...in limited numbers due to most of the haters not working in the private sector.

"Walker hating in 3,2,1......"

Blaming it on the 'libs' in 3,2,1 . . .

Well they are the ones who seem to think that things are so attractive here in WI that all have to do to improve the employment picture is pump more money into schools and other public services, increase the amount of subsidized mass transit, producing higher taxes for all, while continuing to cling to an outmoded method of labor organization. So if folks are intent on blaming one side of the fence or the other (not that they should), certainly they're the more likely candidates....

Well, curtailing the amount of money that is pumped into the public schools and mass transit hasn't attracted those jobs. Lower wages will attract jobs, but that sucks if you're the one who will be working for lower wages.

So let's make the state a right-to-work state (See Jay's figures below). Slightly lower pay for some to attract jobs for others is better than having a bunch of grumpy employed folks unwilling to share the burden and keeping others from gaining employment. Nobody benefits from having more unemployed people. As the libs would have found out had Walker not made the cuts he did.

Right to work = cutting off forced money laundering to the democrat party. They will always fight this.

Unions spent almost $500 million for Obama and had 400,000+ paid boots on the ground. Without the unions, the money dries up.

Then perhaps you can console yourself with the fact that Wisconsin remains above the average in employment...

Evil thoughts. Cleanse your mind and care for the environment.

No reason why that can't happen if an above-board process is followed second time around.

Nuitari, there's an old saying, "don't pee in the well." Environmental issues impact everyone.

These environment issues are bogus. We've beat this dead horse all of last year on here. A few radical tree-huggers' opinion does not constitute scientific research. Of course there will be some sort of impact, but the we're not going to kill off the planet.

There isn't enviro issues yet, Bren is still in left field. What the dems blocked was for WI to require deadlines on a mining decision. Of course a mining company would want to help write this. Without this enviro nuts can bring up cases forever. With a deadline they have say two years for testing and enviro nuts but after that a decision on a mine HAS to be made by the state.

We are now another year behind because of blue fisting anti business democrats.

Bren, you'll have plenty of time to spout off about every exploration hole they drill and pay for. You can repeat what every enviro tree hugger types on the Internet for 2 years and how mining is evil. Think of the joy you'll have. :happy:

But at the least let that process start, and give it a deadline so we can actually start to create thousands of new jobs, without taxpayer welfare.

Steve, as has been pointed out many times, the actual soil composition in the area was in question. If these questions and other issues are professionally and competently addressed, there's no reason why a mine can't succeed in that locale if the soil composition is favorable. And the number of permanent jobs, if memory serves, was about 800. And no guarantee that any would go to any local men or women (a % at least should be guaranteed I would hope).

This is pointless you're not even understanding what the bill was about or how a mine creates jobs OUTSIDE of the mine.

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/010413-639504-fracking-cleared-in-new-york-will-cuomo-approve.htm?ven=rss

@Steve...As hard as you've pushed on this mining issue, I wonder what kind of skin you've got in the game. I spent nearly three decades working in the resource extraction and processing industry. I've been to all types of mines all over the country and the world and there are always negative impacts to mining. The trick is to mitigate the impact to minimums and make it possible for full reclamation.

I think it is always prudent to be very careful when considering a mining operation. I don't entirely trust those who support pushing mining operations until there are fully completed environmental impact studies. The problem with our current state legislature is that none of them are experts in mining and mining regulation. The mining companies will promise "pots of gold at the end of the rainbows", but that rarely is the case. If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is. As far as being able to do a full impact study, I am not sure you can effectively tie it to a two year period, let alone one year.

I don't think you have enough information to continue pushing as hard as you have been. Take some advice from someone who has experience in these things, wait and see.

Bren, exactly what was not above board the first time around?

Lyle - I have 20+ direct and indirect years is this industry. This bill doesn't out right approve the mine. Far from it. Enviro studies, lots of exploration holes drilled (god bless them) and tailings pile plans etc still have to be run but at the least they are given a deadline. Let the process start! And let it end. Don't tell me MN has mining experts on their state senate.

My current business and 100% of my revenue does not come from mining directly. Indirectly yes but everyone can say this, even though they will never admit it. I am in the hobby industry now.

I have lived, as you have, how many make a great living on resource extraction.

Plenty of poverty

Since data show that wages are on average $1,500-$5,500 lower per annum in RTW states, I won't be rushing to support this ALEC legislation. I'd like to make more money, not less, but mine may not be the majority opinion.

