PolitiFarce Gets Recalled

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the largest corporate media blocs in the state, is, oh so proud of their PolitiFact, even though it misses more than it hits.

But I don't know what good it does anyone, since it is so skewed so often.

Take for instance, the issue of how many recall signatures were turned in.

The recallers claimed that it was more than one million signatures.  The GAB said that the actual number was 931,042.  That would mean that the recallers were off by a 7%.  For this, PolitiFarce gave them a "false" rating.

And that's it.  They didn't check out any other single claim that was flying around out there regarding the recalls.

For if they had, they might have found that the MacIver (Anything but a) News Service and the teahadists that were hosting the "Verify the Recall' McCarthyism revival were lying through their teeth when they claimed that a third of the signatures were invalid.  In reality, it was about one thirtieth.

If they had look further, they might have heard Charlie Sykes echoing these ridiculous claims.  They could have given him yet another "Pants on Fire" rating to go with his collection. (And it's not lost on me that Sykes has never been found to be telling the truth.)

If they looked even minimally, they would have found Sykes' pal, Jeff Wagner, who predicted the final number would be around 600,000 and sometimes predicted that the recall would fail outright.  Wagner was off by almost 50%, but he doesn't even warrant a mention.

They could have looked at Vicki McKenna and the Koch-sponsored Wisconsin Reporter who claimed that someone forged her name on a recall petition.  Yet according to their own Verify the Recall database, neither her professional name or her real name appear.  That would put them at 100% off.  But PolitiFarce won't even give them a smoldering ember much less a pants on fire.

The excuse that it was too hard to look around doesn't hold water either.  They could have just looked at their own bloody paper and found that they were off by five times the actual number of invalid signatures.  Maybe they could torch their own pants?

But since PolitiFarce chose not to look at the other side of the guessing game, I'll give them a rating:  Corporate Media:

Cross posted at Cog Dis.

Yep, Jeff Wagner Proves Me Correct Again

Three weeks ago, on Cog Dis, I discussed the matter of Andrew P. Jensen, Jr., the Scott Walker crony who was put in the hoosegow for a day because he refused to cooperate with the John Doe investigation into Walker's sleazy campaign tactics and unethical behaviors. In specific, I would point out this blurb:

Oddly, Jensen's attorney, Patrick Schott, said that Jensen was jailed because Jensen "wouldn't adopt their version of events." But the facts that authorities tried to offer Jensen immunity and that he tried to take it if he could remain anonymous while doing so would indicate that Jensen knows what the score is, but is too afraid of the Republican party machine that he doesn't want it known that he sang.

Now that Jensen's been outed, watch for the right, especially in the form of talk radio, rally around him and try to make him appear as a living martyr in a feeble effort to discredit the investigation.* This is not so much to congratulate him for keeping his mouth shut - so far - as it is to remind him that they are watching in case he does.

And just like clockwork, here comes WTMJ squawk radio host Jeff Wagner with exactly what I had predicted:

Take the case of prominent Milwaukee real estate executive Andrew Jensen. Jensen is a well known area real estate broker, a past chairman of the Commercial Association of Realtors - Wisconsin and a relatively small dollar contributor to Governor Walker.

According to published reports, Jensen was to be granted immunity in this secret proceeding. However, according to his lawyer, Jensen irritated prosecutors by refusing "to adopt their version of events" - leading to his sudden arrest and subsequent release without charges being issued. In the meantime though, the media was tipped off about Jensen's situation and given an opportunity to trumpet his arrest and tarnish his name. Talk about your Star Chamber.

One way to interpret the public comments of Jensen's attorney is that prosecutors wanted Jensen to make a false statement and that Jensen was arrested after refusing to do so. If there is any truth at all to this suggestion, you have to wonder: "Is this Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 or Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2012"?

You can read the rest of my post at Cog Dis to see just how badly Wagner is lying about the course of events.

It's bad enough that they can't admit the truth about what is happening, but do they have to be so bad and so predictable about it?

TMJ's Straw Man Is Made Out Of Toilet Paper

For at least two day, Charlie Sykes, Jeff Wagner and the hack John Mecure have been bashing on Senator Lena Taylor.

Their supposed issue with the good Senator is that she had posted a comment on her Facebook site which called for a boycott of all Koch Brother products.

What their faux outrage really is is a distraction stunt to keep people focusing on the people's favorite pastime of watching Scott Walker's world crumble down over his corrupt head.

How do we know it's faux outrage and just a decoy maneuver? Well, simply because they are a little too desperate to make a point and continuously hammering at it.  Also, they have to ignore a helluva a lot to get to that point.

