WI: Greens Stand with Public Workers

From the Green Party of WI:

The Wisconsin Green Party salutes the state’s public workers, and stands in solidarity with their fight to retain full collective bargaining rights with their employers.

The budget crisis facing the state was not brought on by public workers, and if there is to be a recovery, workers, public and private, must be the primary beneficiaries.

Scott Walker’s attempt to “repair the budget” on the backs of public workers is not about money, it’s about power. State workers earn less than their counterparts in the private sector, and often go years without a wage increase. Walker wants to permanently take away the ability of these workers to have a say in their health insurance and pensions.

While Walker attempts to divide workers into “haves” and “have-nots,” he continually pleads the case for the real “haves.” At a time when profit margins at the S&P 500 companies are at an all-time high, taxes for these corporations are approaching all-time lows . . .

WI: Governor Issues Veiled Threat of Military Action Against State Employees

The Democratic-Republican ruling political class has been at war with the people and the Constitution of the United States for some time.  The governor of Wisconsin has now issued a veiled threat of military action against state employees.  From TPM:

In an interview with the Associated Press, Scott Walker proposed stripping nearly all government workers of their collective bargaining rights. And as a warning shot across the bow, he told Wisconsin reporters Friday that he's alerted the National Guard ahead of any unrest, or in the event that state services are interrupted. 

WI: Support for Rational Drug Policy is Winning Issue for Independent Candidates

From The Independent Reporters:

Independent Candidates that were vocal on legalizing marijuana capture highest percentage of independent votes in 2010 Fall elections in Wisconsin.  As the smoke clears and dust settles from the candidate campaign trial everyone is taking notice of a couple news worthy items about the “cannabis candidates” talking about hemp and cannabis with truth, honesty and compassion.

WI: Ben Manski is Formidable Opponent, Democrats Worry Over Green Challenger

From Green Party Watch:

Sarah Manski sent the following update to supporters of Wisconsin Green Party candidate for 77th District State Representative Ben Manski: Ben’s opponent, Brett Hulsey, is very worried.

Two days ago, Hulsey sent out a fundraising letter. The letter says he is facing “strong opposition” from our campaign. The letter complains about the “attack ads” we’re running (those are the ads where we point out, quite accurately, that he took $192,000 from a coal-burning utility to lobby for a new coal plant).

Ben’s opponent is right. We are building a “strong opposition.” But we need your help right now. Right now. We need to raise $6,000 by Tuesday to pay for our next mailing. Please give $100 or more, right now: http://votemanski.com/contribute

Mr. Hulsey wasn’t expecting any of this. He expected that if he stuck the label “Democrat” on his forehead, he would win. But now he’s finding that the electorate are not unthinking, party-line-voting robots. And he’s getting desperate, saying desperate, disturbing things. We expect thatthe Hulsey campaign will strike back, hard, at Ben in the coming week.  Please support Ben now, when he needs you most: http://votemanski.com/contribute

WI: Constitution Party Senate Candidate Notes, "the Federal Government is not a Jobs Agency"

From WAOW:

Constitution Party Candidate Rob Taylor passed through Wausau sharing his vision for the country. Taylor says the most important issues this year center around jobs but it's not the government's role to create them. "The Federal government by the Constitution is not a job agency. Everybody, all the candidates are out there, 'We're going to create jobs,' but that's not the federal responsibility. That's not what article 1 section 8 talks about," Taylor. "But it does and what we need to do, I have a plan on this, is we need to introduce a whole new income tax system."

WI: The Case for Voting Independents into our State Legislatures

From the Madison Cap Times, an op-ed by Torrey Jaeckle, an independent candidate for state assembly:

It is time to recognize that if we are to achieve Lincoln’s view of “government of the people, by the people, for the people” it will mean turning away from career politicians in favor of electing thoughtful and creative citizens with successful private sector experience.


As an independent, I am tied to no party. I believe good governance should be about ideas and not about politics, power and special interests. Democrats and Republicans frequently work harder at playing political games than at solving the real issues facing our state. It’s time to move beyond the two-party system that so frequently leads to bitter divisions and partisan bickering. Let’s talk ideas, pushing forward those that make sense and are cost effective.

