Friday News Dump: Walker's WEDC $8 Million Lie Grows to $12.2 Million & Rising

Everyone knows how the ol' scheme works -- tell a little lie, then make it a bigger lie, and then pull out some confusing and misleading statistics.  This appears to be how Gov. Scott Walker's quasi-private "economic development" arm works -- first they admit that $8 million in loans is unaccounted for, then state it is really $9 millions, and then, during a late Friday news dump, release that the number of monies not accounted for is $12.2 million dollars and it is growing!

A highly connected political operative that has received at least $5 million dollars in public subsidized loans is not paying them back.  And from VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, when it comes to screaming the teabaggin' line about the rule of law to denounce democratic candidates, his screeching is among the loudest and most hypocritical.

Media Still Lying About Paul Ryan: He's No "Policy Wonk" Nor "Numbers Guy"

After Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan staged a fake photo-op washing clean pans, undermining the ability of a soup kitchen to raise money to support their work, one might have been hopeful that Paul Ryan would no longer be held up as a "great mind", "policy wonk" and "numbers guy".  Since Paul Ryan could not even carry his home state of Wisconsin nor his home town of Janesville; there was reason to hope that the media would stop propping up this charlatan and his austerity for the masses and give-aways beyond avarice for the ultra-wealthy economics.

There was reason to hope the media propaganda that misrepresents Ryan as a "serious man" and a relevant voice would subside.  Today we find out that is not the case.  The con goes on:  Foreign Policy Magazine has named Ryan one of its top 10 global thinkers.

Paul Ryan is a con man and, regardless of what certain right wing media assets may want you to believe, his economic plan is a joke.  More after the jump.

Walker BFF Russell's Guilty: Sweet Deal? Justice Denied?

It is being reported that Tim Russell's plea deal was accepted by Judge David Hansher does not contain any agreements that Russell cooperate in any other cases except his own. Landgraf will ask for no more than 30 months prison (almost three years) and 30 months' extended supervision -- but here's the kicker and potentially the sweetest part of the deal from Timmy's point of view:  there will be no more charges against Russell that related to any misconduct in public office charges.

Prosecution also requested that he pay restitution of $28,000. Sentencing is set for Jan. 22, 2013, and Russell remains free on bail until that date.   Milwaukee County Judge David Hansher is not required to use this agreement in his sentencing and ordered a pre-sentencing report for what he called "unanswered" questions.

We know that, despite Gov. Scott Walker's "hopes", the John Doe probe is not done -- retired Waukesha County Judge Neal Nettesheim, who has heard every aspect of the case in a secret "John Doe" process outlined in Wisconsin's founding documents has publicly stated:   "The John Doe is not completed. It is still open."

FCC Misplaces Petitions to Deny Broadcast Licenses to WISN-AM & WTMJ-AM

MILWAUKEE – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) apparently has "lost" legal petitions filed to deny the licenses of Milwaukee radio stations WISN and WTMJ on November 1 for subsidizing the recall campaign of Gov. Scott Walker with about $1 million of free airtime while not allowing any supporters of his opponent Tom Barrett on the air.

We will share more of Sue Wilson and the Media Action Center's press release after the jump.

[Update] Wisconsin's Pro-Walker Echo Chamber: Media Disinformation & Walkergate

Wisconsin has a very unfortunate situation -- three organizations control most of local and state news and those cities that have still have independent newspapers, like Ripon and Janesville, are controlled by tea-baggin' interests.  While children are taught since grade school that what they read in their newspapers is "journalism", objective, fair, and balanced; the historical record shows that this utopia has never existed -- it never will.

This is the lie of objective journalism and it is deeply ingrained in school curriculum.  As Rachel Maddow so aptly points out, many stories cannot be "fair and balanced" if the purpose of "news" to refine issues down to what reasonable people can demonstrate to be truthful.  For example, reports on the earth being round cannot legitimately present the alternative proposition as having equal merit, debunked centuries ago, that the earth is flat.

Scott Walker has have a bad week -- not only has the prosecution in an ongoing John Doe probe into the criminality behind his ascent to power released names and some damning emails (more HERE), but his longtime friend and political operative Tim Russell has copped a plea bargain to avoid trial for three felonies of stealing money from widows and orphans of soldiers killed serving in the U.S. Military.  Tomorrow Russell will be in court to get a judge to accept the deal -- more details will be released.

So what do Walker and his media assets do?  After the jump we will show how they ramp up the echo-chamber of disinformation, circling the wagon train around Gov. Scott Walker while they mislead the public.

[Update] BFD! Walker's Former BFF Timmy Russell Strikes Plea Deal

No wonder Gov. Scott Walker was making media appearances today proclaiming his confidence that he was going to skate through the John Doe probe.  Tonight in very late-breaking news, a curious entry at Wisconsin Circuit Court Access appeared for Milwaukee County Case Number 2012CF000053 -- Tim Russell has struck a plea deal.  At this time, only one media source is reporting this unexpected development and it does not cite its sourcing other than to apparently refer to WCCA stating that "records show".

This is a surprise move to many, because Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf stated at Russell's final pretrial that this was his last chance to cop a plea.

VOICES TV Exclusive: Meet Media Action Center of Wisconsin

Activist Randy Bryce came by the VOICES TV studio to share his experience, strength, and hope for change -- in this case -- the 24/7 pro-Walker programming and free ads that ran during the 60-day lead-in to Gov. Scott Walker's June 5, 2012, recall election.  Please let us be clear -- this is not about the "Fairness Doctrine" that was destroyed under Ronald Reagan and which created AM talk radio which is largely dominated by right-wing dialog.

In the 60-day window leading up to an election, broadcasts over the public airwaves, by law, are required to be balanced and offer time to opposing viewpoints.  The Media Action Center, founded by Sue Wilson, has found a effective collaborator here in the Badger State and the Scott Walker recall created the perfect situation to put talk radio on trial at the FCC and demand that those holding licenses to use the public airwaves be held accountable for following the law -- in this case, the Zapple Doctrine (more HERE and HERE).

After the jump, we will present a short video featuring Media Action Center of Wisconsin and Randy Bryce telling us how he got involved with this organization, why the rule-of-law regarding broadcast licenses is a non-partisan issue, and what concerned citizens can do to help.

Lee Enterprises' Walker Propaganda: Dismiss Crimes Behind Faux "Rock Star" They Fraudulently Manufactured

No one should be surprised that Wisconsin's largest newspapers continue to shill for Gov. Scott Walker, minimizing and covering up the criminality behind his ascent to power.  Promoting the "divide and conquer" governor is very profitable business -- even though WTMJ-AM and WISN-AM gave Walker free radio time totalling about $1 million dollars in value leading up to the June 5th recall, there are boatloads of money to be made as a pro-Walker tool -- Journal Communications saw its profits rise more than 26% the quarter of the June 5th recall cycle.

Journal Communications (MJS and others), Lee Enterprises (Wisconsin State Journal and others), and Gannett own virtually all of the newspapers in Wisconsin -- in Ripon and Janesville, some teabaggin' private interests own the newspapers, but most of Wisconsin is blanketed in one-sided pro-Walker media disinformation that is thinly disguised as "journalism".

Sunday, Lee Enterprise's WSJ decided to take the offensive and not-so-subtly tell readers that we should pay no attention to their guy, the man behind the curtain.  The crimes that an increasing number of people are being convicted for are just "sloppy" and "dumb" and the criminality behind their "rock star" would be fine if they had not been revealed. 

VOICES TV Exclusive: Media Action Center Speaks On It -- Revoke WTMJ & WISN's Broadcast Licenses

Earlier this year, VOICES picked up a story from Sue Wilson and the Media Action Center which she founded, Thanks to Scott Walker, We're Putting Talk Radio on Trial at the FCC.  Wilson wasn't kidding-around.  At issue is that 60 days prior to an election, radio stations, which operate on airwaves the public owns and has the right to control, are not allowed to exclude one end of the political spectrum or candidates from the dialog.  This little-known law, the Zapple Doctrine, was not repealed when, under President Ronald Reagan, the Fairness Doctrine was abolished, but this action is distinct and separate from the Zapple Doctrine which is also known "quasi-equal opportunities".  

Randy Bryce, of Media Action Center (MAC) of Wisconsin, recently stopped by the VOICES TV studio to explain how WISN and WTMJ are violating federal laws, abusing their license from the FCC to broadcast on public airwaves, and are undermining democracy.  Bryce speaks on how MAC of WI documented there violations, steps being taken to correct this, and why WISN-AM and WTMJ-AM no longer deserve broadcast licenses to operate on our public airwaves.

VOICES TV Exclusive: "Divide and Conquer" Privatization Failure -- LogistiCare Leaving!

Has the Badger State successfully bucked a privatization failure that enriched politically-connected insiders while undermining health care services to Wisconsin's most vulnerable citizens? If so, we have proved VOICES founder and Executive Director Gaddi B. Dan right -- "we are each other's most valuable resource".

Asking questions, collaborating on answers, and talking among people that know best -- those on the front line of service delivery and those receiving those services, is how VOICES picked up the story of LogistiCare earlier this year -- and those brave enough to talk about this situation, even in the face of retaliation, have made a difference.  LogistiCare is leaving Wisconsin.  Have we freed Wisconsin from a poorly written and administered contract to privatize the delivery of non emergency medical transportation?

For now, it appears the answer is "YES" and congratulations to all involved is merited, but after the jump, we will also share why now is not the time to let up on our vigilance.

Romney's 47% Base of Takers Becoming Unhinged That Obama Won

After the election, Mitt Romney and the right wing echo chamber tried to dismiss the consequences of the November 2012 election by misleading and insultingly stating that Obama won by "bearing gifts" -- dishonestly stating that President Barack Obama was essentially bribing Americans to vote for him.  Shameless political pandering.

The record shows that the "gift bearer" trying "buy" the election was vulture capitalist Mitt Romney as he jet-set around the country promising multimillion dollar tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy and paying for it by increasing taxes paid and adding user fees on the rest of us.  Even GOP's most radical extremists could not stand behind Romney's latest attack and slur on the vast majority of Americans.

