PJS,
Those of us that can think for ourself and not rely on union bullet points realize which lies you are talking about.
1. Walker is hurting the middle class by doing away with collective barganing.
12 to 18% of workers in the state are public workers. so based on the first bullet point, only public employees are middle class? I am middle class, and can finally see my situation improving since Walker took office.

2. Walker took away workers rights.
Collective barganing is a privelage, not a right. It has been abused for too long. Workers rights are law and no union rights speaks for all workers. Thatrs why we have OSHA, workers rights laws, etc.
3. We pay taxes just like everyone else.
True, but let me simplify this one. If I am the Government, and pay you 100,000 per year to work for me, and you pay 30,000 in taxes, I am 70,000 in the hole. If a majority of the people work for me, I will eventually go broke, and could no longer afford to hire anyone. If I don't hire you, I berak even.

If you want to what some of the lies are go to:
http://www.alternet.org/teaparty/150170/20_of_the_biggest_lies_told_by_wisconsin_governor_scott_walker

or just google Scott Walker AND lies. It is truly amazing!

Start here!

Not as reliant on this practice as in budgets past, but it did occur in 2011-13 spending plan

Updated: Thursday, November 17th, 2011 | By Dave Umhoefer

As a candidate for governor in 2010, Scott Walker criticized the practice of "raiding” the state transportation fund and other segregated funds to balance the state budget.

Walker said taking taxpayer money from accounts built up for particular programs just masks the true depths of the state's fiscal problems.
Never "raid" special state funds for other programs

Will "end the practice of raiding segregated state funds to pay for other programs. If taxpayer revenue is collected for a specific purpose such as building and maintaining roads, it should be used for that purpose and that purpose only.".................

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/promises/walk-o-meter/promise/563/never-raid-special-state-funds-for-other-program/

......Walker followed Doyle's lead, proposing to move $39 million from the cleanup fund -- all of it to the transportation fund.

...........

It"s clear that Doyle's transfers dwarf those of Walker, but Walker's promise wasn't to do it less than Doyle -- it was not to do it at all.

Mr Cow Dung Did you read about the Rudd electric deal? 4 million dollars from state residents 1.5 million from Kenosha county residents and 1 million dollars from Racine county residents all nicely given away by Mr Walker. 6.5 million dollars for 400 jobs.
How can we keep this up and not be in ever worsing positions

@Jeff Schmidt -

I don't seem to recall either the state or county level governments granting over any taxpayer funds for the Ruud jobs. Do you have some proof of the assertions you've made here? Or are you talking about the tax breaks that the company will receive for locating the new facility here instead of in North Carolina, because without Walker and the Repubs doing what they did, that's were the factory and all of those jobs would have ended up. So let's be honest and fair here, shall we?

And let’s not forget that it’s our wonderful federal government under Obama’s leadership that has created the atmosphere whereby state’s are heavily competing with each other for every last job they can get. Blame the root of the cause, Obama – not the stalk of the plant, Walker.

Sorry, you dipstick, but union workers pay for their benefits like everyone else. I'm sorry if you work in a job where they treat you like this is the third world, but some of us are unwilling to let American workers be reduced to the level of those in China. Instead of supporting those who would have all workers share the lowest rung, maybe you should be supporting those who think middle class workers deserve an opportunity to make a decent salary, have decent benefits and a chance of keeping the American dream alive. Have you ever asked yourself why you think Americans shouldn't expect a fair shake from their employer, regardless of who it is? Have you ever wondered why management is rewarded handsomely in failure with big bonuses while the rest of us who do good work day in and day out are lucky not to have our salries and benefits slashed? Have you ever given a serious moments thought about the sad direction this country is going in where the demise of the middle class is imminent? No, I didn't think you had. Cheesy thoughtless sound bites are so much easier....

Here's the situation though--the private sector is shedding jobs way faster than the public sector. We cannot sustain the current compensation levels that are enjoyed by those in the public sector--we don't have nearly as many taxpayers as we used to. Why is it so unreasonable to take steps to rein in the levels of compensation being paid to public sector workers when so many private sector workers are unemployed? The levels of contributions being required of public workers are still far below what the typical private sector worker pays.

...and it is considered polite to avoid name calling.

@Steve FOOL!!

@Alicia Smokowicz...I wouldn't be quoting Belling, he's not a reliable source and just an entertainer.

Parroting Belling!! ha ha. What a joke.

If Unions already fund their own pensions, why is it such a big deal to require workers to contribute the 5.8% that is now required?

Public employee union pensions are funded by the tax payers.

