Thursday Open Thread
Welcome to your Thursday open thread. I learned a lot yesterday. Apparently Mike Matthews is responsible for making KWS Insurance Commissioner. Oh, the things you learn on DL!
Here’s the future if we follow the Republican plan, like in Scott Walker’s Wisconsin.
While Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) law dismantling collective bargaining rights has harmed teachers, nurses, and other civil servants, it’s helping a different group in Wisconsinites — inmates. Prisoners are now taking up jobs that used to be held by unionized workers in some parts of the state.
As the Madison Capital Times reports, “Besides losing their right to negotiate over the percentage of their paycheck that will go toward health care and retirement, unions also lost the ability to claim work as a ‘union-only’ job, opening the door for private workers and evidently even inmates to step in and take their place.” Inmates are not paid for their work, but may receive time off of their sentences.
The law went into effect last week, and Racine County is already using inmates to do landscaping, painting, and another basic maintenance around the county that was previously done by county workers. The union had successfully sued to stop the country from using prison labor for these jobs last year, but with Walker’s new law, they have no recourse.
That’s really quite amazing. No wonder the US is putting so many people in prison. We need cheap labor!
This video is pretty amazing. It’s someone driving into a massive dust storm in Arizona.
Tags: Open Thread
Here is the Delaware Republican wish for our nation – “Please come by our GOP booth at the Fair and cast your ballot for the Republican Presidential Candidate who you believe would be the best person to ensure that Barack Obama joins Jimmy Carter on the list of failed, one term presidents.’
http://www.delawarepolitics.net/cain-gains-delawareans/
will someone tell these America-hating Rethugs that if the President fails we all fail.
why do they hate America and him do much? then turn around and point the fingr at liberal progressives for the hatred?
I suppose one judges others by what is in their own hearts…….
…step right up lady’s and gentleman…! See the amazing shrinking political party! Marvel at the diminutive size of the lone statewide Republican office holder, disgraced Delaware Auditor, Tom Wagner!
“Apparently Mike Matthews is responsible for making KWS Insurance Commissioner. Oh, the things you learn on DL!“
I guess George H W Bush is on the list of awesome one term presidents? Gerald Ford?
That second term worked out so well for Nixon.
Make fun all you want, jackasses.
But no one’s disputing the fact that Gene Reed was the frontrunner, that DWA weakened him hugely and that KWS surged from behind, with no cash, to win a huge upset.
anon, you are picking a fight with nobody. Puck’s link to my post calls Mike’s blogging a “slam dunk.”
“But no one’s disputing the fact that Gene Reed was the frontrunner, that DWA weakened him hugely and that KWS surged from behind, with no cash, to win a huge upset.”
This is the way I remember it too. I spent a few minutes, which was about all the time I was willing to invest, looking up some old news to confirm my recollection. The date of the DWA post seemed to be the tipping point, but at that time the News Journal was still pretending blogs did not exist.
Mike M. committed a simple act of journalism by looking up campaign contributions, which we all despaired of ever seeing from the News Journal. Maybe it’s just my impression, but it seems the NJ has tried to pick up its game since then on local investigations, with some intermittent success.
No, I’m picking a fight with UI. C’mon, put up yer dukes! 😉
I have no doubt that Matthews had an influence, but I think Stewart may have won anyway because of her name recognition advantage. Most people don’t do much research on downticket races.