After the jump, we will share more about what this election meant and how Romney's base of "takers" is still throwing childish and irrational temper tantrums because they didn't get the multimillion-dollar gifts that Romney promised them on the campaign trail.

Walkergate Update: Tim Russell Taking the Rap, End of Story? Not Likely

The biggest Walkergate trial to date begins in less than 2-weeks, December 3rd, and because co-conspirator Tim Russell has already annoyed Milwaukee County Circuit Judge David Hansher repeatedly with obstruction and delay orchestrated through a lawyer-palooza, it will take a major event/situation to create another delay.  And remember, Tim Russell is a named or unnamed co conspirator in every other Walkergate indictment, including Brian Perick's child enticement and child pornography charges.

Russell is now being represented by a relatively inexperienced public defender and not a top-dollar shark that specializes in high-profile cases.  Do not expect an drawn-out fancy-schmancy defence -- it ain't gonna happen, though Russell appears to have refused to take his last opportunity to cop a plea which would require him turning state's evidence against his former BFF Scott Walker.

Walkergate Update: Wink Has More Cooperatin' to Do: ANOTHER Sentencing Postponement

Poor Darlene Wink, Walkergate co-conspirator that, unlike her friend Kelly Rindfleisch, copped a plea deal to lesser charges on the promise to cooperate.  Those following the John Doe investigation into the criminality that underlies Gov. Scott Walker's ascent to power know that Rindfleish would not cooperate at all, causing Milwaukee County Circuit Judge David Hansher to state that her crimes were serious and “she clearly knew what she was doing was illegal and wrong.”

So after weeding through the biggest news-dump day of the year -- Wednesday before the 4 day holiday weekend -- this tidbit from Wink's November 21st court appearance stood out:  her sentencing has been postponed for a third time because here deal demands more cooperation in another case.

LogistiSCARE Leaving Wisconsin! Together We Make a Difference -- Thanks All!

By VOICES publisher, Bill Breitsprecher

VOICES Editor-in-Chief Gaddi B. Dan says of our community newspaper, VOICES, "We are each other's most valuable resource" and this month, together, we proved him right!

A massive "divide and conquer" privatization failure that directly or indirectly contributed to the untimely death of some of Wisconsin's most vulnerable citizens has been stopped -- at least it appears so in the short-term. LogistiCare has announced that they are leaving Wisconsin as of mid-February.  More after the jump.

Assistant DA Landgraf's PPT Knocks Down Dan Bice and Gannett Propaganda -- More Indictments Likely

Gannett, publisher of U.S.A. Today and owner of most of the Wisconsin newspapers in the Fox River Valley and much of Northern Wisconsin has been misleading its readers that "few signs that John Doe probe will net more suspects" -- an absurd and absolutely false proclamation, but it is consistent with the pro-Walker stance this organization has held ever since Scott Walker began his ascent to power.  Shame on this organization for continuing to disseminate this type of propaganda.

Now we know that not only has Walker's rising star been fueled by criminality, but he has been directing it and the ongoing John Doe probe has identified a ring of co-conspirators.  After the jump, we will share the PowerPoint presentation that the DA's office presented in court on Monday in a stinging 1 hour + rebuke of the Walker administration and John Doe doubters and apologists. 

Media Action Center Speaks On It: Revoking Broadcast Licenses for WISN & WTMJ

Randy Bryce and members of Media Action Center (MAC) held a press conference today in front of Milwaukee's high-power right wing squawk radio station WTMJ to announce a legal challenge filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that seeks to revoke the broadcast licenses of Clear Channel's WISN and Journal Communication's WTMJ.  Unlike citizen petitions, legal proceedings can deny the stations' right to broadcast to the greater community of Milwaukee, across most of eastern Wisconsin, and into most of Rep. Paul Ryan's district.

These stations gave Gov. Scott Walker free air time leading up to the June 5th recall and even denied ad buys to his opponent Tom Barrett. This violates a federal law known as the Zapple Doctrine.  (NOTE:  This is not related to the now defunct Fairness Doctrine)

After the jump, VOICES will share a transcript of Mr. Bryce's prepared statements which explain why MAC is making its demands, how these radio stations are abusing the public airwaves, and why FCC has no real choice but to honor this request.

BFD: Last Friday's News Dump - Top Official at Wisconsin's GAB Removed

A potential bombshell has sneaked through the Wisconsin news cycle -- not reported anywhere we can find, but discovered by people that watch Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board's website regularly -- their second-in-command, Nat Robinson, is being shoved out effective December 31st, 2012.  Top-dog, Kevin J. Kennedy issued this statement:

[...] I believe it is time for a change in leadership in the Elections Division, and the Board Members fully support my decision.  The G.A.B.’s two Division Administrators and the Director serve at the pleasure of the six Government Accountability Board members.

Why is this a big deal?  Details are sketchy and the media has entirely ignored this, but we will share more of what we can confirm after the jump.

