnson:

1st Degree reckless homicide (14 year sentence)

2 counts of bail jumping, 2 counts of fleeing and eluding, homicide by negligent use of a vehicle

Homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle

2 counts of battery, 2nd degree reckless endangering safety

2 counts of burglary, OWI, bail jumping

Burglary

Theft

2 counts burglary

Burglary, theft

Where is the right-wing fear mongering about these individuals? Where is their feigned outrage over the program itself? Apparently WPRI and Sykes have no problem with the situation because them being consistent would hurt Ron Johnson. Not only would it hurt his campaign but it would hurt his pocket book. That kind of right-wing hypocrisy is breathtaking, in fact you might even say that it is almost "criminal".

New WTMJ Role in GOP Fundraisers?

We already know that the right wing talkers in Southeastern Wisconsin give their favorite candidates millions of free dollars in wall-to-wall air time. But last week WTMJ host Charlie Sykes seemed to take it a step further. He spent a significant amount of time yammering about a fundraiser for Extreme Leah Vukmir. He encouraged his listeners to help Vukmir by going to her fundraiser. He challenged them to "put up or shut up". Just for a little extra motivation, he told his obedient fans that he would be making an appearance there himself. I am certainly not a daily listener to Sykes' brand of right wing propaganda, but I don't recall ever hearing a radio host so directly and doggedly promote a fundraiser for a specific candidate for partisan office.

As far as I know right wing stations around here may be misusing public airwaves all the time to directly raise money for specific Republican candidates. God knows they have been misusing the public airwaves for purely partisan ends for many years. This just seemed to cross a new line in my opinion. So was all of that expensive air time with Sykes specifically promoting a fundraiser for a partisan candidate an in-kind contribution? Should it be? Are there any lines here at all?

A few things seem pretty clear to me after hearing the very specific fundraising efforts on WTMJ last week, 1. The right-wing must be a bit concerned about the race in the 5th state senate district. and 2. It appears that WTMJ is not only the major communications arm for the GOP (we already knew that)but now they seem willing to serve as a direct fundraising arm as well.

Breaking: Charlie Sykes is "Unreliable"

So who really generates the fact-free talking points for the Republican Party of Wisconsin? It is a "chicken and egg" kind of question. Is it the Milwaukee-area right wing radio talkers or is it the actual "leadership" of the party itself? Just a few hours ago we got a perfect example that it very well could be the former.

Today the Republican Party of Wisconsin sent out a false press release claiming that Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett had some kind of super secret fundraiser with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (who was actually in town to address the American Legion). It was confirmed by the Associated Press that this alleged fundraiser never happened and like many things this year, it only existed somewhere in the far reaches of the right wing mind.

When the Republican Party of Wisconsin was confronted with their false press release they admitted that they had no proof to back it up. About an hour after being challenged they actually retracted the press release (doodles and all).

As it turns out, the Republican Party of Wisconsin based this entire press release on information churned out by right wing talker Charlie Sykes. The fact that this kind of fiction can so easily make it into an RPW press release without the slightest bit of research is extremely telling.

Speaking to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about their false press release, the RPW admitted that it was based on an "unreliable" source. Pity that it took them this kind of embarrassment to learn that lesson. It is something that the Brew City Brawler, Whallah and others have been documenting for years. Maybe the RPW already read all of that material and just doesn't care. Maybe this is just another sign that they will do and say anything to win an election. Presenting unreliable info doesn't seem to matter...until they get caught.

A Delusional Come-to-Tommy Moment

If it were not already clear that the right wing is not satisfied with U.S. Senate candidate's Terrence Wall and David Westlake, it certainly is now. Not only does Charlie Sykes, a recovering Tommy-hater, want Thompson to get in the race, but he and others on the right wing are all giddy over a questionable poll. The poll from Rasmussen, which doesn't have a great record for accuracy in Wisconsin, tells us that Tommy Thompson's numbers are slightly ahead of those for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold. This latest grasp by the right wing seems to only underscore their obvious desperation in this race.