WI: Third Parties Flourishing in Badger State Assembly Races

Another excellent and in-depth report from Smart Politics:

. . . A Smart Politics analysis of more than 2,000 general election State Assembly races over the past 40 years finds that the number of districts with independent or third party candidates on the ballot, as well as the total number of such candidates, are at their highest levels since 1974. . . .

The surge in candidates challenging the two major parties is at its highest level since the early 1970s, when the American Party fielded dozens of candidates across the Badger State.

WI: Independent Takes Ballot Dispute to Federal Court

From the Wisconsin State Journal:

An independent state Assembly candidate is taking her fight to describe herself on the ballot as "NOT the ‘whiteman's bitch' " to federal court. Ieshuh Griffin, who's running for a Milwaukee seat, says the Government Accountability Board "unlawfully restrained my liberty" on Wednesday when it barred her from using the language. And on Thursday, she filed a federal writ of habeas corpus in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee arguing it's within her constitutional rights to use the phrase on the ballot. She requested a temporary injunction "as the validity of the regulation is challenged as unconstitutional."

"I'm very serious about taking this all the way," Griffin told the State Journal.

WI: Ben Manski Energizes Progressives in Run for State Assembly

Via GPW:


Ben Manski, the Wisconsin Green Party candidate for State Assembly in the 77th district, sent out the following message on July 17th:

I turn 36 today. I want to celebrate this day by sharing some very good news with you. As of the close of business today, I am officially a candidate for election to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

I am running for an open seat on the progressive west side of Madison, where I grew up and went to school. I cut my teeth on anti-war, environmental, student, and labor activism in this assembly district. I have roots and history going back nearly three decades in this district. I can win this race, and with your help, I will win.

My life has allowed me to meet many wonderful people. And it has taken me unusual places. I’ve found myself in courtrooms, jail cells, and bar association meetings; business conferences and labor conventions; northwoods forests and urban streets. And my life has found me, from time to time, sitting-in at the office of some public official to insist that a vote is taken, a process opened up, or a policy followed . . .

. . . and don’t think that in all that time, it didn’t once cross my mind that it would be nice, for a change, to be on the other side of the desk. It would be fantastic to be in a position to welcome students, unionists, farmers, community leaders, and seniors into their offices to strategize how together we would make social change move faster. Much faster.

With this campaign, we are going to make history. Madison is buzzing about this race. On Sunday, the Wisconsin State Journal featured an article by John Nichols about this campaign. Yesterday, the Isthmus newspaper noted that the election news of the week was my entry into this race.

Volunteers are signing up. Money is coming in. In fact, the very first five, unsolicited contributions that came in were each in the amount of $100. We are taking those first five contributions as a sign, and launching “The Manski 500″ — a race to see how quickly we can collect 500 contributions of $100 or more, each.

Please join the race. Contribute $100, or $50, or $500 (the limit allowed under law) or whatever makes the most sense given your budget — and your desire to see a win:

You can contribute, volunteer, share policy ideas, and read all about the campaign, and my platform on my new website at www.VoteManski.com

I look forward to hearing from you, and to opening doors for you in the Wisconsin State Capitol.
In Solidarity,
Ben Manski
p.s. – the earlier you contribute, the sooner we can order buttons, campaign literature, yard signs, and open an office so that our many volunteers can do the work necessary to win this fall. Thank you for helping now.

WI: Libertarian Republicans Bemoan Hijacking of Tea Party Movement by Palin and GOP Establishment

From the WI Republican Liberty Caucus:

the Tea Party seems to be transforming from a libertarian gathering to promote less intrusive government and celebrate our freedoms to a neo-con group promoting War in Iran, criticizing immigrants and diversity, and persecuting those with different religious views . . . Increased foreign interventionism, bigger military budgets, and sending our troops to more countries abroad is the exact opposite of what the original Tea Parties were all about — so libertarians, paleo-cons, and traditional Goldwater conservatives should be rightful skeptics of the strategists who have put into motion the hijacking of the Tea Parties.