Shame On Those Banning Scientific, Mathematically-Accurate Analysis: American Needs Transparent & Verifiable Elections

The founder of a major discussion forum which represents itself as being committed to “electing more and better” democrats recently posted that he would ban anyone from the site who refers to articles or videos (such as THIS one from Thom Hartmann) which reported that “Anonymous” may have prevented Karl Rove from stealing the 2012 presidential election.

The founder of this blog claims that Rove did not try to fix the election – as if only HE knew the true facts. The post was profane and displayed arrogance and willful ignorance, but was nothing new; he has always sought to silence any discussion of election fraud.

Media Watchdog Files Legal Challenges with FCC to Pull Radio Licenses of WISN-AM and WTMJ-AM

Study Shows Stations Gave $1 Million in Free Airtime to Scott Walker Backers

MILWAUKEE, WI – A national media watchdog announced today it has filed petitions with the Federal Communications Commission – on behalf of citizens of the greater Milwaukee area – to deny radio licenses to Clear Channel's WISN-AM and Journal Communications' WTMJ-AM.

These legal challenges – unlike citizen petitions – can deny the stations' right to hold licenses to broadcast to the greater community of Milwaukee, including Rep. Paul Ryan's district.

[Update] Walker BFF Kelly Rindfleisch Gets 6 Months Jail & Prosecution Names Names

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, Kelly Rindflesch, one of Gov. Scott Walker's former top aides, a woman that pleaded guilty on one felony count of doing campaign work on the taxpayers' time -- actually stealing money from taxpayers doing work to promote partisan political ambitions -- tried to weasel out of jail time today by asking for community service because she claimed the same taxpayers she stole from were her first priority.

This should surprise no one -- her defense has been one for squirrels and weasels all along.  Presiding Judge David Hansher refused this shameless request that demonstrated no remorse and failed to acknowledge that she understood her actions was wrong, would have none of this nonsense because offense was serious and "she clearly knew what she was doing was illegal and wrong

Scott Walker Tells Out-of-State Billionaires What He Won't Tell Wisconsin & MJS Provides Cover

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, Scott Walker continues to barnstorm out-of-state telling multinational corporate interests the details of his next "divide and conquer" moves here at home in the Badger State.  Unbelievably,  Walker constantly gets away with proclaiming he has a mandate to implement austerity measures on the masses here at home to subsidize his corporate benefactors yet he intentionally hides his next moves from the public he has a sworn-duty to serve here in Wisconsin.

Walker knows his policies were not approved by voters -- this is why he literally refers to them as "drop[ping] the bomb".  How does a stealth politician hide his political agenda and then falsely proclaim the public elected him to enact the radical extremist policies he would not talk about?  It takes a lot of propaganda, something his major media sponsors, Journal Communication and Lee Enterprises is more than happy to provide.

VOICES TV Exclusive: Wisconsin History, Extractors, Death & Destruction [Video & Transcript]

Part of Scott Walker's ALEC/Koch brother's agenda is to turn Wisconsin's natural resources over to a handful of multinational corporate interests, largely subsidized by taxpayers, and to do this quickly, under-the-radar, and before any meaningful oversight or regulation can happen.  Very few in the Badger State understand the power-play, now in full-force, to destroy the state's unique silica sandstone formation, grinding them up for frac sand which Koch Industries uses in enormous quantities.

VOICES has been on this story and this video report explains what's at stake and what has happened in the past with powerful economic interests are given a free and subsidized hand taking Wisconsin's natural history and heritage mostly out-of-state for immense profits.  The lumber barons of the gilded age, literally denuded the state -- stripped it of old growth trees leaving behind havoc and deadly fires that burned out of control across barren land littered with stumps, brush, and waste from timer over-harvesting. 

Walkergate Late Friday News Dump: Scottie's Bad Girls and Brett Davis Too!

It looks like one female Walker associate caught up in the Scott Walker John Doe has some more cooperatin' to do and another has done too much cooperatin' for her own good.  As is usually the case, breaking news about the ongoing state probe into the criminality behind Scott Walker's rise to power comes out on Fridays, after 5 pm.  

So much for "investigative journalist" Dan Bice's proclamations that Walker's John Doe probe is "as dead as a doornail."  There's still some life in dar hills -- and the Head of Walkers department of Health and Human Services, Brett Davis is not out of the woods yet.  We'll have the latest Walkergate details after the jump.

[Updated] Did Hacktivists & Activists Prevent the Theft of 2012 Election? We'll Never Know, But...

Does anyone else wonder why Karl Rove was so confident that "Sometime after the cock crows on the morning of Nov. 7, Mitt Romney will be declared America's 45th president" and even argued with Fox News when they called Ohio for Obama?  VOICES posted a video before the election, represented as being from the hacktivist group Anonymous, that warned Rove that they were watching servers and Internet traffic for unusual activity.

Others, like Richard Charnin,  VOICES (more HERE) and others published reports and statistical analysis to demonstrate how, if the fix was in, an election could be stolen.  We can't verify the legitimacy of the Anonymous video we posted nor the letter we will present after the jump -- caveat emptor -- but we do know this:

If America had free, fair, open, transparent, and verifiable election stories like these would not exist!

