It's called Wal-Mart.

Unfortunately, you plan to do nothing to punish Wal-Mart for its reliance on corporate welfare at the expense of Wisconsin and federal taxpayers. Instead, you plan to punish the poor, underpaid, undernourished Wal-Mart workers who can't make a living on the firm's non-family wages. Way to go, bud. What's next? Tax cuts for napalm? Because, Governor, that could hardly do more damage than your own set of misguided ideas.

Instead, why not take up the example of California, whose fed-up legislators are considering a law that would fine Medicaid-abusing firms like Wal-Mart for every full-time employee on the medical assistance program.

Check out the attached graphic, courtesy of Democraticunderground.com and linkable at:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017122796

Dr. Benjamen Carson has become the flavor of the month among conservatives by saying "new ideas" that have actually been floating around the internet for years, including:

• That the United States is like the Roman empire and on the verge of destruction.  (Whoa-- never heard that one!)
• That we just have too much political correctness. (Humorously-- He was recently asked by Tom Asbrook if there were any references to him being an African-American that he might find offensive and Carson responded in a Colbertesque of saying he doesn't see color in people.)
• That the public schools are so bad that college graduates today wouldn't be able to pass a middle school test given in the 1800s. (Something that Snopes has thoroughly de-bunked.)
• That the tax code should mirror "God's will" and be a flat tax like tithing, (even though many theological scholars have called tithing rhetoric "unscriptural" and many point out that there is nothing in the New Testament about tithing.)
• That there is no proof of species evolving from one another, calling it "pure conjecture."  (Now that's scientific!)
• And on and on with every tired cliche and talking point you've ever heard.   

While it is clear that Dr. Crason is a gifted surgeon, it also just as clear to anyone that has listened to the guy more than five minutes that he is just reciter of nonsense he has read in his email inbox the last few years. 

“We really need concerned citizens to be our eyes and ears,” wrote DNR Storm Water Specialist Ruth King in response to citizen complaints about frac sand mines. “I am only a half-time employee and cannot be everywhere at all times.”

Ms. King’s appeal was reported in an article written by Kate Prengaman of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism who closely follows the growing sand mine industry.

“Nearly a fifth of Wisconsin’s 70 active frac sand mines and processing plants were cited for environmental violations last year,” wrote Prengaman. She quoted Air Management Specialist Marty Sellers who said he sent letters of noncompliance to “80 to 90 percent” of the sites he visited.

The DNR’s limited resources means some frac sand mines are not inspected or only inspected when citizens complained about the mine.

“I strongly supported the bipartisan Wisconsin Stewardship Fund,” a self-described Republican man from Eau Claire wrote to me.

“Conservation issues are near and dear to my heart. I will oppose any politician who does not listen to all Wisconsin constituents and give these issues due process.”

The letter came the week the state budget writing committee took up the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's banner story today was about Gov. Scott Walker's breathtaking effort to gain unilateral power to sell state buildings and other public property. You can read this well-reported story yourself at the link below. Walker wants the power to sell state-owned power plants, unused lands -- even University of Wisconsin campus buildings that were paid for with dedicated private donations or student fees. Bye-bye, Kohl Center, maybe, or perhaps UW-Madison's student union. They'd fetch a fine price, dontcha know.

The story documents how some state property sales might make bad economic policy. Sure, the sales would bring in some quick cash to help the governor balance his budget. But in the long run, operating costs to the state might very well increase. Worse, the governor wants power to arrange sole-buyer deals without first seeking public bids.

In case you missed it - the chocolate-minty Ms. Moore keeps up (and then some) with Stephen Colbert .  2 Parts.  If you missed it watch it.  If you didn't miss it, watch it again.

Congressman Sean Duffy's wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, recently told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that she decided to stay home with her six kids because God wanted her to do it, saying, "I was actually doing what God wanted me to do in being with my kids."

This is also the same Campos-Duffy that recently wrote a book urging women to be a stay-at-home parent called, "Stay Home, Stay Happy" and believes it is God's will not to use limit the size of one's family via birth control-- even defending reality-TV's Dugger family for having 20 kids.  

Campos-Duffy may have been a reality TV star, but she is clearly out of touch with the Real World.  Here is what the Real World in the Seventh CD really looks like, according to the most recent census data: