You’ve got a lotta nerve to say you are my friend;
When I was down you just stood there grinnin’.
— Bob Dylan, “Positively 4th Street.”
Madison alders should treat each other in a welcoming, fair, respectful, and equitable manner.” So reads a proposed city ordinance. It should be amended to read: “This means you, Ald. Keith Furman!”
If anyone runs the dunking stool in city hall it’s Furman, president of the Council. Intolerant, judgmental, and vindictive — that’s Keith Furman. Commissar Furman jumped all over the revelation that, for a whole two months two years ago, Ald. Gary Halverson was a member of the Oath Keepers, an organization that pretties itself up on its website but was one of the instigators of the January 6 (2021) insurrection at the nation’s Capitol.
Halverson had already quit by then. He denounces the insurrection. Not good enough for the Woke scolds running city government. His “secret” was out, Furman and Council Vice President Jael Currie rejoiced. Explains his votes, they crowed, without detailing which votes. Thereupon followed — this being Madison WI — threats and vandalism to Halverson’s residence. The alder resigned, citing his wife’s PTSD, rather than fight back.
“Having unknown individuals come onto our property and vandalize it is traumatic … absolutely terrifying,” Halverson wrote. “I am deeply saddened that our current state of politics is filled with fear and intimidation tactics.” Halverson continued: “The threats from democracy comes in many forms.”
The real threat is clearly from the far right — from those who instigated the assault on democracy on Jan 6. … I can’t equate those attacking me with the same poison or same threat level —- but the seeds of toxicity come from similar desire shut down discourse and demonize opponents.
Furman is so toxic he should come with an FDA warning label!
The Council’s #1 character assassin
In late February, two alders of color, Nasra Wehelie and Barbara Harrington-McKinney, resigned from a committee examining city government structure alleging lack of respect by its chairman, Furman.
Worse, Furman helped railroad Ald. Paul Skidmore off the council by alleging that Skidmore had used a sexist epithet to describe a citizen who was testifying. The City contracted a forensic audit of the 09-01-20 meeting conducted on-line via Zoom. That audit determined it could not have been Skidmore because:
• His microphone was not live when the notorious C-word was heard AND
• The culprit likely was wearing a headset due to proximity to a microphone. Skidmore wore no headset.
Ironically, USA Forensic concluded, the voice could well have been Furman — who WAS wearing a headset! (The Werkes broke it down here.) So Furman felt the need to double down: “Though the report results were ultimately inconclusive, I believe that there was a pattern of highly unprofessional behavior by Alder Skidmore during that meeting and around the same time as the slur.”
Citizen calls for Furman to resign
Excerpts from the testimony 09-15-22 to the Common Council Executive Committee from citizen Bonnie Roe, active with the Madison Area Safety Connection:
“Have any Alders ever seen or heard or read or witnessed any hint of racism or white supremacy on Gary’s part? … I haven’t. Gary is one of the nicest, smartest, most inclusive leaders I know. … When asked by Gary to denounce the threats, vandalism, and graffiti you incited … you, and the Mayor, who immediately tweeted the article and said “I’ll just leave this here” … with the link to how to run for Alder. …
“Alder Bennett publicly called Alder Halverson a Nazi Do you understand what this does to someone’s reputation? You, the leaders of the Council, incited harm against Gary, which led to horrible problems for his family, and when asked to denounce it, you doubled down. …
“I ask you, Chair Furman, to seriously consider tendering your resignation from the Council. Or at the very least to step down from leadership.”
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Bonnie Roe was testifying in favor of the fair and equitable treatment proposal. More irony: it is sponsored by Alds. Nasra Wehelie, Sheri Carter, AND Gary Halverson!
Education
Blaska Policy Werkes 
And the whole progressive cabal agrees with the Squire about what happened on Jan. 6th.
That tells you something, don’t it?
LikeLike
“The whole progressive cabal” PLUS Republicans like Bill Barr, White House counsels Patrick Cipollone, Eric Herschmann; Justices Kavanaugh, Thomas, Coney Barrett, Alito, Roberts, Gorsuch; Mick Mulvaney, White House staffers press secretary Stephanie Grisham, asst. chief of staff Cassidy Hutchinson, deputy press secretary Sarah Mathews, deputy national security adviser John Pottinger, Vice Presidential counsel Greg Jacob, Mike Pence, Brad Raffensberger, Governors Brian Kemp, Larry Hogan, and Asa Hutchinson; cabinet members Elaine Chao, Betsy DeVos, Ivanka Trump — which you didn’t mention. THAT tells me something!