Bren ... we used to have considerably more opportunity until folks like you made the investors the enemy.

Perhaps you could reconsider your position ... they might come back and invest.

Then again, maybe you should ask your liberal friends why they aren't creating the opportunity that the evil conservatives have vacated ... after all ... you liberals could do it better ... c'mon ... pony up ... create the opportunity we need ... you might begin to appreciate our former investors that most in your camp have insulted.

We don't need to have this debate ... liberals should be jumping at the chance to replace our former corporate "slave" shops.

What is the cost of living comparison between those states and ours, Bren?

You might also note that N. Dakota, Texas and Utah are all RTW states. Funny how they seem to be at the top of the private sector job growth list. Michigan and Wyoming (also RTW states) complete the top 5.

http://media.jsonline.com/images/JOBS29G1.jpg

"Since the recession ended in June 2009, almost three out of every four jobs added to U.S. payrolls have been in Right to Work states (1.86 million out of 2.59 million), even though those 22 states represent only 38.8% of the U.S. population (120 million). In contrast, only about one of every four new jobs were created in forced-unionism states (730,000), even though more than 61% of Americans live in those 28 states (189 million). Relative to their population, the Right to Work states have been job-creating powerhouses during the recovery, and forced union states haven’t even come close to “carrying their weight” in terms of their share of the population. Adjusting for differences in population, Right to Work states created four new jobs for every one job added in forced union states, because those 21 RTW states created 2.54 times more jobs even though forced union states have 1.6 times as many people. "

http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/11/since-2009-right-to-work-states-have-created-4x-as-many-jobs-as-forced-union-states-and-may-have-help-obamas-re-election/

Bren wrote: "Since data show that wages are on average $1,500-$5,500 lower per annum in RTW states, I won't be rushing to support this ALEC legislation. I'd like to make more money, not less, but mine may not be the majority opinion."

Maybe you need to look at where forced unionism exists. California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois...some of the most expensive places to live in the country.

Unions are good, that's why they force you to join and pay them.

I'm sure the climate had nothing to do with retirees choosing those southern states.

What do you believe motivates human beings more?

Personal greed and a love of material possessions - the size of a house - the number of personal possessions? Or a more altruistic love for one's neighbor?

My guess is that you would use the rationalization Hamster to present a lie as the truth - then use whatever means were necessary to justify it. Just keep your lies to yourself.

The proliferation of tax planning guides speaks to the desire to maximize gain.

Your arguments might have some validity IF the Wisconsin WRS retirees in Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Nevada were actively working to secure the same pay and benefits for those who provide services for them in their State of retirement - but then that would take an altruistic person - and these people are not altruistic.

I suggest Wisconsin, out of fairness to the taxpayers of the State, enact laws to recover some of that money that leaves Wisconsin and impose a 25% penalty tax on those who Flee Wisconsin.

Actually I was just thinking about being told once by someone who's idea of choosing a place to live after retirement was to place a snow shovel on top of his car & drive south until someone asked, "What's that?" Your screen name is very appropriate.

The climate in Florida suck just as much as the climate in Wisconsin, that is the reason that Wisconsin retirees establish a residence in Florida and spend half of the year in Wisconsin. (That's what I was told once)

When you can't attack the facts - attack the person. Works well here, and besides, no one knows the difference.

Did you even google tax planning?

Snowbirds - it's a wonderful life - and I'm okay with it - except they change their declared residence to the State that doesn't have income tax. Wisconsin residents who are paying taxes have every right to continue to get an equitable return on the retirements they are funding.

Would you suggest that a better solution would be a uniform tax code for all 50 States?

You don't like the question of why WRS retirees won't work for and demand "Justice" for the State employees who now service them - do you? All for me , none for thee!

That's the key - and the rationalization hamster will go into overdrive to avoid facing the truth. It's evident in your personal attack.

So what did I write you took as a personal attack? It appears you're the one twisting words & doing all the attacking.

Walker makes an excellent point. Our climate is hard on seniors. I don't recall anyone attacking retirees for heading to warm climates before the Koch/AFP-funded media blitzkrieg attack on public employees began in early February 2011.

Richard, when people retire they generally stop thinking of work and focus on what they can and should do with the rest of their lives.

"Richard, when people retire they generally stop thinking of work and focus on what they can and should do with the rest of their lives."

I am fine with this, i am also fine with them moving away - but those who retire on the WRS need to continue to pay their fair share. When they leave the State, they are taking the State's money away from local businesses and taxing authorities. That is why I support a mandatory income tax on all WRS pensions - even if they choose to leave the State. in cases where they leave the State, and additional 10% penalty should be applied. It's only fair and equitable for all involved.

USAF ret, thank you for your service to our country. Given our state's history of long-term governors, I would "say" that Scott Walker's eagerness to enact special interest legislation from the group he joined back in the early 1990s (ALEC) and whose members' direct and dark monies financed his campaigns caused him to act without discretion. He ripped open the hornet's nest of controversy all by himself. Walker has since admitted that he could have handled things differently and for once he and I agreed.

Wisconsin did extend the courtesy of a full term to Governor Walker and he continues to junket around the country preaching the ALEC agenda. In 2014 I ardently hope that Wisconsin will elect someone who will focus on our individual state's needs instead of implementing cookie-cutter legislation, and has the educational and intellectual tools to do a thoughtful job.

.@GovWalker has a few options when discussing his 250K jobs fail. Lie. Divert. Elide. None of them involve honesty. Or jobs. #jobsfail

Please detail: "Lie. Divert. Elide."

His term is not over, so it would be you that has the honesty problem. GITMO is still open, who lied?

Aaron, I think the issue is less cultural than educational. With nearly a billion dollars cut from K-12 education in the 2011-13 state budget, I suggest that more could be done to provide a strong educational foundation for children/youth so that 10-15 years from now the skills gap will be shortened.

It is also not appropriate to claim "culture" for radically changing technologies. Consider how the fields of photography and graphic design have changed. Or how our use of "snail mail" has changed. Or how shopping and bill paying are now available online. Or online music downloads vs. CD purchases. Online subscriptions vs. print publications. Think about how many batteries you use compared to 10-15 years ago. All of these things have changed manufacturing processes and eliminated/reduced old methodologies. Jobs in many of these industries have been offshored or cut back because of new production capabilities. Can colleges and vocational schools keep up with the changing technologies? What about older workers who are experiencing issues of age discrimination? Nonwhite workers who always face issues of discrimination?

No Aaron, the job may not be "perfect" if it is completely out of your area of expertise. And that expertise doesn't come even if you commute or move. It takes retraining and more education and that takes time.

If we are to have a serious discussion about employment it has to be looked at in a logical, not emotional way.

Looks like it is outside of your area of expertise too...snail mail? You should like the Great Leader Obama complaining that ATMs have eliminated the need for bank tellers.

Bren still doesn't understand that Act 10 reduced cuts to K-12 education, but as an "independent" Bren continues to sing the same uber lefty song.
WEAC ripping off the taxpayers did nothing to provide a strong educational foundation for children/youth.

Gates Foundation study: We’ve figured out what makes a good teacher.

After a three-year, $45 million research project, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation believes it has some answers:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/gates-study-weve-figured-out-what-makes-a-good-teacher/2013/01/08/05ca7d60-59b0-11e2-9fa9-5fbdc9530eb9_story.html

ann, "snail mail" is a nickname for traditional mail, sorry for the confusion. I have no information about the impact of ATMs on bank teller hires.

Greg, I am informed about the reality of the K-12 education cuts in MPS frequently. Numbers dance and kids are cheated out of getting the well-rounded education that the previous generation took for granted. The idea of teachers "ripping off taxpayers" is one of the memes promulgated by the AFP/Koch-funded ALEC Union Stripping bill promotions that launched in February 2011. As an "independent" I prefer to do my own research and concluded that civil servants remain respectable citizens.

Snail Mail!
Here I was trying to figure out how to get the snail to stick to the envelope.

Aaron wrote: "The growth numbers are not fantastic but there are quite a few openings out there..."

Part of the problem is that the jobs do not offer $100,000/year with car and expense account. I have met waaaaaaaaay to many people that don't want to get into an entry level job because they feel they are above that. It is just too easy to sit at home for two years and collect an unemployment check.

Aaron, you are right when you say "It isn't any politician's job to find anyone else one." But it should also not be a politicians job to create disincentives for people to work.

Wisconsin has the sixth lowest rate of uninsured population at 9.9 percent. It also has the 11th lowest prevalence of diabetes at 8.4 percent.

The report found that Wisconsin was No. 1 in high school graduation, with 90.7 percent of Wisconsin students graduating within four years compared with 75.5 percent nationally.