VOICES TV Exclusive: TimeBank -- Connecting With Your Community

Have something to share?  Want to meet new people?  Would some assistance on a task or project be helpful?  Then the Dane County TimeBank, a network for over 2000 individuals and organizations, might be fore you.  It's an exchange where people swap time building community, capacity, and help each create positive change.  Volunteer and Board Member Emily Steinwehe spoke to VOICES about this outstanding organization and the dynamic outcomes that happen when community members pool our time and talents in local neighborhoods.

Wisconsin and the Nation Pay Again: Walker's Train Wreck

While many remember the .com boom where Internet start-up companies bamboozled the public into investing huge amounts of money in massively over-valued stocks -- companies whose business models largely assured they would fail -- the public has forgotten the original stock bubble which was entirely-based on public subsidies, American railroads.  Evidently, Scott Walker knows a thing or two about decieving the public and using our nation's first mass-transportation system as a whipping boy.

An important book about Wisconsin history is "The Nation Pays Again: The Demise of The Milwaukee Road 1928-1986" contains important lessons for us today.  Are Badger State citizens ready to listen?

VOICES TV Exclusive: Torture -- It's Wrong. It's a War Crime. And It's U.S. Policy

Last Saturday, UW professor Alfred W. McCoy, author of Torture and Impunity The U.S. Doctrine of Coercive Interrogation, gave a presentation outlining his work at Madison's Overture Center.  He has disturbing stories -- over the years, the United States government has developed torture techniques that combine physical and psychological abuse in ways unprecedented in human history.  Even more disturbing, the U.S. has implemented these new torture techniques with impunity, claiming they enhance interrogations even though they can be demonstratively proven to less effective than non-abusive interrogations.

How did this happen?  Why does the U.S. embrace war crimes that do not result in more effective information-gathering strategies?   What purpose does torture service if it does not increase intelligence-gathering nor make us safer?  After the jump, we will share our video of McCoy's important and informative presentation.

Is U.S. Media Done With the Ryan "Policy Wonk" and "Numbers Guy" Lie?

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan was never a "policy wonk".  Ryan was never a "numbers guy".  His "path to prosperity" and then the Romney/Ryan tax proposal were shams -- neither balancing the budget nor increasing revenues.  Ryan's "plans" contain no real numbers.  They was cover for massive tax cuts that would create an economic crisis.  This does not a "policy wonk" make.  Ryan's budget failed even the most basic arithmetic -- he cannot credibly be called a "numbers guy."

But without any real justification, this is what the media told the public the moment Ryan stepped into the spotlight with his ALEC/Koch non-budget scam.  Paul Ryan lost his bid to be Romney's VP and he still doesn't get it.  Paul Ryan is not a serious man.

The more important question is, "Does the media get it?"

From the Desk of Sen. Lena Taylor: Thank You!

I am extraordinarily grateful to have been reelected to a third term in the State Senate by my constituents in northern Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Shorewood and Glendale.  Since my first election as State Senator in 2004, I have always served my constituents to the full extent of my abilities.  Quite unexpectedly, I received more than 85 percent of the district’s votes in the latest election.  I received more votes than any other Democratic State Senate candidate, and I have been overwhelmed by this outpouring of support.  I am committed to living up to the confidence you have shown in my candidacy.

Fitzwalkerstan Police State: Criminalize Following the Law

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, despite the fact that the conservative Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Affordable Care Act as constitutional and that even Walker ally Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has declared it is the law of the land and demands compliance, 9 Wisconsin lawmakers want to arrest U.S. officials who follow the law implementing health care reform.

More "divide and conquer" politics in the Badger State?  Truly we are back in a police state where dissent is not allowed and now complying with the law, in Fitzwalkerstan, is deemed an arrestable offense.

Media Misleads: Education Reform and Privatization Fails at Ballot Box

An under-reported story from last week's election is how voters in three states rejected profit-driven education "reform" (h/t Salon).  When the media chooses to ignore facts and events that go against the themes and memes they regularly spotlight and feature, they are misleading.  In America media, "education reform" is a code-word for "privatization".

This is not a grassroots effort -- the public may have legitimate concerns about the schools in their communities -- at this time, overwhelmingly public schools.  No one is arguing that education is not a public good -- that is, a commodity offered to all and where use by one individual does not exclude others from benefiting from the same. 

Champion Chutzpah: Exploiting Debt for Massive Tax Cuts

If, after watching the 2012 GOP presidential ticket crater in the November election, you thought the losing VP nominee Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan's insistence that "compromise" means passing the republican tax plan that voters widely rejected was audacious, you haven't see the latest shameless deficit fear-mongering gambit by some of Romney's biggest corporate supporters.

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, 63 CEOs representing America's largest corporations and Wall Street investment houses & banks launched a campaign who's stated purpose is to "fix the debt”, but that actually blows a bigger hole in the federal budget by bestowing on these multinational corporate interests billions and billions of dollars in tax cuts.  We will have the incredulous details after the jump.

