VOICES Team on Special Assignments

We've been publishing VOICES newspaper since 2005 and added the blog in 2012.  It's fun -- it's informative -- it serves many purpose.  Most posts here are actually written to be "pathfinders" -- collections of links, organized in paragraph prose that transparently show some of the sources we use for information.  When we post news and views here, we definitely have a perspective -- which is why we blog about it -- but we respect that others may want to fact-check and come to their own conclusions.  Our posts have many hyperlinks for more facts and perspectives.

While we will continue to publish VOICES Newspaper for the next few months, our editing team has some exciting opportunities to support youth and diversity in the Madison-are and beyond.  We always try to keep some of our other youth-support and and media projects distinct and separate from VOICES Newspaper and the more "edgy" VOICES Blog.  For now, we would like to share that we have an opportunity to work with youth, kids, and families to build Comm-UNITY and this means updates at our blog may be few-to-none for the next couple of months or so.

We will try to produce our WYOU TV-News magazine, though perhaps as a bi-weekly production during this period.  Because our current commitments are media and technology related and involved sharing with children, youths, and teens; our top priority is to support the kids and young adults we have an opportunity to work with.  We will have to see how much time we can devote to producing a half-hour TV show given we are doing other media and education projects.

We will be picking up the blog again, but perhaps not until spring.  It has been amazing to see how the page-views have grown in such a short period of blogging.  It has been fun and rewarding to talk to people around the state and learn that people are seeing the articles published at VOICES Blog -- sharing makes a difference and it the antidote to today's divisive and highly partisan politics -- thanks!

[UPDATE} Dumb Ron Johnson Gets Schooled by a Pro: He's an Embarrassment to Wisconsin

Wisconsin teabaggin' Sen. Ron Johnson has a history of putting his foot in his mouth and making a fool of himself.  He seems to have a problem with smart, articulated, and competent women -- perhaps because he is EXACTLY the opposite -- an ignorant, poorly spoken, and incompetent male republican.  He recently insultingly talked down to newly elected Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin as if she didn't understand math -- Baldwin set Johnson straight.

Today he was entirely out-of-his league insulting and talking down to a sharp-witted and highly experienced woman with more political experience than Ron Johnson will ever even dream about.  Johnson was talking trash to outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during Wednesday’s hearing on the attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya that left a U.S. ambassador dead.   Ms. Clinton, no stranger to rightwing attacks, would have none of it and set the record straight, putting the junior senator from Wisconsin in his place for shooting off his mouth without having a clue what he was talking about.

We Voted, Now Let's BOO Paul Ryan

A famous line in President Barack Obama's addresses around the nation and here in Madison (video) was, "Don't Boo, VOTE! (video)"  He was right -- expressing our outrage at the shenanigan of the current teabaggin' is not enough -- we need to talk action.  In November, that action was voting so that this nation would not have the tax-dodging ticket of Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan in the White House.

Today, in Washington D.C., Paul Ryan was loudly booed when he left his office for the inauguration address.  Rightly so -- 4 years ago Paul Ryan was part of a republican cabal that met in-secret to put in place a plan to undermine the U.S. economy so that the results of the republican obstructionism that Paul Ryan engineered would be blamed on President Barack Obama.

Mining Bill Is About Catapulting Walker's "Divide and Conquer" Across America

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's "rock star" status was created via a complicit media.  On his own, Walker is just another dishonest self-promoting politician.  While Walker's stated goal is to "divide and conquer" Wisconsin, flip it "red" and turn it into a right-to-work state; he would not be able to do this without the help of a media echo-chamber that picks-up and then endlessly repeats Walker's talking points across the state.

The mining bill, despite propaganda disseminated by Lee Enterprises, Journal Communications, Gannett, and Clear Channel, is entirely divisive and anything-but moderate.  It will not succeed in streamlining the process -- it will create more delays, but this is by design.

Walker is setting himself up so that the national media can promote him as the "Harley-riding" "Washington-outsider" that is "brave" enough to take on the federal government and, by implication, President Barack Obama.

Sound familiar?  It's essentially the George WALKER Bush playbook from Scott WALKER's cousin.

[Update] Did Walker Finally Get His Agent Provocateur?