Sounds like Milwaukee has a lot of problems. I thought democrats fix that kind of stuff? Guess not, K thanks vote for Barrett & Co again and again.

@Greg
You need to increase your comprehension and listen better. Try to decipher between tax rates (which is what Pres Obama and Dems were talking about) and payroll tax deductions for Soc Sec and Medicare.

Obama said that he would not raise taxes on the middle class. He just wanted the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. Pretty easy to comprehend when your pay check takes a hit, he lied plain and simple.

Now we find out that under the new fiscal cliff plan workers making less than $30,000 a year will take a bigger hit than those making $500,000 a year.
The Daily Mail reported:

Middle-class workers will take a bigger hit to their income proportionately than those earning between $200,000 and $500,000 under the new fiscal cliff deal, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

This is not the first time Obama raised taxes on the middle class. The so called rich do not hold enough for Obama to feed off of. He must tax the middle class to pay for his socialism.

You need to work on your comprehension and listen better. Try to decipher between opening businesses and having businesses that are open....

Greg, I'm impressed you understood any of that post.

I've been working on my comprehension and I just finished the Rosetta Stone course, so now I understand Lefty.

That is far from lefty. It is a mix of a crappy Internet bot combined with a retarded IT guy. Kudos.

Greg wrote: "I've been working on my comprehension and I just finished the Rosetta Stone course, so now I understand Lefty."

Greg, I'm worried. Doesn't a stunt like that potentially cause brain damage?

Just wait until they realize how much Obama care will tax them. Yes we can, hope and change, Osama is dead and GM is alive, forward. Low information voters deserve to pay for their ignorance. I feel for those that understood what was coming.

We sill hold the power not to send the money to Washington. But it needs to be a collective act mainly by private businesses.

It'll be the same as last time around. Relative silence on the issue for months. Right now there's the Joe Biden Gun Project providing the perfect distraction. Then, slowly, you'll start to hear a few of them grudgingly admit that they aren't pleased that he didn't do everything he said he would do (actually he did, they just weren't paying attention to the details). It'll be a bit harder this time around, but somehow they'll find a way to blame the Republicans.

Same as it ever was.

'Low information' is not understanding the difference between FICA and federal income tax withholding. It is also not understanding that as of Jan 1 2013 all tax rates reverted to their previous state. Congress lowered income tax rates back to the Bush era rates for all except those making over $400K-$450K couples, and allowed the FICA holiday to expire, returning it to the FICA rates under President Bush (and every other President since Reagan).

Yes indeed, the FICA hits the lowest earners the hardest because it begins on the first dollar of earned income, unless you can take advantage of the EITC.

Overall,"taxes" are going to be higher for those in the middle class than they were last year. Most people, including the folks who thought they'd not be taking a hit this year and going forward because Obama told them so, think of FICA as a tax. The bottom line is they're taking a financial hit, and many of them expected not to. These, generally, also tend to be the same folks who thought "Affordable Care Act" was going to mean their healthcare was going to be more affordable. It won't be.

You can split hairs on what you want to call it in order to justify the misperception, but the bottom line is that the middle class will be taking a hit. And depending on how the ACA pans out and how companies react to it's full implementation, a much bigger hit than they were led to believe.

So would you rather have had the FICA shortfall continuing to be made up with money from the general revenue? Maybe with a lower figure for the top marginal rate to kick in, like maybe over $250K? It's really just a question of who's paying the most, and you guys can wax indignant about how the lower classes have 'no skin in the game', but they do.

Yes, the FICA is going back up, as it was set to do.

Randy, it doesn't matter what I want. It's what was sold to the general public, many of whom expected not so see any negative change to their paycheck as a result, because Obama told them he was protecting the middle class and only making "the rich" pay their fair share. There are gonna be a few jaws dropping when the FICA reinstatement kicks in amongst those who bought the administration's spin. Mark my words. I'm sure the talking points blaming the Republicans are ready to go and distributed to the appropriate parties.

The point is, Randy, that, once again, in order to gain support for his "us against them" strategy, Obama's neglected to tell the "us" they'll be sharing the misery.

It could have been worse, Bob. The rates could have gone up for everyone, FICA and income tax rates both. The cuts and the 'holiday were set to expire at midnight 12/31/12 and they did. My recollection was that the President asked Congress to extend the FICA holiday as well, but the House was having none of that.

Plus ca change.