For starters, Taylor is not the first person to advocate for this boycott, nor is she the only politician to do so.  People have been participating in this boycott since it was first learned that Walker and WISGOP were under the influence of Koch.  What Taylor wrote is nothing new and it's disingenuous of these squawkers to say otherwise.

Secondly, the squawketeers claim to be so worried about the 2300 or so employees that work for Green Bay's branch of Georgia Pacific.  They say that if the boycott takes off, some of those people could lose their jobs.

Again, this is a straw man made up of so much wet toilet paper.

As noted above, the boycott has been going on for a while and the company hasn't folded.  Secondly, why are these idiots worried about those jobs and not about the 2300 jobs that Walker has already caused to disappear.

Also, why are they not concerned about the loss of voters' rights, workers' rights and women's rights?  Do people's rights matter less than if the Koch Brothers make a few bucks less?  Apparently so in the eyes of the squawkers.

All three of these clowns, as well as TMJ management, owes Senator Taylor an apology.

Then they owe another apology to their listeners for their misleading and inaccurate statements.

Then they can admit that their biased as all get out and start immediate action to help restore our airwaves to serve the public interest.  For if they don't want to do so willingly, they will still do so, sooner or later.  The lessons on how to do that starts tomorrow.

Putting Protests Into Perspective

On Wednesday, I heard Jeff Wagner, afternoon squawker on WTMJ 620, having a hissy fit about a group of people that gather inside the Capitol every weekday at noon for an hour of singing songs about solidarity, unions and general support for the working men and women of the state. ( @SolidaritySings for the Twitterati.) This was dutifully parroted by the right wing echo chamber.

They were just so upset because people dare to exercise their first amendment rights and show solidarity! If they are intimidated by such a small thing as this, they must truly be in a panic and know they are quite in the wrong in their ceaseless assault on Wisconsin and the good men, women and children who are its citizens.

But the right's selective and hyperbolic outrage doesn't end there.

On Thursday, both Charlie Sykes and Wagner were mewling about the return of #walkerville. The common mewl was do demonize and de-humanize the protesters who will be coming out for the return of the sleep ins, or in this case, the sleep outs.

What these faux complaints really are is just an effort to minimize the damage that will be done to their side when the people continuously see tens of thousands of people standing together in solidarity against the forces that are trying to remove their freedoms and everything that true Wisconsinites hold dear.

Unfortunately, Tuesday evening, a handful of young hot heads gave the right wing squawkers and their unquestioning followers something they can use to beat the rest of the protesters with. The behavior of these is most unfortunate and not acceptable by any stretch of the imagination. They have not accomplished anything but to give themselves and the other pro-democracy people a big black eye.

But in the grand scheme of things, really how bad were their behaviors? They were yelling and causing a disruption during a late night hearing of the Joint Finance Committee. Yes, it was uncalled for. Yes, it was in poor taste and not holding with the decorum of a governmental body in action. Yes, it went against everything that the other protesters rightfully pride themselves on, which was having peaceful protests and events.

The supposed horror of people doing a sing-a-long or having a jamboree or even yelling "Shame!" in a crowded committee room pales even further when one considers the way the right wing nut jobs express their displeasure. There is really no way that anyone of either side can condone in way, shape or form the act of throwing a Molotov cocktail at a private citizen's home, just because she protested a local store that advocated (with tongue firmly in cheek, one would hope) shooting people because of their nationality.

I can personally say that if given a choice, I'd rather have some young person yelling at me than to have someone jeopardize my home and my very life.

And if you look at what made these young goofs so upset that they were willing to throw away common courtesy and decorum, their "outrageous" behavior seems rather constrained.

The last time someone tried to take away our rights, make us pay higher and higher taxes to benefit a handful of already obscenely rich people and treat us like serfs, we had a little thing called the American Revolution.

All in all, I would daresay that a sing-a-long, even if it was off key, is a mild event compared to what our founding forefathers would have done. Instead of complaining, the Republicans should be grateful that they aren't getting what they deserve.

Cross Posted at Cog Dis.

Wagner Rule #1

"Nothing ever good comes from being outside a strip club at 2:30 in the morning.'

-Jeff Wagner

But does he mean what says?

From the Brawler:

Jeff Wagner, always fond of doing stories on strippers, is deploring the Common Council for unanimously shooting down a proposed strip club on Old World Third Street. It would have been "an attraction for conventioneers!" it would have been an upgrade over what's already there! It would have "attracted jobs and attracted people." It's decisions like this that turn people against Tom Barrett!(?) Perhaps he should lobby for a Silk to open near his North Shore home.

I Hope It's In The Cow Barn

Today, Jeff Wagner is supposed to be holding a live debate between Scott Walker and Mark Neumann at State Fair Park. Yeah, like Wagner is going to be a fair and effective moderator.