But you want to go down the drain with Trump, take drunk Rudy and the guy with the Nixon tattoo on his ass with you. I’ll miss you, truly. Always thought you were smarter than that.
LikeLike
That was when you were right.
LikeLike
What tells me something, is when Trumpbots happily follow their leader down the Q-anon rabbit hole, while aiming all their vitriol, vengeance and fire at conservatives who choose not to join them. No evidence can convince them that the election wasn’t stolen, and there nothing that happened on January 6th, that can’t be excused, or re-characterized in the most benign way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What exactly is YOUR explanation of January 6, Mark? All Nancy Pelosi’s fault? FBI false flag operation? Hollywood actors? Spontaneous generation? AARP bus tour that got out of hand?
LikeLike
David Blaska asked, “What exactly is YOUR explanation of January 6…”
I’ll dive into that if no one else will.
It was another in a long line of public protests over the last few years that went too far and turned into an unethical, immoral and illegal riot.
Mob mentality (the inclination that some humans have to be part of a large group, often neglecting their individual feelings in the process, and adopting the behaviors and actions of the people around them) was clearly evident in the actions around and inside the Capitol.
Note about the nomenclature used to describe January 6, 2021. You want to call January 6th an “insurrection” as if it’s was some big conspiracy of armed people trying to literally take over the government and I want to call it a “riot”, who is right and who is wrong? The answer is a matter of opinion except for the fact that I know for sure that there is factual evidence to support my use of the word riot but I don’t know for sure that there is factual evidence to support the word insurrection. That is why I categorically refuse to use the word insurrection to describe what happened on January 6, 2021.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Men, It Has Been Well Said, Think In Herds; It Will Be Seen That They Go Mad In Herds, While They Only Recover Their Senses Slowly, And One By One. Charles Mackay
Glass half empty?
It was written over 180 years ago.
Has it gotten better, stayed the same, or gotten worse…?
The Gotch
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cornelius_Gotchberg worte, “Has it gotten better, stayed the same, or gotten worse…?”
The herd thing is about the same.
What’s changed over the last 15 years or so is that the crowds that gather to “protest” are fine but there is a growing swath within that protest that firmly believe that their violence is justified and they believed that long before they arrive at the protest, then these immoral provocateurs incite a riot and mob mentality takes over weak minded individuals that can be manipulated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
None of the above projections.
LikeLike
Mark Lemberger wrote, “None of the above projections”
Projections?
You’re impugning the character of our host. Respectfully disagree if you must but don’t go down that road with Blaska.
LikeLike
Projections have nothing to do with character. We all do it. It is part of being human.
LikeLike
One Eye wrote, “Projections have nothing to do with character. “
That is pure unadulterated ignorance.
Psychological projection: a defense mechanism people subconsciously employ in order to cope with difficult feelings or emotions.
People with integrity and lacking poor character don’t project. What you did was to impugn David’s character whether you think so or not, own it. Learn from it.
One Eye wrote, “We all do it.”
That’s an unethical rationalization and simply false. The Golden Rationalization, or “Everybody does it” rationalization has been used to excuse ethical misconduct since the beginning of civilization.
One Eye wrote, ” It is part of being human.”
Only for people that are lacking in integrity and character.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And that’s the other part of being human … most think things like projection apply only to others!
LikeLike
Furman needs to resign. Period.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Copy That, Norm.
Furman NEEDS to be CANCELLED with EXTREME PREJUDICE!
The Gotch
LikeLike
“Insurrection” like Lilada Gee’s group of loonies is executing a “hostile takeover” of MMOCA. Hyperbole is for everyone! (Equity, yay)
LikeLike
In my opinion, if Madison voters keep on voting for immoral sum bags like Ald. Keith Furman nothing will change. The ends justifies the means to these immoral political hacks.
As for the C-word incident; even though I used what a commenter here called “crude”, “unsuitable” and childish software to perform my evaluation I am really glad that my initial investment of time and talents inspired a professional forensic evaluation of the incident, and I was glad to see that the professional forensic evaluation basically confirmed my original evaluation that it was very (highly) unlikely that it was Skidmore that uttered the C-word. But of course as is the tactical pattern of immoral Madison area progressive vultures, by the time the professional evaluation was released the immoral vultures in the political left had already done their immoral duty of dragging Skidmore through the ignorantly biased Madison court of public opinion smearing him with libelous and slanderous false accusations – the damage was already done – the ends justifies the means.
