Wisconsin Takes A Stand For Fiscal Sanity

[Hauldren Collider]

Regarding procedure, let's be totally frank about this: The Democrats violated procedure and abused the quorum rule which exists to prevent votes being taken without anyone knowing about it. They even had to flee the jurisdiction of the Wisconsin police to a state where the Democratic governor would not extradite. Republicans then used a legitimate, codified parliamentary motion to pass the bill anyways, without even violating the principal of quorum: The Democrats were away on their own volition, the vote passed with an absolute majority of chamber members, notice was given in advance and this entire controversy and Republican intent to pass the bill had been national front-page news for three weeks.

Let's be honest, please. People upset about the bill are upset that it passed. Whatever they may state as their rationale is irrelevant.

[giblets]

I seem to recall a lot of Democrats claiming that Republican vitriol was responsible for the Tucson shooting. I would like to now call on gribbler to thoroughly condemn this behavior through a series of posts spanning around 12 pages like he did with the Sarah Palin map, especially considering that death threats are actually illegal.

When someone who was targeted by these threats actually gets shot by a deranged lunatic, then you can call me. Or am I supposed to be pissed because Governor Walker hasn't been shot?

I wasn't even being serious when I blamed Sarah Palin.

[Hauldren Collider]

When someone who was targeted by these threats actually gets shot by a deranged lunatic, then you can call me. Or am I supposed to be pissed because Governor Walker hasn't been shot?

I wasn't even being serious when I blamed Sarah Palin.

Oh, you weren't being serious? What were you doing, trolling? Well all those other times when I was wrong I wasn't serious either, so it's all good. In fact, the only times I'm ever wrong are when I'm not being serious.

[Wezil]

So vitriol is only bad if someone gets shot?

[Hauldren Collider]

So vitriol is only bad if someone gets shot?

I don't even have a problem with vitriol, but death threats are taking things a step further. Plausible threats are not protected speech, they are crimes.

Also yes, wasn't one of the main points of the whole liberal Tucson narrative that vitriol makes shootings more likely?

[Wezil]

That was the argument I was hearing.

[giblets]

Oh, you weren't being serious? What were you doing, trolling? Well all those other times when I was wrong I wasn't serious either, so it's all good. In fact, the only times I'm ever wrong are when I'm not being serious.

I guess you couldn't possibly misunderstand something I said?

[giblets]

So vitriol is only bad if someone gets shot?

Did I condone death threats? Or am I somehow obligated to comment on every death threat I ever hear about?

[Wezil]

When someone who was targeted by these threats actually gets shot by a deranged lunatic, then you can call me.

Sorry, I thought this was you.

[giblets]

Sorry, I thought this was you.

Yeah, someone thought this situation was the same as some other situation that was different

Or do death threats deserve the same attention as an actual shooting?

[Wezil]

Np, I know who to call now.

[Darius871]

I believe the claim made (in the Wiseye video) by the Democratic State Rep was that they weren't even given the minimum two hours notice prior to the meeting.

Of course that was his claim, based on whatever limited knowledge he had. He couldn't have honestly said what he said had he known that 1) an assertion of good cause was at least implicitly made by the GOP and 2) bulletin board notice was posted approximately two hours before the meeting was technically in session, regardless of when the subsequent superfluous email happened to be sent.

From all the news reports it's only clear that the email went out about 1 hour and 53 minutes in advance, not when the bulletin board posting actually occurred, but if the former came at least 7 minutes after the latter, which seems likely, then there isn't even a technical violation unless and until some post hoc court review interprets OML good cause for the first time ever and then applies that interpretation adversely to the various indicia of good cause that the GOP are sure to assert in court. And even if a violation is found on the basis of a very narrow interpretation of good cause, which is by no means guaranteed, the remedy of outright invalidation is a separate and higher hurdle to get over.

[Darius871]

Regarding procedure, let's be totally frank about this: The Democrats violated procedure

Oh don't be obtuse. What specific legal authority can you cite that directly prohibits absence from quorum, whether intentional or not? They merely ran counter to what you and many believe to be a policy rationale underlying why quorum rules exist, nothing more.

[-Jrabbit]

This was just politicians playing politics. Nothing that wouldn't happen in a good high school senate. What amazes me is that it took three weeks for someone to find the loophole and use it.

It's a sad ending for the WiscDem senators, but at least they can go home now. The city of Rockford, IL thanks them for their contribution to the local economy.

[Hauldren Collider]

Oh don't be obtuse. What specific legal authority can you cite that directly prohibits absence from quorum, whether intentional or not? They merely ran counter to what you and many believe to be a policy rationale underlying why quorum rules exist, nothing more.

First of all, I would be extremely upset if the Republicans in my state legislature ran away to avoid voting on a bill even if I hated it. Although this is partly because the legislative session is shorter than Lindsay Lohan's prison sentences, so gridlock has a lot more potential to cripple the government.

Second, this was kind of my point. They are complaining about the procedure being used by Republicans and claiming that they think republicans have committed some sort of abuse when really they just hate the fact that they lost. At best it is a double standard, and arguably what the democratic senators did was in fact abuse.
That's precisely my point, they are crying foul