I'm sure he is concerned about it, although not concerned enough to stop himself from destroying what was the state's projected surplus.

2/18/2011 6:02:41 PM

really? 100 million shattered a surplus so that it became a 140million deficit? REALLY?

2/18/2011 6:35:13 PM

Im confused...where did this:

Quote :

"Rachel said okay, the budget was balanced, then GOP governor issued 140 million in new tax cuts (if I remember the numbers right, this was background noise while I wrote a paper), and now there is a 147 million budget short fall....."

come from?

2/18/2011 7:28:55 PM

it came from another thread

2/18/2011 7:31:03 PM

The unions arent helping themselves, and they are losing public opinion. They just seem like whiney children. And it doesnt help that the democrats are playing hide-and-seek to boot.

Im hoping more people will awaken to the idea of how bad these unions are and just how connected todays democrats are to them. Hell even FDR opposed public sector unions.

If these assholes cant be bothered to put ONE dollar towards their own retirement, why the hell should anyone else?

And the governor cut business taxes, oh my, in an effort to attract more business. It isnt a hard concept to understand.

2/18/2011 7:45:18 PM

Was it literally something Rachel Maddow said...like, is there a transcript or something?

2/18/2011 7:56:01 PM

I'm sure you can find a transcript. Ask Supplanter, as he is the one who reported it originally

2/18/2011 8:50:15 PM

I think she was reporting this:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/wisconsin-gov-walker-ginned-up-budget-shortfall-to-undercut-worker-rights.php?ref=fpa

Quote :

"Wisconsin Gov. Walker Ginned Up Budget Shortfall To Undercut Worker Rights ... Unlike true austerity measures -- service rollbacks, furloughs, and other temporary measures that cause pain but save money -- rolling back worker's bargaining rights by itself saves almost nothing on its own. But Walker's doing it anyhow, to knock down a barrier and allow him to cut state employee benefits immediately. Furthermore, this broadside comes less than a month after the state's fiscal bureau -- the Wisconsin equivalent of the Congressional Budget Office -- concluded that Wisconsin isn't even in need of austerity measures, and could conclude the fiscal year with a surplus. In fact, they say that the current budget shortfall is a direct result of tax cut policies Walker enacted in his first days in office. "Walker was not forced into a budget repair bill by circumstances beyond he control," says Jack Norman, research director at the Institute for Wisconsin Future -- a public interest think tank. "He wanted a budget repair bill and forced it by pushing through tax cuts... so he could rush through these other changes." "The state of Wisconsin has not reached the point at which austerity measures are needed," Norman adds. In a Wednesday op-ed, the Capitol Times of Madison picked up on this theme. In its Jan. 31 memo to legislators on the condition of the state's budget, the Fiscal Bureau determined that the state will end the year with a balance of $121.4 million. To the extent that there is an imbalance -- Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit -- it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January. You can read the fiscal bureaus report here (PDF). "

Based on that info, I also said this:

Quote :

"Not that I'm passionate about unions one way or the other. I mean I'm all for freedom of assembly, but whatever. The Governor irresponsibly created a budget crisis to try to hurt his political enemies, and opposing legislators who didn't have the votes to stop him hid so that a vote couldn't go forward. Neither side really has room to argue from the moral high ground."

But if burros found proof that TPM is lying(?), I'll concede, as I said, no strong feelings either way on this one.

2/18/2011 9:35:05 PM

so, you'll just shrink away after posting a straight up lie. niiiiiiiiiceeeee

2/18/2011 9:39:29 PM

It's more likely she was just misinformed, not straight up lying.

2/18/2011 9:42:45 PM

if you'll buy that, then I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you

2/18/2011 9:43:38 PM

Actually, I went back and read the last page and the numbers we're talking about and Terd already set the record straight. I can't believe you're still arguing this or even insinuating Maddow was being less than straightforward.

Walker made tax cuts to create an immediate crisis. You do know what immediate is and how budgets work right? He then started pushing to cut pensions and benefits to make up this immediate shortfall. The '11-'13 budget would of course still include these cuts and a host of other measures to attempt to make up the deficit.

You really need to take a few minutes to study what it is you're trying to debate before you get internet raged and post all uninformed and shit.

2/18/2011 9:57:44 PM

the crisis already existed. In NOVEMBER the departing governor told him he was facing a budget shortfall of 2billion. keep drinkin the koolaid

2/18/2011 9:58:43 PM

A budget shortfall for '11-'13. A budget that would be signed in July 1st. And with a shortfall like that a whole host of measures would need to be worked on between now and then to figure out how to make it up. Some of which may include tax INCREASES.

In the meantime, they were on schedule for the rest of the '09-'11 budget to not have a shortfall...until Walker cut rates leading to a loss of revenue. This was clearly targeted at helping business and going after unions. The WSJ has it right

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704900004576152172777557748.html

Quote :

"Mr. Walker's proposals are hardly revolutionary. Facing a $137 million budget deficit"

I guess that liberal trash WSJ is lying and/or being disingenuous just like the rest of the zany MSM.

