Political Heat

Bradley, who doesn't have a WI hunting license, appears in flier as a hunter It was dumb when John Kerry did it. And it’s dumb now that Rebecca Bradley is doing it. But the current conservative state Supreme Court justice, who is gearing up for what will become a very contentious election campaign against challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg, is trying to send a message to gun voters in the state: that you can count on her to be a rubber stamp for the NRA while she’s adjudicating. Bradley’s latest campaign flyer includes her wearing blaze orange hunting gear , holding a rifle, and sporting an NRA cap . It is a clear indication that she will back up the gun lobby in her rulings. Not that it was ever in doubt that she would. Bradley, a former member of the NRA and a concealed carry holder in Wisconsin, likely didn’t need to create this kind of photo op to show off her pro-gun credentials, despite not currently holding a DNR hunting license . Still, it’s a bit bewildering why th...

Trump refuses to acknowledge a vital (and dangerous) aspect of his presidential campaign Donald Trump is apparently trying to unite the Republican Party with the failed “Know-Nothing” Party of the 19th century. Trump was asked whether he’d repudiate the endorsement of known KKK leader David Duke. But Trump refused to acknowledge he knew anything about Duke, his ties to the KKK, or white supremacy altogether. “Just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, OK?” Trump said to CNN on Sunday . He added, “I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists...I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists.” But in 2000, Trump had stated he did know about Duke and his ties to the KKK: Trump cited Duke's participation in the Reform Party as one reason he no longer wanted the party's nomination. "The Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. [...

Sitting Justice Rebecca Bradley, appointed by unpopular Walker three times, faces tough challenge from JoAnne Kloppenburg The latest Marquette Law School poll released today indicates that attitudes haven’t changed all that much when it comes to Gov. Scott Walker -- Wisconsinites still, for the most part, are not happy with him . Nearly 55 percent of those surveyed disapprove of the governor’s performance while in office, while only 38.8 percent thought he was doing a good job. With less than two-in-five citizens approving of Walker, one has to wonder whether that will translate in the upcoming spring elections. Had he still been running for president (instead of dropping out early last fall ), it would have been interesting to see Walker try to win his home state against the apparent juggernaut of the Republican field, billionaire Donald Trump, who has the current lead among GOP hopefuls in the Badger state. But a separate election could provide some insight into how damag...

Citizens should vote for change in Wisconsin senate representation come November U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin wants you to know it’s well within his rights, and the Senate’s rights, to deny President Barack Obama an appointment to the Supreme Court. From Madison.com : "He's [President Obama] got a track record. We know the type of justice he would appoint. We wouldn't confirm that individual," Johnson said. "Not acting is also withholding our consent, and that's within our right." Certainly denying the president a chance to pick a new Justice to the Court is within the Senate’s rights. The Constitution doesn’t stipulate for what reasons the Senate may restrain the sitting president’s nomination to the Court. It simply states that the Senate will provide the president with “advice and consent” on whomever he nominates to fill the position. But the Republican senators who are standing in the president’s way, including Johnson, are being...

An honest conversation on whether solitary confinement is "cruel and unusual" punishment is needed The ACLU of Wisconsin is urging the state to limit its use of solitary confinement, especially for juveniles in the state’s corrections system. Citing Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote in 2015 that “near-total isolation exacts a terrible price” on prisoners, the ACLU is recommending that the state Department of Corrections be open and transparent about its use of solitary confinement, and urges using it on a limited basis if it is to be used at all. “[Incoming Department of Corrections] Secretary Litscher should seize the opportunity of his appointment to eliminate solitary confinement of juveniles, radically reduce its use among all prisoners, and submit to independent oversight,” the ACLU of Wisconsin wrote . How we treat juvenile offenders in Wisconsin is especially concerning as of late . Recent investigations of the Lincoln Hills School for Boys a...

Bills demonstrate how mean-spirited GOP is when it comes to immigrants Thousands of immigrants rights advocates plan to protest in Madison today in what’s being called the “Day without Latinos.” The protests are meant to give Wisconsinites across the state a chance to recognize the important role that immigrants play in our state and our economy. As Wisconsin Public Radio reports , farms across the state will feel the brunt of their importance, noting that “Latino immigrants make up more than 40 percent of the hired help on state dairy farms.” Cities across the state will also feel their impact, as several restaurants and other service industry jobs rely heavily on immigrant labor. The protests are against two bills in the state legislature that are likely to hit Gov. Scott Walker’s desk. One of the bills in question passed both the state Assembly and Senate Tuesday despite facing strong opposition from both immigrants and local officials in Madison and Milwaukee. It bars c...