It is a high crime, actually treason, for elected officials to plant troublemakers in a crowd for the purpose of inciting violence enabling a police crackdown -- it is a high crime to even consider this grave act against our democracy.  It would be an even more serious offense to talk these crimes about committing these crimes even if, in the end, the conspirators decided not to do so -- yet this is exactly what Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker admitted in a prank phone call to Ian Murphy who punked Walker by pretending to be David Koch.

Walker was not held accountable for those crimes and the media has done everything it can to flush that story down the memory hole.  Strange stories came out immediately before Scott Walker's State of the State address -- that Walker was receiving death threats.  Curiously, none of these threats were being investigated -- evidently none were serious.

Did Scott Walker finally find away to use a plant to disrupt protesters and empower an even greater crackdown?

Shameless Walker Propaganda & Photo Ops: Using Our Troops

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, on the day that Assistant DA Bruce Landgraf's sentencing memo for Tim Russell was made public, Scott Walker is trying to grab headlines for supporting out troops -- this despite the fact that his closest longtime aide - Tim Russell, will be sentenced on Tuesday for stealing " the very last of its available funds" from monies donated to support widows and orphans of service men and women killed in combat.

It isn't hard to demonstrate that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is disingenuous -- a politician that makes many dishonest statements.  Now Walker is rivaling Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan in chutzpah.

Scott Walker "Doubtlessly" Would Reward Tim Russell" With "Lucrative Government Job"

One of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's closest associates, Tim Russell, is getting off easy -- not only did prosecutors drop 2 charges, obtaining a guilty plea on one felony count of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a veterans' fund, but they agreed not to charge Russell with misconduct in public office for political work he did while a county employee as well as other acts of alleged misconduct that related to the embezzlement.

And while the plea Russell accepted initially stated that Landgraf  would ask for no more than 30 months' incarceration and 30 months' extended supervision, in his sentencing memo for next Tuesday's hearing (Jan 22, 2012), Landgraf is only asking for 2 years in jail and two years probation.

Pretty sweet deal if you can get it -- Russell stole more than $27,000, earlier this year reported as “more than 50 cents of every donation dollar deposited” from a widows and orphan fund to help families of solders killed serving in the United States military.  Tim Russell copped a guilty plea for just about as low a crime as one can imagine.  The proscutor's sentencing memo, as we will show after the jump, shows the situation was much worse.

Lee Enterprise Propaganda Luncheon: Crappy Food and the Lie of Objective Journalism

Lee Enterprises is not a legitimate news source -- they play a critical role in the Wisconsin media echo-chamber that props up Scott Walker.  In some ways, they are the most disingenuous pro-Walker tool because they hide behind the name "Cap Times" and misrepresent that brand as being a "progressive voice".  Its not -- that entire organization makes its bread-and-butter attacking Dane County and Madison.

The brand name "Cap Times" is just a more subtle way to spread disinformation about Lee Enterprises's guy -- a politician that can be demonstrated to have a very distant relationship to the truth.  And it is merely and empty shell -- a marketing gimmick.

So can you stomach their crap eating a low-quality lunch?  We suggest you take a pass.

Walker's Left Hand Takes What He Pretends to Give With Right

No one should be surprised -- it appears that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is deceiving again.  The Badger State's news media oligopoly, Lee Enterprises, Journal Communications, Gannett, and Clear Channel continue to prop Walker up with propaganda.

Walker proclaims he's going to cut taxes?  YOU BETTER HOLD ONTO YOUR WALLET!

Walker Lies Waterways Will Die: More Media Propaganda

Walker is telling whoppers again -- those responsible for resurrecting last-years failed mining bill admit it exempts these out-of-state multinational corporate interests from environmental laws and regulations.  Walker has been spreading disinformation that this is not the case -- in his State of the State address, Walker lied about environmental standards in his top-priority -- a mining bill.

It wasn't hard to see this coming -- one just listen to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and then follow Lee Enterprises, Journal Communications, Gannett, Clear Channel AND THEN EXPECT THE OPPOSITE!

Scott Walker has a problem telling the truth -- not an opinion, an objectively fact that is not hard to document.   Wisconsin's media echo-chamber amplifies the misinformation and disinformation that Scott Walker speaks.  The mainstream media shields Walker from scrutiny over the criminality behind his ascent to power.

The media has told the public that Scott Walker is now a "moderate" and seeks to unify us -- nothing could be farther from the truth.  The latest mining power-grab to usurp the Wisconsin Constitution, federal law, and Native American Treaty Rights proves Walker is not avoiding controversy -- Walker is doin' what he does best -- "divide and conquer".