I knew that wouldn't take long. He could have asked them to sprout wings and fly around the room, too. We can get into the whole topic of Obama's "master" negotiating skills too, if you'd like. I've got plenty of thoughts on that...

Once again, Randy, the point is not "it could have been worse". The point is that there are a lot of people out there who bought the "us against them", protecting the middle class line and a goodly number of them are gonna be in for a shock when they get their first paycheck of the year - or whichever one that ends up being the one where the FICA hit takes place, since it appears there's some employers playing catchup on that.

Wait and see....

When Obama promised that the middle class would not pay ONE penny more in taxes, he was right on the mark. We will pay many pennies, measured best in hundreds or thousands of dollars each.
Like moninmist said, we need to work on our comprehension. At least those that voted for him do, I knew the lie when I saw his lips move.

Randy. The middle class is paying more to the gobument under Obama. He needs to feed off of them to ay for socialism. Thanks for voting for more spending, can I send you the bill?

A new tax also went into effect on 1/1/13 as part of the ACA. Medical equipment saw prices rise due to a 20% tax.
My $8000 insulin pump system I bought in December now costs $10,000.
I spend $400 per month for insurance with a $5000 deductible. If I drop my insurance and take Obamacare I would save above and beyond the deductible amount. (400x12+5000=$9800; Tax penalty for Obamacare is $3000, so I am $6800 ahead).
I wonder how many makers will see this same "savings", and decide to become takers.

The tax on medical devices was 2.5% not 20%.
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions
If your device went up 20% it was because the company did it not because of a 20% tax increase.

Thank you Our dear son, his Excellency, Baraka Hussein Abu oumama!! Thank you for increasing our costs of living.

Make that 2.3%.
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Medical-Device-Excise-Tax:-Frequently-Asked-Questions

Hey Walker, that is 2.5 % on Gross Sales, do I need to do the math for you?

Isn't it hypocritical to tax anything medical as a way to pay for medical?
Think about it. Let's tax gas more as a way to subsidize the cost of gas.
Yes when you place a tax on something, it is more red tape that ends up increasing costs more.

It is Craig. And the media never reported enough on this, by design. It produced more low information Obama bots and we have our current situation. Some how a republican will be blamed for the price increases and gun control will still be a distraction from the black president taxing everyone to pay for his socialism.

It would cost pennies to pay for HI for all the poor ass lazy fools. Instead we pass a multi trillion economic take over bill.

Keep eating what they feed you.

You can't create jobs from borrowed tax money when there isn't a net gain of income coming from the private economy. Socialism, at one point you run out of someone else's money. Ever hear that before? Queen bee Nancy tried to play this card on UI. And was laughed at.

Private money makes the world go round dum dum.
Nd in case you haven't noticed the community organizer is spending 1 trillion+ per year more than what we take in revenue. And as a result we all are now 16.5 trillion in debt. Plus interest. Which someday soon will skyrocket.

Can I send you the bill as a low informed Obama voter?

Steve is right, ObamaCare is just a way for the Federal government to take over one-sixth of the economy.

morninmist's link has one very interesting comment: "Under the Affordable Care Act, health coverage is expanded in two primary ways: building competitive health insurance marketplaces (called exchanges) for moderate- and middle-income people..."
So, if competition is good, why don't we relax regulations to open up competition, make it fairer and easier for companies to cross state lines, and allow more innovative plans.

It may have something to do with people expecting everything to be handed to them on a silver platter. Heck, there are even people out there that are too lazy to read the other 79 comments on a blog, and find the answers for themselves.

Guernsey is still there, but the jobs are gone thanks to two Democrat X-Senators on a power trip.

Y'all could have Googled that too.

Really? Trying to blame Republicans because some Democrats concluded Guernsey had "too much market share"? Get your facts straight. Remember, it is better not to post and have people believe you're ignorant, than to post like you did and remove all doubt.

Democrats said no to a mine. They wanted. Recall instead.
% can't be compared per state dum dum.

We wanted the mine but it has to be safe for the people and the land. Republicans did not care about the people nor the land last year. Lets see if they care now.

....................
Steve ®
2:03 am on Saturday, January 12, 2013

Democrats said no to a mine. They wanted. Recall instead.

morn, the mining bill was not about ignoring environmental laws. We still have the EPA, DNR, ACE and GOD knows how many other that still have to give their approval. The bill would have eliminated the need for the redundant studies and hearings that killed the Crandon mine.