Soon to be recalled Gov Walker takes credit for a decision Obama Admin had to FORCE him to make.

[PeaceNikki]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-proposes-to-lift-cap-on-longterm-care-program-0c3jlco-136317513.html

Walker lifts cap on long-term care after federal agency orders change

Madison - Gov. Scott Walker announced a plan Wednesday to lift the enrollment cap on a state long-term care program - a move he made two weeks after federal authorities told his administration it had to take that step.

Walker touted the $80 million plan with advocates for the elderly and disabled at a Capitol news conference, but made no mention of a recent order from the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services directing his administration to lift the cap in the Family Care program.

"Talk about political spin, huh?" said Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay). "I'm glad he's reversing himself on it. I'm a little put out by his political spin on that."

"The only reason the Walker administration backed down is because they had a gun to their heads," said Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee). "He's taking credit for something he was forced to do."

More: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-proposes-to-lift-cap-on-longterm-care-program-0c3jlco-136317513.html

fuck you, walker.

[Ellipsis]

1. Wild.... this just came up in my my Google News search

Yeah... this ones fun . I saw this yesterday with the "WALKER spin'' before the actual story came out.

The publicity people are so predictable.


That's the new Rovian Communications Director at work. I'd bet her finger prints are all over this.

[Ellipsis]

15. another kick

[RiffRandell]

2. I can't wait to see this asshole gone.

Thanks for all of the work you've done on the recall, PeaceNikki!

[bahrbearian]

3. How Rovian.

[Scuba]

4. Thanks Nikki, I had missed the gist of this. I owe you. n/t

[gratuitous]

5. I wonder what Walker's supporters think of this?

I suspect there are still people who support Gov. Walker, and think his meat-ax approach to governing is just the bee's knees. I wonder what they think about Walker endorsing and announcing this horrible, nanny-state, budget-busting program that will bankrupt the state and encourage people to get sick? Or was all that rhetoric just so much balloon juice, and now Walker's supporters will pivot on a dime and praise the governor for his courage in knuckling under to the feds?

[PeaceNikki]

6. They are TOLD what to think.

So, yes, because of all that rhetoric and balloon juice, Walker's supporters will pivot on a dime and praise the governor for his courage in knuckling under to the feds.

[PeaceNikki]

7. Take a gander at the 700+ comments on his FB post about it.

They would be comical if I didn't know how serious they are in their ignorance:

http://www.facebook.com/governorscottwalker/posts/116475758471626

[gratuitous]

8. I'll take your word for it

I don't Facebook (long boring story, nothing sanctimonious), but it's amusing to me to see the criticism of North Korea and its cult of personality surrounding Kim Jong Il's death, while we have our very own personality cults. Cf., the week-long Reagan necrogasm, and the Walkerbots.

[groundloop]

10. All positive comments probably originated from state computers ...

and on state time.

Any way for that to be investigated by a Wisconsin newspaper?


OH, almost forgot..... bravo to the Obama Administration for standing up to these right wing Koch-heads.

[PeaceNikki]

11. Well..

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/wisconsin-gov-walker-on-fbi-probe-we-dont-know/


"...the raid is just the latest in a secret ongoing investigation that focuses on whether county staffers in Walker’s office did political work on taxpayers’ money. The action appears to come in the wake of the confession of one of Walker’s staffers, admitting to anonymously posting pro-Walker comments on websites while on county time."

[lonestarnot]

9. That fucking rat bastard looks like a fucking rat. Rat's are thieves. Recall that fucker as soon

as possible.

[mojowork_n]

12. The comments section (724 at last count) looks

to be a little more balanced than usual. At least at the top.

But as usual, whenever the Journal-Sentinel does something worthwhile -- in this case,
releasing the substance of the story -- they lose style points for trying to kiss up to
Walker's butt (embarrassingly close resemblance to tea-baggin' if you catch them at
the wrong angle), in the "details" of the story.

