June 3, 2011

Why should Madison allow a tent city  — "Walkerville" near the Capitol Square? Because it's unique and because it's going to happen anyway.

That's the gist of the argument presented to the Street Use Staff Commission hearing this morning by the "We Are Wisconsin" group. They got their permit, and Walkerville will begin tomorrow, June 4th, and continue until June 20th. Meade was there, and I edited his video. The first speaker in this clip, representing We Are Wisconsin, is David Boetcher. After him comes Jeremy B. McMullen, who represents the Madison Fire Department on the Commission, and then Peter Rickman, who, according to this recent student newspaper editorial byline, is a University of Wisconsin "Law & Graduate Student," chair of the TAA Political Education Committee, and chair of the Democratic Party of the 2nd Congressional District.



0:00 — Boetcher likens the historical concept of Hooverville to the current protests over the Wisconsin budget, which is supposed to explain why camping on the street says something that people carrying signs does not say. (Click on that Hooverville link to see that the real "Hoovervilles" were makeshift places of residence for people who were actually homeless during the Great Depression. The thousands of people who want to come to Madison to protest are not homeless. They are protesting on behalf of employed people who are losing some of their benefits and collective bargaining rights.)

0:21 — McMullen clearly states the crucial legal principle: The nature of the message to be conveyed is irrelevant to the commission, which is mainly worried about setting a precedent that might require granting other permits in the future for other protesters.

0:30 — Rickman says this event is "unprecedented," and if anyone in the future tries to rely on it as a precedent "distinctions — differentiations — will be able to be drawn." He says he's sure there are "plenty of capable city, uh, city, uh, staff who are law trained, who can go ahead and help you all make that distinction and difference." Yeah, don't worry about the precedent. Let it go and when the time comes you all can go ahead and distinguish the precedent. Rickman adds that he's "not a real lawyer yet" and has only had "a few years of law school." (Law school is only 3 years. If you've done "a few years," aren't you done? Maybe there's some distinction that I should have my staff go ahead and figure out for me. I don't have time for that now.)

1:36 — Boetcher takes over with less legalistic idealism and more hardcore reality. These thousands of people are going to come to town anyway, permit or no. But if We Are Wisconsin doesn't have a permit, they can't provide port-o-potties. Even though he's leading the group that is promoting the rally, he's acting as if he's just passively expecting the crowds and trying to help out the city out with crowd control. If you don't give them the permit, you'll still have people camping out... but — what? — pissing in the street?

2:05 — Boetcher says that if you put restrictions in the permit, then you're forced to decide what to do if it's violated, "and what is that going to do to the whole rest of the trust" with respect to everything else that you might want to try to get people to do. Once people are in violation of one thing, they'll lose interest in avoiding violating other matters. (I would  note that as a general principle, this is a good reason to regulate sparingly: It preserves respect for the law and increases compliance. If the rules are too picky and constraining, people scoff at rules and become rule-breakers, and maybe they lose track of the value of a system of rules. But does that general principle really apply to this tent city?)

2:42 — "It would be a bit of a sham to create a permit that basically automatically goes against what's going to happen and then expect people to follow any of the rules that are in the permit." Think about what that means. There's a huge crowd about to descend on the city, to do something they will do whether or not there is a permit — Boetcher keeps referring to the "mindset" of this descending crowd — so the city ought to grant a permit that accepts those things that are going to happen, in order to preserve respect for the rule of law. As a law professor, I find this notion fascinating. Make the law embrace the things people are going to do regardless of the law, or people won't follow even the rules that they would follow if you didn't undermine their desire to comply with the law.

117 comments:

kent said...

"It would be a bit of a sham to create a permit that basically automatically goes against what's going to happen and then expect people to follow any of the rules that are in the permit." Think about what that means.

"This is what Ape Law looks like."

Lincolntf said...

The Teachers Unions and related corrupt organizations gave their terms: Unconditional Surrender. Wisconsin had no choice. This battle was lost in March.

