MAL Contends — Legal, political, campaign news, and analysis

Voting Rights—State-Created Liberty Faces Eternal Suspicion

2026-08-22T16:39:02.664-05:00

Commentary

Introduction

Madison, Wisconsin — If you love your liberty to vote, you can thank your state Constitution.

In state constitutions, you will find affirmative declarations of foundational liberty to cast votes.

Wisconsin law, banter from state agencies and private partisans, all eventually answer to the Wisconsin Constitution when voting liberty is imperiled or chilled.

The United States Constitution has no express right to vote, and what little the U.S. Constitution says about voting rights, beyond amendments, leaves this liberty to states.

Thus, the liberty to vote is explicit and affirmative in state constitutions.

State-created voting liberty in the U.S. Constitution does enjoy protection from incursion by force of several amendments and liberties—First Amendment liberties, equal protection, Due Process, race, color, sex, poll tax, age, for example.

Voting and Prediction Market Betting in States

As Wisconsin campaigns continue into the November midterm elections, an odd social-media, anti-voting, anti-betting crusade waged by Wisconsin Elections Commission member Ann Jacobs, and threats made to the public by the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) in June in official communications work to suppress voting liberty.

This voter suppression is accomplished by falsely claiming and warning that betting in prediction markets wagered from any state runs afoul of Wisconsin statute that forbids betting on elections in which a voter casts a ballot within Wisconsin borders.

A July 21 declaration of sorts by the Wisconsin Elections Commission opines legal and regulatory clarity, free of all ambiguity, in asserting that predication-market betting on elections in which a voter also casts his ballot is illegal under Wisconsin's 1849 anti-betting statute; and secondly runs afoul of Wisconsin Statute § 12.13(1)(a) that makes it a Class I felony to intentionally vote in an election without being qualified to vote.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission memo and press release are warnings, purposefully inducing fright into Wisconsin residents, falsely claiming both the state-foundational liberty to cast votes and the liberty not to become felonious slaves of the state, felons, are imperiled by legal conduct outside of Wisconsin, as the Elections Commission claims.

At issue are two Wisconsin statutes, presented and fused together by the Elections Commission.

Wisconsin Statute § 6.03(2) explicitly disqualifies electors from voting "in any election in which the person has made or become interested, directly or indirectly, in any bet or wager depending upon the result of the election."
Wisconsin Statute § 12.13(1)(a) makes it a Class I felony to intentionally vote in an election without being qualified to do so.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission is not a law enforcement agency, such as the Wisconsin Dept of Justice, and Wisconsin's county district attorneys.

Problems complicate the Elections Commission novel theory on voting and out-of-state betting, and the legal terrain vis prediction betting and voting that is ambiguous and volatile, the exact opposite of what the Wisconsin Elections Commission claims.

The Wisconsin Attorney General has not issued an opinion on out-of-state betting, likely because horizontal federalism among states is a fundamental tenet and Wisconsin Attorney General Joshua Kaul is looking for some clarity in a critical area in which no clarity exists.

Attorney General has not put forward any guidance regarding the WEC’s statement, though his office has been requested to do so by constituents and the state legislature.

Democratic Party officials can be counted on to take anti-betting political positions, to the point of telling voters what are 'correct' considerations made by voters in their exercise of their franchise.

State Jurisdiction

Wisconsin statutes as with any state law apply to acts committed within Wisconsin jurisdiction, within Wisconsin boundaries.

Acts such as betting that are illegal in one state X, Wisconsin; committed legally within a different state Y, Nevada, have no bearing into state X. The taint of legal activity, legal conduct, in one state does not clash with the laws and sovereign police power of another state in which this conduct is illegal. Update: This is regarded as an unsettled constitutional question by some.

Elections Commissioner member and anti-betting crusader Ann Jacobs has taken a novel position on state jurisdiction, asserting, "What you cannot do is bet there [in other states] and vote here," (X.con).

Jacobs is saying, Wisconsin law follows a Wisconsin voter betting in prediction markets in Las Vegas for example, and then follows a voter back into Wisconsin when a Wisconsin resident casts a vote on the election on which he bets.

Ann Jacobs is substituting her opinions on how and why Wisconsin citizens should exercise their voting state-liberty, asserting citizens ought not vote for their chosen candidates for the 'wrong reasons,' and for 'bad' reasons, (SpectrumNews).

"We don’t allow bribes for the same reason we want people to vote for the right reasons, not the wrong ones," Jacobs said. "If you’re voting because you think you’re going to make money instead of for who should be the best candidate, that’s bad," (SpectrumNews).

Voter is in violation of Wisconsin law for legal conduct in Nevada, Wisconsin Elections Commission claims.

Put another way, Jacobs believes a Wisconsin voter carries a taint of legal conduct back to Wisconsin whereupon it becomes illegal upon exercising a state foundational liberty to cast a vote.

Jacobs and the Wisconsin Elections Commission fail to address basic state co-equal, horizontal sovereign, jurisdictional principles.

Are not Wisconsin voters who are acting legally in other states by betting in prediction markets beyond the reach of Wisconsin law and police power, and contemplated criminal prosecution?

The answer is, yes, and Jacobs and the WEC do not acknowledge that betting in other states is activity beyond Wisconsin's territorial jurisdiction, again under horizontal-state sovereignty, horizontal federalism.

Wisconsin DoJ Seeks Judicial Clarity

The Wisconsin DoJ filed a lawsuit against several prediction markets in April 2026 in state court. (In linked press release, complaints' text is linked at bottom of press release.)

DoJ seeks judicial declaration that "Kalshi, Robinhood, Coinbase, Polymarket, Crypto.com, and their affiliates, to halt their alleged facilitation of illegal sports betting, a form of unlawful commercial gambling, in Wisconsin."

Horizontal state sovereignty is recognized in the Wisconsin DoJ April 2026 lawsuit against several prediction-betting platforms.

Federal Preemption and Prediction Markets

Wisconsin has had an anti-betting statute since 1849, shortly after Wisconsin's1848 inception as a state.

Kalshi and other betting platforms are regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Traders enter into binary-event contracts, (yes-or-no prediction contracts on real-world future outcomes).

People betting on Kalshi are traders executing financial derivatives, event contracts, on a federally regulated exchange.

The CFTC argues that under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), CEA holds exclusive jurisdiction over event contracts traded on designated contract markets, thereby occupying the field and blocking state gambling enforcement like Wisconsin's.

But to what extent ought this vertical-federalism, federal-state, block clear state prerogatives?

Federal circuit and district courts are deeply divided. Some rulings (such as the Third Circuit in Kalshiex LLC v. Flaherty, No. 25-1922) have backed field preemption for federally regulated event contracts, while other federal judges have denied injunctions and ruled that federal law does not stop states from enforcing anti-gambling statutes.

The certainty with which the Elections Commission represents the law on prediction markets is misleading and under the circumstances, is absurd.

Howard Schweber on Federal Preemption and States' Power

Notes Howard Schweber, UW-Madison Law and Political Science lecturer, (emeritus):

"Polymarket, et al are arguing that they should be immune from the application of all of these laws as well as all other state laws regulating gambling as applied to them, as a matter of federal preemption."

"Federal preemption occurs when there is a conflict between federal and state laws; in that situation the federal law trumps and the state law is invalid. This can happen in a situation of direct conflict (something is legal under state law but illegal under federal law). It can also happen when the federal system of regulation is found to 'occupy the field' (known as 'field preemption') so that any regulation by states would be in conflict with the federal scheme."

UW-Madison's Howard Schweber notes a complex, unresolved legal landscape in an email exchange, posted below:

There are two federal statutes that are potentially involved, [in this controversy of federal regulation conflicting with, and preempting state anti-gambling statues.]

The Unlawful Internet Gaming Act (UIEGA) makes it unlawful to engage in 'unlawful Internet gambling,' which means 'to place, receive or otherwise knowingly transmit a bet or wager by any means which involves the use ... of the Internet where such bet or wager is unlawful under any applicable Federal or State law in the State or Tribal lands in which the bet or wager is initiated, received, or otherwise made.' 31 U.S.C. § 5362(10)(A).
Note the 'where the bet or wager is unlawful' language. The statute specifically says that it does not preempt state law: 'the UIEGA at 31 U.S.C. 5362 (10)(D)(2) 'Rule of construction regarding preemption.--Nothing in this subchapter may be construed to preempt any State law prohibiting gambling.'
An explicit disavowal of any preemptive effect of a federal law leaves the states entirely free to enact their own regulations of these markets as a form of gambling, and states have longstanding and well establish authority to define conditions on eligibility for voting. So Wisconsin steps in and says yes, under our gambling laws placing a bet on the outcome of an election is unlawful, and prediction markets' operations fit that description of gambling for state law purposes. And as far as the UIGEA is concerned, Wisconsin is absolutely free to do that.
But there is another federal statute, the Commodity Exchange Act, that regulates futures trading (stock futures, derivatives, etc.) This law says that regulation of those kinds of investments is exclusively the province of an agency called the Commodity Futures Exchange Commission. That law has been held to preempt state regulation of such markets. So no, a state cannot declare that all investments in derivatives are a form of gambling and prosecute everyone involved nor even create restrictions on derivative investments taking place within their state boundaries because the regulation of those investments are preempted by federal law.
How do these two laws interact? The UIGEA explicitly excludes from its coverage any transactions "conducted on or subject to the rules of a registered entity or exempt board of trade under the Commodity Exchange Act” or “any other transaction that is excluded or exempt from regulation under the Commodity Exchange Act.” Id. §§ 5362(1)(E)(i), (iv)(I). So if prediction market bets are actually futures investments rather than wagers—i.e., if they are covered under the CEA rather than UIGEA—then state laws are preempted.
Kalshi and Polymarket are registered with the CFEC based on their self-certification that their business does not involve gambling. In California, a district court judge has ruled that so long as the CFEC accepts their registration, this means that they are not subject to the UIGEA for federal law purposes. (That ruling is currently on appeal to the 9th Circuit; at oral argument the panel of judges apparently expressed skepticism about the judge's ruling.) In April the Third Circuit — without ever mentioning the UIEGA at all — likewise held that prediction market trading falls under the category of futures contracts, so the only relevant federal statute is the Commodities Futures Act.
As I mentioned, that federal law preempts all state regulation per se, including-but-not-limited-to anti-gambling laws. So if these rulings stand up at the Supreme Court then the federal law regulating futures contracts is the one that applies to prediction markets and states may not regulate them.
That would mean that states do not have the authority to regulate those markets because of preemption, including treating participation in prediction markets as a form of gambling.
On the other hand, these are just agency rules and agency certifications. The CFEC would have the authority to rule at any time that these markets are not proper participants in the system of futures trading by a simple administrative ruling, in which case the UIGEA kicks in and so do state laws against gambling. The issues involved here are not constitutional, they are about interpreting statutes and decisions by agencies. Kalshi is trying to argue that they have a right to be classified as futures traders by an administrative agency; it is a sign of how weird our constitutional politics have become that Kalshi et al are essentially gambling — er, "predicting" — that the Executive Branch will always be controlled by a President friendly to their interests who will appoint members to the CFEC who will continue to protect them as a form of futures investment market.
Because if there is ever a Democratic administration in control of the CFEC or a Democratic Congress interested in revisiting the classification of prediction markets under the two federal statutes then Kalshi's case evaporates. Which is what makes their heated rhetoric of 'unconstitutional' and 'crazy' remarkable for its apparent lack of any connection to the legal issues that are being asserted.
32 states have laws against gambling on elections. The prediction markets want to render all of those laws ineffective, a sweeping rejection of state autonomy under the wild theory that a law that prevents states from regulating investments in futures contracts effectively ends states' ability to regulate gambling wholesale. (The Third Circuit noted this possibility in a footnote but declined to address it.)
BUT that's still not the end of the story.
Even if Wisconsin and the other 31 states cannot prosecute or otherwise regulate betting on elections on prediction markets, that does not mean that the states lose their constitutional authority to define the qualifications for voting in federal elections (Article I, section 2 of the US Constitution) including what acts, if shown, would disqualify someone.
A ruling that says otherwise would mean, for example, that states could not decide whether felons or those who commit particular felonies may have their eligibility for voting taken away. I have no idea how that logic is supposed to work.
To summarize, Kalshi et al are making the extraordinary argument that:
IF the Supreme Court accepts that predictions markets are futures markets rather than gambling so that the UIGEA does not apply,
and IF the Supreme Court (following the Third Circuit) says that states are therefore precluded from applying their gambling laws to the placement of bets with prediction markets on the outcome of sporting events,
THEN it will also follow that states are preempted from applying their gambling laws to the placement of bets with prediction markets on the outcome of elections, and
THEN exercising their authority under Article I, section 2 of the Constitution to define the qualifications for voting.
That is a wild theory. It implies that federal statutes can change the federalism provisions of the Constitution, that preemption of criminal laws against gambling means preemption of any regulation having anything to do with gambling (imagine an age restriction, for example), and that 32 states' laws treating betting on elections as a special case have been rendered ineffective because of a federal law about the derivatives market. It was the deregulation of those markets that led directly to the Crash of 2008; why not try it with elections and see what happens?

