The title is a weak attempt to reference Tora! Tora! Tora! That the effort was probably unsuccessful is underscored by the fact that I am currently explaining it.
In Wisconsin-related news:
1. Rasmussen Reports – they of the infamous +4% average Republican bias in their 2008 presidential election polling, appears to have gone full Zogby. That is, what was once considered a legitimate albeit right-leaning organization is now just a bunch of hacks using cheap parlor tricks to produce numbers that will please the paying client. I was going to do a full post on this, but Nate Silver and a couple folks from Pollster already did write-ups. This saves me the trouble of having to explain question order effects. Any remotely knowledgeable pollster understands this concept; hence it is immediately obvious to all of us (I count myself among the remotely knowledgeable) what Rasmussen was trying to pull here. They knew exactly what they were doing.
2. Why go through the trouble and expense of cooking the poll numbers when you could just lie and reverse the "for" and "against" numbers? Oh, Fox. You make so many mistakes, like when you accidentally put a "D" next to the names of Republicans who get embroiled in scandals. Whoopsie.
3. On the topic of slipping non-collective bargaining related ideological pet projects into the bill, Walker's proposal includes a number of changes that would allow state executive branch agencies to make changes to Medicaid and Medicare without input from the legislature. Because if sweeping changes are going to be made to a major social program then clearly the best way to do so is outside of the democratic process. By gubernatorial appointees. I don't see what could go wrong.
4. Will somebody AutoTune the fake David Koch – Scott Walker prank call already? I'm disappointed in you, internet.
Cackalacka says:
Haven't read past the first sentence, but I gotta tell ya, forget the tora tora tora thing, I thought this was a reference to Mad Maxx/Thunderdome reference with those creepy cave-kids.
chautauqua says:
Was expecting Chuck Norris to show up and hammer everyone who has ever been on this board. Because he's……Chuck Norris!
DrAwkward says:
Ed–you should update the post to include the Voter ID FAIL that just happened:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/02/24/state-senate-fails-to-pass-voter-id-bill.aspx
This is absolutely hysterical to me.
Mrs. Chili says:
ED!!! I just saw your blog on the Rachel Maddow Show! AWESOME!
Double Rainbow says:
ZOMG!!!! seriously the auto tune comment was the fucking funniest thing I've read in awhile. Awesome!
drdoom says:
Better than autotune, make an XtraNormal dialog!
buckyblue says:
Sorry to get serious but Walker has also consolidated any rule making that state agencies would do. Requiring them to go through his administrative office rather than through the legislature. King Walker.
wellnab says:
"4. Will somebody AutoTune the fake David Koch
wellnab says:
Oh good grief. We can put a man on the moon, but double quotes?
Anyway, what I was trying to say was: be careful what you wish for with the autotune thing. Remember Rule 34.
Kulkuri says:
It also includes the right to sell state-owned facilities in no-bid contracts. All they have to say is it is in the interest of the state to sell at whatever price to someone like the Koch bros.
jon says:
I just pictured Walker in a Bed-Intruder head covering talking about Double Rainbows from the asses of the Koch brothers. Autotune needs video for the effects to sink in, as everyone who has suffered through such things already knows.
For the ignorant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzRZWpeofic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g0yZDMBXiE
and of course, the god of such things:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWRyj5cHIQA
Southern Beale says:
I did en enjoy noting what Fake Koch reveals about the differences between liberals and conservatives. It's that Adlai Stevenson quote, in the flesh.
Xynzee says:
@Bucky: well that's one way to reduce the size of government. Any provisos that will make him Governor for life or is he keeping that one in his pants?
bb in GA says:
What would y'all have said if Boner or Bitch (if the rules were the same) pulled this same crap against the Health Care Bill?
I thought so…
//bb
displaced Capitalist says:
bb:
Except the Health Care Bill wasn't designed to line the pockets of its proponents.
Of all the accusations leveled against Obama, I'm pretty sure self-enrichment wasn't one of them.
cromartie says:
What would y'all have said if Boner or Bitch (if the rules were the same) pulled this same crap against the Health Care Bill?
False equivalence, "common sense" and patriotism. The three standard refuges of those who lack intellect.
Nate W. says:
What would y'all have said if Boner or Bitch (if the rules were the same) pulled this same crap against the Health Care Bill?
Please—If the USHR required a 2/3rds majority to have a quorum, Boehner would have packed up his fake tan and Virginia Slims and took the House GOP to a fact-finding mission to Argentina for the duration of the 111th Congress.