I still think that Skidmore has a valid defamation case against the members of the Common Council that intentionally publicly smeared him with false unprovable accusations and their intentional defamation caused harm to Skidmore.
The public smearing of Ald. Gary Halverson is another example of the same kind of immoral progressive snarling attack dog BS. These delusional (holding idiosyncratic beliefs that are contradicted by reality or rational argument) progressive partisan attack dogs need to be voted out of office and sent packing out of Dane County by the sane people in Madison and Dane county.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Which commenter was that, Steve?
Skidmore’s sister is a neighbor of The Gotch, and his son has done some Geothermal HVAC work for us.
If he’s anything like them, he probably doesn’t even think that word, let alone use it.
The Gotch
LikeLike
Cornelius_Gotchberg asked, “Which commenter was that, Steve?”
Georgessson in his March 21, 2021 at 4:58 pm comment.
LikeLike
Donald Trump summoned the mob to the Capitol, incited them by telling them the election was stolen, told them they must fight like hell. Trump marshaled Rudy G., John Eastman, Mike Flynn, and Roger Stone to assembly the mob. Evidence that Stone met with Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Yeah, there’s evidence.
LikeLike
David,
I think you posted that under the wrong comment.
LikeLike
I know Paul, and you are correct Gotch, he won’t say “hell” or “damn.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 6th was an unarmed, spontaneous number of goof balls given sudden and unexpected access to congress and wanting to show their contempt for it. They took selfies, broke sixteen windows, muddied the carpets and overall did less damage to congress than was done to the White House during Andy Jackson’s Inaugural Ball.
CNN started foaming at the mouth about four, no five people murdered yada, yada and began Trump impeachment 3.0.
Basement Biden did NOT get 81,000,000 legit votes. No way. Ever.
January 6th is revenge of the swamp.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Show some respect ; AOC died in a hail of podiums.
LikeLike
What’s your source for “Joe Biden did not get 81 million votes.”? Cuz Drunk Rudy says so? The My Pillow guy? 60 courts, state and federal — all of them “bought off”? Bill Barr, Gov. Brian Kemp, Gov. Doug Ducey sleeper agents just waiting for an opportunity to deep six Donald Trump? Cyber Ninjas couldn’t find a Trump win in Maricopa County AZ. Mike Gableman couldn’t find his own ass in Wisconsin. Sidney Powell says “never mind” to the voting machine company suing her for libel. How many “theories” have to explode in your face like a gag cigar before you realize you have been clowned?
LikeLike
I don’t know how many legit votes Biden got. Neither does anyone else.
LikeLike
I do. 81 million.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark Lemberger wrote, “I don’t know how many legit votes Biden got. Neither does anyone else.”
Mark,
David is correct, Biden got 81,268,924 legit votes (last updated count I saw) and as far as I know there is no actual evidence to support that a large segment of those votes were not legit, as in fraudulent.
That said; there were clearly extralegal things and things that violated some state constitutions going on in at least five states where they literally bastardized election laws and allowed things to be done that had never been allowed before and they allowed it on a massive scale using COVID-19 as an unethical rationalization, Wisconsin was one of those five states. That doesn’t mean the votes cast by citizens in good faith using these bastardized rules were fraudulent and therefore not legitimate.
When thinking about the 2020 election it’s better to think of it as being rigged and it was being rigged damn near daily from the moment the 2016 election was over. There was collusion between the Democratic Party, Democratic Party PAC’s, the media and social media to constantly besmirch the President of the United States (Trump) and suppress anything that made the Democratic Party, their politicians and their families (think Hunter) look bad from the moment Trump was elected in 2016.
LikeLike
“Drunk Rudy”. “My Pillow Guy”.
Ergo, voter fraud does not exist.
It is racist to require photo id to vote. Anything of the slightest inconvenience is disenfranchisement.
Also, “horse dewormer”. Take that you nutty Q people!
LikeLike
Saying some voter fraud took place is one thing, saying it took place in six states, and to the extent that it changed the election, is quite another.
Trump’s strategy was to throw EVERYTHING against the wall to see what would stick. Hugo Chavez, Dominion voting machines, suitcases of pre-filled ballots (“We have video!”) 2,000 mules!! (except the book was recalled.) Pick a state, we’ve got a theory. Eventually, your credibility approaches zero. None of it is believable, but the fight goes on.