Ambiguity in the law should be read in favor of the defendant, a principle that ought guide any contemplated state prosecution of voting bettors, (Rule of Lenity).

The Wisconsin DoJ's is seeking a measure of clarity in its lawsuit against several prediction markets filed in April 2026 in state court.

Criminal prosecution referrals and threats made against voting by the Wisconsin Elections Commission's are ill-advised, irrational and false.

Future of Prediction Markets

It's a good bet that the Wisconsin DoJ April 2026 lawsuit seeking clarity prevails in Wisconsin County Circuit court, and eventually at the Democrat-dominated Wisconsin Supreme Court.

It's an equally good bet that federal litigation pursued by the commercial gambling eventually prevails in federal court, and perhaps on First Amendment grounds.

Consider Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010).

Afterall, a 5-4 Court in 2010 held campaign donors are effectively people with First Amendment liberties that prohibit government from restricting campaign and political donations by corporations and unions.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010).
Held

(a) Although the First Amendment provides that “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech,” §441b’s prohibition on corporate independent expenditures is an outright ban on speech, backed by criminal sanctions. It is a ban notwithstanding the fact that a PAC created by a corporation can still speak, for a PAC is a separate association from the corporation. Because speech is an essential mechanism of democracy—it is the means to hold officials accountable to the people—political speech must prevail against laws that would suppress it by design or inadvertence. Laws burdening such speech are subject to strict scrutiny, which requires the Government to prove that the restriction “furthers a compelling interest and is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.” WRTL, 551 U. S., at 464. This language provides a sufficient framework for protecting the interests in this case. Premised on mistrust of governmental power, the First Amendment stands against attempts to disfavor certain subjects or viewpoints or to distinguish among different speakers, which may be a means to control content. The Government may also commit a constitutional wrong when by law it identifies certain preferred speakers. There is no basis for the proposition that, in the political speech context, the Government may impose restrictions on certain disfavored speakers. Both history and logic lead to this conclusion. Pp. 20–25.

In light of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, it would seem bizarre but possible that federal courts would rule states hold power to dictate what are wrong considerations voters take under advisement in exercising their state-created liberty to vote, as courts consider proposition that political speech includes voters' liberty to put their money where their mouth is, without laws burdening free speech.

#

Wisconsin Democrats Try to Create New Constitutional Qualification to Vote without Amending State Constitution

2026-07-21T18:14:12.651-05:00

Democrats: Vote and Go to Jail; New Shite Show

Commentary

Madison, Wisconsin—Wisconsin Democrats in the Wisconsin Elections Commission have issued decree that Wisconsin law creates a new qualification to vote supplanting Wisconsin Constitution without amending the Wisconsin Constitution.

"With prediction markets and online gambling platforms growing in popularity, the Wisconsin
Elections Commission is warning voters: if you bet on an election - it could cost you your vote," reads a WEC press release.

No ambiguity there.

This new Constitutional qualification— no betting by Wisconsin residents on Wisconsin elections from anywhere— to vote is created by two statutes, (one in the criminal code; one a voter eligibility statute), says the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

WEC is reacting to the emergence of trading and prediction markets, Kalsi and Polymarket, that are legal under federal regulation as financial derivatives, and legal in many states.

This is the Gov Tony Evers (D) administration at work in Wisconsin where mostly Democrat, anti-gambling dogma is claimed to supplant the Wisconsin Constitution on Suffrage (voting).

At issue are two Wisconsin statutes, cited by WEC today:

Wisconsin Statute § 6.03(2) explicitly disqualifies electors from voting “in any election in which the person has made or become interested, directly or indirectly, in any bet or wager depending upon the result of the election.”
Wisconsin Statute § 12.13(1)(a) makes it a Class I felony to intentionally vote in an election without being qualified to do so.

Wisconsin statutes above as with any state law apply to acts committed within Wisconsin jurisdiction, within Wisconsin boundaries.

But not according to Wisconsin Elections Commission.

And not according to Ann Jacobs, former Wisconsin Election Chair and Democrat: "What you cannot do is bet there [in other states] and vote here."

The Wisconsin Elections Commission, remarkably, fails to address basic state law jurisdiction principles, and creation of new constitutional qualification to vote without amending the Constitution.

Jurisdiction

Since when does commitment of a legal act in one state, X, come within the adjudicative power of another state, Y?

I posed this question to WEC this morning:

[O]n the matter of jurisdiction, are not Wisconsin voters who are acting legally in other states by betting, beyond the reach of Wisconsin law, and contemplated criminal prosecution?

If I smoke pot in Chicago, have I acted beyond jurisdiction of Wisconsin law, and does smoking or betting in legal jurisdictions of sovereign states not carry any criminal taint into Wisconsin?

No reply.

I did get replies in social media from the former Wisconsin Elections Commission Chair, Ann Jacobs, speaking as a private citizen. Below are questions and answers:

What about betting in a different state such as Missouri, Ohio or Nevada where this betting is legal? Are you really claiming jurisdiction of Wisconsin law extends beyond Wisconsin into other states? Betting here, no. But betting beyond Wisconsin border, no problem, correct?
— Michael Leon (@mal644) July 21, 2026

According to Wisconsin Democrat orthodoxy, Wisconsin law now extends to acts committed outside its territorial borders.

And administrative fiat is now sufficient to create a new Constitutional qualification to vote without amending the Wisconsin Constitution.

Jacobs did not acknowledge basic jurisdictional principles, that is that betting in other states is activity beyond Wisconsin's territorial jurisdiction.

But, Jacobs finally acknowledged that "the [Wisconsin] act it applies to is not the betting occurring in another state," pretending Jacobs said this all along, (she did not, and is lying).

Then, in the next sentence Jacobs contradicted herself, saying, "What you cannot do is bet there and vote here."

Better than what the WEC is willing to acknowledge at least.

This is Wisconsin Democrats today.

— Ann Jacobs (@AnnJacobsMKE) July 21, 2026

Bottom line if you want to gamble on Wisconsin elections, go ahead, just do it in another state beyond the jurisdiction of Wisconsin law.

Whatever WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe says, you can bet heavily on elections outside Wisconsin and Democrat nannies cannot do a thing about it.

Below is WEC July 21 press release reproduced in full.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wisconsin Elections Commissioners
Don M. Millis, chair | Marge Bostelmann | Ann S. Jacobs | Carrie Riepl | Robert Spindell | Mark L. Thomsen
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Administrator
Meagan Wolfe
Wisconsin Elections Commission
201 West Washington Avenue | Second Floor | P.O. Box 7984 | Madison, WI 53707-7984
(608) 266-8005 | elections@wi.gov | elections.wi.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
July 21, 2026 Emilee Miklas, emilee.miklas@wisconsin.gov
Don’t Bet on Your Ballot: WEC Warns Voters Against
Election Gambling
MADISON – With prediction markets and online gambling platforms growing in popularity, the Wisconsin
Elections Commission is warning voters: if you bet on an election - it could cost you your vote.
“We want voters to understand that they cannot legally make a bet on an election and cast a ballot in that
same election,” WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe said. “We are not able to police someone placing a bet
on these platforms, but it’s important for voters to understand the consequences if they bet on an election
outcome.”
Wisconsin law is clear: a voter cannot, even indirectly, make a bet or wager on the outcome of an election
and then vote in that same election:
• Wisconsin Statute § 6.03(2) explicitly disqualifies electors from voting “in any election in which
the person has made or become interested, directly or indirectly, in any bet or wager depending upon
the result of the election.”
• Wisconsin Statute § 12.13(1)(a) makes it a Class I felony to intentionally vote in an election
without being qualified to do so.
Voters who place bets on elections and then try to vote in that election may be subject to voter qualification
administrative challenges, which, if successful, would prevent them from being able to cast their ballot and
could also result in a referral to the District Attorney.
Earlier this month, the bipartisan Commission unanimously voted and approved a memo during its July 9,
2026, meeting outlining legal ramifications and concerns about prediction markets and elections. You can
view the memo in the open session materials here (beginning on page 149).
Prediction markets, most prominently run by the companies Kalshi and Polymarket, have quickly emerged
and become popular across the United States. Users can trade and invest in “yes” or “no” outcomes, from
sporting events to what the President may do on a certain day.
Regulation of prediction markets has been a recent litigation topic at the state and federal levels.
There are currently no federal laws addressing prediction markets for elections, however the Stop Trading
On Predictions (STOP) Corrupt Bets Act of 2026 (H.R. 8123) which would ban prediction market bets on
elections has been introduced as a bill. The U.S. Senate also has banned its members and staff from
prediction market betting.
More than half of states (23) have laws that prohibit betting or wagering on elections, at least under certain
circumstances, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL).
Additionally, Governor Tony Evers signed Executive Order #294 to address the growing concern for
government officials’ use of prediction markets, which prohibits all Wisconsin state executive branch
employees from “disclosing or using any nonpublic information obtained due to their public service to
personally profit from, avoid loss from, or assist another person or entity, including spouses and family
members, in profiting or avoiding loss from participating in prediction markets.”
#

Wisconsin Dem Primary Race for Gov—Explosive Shite Show

2026-07-17T21:47:11.621-05:00

Establishment effort to rig Primary race appears doomed, sure to divide Democratic Party

Commentary

Madison, Wisconsin — Wisconsin Democrat establishment — off-center from grassroots voters — lost their rightest champ, Lt Gov Sara Rodriquez, who suspended her campaign for governor under a smokey ethical and legal cloud.

State Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), a young progressive, appears on the glidepath to the Democrat Party nomination for Wisconsin governor.

So, outgoing Wisconsin Gov Tony Evers will stay out of the race, and leave it to voters three weeks out from Aug 11 Election Day. Right?

Wrong.

Democrats Party bureaucrats and Zionist donors moved hard today for Zionist Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley's reentry into the race, following Sara Rodriquez' exit.

Wisconsin Democrats—Peace v Genocide

Early Friday, Crowley said, yes, to getting back in, setting off a race described in historical terms by Wisconsin political journalist, Bill McCoshen: "This is going to turn into a battle for the soul of the WI Dem party over the next 24 days."

This is going to turn into a battle for the soul of the WI Dem party over the next 24 days.
— Bill McCoshen (@BillMcCoshen11) July 17, 2026

The description is apt and recalls the anti-war movement here of the 1960s when the Wisconsin Peace Movement took over the Wisconsin Democratic Party in 1968, as a grassroots coalition of peace activists and college students propelled Minnesota Sen Eugene McCarthy to a massive upset victory over incumbent President Lyndon Johnson in the April 2 Democratic presidential primary.

Wisconsin Democrats are at a crossroads not seen since 1968
when the Peace Movement displaced pro-war old guard.

We are at a similar moment recalling the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the demands for peace by Wisconsin's delegates led by Donald Peterson, the Wisconsin state chair.

Those events led to a powerful anti-intervention force in Wisconsin politics lasting some 50 years.

Today, at issue is Genocide that has taken on prominence when establishment Democrats, Sara Rodriquez and David Crowley, earlier this month snubbed a voter forum at the last moment in Oak Creek organized by the Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance, after learning questions would include, "Do you agree with the overwhelming consensus among genocide experts that the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide?"

Reports John Nichols:

Why did Rodriguez and Crowley skip the forum? The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that they opted out 'after learning they would be asked about Israel's actions in Gaza and other controversial topics.' At issue were 'lightning round' questions that asked for yes/no responses to inquiries about, among other things, whether candidates thought the Israeli military assault on Gaza — which has cost the lives of more that 70,000 Palestinian men, women and children — was 'a genocide.'

Five candidates remain now: Frontrunner Francesca Hong, Mandela Barnes, Kelda Roys, Joel Brennan and David Crowley.

It's likely Evers and pro-Genocide Wisconsin Democrats will push to clear the field as much as possible following Crowley's reentry Saturday.

But noone knows how successful this effort will be this late in the game as animosities linger, and Wisconsin's population remains heavily anti-Genocide.

Writes Matt Henkel: "Roughly 70,000 Wisconsinites have already voted in the August primary. Theres a whole day lag to that number. By the time Crowley gets into the race I’m betting it’ll be 100,000. The math to pull this top-down Dem insider driven switchweroo is not even close to in their favor."

In 2018, when Gov Evers won a plurality with 41 percent of the vote, the Wisconsin Democratic Party Gubernatorial Primary results saw 538,857 total votes cast.

