Uncategorized• March 25th, 2011

Should Justice Prosser recuse himself?

by Chris Lato

I have a better question: Why is this even a story?

What possible reason is there to think that David Prosser would recuse himself? Is there some conflict here? A legitimate legal reason why this is an appropriate issue, worthy of coverage? If there is, this report should lay it out.

I realize pro-collective bargaining forces are desperately working to make the April 5 election a referendum on that issue. The messaging is that it’s time to ‘get even.’ Prosser opponents think he is Governor Walker’s right-wing right-hand man – Prosser is a former Republican state legislator, after all - but this line of inquiry is driven by an ideological, rather than rational, train of thought.

If JoAnne Kloppenburg is elected next month, will she be pushed to recuse herself from all cases involving the state Justice Department or the DNR? I’m no legal eagle, but I’m guessing no. But that’s the same shaky line of logic at work here.

More and more, I am coming around to the idea that races for Supreme Court should be partisan. The idea that these candidates and current judges are truly independent is looking more ludicrous by the day. That is not a criticism of anyone in particular, but there’s no such thing as a non-partisan candidate for the high court in Wisconsin anymore - if there ever was in the first place.

Related tags: collective bargaining • David Prosser • Governor Walker • JoAnne Kloppenburg • Wisconsin Supreme Court

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Messaging, Views on News, public relations• March 15th, 2011

“When the going gets weird….

by Chris Lato

…the weird turn pro.” Hunter S. Thompson said it, and it feels appropriate here as tempers fray and odd angles start popping up in the ongoing collective bargaining saga.

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Related tags: budget repair bill • collective bargaining • protests • Wisconsin Legislature

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Messaging, Views on News, public relations• March 10th, 2011

Another NPR bombshell

by Chris Lato

Where do I start with this one?

Last year conservatives blew their collective stack when NPR bounced Juan Williams after a comment about Muslims.

Pause for a moment here. Does anyone think Williams is an objective reporter of news? He is a conservative commentator and news analyst. That was the role he played at NPR. He was offering a statement of personal feeling. You could take it or leave it.

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Related tags: Governor Walker • Juan Williams • Muslims • NPR • racism • Republican Party • Tea Party • Wisconsin Public Radio

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Messaging, Views on News, public relations• March 8th, 2011

Insert cheap Viagra joke here

by Chris Lato

Hmmm. Is there any doubt that this was dropped because of the ongoing budget repair bill soap opera? This fight has been going on for years, and suddenly the Milwaukee teachers’ union decides it’s not worth continuing the suit?

The biggest surprise is that this didn’t get deep-sixed weeks ago. Talk about a good PR talking point for pro-Walker forces – this lawsuit is hard to defend (see what I did there?). I’m sure the union didn’t want to extend the debate (I’ll be here all week, try the veal!).

Related tags: budget battle • collective bargaining • Scott Walker • teachers' union • Viagra

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Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News, public relations• March 7th, 2011

Why must WI get rid of collective bargaining?

by Chris Lato

It’s a fair question - and I’m hearing it from people who are Republicans and support Governor Walker.  The thing is, I don’t know that the administration has done a very good job of articulating the underlying reasons. I suspect that is part of the reason why, at least for now, Walker is losing the public opinion battle.

I realize this is a marathon, not a sprint, polls are just a snapshot in time, and that things will not change because a few polls indicate things aren’t going Walker’s way.

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Related tags: collective bargaining • Legislature • protests • public opinion • Scott Walker • state capitol • unions • Wisconsin

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Grass Roots Organization, Leadership, Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News• March 2nd, 2011

It’s all about 2012 now

by Chris Lato

Others have raised the question as the whole affair in Madison grinds on: have these protests actually been effective?

The answer is not a clear-cut yes or no. In the short term, the protesters will not get their way. They forced Governor Walker to harden to the point that he will not back down, lest he appear weak.

I’m not saying that Walker ever would have been willing to negotiate anyway – and those behind the protests likely knew this already.

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Related tags: 2012 elections • Governor Walker • protests in Madison • recalls • unions

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Views on News, public relations• February 28th, 2011

Double deception

by Chris Lato

Three months ago, everyone with a TV was breathing a sigh of relief that the elections were over and the political ads were going to disappear for a while.

Well, the ongoing battle royale in Madison has brought out big bucks and it feels like a week before the election all over again.

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Related tags: collective bargaining • Koch brothers • protests • Scott Walker • TV ad • unions

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Views on News, wispundits• February 22nd, 2011

The real Scott Walker

by Chris Lato

I was wondering when this was going to happen. This seems to be the ideal time for the GOP to run a whole lot of legislation through the Senate unimpeded. And now there’s talk of layoffs too. 

One larger question: has the Wisconsin Left found its ‘Obamacare’ – that is to say, the issue they can use as a rallying cry to drive supporters to the polls? How much of what has happened in Madison over the past week is true, grassroots reaction to Walker’s bill? Some GOP legislators may have something to worry about. Republicans in the more purple areas of the state are very likely vulnerable to recalls.

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Related tags: Legislature • protests • Scott Walker • state capitol • unions • Wisconsin

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Messaging• January 7th, 2011

Let them eat cake

by Chris Lato

A fascinating Walter Shapiro column about ‘The Underpaid Robert Gibbs’ questions what planet our president is living on when he praises his just-departed press secretary and his ‘modest’ paycheck. The key point:

Barack Obama bid a grateful farewell to Robert Gibbs Wednesday by stressing to The New York Times that his press secretary “had a six-year stretch now where basically he’s been going 24/7 with relatively modest pay.” As a senior White House aide, Gibbs modestly earned $172,200 last year. That income alone — leaving out any earnings by his wife — would put Gibbs in the upper 8 percent of all American families, according to 2009 Census figures.

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Related tags: President Obama • Robert Gibbs • unemployment

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Events, Messaging, Strategic Blueprints• January 5th, 2011

Take a deep breath

by Chris Lato

There is no question that unemployment and underemployment are way too high in Wisconsin. People are hurting, struggling to make ends meet. Governor Walker has made it clear his #1 priority (and #2 and #3 priorities) is economic growth and job creation. He has set a jobs goal that some consider lofty, others consider impossible, yet he put a number on the table and will be held to it, as he should be.

All that said, can we give the guy just a small break and let him actually, you know, do the job for a little while before attacking him?

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Related tags: Governor Walker • inauguration • Legislature • protests

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