VOICES TV: Look Out Wisconsin -- Here Come the Frac Sanders

Wisconsin should be having a robust debate right now about whether citizens want to turn our landscape into vast tracks of sandy wasteland, how this process regulated, who should provide oversight, and who should pay the costs of mining and then reclaiming the land when a given frac sand mine is no longer economical to extract frac sand.  Its not happening and this critical story is largely flying under the radar.

VOICES TV has put together this overview and, after the jump, we will present our video along with a transcript which we have fully-sourced and resourced for documentation and additional study.

[Update] More Walker Divide and Conquer: Undermining the Affordable Care Act

In August 2012, VOICES newspaper explained how Gov. Scott Walker wrote an entirely misleading op-ed piece for Washington Post -- twisting and falsely using a study by MIT economist Jonathan Gruber.  The actual report, title The Impact of the ACA on Wisconsin's Health Insurance Market (56 page .pdf) did not at all support Walker's misrepresentations.  Both Walker and Gruber misstate the impact of ACA and its effect on Medicaid.

So it should surprise no one that, even though states have until Friday Nov. 16 to announce whether they’ll implement a health insurance exchange or have the federal government impose them, Walker continues to mislead -- we'll explain after the jump.

VOICES TV Exclusive: Lars Prip's Vietnam War Flag -- Veterans for Peace

Only those that have lived through the terror and destruction that is war can truly understand how senseless violence and killing undermines the integrity of nations that perpetrate these crimes against world. Lars Prip and David Soumis are Vietnam War activists that are members of the National Chapter of Veterans for Peace.  Each Saturday, they set up a display on the northeast corner of Madison's popular outdoors farmers market for outreach and to educate the public about the reality of war and the ways it undermines our democracy, economy, and standing in the global community.

After the jump, let's let Jahn explain his work and the unique and historic flag he uses to carry the message.  Peace.

It Says "We the People" Not "Them the Corporations"

No -- corporations are not people my friends despite what a certain national politician with an easy-to-document problem with the truth might proclaim.  Some people may own shares in them or even entirely hide their identity and sole proprietorship via this legal gimmick, but those folks use an arbitrary government protected legal fiction to hide assets, minimize or escape taxes, excessively influence politics, undermine free markets, and empower oligopolies and monopolies.

The American Revolution was not actually a rebellion against the British Crown -- the colonies were fighting the excessive powers and abuses of the Wal-Mart of its day, The Great Atlantic Tea Company and tax cuts that gave this state-sanctioned monopoly unfair business advantages over other merchants.

Election Fraud Smoking Gun? Late Vote Tallies Favor Obama & Confirm True Vote

Richard Charnin, a highly qualified quantitative computer programmer, has shared with VOICES his latest discovery -- his book, Matrix of Deceit: Forcing pre-election and exit polls to match fraudulent vote counts demonstrates a curious and potentially major anomaly.  Late tabulations, long after elections, overwhelmingly are cast for  one party -- the democrats.  How can it be that there is a systematic bias towards one party that is based on when the vote is counted?

This cannot be due to random chance  -- we'll explain after the jump.

Josh Marshall/TPM Half-Gets It

One of our daily reads is Talking Points Memo -- when there are issues that founder/Editor Josh Marshall cares about, the coverage can be outstanding.  For example, he was a major force on the front-lines calling out George W. Bush on his Social Security bamboozling after the 2004 election.  When it comes to election integrity issues, like virtually all of the prominent "left" perspectives that have a national platform, he will not cover nor acknowledge that there are problems with the integrity of elections -- that's his right, but it is not "objective" journalism and does raise questions about TPM's reporting.

Republican Circular Firing Squad: ALL Wing-Nuts Are Culpable!

MADISON, WISCONSIN.  So who's bright idea was it to put the face of vulture capitalism, Mitt Romney, at the top of the republican ticket only a few years after Wall Street interests crashed the U.S. global economy?  Who thought making the 2012 elections a referendum on rape and denying women choices about their health care was a "winner"?  What strategist decided an "etch-a-sketch" candidate using a parade of flip flops and outright lies was the ticket to win the Presidency?

Do Karl Rove, Reince Priebus, Rupert Murdoch, and the 26 billionaires that brought us "divide and conquer" politicians that cannot keep their facts straight like Romney, Congressman Paul Ryan, and Scott Walker believe that Americans' are just plain stoooopid or do they believe they had our election system rigged to undermine real democracy?  Who are the republicans going to blame?

Fitzwalkerstan is Back: Next Budget Devastates Public Education and Subsidizes Koch Interests & Frac Sand

Gratefully, we did not wake up this morning to the nightmare of a Romney/Ryan presidency.  Flying under the radar right now in Wisconsin is the fact that the republicans have taken back control of the State Senate and again have full-control of all three branches of government (not to mention the Choke-A-Palooza at the Supreme Court).  This isn't surprising considering the gerrymandering that was done to cement republican control -- but we still have a major problem on our hands in the Badger State.