This means roughly 18 percent of the vote has been already cast today, and David Crowley can be expected to have garnered only a scattering.

So, Crowley will not win, and Evers and Party bureaucrats will have alienated and incensed 10,000s of well-organized Francesca Hong voters who already are hostile towards the Democrat establishment.

What is the Wisconsin Democrat Party thinking? They are not thinking, they are following orders to appease an aggressive and indecent Zionist wing.

To find out from whom, run the Sara Rodriquez and David Crowley big donors through Tracking AIPAC and Open Secrets, though arriving at figures is difficult in state elections.

The Democrat-establishment's attempted rigging reeks of desperation, and most observers who have gamed the effort through are scoffing at it.

Wisconsin Democrat Establishment Fav, Lt Gov Sara Rodriquez, Snubs Muslims

2026-07-12T12:42:11.540-05:00

Wisconsin Democrats reach absurdity not seen since fleeing
from a foul, vicious white rabbit (at left) of Monty Python
fame in 1975. White rabbit and other scary foes forced
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table to run away.
Governor's Race Features Democrat Bigotry Against Muslims

Commentary

Madison, Wisconsin— Wisconsin's Democrat establishment left no doubt how they feel about American Muslims at the July Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Oak Creek, hosted by the Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance.

Run away!

In my entire life in Wisconsin, I have not witnessed a more cowardly and vile act of bigotry from Wisconsin Democrats.

The vile is so bad, it's laughable.

This is a battle cry exclaimed with an absurd urgency rivaling Monty Python's King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table shouted as they fled a vicious white rabbit and anybody else perceived to be scary.

Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates, Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriquez led the retreat, with David Crowley, (Milwaukee County Executive), in tow, as both at the last moment rebuffed appearance in the Forum.

Crowley, who never garnered more than low single digits in statewide polls, resigned a few days after the event, and declared he has decided it's time for other candidates to rally around Rodriquez now that Crowley's campaign was rejected by voters, (WisPolitics).

"All the candidates should be looking really hard as far as what do they want to see as an outcome," Crowley intoned, (WisPolitics).

Reported the Muslim Civic Alliance, (WMCA) on the forum and its fleeing guests:

[Forum is] a chance for candidates to speak directly to a community of over 70,000 Wisconsin Muslims who have too often been an afterthought in state politics. While six candidates were scheduled to attend, two candidates cancelled shortly before the forum after receiving the list of 13 questions they would face. ...
Among our questions was a simple yes-or-no: Do you agree with the overwhelming consensus among genocide experts that the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide?" ...
The questions asked were meant to measure the candidates’ moral clarity as they seek to lead this state: on the atrocities and genocide in Gaza and whether or not they selectively seek to restrict First Amendment rights through Wisconsin’s IHRA and anti-BDS [Boycott-Divest-Sanction Israel] laws.

Media Coverage Light

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Molly Beck first reported on the Democrat snub of Wisconsin Muslims on July 9.

John Nichols followed with a first-rate piece on July 12 in the Madison daily, The Capital Times, defending Wisconsin's estimated 70,000 Muslims, and heavily criticizing Wisconsin Democrats.

Writes Nichols:

So, it was quite reasonable to presume that all of the Democratic contenders for governor of Wisconsin would be enthusiastic about showing up for the July 1 candidate forum organized by the Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance and Wisconsin Muslim Civic Foundation. But it didn’t work out that way. ...
A pair of Democratic contenders pulled out of last week’s forum after learning they would be asked about Israel's assault on Gaza and other controversial topics. Organizers of the forum complained, 'Two campaigns withdrew, rather than respond to our forum questions.' Those candidates were Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Crowley has since suspended his candidacy and endorsed Rodriguez, who remains very much in the running.
Why did Rodriguez and Crowley skip the forum? The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that they opted out 'after learning they would be asked about Israel's actions in Gaza and other controversial topics.' At issue were 'lightning round' questions that asked for yes/no responses to inquiries about, among other things, whether candidates thought the Israeli military assault on Gaza — which has cost the lives of more that 70,000 Palestinian men, women and children — was 'a genocide.'

Genocide Is Forbidden Topic Among Wisconsin Democrats

Anti-Muslim sentiment is a defining feature of the Wisconsin Democrat establishment funded with heavy Zionist money and unhinged Zionist mouthpieces such as Ann Jacobs.

Wisconsin Democrats parade their fear and hatred of Wisconsin's 70,000 Muslims, owing in part to this heavy Zionist blood money to the Democrats.

Still, in response, many Democrat politicos have gone silent, seeing who speaks up, though Democrat candidates being Democrat candidates still believe there is not a political price to be paid by their silence in this time of moral crisis with a madman in the White House funding israel with ungodly sums of money.

An educated guess who wins the Democratic Party nomination for Governor on August 11 sees State Rep Francesca Hong (D-Madison) running away with the Primary victory, or winning a close battle over Mandela Barnes, with Sara Rodriquez who has not moved the needle, to this bringing up the rear.

For campaign updates, see Bill McCoshen on X.
---
The Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance (WMCA) July 2, 2026 press release on the Wisconsin Democrat snub is republished below:

FRANKLIN, WI — On July 1, 2026, the Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance (WMCA) hosted a Gubernatorial Candidate Forum at the Oak Creek Performing Arts Center, a chance for candidates to speak directly to a community of over 70,000 Wisconsin Muslims who have too often been an afterthought in state politics. While six candidates were scheduled to attend, two candidates cancelled shortly before the forum after receiving the list of 13 questions they would face.

In the spirit of transparency and fairness, we shared the discussion topics earlier in the week and, on the day of the forum, provided every participating candidate with the complete list of questions. This ensured each candidate had an equal opportunity to prepare thoughtful, substantive responses. The forum featured six in-depth questions and seven lightning-round questions (yes or no), covering issues ranging from IHRA and Gaza and independent redistricting. Despite this level of transparency, two candidates chose to withdraw. We were deeply disappointed that Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley withdrew just hours before the forum, while Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez withdrew after the forum had already begun.

Among our questions was a simple yes-or-no: Do you agree with the overwhelming consensus among genocide experts that the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide?

This question came directly from the Wisconsin Muslim community. The results of many listening sessions with our community are unambiguous: Wisconsin Muslims are not a monolith on most issues; we hold a wide range of views on economic policy, education, criminal justice, and more. But on this issue, our community speaks with a single voice. What is happening in Gaza is a genocide, and our community expects its elected leaders to say so plainly. WMCA exists to serve as the vehicle to ensure our community gets answers and accountability on core issues. The questions asked were meant to measure the candidates’ moral clarity as they seek to lead this state: on the atrocities and genocide in Gaza and whether or not they selectively seek to restrict First Amendment rights through Wisconsin’s IHRA and anti-BDS laws.

Two campaigns withdrew, rather than respond to our forum questions. On the lightning-round issues, our community has not asked for round-about responses, but clear positions. However, we generously offered two minutes at the end of the lightning round questions for candidates to make any clarifications.

Some campaigns have since offered private meetings in place of the public forum. Private meetings are not a substitute for public forums. Our community deserves the dignity and respect of having the questions that matter to us answered to gain our votes, in public and on the record. We cannot always have a curated version delivered behind closed doors to a select audience. Nonetheless, WMCA is still open to engage in dialogue with the two candidates who did not attend and hear their perspective as we continue to advocate on behalf of the community.

Time and time again, we have witnessed attempts to silence the Muslim community. Silencing our community or evading discourse about issues like the genocide has serious impacts and is the backbone of the Trump Administration’s fight to suppress, detain, and deport our community members, building precedents for broad-based suppression. This is relevant for the state as a major Wisconsin leader, Salah Sarsour, is still fighting deportation proceedings as retaliation for his free speech against the atrocities in Palestine.

Wisconsin Muslims have been an integral part of the state for generations and have demonstrated themselves as a powerful voting bloc. We are organized, engaged, and deeply connected to allied communities. We are proud members of coalitions that span racial, ethnic, and faith communities across the state. Several questions came directly from coalitions that WMCA are part of, from independent redistricting, to 287(g) agreements and even data center accountability.

The Wisconsin Muslim community will always ask direct questions because that is who we are and have always been. We will always stand up for justice because that is what our faith demands of us.
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McCarthyism Comes Back to Wisconsin, Dem Primary Race for Governor Goes Rancid

2026-07-03T11:01:28.262-05:00

Wisconsin Sen. Joe McCarthy (R) led a national descent
into madness as the infamous 'Red Scare' champ lied and
defamed his way into the leading anti-communist, ruining
lives and families along the way. McCarthy-lite is the
order now-a-days, as anti-Semitism charges are thrown
about like fireworks and confetti by inheritors of this
putrid man who stood for nihilism and lies as values.
Democrat-launched Slurs Do 'Gunner Joe' Proud, to Wisconsin's Shame

Commentary

Madison, Wisconsin—Wisconsin's political class has been clamoring for a split among Wisconsinites in the race for the Democratic Party nomination for governor.

They got their wish.

Zionist liberals in the Wisconsin media and allied candidates share a desperation to keep Wisconsin State Rep. Francesca Hong from running away with the Democratic Primary.

War, genocide and a shaky economy see an emergence of pro-working class, anti-war candidates across the nation whom corporatist liberals are working to stop.

Corporate and establishment Democrats falsely accuse candidates such as Francesca Hong of virtually everything, as Party establishments continues to alienate the working class, right as progressive strategists point to new data showing workers overwhelmingly support progressive economic policies—including raising the minimum wage, expanding Medicare, and higher taxes on corporations.

Faux Scandal

Now, corporatists have discovered what they believe is a campaign sandal involving Francesca Hong: Nothing Hong has said or done, rather Hong's public appearance with a social media streamer/content creator named Hasan Piker on social media sites, Twitch, and Youtube, is is the asserted scandal.

Nothing Hong has said or done on Piker's show either. Just hostility towards the mere fact of Hong's appearance with Hasan Piker is presented as scandalous, because bad-faith effort to silence legitimate anti-Zionist dissent and progressive policy advocacy for working class Americans.

The issue is Piker is a critic of Genocide, torture, slaughter of children and rape by israel in the occupied territories, among Piker's other moral condemnation of atrocities, such as war; bombing girls' schools, so on, therefor Francesca Hong must be held to account for each and every statement, formulation of statement and others' intentional misrepresentations of statements Hasan Piker has ever made on social media, including all slurs and lies that 'critics' have hurled towards Piker for appearing on a live-stream show with a Piker.

Piker has also mads statements echoing U.S. intelligence on the danger of blow-back when various geniuses in the White House decide to start a war or three.

Who is running for Wisconsin governor: Piker or Hong?

It's the way it is now. Hong even appeared on another social media show in late June.

The Wisconsin State Journal republished the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's absurd hit piece on Hong, (authored by Hope Karnopp and Molly Beck) though most of the piece is about Piker who is defamed, and then falsely presented as having relevancy to Wisconsin's gubernatorial campaign, in a display of third-rate McCarthyism by Wisconsin's two largest dailies.

Hong's social media appearance is presented by Journal-Sentinel's Karnopp and Beck as somehow defining Hong, and uses the polemical device, 'critics call,' 'critics have called,' (references to Piker), as a method to portray this dishonest hit piece on Piker and Hong as objective reporting.

Hope Karnopp, Molly Beck and most corporate 'journalists,' including Wisconsin State Journal editors, are just shoveling slop, lies and misrepresentations.

And Karnopp and Beck know fully well what they're doing.

Karnopp's colleague, Molly Beck, at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ran an even more absurd piece on the governor's race in the Spring featuring a Trump flunky, Tom Tiffany claiming Francesca Hong is a Satanist who wore a hat bearing the mark of the devil—three sixes. Sincerely.

Molly Beck ran the absurdity as a he-said, she-said piece, not bothering to report the lack of evidence of satanism, the falsity of what Republicans said, the utter ridiculousness of the charge, or the fact that the Republican attack is not true.

This is what passes for modern journalism.

If you subscribe to Wisconsin State Journal and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, dump the trash.

Hong campaign opponents, David Crowley and Kelda Roys, facing little pathway to the nomination on Aug 11, issued critical statements that this writer will not bother posting here because of the pure inanity of the comment; see Heartland Post.

Ann Jacobs, Political Mania

Meanwhile, the unhinged Ann Jacobs, former Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) Commissioner, and a supporter of David Crowley, blasted Francesca Hong in a fit of Hypomania and falsehoods, calling for banning of speech and speakers such as Piker whom Jacobs views as hateful for opposing Genocide.

Reports Urban Milwaukee on Jacobs' incoherent and defamatory rant:

[Jacobs] tweeted that Hong was "willing to sell out the Jews of Wisconsin for a few bucks."