More Walker Attacks on Unemployed/Underemployed

Wisconsin's media has been lying to you -- singing a chorus of disinformation to prop up Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.  With the help of Fox News; Lee Enterprises, Journal Communications, Gannett, and Clear Channel have manufactured a "rock star" based on misinformation and disinformation.  Did you believe he was going to be a "moderate"?

Well think about it no more -- here's more proof that the reports Wisconsin's media echo-chamber carried over the holidays were not true -- classic propaganda.  Not only does Scott Walker want to give massive tax cuts to the better-off, excluding the working poor, but he's coming for unemployment insurance now too.

This is not "bipartisan"; it is controversial, and it directly harms the most vulnerable among us -- people looking for work or underemployed between more permanent working situations.  And Walker wants to do this even though providing a modest income to unemployed and underemployed is an important economic boost to the state's economy.

Media Echo-Chamber Propaganda: Walker's State of the State

We know that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was going to promote himself at last nights State of the State address.  We know that Walker has a track record and can be easily demonstrated to routinely issue misleading statements.  The bigger problem is that Wisconsin is dominated by a media echo-chamber that props disingenuous proclamations and outright deceptions up as credible.

Shame on Lee Enterprises, Journal Communications, Gannett, and Clear Channel (among others) for deceiving Badger State residents as to what Scott Walker really said at last nights speech.

Walker Keeping Low Profile: More "Divide and Conquer" on the Way

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's mode of operation isn't hard to figure out -- rail against government, create a crisis, and then use this crisis to justify radical extremist policies -- actually, economic terrorism.  The process of implementing this strategy demands 2 things:

1. A great deal of misdirect, disinformation, and outright lies.
2. A compliant mainstream media that promotes the dishonest talking points, creating the illusion of "truthiness" and turning misleading information into propaganda.

Scott Walker can be objectively shown to regularly deceive and Wisconsin's media echo-chamber promotes the deceptions.  So if Scott Walker is "laying low" and the media is telling us he is now a "moderate", expect more divide and conquer!

Paul Ryan No Policy Wonk, Writes Bill to Empower Rapists

The media, which has falsely held Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan up as a "policy wonk" and "numbers guy" is again providing cover for one of the most indigenous politicians of our times.  That is saying a lot -- Paul Ryan ran on the failed presidential ticket of chronic flip-flopper and habitual liar Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney slunk away into the shadows.  Paul Ryan is once again working on his pro-rapist agenda.  Paul Ryan has written and is promoting a bill to allow rapists to sue the women they rape.

Does Paul Ryan even know that the bills he writes, endorses, or votes for mean?   Paul Ryan is no policy wonk.  Paul Ryan is no numbers guy.  Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan represented the biggest tax-dodgin' ticket to ever run for the White House.

Nazis in the Walker/Bush Clan: Nothing Scotty Does Should Surprise

Very few are aware that Scott Walker has family ties to the Bush family -- one of the most treasonous clans in American history.  Scott Walker is a distant relative, certainly not from the wealthy side of the family, but he has the same business interests behind him -- Scott Walker works for the same multinational corporate cabal.

And if you follow what these multinational corporate interests have done in the past and how the want to reshape America, it is very disturbing.  Most remarkably, and entirely flying under the radar, is that Adolph Hitler was promoted, financed, and elevated to the top of Nazi Germany by the corporate business interests Walker represents -- but Walker is not just tied to them via a endless flow of cash -- he is a blood relative.

This isn't a wild accusation -- it can be documented -- it is true.  Look out, Wisconsinites -- more extremist divide and conquer is most-assuredly on the way.

Walker Borrows Massively for Sham Budget Fix

When Tom Barrett, in the lead-up to Scott Walker's June 5th recall election stated Barrett says that Walker used a "credit card" to "balance state budget", pushing borrowing costs into the future, he was correct.  Walker and Wisconsin's media echo-chamber falsely trumpet reckless borrowing as somehow being the answer to deficit spending -- a shameless lie -- borrowing longer-term to misrepresent short-term problems as solved is dishonest.

But a new report shows that Walker's fiscal slight-of-hand is even worse than what Barrett knew.