It's a brilliant strategy. Cut rates now and force the unions to eat some of the burden, then later to help fill the gap after much knashing of teeth and acting in front of the microphone, reluctantly raise rates back to where they were as a painful but necessary step to repairing the budget.

Again...you need to understand what you are commenting on and just stop echo chambering the shit you read...especially when what you are reading is biased sources.



[Edited on February 18, 2011 at 10:08 PM. Reason : .]

2/18/2011 10:06:47 PM

and, again, i doubt his measures today are aimed only at the here and now

2/18/2011 10:07:48 PM

No one has argued he isn't.

2/18/2011 10:09:03 PM

claiming he ginned up a budget crisis sure suggests otherwise

2/18/2011 10:09:40 PM

Only when you're losing an argument on the internet about an MSM anchor lying.

2/18/2011 10:11:24 PM

yes. he ginned up a budget crisis by doing things that would be good for tax revenues and the state in general. And he did all of this to create a budget crisis that already existed.

2/18/2011 10:54:34 PM

Good for tax revenues? Are you drunk?

2/18/2011 11:09:23 PM

[Edited on February 19, 2011 at 10:17 PM. Reason : .]

2/19/2011 9:53:19 PM

2/23/2011 2:30:44 PM

whoopsy, Fox News accidentally switches the numbers on a poll to make it seem like more Americans approve ending collective bargaining. surely an innocent mistake.

http://mediamatters.org/research/201102230006

2/23/2011 3:23:20 PM

just read some of the fox news reader comments regarding the earthquake in japan and holy shit, i can't believe that people actually think this way and say these things in a public forum.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/11/japan-issues-emergency-nuke-plant-leak/#comment

3/11/2011 11:44:51 PM

loller skates

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/03/fox-less-honest-than-dictators/

3/22/2011 7:04:47 AM

3/28/2011 10:40:56 AM

Krystal Ball is on Red Eye. DO WANT!

[Edited on March 31, 2011 at 3:06 AM. Reason : .]

3/31/2011 3:04:39 AM

4/6/2011 12:51:55 PM

forgot about this little gem

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-31-2011/bad-news-baier

4/6/2011 2:16:09 PM

^^is that a Glenn Beck show going off the air reference?


From what I've read they are still probably going to keep him around for other specials. Still the huge question is what do you fill the 5pm time slot with? Who can bring the crazy while the grey hairs are warming up their TV dinners?

4/6/2011 4:14:25 PM

god help us if they fill that slot with Sarah Palin

4/6/2011 6:07:18 PM

aaronburro's a Fox News watcher?

4/6/2011 6:21:40 PM

well, doesn't bother me either way. I never watched that dumb fuck. I just watch O'Reilly so I can get pissed off at him. gotta have something to talk to the gf's grandparents about. that and Megyn Kelly makes me moist

[Edited on April 6, 2011 at 6:24 PM. Reason : ]

4/6/2011 6:22:42 PM

Fox News watchers:

Quote :

"91 percent believe the stimulus legislation lost jobs 72 percent believe the health reform law will increase the deficit 72 percent believe the economy is getting worse 60 percent believe climate change is not occurring 49 percent believe income taxes have gone up 63 percent believe the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts 56 percent believe Obama initiated the GM/Chrysler bailout 38 percent believe that most Republicans opposed TARP 63 percent believe Obama was not born in the U.S. "

http://www.alternet.org/story/149193/study_confirms_that_fox_news_makes_you_stupid

4/6/2011 6:24:35 PM

let's see...

Quote :

"91 percent believe the stimulus legislation lost jobs no way to know either way 72 percent believe the health reform law will increase the deficit considering it's an actual fact, i'd say you're an idiot if you don't believe it 72 percent believe the economy is getting worse worse from when? 60 percent believe climate change is not occurring considering there is actual debate on this, what's the problem 49 percent believe income taxes have gone up some people view any tax as an "income tax." big woop 63 percent believe the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts 56 percent believe Obama initiated the GM/Chrysler bailout maybe he didn't initiate it, but he sure as fuck pushed through nice shit for them 38 percent believe that most Republicans opposed TARP 63 percent believe Obama was not born in the U.S. "

4/6/2011 6:28:39 PM

Does this mean that O'Reilly has to resume his post as the Faux News de facto crazy? That would make me sad as I have warmed up to him over the last year or so. Hearing conservatives bitch that they no longer watch him because "he's become too liberal" makes me laugh. Hannity might get nominated but he's always just been more of an arrogant douchebag as opposed to merely a crazy, angry, conspiratorial blow-hard.

4/6/2011 7:59:57 PM

"91 percent believe the stimulus legislation lost jobs - Long term it will, short term it did not
72 percent believe the health reform law will increase the deficit - I cant believe this isnt 100% because its true
72 percent believe the economy is getting worse - Again, this should be 100% because it most certainly is. The short term GDP is increasing but the long term structural imbalances are getting worse
60 percent believe climate change is not occurring - it probably is, but its hard to quantify and even harder to put a price tag on stopping it
49 percent believe income taxes have gone up - they will soon
63 percent believe the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts - this is incorrect but let's be clear, the stimulus was still a lot of wasted spending
56 percent believe Obama initiated the GM/Chrysler bailout - he may as well have, he initiated plenty of others and if it werent for Obamas type of politicians they wouldnt be bankrupt in the first place
38 percent believe that most Republicans opposed TARP - They did. They told their representatives not to do it
63 percent believe Obama was not born in the U.S. " - It seems pretty 50/50 wouldn't you admit?



Seems like this should be titled "Proof that liberals have a closed mind and are incapable of digesting logic and learning about their mistaken positions"

4/6/2011 8:13:06 PM

Quote :

"91 percent believe the stimulus legislation lost jobs no way to know either way"

You realize that you're defense of those people is "well, they're not wrong, but they're not right..."

Quote :

"72 percent believe the health reform law will increase the deficit considering it's an actual fact, i'd say you're an idiot if you don't believe it"

a) It hasn't gone fully into effect.
b) The source of information yields different results.

There is no fact about it. It's entirely up for debate at this point. Especially since you have the CBO's projection that it will decrease the deficit, yet right wing think tanks say the opposite. Then you have talk about how repealing certain parts of the reform would increase the deficit.

Quote :

"72 percent believe the economy is getting worse worse from when?"

It's obviously talking about a trend relative to the not-so-distant past. Don't be fucking dense and argumentative to the point of being unreasonable.

Quote :

"49 percent believe income taxes have gone up some people view any tax as an "income tax." big woop "

Who are these "some people" who lump in all taxes together as income tax, especially since at the end of the year you have to file your income tax (IE, a tax on how much money you made in the previous fiscal year) with the IRS. I don't know of anyone who would lump sales, property, excise, ect, tax together as income tax.

4/6/2011 8:32:09 PM

Quote :

"a) It hasn't gone fully into effect. b) The source of information yields different results. There is no fact about it."

ummm, yeah, there is. 6 years of spending, 10 years of revenues. And it barely breaks even. You do the math, buddy. And this is with some fancy accounting tricks that don't call some spending actual spending

4/7/2011 12:44:21 AM

Quote :

"It's entirely up for debate at this point. Especially since you have the CBO's projection that it will decrease the deficit, yet right wing think tanks say the opposite. Then you have talk about how repealing certain parts of the reform would increase the deficit."

4/7/2011 7:51:12 PM

have they started hiring non-WASP anchors or will that scare the audience?

4/7/2011 10:54:24 PM

Obamacare will certainly not shrink the deficit. That is laughable.

If you really believe that then you need to have your head evaluated. The projected shortfall for Obamacare goes up every week.

The costs of Medicare doubled every four years between 1966 and 1980, and I doubt the CBO is budgeting for all the fraud that will occur under Obamacare.

Not to mention that when stuff becomes free people begin to demand more of it. Obamacare will be one of, if not the most expensive government program in the history of the world if it is not repealed. That is pretty much inarguable.

4/8/2011 12:25:43 AM

history of the world!!!1

4/8/2011 1:13:04 AM

yes, in the history of the world. That should help put it in perspective for you.

4/8/2011 1:26:03 AM

^and the GOP wants to give the wealthy the biggest tax cut in the history of the world in the FY12 budget! Yeah, job creation!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Edited on April 8, 2011 at 2:09 AM. Reason : w]

4/8/2011 2:08:50 AM

I know right.

Leave it to the Republicans to actually come up with a budget.

4/8/2011 4:21:48 PM

Oh, holy shit kdogg...you, you are fucking brilliant. I didn't realize it until you pointed it out...REPUBLICANS ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT KNOW HOW TO COME UP WITH BUDGETS. Never before in the history of our nation have Democrats done this. Thank you for enlightening me with your amazing insight.

4/8/2011 4:30:14 PM

Wooo more Regeanomics! Open your mouth wide and get ready for that trickle down from on high! Hey, perhaps this time they can grow the top earner's income by 500% instead of a measly 281% while the rest of us (you know the vast majority of 95%) can count on a whopping 2-3% increase if that! I look forward to hearing more about The Heritage Foundation's Paul Ryan's "bold" plan!

4/8/2011 5:10:25 PM

Quote :

"It's entirely up for debate at this point. Especially since you have the CBO's projection that it will decrease the deficit, yet right wing think tanks say the opposite."

No, it's really not. The CBO was told to make it look good, so they did. A simple review of the bill shows a 182b surplus. But the dems only achieved that by moving 250b of healthcare spending out of it and into another bill. Thus, they are in the red. And that's with the rosiest of rosy pictures.

4/8/2011 8:42:11 PM

Quote :

"I know right. Leave it to the Republicans to actually come up with a budget. "

haha, good one. It is much easier to bitch about republican budgets than actually do one. I suppose they were just too busy last year.

4/8/2011 8:46:17 PM