Obviously, if they are already contributing more than that amount, the changes in the law won't have any negative effect, and certainly aren't going to destroy anyone's way of life...

@Greg...State public employees are paid by the state. Why wouldn't their pensions be funded by the state, it is compensation not a gift.

Lyle:

Where does the state get their money from? All public employee compensation is ultimately paid by the taxpayer...

@CowDung...I don't know why you are having so many problems understanding that employees pension benefits are part of their pay. It is now a match contribution just like SSI withholding. It's better than SSI since the employee contribution is made pre-tax. So the 5.8% is actually 4% out of the take home pay..

It doesn't matter that it originates with the taxpayer or not. It is compensation for work performed. It is not welfare or some kind of handout. They are compensated like you are except their employer is the state and yours is a private. The taxpayer funds the state while your employer is funded by sales. They work for the state and not directly for the taxpayer, while you work for your employer and not directly for your customers. We have instrusted our tax dollars with the state to decide how they should be spent. If you don't agree with how they are spending our tax dollars then you change administations and/or legislation.

@Greg...No, public employees are paid by the state government. The taxpayers contribute to the state. compensation is not any different, as far as expenses go, than paying for road construction and maintenance. Public employees do not work directly for you but the state government.

Have any of the Democrats made any attempt to introduce any jobs initiatives recently? They are still allowed to legislate, aren't they? Are they too busy trying to recall Walker to spend any time working on jobs legislation?

Who authored the poll? This type of information does matter.
My polling shows approval for the Walker recall at 3%.

I do seem to recall something about 400+ new jobs at Ruud lighting thanks to Walker and his policies...

@Bren -

Praising MS-NBC as fact while discrediting Fox News as lies - yeah, you're definitely NOT an independent, but rather a full boar LIBERAL!!! So stop pretending to be an independent already!!!

And what misinformation was spread by Walker on Hannity exactly, and why do you consider those things to be misinformation?

Funny, I could have sworn that he was just out at Ruud lighting celebrating the creation of jobs that were largely due to his policies that helped keep those new jobs here in Wisconsin as opposed to going to North Carolina, as was being contemplated by the company.

If he really wanted to open a can of worms, he could explode job creation in the state by lowering the minimum wage and making Wisconsin a 'right-to-work' state - would that make you happy?

There’s only so much government can do to create jobs, and right now the federal government isn’t cooperating because Obama’s only proposal to create jobs is by spending money that we don’t have. Is that really the smartest thing to do when we’re already over $15T in debt federally? That’s $133,399 per taxpayer. How are you going to cover your share – cash, check, or credit?

Hey Greg, I confess that I didn't have time to write down the source from the program I saw it on but it is DVRd so I could do so this weekend. Here's a link to a Wall Street Journal piece that references the same poll but doesn't source it either! http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203611404577046160573675088.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

I'll post the specifics as soon as possible.

3%-that's funny! My polling shows approval for the Walker recall at 100%!

Hey Mr. Hoffa, I watched the entire episode of Hannity. The entire program is opinion that presents itself as legitimate political analysis. Remarks are made unsourced and untrue (like the female analyst who identified the OWS rally poster as a nod/association to the Soviet Union and Socialism/Communism. In fact, the poster was an homage to the iconic image of the lone pro-democracy protester facing down tanks in Tiennemen Square. Was she doing this deliberately or was she ignorant of the photo?). That doesn't happen on MSNBC or legitimate news sources. If an assertion is made it's backed up and I'm used to that. Then I can look it up for myself, understanding that it's impossible to get every fact of the situation within the context of a one-hour program that includes multiple segments and commercials.

And no, it wouldn't make me happy if Walker eliminated the minimum wage. What would make this independent "happy" is if he were to be recalled.

@Bren -

Hannity is no different than his competition over on MS-NBC, Rachel Maddow. BTW - is she still trying to convince her viewers that she's right about Scott Walker's tax cuts and that Politifact is wrong for rating her claims as FALSE?

Yeah, they're real objective over at MS-NBC all right and only ever broadcast the truth and source everything they come up with. The problem is, liberal blogs only count as ‘real’ news sources to those that have already drunk the leftist kool-aid, such as your self.

You are not an independent - you are a liberal!

Maybe you should try to purge the liberal bias from your mind somehow. And still no response to all of the equally sided links I provided in rebuttal of your bs Koch Bros conspiracy theory over on the other thread – I even cited to an official statement of AFL-CIO. It’s OK, I understand that it’s hard to defend against the TRUTH.

What I don’t understand is why you don’t wake up and join the rest of us true independents in REALITY!