You ask, with incredulity, if it is believable that Joe Biden got 81 million votes for president. Well, I’d say it is entirely believable that 81 million people voted against Donald Trump.
LikeLike
Wow…so your gist is Keith Furman was PROBABLY the one who muttered the infamous c-word. If true, the man is in the misogynist HOF with Fred Clark.
LikeLike
Witherspoon @ 9:17
Read for comprehension lest you babble moronically.
You must believe that when Squire suggests I believe January 6th was an ‘AARP bus tour gone wrong’ that he was serious. He indulged in some irony and I gigged him back for it. No disrespect either way.
You are really bad at understanding, much less interpreting my simplest statements and intentions.
Spare me your lecture.
LikeLike
Mark Lemberger wrote, “Read for comprehension lest you babble moronically.”
I do read for comprehension and I don’t babble. Here’s what I say to your insult, bite me.
Mark Lemberger wrote, “You must believe that when Squire suggests I believe January 6th was an ‘AARP bus tour gone wrong’ that he was serious. He indulged in some irony…”
Maybe you don’t realize it but this contradicts your previous assertion about projections – engaging in irony is not equivalent to projections.
Mark Lemberger wrote, “…I gigged him back for it.”
So now you’re backtracking a bit and I’m supposed to believe that you were engaging in hyperbole or joking; I’m not buyin’ it.
Mark Lemberger wrote, “No disrespect either way.”
Hogwash.
Mark Lemberger wrote, “You are really bad at understanding, much less interpreting my simplest statements and intentions.”
Actually it’s you who doesn’t seem to really understand the words you’re using and how those words are perceived.
Mark Lemberger wrote, “Spare me your lecture.”
Why should I when you exhibit an obvious need to be taught some simple things.
LikeLike
I remember the days when my parents, brothers and sisters and I lived right outside of Chicago. This was back in the day when a certain Richard J. Daley was mayor and RAN that town.
It was he who made all the decisions. It was he who decided who got what positions in what departments. Who to reward, who to trash.
In Madison, Satya does not seem to play in that game. At least not on paper.
So I’m wondering, if Satya does not RUN this town, does Keith? Is he the real Kingmaker and she just a symbol of wokeness?
Is a vote for Satya really just a vote for Keith?
LikeLike
David,
As someone made the following comment on another forum: “No one is disputing the total votes. The dispute is there is no way 81 million Americans legally voted for Brandon.”
That is the issue that many have with Biden being elected President. That along with the relentless drive by the press to paint Trump as an evil man who was President only to benefit himself. That and their ignoring the controversy surrounding Joe’s son Hunter. That along with the fact that other than a long career in government can anyone point out an accomplishment that Joe has ever done on his own?
When you see pictures of people stuffing ballots into drop boxes, when you see people going into nursing homes to help people who are suffering from dementia vote when they don’t even remember their own children who are feeding them lunch, when you see how much Mark Zuckerbucks put into this election in order to sway it in a particular way, I have my own doubts.
No proof, but a lot of doubts.
LikeLiked by 2 people
My only beef with the events of Jan. 6th is that the participants weren’t armed to the teeth. They won’t make that mistake next time–and there will be a next time thanks to the senile old bastard in the White House and his deranged puppeteers.
LikeLike
Gary L. Kriewald wrote, “My only beef with the events of Jan. 6th is that the participants weren’t armed to the teeth. They won’t make that mistake next time–and there will be a next time thanks to the senile old bastard in the White House and his deranged puppeteers.”
Gary,
Do you understand or even care that your comment sounds like an actual open threat of armed violence yet to come?
LikeLike
You mistake a prediction for a threat.
LikeLike
Gary L. Kriewald wote, “You mistake a prediction for a threat.”
Hogwash.
I did nothing of the sort.
Your comment wasn’t a prediction it was an actual threat of things to come and I offer as evidence to support that claim this phrase that you wrote, “there will be a next time “ (emphasis mine). There is absolutely no ambiguity when you use phrases like “there will be” where if you had used a phrase like “there likely will be” instead that would have been a prediction possibility and not an actual threat of things to come. The words you use and how you use them does make a difference and sometimes that difference is significant. You should choose your words more wisely.
Your backtracking claim is false.
LikeLike
The difference between “there will be” and “there will likely be” is strictly a matter of emphasis, the former statement being the more emphatic. But both are predictions, and an adverb doesn’t change things. The only way my statement could be a threat is if I had inside information from insurgents planning another Jan. 6th. (I don’t.) Rest assured, I’m perfectly capable of phrasing a statement as a threat if that were my intent.