[Update] Email This to Scott Walker & WI GOP Cohorts

A HUGE story is being under-reported in Wisconsin and in much of America.  California has balanced its budget, recovering from a much large fiscal disaster than Wisconsin has ever seen.  California projects a surplus.  California put money in its "rainy day fund", but NOT the "funny money" Scott Walker used in his headline-grabbing sham.  Walker put debt in the Badger State's rainy day fund in a publicity stunt that the media promoted.

Scott Walker is using the budget crisis he ginned up, the resulting economic train wreck, and some of the worst job growth in America to launch more "divide and conquer" politics.  California proved that Walker's false dichotomy, either austerity-for-the-massive while increasing welfare to corporate-interests or fiscal ruin, is a massive con.

Journal Communications Seeks Impunity for Walker & Crimes Behind His Ascent to Power

The Wisconsin media echo-chamber continues to spin hard for Scott Walker the Badger State's largest newspaper, entirely a pro-Walker operation, took its position at the front of the line yesterday with shameless propaganda in its headlines announcing convicted Walker associate Darlene Wink's sentencing.  This is the same paper that has announced they will largely drop editorials, evidently their constant support for Walker creates too much of a cognitive dissonance with what gets presented as fact-based news in the rest of the paper.

The process of impunity, exemption Scott Walker from punishment or loss or escape from fines for the crimes that underlie his ascent to power and for which only he benefited from, demands:

• Media complicity
• Begin by blaming the criminality on a few

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is doing what it can to help Walker.  The 5-step process, outlined by Alfred McCoy, follows after the jump.

Walker's Lastest Jobs Fail: More "Divide and Conquer" Coming!

The latest report on private-sector job creation ranks Wisconsin 42 out of 50 states in private-sector job creation -- among the worst in the Nation.  Sadly, the latest government jobs data is widely-accepted as the most accurate assessment by economists.  The Badger State continues a massive job failure under Scott Walker's failed economic agenda.

But because republicans control all branches of government, despite the uncontested fact that democratic candidates for the state Assembly received 200,000 more votes statewide than their republican counterparts in that election.   Gerrymandering has been the difference, not the will of the people.  There are also recurring vote tabulating anomalies, always favoring republicans, that indicate potential fraud.

Despite what the Wisconsin media echo-chamber proclaims, we will see more controversial partisan politics -- much more -- republicans will seize their latest job failure and use it to justify even more divisive economic havoc.

Walker's Next "Divide and Conquer" Can Kill & Media is Complicit

Don't believe the echo-chamber -- Wisconsin's network of dysfunctional news outlets that all crow Walker talking points in tandem.  Walker has an extremely divisive agenda lined up.  He's already shared it with his out-of-state multinational billionaire base.  You know, the folks that underwrite his criminal defense fund.  He needs lots of money.

Walker is about to exploit his economic disaster and massive job failure to justify more "divide and conquer" -- a new mining bill that relaxes environmental standards for multinational out-of-state corporate interests that represent some of the most toxic polluters on the planet.

But Wisconsin's dysfunctional news media is all repeating the corporatist mantra, "don't worry, be happy -- Scott Walker isn't doing to do anything 'controversial', he's promised!"

More Paul Ryan Flim-Flam: Will The Media Tell the Truth

Despite what the mainstream media proclaims, Paul Ryan is not a policy wonk.  Paul Ryan is not a numbers guy.  Paul Ryan is a flim-flam man of massive proportion.  Paul Ryan is on the Congressional Budget Committee, yet when he and Mitt Romney ran for the White House last fall, Romney/Ryan were the biggest tax-dodging presidential ticket in U.S. history and they ran on a budget with no numbers nor details.

The media can't have it both ways -- Paul Ryan cannot be a "policy wonk" and Paul Ryan cannot be a "numbers guy" if he can't do his own taxes.  Paul Ryan has no credibility as a budget hawk if he:

1. Voted for each and every budget-busting budget put forward by George W. Bush, adding $6.8 trillion to the national credit card.
2. Dodges taxes he legally owes while deriding others as being "takers"

Even by Paul Ryan's hypocritical standards, his latest act on Hurricane Sandy and federal flood insurance is outrageous -- is the media finally through with the "policy wonk" and "numbers guy" lies?

[Update 2Xs] More Walker Propaganda Today From Media Echo-Chamber

No one should expect Lee Enterprises to publish informative pieces on Scott Walker -- they have consistently printed his talking points and outright falsehoods to prop him up.  Mary Spicuzza is now his leading cheerleader, which shouldn't surprise anyone -- she's served as secretary of the Wisconsin Capitol Correspondents Association -- that should say it all.

