Senator Mike Ellis (R), Appleton: Evil or Just Disturbed?
Top Ten Signs Your Senator Has Lost It

Top Ten Signs Your Senator Has Lost It

The Wisconsin Historical Society is getting its budget gutted. Enterprising staffers have an anonymous humor site about their crisis. It is titled: Oh, Crap. Not again.

Here's a site of interest. "Spinsanity" The nation's leading watchdog of manipulative political rhetoric.

Micheal Moore just won an Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine". It was for best documentary. A variety of sources suggest it wasn't a documentary. Truth about Bowling for Columbine

Not to flog a dead horse; here is some of Michael Bright's brilliant lobbying: JS Online: Midwest Express' dismal lobbying ended in defeat

Here is an interesting list of the so-called "super lobbyists": Capitol lobbying

Here is the monster firm in Wisconsin lobbying: Broydrick & Associates


Tough as nails and quick on the invoices is Old Bill Broydrick.

The Editor was hoping to find a similar list of right wingers on the Roggensack site to mirror Brunner's lefties, no such luck. There is, however, a consolidated list of all the state's law enforcement officials. Apparently, being mean as a snake is a plus with the sheriffs.: Endorsements

Hey good news! Brunner has compiled a list of every lefty elected official in the state for our convenience: (Its his endorsement list.)

Shortly, we will be asked to decide who our next supreme court justice will be: Pat Roggensack - who is reputedly mean as a rattlesnake, or Brunner who is reportedly a dumb-as-a-stump Stalinist.

Here it is! The ultimate in navel-gazing, uselessness, and business golf: American Association of Association Executives

In order to create a world of peace and non-violence, Madison anti-war protestors trash and crash the Republican Party headquarters.Anti-War Activists Claim Responsibility for Attack

Yeah, that will stop the war.

Surprise! The income tax is voluntary according to this website: Pay No Income Tax


Of course, what he's not telling you is that you'll be arrested and sent to jail... but go ahead just skip paying this year.

Michael Bright's brilliance can not go unrecognized. Here is a list of 'Major business lobbying firms' from Madison.com. How do you get on the list? It is all about estimated annual revenue. Who estimates? The lobbyist.


Well, well, well. In order to be listed as a "major firm" you have to gross big revenue.
Surprise ! Michael indicates that he books $700,000+.

Lets look at his list, shall we:

Midwes Express: $10,000+/month ( here's the big one)
Com Ed: $3,000/month ( maybe )
Wis Manuf Housing: $2,000/month ( plus or minus )
Salomon Smith Barney: $3,000+ /month
Dane County Towns & Cities: $1,000+/month (if he's lucky)
All other listed clients: diddley squat


TOTAL: $20,000/month (more or less)

This is $40,000/month less than his reported estimated revenue.
(And arguably $17,000/month more than he is worth.)

Puffery and cheap hype. Maybe he could go into the P.R. field.

People, especially legislators, get sick of this kind of claptrap.

The sinister forces of oppression (lobbyists and association executives) often gather together to hone their skills. Now you can learn their fiendish ways.: An Association Advocacy Primer

Perhaps you might suspect that all might not go well in this war. You may be right. We may well be attacked in the US, though probably not in Wisconsin directly. Disease and biowar know no boundries, however. If you are a boyscout or would like to be prepared check out: Ready.gov - From the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

What kind of Lobbyist are you? Check at: THE HALL OF LOBBYISTS

Why are the indian tribes riding roughshod over the government recently? According to the Minneapolis Star Tirbune: Indian tribes enjoy donor advantage over rival gaming interests

Here is a neat little find: Wisconsin Department of Electronic Government

This crackerjack outfit has been eliminated by Governor Doyle, but its electronic ghost apparently still haunts the machine of Wisconsin government.

Spooky.

Imagine you are the President. Imagine every morning you wake up and are briefed about the horrors going on around the world, and in particular Iraq. Things like this latest article from the Times of London.IRAQ: HUMAN SHREDDING


Would you let the man who did that continue to hold and produce chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons?

Would you really?

If you work for, or own, a Wisconsin company and you want to sell to the federal government; tough luck. Generally it is impossible or at least wildly difficult to pull off a sale to the Feds. Here is an institution that is designed to make that effort just a little easier: The Wisconsin Procurement Institute.

From wispolitics.com; Ed Garvey continues his efforts to crush political speech that he does not agree with: WisPolitics Features.

The irony is delicious. Here is a man who describes himself as a liberal, nay even a defender of liberty, who is going out of his way to destroy the liberty of someone who dared to mail a postcard criticizing a legislator.

Rongstad may be a mudslinger for hire, but Garvey is morally and intellectually bankrupt.

If you want a little help getting RE-ELECTED perhaps you should take a glance at this: POLITICAL EDUCATION


This link courtesy of the Internet Archive which everyone should look at now and again.

This is too crazy to be a parody:
Association of Junior Lobbyists

Want to be president? First you must be elected.

This man is a lobbyist: Michael Bright

Most lobbyists try to be extraordinarily accurate. Puffery generally annoys the hell out of legislators. Apparently Michael Bright is not aware of this. He asserts that he was named a Top Ten Lobbyist by the Wisconsin State Journal. A Lexis-Nexis search found no such "Top Ten List" published by the Wisconsin State Journal. A call to an editor there found no such list.

Furthermore, there is no position of "Chief of Staff" for the Joint Finance Committee and Bright did not hold such a title. Additionally, this man was not "Executive Budget and Policy Advisor to the Governor" there was (and may still be under the new Governor) such a position. Michael never held it. He was, in point of fact, a policy analyst in the Dept. of Administration, an entry-level civil-service job.

Puffery indeed.

The Editor is not a member of Amnesty International but they have a good guide to citizen lobbying: Activist Toolkit -- How To: Lobby Your Members of Congress:

The best example of how not to lobby a senator?: According to Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, death by faxes, the method used by opponents of a bill that would give local communities more control over setting manatee speed zones.

At his desk while the fax machine whirs away on the credenza behind him, Geller holds up a ream of paper, all bearing an identical message urging him to vote against Rep. Lindsay Harrington's manatee bill. Geller says he hasn't yet decided how he plans to vote on the bill at today's Natural Resources Committee meeting.

In the right-hand corner of each printed page: a single, Washington, D.C. fax number. The fax onslaught has brought his office work to a screeching halt, Geller says.

"I've had to unplug my fax machine," he complains. "I can't get any other faxes in. I can't send any faxes out. They kept me from doing any other legislative business today."

As Geller sorts through the top 20 faxes -- not a single one from one of his own constituents -- Harrington, R-Punta Gorda, patiently sits in the waiting room, there to make a last-ditch pitch for his bill.

Geller listens and tells Harrington he still hasn't made up his mind. But the faxes -- and the e-mail -- aren't doing the manatees any good.

"All they're doing is irritating me," he grouses.

Yeah, you may think you're hot shit. These guys can actually get things done: Wshington Power 25

Want to be loved, you'll probably be hated too: Loved and Hated Interest Groups

Lobbying Tips
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Works...

1. Delivering the straight facts to lawmakers.

2. Having active allies in a Congressman's district.

3. Mobilizing grassroots action, such as phone calls and letters.

4. Getting along well with politicians and their staffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And What Doesn't

1. Rounding up volunteers in an election year.

2. Buying TV, radio, and print ads to promote your cause.

3. Spending lots of money on issue-oriented ads for or against a Congressman.

Perhaps even more valuable information: How Not to Lobby!

Yet more on lobbying:Visiting your legislator.

More notes on the second oldest profession:How To Lobby

Here is something good: WRITE YOUR OWN BILL