"Why are those people you want to be in conversation with? Is it just for the money? You’re willing to sell out the Jews of Wisconsin so that you can raise money? That’s disturbing," said Jacobs, who also co-chairs the Jewish Caucus of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.

"I don’t think we should tolerate all forms of opinions," Jacobs added. "I don’t think that we should tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all these other hate groups that are rampant right now on social media."

Jacobs reposted on X, posts by David Crowley and Molly Beck.

In the political atmosphere today, anyone objecting to israel-committed Genocide, slaughter of children and rape are asserted to be per force anti-Semites.

Absurd, but the McCarthyite defamation helps the Democrat Party to smash candidates who stand with working class families, always a frightening prospect for the Democratic Party establishment.

History repeats.

McCarthyism

In the 1940-50s, Truman, Democrats and Joe McCarthy ushered in an era of suppression, working to squash labor-led effort to help out working class folk, as McCarthyism ruined lives to counter the "energizing effect of the war and the depression in mobilizing the population, and causing them to challenge the- to reveal the mysteries of government, and do all these bad things," noted Noam Chomsky, (Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. Delivered at University of Wisconsin – Madison, March 15, 1989). ... "Wars, depressions, and such things, they have a way of arousing people from apathy, and making them think, and sometimes even organize."

Progressives and working-class advocates thinking, organizing and running for office have caused Democrats to veer into political hysterics.

As Trump, delving into lunacy extreme even for him. declares prominent politicians opposing him as a 'communist' and 'anti-Semitic' and 'terrorist,' those who either have lived through McCarthyism or are students of the political mania, see history repeated in many Democrats and media propaganda led by the Wisconsin State Journal and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

McCarthyism is alive and well in Wisconsin, though the conventional slur today is anti-Semite, not communist, unless you're the president.
---
Top candidates for the 2026 Democratic Party nominee for Wisconsin governor include: Mandela Barnes (the top Zionist), Francesca Hong, Sara Rodriguez, David Crowley, and Kelda Roys.

Election Day is August 11.
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Francesca Hong Could Change Socialism in Wisconsin and America
See video below:

Wisconsin Early Voting Gets Surprise Boost from Ballot Mail-in Case, Watson v RNC

2026-06-29T21:57:13.238-05:00

Molly McGrath (left), a voting rights attorney with the ACLU,
works with Madison residents to get IDs they need to vote under
Wisconsin’s strict voter-ID law. Early voting efforts by election
clerks in metro voting districts increased voter turnout following
a pro-voting rights win in federal district court in One Wisconsin
Institute v. Thomsen (2016) that swept away Wisconsin Republican
voter-obstruction legislation. Today, early voting received another
boost from the U.S. Supreme Court in the election law case that
rejected Republicans' legal theory that federal law requires
states to reject absentee ballots received after election day. Early
voting was not at issue in Watson v Republican National Committee,
and came up in oral arguments in March 13, 2016.
(Photo courtesy of Molly McGrath)
Republican Legal Theory Limiting Voting Is Rejected by U.S. Supreme Court

MADISON, WIS. — A major front in Trump's war against voting was dealt a 5-4 defeat Monday in the closely watched election law case, Watson v. Republican National Committee.

The U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion is authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and brought together Chief Justice John Roberts and the Court's three liberal justices.

Trump, the U.S. DoJ and national and state Republicans had decided states should only count mail-in ballots received on or before Election Day, federal law requires states to reject absentee ballots received after election day. Both propositions were rejected.

Republicans challenged a Mississippi statute that allows ballots postmarked by Election Day.

Mississippi is one of roughly 30 States that count some absentee ballots mailed by election day but received afterward, Barrett noted.

Republican Legal Theory Rejected

The Republican position is soundly rejected in Watson v. Republican National Committee, in which Justice Barrett concludes, "The question today is not whether requiring ballots to be received by election day is a good or bad idea; the question is whether the idea has made its way into the United States Code."

Early Voting Gets Explicitly Affirmed

Early voting efforts, especially in Wisconsin that has substantially utilized early voting efforts by election clerks in metro voting districts the last eight years, were given an unexpected affirmation by Watson v. Republican National Committee, after years of state partisan battle with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, (2011-19).

The issue of early voting is not of issue in Watson, but arose in oral arguments and in briefing, in which litigants and the Court argued whether federal election-day statutes prevent states from counting mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day, but arrive up to five days later, as in Mississippi.

In oral arguments justices frequently push lawyers to apply their legal theories to hypothetical situations. Both the Republican National Committee and U.S. Department of Justice attorneys agreed in oral arguments federal election-day statutes permit early voting, Barrett pointed out.

Paul D. Clement, Alexandria, Va.; and D. John Sauer, Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae) argued the RNC's case at oral arguments as respondents.

Early Voting in Wisconsin

In federal district court in One Wisconsin Institute v. Thomsen (2016) a landmark voting rights win swept away much Wisconsin Republican voter-obstruction legislation, 2013 Wisconsin Act 146, that included curtailing in-person absentee voting, early voting, aimed at minorities in Madison and Milwaukee.

In One Wisconsin Institute v. Thomsen, (2016), U.S. District Judge James Peterson writes:

Plaintiffs (voting rights advocates) have adduced evidence that weekend and evening voting is particularly important for socioeconomically disadvantaged voters, and that, in Wisconsin and nationwide, African American and Latino voters have made particularly good use of various forms of early voting.
Early voting in groups on Sundays—including church-supported “Souls to the Polls” efforts—is a widespread practice among African American voters, in Wisconsin and nationwide.
But again, a disparate impact, without more, does not prove intentional discrimination.
But plaintiffs have more. Statements by legislators show that Act 146 reduced the hours allowed for in-person absentee voting specifically to curtail voting in Milwaukee, and, secondarily, in Madison. [State] Senator Grothman made repeated statements objecting to the extended hours for in-person absentee voting in Milwaukee and Madison, indicating that hours for voting needed to be “reined in.” On the floor of the senate, he said, “I want to nip this in the bud before too many other cities get on board.”
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald made similar comments. As he put it, “But the question of where this is coming from and why are we doing this and why are we trying to disenfranchise people, I mean, I say it's because the people I represent in the 13th district continue to ask me, ‘What is going on in Milwaukee?’ ...
The legislature's ultimate objective was political: Republicans sought to maintain control of the state government. But the methods that the legislature chose to achieve that result involved suppressing the votes of Milwaukee's residents, who are disproportionately African American and Latino. The legislature did not act out of pure racial animus; rather, suppressing the votes of reliably Democratic minority voters in Milwaukee was a means to achieve its political objective. But that, too, constitutes race discrimination.

Many Wisconsin cities did get on board promoting early voting in response to the District Court's 2016 evisceration of 2013 Wisconsin Act 146.

Now, the U.S. Supreme Court has given One Wisconsin Institute v. Thomsen precedent protection in a case that will control expected Republican legal and state counter offensives.

Notes Jacob Knutson on early voting in Watson v. Republican National Committee in Democracy Docket:

In the case, [Watson] the RNC argued that Mississippi’s law offering a grace period for late-arriving ballots mailed by Election Day violated the election-day statutes: a set of federal laws that designate 'the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November… as the day for the election' for federal elections. ...

[T]he Court disagreed, ruling that the states 'do not set a deadline for ballot receipt' and therefore 'do not prevent Mississippi from counting ballots postmarked after election day yet received afterward.'

Barrett added that if the Court adopted the RNC’s legal theory in the case, 'early voting would also be at risk.'

'At bottom, plaintiffs’ theory is that because we are governed by 19th-century election-day laws, we are also governed by 19th-century voting practices,' she wrote.

Going further, Barrett warned that, 'Carried to its logical conclusion, this theory would call into question the way modern elections work.'

Barrett noted in the opinion that the RNC and Department of Justice (DOJ) — which joined the RNC in challenging Mississippi’s law — both agreed in oral arguments earlier this year that the election-day statutes permit early voting.

'Although the election-day statutes refer to a particular ‘day’ for the election, plaintiffs do not contend that everything must occur on that day,' Barrett wrote. 'For instance, they do not object to early voting or dispute that officials may count votes and certify a winner after election day."

Though he dissented from the Court’s decision on late-arriving mail ballots, Justice Samuel Alito agreed with the majority that the election-day statutes permit early voting.

Thus, we see a Supreme Court voting rights case deciding the issue presented—affirming states can allow one class of voters to be counted, those whose absentee ballots arrive after Election Day while being postmarked by Election Day—and explicitly protecting a different class of absentee voters, early voters, after discussion in oral arguments.

There will a reckoning from Republicans in Wisconsin, and across the nation.

Republicans Eye Social Security Phase-out, Seek to Gut Earned Income Program

2026-06-15T14:16:58.855-05:00

Republicans' Warrant to Destroy Security Security, SSA Trustees Are Trump Loyalists

Commentary

Scariest fourteen words in politics are: I'm from the Republican Party and I'm here to save Social Security and Medicare.

Republicans have for decades expressed desire to phase out Medicare and Social Security, and call it, entitlement reform, (Krugman, New York Times) (Krugman, New York Times).

Now, Republicans are squealing, again as they have for many years, they want to save Social Security. They call it reform again.

Writes Paul Krugman in June:

Whatever you may have heard, Social Security isn’t in danger of going bankrupt.
What we’re facing, instead, is potential political crisis. Congress and the White House could easily take action to sustain America’s retirement system. But given the current state of our politics, there’s no guarantee that they will. ...
So don’t believe Republicans’ gaslighting that it will be necessary to cut Social Security benefits. All that is necessary to preserve Social Security is political will to raise taxes on the wealthy and a sensible immigration policy.

Today, "Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) call for Republicans to act on Social Security reform if they keep control of Congress in 2027 is getting pushback from Senate Republicans who warn it’s a bad political message heading into November."

"Yet, a trustees’ report that the popular retirement program will become insolvent sooner than expected has lit a fire under lawmakers in both parties to call for reforms such as raising the cap on payroll taxes, 'means testing' beneficiaries, raising the retirement age, and creating personal accounts to invest in the stock markets," reports Alexander Bolton.

First, the Social Security trustees are all Trump loyalists, extremists who will follow any and all of Trump's dictates.

Trump and Republican-led Congress are intentionally trying to bleed and starve the Social Security Trust Funds, and then tell you they have no choice but to gut the most popular earned-income, social program in history.

It's like choking and starving someone to use a sick metaphor, and then declaring this person is unsustainable, insolvent and cannot live, so sorry.

From the Social Security Administration:

The Board of Trustees is comprised of four members who serve by virtue of their positions with the federal government: Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury and Managing Trustee; Frank J. Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services; and Keith E. Sonderling, Acting Secretary of Labor. The two public trustee positions are currently vacant.

Means testing means the government will investigate all of your assets and determine whether you get benefits from Social Security system that you paid into all of your life.

Implementing means testing would usher in a radical, new attack on the Social Security system.

Republicans also advocate raising the retirement age before you can accept Social Security benefits.

Corporate media remains a hostile force against Social Security.

By law, Social Security has its own dedicated revenue streams (payroll taxes) and legally distinct trust funds from the U.S. Treasury.

Any politician, such as Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) who says we need to cut Social Security benefits, which has funded the rest of government spending for decades, is lying.

"The argument being used to cut Social Security is that because we have a significant deficit problem and a $14 trillion national debt, [in 2011] we just can’t afford to maintain Social Security benefits. This argument is false. Social Security, because it is funded by the payroll tax, not the U.S. Treasury, has not contributed one nickel to our deficit," warned Bernie Sanders back in 2011. "In fact, according to a very recent study by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Social Security has a $2.5 trillion dollar surplus and can pay out every penny owed to every eligible American for the next 27 years until 2038."

As Paul Krugman noted in 2015, "[N]o, Social Security does not face a financial crisis; its long-term funding shortfall could easily be closed with modest increases in revenue." (New York Times)

But our money is looked upon as potential windfalls by predatory Wall Street, and the media corporations who do Wall Street's bidding, want our money, your money.

Republicans surveilling your money should frighten the hell out of you.

I have no idea if Democrats are up to the challenge of stopping the Republicans.

Wisconsin Gov Primary—Mandela Barnes Took $250,000-plus from Israel Lobby in 2022

2026-05-30T09:06:33.659-05:00

Mandela Barnes accepted $251,415 from the Israel Lobby
as the 2022 Democratic Party nominee for U.S. Senate.
Barnes is a candidate for the 2026 Democratic Party
nomination for governor. Election Day is Aug 11.
Barnes' 2022 campaign gifts are tracked by Open Secrets.
Israel Lobby Gifted Barnes Campaign in 2022 Senate Run, Will Doom Electability as Pro-Genocide Blood Money Shows Character Problem

Commentary

Madison, Wisconsin—The campaign for the Democratic nominee for Wisconsin governor is off and running.