Cowdung - (Great handle by the way) Democrats have made many attempts to speak in the legislature.....they are ignored. They have written many bills....they don't get out of committee. Their attempts "to legislate" are continually blocked by their Republican counterparts who refuse to negotiate, compromise or even listen!.....Have you been paying attention????

@marybeth mack -

Yeah, we've been paying attention. That's how we know that the Democrats haven't introduced any sort of 'jobs legislation.' In fact, Cory Mason, the Dem who was ripping on the Repubs during the special session via his Tweets and appearance on Rachel Maddow used the special jobs session to request an audit of Walker's cuts to Medicaid - no jobs bill from him. But he's great at being a hypocrite!

Dishonesty? I ask again:

What are all these lies that everyone is complaining about? The lie claiming that Walker cut $500 million from Medicaid? The lie about him diverting $41 million from public school districts to fund vouchers? The lie about him cutting more from education than any of his predecessors? The lies about how Walker turned a surplus to a deficit by giving tax breaks to big businesses?

Me... and the rest of the Wisconsin people that ELECTED him.

Hey RG, I think those parties were for pro-recall supporters, no "luring" involved.

Liberals don't care about how much recalls cost the taxpayers because they're not the ones paying the bills.

OK. I disagree.

Confused much??? Pay is not necessarily to paying more in taxes. If tax rates are raised my pay does not go up. If I make more I may have to pay more, unless I take deductions for my private jet.

Connected.

@22wood -

Your share of the federal debt - $133,399 (and constantly increasing). And how exactly would you like to pay for that today – cash, check, or credit?

Get a clue!

Um, Greg, I think 22wood was inferring that he/she were paying higher taxes, it would be because he/she was making more money. Hope that helps!

I kinda got that, but anyone that makes more is greedy, like us republicants, any libtard should know that.

"...take the highroad and go for the recall." Perfect. I noticed the other night they took the high road, went for the recall and made pests of themselves in a residential neighborhood of Wauwatosa. When will we know when you guys decide to not take the high road and revert to your normal state...when bodies start floating up on Bradford Beach?

Man, you guys are a hoot.

@Bob –

The only way bodies would be floating and washing ashore is if they’re getting cheap and not using Teamster mixed concrete for the cement shoes! :-)

How exactly do these huge tax breaks work?? Please be specific so I can understand it correctly...Thanks In Advance...

I far as I know there has been no report of Gov. Walker handing a check directly to the Koch brothers? Who are these millionaires that are getting huge tax breaks directly. As for corporations getting compensated for start up costs, relocation costs, new employee training costs, compensation for lost revenue durring relocation to the state of Wisconsin? Sounds good to me. That business is now in my backyard, not in another state, not in another country. When there are more businesses local to me the demand for my services in the local economy goes up, the increse demand for services causes the employment of more workers around me, more workers equal more payroll in the state, more payroll equals more goods purchased from the local economy equaling even more jobs and more start up businesses not requiring state start up funding. The cycle is not infinite but we had no cycle expanding our state economy until this gov. started trying. Bottom line more business equals more corporate income tax and more property tax, more payroll in the state equals more income tax i.e. more tax money from more sources and the cost of services provided by Government gets spread out and taxes go down. Amazing

This recall is being run by the teachers and union members..Non of them voted for Walker in the first place..Just because you say it doesn't mean we are dumb enough to belive it ...Please..................

And the chicken came before the egg because God created it first..What's your point..

Bad logic here!

Try again.

You get to pick whether you want to go to Kwik Trip or some other convenience store or not at all. I'm stuck with my lousy garbage collection whether I want it or not and even if I decide I'm going to haul it away on my own, I still have to pay for the lousy service. It's not the same thing.

@Kay...If you understand evolution you would know the first chicken was an egg. The animal that laid it was not a chicken. The chicken was a mutation of the animal that laid it.

Lyle, I don't have to understand evolution ... I believe in God ... People like you don't have that comfort because you'd have to feel guilty about almost everything you do... And to coin a f raise You Can't Handle The Truth...I'll keep you in my prayers..
Thank You Scott Walker for stopping Wisconsin from turning into California or Detroit etc. etc.etc..

@Kay...You are right about one thing, I do feel a level of responsibility to my fellow human beings, the environment, other species survival and the legacy that we leave future generations. Is it guilt, no; but understanding the challenges motivates me to action. I am not following your cryptic message of I can't handle the truth. What truth are you referring to? It appears your world view and mine are not shared and concensus reality is dependent on shared perception.