WI: Libertarian to Challenge Democratic State Rep.

From Wausau Daily Herald:

Jim Maas of Rothschild, who is vice chairman of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, will challenge state Rep. Donna Seidel, D-Wausau. In a release, Maas criticized both Democrats and Republicans for deficit spending, and criticized the state Legislature for failing to pass a medical marijuana bill.

WI: Socialist Party Calls for Repeal of AZ Immigration Law

From the Socialist Party of Wisconsin:

The Socialist Party USA calls for the immediate repeal of the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” (SB 1070) in Arizona. This law sanctions racial profiling and gives cover to the repressive actions of officials such as the racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Further, we call for an immediate moratorium on all police raids of immigrant communities; we demand the closure of the immigrant detention camps and an end to the militarization of the US-Mexico border.

WI: Tea Party Should "Sever Ties" with GOP

From a letter to the Wisconsin State Journal:

What do tea party leaders lose when they support progressive, big-government Republicans? Credibility. The tea party movement prides itself on opposition to big government and big-spending politicians. Yet former Gov. Tommy Thompson was given a platform at Thursday’s tea party rally at the Capitol.

Last fall Thompson pushed for the health care bill that came out of the Senate Finance Committee. According to an article in the Washington Times, in his “Statement on Senate Finance Committee Passage of Health Care Reform,” co-authored with tax-and-spend Democrat Dick Gephardt, Thompson praised big government takeover of health care.

He said it would move down the path of providing affordable, high-quality health care for all and expand coverage for millions. Sounds like the same old Democrat Party propaganda. As anyone with common sense understands, the government cannot give high-quality health care to all without massive redistribution of wealth (socialism) and massively high taxes. This is not principled leadership nor does it hold our Constitution in high regard.

Thompson expanded the scope and size of government while governor of Wisconsin by strapping BadgerCare on the backs of taxpayers. It’s time for real change for Wisconsin and for tea party leadership to stop giving a platform to chameleon big-government Republicans like Thompson.
— Dan Mook, Randolph

WI: Constitution Party Candidate for US Senate Challenges State's Political Press

From the PPJ Gazette:

Rob Taylor’s Campaign has noticed that a great institution, the Wisconsin Media, has been censoring its reporting of the current political news in Wisconsin. The choice has been made to cover only Republicans and Democrats in the upcoming 2010 election cycle. It seems the Wisconsin Media has missed an entire group of independent candidates seeking office at Federal, State, and local level leaving Wisconsinites in the dark as to true diversity of choice that they have in the election process . . . Some of those candidates for Federal and State office are:

Rob Taylor – United States Senate•

Mike Krsiean – 3rd Congressional District, U.S.•

Daniel Mielke – 7th Congressional District, U.S.•

Tim Nerenz – 2nd Congressional District, U.S.•

Samantha Carter – 4th Congressional District, U.S.•

Joe Stern – 8th Congressional District, U.S.•

WI: Independent to Walk for State Legislature

Apparently, walking for office is beginning to catch on.  From the Gazette Xtra:

Most candidates run for office. Matt Gaboda hopes to walk to victory.  Gaboda, who lives in the Rock County township of Center, is an independent candidate for the 43rd Assembly District seat now held by Kim Hixson, D-Whitewater. Hixson announced earlier he will seek re-election. Gaboda plans to walk through much of the 43rd district, from Orfordville to Whitewater, in one day. That day is April 3, also known as 4/3. Gaboda is working the numbers but also the English language in this effort. He sent out a news release saying he will do the legwork for constituents and go the extra mile for them in Madison.

WI: Green Candidate for City Council, Ron Hardy of Green Party Watch

At Green Party Watch, Ron Hardy announces that he will be running for city council in Oshkosh, Wisconsin:

I am running for City Council in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this spring. I am running for local office because I feel that I can help develop a future focused course for the city that incorporates sustainable practices, local economies, increased energy efficiency, decreased energy consumption, and greater stewardship of the two large lakes that border the city to the East and West and the Fox River that connects them.