Mandela Barnes, whose supporters are dropping dishonest 'electabililty-concern' social media posts about Barnes' opponents, has taken to dead silence when asked about his accepting $251,415 from the Israel Lobby as 2022 Democratic Party nominee for U.S. Senate, (see Open Secrets).

During the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Wisconsin, Mandela Barnes was gifted substantial pro-Israel money from Zionist donors and conduits.

Barnes explicitly declared in 2022, "It's important that Israel remains a strong ally and a strong partner in the Middle East," in June 2022, just before absentee voting began, as reported in Jewish Insider as Barnes sought to highlight his pro-Zionist commitment.

Barnes told the Jewish Democratic Council of America forum in June 2022 that he opposes the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS) that seeks to highlight and stop Israeli human rights atrocities, (Washington Free Beacon).

The Mandela Barnes campaign is a top U.S. Senate candidate recipient of pro-Israel money during the 2022 federal elections.

Barnes has paid lip service to Wisconsin's peace movement, but has run from associations with anti-Genocide groups, (Washington Free Beacon).

But Israel-committed Genocide, Israel-sanctioned rape, torture and massacres of children play less well among the Democrat-voting electorate in 2026, and appears to be determinative in Michigan primaries to be held in early August, signaling a similar campaign dynamic in Wisconsin.

Top candidates for the 2026 Democratic Party nominee for Wisconsin governor include: Mandela Barnes, Francesca Hong, Sara Rodriguez, David Crowley, Kelda Roys and Missy Hughes. See analyses at Bill McCoshen in Dairyland Sentinel.

Barnes campaign was contacted by email asking:

What is your comment on accepting $251,415 from the Israel Lobby as 2022 Democratic Party nominee for U.S. Senate?

Do you renounce this blood money?

As of Saturday, no comment from Barnes has been received.

Absentee voting for the Wisconsin Aug 11 elections begins June 26.

Memorial Day Weekend—2026

2026-05-22T07:51:12.297-05:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Fitchburg, Wisconsin—Memorial Day weekend begins today and we honor the fallen, the families, and make sense of sacrifice by keeping faith with revolutionary spirit.

This Summer we mark our 250th anniversary as a country and a promise of eternal hostility toward oppression.

We betray the fallen if we fail to speak out against the demonic beasts among us.

Our country is betraying the service of all by becoming a vassal state of Israel.

Our government has become Israel-first, fighting wars and draining our common treasure for the focus of evil in the world.

Today, right here, now, we must resist the enemies and traitors is our midst.

Israel must die, so humanity can live.

Democrats Need to Learn How to Speak about Liberty

2026-05-18T11:03:57.093-05:00

Commentary

Fitchburg, Wisconsin—Wrote a piece eight years ago on voting rights work by city of Madison, Wisconsin, (In These Times).

Imagine a municipality affirmatively advancing the personal liberty of voting, a fundamental Constitutional right. That's what Madison, and other Wisconsin municipalities did.

But I had trouble getting a decent quote from Madison, and had to settle for Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl's statement. "Our goal is for each eligible voter to be able to cast a ballot and have that ballot counted."

Witzel-Behl's statement is bureaucratic, almost defensive, and neither mentions or shows explicit reverence to people's personal liberty to vote. Typical Democrat. No values, no understanding of what voting means as a liberty.

Liberty is ours, and Democrats don't get that.

That's because Witzel-Behl and virtually every Wisconsin Democrat in office do not believe in our foundational liberty of voting in Wisconsin, under Article III, Suffrage, Wisconsin Constitution. Democrats are little more than victims from multi-front attacks on cherished liberties.

And federally, with a few exceptions, national Democrats are not much better. See Democracy Docket for an example of how to talk about and litigate liberty.

If Democrats want to establish a political culture defending and advocating for Constitutionally guaranteed liberties such as voting rights, they have failed—a dangerous defect when judicial supremacy reigns under a Republican judicial assault against liberty led by Republican partisans on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Civil Rights Movement

Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Civil Rights Marchers with
"I Am A Man" Signs, 1968—Image Bettmann/CORBIS
Zinn Education Project

The 1950s-60s-70s succeeded culturally, legislatively and in federal court because grassroots Americans and citizen groups presented clear, moral and constitutionally grounded arguments for liberty, equality and the promise of America.

No DEI, no politically correct, scolding semantics, no identity-politics polemics that today seeks to foist and instruct a flight from reason onto the grassroots whose duty is perceived as mindless compliance.

Voting is your liberty, voting is your right. Anybody tries to stop you has to answer to us. That' needs to be the political message. This commitment and political statement is something we rarely get from Democrats.

The current assault on voting ofcourse is a long project of Republicans.

Wisconsin 2008 Voter Obstruction Effort

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and the Republican Party leveled their guns to obstruct voting rights on Wisconsin in 2008, lest too many of the wrong type of voters showed up for Obama.

Trump is attempting to replicate what Van Hollen wanted.

See Van Hollen's and the GOP 2008 efforts at voter suppression in which Van Hollen's ridiculous effort was tossed out of court.

In the 2008 case, (J B Van Hollen vs. Government Accountability Board (GAB) et al) Van Hollen tried to create a new Wisconsin constitutional qualification to vote by fiat: A perfect match of spelling of voters' names in state bureaucracies, after first secretly assuring fellow Republicans he would commence this frivolous legal action at the 2008 Republican National Convention held in Minneapolis, as first reported by WisPolitics in a scoop that includes audio.

Several former judges serving on the state Elections Board would have failed Van Hollen's new constitutional standard proposed in 2008, as this GOP effort drew wide ridicule and defeat in court.

"Nothing in state or federal law requires that there be a data match as a prerequisite for a citizen's right to vote," Judge Maryann Sumi said in dismissing Van Hollen's lawsuit that tried to use the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) as a voter suppression tool.

Today, Trump is attempting his similar anti-voting project by trying to nationalize state-administered elections. Trump is trying to create federal bureaucratic lists of state voters, and appointing his administration as the sole deciders who determine who gets to vote, based on bureaucratic and documentary exact matches of voters' names with mandated new documentation.

Elected Democrats need to comprehend and explain what Trump and Republicans are up to: Creation of anti-voting federal bureaucracies, unconstitutional bureaucracies, and simply speak out in clear terms: Don't fuck with voters.

I have my doubts Democrats' are equipped to stand with voters.

Wisconsin Gov. Evers' Political Grift on Commutations Aped by Media

2026-04-05T13:16:00.006-05:00

Commentary

"I hate injustice. I guess that's about the only thing I really do hate."
Ben Shahn, anti-fascist artist, (1898–1969).

Madison, Wisconsin — It's Easter 2026 and Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wisconsin) days earlier emitted typically deceitful posturing on executive clemency under the Wisconsin Constitution—pardons, (grants of forgiveness restoring civil rights); sentence commutations (roughly, shortening a sentence), and reprieves.

Last week, Evers penned two new April 2026 executive orders pertaining to Wisconsin commutations: Gov. Evers Executive Order #287: Relating to the Creation of the Governor's Commutation Advisory Board; April 3, 2026; Gov. Evers Executive Order #288: Relating to the Creation of a Juvenile Life Sentence Commutation Process — April 3, 2026, some nine months after Evers' second term expires.

Evers' executive orders are misleading, as what passes for Wisconsin press misreports the legal power of executive orders and advisory boards (no legal power) vis a vis executive clemency in Wisconsin.

This matters because wrongfully convicted in Wisconsin's corrupt criminal justice system—from Steven Avery, Penny Brummer to Brendan Dassey—are studiously avoided and deflected away by Tony Evers who infamously (at least among some circles) denied Dassey's 2019 pardon petition, falsely claiming an advisory board prohibited Evers from granting a pardon or commutation.

Commutations are only now available and restored after 25 years of not being available, falsely reports Evers' personal scribe, Frank Zefall in the Wisconsin Examiner, See, "Gov. Evers announces commutations will be available in Wisconsin."

My god, what is wrong with Zefall? Do he not research his topic?

Commutations have never in Wisconsin history been unavailable, there is no need to restore commutations as executive clemency which includes commutations remains an unchanged and exclusive Constitutional power of the Wisconsin governor.

See, for example, Donald Leo Bach's work in the Wisconsin Lawyer, or better yet, read Article V, Section 6 of the Wisconsin Constitution.

Facts and Analysis on Commutation

Evers' predecessor, Gov. Scott Walker, refused to use his power of executive clemency and granted zero criminal sentence commutations, zero pardons and reprieves, in accordance with Walker's political commitments and wishes.

Gov. Tony Evers uses his power of executive clemency, but has granted zero sentence commutations, in accordance with Evers' political commitments protecting a corrupt criminal justice system, and blocking out even comment on wrongful convictions, much less commutations and pardons.

Wisconsin Democrats do love their corrupt criminal justice system.

Advisory boards do not change Wisconsin governors' Constitutional power, but as in Evers' administration, advisory boards can serve as shields to protect political acts of cowardice and dishonesty on the part of the governor.

Evers has pardoned only those who have served full sentences-plus five years.

On commutations, Evers is aligned with Scott Walker, as both Walker and Evers granted zero commutations.

Zero commutations differentiates Evers and Walker from Govs. Dreyfus, Earl and Thompson who together commuted 46 sentences between 1979-2001.

I will never fathom the mania behind Wisconsin Democrats like Evers to posture and mislead.

Why did Evers set up his pardon regime in which applicants must wait years after serving a sentence, while simultaneously also refusing commutations?

Evers is offering political protection to the criminal justice system and law enforcement as he accepts as fact the system's findings, convictions and criminal sentencing. Evers effectively covers up for criminal justice system misconduct.

This, even as he attempts to accrue the political benefits of compassion that attend to an altogether weak and passive pardon and commutation regime that again has no force in law.

Not once has Evers called into question dishonest cops, crooked prosecutors, or intellectually dishonest judges.

Evers could stand up against small-town injustice, police corruption and the likes of Ken Kratz, the disgraced and manifestly unreliable prosecutor of wrongfully convicted Brendan Dassey and Steven Avery, of Making a Murderer, (Netflix, Inc), as well as myriad other cases of injustice.

Tony Evers owes no more fealty to the Wisconsin Judiciary and the criminal justice system than he does to the findings and integrity of the state legislature.

Again, commutation and pardon advisory boards and guidelines have no more force in law than if Evers consulted Tarot cards or astrology. It's just cover.

And it takes an obvious misstatement of fact about the governors' unchallenged executive clemency power to cover up Evers' cowardice.

Evers is offering political protection to the criminal justice system as he implicitly accepts as fact the system's findings, convictions and criminal sentencing choosing finality over truth.

As a member of Brendan Dassey's post-conviction defense team, former U.S. Solicitor General, Seth Waxman, said in Oct 2019 in Madison, "I have never had a case that has troubled me more than this case, that has kept me awake at night, that makes me anxious and sad. And that's because I know that Brendan Dassey is innocent."

Tony Evers does not care, and he lies and misleads to hide this fact.

Democrats, Zionism Target Liberty in Wisconsin

2026-03-30T08:49:00.002-05:00

Over 850 people hit the streets in Ashland, Wisconsin
No Kings march. (Image from Ros Nelson, Facebook).

Democrats Give Up Ship to Zionists

Commentary

Madison, Wisconsin — Wisconsin remains peace-and-liberty-minded. Peace movement flourishes here as exemplified in No Kings protests across the state last Saturday, seeing Jewish Voice for Peace and Vets for Peace folk, for example, as well as 1,000s of anti-ICE folks.

But elected Wisconsin Democrats in the state Capitol and Congress don't get the message of the people.

In fact, Wisconsin Democrat politicians reject peace-and-liberty commitments of the people whom they represent, and Zionist work abounds among elected officials.

Wisconsin Democrat Pols Equal Zionists

The day before the No Kings demonstrations, Gov Tony Evers (D) signed into law Zionist-pushed legislation, (Assembly Bill 446; 2025 Wisconsin Act 143).

The Zionist Act adapts absurd political definitions of anti-Semitism to further anti-liberty, thought-control purposes of aiding criminal sanction, codifying Zionist tenets, right as Zionist movement commits Genocide and annexes land, ala Nazi Germany, South Africa, and other totalitarian movements, (Wisconsin Examiner; The Capital Times; The Progressive Magazine).

The anti-Semitism definitions were adopted by the ironically self-defined International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, a project advocating punitive criminal sanction worldwide for voicing thought at variance with Apartheid-Zionist thought.

For example, the anti-Semitism definition would bring criminal sanction for, "drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis," (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance), if a legal claim is made of discrimination, or prejudicial action.