John said...

Does anybody in Madison have a real job?

Paco Wové said...

"Nice city you got here. A shame if anything were to... happen to it..."

Anonymous said...

Major Major - call your office.

Ann Althouse said...

"Nice city you got here. A shame if anything were to... happen to it..."

Meade said exactly the same thing.

RuyDiaz said...

Decades from now, schoolchildren will learn about the heroic fight Wisconsin Unions waged about horrid Governor Walker. With pictures of 'Walkerville' and everything.

RichardS said...

"We Are Wissonsin" is a name that reminds me of the clubs of the French Revolution. Each claimed to be the true nation. They refused to acknowledge the diversity that, in fact, existed in the nation. Do the "We Are Wisconsin" accept the legitimacy of groups on the other side? Are groups on the other side part of Wisconsin, too?

Joaquin said...

Are there any other citizens other than wackos in Madison?
They should put a fence around the city/zoo and charge admission!

ricpic said...

Why indulge the infantile fantasists of the Left?

Tacitus said...

Gee
What are the odds there will be a refusal to vacate Walkerville when the permit expires?
T2

Anonymous said...

... because it's going to happen anyway.

So you might as well lie back and enjoy it, bitch. You know you want it.


wv: eysibru -- Yeah, I could use a cold brewski about now.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Just wondering, is all of Wisconsin as fucked up as Madison?

Chuck66 said...

"If you don't give them the permit, you'll still have people camping out... but — what? — pissing in the street?"

Welllll I used to go to Madison while in college, get drunk and piss....wait, we used to go between buildings. And sometimes on bushes. Power to the people!!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

These thousands of people are going to come to town anyway, permit or no.

If a storm is coming (and the weatherman says its coming) is it really necessary to grant it a "permit"?

Anonymous said...

Once people are in violation of one thing, they'll lose interest in avoiding violating other matters.

So he's for the immediate deportation of illegal immigrants?

Phil 314 said...

Power to the People

virgil xenophon said...

Lets see, how many words that rhyme come to mind? Spineless, mindless...how about you scrabble/NYT cross-word players out there?

Joanna said...

Boetcher keeps referring to the "mindset" of this descending crowd — so the city ought to grant a permit that accepts those things that are going to happen, in order to preserve respect for the rule of law.

Dear Madison,
I am going to throw buckets of water on people sleeping in Walkerville. This is my mindset, and nothing's gonna change it. So you better go ahead and pass a law to preserve my right to do this, because it's going to happen regardless.

Are groups on the other side part of Wisconsin, too?

There is no "Wisconsin" outside of Madison... outside of the Capitol square... outside of the rotunda... outside of Walkerville...

Phil 314 said...

These people

not

these people

Seeing Red said...

Let's get to the real issue.


How many puppets will there be?

BJM said...

Laws for thee, not for me.

wv = trashd What the square will be.

Triangle Man said...

How many puppets will there be?

Sub-questions. What percent will be papier mache? Of those, what percent will be gigantic?

SunnyJ said...

The logic of "we're going to do it anyway" as a basis for governance, permits/rules/licenses etc,coming from those supposedly educated in the rule of law is beyond warped, right into Rod Sterling territory. So, I guess the open meeting law can work the same way, right? Concealed carry permits also? Where is the love of statist control...only for the enemy? Rules of thee and none for me? And, I guess it all depends on what the meaning of "is" is, doesn't it? It's my humble opinion that the over reach of governance from the street will be their undoing.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Why cant these protest junkies raise money, like any other "special" interest group, buy a building near the capitol and retrofit it to suit their purposes?

kent said...

O/T: Sudden Jihad Syndrome Strikes in Minnesota – 2 Stabbed Outside Library

Chuck66 said...

Not sure how fast this vote is going to occur, but thing to do is for a right wing group to immediately ask for an identical permit for the week after this one. Madison has to approve both or neither.