LikeLike
Gary L. Kriewald wrote, “The difference between “there will be” and “there will likely be” is strictly a matter of emphasis, the former statement being the more emphatic. But both are predictions, and an adverb doesn’t change things.”
You’re simply not comprehending what’s going on here.
“There will be” can be taken as a threat where “there likely will be” can only be taken as a possibility, and that is exactly why I wrote that “your comment sounds like an actual open threat of armed violence yet to come” instead if writing that “your comment is an actual open threat of armed violence yet to come”.
I’m not going to explain this simple concept any further. If you don’t understand these simple differences then I can’t fix what’s wrong with you.
LikeLike
Gary L. Kriewald wrote, “The only way my statement could be a threat is if I had inside information from insurgents planning another Jan. 6th.”
That could imply that you think the ones that took part in the January 6th riot are insurgents; is that what you actually think?
Gary L. Kriewald wrote, “Rest assured, I’m perfectly capable of phrasing a statement as a threat if that were my intent.”
Very interesting; that statement and the open willingness to publicly make that statement reveals a piece of your personal character.
LikeLike
I cheerfully allow you the final word since that’s clearly your real motivation for responding to my post (and others).
LikeLike
Gary L. Kriewald wrote, “I cheerfully allow you the final word since that’s clearly your real motivation for responding to my post (and others).”
So now you’re the keeper of all knowledge as to what my “real motivation” is; again very interesting and very revealing.
Fin.
LikeLike
HA! I rest my case.
LikeLike
Clearly you also don’t understand the concept of giving someone else the last word. You just keep on revealing your integrity and character.
LikeLike
Yeah Gary,
Be careful of what you say as perhaps some government official will take it in a way you might never intended.
LikeLike
No worries. We have Witherspoon for that.
LikeLike
Mark Lemberger wrote, “No worries. We have Witherspoon for that.”
Really?
Please reread my reply to Gary and then tell me what in my reply to Gary warranted that kind of back-handed nonsense?
LikeLike
I have something to say to commenters here on Blaska’s blog.
Consider these facts when reading my comments.
I suspect that most of you and I actually agree on many, many things; however, I choose not to allow the fact that we actually agree on a lot of things to be used as an unethical rationalization to ignore or justify things that are written that I disagree with. I’m dang near as hard on people I agree with (sometimes harder) as I am on those that I disagree with all the time and it tends to get people’s underwear in a bundle when I share my disagreements, that’s your problem not mine. It never fails that I will eventually disagree with something “you” write and I’ll say so if I happen to see it, if you choose to get your underwear in a bundle because of that, that’s reflection of your integrity and character not mine.
It’s fine to disagree and to choose to walk away from a conversation in disagreement. Sometimes it’s a lot better in the long run to walk away from a contentious disagreement and leave the door open for future discussion. Of course there are commenters like our resident internet troll Richard Lesiak that have earned much scorn for his constant trolling rhetoric but, as rare as it might seem, even Richard has had a couple of relatively on topic things to say.
Lastly; when I write “bite me” that’s actually a friendly way of saying that you should pull your head out of that place the sun never shines, so don’t take it too personally. If I’m actually angry at you when I post my comment, which is pretty rare, you’ll know it.
If you are one of those people, and you know who you are, that actually holds a grudge due to online debating then consider walking away from it permanently because debating is not your forte.
Everyone have a great Sunday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Watching you guys eat each other is great fun. Carry on.
LikeLike
richard lesiak wrote, “Watching you guys eat each other is great fun. Carry on.”
I see you’ve had your noontime boilermakers down at Green Gables and now you’re back at your computer trolling Blaska’s blog with another installment of your off-topic nonsense.
Typical trolling.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Everyone knows you can’t drink because of the meds you are on.
LikeLike
richard lesiak wrote, “Everyone knows you can’t drink because of the meds you are on.”
Friends don’t let friends post drunk and stupid, you should really get some friends.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Blogge Idiot is ALKI-BOPPIN’ again.
Or should that be ALKI-BOPPIN’ still…
The Gotch
LikeLiked by 1 person
What this thread, and others, display is called discussion.
It is completely absent from the UNskilled set of an epically clueless 75-year-old, generationally imbecilic, shut-in Lefty TROLT.
#PitiablyPathetic!
The Gotch
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Discussion”? What you have here is a bunch of middle-school girls bitching at each other. To quote the great blow-hard stevie; “bite me”.
LikeLike