Given the past comments by Sykes and right wing bloggers regarding Tommy Thompson, it is really remarkable that some of them would be completely seduced by Tommy's latest "will-he-wont-he dance". Their jumping up and down over a poll by a questionable firm is just the latest example of their desperation. Try to think about this logically, for a moment. Would you really rather be up 4 points in a questionable poll with a candidate that isn't even running or would you rather be up $3.65 million to ZERO against a candidate who isn't running? I ask this because just yesterday the Feingold Campaign announced that it has $3.65 million cash on hand and without a real candidate challenging him. Do you really think that this is the time to jump around in excitement over a poll that you can't trust regarding a candidate that you hate, that has raised no money and isn't even in the race? Really?

I thought it was strange that these full blown Tommy-haters were now begging him to get in the race in the first place. But their obvious desperation has officially moved into full blown delusion. One might call this phenomenon a come-to-Tommy moment for the extreme right wing. Sadly, after the seductive "will-he-won't-he dance" is over, they will likely be left disappointed and go right back to their Tommy-hating ways.

Know when to fold ‘em?

Last week WTMJ's Charlie Sykes offered a list of Republican names that he thought would be better choices to run for U.S. Senate this year. He felt the need to offer his suggestions because he had just blasted the current lead candidate Terrence Wall. After interviewing him Sykes said "not great reviews to the debut of Terrance Wall" and that he was "not impressive." Given all of these happenings, it was no surprise that Sykes would start throwing out names of just about anyone else to replace the bumbling Wall. I must admit, however, that I was a little surprised when Charlie Sykes included former governor Tommy Thompson in his list.

Charlie Sykes, and by extension the Republican Party, must really be worried that Terrence Wall is a terrible candidate. How else can you explain Sykes bringing himself to offer Tommy Thompson's name as an alternative? Back in 2006 Charlie Sykes wrote a piece that was targeted directly at Tommy Thompson entitled, "Know when to fold 'em". The subtitle read, "It's time for Brett Farve and Tommy Thompson to face facts". He then goes on to compare Farve and Thompson saying that they are both "waffling prima donnas". Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Sykes piece on how Tommy should "Know when to fold 'em":

"…Thompson revels in the spotlight, clearly relishing the speculation that he might answer the call to return to the governorship, a call that apparently only Thompson is hearing."

"But both these guys have a problem with the ego thing. They are so used to thinking the world revolves around them that they haven't noticed it's not the '90s anymore."

Sykes' 2006 observations on Tommy are not only entertaining but they are also very informative about what the conservative base in Wisconsin really thinks about Tommy. Later in the piece, Sykes apparently gives us a glimpse into a Republican smoke filled room.

"Tommy doesn't realize he's the political version of '80s retro-pop, without the big hair. So he's reportedly on the phone to insiders, trying to reignite the old passions. As gently as they can, they are trying to tell Tommy that the bus has left, the ship has sailed, the train has pulled out of the station, the parade was last week, we just sold the last ticket to that show, the ants got into the picnic basket, and Elvis has definitely left the building."

Sykes goes on to speak about Thompson as if he were a child that won't leave the RPW alone. He sarcastically suggests that maybe if they agree to name something after him, he will go away once and for all. Sykes then ends the piece saying that "there has been a changing of the guard, even if Tommy hasn't yet gotten the memo."

If I were Tommy, I wouldn't only be offended at Sykes words from 2006, but I'd also be very careful about listening to his encouragement now. So which is it Charlie? Do you want me to "go all in" or do you want me to "know when to fold 'em"?

New Blog Announces "Waterboarding for Walker"

A new blog named Heartland Hollar has surfaced and if its first posting is any indication, it will be worth visiting in the future. In its inaugural post the blog launches a new fundraiser called "Waterboarding for Walker". In it the author challenges right wing talker, Charlie Sykes, to put his mouth where the money is for Scott Walker.

As we know, many conservatives insist that waterboarding is not torture. Fake News blowhard Sean Hannity agreed on air to undergo waterboarding for charity to prove that it is harmless. Heartland Hollar is suggesting that Charlie Sykes follow Hannity's lead, if he really wants to fully get behind Scott Walker. Walker already has the money bags getting behind the other right wing guy, so he could probably use all the help that he can get.

ht: Whallah