Even if the rightwingers don't plan on actually going through with it, it would be interesting to see what the city does.

Seeing Red said...

We Are Wisconsin, is David Boetcher

So, when was this group founded?


Who is funding this group?

Do they have the insurance coverage necessary?

Chuck66 said...

"Just wondering, is all of Wisconsin as fucked up as Madison?"

I used to say "no", but I spent a small amount of time in Eau Claire this spring and there are plenty of nut cases their too. And the death threats coming out of La Crosse (directed to Kapenke) were very explicit.

Tim said...

I too have the mindset to bring a wagon load of "honey" from my highly productive dairy cows and spread it all over this "Walkerville" . . . you might as well allow it, it's going to happen anyway.
My 14 yr old daughter dreams of being a lawyer, I hope she has teachers like you.

Tim

edutcher said...

Gee, I'll bet if tens of thousands of Conservatives descended on Madison to stake out the public sector union HQs, the National Guard would be called up and anyone pitching a tent would end up in the nearest barbed wire entanglement.

I'd say something about the rule of law, but that hasn't existed since January of '09.

RuyDiaz said...

@ Kent;

Too soon to call that one a Sudden Jihad Syndrome case. She may just have been a garden-variety nutcase who happened to blossom in the garden of Allah.

AMB aka MNHockeyMama said...

Can you say "mob mentality"? Rule of law based on what the majority wants rather than what is good for the whole. Tell 'em "Set up your tents and you will be fined. Keep them set up and we will physically remove you." Cowtowing to bullies only continues their thuggish behavior. It's time to stand up to these idiots.

test said...

Jesus, this blathering nonsense was enough to get an approval?

Disband the committee. It serves no purpose.

Anonymous said...

Now, if we can only get the sudden jihad syndrome sufferers to join the tent city hippie protest ... the comment circle can be complete.

Joanna said...

A comment on the We Are Wisconsin Facebook page, regarding Walkerville plans:

Please don't do this, or at the very least, keep it to a minimum. At some point, unless message and behavior are tightly controlled, we are going to run out of the good will that we built in February. It this looks to be just another group of random loud hippies, mindless banging drums, we are going be more hurt than helped.

Anonymous said...

"She may just have been a garden-variety nutcase ... "

Nope, just a garden variety Muslim who hands out Korans at the library and harasses people into joining her religion of death - Islam.

Nobody would join, so she started trying to murder them.

Fairly typical Muslim hate crimeing on innocent Americans.

Nothing to see here.

Move along.

Sofa King said...

Pssht. Laws? We don't even have a fucking constitution any more.

traditionalguy said...

Jurisprudence 101 states that there are never a laws against what people do not do. There are only laws against things that people do but we want to see them stop. Today's argument says there can be no law against what people do want to do or we will create a loss of respect for the law givers among the law breakers. That is not a legitimate argument at all. That is a polite threat.

Almost Ali said...

This thing (Walkerville) will collapse from its own weight.

kent said...

Son of O/T: Bipartisan Congress rebuffs Obama on Libya mission

"RAAAAAAAAAAAACISTS -- !!!"
/Kos, DU, HuffPo

Chuck66 said...

"It this looks to be just another group of random loud hippies, mindless banging drums"

And how is that different from how you looked this past spring?

But she is correct. She knows who is coming and how that will look.

Calypso Facto said...

"...thing to do is for a right wing group to immediately ask for an identical permit for the week after this one"

If the debate may not last for the week, shouldn't the opposing group have equal permit rights during the SAME week? That'd be fun.

"And the death threats coming out of La Crosse (directed to Kapenke) were very explicit."

Here's the most recent, to Senator Darling. (Not suitable for all (any?) ages!) With people like that in tents at the Capitol, what could possibly go wrong?

Lincolntf said...

I'm rooting for chiggers and ticks.

Sofa King said...

chiggers

That's racist.

X said...

All those fat masses camping out in the summertime. It will smell like ass. Have they never seen a Rainbow Family gathering?

