Here's how to find me over at Blogging Blue (and I hope you will!):

Please click on this link, which will direct you to my new posts.

Click here for the url for my individual RSS feed.

Thanks, Lisa Mux aka Waukesha Wonk

Instead of writing about the Mining Bill Hearing in West Allis last week, I spent my free time figuring out why my blog was in Chinese, restoring the blog, moving the whole operation over to Blogger, and then back again. It was not pretty. Clearly, I’m a writer, not a website designer. With this in mind, I set out to find a new “home” for my writing. Waukesha Wonk is not going anywhere, and this website will remain intact, with increased security measures.

When a federal judge sentenced Rod Blagojevich to fourteen years in prison yesterday, I felt a sense of relief knowing that justice was served. That Blagojevich is a Democrat is irrelevant; his conviction proved that corrupt governors DO go to jail. Some of the same statements made by the sentencing judge to Blagojevich might be said about Wisconsin’s own Governor Scott Walker, and more and more Wisconsinites are starting to understand why, as fact is separated from fiction.

We were downright giddy at the OconDems meeting on Saturday, as Lori Compas updated our group on the Fitzgerald recall petition drive currently underway. Lori, with her sunny disposition, sweet nature and freckled face, is the last person you’d expect to take on Senator Fitzgerald. In fact, several politically connected residents from the Fort Atkinson area told me that Fitzgerald was not only taken off guard by the success of the recall drive, now he’s quaking in his boots. 

Tommy Thompson’s Senate kick-off rally at Weldall Manufacturing here in Waukesha was not what I had expected. With all the media trucks parked in the lot, and the tense political environment throughout Wisconsin, I was practically offended by the pleasant nature of this event. Despite the club music on the sound system and the energetic College Republican speaker from Madison, it felt less like a political rally, and more like an employee Christmas party at a bank. 

Last night, Mike Tate officially disclosed the number of Walker Recall signatures gathered thus far-over 300,000 in just twelve short days. That’s terrific news. Not to harsh the buzz, but we’ve got a lot more work to do, especially here in Waukesha County. I realized this last week when I attended the Walker Recall Rally at UW-Waukesha, where rock-star Senator Chris Larson was unable to rouse the crowd, and I received an important reminder about the need for continued determination and focus.

Drinking Liberally Waukesha: A stunning success

Contrary to what James Wigderson and Mark Belling have said about me, I am perfectly capable of treating those with whom I disagree with respect. Just ask my Representative, James Sensenbrenner (R). I attended his Town Hall Meeting on Sunday evening in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and I didn’t act like a “jackass” or a “jerk”, or threaten the lives of any women or children. However, I did, as James Wigderson claims I am wont to do, feel good about myself. Several times, in fact. 

Waukesha school teachers with whom I’ve spoken plan to head on down to the Waukesha Walker Recall Office tomorrow and sign the petitions necessary to recall both Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch. It’s not hard to understand why: many Waukesha teachers lost a couple hundred dollars per month due to what they see as a manufactured budget crisis, and they were demonized in the process.

Because the Governor now faces a massive gap of female supporters, a pro-Walker commercial featuring an attractive female school board member aired tonight. During the Packer game, no less. 

But teachers won’t be fooled by right-wing partisan Karin Rajnicek’s saccharine persona, or by her factually incorrect statements. In the commercial, Rajnicek says, “Governor Walker-he gave us options that reduced our biggest costs, so that we could put more money back into our classrooms.” Really? Because The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s report proves otherwise.

That is an insult to teachers in Waukesha and across Wisconsin.

I guess desperate times call for desperate measures...

Due to the recent political awakening in Wisconsin, more citizens are taking an active role in our political process. Here in Waukesha, many new people have signed up to work as Chief Inspectors (aka poll workers) in upcoming elections. The Government Accountability Board requires these citizens to complete the Baseline Training course before working the polls. That  makes sense. But the fact that Kathy Nickolaus will be leading those training sessions does not make sense; it’s like hiring Bristol Palin to teach sex ed classes. 

Yes, the GAB investigated Kathy Nickolaus’s mistakes in recent elections and found her not guilty of criminal activity. But that’s not enough to inspire confidence in her abilities, at least not with the Waukesha residents with whom I’ve spoken. And yet, the GAB’s website lists Kathy Nickolaus as the Waukesha County Trainer for Chief Inspector for the November 29, 2011 courses. Seriously, GAB? Was there nobody else available? Come on.

For the third consecutive evening, downtown Waukesha was host to yet another Liberal event on Tuesday, the grand opening of the Organizing for America Waukesha office. Like the other events, the room was packed to the brim with area residents clamoring to enact political change, gleeful to find so many other Liberals in one spot at the same time. My favorite part of the night, aside from meeting new people and tasting a slice of that gorgeous sheet cake, was hearing a volunteer named Kim speak. 

Last night’s inaugural meeting of Drinking Liberally Waukesha exceeded my expectations. I had thought five to ten people would show up, and my sole goal for the night was to not get shot. After all, some of the comments following the Journal Sentinel article about our event were downright creepy, and I’ve had some scary experiences here in Waukesha since I “came out” as a liberal blogger. But being afraid is no way to live. The only thing I really have to fear are the pumpkin bars that Phil's wife brought to the event.