Wisconsin State Journal regularly uses its monopoly position in the local media to attack and dismiss its hometown and Dane County.   Why does anyone here purchase this garbage anyhow?

Walker Exploits His Job Fail: "Divide and Conquer" Mining

No one should doubt that Gov. Scott Walker meant it when he told his largest in-state donor, a billionaire that pays no state income tax, that he intended to flip Wisconsin "red" using "divide and conquer" strategies.  Scott Walker's divisive agenda has ginned up an economic crisis which, with the help of Wisconsin's dysfunctional media echo-chamber, he will use to launch more "divide and conquer".

And first up to the plate in 2013 -- destroying environmental protection to enable out-of-state mining companies to move in.

Does Paul Ryan Hold a Grudge? Leaves Hurrican Victims Hanging

Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan, despite what you may have seen in the media, is not a policy wonk.  Paul Ryan is not a numbers guy.  His is a master fraudster that has been empowered by a compliant and complict media.  Is Paul Ryan also a petty vindictive man?

Some believe that President Barack Obama's leadership when Hurricane Sandy hit just before the November 2012 presidential election sealed the deal.  Even teabagger and republican rock star New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had to laud Obama and his team's response to a devastating storm that caused widespread damage and power outages along the East Coast.  Some believe this was a turning point in the election, ensuring that Barack Obama would defeat Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, Paul Ryan today voted "NO" on hurricane disaster relief -- Paul Ryan never saw a spending bill during George Walker Bush's tenure that he couldn't support -- Paul Ryan personally voted to add $6.8 trillion to the national debt.  Why Does Paul Ryan pretend to be a fiscal conservative now?  Does he hold grudge?

Gannett Propaganda: You Forgot John Doe?!?!

The New Year brings out the worst in the press -- perhaps its because little newsworthy happens now, yet press deadlines demand stories.  So what do we get?  Pundits pontificating and printing meaningless lists -- an endless array -- usually short stories devoid of facts.

Gannett, publisher of USA today and a vital part of Wisconsin's pro-Walker media echo chamber (owning virtually all newspapers in the Fox River Valley) printed an misleading piece today, proclaiming to be the 5 things on the line for Walker in 2013.

It was no such thing -- it was pure propaganda, glossing over Walker's biggest concerns, the ongoing John Doe probe into the criminality of his ascent to power and Walker's need to raise money to fight the investigators and spin PR to avoid accountability.

More Lee Enterprises WEDC Propaganda: "Fix Don't Flog"

From VOICES "You Can't Make This Crap Up" department, one of Wisconsin's largest newspapers published an editorial today proclaiming that any dialog about the massive failure of WEDC to oversee economic development, responsibly manage taxpayer's money, and actually create jobs is not allowed.

In their view, citizens have no role but to purchase Lee Enterprises propaganda, consume their disinformation, and mindlessly accept the mind-numbing distortions of logic and reasoning that is used to prop up Wisconsin's economic failures -- all after Scott Walker initiated his "divide and conquer" policies.

John Doe Target Walker Didn't Issue Pardons -- Media Treat This As "News"?!?!?

We know its a slow news cycle in Wisconsin, but why are Scott Walker's media friends making such a big deal about whether or not he issued any pardons?  This is really not a news story -- it also should be expected.

While the  investigation(s) into the criminality behind Walker's ascent to power are ongoing, Scott Walker cannot actually be credibly held-up as a "law and order" republican.  This is a travesty.

Follow the Money, Scottie Is "Bert" Walker Facist Clan

While the Wisconsin democratic party puts the term in quotes when they state, "Scott Walker and 'Cousin' George Walker Bush", better known as W,  Wayne Madsen has published a report that is more direct [emphasis added]:

A cousin of Wisconsin's unpopular Republican Governor Scott Walker, who is running in a rare recall election, has informed WMR that Walker is a member of the Bush-Walker family of former Presidents George H. W. Bush and George Walker Bush. 

Governor Walker's cousin does not support his cousin's gubernatorial bid in Wisconsin. Scott Walker, like George Herbert Walker and George Walker Bush, is a descendant of George Herbert Walker, a wealthy banker originally from St. Louis.  [more HERE].