Great Lakes' water shouldn't bail out Waukesha's irresponsibility This video is a must watch for anyone who cares about the current issue going on with Waukesha wanting Milwaukees water.. If you're not up to speed on this issue..heres a good breakdown: Waukesha expects to use up to 10.1 million gallons of Lake Michigan water a day. It would buy water from the Oak Creek water utility, treat it and return it to Lake Michigan via the Root River. Dan Duchniak, general manager of the Waukesha Water Utility, said the city has studied its water supply options since 2002. He said Waukesha has had more than 100 public meetings on the proposal. Waukesha is seeking Lake Michigan water because its current system of wells does not meet federal radium standards on days of heavy use. Per the Wisconsin Gazette, there will be a public hearing tomorrow as well in Waukesha on this issue if anyone is interested in coming to testify or sending in testimony. Milw...

Trying to “lure” jobs from other states won’t produce meaningful jobs growth A report released earlier this month laid out some important truths about job creation, namely that trying to lure jobs from other states isn’t the route to go. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , “poaching” from other states fails to produce the highest yield for creating a large number of jobs . Instead, states should focus on policies that help startups and already-established smaller companies, which the organization cited as most responsible for job growth. The group points out that 87 percent of new job growth “comes from startups and expansion of businesses already established in a state,” according to a recent Cap Times article . Conversely, trying to poach jobs from other states produced at best 4 percent of all new job growth, according to the study. This could help explain why Wisconsin, which has had minimal jobs growth since Gov. Scott Walker took office, has struggl...

GOP can block Obama Supreme Court pick -- but it’d be risky to do so Republicans are trying to prevent President Barack Obama from picking a Supreme Court nominee to replace recently deceased Justice Antonin Scalia. Commenting that we’re in a contentious presidential election year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told Obama to back off on nominating someone , believing that duty should be left to the next president in office. “The American people‎ should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice,” McConnell said. “Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President.” Wisconsin’s own Republican senator, Ron Johnson, echoed McConnell’s comments . “I strongly agree that the American people should decide the future direction of the Supreme Court by their votes for president and the majority party in the U.S. Senate,” he said. There’s no law that requires waiting until the next president is picked before nominat...

Murder on Madison's east side the sad result of repealing state's 48-hour gun wait law A young man, enraged after his romantic advances were turned down and who was subsequently fired for his continued harassment of his co-worker, was able to buy a gun and kill a young woman within a single day. Madison’s first homicide of the year exemplifies how the removal of the previous 48-hour waiting period law to purchase a firearm was a mistake. The “cooling off” period could have allowed Caroline Nosal’s assailant to consider other options, including finding help for himself. Instead, the man who murdered Nosal described his efforts to get a gun in three simple words: “It was easy.” Nosal’s story is a tragic one, and shouldn’t be so easily overlooked by our state legislators. The man who murdered her (I won’t dignify him by including his name) took advantage of the law allowing citizens to purchase firearms without waiting for more than a click of the mouse before doing so...

Governor tells reporters he’s been in this position before...except, he hasn’t Thirty-six percent -- the number of Wisconsinites that want Gov. Scott Walker to run for a third term. Sixty-one percent -- the number that want Walker to not run again once his term is up. Fifty-seven percent -- the disapproval rating that Walker currently has among registered voters. These numbers, from the most recent Marquette Law School Poll , are not good news for the governor. But in spite of them, Walker says he remains focused on possibly running for a third term. “Well, in 2011, my poll numbers were so low that Time magazine called me ‘Dead Man Walker,’” he said on Wednesday , reminding reporters that he won the recall just one year after those poll numbers were taken. But there’s just one problem with that assessment: Walker’s polling numbers from then weren’t as low as they are now . To compare then and now disregards huge jumps in his net approval ratings. Public Policy Pol...

Wisconsinites now understand just how terrible the governing style of Scott Walker really is Five years ago this month, Gov. Scott Walker dropped a proverbial bomb on Wisconsin. In one fell swoop, his proposal to restrict state workers from exercising their right to bargain contracts collectively ignited the passions of millions of Wisconsinites across the state. His move led to hundreds of thousands of protesters descending on the Capitol lawn in Madison . The protests gained national attention and prompted a recall election against Walker. The governor won that recall election, and a subsequent re-election two years later. His backers implied that these wins were a vindication of his ideas. But we stand here now, five years on, and see that Walker is not vindicated in his actions . Six in ten Wisconsinites now see him in a disapproving way, and only 38 percent approve of the way he has handled his job as governor (PDF). And it’s not hard to figure out why: Private ...