1.01.2009

A Good Point Stolen...

From the Illusory Tenant:

The Martyrdom of Saint Alberto

Spc. Tony J. Gonzales, 20, of Newman, Calif., died Dec. 28 in Sadr City, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. — USDoD 12/30/08
Hang on a minute, wrong Gonzales:
I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror. — WSJ 12/31/08
:rolleyes:

12.30.2008

Koschnick, Gossett, the Swift Boaters and Abramoff

Right-wing Judge and candidate for WI Supreme Court Randy Koschnick has recruited our Republican DA to be the treasurer for his spring campaign, according to the footer of his website.

That would mean that Gossett is in charge of fundraising. Funny thing, they are using a service called donationreport.com for online collections.

This is a service of the Donatalli Group. Where do we know them from? The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth:

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's SWIFTBOATVETSFORTRUTH.ORG website was registered July 30, 2004, with CD, Inc. (Connell Donatelli Inc.) as registrant, administrator, and the tech organization. The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's SWIFTBOATVETERANSFORTRUTH.COM website was also registered July 30, 2004, with CD, Inc. as registrant, administrator, and tech organization for the website.


The Donatelli Group were also fundraisers for Abramoff lackey Ralph Reed:

The Network was coordinated by Gary Marx, "a political consultant for George W. Bush's campaign at Century Strategies in 1999, when its founder and president Ralph E. Reed was allegedly helping his long-time friend Jack Abramoff swindle over $1.2 million from the Choctaw Indians" and "coalitions organizer for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004" [12], and Wendy E. Long, a "former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas" [13].
Other Donatelli/Donationreport.com hits include a David Horowitz Red Cross scam.

Why is it important that DA Gosset is the Treasurer using this service? A Treasurer has an important role in a Judicial campaign. Judges are not allowed to collect money themselves. All of this needs to be done by the Treasurer.

It was Gossett that had to approve this. I would hope he would look deeper into the people he chooses to work with.

12.29.2008

Ziggy tries to get by on $125,900

Manitowoc County Exec and State rep Bob Ziegelbauer announced today that he "will be returning my scheduled pay raise for this session."

Brave action Ziggy, maybe in your press release you should have mentioned that you also will be receiving $75,813 in pay as County Exec in Manitowoc.

Ziegelbauer, however, rightly points out in his press release:

Note to the press: Since these raises occur only once every two years, in fairness, this increase ought to be described as a "5.3% over two years" or "equivalent to a 2.65% annual increase", not simply as a "5.3% pay increase".
What he doesn't point out is that his scheduled annual pay increase as County Exec is about 3.5%, from $78,500. Even greater than his increase in Legislative pay.

Now, I don't point this out specifically to dump on Ziegelbauer. I do it to point out the stupidity of the entire exercise.

Lawmakers, like any other worker, are entitled to a fair wage. It is not out of line to increase their pay by a level close to inflation.

But, stupid politics dictates that these leggies need to deny themselves this raise. If a Rep had some guts, they would say that the raise is not out of line, and they have bills to pay just like any other WI resident. Most of them are your representatives as their only full-time job.

If anything else, we should let the market speak, maybe if salaries were larger for these people, we might get a better quality employee to run...

Either way, Ziegelbauer is not a hero for refusing the raise, he is just another politician - making a symbolic stance that is in essence meaningless and of no consequence to his entire pay package.