MadisonMan said...

What are the odds there will be a refusal to vacate Walkerville when the permit expires?

Slim to none, but it depends on the weather and the mosquito density, I suspect.

@SeeingRed, Mr. Boetcher is a labor lawyer, and the address of his group is 1602 S. Park, which is the Labor Temple (is that what's it called) just south of the Copps Grocery store and east of the PO. According to the permit application, they do have some kind of insurance.

If you follow the links from althouse's first post on this, you'll get to the pdfs that include the application.

Lincolntf said...

Speaking of "racist", is the demographic breakdown of this protest going to look as much like a Klan meeting as the last one?

Anonymous said...

"It will smell like ass."

You've heard of Burning Man; they're calling this one Smelling Man.

Dan from Madison said...

Seeing Red at 2.42 pm:
Let's get to the real issue.
How many puppets will there be?

MAN I am right there with you. Where are the giant papier mache heads? What do we want? Giant Heads. When do we want them? NOW. Hey Hey, Ho Ho, this lack of giant papier mache heads has got to go!

Chuck66 said...

This group will be all white, just like last time. But what do you expect from the White Citizens council of Madwackistan.

Wonder how much good they could do in northside Milwaukee if they put all of this work into helping the inner city African-Americans there.

kent said...

How many puppets will there be?

I believe they call themselves the SEIU, nowadays... but: I take your meaning, nonetheless.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Just wondering, is all of Wisconsin as fucked up as Madison?



Probably not.

It is like trying to judge all of California by the lunatics and wackjobs in San Francisco.

Henry said...

Wisconsin needs an auxiliary capital the way the Starship Enterprise had an auxiliary bridge.

Anonymous said...

Anthony Weiner has cancelled his appearances in Wisconsin.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics/2011/Jun/03/weiner_cancels_appearance_at_wis__dems__convention.html

So much for him getting back to work for the American people.

Chuck66 said...

I have to run, but there is a story out there about Mr Boetcher lossing work for local electrical unions. The story goes he was only interested in having "union street cred" that comes with the IBEW union leader title, so then only did left wing activist work, vs trying to get jobs for the union people. His political work was counter productive to the union members job prospects.

This is a third hand story from a friend (non-union) so take it for what its worth.

kent said...

Anthony Weiner has cancelled his appearances in Wisconsin.

"Wisconsin leftists get stiffed by Weiner! Film at 11!"

Joanna said...

Walkerville map.

There is no way that I won't hear them inside my house. Craaaap.

m stone said...

I don't think garage has the guts to brook this crowd of commenters.

the wolf said...

Well, if there's any justice in the world, we've found where the next tornado should touch down.

Michael said...

I am glad to note that i am not the only one who noticed and lamented the lack of puppets during the winterfest in your lovely rotunda. And mimes. I hope you get both. Plus i think there should be a quick ordinance permitting shitting in the street and on the square since that is going to happen as well. Or you cold compel residents and shopkeepers to open their bathrooms to the Walkerville residents You have suppressed and oppressed these people enough, Wisconsin!

RuyDiaz said...

"Wisconsin leftists get stiffed by Weiner! Film at 11!"

"Wisconsinetes Stiffed by Weiner"

Shorter headline. (*snicker*)

Seeing Red said...

Commission approves motion. Tents will be allowed between 9 pm-7 am Sat-Thurs. 9 pm-4:30 am Friday overnights...

Mayor Soglin isn't here but spokesperson just came in and said he was under the impression SOME tents would be allowed to stay up during day....

So three designated areas (not determined yet) will allow tents up 24 hours. Areas will not interfere with businesses or buses



4:30 AM? They have to take the tents down at 4:30 AM?


LOLOLOLOL

Nope, not gonna cause a disturbance at all.

Anonymous said...

Anthony Weiner has cancelled his appearances in Wisconsin.

Dang.

I was going to suggest that people in the area print out the photo of the tumescent Member, attend the meeting, and ask him to autograph it.