Anyway, I hope they plan on holding their little rap session in the cow barn. At least there, they already know how to deal with all the bullshit that will be flowing.

Rob Paul To Pay Paul

During Friday's show, Jeff Wagner was decrying the news that the reptiles that were seized in an investigation earlier this year has already cost a quarter million dollars to taxpayers just for housing them.

Wagner railed that it was an outrage, an outrage he told us, that the tax payers would have to foot this bill.

His solution: Put them in the zoo.

Would someone please tell Wagner that the zoo is also supported with tax dollars?

Walker 2016

From the inbox, slightly edited for grammatical purposes:

This morning Scott Walker announced, at his campaign headquarters, WGOP 620AM, that he will be running for President in 2016.He says he came to that conclusion when his POINT man, Charlie Rove Sykes, POINTED out to him that after studying that guy's background that in there now that he could do the same thing by playing the Community Organizer game. So here is his plan.

As soon as elected Governor he will get rid of DOT in its entirety. In its place he will the method the Amish use for barn raising. Every business in the area where highway/bridge work is needed the businesses in the area will furnish the materials and the people who live in the area will do the actual work. Community Action in action and at NO cost to the Taxpayer. On that alone he claims he will have the budget balanced by the end of his term with a trillion dollar surplus. Jeff Wagner then asked Scott if there are that many Amish that live in the area. Also, Jeff, pointing out that he is a law and order kind of person, questioned whether it is constitutional to make him get his hands dirty if his street needed repair and they used that Community thingy.

For the prison problems he would build 3 large barns, as those 8,000 cow dairy farms do and put all the prisoners in them which would cut the prison budget by at least 75% as they could get rid of at least 90% of those nasty State employees guarding the prisons. As that prisoners have no rights, they should be easy to herd. He would then put Jeff Wagner in charge of the Early Release Program.

As for MPS, Walker said he would appoint Charlie Rove Sykes to head up the entire system. He says he can think of no one more qualified to work with the Union and take away any benefits that they have earned and, if necessary, replace the teachers with prisoners to teach. Another 95% savings. Then Jeff Wagner wondered why he couldn't have the job. Even though he doesn't have any children he could teach those brats as well as anybody. Remember he has a niece and nephew.

With a plan like that how could he not be elected President? He finally did give Jeff Wagner a job. He appointed hims "Official Finger Pointer" and "Questioner of Anything That Anyone Does Even If He Knows Nothing About It." In other words, it's the same job he has now.

He said he had already measured for drapes in the mansion and checked the concrete on the dome of the Capitol so none would fall on the sidewalk. Safety for public has always been high on his list.

Finally, so Charlie Rove Sykes would be able to do his new job better, he will be moving to the Central City so he will better understand their perceived problems. Rove Sykes had no comment about that statement.

See you in Washington.

He Seems More Like Number Two

Scott Walker sent this tweet out the other day:

Really, is that what he wants to brag about? Being named number one by a failed attorney general candidate and an lecherous, adulterous liar?

Well, he probably does, since he is playing for the extremist vote and totally blowing off the moderate right and the independent voters.

This approach would help explain why he is tanking in the popularity department.

Is God Delegating His Duties?

From the inbox:

After hearing Sykes this AM telling people how Cong Kennedy should act when the Bishop told him how to live. I have this concern:

Dear God,

What are you doing with yourself these days as it sounds that you have turned over running the Church to Sykes? With Jeff Wagner passing judgment on all other wrong doings that doesn't leave much for you to do?

How Not To Win Friends Or Influence People

Wagner has a piece that displays he really needs an editor as much as Charlie does. The title of the piece is:

Why Racine Might Stink A Little More This Summer

Now, I am not a big fan of some of the people that live in Racine, but that is no reason to say that the place stinks, and that it might stink worse.

Prepare To Sputter In Five, Four...

The talking suits will be aghast and agog if this deal gets made. Charlie, Kev, Mark and Jeff will sputter and fume for weeks; nay, for months.

From Variety:

"Fair Game," the drama about the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame
Wilson, has come together with Naomi Watts starring, "Mrs. and Mrs. Smith"
helmer Doug Liman directing and William Pohlad's River Road financing.

But the big question is whether Oscar-winning "Milk" star Sean Penn
will close a deal to play Ambassador Joseph Wilson.

Penn is negotiating, but no deal has closed.

Time for a Whallah! poll. Who should play Scooter Libby? Patrick Fitzgerald? Angler?

Truthiness In Blogging

Wagner Says, "Turn Off That Radio. Stop Buying That Cruddy Paper"

Jeff, not being able to recognize the hand that feeds him says,

As for the media consumer? Well, there are ways to fight back!

