Well Played…..MR. Speaker…Well Played

UPDATE!! AS mentioned here in June.
The Dems finally ousted the FAUX DEM Ziegelbauer today!
Jsonline has the story

Pity the Kiel Political King now he will no longer have a direct line into the ASS Dems.

FROM JUNE 16, 2009

One of the most talked about backroom issues this budget season was how would the new Assembly Speaker do. Sure he had experience in negotiating with GM and the UAW, but is that the same as the Dems VS the GOP ? Then you need to deal with the governor and The Senate. As of now it sure looks like the Speaker was a wild success in what appears to be a finely orchestrated Broadway production.

1st Act- The Assembly leaders look a little off their game as the Senate leadership seems to be dictating to the Assembly, at least that what mini Fitzgerald and Robin Vos are telling everyone. The Joint Finance Committee finally comes to agreement on the budget.

INTERMISSION

2ND Act- the JFC budget unleashes a boatload of negative comments from both the right wingers and most media outlets. Some moderate Dems are in agreement that this budget has some problems. It even causes Back Bencher (GOPer in Dem clothing) Bob Ziegelbauer to run in like Alexander Haig hoping to save the State with his Gop friends by claiming he has amendments that can get passed and will save the state of Wisconsin.

INTERMISSIOM

3rd Act- Dem leadership caucuses with its members (Was Ziegelbauer even there?) and low and behold the fix the budget themselves. They take out the hated stuff the gop went nuts over. And the pass the budget…without Faux Dem Ziegelbauer voting with them anymore than GOPer Brett Davis. So next week the Dem Staff will be very busy telling all the folks that wrote and called, that they, THE Assembly Dems fixed that portion of the budget. The joint severability issue? FIXED, School choice, FIXED, hunting on public lands, FIXED, violent Criminals getting out of jail, FIXED, RTA, fixed….I COULD GO ON AND ON, but you get the point. The Dems Fixed the offensive stuff with few if any GOP Votes. Not only that, but Imagine the Shock upon GOP Leadership when the Legislative Fiscal Bureau tells them the Cost of all the failed GOP amendments the ASSGOP offered….1.5-2.BILLION
Yup the party of spending and restraint offered amendments that WOULD HAVE ADDED 1.5-2 BILLION TO THIS BUDGET. Makes one wonder if The Speaker was playing with these guys all along? Certainly the way it turned out, as of now, it seems like he was the one playing
Against minor league opposition. My personal Favorite line of the night was when the GOP went nuts over The Dems moving 2 Amendments to the bottom of the Calendar. GOPers Gunderson and Gottlieb were incensed, FITZ was PISSED. The Speaker calmly explained
“You guys ran the place for 14 years; we thought you knew the rules,
…you don’t”

Epilogue….Seems many Dems were so upset with Ziegelbauer’s consistent voting with the GOP, they are urging the speaker to pull his chairmanship. What Can The Back Bencher Ziggy Do ? He’s already called Mr. Irrelevant by both sides.
Well he could join The GOP that he usually votes with. But he runs for both his Assem seat and his County EXEC Seat as a DEM. Could he win either as a Republican? I’m thinking he’ll soon have to ask himself that!

Share:

Related Articles

6 thoughts on “Well Played…..MR. Speaker…Well Played

  1. County Executive is a nonpartisan office.

    If Ziegelbauer ran for his assembly seat as a Republican he would win easily. He’d get all the Republicans (and it’s actually a majority Republican district which voted for Mark Green in 2006) plus most of the people who voted for Ziegelbauer over Woznicki in the Dem primary during 2004 and 2006.

  2. I Don’t Disagree That Zieggy would be a favorite in His Assem Seat….But so was frank Lasee. In addition if he officially becomes a GOPer. What stops a Right Wing Wacko Republican from beating Ziggy up in a primary? in addition while you say his District is a republican majority district, The County Is Clearly not. The County is a DEM County. Clearly Zieggy Values his County Gig far more than his Assem Seat. Lot’s of choices and options for him to think about, most of them not as good as his current gig of being a Republican running under the Dem Ticket. Wonder if he and David Clarke ever compare thoughts?

    1. AL, while I disagree with Ziegelbauer on a number of issues, he’s still with us more than he’s not. There’s should always be room in the Democratic Party for more moderate folks; after all, we are the “Big Tent” party.

      1. In the most recent couple of national elections, the largest factors were the anti-Bush revolt and Obama’s coattails. But one general strategy that the Democrats have been very successful for awhile now, has been their willingness to run right leaning candidates in right leaning districts. Meanwhile the Republicans have tried to hold tight, unwilling to move to and even past the middle. Republicans abuse “RINOs” and are willing to take losses because of it. Democrats have been happy to take the win, even if it means taking a candidate who won’t vote with them as much. You can’t fault a winning strategy.

  3. Zach
    i Agree we need to be inclusive as a party.
    But it’s One Thing to Vote Against a Budget, It’s entirely another thing to Work with The opposition to try and defeat it!!

    FYi- I’ll see you At Steny’s on Saturday!

  4. Ziggy is biding his time until Tom Petri retires, then he will wipe the floor with Joe Liebham and serve two or three terms in congress.

Comments are closed.