Any of you folks in NYC or DC can still do that, of course.

wv: bless (Really! But this should have been saved for the Jill Abramson thread.)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

That reminds me..

The Weiner could use this as a defense.

Its unique and I'm going to send it/tweet it anyway.

A variation on 'everybody does it'.

BTW TEXTThe Weiner appears to beg off when told Walkerville's WiFi would not be up in time for his visit ;)

garage mahal said...

I don't think garage has the guts to brook this crowd of commenters.

Waste of time. That's why I'll spend time phonebanking next week after work for the recalls. And send them some more money. Same goes for those few idiots disrupting last at the JFC hearing. Get a life.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

traditionalguy said...

Jurisprudence 101 states that there are never a laws against what people do not do.

No, but the individual mandate in ObamaCare treads close to that line.

chickelit said...

Althouse wrote: Make the law embrace the things people are going to do regardless of the law, or people won't follow even the rules that they would follow if you didn't undermine their desire to comply with the law.

Interesting. Does that mechanism describe growth at the leading edge of civics or the erosion of civics? I'm confused, but it sounds wrong!

Anonymous said...

"Weiner cancels Wisconsin appearance to spend time with wife"

That is the kind of headline you never want to see as a husband.

Huma: Cancel your events. We need to talk.

MadisonMan said...

4:30 AM? They have to take the tents down at 4:30 AM?

It is light by then.

Man, I LOVE MIDSUMMER! Bring on the long days.

Oops, sorry about the diversion.

Anonymous said...

Washington Post on Weiner's disastrous media appearances:

"The strategy backfired, as Weiner’s responses raised even more questions. Weiner said definitively that he did not post the photo, but he said he could not state 'with certitude' whether the photo was of him; he also declined to answer questions about whether he had communicated via Twitter with the 21-year-old Seattle-area journalism student to whom the photo was sent."

Anthony has been forced to cancel a scheduled appearance in Wisconsin and is reportedly being forced to "spend some time" with his wife - Huma Abedin.

Gonna be a long weekend for the flashy Democrat.

cold pizza said...

Wankerville? Just sayin'.

wv: nessibl: when it is necessary AND possible.

DADvocate said...

Orlando, FL has some sort of law that restricts feeding groups in public parks. Maybe Wisconsin needs to institute such a law, then they could camp out but would go hungry. They could arrest they guys from that pizza place.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

Two related predictions:

1. Some (maybe most) tents will not be taken down.

2. No one will be fined or arrested or even rebuked for not taking down tents.

This would be consistent with the level of compliance and enforcement during the March protests.

On the plus side... Maybe someone could still get some use out of WisconsinHeldHostage.com. Free to a good home!

Joanna said...

Anthony Weiner has cancelled his appearances in Wisconsin.

"Weiner pulls out"

Henry said...

Off topic, can I just say how much I like the simplicity of althou.se at the moment. Looking good.

steve uhr said...

Ann, I hope you won't end up spending too many nights alone in bed.

RuyDiaz said...

Anthony has been forced to cancel a scheduled appearance in Wisconsin and is reportedly being forced to "spend some time" with his wife - Huma Abedin.

There is a simple explanation. Huma is leading the crack cyber team hunting the hacker. Obviously

Joanna said...

Two related predictions:

1. Some (maybe most) tents will not be taken down.

2. No one will be fined or arrested or even rebuked for not taking down tents.


Agreed. But hopefully that will leave little room for pity (in the court of public opinion) when police action is necessary to breakdown Walkerville after the permits expire at the end of June.

The impression I've gotten from Facebook and Twitter is that they intend to maintain Walkerville through the July 12th recall elections. (I pray they try, and I pray it backfires all over the recalls.)

galdosiana said...

I really cannot wait to move out of this city.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

Hey, Henry, that gives me an idea...

Maybe, to coincide with the launch of althou.se, we need an Althou.se Fe.st.