Some 37 states adopt some manner of Zionist thought control, as countries across the Western world even criminalize slogans calling for peace and human rights.

In practice, the new Zionist codification of alleged hate speech would empower Wisconsin municipalities' police, for example, to walk up to a citizen holding a sign condemning Israeli Apartheid, or torture, or rape, or Genocide, write a citation for disorderly conduct or some other bullshit municipal ticket, then under color of, and with aid of anti-Semitism statute, pursue hate-crime enhancer charges.

Notes Howard Schweber, UW-Madison First Amendment scholar, "But they’re [Wisconsin speech-code advocates] saying in all the contexts in which we already have laws that … target racist or prejudicial actions, where the claim is that the action is anti-Semitic, this is the definition we’ll use to test that claim," (Jacobs, The Capital Times).

And the hell with the First Amendment. Wisconsin already has a hate crime statute on the books.

In Wisconsin, municipal citations are first litigated in municipal courts, kangaroo courts in which Due Process rights are virtually non-existent. [See an illustration of mass politically motivated police actions and adjudication in action when 1,000s of citations from 2011-12 at the Wisconsin Capitol were written for singing or walking by and listening during anti-Gov. Scott Walker thought actions. All citations, after years of litigation, were thrown out and found violative of the First Amendment.]

All criminal prosecutions of lawful speech require is a dishonest cop and a crooked district attorney. As a lifelong Wisconsinite, I can assure such people exist.

Zionist work is about crushing dissent and liberty, just as Gov Scott Walker did.

UW-Madison Takes Aim at Anti-Genocide Student Government

The University of Wisconsin at Madison last week officially condemned a student government resolution advocating a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions action against the Apartheid entity of Israel.

Reports the Badger Herald daily student newspaper:

"The University of Wisconsin said Wednesday that it is disappointed with the passage of an Associated Students of Madison (ASM) resolution, according to a UW press release. The resolution issued a number of flawed, unrelated and illegal demands, according to the press release."

The ASM resolution, introduced by Students for Justice in Palestine, calls for the Universities of Wisconsin to divest from BlackRock index funds, which contain holdings in weapons manufacturers that supply weapons and military technology to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan and the Israeli Defense Force, according to the resolution."

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D)

Tammy Baldwin offers her Zionist perspective on a recent PBS Wisconsin interview, by omitting mention of Israel altogether in her discussion of the Israeli-U.S. war against Iran.

Sen Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) leads
the Wisconsin congressional delegation in
accepting Israel Lobby funds. Baldwin is a
reliable vote for the Israeli Lobby, and is
known as calculating and mealy-mouthed.

This apes a recent trend in which writers absurdly minimize or obscure Israeli involvement in the Israeli-U.S. war against Iran, (Foreign Policy; Jewish Currents; CounterPunch; ScheerReport).

Iran War? Who? Israel?

From social media, to columns in weekly newspapers such as the Mount Horeb Mail, Baldwin takes the Zionist line on anti-Semitism and Israeli wars. [Full disclosure. I wrote in a reply to Baldwin's PBS Wisconsin interview: "Typical Baldwin. Not one word about Israel (Baldwin took $700,000 from Israel Lobby), national security state, a moral assessment. Baldwin was vacuous and clueless. How can you address the Israeli-U.S. War against Iran, and not mention Israel?"]

Meanwhile, fellow Zionists in Congress such as Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla) work with the police to target anti-Zionist thought, lest the American people put a stop to American support for the Zionist entity, Israel.

In Miami Beach, police visit the homes of those citizens who dare voice disapproval of Israel.

The aim is intimidation. Now, one woman is suing.

Wasserman Schultz and similarly-minded Zionists will not stop.

As antisemitism rises, I helped coordinate local law enforcement and Jewish leaders to keep our communities safe.

We need to come together and fight hate in all forms. pic.twitter.com/Yzn7GrobI2
— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) March 29, 2026

---
Wisconsin people remain tied to best traditions, but we face a time when virtually all state and federal elected representatives are First Amendment illiterates and pro-Zionist cowards, preferring passive compliance over active thought.

The country witnesses Zionist attempts to criminalize lawful public dissent, disregarding liberty and open discussion of governments—human work that remains not just personal liberty but an essential part of our free society, and simple decency.

But not if Zionists and allies get their way.

Israel doesn’t just bomb small Palestinian children in their homes or snipe them in their skulls

It tortures them until their parents confess

The apartheid regime continues to do the unspeakable and our rulers force us to pay for it https://t.co/Ucc0aPGO8z
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) March 29, 2026

#
MICHAEL LEON is a writer living in Madison, Wisconsin. His writing has appeared nationally in The Progressive, In These Times, and CounterPunch.

Trump's War on Iran Looks to Be Used as Pretext for Midterm Voter Purge

2026-03-04T11:54:00.000-06:00

Voting rights activists may face toughest tests as Donald
Trump's administration attempts a brazen voter obstruction
project aimed at stopping millions from voting in midterm
elections. Trump claimed Iran interfered in 2020-24 elections,
a pretext to take charge of elections, as Trump declares his
intention to nationalize administration of state elections,
in violation of U.S. Constitution. Photo is from In These Times.
Voting liberties to be slaughtered like so many Iranian children

Madison, Wisconsin — The U.S. Dept of Defense, and Dept of Justice will likely be used by Donald Trump to attempt to obstruct voting liberties of millions of eligible Americans.

President Trump referenced this coming escalation against the voting public on Feb. 28, when he falsely linked the illegal American-Israeli invasion of Iran with American midterm elections.

Trump seeks power, and Americans who vote present huge barriers to his sustaining power.

Notes election law and voting rights expert, Marc Elias of Democracy Docket, who has brought this story to the public, while corporate media has imposed a black-out of Trump's plan: Trump has made public his intention to subvert American elections while pursuing war against Iran, then using the war as the basis to declare elections illegal.

Crazy plan, but Trump appears to have every intention of pursing this madness.

Said Elias of Democracy Docket:

At 2:30 a.m. on Saturday morning (Feb 28), Donald trump posted a video on Truth Social to announce that he had ordered the bombing of Iran. As crazy as that was, that he announced a war on Truth Social in the middle of the night, it's even crazier that two hours later, he wrote: 'Iran tried to interfere in 2020, 2024 elections to stop Trump, and now faces renewed war with United States.'
That's right. the very next social media post, back-to-back with the one announcing the war, was him tying a connection between this alleged interference in 2020 and 2024 and the war that he had just launched.'
These two posts tell you everything you need to know about where Donald Trump is going for the next eight months, [until Election Day, November 3].

Elias, a civil liberties attorney, will fight this coming Trump action in court, Elias vows.

Elias notes Trump's unhinged social media posts follow Trump's effort to obtain state voting rolls so the administration can purge eligible Americans from voting because of voters' suspected non-Republican sentiment.

Streets of Minneapolis — Springsteen

2026-01-28T19:37:00.003-06:00

Madison, Wisconsin — The power of the righteous, love for liberty and empathy have taken our country far.

I love the people of Minneapolis for what they have done in the face of fascism, murder and mayhem.

They have fought with truth and honor.

In times of moral crisis, we need the voice of artists and writers.

Bruce Springsteen has stepped forward again with Streets of Minneapolis.

We really needed this, Bruce. Peace.

Streets of Minneapolis

Through the winter’s ice and cold
Down Nicollet Avenue
A city aflame fought fire and ice
‘Neath an occupier’s boots
King Trump’s private army from the DHS
Guns belted to their coats
Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law
Or so their story goes
Against smoke and rubber bullets
By the dawn’s early light
Citizens stood for justice
Their voices ringing through the night
And there were bloody footprints
Where mercy should have stood
And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets
Alex Pretti and Renee Good

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

Trump’s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead
Their claim was self defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

Now they say they’re here to uphold the law
But they trample on our rights
If your skin is black or brown my friend
You can be questioned or deported on sight

In chants of ICE out now
Our city’s heart and soul persists
Through broken glass and bloody tears
On the streets of Minneapolis

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

ICE Shoots Another in Cold Blood in Minnesota

2026-01-24T11:13:00.000-06:00

NFL great and human rights
activist, Alan Page, protesting
ICE killings and abductions,
is pictured above.
Democracy Dies
Democrats, Cops Supine in Response

Commentary

Watched video of second ICE shooting Saturday morning.

Sick ICE bastards.

We no longer live in a classical liberal democracy.

At moment, ICE is bombarding citizens in Minneapolis with gas after ICE shot and killed a man on the sidewalk.

"They're not cops; they're not ICE; they're NAZIs," a witness told Status Coup News.

Facebook videos below show some eight ICE personnel shooting another protester. Another video shot multiple ICE shootings, as an ICE conspirator claps.

Trump Invades Venezuela; Arrests President Maduro and Wife

2026-01-03T13:49:00.005-06:00

US President Donald Trump speaks at press conference at
Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, January 3, 2026.
(Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
"We are going to run the country," Trump said.

Trump Declares U.S. 'In Charge' of Venezuela

Democrats Offer Weak Response

Netanyahu Calls Trump 'Bold and Brilliant'

Commentary

UPDATED - Madison, Wisconsin — President Trump launched another illegal U.S. regime-change war and invasion of a sovereign country — Venezuela.

Israel's radical Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar praised the invasion that followed the latest U.S. visit by Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu with Trump, and Christian Zionists.

Netanyahu dubbed Trump a leader for Peace this week.

Congressional Democrats' reaction is muted, often veering into legality and calls for Congressional movement, avoiding moral condemnation prominent among the American people.

Wisconsin's Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin (D) is silent today, obeying her political instinct to gauge the political terrain first before commenting.

Jake Johnson in Common Dreams reports on exceptions to Baldwin's timidity:

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said he will force a Senate vote next week on a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to block additional US military action in Venezuela.
'Where will this go next?' Kaine asked in a statement. 'Will the president deploy our troops to protect Iranian protesters? To enforce the fragile ceasefire in Gaza? To battle terrorists in Nigeria? To seize Greenland or the Panama Canal? To suppress Americans peacefully assembling to protest his policies? Trump has threatened to do all this and more and sees no need to seek legal authorization from people’s elected legislature before putting servicemembers at risk.'

Quagmire Seen

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin), an AIPAC political foe, writes:

Trump continues to ignore the US Constitution and lie to Congress and the American people. Bombing and occupying Venezuela is an illegal act of war against a sovereign nation.

Only Congress has the ability to declare war, but Speaker Johnson and the Republican majorities in the House and Senate have rolled over and gave up our Article One powers.

Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth told Members of Congress their illegal attacks on boats was not about regime change, but capturing a sitting leader is the literal definition of regime change. Trump and his band of misfits seem to have no endgame to this potential quagmire.
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@RepMarkPocan) January 3, 2026

House Democrat Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, and Israel-first supporter, put out a mealy-mouthed statement this morning.

This is so fucking weak. https://t.co/rwOQsqt0wQ
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) January 3, 2026

Mainstream corporate press and social media have blacked out Israel, which controls U.S. foreign policy, and its political work with Trump for this latest military action.

🇻🇪 Venezuela President Maduro on Israel:

“They have sown an ideology more dangerous than Nazism.

They justify raids, extermination, genocide, and atomic bombs"

they'll come for the Christians, Catholics."

This is why he had to go.
pic.twitter.com/lyFDd60kxG
— ADAM (@AdameMedia) January 3, 2026

The Democratic governor of Colorado joins several Democratic House members in praising Trump's regime change operation in Venezuela.

Nothing unites the two parties like new wars and regime changes. It's beautiful DC bipartisanship at its most inspiring: https://t.co/9TL5KENuaj
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 3, 2026

Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump for your bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice. I salute your decisive resolve and the brilliant action of your brave soldiers.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) January 3, 2026

Happy Veterans Day, 2025—Defend Our Guys Against Malign Government

2025-11-11T00:08:00.000-06:00

Marine Reconnaissance troop on guard duty, Vietnam
Veterans, Fighting Forces Are Imperiled by Trump, Lindsey Graham, Chickenhawks, and Liars

Commentary

We salute our veterans, and we call out our veterans' enemies today, chickenhawks, who are at it again, crawling out from under rocks mocking virtues of our military forces — service, honor, guarding our freedom.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), always desperate to prove his manhood in his perverted method of chickenhawk acts, celebrates Donald Trump's killing, bringing "death" to the world, (Yahoo).

"[Donald] Trump is my favorite president. We’ve run out of bombs, we didn’t run out of bombs in World War II," Graham noted to celebrate increased killing enacted by the current administration, (Yahoo).

Vietnam veteran Don Kosterman of Fitchburg, Wisconsin
was welcomed home with other Wisconsin-area veterans
in May 2023. Veterans are honored each year in the
Badger Honor Flight.
Don was in-country, Vietnam, 1965-66.
Don Kosterman is a man of honor.

