January 31, 2010
Name names--please!
Rumors that the speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly, Mike Sheridan, was about to quit or be forced to walk the plank by his fellow Democrats have been scotched. Turns out, according to Sheridan, that a group of lobbyists was behind the effort to get a more lobbyist-friendly speaker. He "accused lobbyist opponents of regulation of pay-day loans" (limiting interest to 36 percent) of starting rumors he was headed for the door. The issue is one we have hollering about all year. Rumor had it that the Mafia charged less than 36 percent when I was a kid.
As you know, Wisconsin is the only state that does not cap interest fees for pay-day loan operations. AP reports that more than two dozen lobbyists have been hired to defeat this modest measure. Sheridan has not been a crusader for the bill, having referred it to Representative Jason Fields's committee--and, believe it--Fields opposes any cap! I am not joking.
But Sheridan told bill sponsor Gordon Hintz that there will be a vote on the bill this year. Odds are it will pass once on the floor. "How dare he!" was the lobbyist challenge. "Fire him. Establish some discipline!"
Now, Mike, name names of the lobbyists so we can tell the people. This is blackmail and must be stopped. You took the flak, now it is our turn. Just wait until the governor hears about this!
Back to school, Paul: Paul Ryan stood to face the president. He was deferential as he laid out his radical, albeit idiotic, plan to help the wealthy get more while we take less. Frank Rich dismissed GOP plans as idiocies. Rich wrote, "Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman hailed as the Republicans’ new intellectual hope, laid out a lengthy 'G.O.P. Road Map for America’s Future' on The Wall Street Journal op-ed page that proposed cutting taxes (disproportionately for the wealthy) and privatizing Medicare and Social Security but devoted no bullet point to creating jobs for Americans in urgent need," and on and on. I think Ryan was as serious as a self-described millionaire "intellectual" in the party of Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin can be. But clear the decks folks, the GOP wrecking ball is poised to privatize everything from sidewalks to social security.
Please read Joel McNally this morning--right on, Joel!
post a letter about this blog »
What is surprising here is NOT that Ryan and others in the GOP believe that this should be a YOYO ( You're On You're Own ) nation but that Obama is only lately making lame attempts to call them out on it.
Roosevelt and Truman must be rolling over in their graves.
-Griebnotz Doerkpfester | Egg Harbor, WI. | January 31, 2010
Here's a name, courtesy of the Journal Sentinel:
Sheridan was reportedly "dating" Shanna Wycoff, a lobbyist for Cincinnati-based Axcess Financial, which operates Check 'N Go payday loan shops.
-Nellie | Milwaukee | February 1, 2010
current
--------
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003