In Madison.

On June 21 and subsequent days.

In a tent city near the Capitol Square.

Because we want to make the city leaders aware of the importance of citizen journalism, and the vital role it has played in recent history.

We should start drafting the permit request now.

wv: ershi. I'm not sure what language; but in some language, that translates to "Martin has gone crazy."

Anonymous said...

"Weiner pulls out"

Goddammit ... get this commenter a microphone.

Phil 314 said...

Where are the giant papier mache heads?

So these giant Wisconsin heads won't be there?

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

RuyDiaz said...

There is a simple explanation. Huma is leading the crack cyber team hunting the hacker.

Or more likely, Huma has threatened to do some hacking. With a sharp knife.

Meade said...

garage mahal said...
Waste of time. That's why I'll spend time phonebanking next week after work for the recalls. And send them some more money. Same goes for those few idiots disrupting last at the JFC hearing. Get a life.

Garage Mahal Breaks With Protesters. Tells Them: Get A Life, Idiots. Whose House? Get Off My Lawn. Concern Grows That Recall Efforts Could Be Spoiled By Spoiled Brats.

Noted.

Next thing you know, we'll be reading that Democrat senators are telling protesters they could be doing more harm than good with their childish behavior that disrespects what democracy actually did look like last November.

Carol_Herman said...

Let me ask you something. Let's say there are enough political boobs who will do a "last hurrah" for "tent city."

What would stop people from camping out anywhere? A tent is a tent.

They could make downtown Madison look like Terhir Square in Cairo. But then somebody would have to pipe in the muslim's call to prayer. No?

Does this "permit" stand a chance?

Will people come anyway?

What if those with tents are coming in from out-of-state?

If these lunatics, by the way, camp out on Main Street; or as it is called in Madison "State Street." And, it's late out night ... whose to say you'd get peace?

Oh, and how do you deliver free pizza to a tent?

And, at the real Hooverville, those people weren't paid to come. And, General Douglas MacArthur also killed a few veteran's from WW1, who came to collect on their promised pensions.

What if a fire broke out at one of the tents?

While for Governor Walker, what if the price tag runs high, again, against the unions and the democraps?

No, I don't think teachers will show up to fill those tents. Even if you provide doctors on every street corner! Once school's over ... they're out-of-town. Maybe, they'll hit the old "fleebaggers-14" trail?

garage mahal said...

Next thing you know, we'll be reading that Democrat senators are telling protesters they could be doing more harm than good with their childish behavior that disrespects what democracy actually did look like last November.

Like last night.

Anonymous said...

"They could make downtown Madison look like Terhir Square in Cairo."

I just got a massive Rep. Weiner thinking about that picture.

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of folks.

Maybe somebody can hold a vote and all the liberals will flee back to Illinois.

Amartel said...

They're quite possessive about that public square.

Remember when Palin stopped by for one day and her supporters came out for her . . . and the Would-Be Walkerviles tried to shout them down and run them out of town? Like, how dare they show up in Our House. These people already want you to think they own the joint, and now they want to move in, literally, to drive the point home. When the permit expires their friends will get it renewed.

This is like the legal concept of adverse possession, where squatters take over land and, after a certain time period, are deemed to be the owners if they make the land work for them. Of course, under the law, adverse possession only applies to private property but the concept applies to the public square. The downtown in my City is so populated with aggressive and hostile wackos that it feels like visiting the set of Blade Runner.

Michael K said...

They certainly are full of themselves, aren't they.

Joe said...

Could we negotiate with Canada to take Wisconsin in exhange for Alberta?

X said...

bob, could you call him (D)Congressman Weiner?

Reps are what Democrat Congressmen morph into in the mainstream media when they are involved in a scandal.

Unknown said...

Actually it's Obamaville. If Obamanomic isn't such a catastrophic failure, Walker would not be in office in a blue state, he would not have to cut budgets, the generous blue staters would not mind sharing their incomes with the ubion bosses. With Obama's gigantic stimulus to stimulate unemployment, there are not enough employed in the private sector to let the bosses keep sucking the govt.'s (taxpayers'?!) teats,...