We need more war, more killing. This is how we honor our veterans and servicemen and women, Trump and Graham believe.

Our federal government now has the Department of War, a new undertaking, but a transformation in name only of the massive national security state erected by Democrats and Republicans.

War president; war footing; strutting egotism, permanent war, and a pathological inability to speak the truth—this is the government we have today to honor our veterans.

Sixty-four years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about war as an anti-democratic, corrupting domestic force in his Farewell Address (1961), as peace is deterred, and atrocity continues.

Doesn't have to be this way.

Concludes Eisenhower:

"We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races, all nations, may have their great human needs satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual blessings; that those who have freedom will understand, also, its heavy responsibilities; that all who are insensitive to the needs of others will learn charity; that the scourges of poverty, disease and ignorance will be made to disappear from the earth, and that, in the goodness of time, all peoples will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love."

Vietnam veteran Patrick Newberry of Fitchburg, Wisconsin
was welcomed home with other Wisconsin-area veterans in
April 2023. The veterans were honored during the
46th Badger Honor Flight. Patrick was in-country. Vietnam 1967
(WMTV-Madison)
Patrick Newberry is a man of honor.

But our current president betrays the presidential oath of office, substituting indecent needs of the terror state of Israel, for example, for the needs of 1.2 million low-income veterans, 40-million other elderly and disabled, whose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP benefits have been fanatically opposed by Trump and Graham.

The world is a free-fire zone for President Trump; and our active-duty forces are sometimes transformed into war criminals by their commander-in-chief.

Billions of dollars for Israel, and a perverse crusade to block SNAP for our veterans the weekend before this Veterans Day, with a late assist to Trump from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). This is the terrain today.

The national security state budget surpasses $1 trillion each year, viewing with suspicion those few seeking elected office and calling out the perils to our democracy of the security state that lives through secrecy and lies, with no accountability.

Marines like Graham Platner, oyster farmer, and Democratic Party candidate running for U.S. Senate in Maine in 2026 fight back. "I will never, ever vote to send Americans into a pointless war," vows Platner.

Platner has drawn the enmity of Sen. Chuck Schumer and other liars in Congress for standing for freedom and truth.

Our country is a betrayal to the people who guard our freedom.

As Eisenhower warned:

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted.

Veterans, thank you.

We as the American people should honor you by ensuring you have the country you served.
---
Anyone ever see a veteran in the days back home from a Honor Flight? It's wonderful; veterans glow with an expression that appears a mixture of pride, solidarity, even elation.

I think we can match this glory, or at least come close enough, in the performance we demand from those in government.

I know we should try.

Look to independents who reject partisan blinders. Check out Army Green Beret veteran, Valhalla VFT, and other patriotic independents.

Democrats' Smear Against Marine Graham Platner, Maine Senate Candidate, Shows Fatal Party Character Problem

2025-10-24T11:33:00.005-05:00

Graham Platner is a Marine and U.S. Army veteran, and oyster
farmer, running for nomination in the Democratic Party Primary
for U.S. Senate in Maine.
Vile Democrat Lies Display Dems As Party of Nothing; Puke Party Should Be Saying, Thank You, Marine

Commentary

Graham Platner is a Marine, U.S. Army veteran, oyster farmer, and a Democratic Party candidate running for the U.S. Senate in Maine in 2026, reads this progressive populist's campaign webpage.

Platner is a peace-and-justice, anti-Genocide, pro-privacy, pro-liberty economic populist who is running on a platform that a few decades ago was more-or-less standard Democratic commitment.

But today; hey, Democrats are the wrong party for Platner, says Chuck Schumer and the liberal media.

You see, Platner right out of high school joined the Marines and fought as an infantryman in four combat deployments in wars that this Marine campaigns on now as pointless and endless.

And Platner is against Israeli-committed Genocide, never a popular position with the dopes who run the Democratic Party today or hold federal elected office.

Writes Platner:

I have not minced words on this issue. We are sending American taxpayer dollars to underwrite the starvation of Gaza, in what can only be accurately described as a genocide.

I stand with all people seeking peace, democracy, and self-determination. In this moment, that means a clear-eyed condemnation of the Gaza genocide, and the use of every means available to America to bring it to an end.

Now, the Democrat slime machine led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, liberal media and Democrat Party hacks who know nothing about serving our country, or the truth, are slurring Platner as a Nazi sympathizer.

It's bullshit.

In 2007, Platner as a young man was serving downrange as a combat Marine in Croatia, and on shore leave went out drinking with a bunch of other Marines; got very drunk; and visited a tattoo parlor. Horrors.

Platner chose a skull-and-crossbones tattoo from the wall that resembles nothing so much as a Grateful Dead icon, and had the tattoo put on his chest.

So, Democrat Party establishment and liberal media today are trying to say the tattoo is a disqualification for Platner's campaign, because some say the tattoo looks like a Nazi icon from WW II.

The first and last words of this nihilistic Party should be, 'thank you for your service; thank you for being a Marine.'

Guess how many Democrat Senators are standing up and defending Marine Graham Platner?

One. Bernie Sanders.

Democrats' program of lies, typical opposition research, comes right after national Democrats drafted the 77-year-old Maine governor, Janet Mills, to run against Platner in the Maine U.S. Senate Primary to be held in June 2026.

Democrats are low, weak, devoid of character. Democrats don't care about honor, and this bunch of weaklings are afraid of truth.
#

and, from the Right:

Uniparty will say anything, smear anybody, to tarnish political opponents. Give me one Marine Graham Platner over the whole bunch of cretins.

Trump's Retribution Against Democrats' Political Prosecutions Is Self Defense

2025-09-26T17:37:00.003-05:00

"When the wolves of hate are loosed on one people, then no one is safe."
Ralph McGill, referencing Shakespeare

Commentary

Update: "James Comey Was Sure He Was Above The Law. Supporters Hope He's Right"

As James Comey is arraigned, new documents show the FBI under his watch criminally investigated first, and looked for reasons later. Democrats have rediscovered why political prosecutions are the enemy of Americans in the wake of the federal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, (U.S. DoJ)," reports Matt Taibbi in Racket News.
---

Liberals, in response, are telling us why this Comey political indictment is a betrayal.

They are not wrong, but libs are leaving out a lot.

Honestly, did folks really think Democrats and the liberal establishment regard voters as competent to make the correct decision in the 2024 elections and reelect Joe Biden?

Afterall, democracy was at stake last year, and the hated Trump needed to be indicted by Democrats, lest that pesky American electorate elects Donald Trump again in November, after clear instruction not to vote the wrong way.

It was clear that Democrats in New York, D.C. and Fulton County, [what the hell is wrong with those people?], conducted partisan witch hunts to 'get Trump,' and make him a defendant in four criminal proceedings to preclude the possibility of voting for Trump.

How many times did Democrats exclaim, 'Trump is a convicted felon' during the subsequent 2024 general elections campaign?

Everything went like clockwork for the liberal establishment right up to Election Day, so liberals believed.

Then, the American people disregarded liberal instruction and voted Trump in again as president.

Trump has likely ended for a generation tit-for-tat prosecutions of major presidential candidates and party figures.

With out-of-control Democrats, who have even less understanding of classical liberal democracy than Trump, we can be reasonably sure Democrats are not so stupid as to launch a new round of political prosecutions, if they win 2028.

I don't believe Trump is thinking peace and civil liberties today, or even mutual assured destruction, but I guess this is what passes for victory when the major political parties are so steeped in hate and corruption.

Democrats Troll as Genocide Horrifies; American Families Gouged

2025-08-25T19:18:00.000-05:00

Cartoon America - Democrats' incapacity
to speak to weighty matters hearkens
Reginald Marsh. See above
'This is her first lynching,' 1934
Image Source Credit: GRANGER
Democrats No Longer a Serious Party

Commentary

Nine Americans were beaten to death in the West Bank by settler terrorists, or kidnapped and tortured the last two years in death camp Palestine.

Genocide continues, as terror-state Israel maintains its perverse hatred of journalists and medical personnel, slaughtering them wantonly.

Trump threatens more militarization of the National Guard and occupation of more American cities.

American families face skyrocketing costs for college, child care, healthcare, groceries, gas, electricity, taxes, among other costs.

The Democrat response?

Troll Trump; mock Trump; and pronounce trolling effective; drawing Democrat raves in what passes for victories for this decrepit party, led by California Gov Gavin Newsom.

Trolling is working, Democrats assure the people.

Obvious problem is trolling is not solving problems; not addressing moral catastrophes; not even pretending to bring relief to American families, or stopping wars or genocide.

What matters is major Democrats are drawing views on X, and seeing more Google searches, or crowing that Gaven Newsom has a merch section of his website, just like Trump.

The disconnect between what Americans face on the ground here, and what we and Israel inflict onto the world, especially children is a widening gulf, created by indecency here, and careerism, convenience and compliance.

But, hey, Democrat officeholders mock Trump on social media, even emulate Trump's use of capitalized words, and hyperbole.

So, that's a win for all of us, right?

I mean, please tell me people see the disconnect between what matters and this shit.

Matt Taibbi and a few others are warning Democrats their moral failings will exact political costs.

But Democrats won't listen, count on it.

Trying to out-Trump Trump via the derivative ironic trolling of an infinity-faced douchewad like @GavinNewsom is the most DNC thing ever. They’d do better with another dead person… https://t.co/JpwGhieCfL
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) August 25, 2025

VA Home Loan Program Reform Act Becomes Law

2025-08-13T09:22:00.000-05:00

Lost in Summer, an important Veterans Home Loan Program bill was signed into law in late July.

The bill, H. R. 1815, was authored by Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisconsin). The VA Home Loan Program Reform Act garnered wide bipartisan support.

See H.R.1815 — 119th Congress (2025-2026) for bill history.

See also U.S. Veterans Affairs Home Loans page.

Writes Rep. Van Orden in a press release this Summer:

As Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, one of my top priorities is ensuring those who’ve served our nation can achieve and maintain homeownership. However, veterans – like all Americans – can fall on hard times and may need assistance to avoid foreclosing on their home.

That is why I’m thrilled that President Trump signed my VA Home Loan Program Reform Act into law last month. This legislation establishes a permanent partial claims program within the VA Home Loan Program, bringing VA in line with other federal agencies that lend money for homes and replacing the fiscally irresponsible Biden administration-era VASP program.

This law helps fulfill a promise to those who protected us with their service and continue to do so today by providing a path to maintain homeownership – a key part of the American Dream.

I am very proud of this legislation and thankful to President Trump for signing it into law.

Trump Militerizing Federal Government; Liberal Zionism Is Dying of Absurdity and Immorality

2025-08-07T11:21:00.000-05:00

Genocide and Fascism are Bipartisan Endeavors; Don't Be Fooled

Commentary

As the lunatic in the White House seeks in the machinery of federal government self-sustaining capacities to oppress anybody, starting at the Universities, most Americans see the danger of Trump substituting federal government with a de facto totalitarian dictatorship, (Ruth, Mondoweiss).

That's our domestic situation. We don't need a Reichstag Fire Decree now, as Democrats and Republicans have so grown the National Security State to such dimensions that any idiot occupying the presidency can manufacture a crisis and decree emergencies for any reason, and dismantle civil liberties.

As noted at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:

The Reichstag Fire Decree permitted the regime to arrest and incarcerate political opponents without specific charge, to dissolve political organizations, and to confiscate private property.

The decree also gave the regime the authority to overrule state and local laws and overthrow state and local governments.

This sound a lot like the work of the Trump administration?

How about purging of faculty and students; undesirable academics and administrations; embrace of myth and pseudo-scientific nonsense; racial-religious myth; God wants Israel to commit Genocide and kill millions?

Trump in a sleight of hand has replaced Aryans with Zionists with the collaboration of major university administrations.

Trump emits lots of diversions and bellowing smoke, crediting himself a genius for doing so, but he wants Universities, government, media, immigrants and any American to fear and obey his fever dream of the moment.

The Universities and immigrants as agents of pure evil. That does sound familiar.

'The truth is what I say it is,' is Trump's internal mantra, though Democrats tried codifying a similarly crazed Ministry of Truth. See Paul Thacker, "Misinformation Scholarship Exposed as Liberal Activist Grift, Never forget the media sold us these chiselers as experts at truth, who then helped silence dissenting voices."

In foreign relations, Trump loves Israelis; loves the Israeli-committed Holocaust. Wanton infliction—such as IDF sniper target practice on starving children—and Israeli-Genocidal rhetoric are music to Trump's ears.

The attempted destruction of the Palestinian people is a personal crusade for Trump, and myriad administration Nazis such as Stephen Miller take vicarious joy as dozens of children are starved, maimed and shot daily.