Everyone is so quick to declare Walker a liar or deceitful for not disclosing his ‘plans’ to dismantle public sector unions during his campaign. However these same people ignore the fact that while discussing the compensation cuts via pension and health care contributions with the public sector unions at the state level, that the unions agreed to such cuts. However, at the very same time, several union locals were going wildcat behind everyone’s back and started rushing to sign new contracts with local level governments that either didn’t include the promised compensation cuts OR even stipulated raises instead of cuts!

It’s when Walker saw that this back-stabbing was going on that he realized that the public sector unions couldn’t be trusted to play fair, so he did what he had to do. How come no one is calling the pubic sector unions LIARS for the wildcat actions of their locals contrary to the promises made by those same unions at the state level? There appears to be a huge double standard being employed by the anti-Walker crowd here. Walker’s actions were necessary to accomplish his stated objectives and were consistent with his campaign platform. However, the unions just outright lied and tried to get away with it.

http://gazettextra.com/news/2011/feb/21/janesville-school-board-could-ok-union-contract/

The contract was approved on February 22 by a vote of 5-4.

One example of many. That's why Walker put his foot down and said "no compromise."

Add to that the woman who was a guard at Ethan Allen and got her pink slip too.

If only more people had looked into Scott Walker's past history as County Exec, even as a college student at MU, and got his measure as someone who makes a habit of trying to circumvent the rules. This experience is a hard lesson for Wisconsin.

Hey Mr. Hoffa, that's what Scott Walker claims, but the contract signings occurred after his February 11th surprise (co-launched with a Koch-brothers funded media attack on public workers). He attacked the public unions (except for police and fire because some of their unions endorsed him if you recall).

As County Exec Scott also tried to stab public unions/workers in the back, including the illegal firing of security workers at the courthouse. They, as you'll recall, were hired back with back pay to the tune of $500,000. The County also had to honor the private contract with Wackenhut, which cost about $91,000/month (according to MSJ).

It's all in the timing. We're in a lull now, but wait for the next round of Americans for Prosperity (Koch bros.) and shell organization attack ads and note what's being said and the date you saw the ad. And also who's running the ad. It's interesting. (Sidenote: they will use a lot of stock footage and images of people and claim they are Wisconsinites!)

@Bren -

Are you really that ignorant? Walker was having discussions with public sector unions as the Governor elect, before he was ever sworn in. It was during this time that they were negotiating the compensation cuts via increased individual contributions to pension and health care benefits. The unions agreed.

Now, if you know anything at all about school board and local level governmental procedure, with motions and public hearings, and vetting time, etc, a new union contract cannot just be introduced and approved overnight in a single meeting. And most boards meet only once or twice a month. In fact, fast tracking a new CBA agreement typically takes around 2-3 months minimum before it finally gets approved.

So what does that mean - that the wildcat locals were introducing these contracts behind Walkers back before he ever sworn in, despite making promises to the contrary. And the central union offices wouldn't take responsibility for the wildcats. Frustrated and deceived, that's when Walker finally said enough is enough, stopped playing around, and "dropped the bomb." And the little side show in Madison with the Dems fleeing to IL, protestors occupying the Capitol, and filing frivolous lawsuit in front of liberal Dane Co judges bought those wildcat locals the time they needed to get those contracts approved.

You really need to expand your sources of information and actually get all of your facts straight before attempting to debunk the truth with LIES!

@Bren -

Yeah, I know about the stock footage because I watch Rachel Maddow too! The only difference is, I don't believe everything she says as being the gospel, nor do I rely on any singular biased source upon which to form my opinion. I get info from everywhere and everyone, assess, and only then to I form my opinions and come to my conclusions. That's what REAL independent thinkers do - you may want to try it sometime instead of only ever living in loony-liberal land!

PJS, You might want to check if their school boards were tapping into the cushy deals before the cuts took place..Because those schools are seemingly the only ones who are experiencing loses.. Due to their Greed..not Scott Walkers solutions to a long over due problem..

Sorry Mr. Hoffa, but I'm not ignorant, and neither are any of the others seeking Scott Walker's recall. We know what he has been up to and reject it. All of your wishes that this would go away and all of your playground name calling won't change the facts. And as I've written before, I don't take anything as "gospel" that I hear on tv or read on the internets without looking for confirmation.

I mentioned the stock footage because I found it humourous that the billionaire Koch bros. are too cheap to pay for a photo shoot! : )

@PJS -

You may want to check the NPR archives - both Walker and union officials are on tape as having said that they were in discussions before he was sworn in and just the governor elect.

There are always "talks." Someone just didn't reveal their Koch bros.' fueled game plan until they were elected. Since you watch Rachel Maddow, you then know that 24% of Wisconsin Republicans recently polled said they supported the recall. Some people don't appreciate being made fools of.