"Walker said he was optimistic the Republican-controlled Legislature could find a large, bipartisan majority to approve the plan early next year...."

"...Lynn Breedlove, executive director of Disability Rights Wisconsin, said he had no reason not to believe the department's explanation on why Walker didn't disclose the letter.
'I don't think I am ready to attribute any other motive to him other than he planned to lift the cap and he did,' Breedlove said....."

"Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), co-chairwoman of the Joint Finance Committee, said the Department of Health Services deserved credit for having found ways to make the program work.
Darling had not been given specifics on the efficiencies found by the department. She did not know of the letter from CMS. But she noted the cap on the Family Care program had always been temporary...."

Concluding sentences of the article:

"...Advocates for the elderly and disabled welcomed Walker's announcement.
'We're thrilled," said Joseph Kojis, a spokesman for Community Care Inc., which provides services to 9,000 in 11 counties under Family Care and two similar programs.' "

Even though the reporters had just finished quoting some *ick in the legislature as having, "...noted that an April audit found there was not enough information available to determine whether Family Care was cost effective.
He expected his Republican colleagues in the Assembly would be skeptical of the measure, Vos said. He was unfamiliar with the CMS letter, but said that he remained opposed to bringing Family Care to new counties because of the cost.
'We should not be expanding another government program," he said. "The program is unsustainable and too expensive for Wisconsin taxpayers.' "


So the R' *ick's get to have their cake and eat it, too, posing as the saviors of the elderly and infirm, on the one hand, and as thrifty, prudent gate-keepers of the public purse strings, at the same time.





But anyway, back to the comments section, there was a really good one from someone named "Teapot," right at the top, with a link some folks might be interested in following up on:

...Scott Walker wants to radically alter the public employee pension system in Wisconsin (WRS). He will turn a 97% funded defined benefit system into a high risk defined contribution system, enabling his investment house buddies to cash in big while recipients lose the safety and security of one of the best retirement funds in the country!

That's why I signed a petition to The Wisconsin State House, The Wisconsin State Senate, and Governor Scott Walker, which says:

"Scott Walker: Keep your hands off the Wisconsin Retirement System!"

Will you sign the petition too? Click here to add your name:

http://signon.org/sign/save-the-wisconsin-retiremen?source=s.fwd&r_by=1879120

Thanks!

The R-a**hole governor in Michigan has made some pensions in Michigan taxable, already. These guys will stop at nothing to steal from the poor, to reward the Not-Rich-Enough.


edit add:

Credit where credit is due, to Stephanie Miller and The Mooks on Chicago Progressive Radio in the morning, for the tea-baggin' throw-away comparison.

http://chicagosprogressivetalk.com/listen/stream.php

[PeaceNikki]

14. Somewhat off-topic... did you see that JS Online is going to start to charge for online content?

Yeah, they aren't getting a dime from me.

[mojowork_n]

17. I've been thinking that I really *should* start paying MORE for my web content.

Wouldn't it be great if there were some sort of United Way -- one for all, and all for one --
consortium or cooperative of the best progressive news/commentary sites?

So if I gave to DU, I wouldn't feel bad about not giving to Democracy Now, or the Nation,
or The Progressive, or if I gave to one of my favorite quirky (but really interesting
commentary sites, Counterpunch), I wouldn't have to neglect FreePress.net, or
Alternet, or .....?

It would make it easier for donors, but it would also encourage donations, I think.

People *know* that we've all been getting a free ride for too long, and it's time
to be pro-active with our donations.

As it is now, I waffle a lot... well, have I really been spending a lot of time there,
who does more investigative reporting??????

[Bill USA]

13. True conservative scumbag. fight common-sense legislation. Then when you lose take credit for it!

recommended!!!!!

[TroglodyteScholar]

16. There is no level to which Walker won't sink.

He is the perfect Republican, and at this rate he'll be our pretzeldent someday. A successful recall would probably help his reputation among the knuckledraggers and labor exploiters.