According to a Chief of Staff with the office of a high-ranking Wisconsin Senator, Gov. Scott Walker's next budget is going to be used to hammer public education and VOICES has it from well placed sources that the next candidate for Wisconsin DPI Superintendent will be none other than the wife of republican education committee chair, Luther Olsen.  Joan Wade has been using her stewardship at CESA 6 to undermine public education (Warning:  video propaganda) for many years -- they have one goal:  Privatize School.

VOICES TV: Bruce Springsteen Explains Why Obama Was Right Choice

VOICES TV had 2 camera crews at President Barack Obama's campaign rally in Madison Wisconsin -- we filmed the entire event, but since editing and rendering television-quality video is a time consuming process, we didn't get all the good video clips online before the election.

Bruce Springsteen wowed the crowed, estimated at around 20,000 people, with a song he wrote at Obama's request for the campaign -- then he proceed to passionately explain why Obama was the right choice for Wisconsin and America.  After the jump, we'll present these remarks in their entirety along with his last song -- a great solo version of "Land of Hope and Dreams."

At 8:25 PM Media Was Going To Call Wisconsin for Romney

VOICES has it from a reliable source that was "in the trenches" last night here in Wisconsin that Obama's campaign headquarters was making phone calls after the polls closed to assess the situation on the ground here.  At 8:25 p.m., according to the Obama campaign, the media was "leaning to a call for Romney".  A conversation ensued as to how this could be -- the campaign stated this was done by extrapolating exit polls. 

Obama's campaign said they needed data from the last 2 unreported wards which were not available yet -- the call for Romney was never made and by 9:15 pm the Badger State was called for Obama even though websites tracking vote tabulations at the time indicated Romney was still leading the early returns.  More after the jump.

Richard Charnin's Latest Update: Wisconsin & Other Swing States Go Obama

Sensitivity analysis is a fancy word for models and predictions that acknowledge uncertainty -- we don't have perfect information.  This does not mean we have to give up -- it merely means we should construct models and projections to overcome our lack of perfect information.  Richard Charnin, a highly qualified quantitative computer programmer, builds uncertainty into his election projections by considering different scenarios -- sensitivity analysis -- more on what this means for Wisconsin after the jump.

Walker's Great Train Robbery: $823 Mil Here, $50 Mil There, Another $50 & $31.6 Mil...

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has just cost Badger State taxpayers another small fortune.  Despite being given ample time and clear and concise advanced legal warning of consequences if the administration does not honor its contract with rail car maker Talgo, a court will likely rule in favor of Talgo over a cut-and-dry breach of contract and the State of Wisconsin will lose almost $50 million it has already spent on the project and have absolutely nothing to show for it except more egg on its face.

Some fiscal conservative, Walker is literally costing taxpayers many hundreds of millions of dollars and this isn't even half-way into his term as governor.  More after the jump.

VOICES TV Exclusive: President Barack Obama in Madison & Full Transcript

VOICES had 2 camera crews on the scene when President Barack Obama came to Madison, Wisconsin, the day before the November 2012 elections.  Please enjoy our video coverage which presents the President's speech in its entirety -- there are clear differences between what the republican ticket of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan represent and what the President can truthfully demonstrate he has stood up for.  The crowd was estimated at nearly 20,000 on a cold Wisconsin fall Monday morning -- very impressive turnout -- as you will see, the crowd was highly energized.

After the jump, we'll share our video and a complete transcript of President Obama's remarks.

Is Wisconsin Citizen Audit of Recall Legit? Is This A Publicity Stunt and Cash Cow?

An organization that has rebranded itself "Wisconsin Wave", an offshoot of "Liberty Tree" grabbed a lot of headlines after the June 5th Scott Walker recall when they proclaimed they were going to recount the vote.  Those recall election results don't pass the smell test (more HERE).  A variety of in-state and even at least one major out-of-state election integrity group jumped on board.  In fact, Wisconsin Wave was never the group that was doing the heavy lifting.

Wisconsin Wave is actually Ben Manski.  And from VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department; Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein and her campaign manager Ben Manski are misrepresenting Ben on the Wisconsin ballot as Jill Stein's choice for Vice President!

Oh sure, Ben....  Its just a technicality...  As you state, a "placeholder."  Its not like the campaign could have competently and honestly identified the folks running for the White House...

Honesty and competence does matter.  More after the jump.

Richard Charnin's Final Forecasts: Fraud-free & Expected Results (meaning WITH fraud)

If one wants to publicly make a statement about tomorrow's presidential election,  the first thing that becomes obvious when reviewing data is that there are many divergent  interpretations -- how can this be possible?  Richard Charnin can explain and his answer has little to do with margins-of-errors or even bias in pre-election polls and exit polls -- the inability of the media to accurately describe voting pattern could be due to something else entirely.

Unlike pundits and self-proclaimed "experts" you may see on your TEE-VEE, Charnin has looked at the integrity of our election system itself -- media pre-election polls, exit polls (owned by the same media) and even the final "official" tabulations have anomalies that point to fraud.  Want to know how to accurately predict an election?  We'll share after the jump.