@Bren -

You're actually backing a poll that's been historically proven to be both very biased and very inaccurate just because Rachel Maddow featured it on her show? Incredible!

Are you even aware that Politifact has debunked Maddow's claims about the situation in Wisconsin a few times already – and yet she still won’t back off those claims or retract them? She's the liberal queen of half-truths, taking things out of context, and citing to other journalist’s work as fact no matter how biased those journalists may be! Do you even watch her show??? That's what she's supposed to do though, as she's a pundit or a spinster. Just like O'Reilly, Hannity, Schultz, O'Donnell, Sharpton, Sustren, Olbermann, etc.

Wake up and get with the program Bren!

@Bren -

BTW - Why would a true independent just write those 'talks' off as being inconsequential to the entire situation when they practically shaped the landscape of the present situation? Is it really that much easier to just turn a blind eye to those 'talks' and point the finger at and blame the Koch Bros in some fabricated conspiracy theory that can only be supported by a 'birds of a feather' theory of deductive conjecture? Especially when those 'talks' represent actual HARD FACT???

Again, simply INCREDIBLE and highly indicative of your true liberal bias - so please, stop claiming to be an independent! Why are you so ashamed of admitting that you're really a liberal - that's what I'd like to know!

Excellent regurgitation of Koch bros. talking points, Andy. Perhaps they'll send you a check! : )

My guess is that you're not a teacher and don't have any teachers in your family. You seem to think that all teachers are money hungry. Can you please give me some facts to show that teachers go into teaching to make lots of money? That "great" documnetary you talked about? It featured charter schools and teachers and Michelle Rhee, the main impetus behind that movie, was fired shortly after the release of it. I've taught at a charter school and it was no more than sanctioned segregation with an unlicensed and un-degreed principal "running" it. There's a new movie out called "American Teacher" narrated by Matt Damon that features 4 teachers from different areas of the country and their ups and downs as the year goes on. Don't spout off about things you know nothing about.

@Laurel Mozlin -

Rhee was NOT fired - she resigned because she felt that she was going to be replaced given the results of the last election, which were largely pro-union organized and driven to remove her from her position.

It's also funny how the whole so-called 'testing scores scandal' greatly resembled that of the whole Garfield High School A.P. testing score scandal that they tried to accuse esteemed and highly regarded public educator Jamie Escalante of - another popular union target.

Testing score scandals appear to come from the same old bag of teacher’s union tricks, don’t they?

And Joe Louis Clark, another highly regarded public educator that was eventually pushed out by the teacher’s unions.

Maybe you should try getting your facts straight Laurel, before criticizing others for their facts. And perhaps you could explain to us why it seems that the teacher’s unions just love to pick on some of greatest public educators that our county’s ever known – people that have documentary and Hollywood films made about their successes.

Rhee, Escalante, and Clark all produced positive results for the children. So why did they become union targets and why did the union eventually push all of these highly successful educators out of public education? After all, I though it was all about the children.

@JRH...The true purpose of any bureaucracy or institution is survival. The assigned mission becomes secondary to survival.

@Lyle -

Isn't public education too important to allow a bureaucratic institution, such as the teacher's unions, to put it's own survival above the assigned mission of properly educating and preparing our children for their future? And isn't the government that runs our public education system bureaucratic enough already without the additional layer of bureaucracy that's added by the teacher's unions?

Isn't the collective good of society better off without such an added impediment to the assigned mission? So for one to fight for the survival of that very institution is highly illogical according to the premise you’ve provided us with, correct?

Would that mean that you actually support what Walker did regarding the limiting of their CB privileges?

Hey Allen Staz, Lena Taylor reported this evening the count is up to 75,000.

@Bren -

Would that be the same Lena Taylor who was actively promoting the boycott of Wisconsin private sector union-labor made Georgia-Pacific products on her facebook page just to try and advance her own selfish and self-serving political agenda? I think it is! 'Solidarity' and 'brotherhood' must only apply if you're a public sector union worker in Lena Taylor's world.

How exactly is this not the height of HYPOCRISY? And being the great independent mind that you are, you’ve thrown your hat in with these people, hey Bren? All I can say is WOW!!! And stop pretending to be independent!

I would just suggest that before you accept Lena Taylor's numbers as gospel, you see if you can't get one or two other sources with the same numbers. Lena's record on knowing what she's talking about isn't the greatest. Not saying she's not right, I just wouldn't hang my hat on it if I were you.

And Walker will win by a 10 point margin. Then what will you do?