Rush Limbaugh at CPAC

Here's the first video of Rush Limbaugh speaking at CPAC, his "first address to the nation."


It's a great speech. Quite inspiring, funny and a wonderful description of what a conservative is.

If you like this here is the link to all ten episodes at YouTube. One of the things I like about this speech is that he didn't mention "Republican" once that I can remember. He talked about being a conservative and I can relate to that.

Liberal DPI candidate supporter campaigning using state resources

Patrick Dorwin at Badger Blogger reports this "breaking news" from the Mark Behling radio show.

Jeff Dickert is the administrator of the Cooperative Educational Service Agency #7, a state agency that coordinates with the schools of Northeastern Wisconsin. Dickert, in clear violation of the law, has been doing political work on behalf of the teachers union and AFSCME backed candidate, the entrenched Tony Evers.

Take a trip over there for more information - and frustration.

Congresswoman Gwen Moore bringing home the bacon

WisPolitics.com lists some of the money Gwen Moore is bringing back to her district after voting to raise our taxes.

One item caught my attention.

$500,000 to help fund research at Marquette University into how to turn human waste into electricity.

You couldn't write a better line for a joke if you tried.

Mr. President take a hint

From Bloomberg.com

Benjamin Netanyahu plans to apply the same small-government policies when he becomes Israel’s prime minister as he did six years ago as finance minister. Then, his tax and spending cuts helped lift the economy out of recession.

Just the opposite taxtics (sic) Pres. Obama is using.

State Senate approves bill promoting breast-feeding

From the Green Bay Press-Gazette,

Mothers would get greater legal protections when breast-feeding their babies in public under a bill approved by the Wisconsin Senate. The bill approved Tuesday bars anyone from stopping mothers from breast-feeding in public or private.

I'm sure the most of the senators would have been a bit red faced if they were at my job tonight, watching a young mom feed her baby while jamming to the Jackson 5 at the listening stations. The blanket is suppose to cover the feeding mechanism and the baby's head. She almost got that right.

Top DOA officals say: Property Taxes up $100

From WisPolitics

Property taxes on a median-valued Wisconsin home could go up anywhere from $50 to more than $100 on the bills sent out this December under Gov. Jim Doyle's budget, which would loosen school revenue limits and municipal levy limits and cut shared revenue.

I can't imagine what the price would be if Gov. Doyle didn't cut spending.

Real Money

Honesty and accountability are 2 things that should be the norm for government. If they charge for a service they should provide that service.

According the this article in the MJS the state has been charging an additional $10 to comply with the federal Real ID Law. So how's that going? In the current budget proposed by Gov Jim Doyle, nowhere.

Not one penny of the alloted fees are going toward their stated purpose in what Gov. Doyle is calling a "slowdown" of the efforts to comply. The additional fees will be still be charged even though the money won't be used for it's intended goal.

Another interesting line in the story

Legislators released $11.2 million to the DMV last year to begin complying with Real ID.

Here's what I don't understand, we're collecting additional fees to comply with a federal regulation, we've hired 26 additional state workers and purchased equipment - and for what? What will happen to the work these men & women did? What will the equipment be used for?

And then we're looking for a $1.6 million federal grant for this group? Something doesn't add up here.

So as the situation stands we have workers and equipment working on a law that we can't comply with because no one knows what changes may occur in that law. That won't stop the state from continuing to collect the additional fees because as State Senator Mark Miller states "We need every nickel we can find."

The shell game continues.

Bill of Rights Celebration with someone who doesn't support it

The ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation proudly welcomes guest speaker
Rachel Maddow to the annual Bill of Rights Celebration.

Stimuluate that Car Insurance

The Appleton Post Crescent headline SCREAMS

"A provision buried in Gov. Jim Doyle's budget plan would cause car insurance rates to skyrocket and force people to drop their coverage, the insurance industry said Thursday."

How this is included in the state budget is beyond me. How this will help state residents is way beyond me.

Trial lawyers support the minimum rates increase from the current levels $25,000 for injuries to each person in a car accident up to $50,000 in total coverage and property damage coverage is $10,000 to $100,000 per person, $300,000 total and $25,000 for property damage. I wonder what reason trial lawyers might have for us to raise our minimum coverage?

The end result could be an increase in car insurance rates from 33-43 percent. I get tired of Gov Doyle continually digging in my pocket.

My Staff Will Run, Will I

From WisPolitics.com U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today announced the core staff for his anticipated 2010 reelection campaign. Feingold will make a formal announcement of his intentions at a later date. Let's hope the Republicans can find someone to put up a good fight.

York Me

Just finished watching the movie Sgt York. What an inspirational and good movie. The movie ends with Sgt York and his fiancee looking at the property they were given by the state of Tennessee.

Gracie, his fiancee, tells him that they gave him the land and house because of his heroism during the war. The irony of the stimulus bill screamed at me.

The Grassroots Live

Congrats to Rose Fernandez and the grassroots effort she's put together in her run for State Superintendent of the DPI. This will be a fun race to watch and be a part of.

Rose Fernandez

I'm supporting Rose Fernandez for the Depart of Public Instruction race. I hope you will also.

Hurry Up and Wait

Life is like that very often. It seems this is the case with the all important we need to pass it now before you read it, heck with the 48 hour inspection promise stimulus bill.

After weeks of hearing how important it is to people's lives that we do something NOW, it seems that whatever immediate relief was afforded by this boondoggle can wait for the best available photo op and after the Presidents Day federal holiday.

Makes you wonder.

Justice Michael Gableman

Justice Gableman has a new clerk. That new clerk is my son, Brian Hagedorn. Good luck Brian in this position and if I may say so, Justice Gableman couldn't have made a better pick.

Jubilee - My answer to the Economic Situation

Lev 25:12-13 "For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property."

Ok so what does this mean. Basically take all monies owed and forgive the debt. Everyone can start from scratch.

It may sound weird, but it can't be any worse than what is being passed right now by congress. This stimulus package will burden us and our children more than we'll ever know. Why not stop the madness of continued bondage and free everyone.

Will it work, probably not in the long run as the year of jubilee was to be celebrated every 50 years. But it could be the answer to the short term problem.

Dad at 13

This is just crazy. If the trend continues this kid could be a grandfather by time he's 26. Stop the madness.

Comfy Seats vs Separation of Church & State

Group threatens lawsuit over public schools' graduations at church According to a MJS article the Americans United for Separation of Church and State have nothing better to do, but make graduation exercises a bit more uncomfortable for 3 school districts.

I've been to Elmbrook church, and the main hall is very nice, extremely comfy and large. The schools could use the Waukesha Expo and their not so comfy fold out chairs, no air and poor acoustics or they could be overcrowded in their own auditoriums.

Another pain in the butt lawsuit. The AUSCS claims that they settled out of court on a similar Florida lawsuit. It cost the Florida county $26,500 as a payment to the group and a promise to not use religious venues to hold the graduations to settle the case.

I say fight the buggers.

Political Hierarchy

This article in the Leader-Telegram emphasizes one of the problem with government.

Waupaca County's sheriff says he won't enforce Wisconsin's first countywide ban on cell phone use while driving.

His reason is that he doesn't know if the law would be valid without a state wide ban.

Now, isn't that part of the job of the county government to know if it is valid before they pass the law? And if it is, isn't it the job of the sheriff to enforce the law?

A few months ago I watch the Milwaukee show "4th Street Forum" and Gerard Randall was a guest. He suggested one way that the state could save money was to eliminate duplicity in government. City, county, state, and federal should all define what their jurisdictions are and then concentrate on those issues. Where overlap may occur they should communicate to give the best results.

No Drinking Right There

I have an idea of where the next or any future Drinking Right events will not be held.

Does your Pepsi lack pep? Is your Coke not the real thing? India's Hindu nationalist movement apparently has the answer: a new soft drink made from cow urine.

Makes you wonder if Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden or the President will be making any trips there in the future. You know they have to abide by local customs so they don't offend.

Adios Brett - part ?

It looks like Brett Favre will again retire from football. This time I know it's for real.

To much time in Madison?

DNR "Officials Warn Against Manure Spreading; Conditions Create Extreme Risk of Runoff." Must be time for the bi-annual budget.

Bills target Indian logos

The Wisconsin Radio Network asks "Will this be the year, for legislation to end racist school logos?"

Are you kidding me? I went to High School at Milwaukee James Madison - the Knights. In college I was a Ripon Redman. Never once did I hear a racist term considering these names. In fact both were honored and held in reverence. Sen. Coggs, fix the budget instead.