Another Holocaust in the West Bank, Trump and Miller will celebrate.

In the U.S., Trump faces little opposition to his Genocidal dreams as the Democrat Party and Liberal Zionism are little more than unbearably narcissistic cowards.

Writes Jeffrey St. Clair: "[J Street, (flagship liberal Zionist lobby) head] Jeremy Ben-Ami writes that he now believes Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, but probably won't use the term in his writing because it brings HIM too much pain!"

Replies Zoltán Grossman: "Try this with your local police: 'Yes officer I saw the murder, but didn’t report it because one of my relatives was once murdered.'"

Ben-Ami is an embarrassing joke, a caricature of a man.

But liberal Zionism as a moral force is not sustainable, not any more.

"Liberal zionism" as a tenable political position is dead. It is over. Every morally compromised Democrat needs to come forward right now. Do you stand with permanent occupation, ethnic cleansing, starvation, genocide? There is no centrist position on these crimes. Who will stand… https://t.co/dcS5yTQNiY
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) August 4, 2025

Wisconsin Congressional Delegation Dominated by Pro-Genocide Support

2025-08-06T14:53:00.011-05:00

Rep.Gwen Moore (D-Wisconsin) takes in
$10,000s from the Israeli Lobby; accepting
with no publicly voiced shame the endorsement
of J-Street, the Liberal Zionist lobby standing
for permanent occupation, ethnic cleansing,
starvation, genocide.

Wisconsin Congressional Democrats Jettison Anti-intervention Legacy in Face of Israeli Lobby

Madison, Wisconsin — Rep.Gwen Moore (D-Wisconsin) is a 74-four-old congresswoman representing a gerrymandered district in hyper-segregated Milwaukee, and greater Milwaukee.
Moore doesn't know much, doesn't want to know much.

Snug in identity politics, Moore quietly draws her congresswoman's salary, (since 2005), distributing over $800,000 in campaign funds to her sister, (Schoffstall, Fox News) in her ultra-safe district, and political nepotism to her son, Wisconsin State Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (D-Milwaukee).

Gwen Moore

But Moore, like nine of ten members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation, takes in $10,000s and political support from the Lobby, the Israel Lobby, drumming up support for Israeli-U.S.-committed Genocide, occupation, systemic torture and open sadism.

What would you do in the face of a Holocaust, used to be a question in the American culture?
If you're a member of the Wisconsin congressional delegation, you rake in political money| from the perpetrator supporters, the Israeli Lobby advocating occupation, torture and Genocide.

To this day, the head of J-Street, establishment liberal Zionism, refuses to use the term, Genocide, to describe the Genocide in Palestine, (Times of Israel).

The Genocide and sadism committed by Israel and the U.S. is so overwhelmingly clear, liberal Zionism is widely regraded as immoral as Israel threatens to expel, starve, kill and maim even more 100,000s as it moves into the West Bank.

Writes journalist and Genocide opponent, Krystal Ball this week:

"Liberal zionism" as a tenable political position is dead. It is over. Every morally compromised Democrat needs to come forward right now. Do you stand with permanent occupation, ethnic cleansing, starvation, genocide? There is no centrist position on these crimes. Who will stand… https://t.co/dcS5yTQNiY
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) August 4, 2025

The power of the Israel Lobby has become so immense that both congressional Democrats and Republicans across the nation, in spectacles of perfidy, mostly refuse to pay more than lip service to condemning Genocide, no matter how horrific images coming from Palestine revolt the conscience.

The American people are way in front of Congress, though this may change, (Brookings; The Intercept, Mondoweiss).

Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) leads
the Wisconsin congressional delegation in
accepting Israel Lobby funds. Baldwin is a
reliable vote for the Israeli Lobby, and is
known as more calculating and mealy-mouthed,
than principled and courageous.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) leads the Wisconsin congressional delegation in accepting Israel Lobby funds, rejecting her posturing as a peace-and-justice senator in the tradition of the La Follette family of Wisconsin, (Conniff, Wisconsin Examiner).
Baldwin is owned by the Israeli Lobby, though Wisconsin's history of anti-intervention and peace compels her to pay lip service to human rights to stay in office.

Baldwin's office has been the site of several sit-ins since the Genocide began.

Baldwin accepted $714,566 from the Lobby; $221,291 from J Street PAC.

Baldwin accepted endorsement from AIPAC allies, J Street, NORPAC (formerly known as North Jersey PAC), JAC (Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs PAC), and FIPAC, (Friends of Israel Political Action Committee).

Rep. Mark Pocan

Alone among Wisconsin's congressional delegation in refusing the Israeli Lobby's funding and support is Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin).

Pocan represents the Dane County (Madison)-based district that maintains a huge peace movement population, such as Jewish Voice for Peace (Facebook), Veterans for Peace Clarence Kailin Madison Chapter 25., and World Beyond War.

Representative Mark Pocan (WI) is
alone in Wisconsin's congressional
delegation in rejecting all Israeli Lobby
money, as well as refusing endorsements
from all pro-Genocide politcal forces.

Pocan has ramped up his criticism of Israel and AIPAC as the Genocide and sadism have isolated Israel from the civilized world.

This follows work last year when Pocan "spoke on the House Floor about the ongoing war in Gaza after the Israeli military targeted a World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy killing seven, including an American citizen. Pocan highlighted a letter he led, along with 55 of his colleagues, to President Biden and Secretary Blinken ... ," (WisPolitics).

In late July this year, Pocan wrote on X: "There is NO justification for people starving in Gaza. Israel under Netanyahu is enabling the lack of food, even shooting people at food sites. The World will turn against them if they don’t change course. It is immoral."

"Groups like @AIPAC MUST speak out or be exposed."

Except for Wisconsin Democratic Congress members here, joined by Republicans, few Wisconsin folks disagree.

Enough! Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza must be a red line. It will bring more civilian deaths, mass displacement, and worsen the already horrific humanitarian crisis.

If he goes down this path, the world must say no and the U.S. must stop enabling it.https://t.co/ELUOYixiWp
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@RepMarkPocan) August 6, 2025

Still, in the face of the attempted destruction of the Palestinian people, what we do as moral agents and those who represent the American people in Congress seems obscenely inadequate to many.

This Genocide is impossible to hide, no matter how many journalists Israel kills, and how many members of Congress shill for Israel.

This Israeli compulsion to hide the truth of Genocide does reveal that Israel recognizes a world of decent people who will rise up against Israel's evil, no matter how many Tammy Baldwins and Elissa Slotkins shame our nation.

Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden: 'Too Easy' for Veterans to Commit Fraud

2025-07-30T13:17:00.003-05:00

Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R) reprises Joe McCarthy.
This time, Van Orden takes aim at veterans, holding papers claiming
massive fraud in House VA Subcommittee that Van Orden chairs,
(Forbes). The former Navy Seal now levels his guns against
veterans in service to Trump administration, planning cuts in
veteran benefits that would cut 80,000 VA workers who serve
veterans, (AP). Rife with abuse, easy to defraud, says Van Orden.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR and E) Program Is Boogeyman Used to Hit Veteran
Benefits
False Accusations Provide Cover for Trump Admin to Cut Veteran Benefits

Madison, Wisconsin — Veterans are committing fraud and the VA is making it too easy, according to an old defamation against our guys.

Now, Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisconsin), who represents a gerrymandered district in western and central Wisconsin, is bringing this slander back.

Derrick Van Orden served 26 years as a Navy SEAL Senior Chief operator with multiple combat tours before being elected to Congress.

Rep. Van Orden chairs the House Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity for Veterans. He said at the conclusion of his July hearing: "This, [VA VR&E (Veteran Readiness and Employment)], is a fantastic program. But it is rife for abuse. And it's too easy to defraud this program."

Rep. Van Orden made his remarks at the House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on July 16, entitled "Path of Purpose: Restoring the VA VR&E (Veteran Readiness and Employment) Program to Effectively Serve Veterans."

"Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) (Formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) services to help with job training, education, employment accommodations, resume development, and job seeking skills coaching," reads a VA explanation of the popular program.

The new blast against veterans follows years of the Bush-Obama administrations using the offices of the Inspector General and DoJ to contrive criminal complaints against veterans for applying for disability benefits in what is supposed to be a paternalistic process, not an adversarial process.

Congress and VA bureaucrats parading the specter of dishonest veterans appear a government disease that will never die, and charges of fraud commonly precede the McCarthyite slurs against military veterans, and dishonest work of VA Office of Inspector General.

National Associated Press writer, Allen Breed, took point on the neocon slurs against veterans some 15 years ago. See Tide of new PTSD cases raises fears of fraud (2010), for example.

From Agent Orange, to PTSD to now trying to find a job and assimilate at home, veteran bashing is back in style.

After the AP's Breed cited benefits-hostile Dept of Veterans Affairs bureaucrat, Mark Rogers, in 2010 in his hit piece on veterans, in which Rogers said the VA benefits processes, especially PTSD, are an open invitation to fraud, veterans advocate and attorney Robert Walsh was more pissed-off than usual.

Robert Walsh of Battle Creek, Michigan, (U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division, RVN 1971-72), said, "What about the claims of all the honest veterans that languish in the system for decades until they die? They freeze to death on the streets or blow their brains out in the garage. The veterans' benefits claims system is a national tragedy, and men like [longtime claims specialist with the Veterans Benefits Administration] Mark Rogers are the problem, not the solution for our veterans and their families."

The U.S. VA Office of Inspector General began accelerated referrals to the U.S. Dept of Justice when Vietnam veterans reached retirement age, and the VA and neocon press began its dishonest propaganda campaign against veterans to provide cover.

Van Orden's remarks against veterans this month were first reported by Forbes in late July 2025, citing almost identical language as veteran bashers regarding PTSD 25 years ago.

During the Veterans Affairs Committee hearing this month, Rep. Van Orden (R-WI) opened and closed the hearing about the VA's Veteran Readiness And Employment program with unsupported hyperbolic allegations of criminal fraud and waste.

One of the primary gripes of veterans advocates is the VA does not follow the law in administering (and adjudicating) veterans benefits, and the VA and its Congressional allies' work results in nothing less than death, with the VA Office of Inspector General ready to slur, lie and cheat in this macabre quest to stop veterans from using their benefits.

Said veterans advocate Walsh today, "Maybe VA OIG (VA Office of Inspector General) makes it 'too easy' to circumvent the law and kill innocent disabled and dislocated veterans. That's the problem."

The Forbes video footage from the House Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity for veterans, on the VR&E (Veteran Readiness and Employment) Program, is below.

Jacqueline Marie Captain, 1957 - 2024

2025-05-14T12:11:00.002-05:00

Jackie Captain, one-year anniversary of her passing — One full year has passed since my wife, Jackie, died.
What a life; man, did Jackie love people.
I do not know if I could have made it this far without the showering of love and good will that came my way.
From our neighborhood alone, Jamestown, powerful emissions of peace arrived like explosions.
We are going to have a great Summer.
If folks ever feel down, I can tell you the basic decency of humanity is so immense, decency is axiomatic.
Count on it.
Happy Summer!

MAL Contends — Legal, political, campaign news, and analysis

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Gwen Moore

Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Rep. Mark Pocan

Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden: 'Too Easy' for Veterans to Commit Fraud

Jacqueline Marie Captain, 1957 - 2024

Wisconsin Democrats reach absurdity not seen since fleeing
from a foul, vicious white rabbit (at left) of Monty Python
fame in 1975. White rabbit and other scary foes forced
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table to run away.
Governor's Race Features Democrat Bigotry Against Muslims

NFL great and human rights
activist, Alan Page, protesting
ICE killings and abductions,
is pictured above.
Democracy Dies
Democrats, Cops Supine in Response

US President Donald Trump speaks at press conference at
Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, January 3, 2026.
(Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
"We are going to run the country," Trump said.

Trump Declares U.S. 'In Charge' of Venezuela

Democrats Offer Weak Response

Netanyahu Calls Trump 'Bold and Brilliant'

Commentary

Marine Reconnaissance troop on guard duty, Vietnam
Veterans, Fighting Forces Are Imperiled by Trump, Lindsey Graham, Chickenhawks, and Liars

Graham Platner is a Marine and U.S. Army veteran, and oyster
farmer, running for nomination in the Democratic Party Primary
for U.S. Senate in Maine.
Vile Democrat Lies Display Dems As Party of Nothing; Puke Party Should Be Saying, Thank You, Marine

"When the wolves of hate are loosed on one people, then no one is safe."
Ralph McGill, referencing Shakespeare

Cartoon America - Democrats' incapacity
to speak to weighty matters hearkens
Reginald Marsh. See above
'This is her first lynching,' 1934
Image Source Credit: GRANGER
Democrats No Longer a Serious Party