The slow learning Wisconsians will eventually wake up to the spectacle of Obamaville and reminded of why they voted Walker in office... May be not today, may be not tomorrow,...

Michael K said...

Sofa King said...
chiggers

That's racist.


Up No'th they call 'em chiggroes.

Thats a quote from "Once an Eagle."

Michael K said...

Recall Efforts Could Be Spoiled By Spoiled Brats.

I think it was a spoiled brat in Weiner's underpants.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

nevadabob said...

Maybe somebody can hold a vote and all the liberals will flee back to Illinois.

OK, that's an instant classic!

waltc said...

Well as long as you're giving them a permit, be sure to include a provision for them to pay a deposit for damage and cleanup with an additional requirement that if the deposit doesn't cover the costs incurred, that the organizers personally guarantee reimbursement.

Nothing wrong with giving them a permit (since "it's going to happen any way") as long as you cover the rest of the taxpayers from harm.

Temujin said...

Madison comes off as the largest day camp for spoiled children in the world. I'm watching the Middle East explode, the Eurozone implode, the US unemployment numbers going in the wrong direction, economic indicators on all sides starting to tank...

Meanwhile, in Madison six months of students and professors having a sit-in. Seriously, go back to the sixties. You're not important. What you're doing is not important. What you're thinking is not important. One day you're going to wake up, look in the mirror and feel very stupid about all of this. I guarantee it. I've been there. (in the sixties).

Anonymous said...

Not to side with the scumbags in the Democrat Party, but I will have to momentarily.

We have rights (and they have rights).

They have the right to associate and speak. If they want to associate on public grounds and speak by putting signs on their tents and smelling up the place, I say let 'em.

Long as they're obeying the law, let em congregate.

They'll trash the place when they leave and we'll have some good pics with which to discredit them.

I got no problem with that.

We should counter-protest on the sidewalks in front of Democrat Congressmen's homes with loud ass bullhorns and defecate in their flower beds and piss on their roses when they're not looking and wolf whistle their women until we can elicit lamentations from said women.

Sometimes, you gotta go to the mattresses.

Republicans are too Goddamn prissy. Let's get up in their fucking faces and punch them back twice as fucking hard.

We got tents, too, motherfuckers.

The Dude said...

Wasn't Florida on a television show, and wasn't there dynamite involved?

Anonymous said...

"What you're thinking is not important. One day you're going to wake up, look in the mirror and feel very stupid about all of this. I guarantee it. I've been there. (in the sixties)."

At least in the 60s you could imagine yourself as fighting the noble battle ... against wars and shit. (You know, when you weren't' getting high and fucking everything in sight.)

What are these morons fighting for? A bunch of obese public servant obscene pension benefits.

You fallen a long way, babies.

jeff said...

Carol_Herman - "And, at the real Hooverville, those people weren't paid to come. And, General Douglas MacArthur also killed a few veteran's from WW1, who came to collect on their promised pensions."

You're conflating two different things - Hoovervilles, which were homeless tent camps, and the Bonus Army, which wanted to collect early on a Victory Bonus payment promised them for 1945.

Unknown said...

Issue the dumbasses a permit with a $5 million security bond.

Unprecedented.

Nate Whilk said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nate Whilk said...

edutcher said, Gee, I'll bet if tens of thousands of Conservatives descended on Madison to stake out the public sector union HQs, the National Guard would be called up and anyone pitching a tent would end up in the nearest barbed wire entanglement.

And the unions and the media nationwide would be calling them fascists, Nazis, and racists.

Martin said...

In Windsor, Ontario, the city where I live, there's a neighbourhood, that used to be a town of its own, called Walkerville. It is a great neighbourhood, the home of Canadian Club whiskey. I know Walkerville; I've worked in Walkerville. This proposed tent city is no Walkerville.