VOICES TV Exclusive: John Washburn Speaks On It -- More On Election Integrity

If we consider a stolen election the work of a criminal enterprise to make it appear that candidate A got more votes than candidate B, you need a lie.  For any lie to work, there have to be as few points as possible that indicate the story doesn't line up.

There are anomalous results -- basic math shows us that the numbers we are given here and in Wisconsin don't "add-up".  In fact, they prove that we have problems with our elections.  John Washburn, a highly qualified computer program tester, explains after the jump.

VOICES TV Exclusive: John Washburn Speaks On It -- Wisconsin's Vote Tabulators

In the days before voting machines, machine tabulators, electronic scanning of ballots, and now touch-screen voting; no one would have accepted paper ballots being counted secretly backstage out-of-sight and then someone emerging from behind the curtain to proclaim a winner.  This makes no sense and undermines the legitimacy of our government, yet this is exactly what today's scanning tabulators and touch screen voting machines do.

After the jump, we'll share a short video (4 min, 32 sec) where computer program-tester John Washburn explains how vote tabulation machines work and the unique challenges they present in assuring accurate and legitimate election results

VOICES TV Exclusive: Sen. Lena Taylor Speaks On It -- The Right to Vote

VOICES is grateful that Wisconsin Sen. Lena Taylor (D-District 4) has shared her writing with our newspaper and blog and granted us video interviews.  Her experience, strength, and hope uniquely represent an important Wisconsin community and the progressive views she shares are stated artifully, directly, yet kindly.

The State of Wisconsin was at the forefront of suffrage rights for African Americans -- indeed, this was part of the initial drafts of the Badger State's Constitution. After the jump, we will let Sen. Taylor explain and share her views on the duty citizens have to exercise their right to vote.

Looks Like Harry Ried Was Right: Romney Paid ZERO Taxes Some Years

Mitt Romney and Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan are mammoth tax-dodgers, yet they slander other Americans as refusing to "take personal responsibility" or insultingly call them "takers".  Harry Reid is highly qualified to know how Romney ducked paying his fair share -- it was done through the Mormon Church which Reid also belongs to!  From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, Romney 'rented' Mormon church’s exemption to defer taxes for 15 years.

VOICES TV Exclusive: Wisconsin's 2012 Vote Count Is At-Risk

MADISON, WISCONSIN.  John Washburn tests computer software for a living -- he's been looking at our computerized election systems and is seeing some very disturbing things.  John does not believe that the technology, per se, is a problem, but electronic voting and computer tabulations create new issues and risks that paper ballots do not -- these new systems also have many of the same security issues as paper ballots, but in a new realm.

The way he states it, "electronic voting [and computer tabulations] create centralization and also presents better opportunities to lie and create a criminal enterprise.

VOICES Newspaper is Online: November 2012

We've been scrambling to get our final pre-election issue on the street and are now distributing thousands of copies of VOICES Newspaper around all points north, south, east, and west Madison.  But you can see all the content of our print edition as well as "extended coverage" from our blog, video channel, and WYOU TV news magazine online!  "We are each other's most valuable resource".

After the jump, we will highlight a few of the important stories we are following.

Believe-It-Or-Not: Romney Proclaims Jesus is Returning to Missouri!

MADISON, WISCONSIN.  From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, a video has surfaced of Mitt Romney heatedly arguing with a radio talk show host about where Jesus will come back to rule the earth for the next 1,000 years (h/t Alternet).  Citing a man that profoundly influenced the likes of Glen Beck, Romney rants about conspiracy theorist and right-wing psycho-babbler extraordinaire Cleon Skousen, we finally hear the GOP presidential hopeful in a candid moment talking about his fringe and extremist religious believes -- it is not pretty.

Scottie, The Divide and Conquer Governor's Bestest Birthday Wish

The REAL thing Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker wants for his 45th birthday, neither he or the media will tell you, is an end to the state and reportedly a federal probe into the criminality behind his ascent to power.  His BFF and sugar-daddy Timmy Russell had his final pre-trial conference today -- not likely a birthday "gift" emerges there.   But other than a "get out of jail free" card for him and any/all co-conspirators, what Scottie really wants most of all is a Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan presidential term.

More after the jump.

Matrix of Deceit: Forcing Pre-Election and Exit Polls to Match Fraudulent Vote Counts

Highly-qualified quantitative computer programmer and author, Richard Charnin, has been "doin' the numbers" -- statistically analyzing and modeling historic outcomes of U.S. Elections.  He's seeing serious problems, that election integrity in America is in doubt.  Anomalies consistently benefit one party -- the republicans.  Others have observed a "red shift" as well.   

No one in America has done more to identify problems in America’s election process in a scientific, statistical, and significant manner.  And while Richard can articulate his work as terms of a fully-qualified mathematician and also for the rest of us, getting his work out takes a great deal of advocacy.

This is because, at the heart of the problem are powerful media interests and a small circle of other corporate interests that do not want the public empowered via open, free, fair, transparent, and verifiable elections.  After the jump, we’ll explain more.