Doyle Talks Budget - Doesn't Deliver One

From Madison.com

Gov. Jim Doyle is scheduled to speak about the state budget at a Wednesday meeting expected to draw business leaders from across Wisconsin.

Wasn't the budget suppose to be proposed by the Gov last week?

Cloner Dies

According to Breitbart News " Xiangzhong "Jerry" Yang, a stem cell scientist who successfully cloned the first farm animal in the United States, has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 49."

Wonder if we'll see him again?

At least they won't torture

Reporter restrained after Panetta hearing.

Following Leon Panetta’s confirmation hearing Thursday, several reporters approached the CIA director-designate in the hallway outside room G-50 in the Dirksen Building.

There, CongressDaily reporter Chris Strohm — upon asking a question — was physically restrained by a man who accompanied Panetta at hearings both days.

I wonder how that's going to be classified. This new administration is either dynamically arrogant or truly rookies. I'm thinking it's the former.

Some lawmakers received more than $10,000 in per diems

By Steven Walters of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Feb. 6, 2009 1:38 p.m.

Madison - Nineteen of Wisconsin's 132 legislators claimed daily expense stipends that totaled more than $10,000 in 2008 and two of them - Rep. Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids) and former Rep. Terry Musser (R-Black River Falls) - collected $13,464 each.

Legislators who live outside Dane County can claim $88 per day when on official business in Madison; legislators from Dane County can claim $44 per day. Expense payments are separate from their salaries, which were about $47,000 last year and $49,000 this year.

Assembly per-diem expense payments ranged from $13,464 for Schneider and Musser to $440 for Rep. Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin), who spent most of 2008 on active duty with a military unit in Iraq.

Senate per-diem payments ranged from $12,760 for Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston) to $2,288 for Sen. Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan).

This seems to be big news on both the right and left blogosphere. I'm not sure why. The only concern I can see is if these men and women just visited Madison and did no work. That doesn't seem to be the case as far as I can tell, so what's the gripe?

What budget

Gov. Jim Doyle has pushed back his duty concerning the State budget, waiting to see what the magic cookie jar called the stimulus bill will give the state. This money should not affect the state budget. Any money from the federal government should not be a part of the budget, it should be an added benefit.

A good example by school board

Here's an editorial in the Beloit Daily News that someone in MPS should maybe take a gander at. The gist of the story "Performance must be the first consideration."

Do what's right with our money

"State budget waiting on feds, but looks painful" so says the title of an article in the Racine Journal Times.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Do the budget right, what you get from any stimulus should not be used as this bi-annual cookie jar for you to play in. Make the tough right choices and the citizens of this state will be better for in the long run.

Over someone's dead body.

From the Capitol TimesUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor not sure if she'll back proposed abortion clinic

University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Carolyn "Biddy" Martin said in the article that she didn't have the power to choose whether or not this clinic would proceed, but she wont' make up her mind on how to vote on this issue until she hears the arguments at a hearing being held Wednesday afternoon.

The following is something I've never understood.

Thus, UW Health and Meriter leaders say there is a public-health responsibility to provide abortions for those up to 22 weeks pregnant as part of a comprehensive program of family planning and reproductive health care

How is abortion a public-health responsibility?

Pittsburgh Wins - Got advice from my grandson

Part of a vacation I took this year was to visit some NFL teams pre-season practices and their stadiums. Here's a picture of Dominic giving some advice to Mr. Rooney, obviously the Steelers listened.

Below are some more pixs from our trip.

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better

From the MJS
Barrett, mayors say they can spend funds better than state

Note to mayors, governors, legislators, president - The citizens of the US can do a better job of spending their money than any of you, let them keep it.

You Vote, We Decide When

From the Marshfield News Herald,

Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink, D-Milladore, offered her support to a resolution, authored by Rep. Gary Sherman, D-Port Wing, for a constitutional amendment to eliminate all spring elections as a way to curb costs.

Though I'm sure this is not the only reason, but Mr. Sherman uses the State Supreme Court elections, which didn't go Democratic likings, as a reason for the proposed change.

The article mentions that because this could only be via a state constitutional amendment that

the resolution still would need to pass through two successive sessions of the state Legislature and pass in a statewide referendum in order to become law.

Wouldn't it funny if it the referendum was voted on in a Spring Election?