Sorin said...

Madison is like too many areas of California. I thought we were unique because of all of the "east coasters" arriving and having their way with California.
Is this the case with Madison?
Is the American heartland being perverted by the failed policies of the East(excluding Chicago,of course)

Marcus said...

"Weiner Decides Not To Come - Pulls Out"

Anonymous said...

Michael K wrote:

   Sofa King said...
   chiggers

   That's racist.


   Up No'th they call 'em chiggroes.

   Thats a quote from "Once an Eagle."

-----

Does anyone remember the "Israel Bond" parody spy novels about Israeli secret agent Oy Oy Seven? I remember at least four of them: Matzohball!, Loxfinger, On the Secret Service of His Majesty the Queen, and You Only Live Until You Die. One of them featured a villain named Dr. Nu -- first name Watts -- who like the original Dr. No was a mixed-race "Chigro," half Chinese and half Negro. His henchmen were also mixed-race, but they were Swegroes, Fregroes, Canagroes, and that rarest combination of all, Monagroes.

SukieTawdry said...

Does Madison never tire of beclowning itself?

foxtrot said...

Is there any liberal in Madison that has a functioning brain?

The comparison of Hooverville to Walker is beyond absurd, as was the one between the social strife in Egypt and Madison.

Was the world really watching Madison during the last months? No. The world does not give a sh*t about Madison's petty social strife, because there are much bigger problems in the world than having to sacrifice inflated pay and benefits.

ignatzk said...

"Just wondering, is all of Wisconsin as fucked up as Madison?"

I used to say "no", but I spent a small amount of time in Eau Claire this spring and there are plenty of nut cases their too. And the death threats coming out of La Crosse (directed to Kapenke) were very explicit.


The far western portion of the state w/ LaCrosee & Eau Claire, the northwest area around Superior, Dane County, and Milwaukee are the worst. Much of it has to do with the spread of the four-year schools of the Univ of Wisconsin System.

Look to where there are lots of people who's lives are ultimately funded by taxpayers. Wisconsin's university system is part welfare state, employing far far more people than its productivity suggests.

The largest employer in the state of Wisconsin is ... wait for it ... the state of Wisconsin.

AlanKH said...

Tea Partie5rs oughts build a "Bellville" tent city named after WEAC prez Mary Bell. Or maybe some hovels, and a mockup of a stately manor fitting for a union boss. Big white mansion and little shacks...

Penny said...

"Why should Madison allow a tent city — "Walkerville" near the Capitol Square? Because it's unique and because it's going to happen anyway."

Right!

Biodiversity.

Don't know much more than anyone else about biodiversity, but from what I read?

According to Wikipedia, you can pretty well find all the answers you need about life as we know it, AND you can find those answers FASTER in a place that shows very little biodiversity.

A place quite like Madison, Wisconsin.

A place where those who can't dance, eat corn! And where those who eat corn go on and on about their bellyaches, until the pain itself seems somehow "musical"!

Penny said...

BIODIVERSITY

Shut up, and then look it up.

Read carefully, and read between and around any lines you might encounter.

I'll do my best to hold off Josie Wales.

GO!!!

walter said...

"We are Wisconsin"? Only the presumptive attitude so rampant in Madisonians/liberals. But why stop there?it's been a while since "We are the world". Might bring some fab pop stars into the equation. Lady Caca could make a unique contribution...and Charlie Sheen could liven up the party..abused "worker" that he is.

Nat G said...

In the interest of factual correctness not relevant to anyone, I'll note that an earlier poster has conflated two of Sol Weinstein's Israel Bond (Agent Oy-Oy-7) novels. Dr. Nu is the villain in Matzohball, but most of the material on swegroes, dagroes, bulgroes, et al is in On the Secret Service of His Majesty, the Queen. If anyone wants to check for themselves, all four novels are in print for the first time in decades, with Kindle editions as well - details at Oy-Oy-7.com.