I couldn't agree more. Just turn off that crud on TMJ and pick up a good book.

Wagner Sez- "Enforcing The Law Is Just A Scheme"

Failed AG candidate (No, really. He was) Jeff Wagner wants the cops to stop enforcing the law.

A month and a half ago, I wrote about the legalized scam
currently being operated by the City of Milwaukee.

Based on a new ordinance, the City has begun issuing $50 tickets to any auto parked on a city street that doesn't have a current renewal sticker displayed on the rear license plate. These vehicles are also subject to being towed - which will cost the owner over $150.

Prior to parking checkers writing a ticket, the technology available to them tells them whether or not the vehicle is properly registered. Therefore, even though they know that the vehicle's registration is current, they are still writing tickets because the sticker is gone.

Wagner wants a free pass for folks who don't properly display the renewal sticker because, he claims: Typically, the reason the sticker is gone is because somebody (not the owner) has stolen it.
Well! There you have it. Jeff says that all of those missing stickers are on cars of the righteous instead of someone who is using the "Twofer" registration system. He's positive that no one would take the paid renewal sticker for this car and put it on the other one, knowing that the chance of being pegged with a sticker is mighty slim.

Now, our ne'er-do-well has one car with a sticker that won't draw attention and another with no sticker that shows in the system as being legally registered.

Sorry, Jeff. There's a reason for those laws to be on the books. I'd have thought you would be supportive of local law enforcements efforts to carry it out.

A Wagnerian Twofer

Wagner first shares his new personal motto with us:




Then he explains...




...this photo.

That Must Be His Second Cousin Twice Removed

But, unfortunately, Wagner doesn't tell us what Brett Favre would think...

Must've Been A Slow Weekend

As I surveyed the blogosphere to make sure all was well in the kingdom, I noticed a recurring theme.

To make a long story short, an officer with the Franklin Police Department, who is an Afghanistan War veteran, came back home and resumed his career as one of Franklin's finest. Said officer put up a magnet of an American flag on the outside of his locker. The FPD, like most law enforcement agencies have a broad rule stating that this is not allowed. The police chief apparently spoke to the officer, reminding him of the rule. The officer acknowledged understanding and put the magnet inside his locker, which is perfectly allowed. Story over, right?

Wrong. Wagner has to put his two cents in. He way overcharges for his opinions, by the way. Fischer also is so upset about the issue, he posts on it not just once, but twice. Again, talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.

Anyone who has served in the military, or who has worked in the law enforcement area, which in itself is operated in a paramilitary fashion, is well aware of the need for discipline and structure. A rule may seem silly to a lay person, but there is usually some reason for it to be in effect. That reason is usually to maintain order and discipline among the officers and to treat everyone equally.

Of course, maintaining a sense of order and treating everyone equally has never been a long suit for most conservatives, but that is besides the point.

I pondered on what would cause these two to get themselves in such a lather. I highly doubt it was the subject itself, since even the officer in the story was OK with the rule and had no problems with being a team player.

I thought maybe Fischer was all up in arms because John Michlig, of Sprawled Out, pointed out that it wasn't much of a news story, and how silly TMJ and FranklinNow made themselves look by trying to make it into one. Fischer has some issues with John. For one, John has held Fischer accountable for being honest in his self reporting. The other is that John is ten times the reporter and a hundred times the writer that Fischer would ever be. (Not to take away from John, but a fetid mouse turd could outwrite Fischer.)

But that doesn't explain Wagner's faux outrage, only Fischer's.

Then Sir Grumps, Knight of the Dolorous Countenance (his choice, not mine), points out that perhaps they might have been celebrating the 172nd anniversary of unnecessary whining.

And To Think He Almost Was The Attorney General

One would think that someone who was a former federal prosecutor, and had aspirations to be the Wisconsin Attorney General, that Wagner would be able to string together some coherent sentences to make a rational argument.

James Rowen tells us that just isn't the case with Jeff Wagner:

Conservative 620 WTMJ radio talker Jeff Wagner also has a blog, and in this posting calls Wisconsin State Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson both a "big loser" in the Butler-Gableman race, and then a few paragraphs later "a solid favorite" to win re-election next year.

A little wobbly logic there, eh?

Inspired Letter Writing

Xoff already mentioned Wagner's desperate attempt at trying to bolster his apparently fragile ego by going after Governor Doyle, who handily defeated Wagner to become the Wisconsin Attorney General, all those years ago. I followed it up with a little screen cap fun.

This apparently spurred a concerned citizen to directly confront Wagner on the subject. From the mailbox:

Jim Doyle - Biggest Loser
Jim Doyle beats Jeff Wagner in race for AG.... Could you please on your show, so we can know, what that makes you?

Just asking.

Talker Watcher