Gov. Walker moving to take control (veto power) of election rules before recall election...

[lutefisk]

This is really breathtakingly bold, but when Republicans control every branch of the state government, this is what we get. (I posted this in the Wisconsin forum, first, but then thought it might be of broader interest because of the blatant corruption of the election process. Sorry about the cross-posting...:hi:)

"...Walker and his legislative allies have moved in recent days to have the state’s Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules cede authority over the state Government Accountability Board — which oversees Wisconsin elections — to the governor.

Walker’s scheme is a dictator’s dream. With the prospect that the scandal-plagued governor could face a recall threat in short order, what could be better for Walker than gaining control of the rule-making process regarding recalls?

“Allowing Gov. Walker to veto any recall rule from the GAB that he doesn’t like, for an election that affects him personally, is the definition of an abuse of power. Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans know that they are in trouble with Wisconsin’s working, middle-class families because of their extreme agenda. But rather than let the voice of the people be heard, Republicans are trying to control the recall election rules in favor of Gov. Walker,” said Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha."


http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/john_nichols/article_f37ae96d-774a-5235-a910-3dbae6ed1495.html#ixzz1aIthnFHv:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Walker is an arrogant jerk.

[movonne]

13. Maybe WI should occupy his house...

[msongs]

2. who remembers when we had DOJ's that cared about this sort of thing? nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. If they're doing it locally, they'll attempt it nationally. Thanks for the cross-post,

the price of freedom is eternal vigilance! :hi:

You -do- have to thank them; they're making it easy for everyone to get together and say NO! to the heaped bullshit. Too big a pile will motivate a majority against it. GO WISCONSIN!

[barbtries]

4. that's beyond the pale.

it must be illegal??

[Jackpine Radical]

5. So they can fight it out after Walker scotches his own recall.

He has always advocated the"bold move" on the theory that by the time it gets to the courts, it's a fait accompli, "and besides, who knows? You might win."

Remember that he has a Teabagger AG & WI Supreme Court.

[barbtries]

7. that's horrible.

i'm thinking that Wisconsinites will not let it happen. they've been so great.

[murielm99]

8. Who knows? Take him to court?

Remember who controls the Supreme Court in Wisconsin.

Remember that travesty of an election with the lady who conveniently "found" votes in her own computer, just when they were needed?

And don't forget how the GAB and the republicans in Wisconsin, AND some DUers were willing to defend her to the death.

This will be a long battle. I expect to be back in Madison for more cold weather protests in the near future.

[barbtries]

10. i'm in NC

but since last winter WI is one of my favorite states. you go.

[lutefisk]

15. That's the problem- they have concentrated power so they can't be stopped.

I don't think the federal government has any authority to intervene. Am I wrong about this? Can't believe this is happening...

[murielm99]

16. You are correct about a lot of it.

I used to be very involved in state level politics in Illinois. The state board of elections here is the equivalent of the GAB in Wisconsin. They have the final say in these matters, because they are state and local, not federal elections. If there is any way the federal people are involved, they becomes Federal Election Commission concerns. The FEC is much stricter about fund raising. I don't know about the rest of it. I have only dealt with the fund raising aspect of the FEC.

I still think that their GAB is mostly honest. They are civil service professionals who are simply doing their jobs. It is Walker and Co. who are trying to take over every aspect of the recalls that they can. I don't think they expected to lose a single thing in the recalls that were just completed. Remember, those were historic losses. Recalls hardly ever succeed.

I talk to my daughter, my parents, and my cousin in Wisconsin, about all these incidents. My parents live in a red area, but my mother says that the sentiment against Walker is strong there, too. I think he can be recalled, even if he sets up all kinds of roadblocks. He is hated. He has hurt all sorts of people in the state, even those who would normally vote for a repubbie.

[LiberalFighter]

6. I wonder how many in Wisconsin that vote Republican will condone such action?

If they do, they are worse than snakes.

[leftyohiolib]

11. probably all of them

they see this as us vs them. if this keeps the dems from getting what they want then it's ok. if they cared about anything else they would have switched parties long ago. the blinded ignorant led by the willfully corrupt.

[tabatha]

9. A little dictator in the making. NOT democracy.

[malaise]

12. I hope I live to see the day that this ReTHUG scumbag

is carted off in shackles and handcuffs as he is sent off to prison

[Lizzie Poppet]

17. Problem is...

Problem is, he's part of the cabal that controls the courts, legislature, and even the people who'd be placing the shackles. Unaccountable, basically...and unaccountably totalitarians are never called to account by systems they control.

Not. Ever.

[lutefisk]

18. The takeover of WI was so bold and so fast - I fear this could happen at the federal level in 2012

The "new" GOP is evil...

:kick:

[Odin2005]

14. Walker is a fascist tyrant.