GOP Groupthink Begets Stooge in Sec’s Office
Operate in secret, don’t consult the board and continue suing fellow vets for more money

The compliant Republican legislators that caved to the demands that Scott Walker appoint the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs secretary and nine members of the Veterans Affairs Board must realize the error of their ways by now.

One of the GOP Reps that lobbied for the partisan changes is leaving elected office. Dick Spanbauer said screw it especially after RPW found a primary candidate to oppose him.

Unfortunately, the likes of Kevin Petersen and his brand of extremist politicos seem certain to run again. But think how the seven-member board must feel with zero duties and John Scocos in charge.

Since Scocos was appointed in 2003 the population of Wisconsin veterans has diminished. Why are veterans fleeing the state if the benefits are so great?

Why is he demanding millions of taxpayer dollars to bail out VTF with GPR?

Why, if the population is diminishing so rapidly, are the taxpayers expected to pay more in benefits? About the only people benefiting are the senior WDVA staffers whose salaries have ballooned.

Wisconsin veterans’ population by year:

2003: 486,000

2004: 474,000

2005: 466,000

2006: 457,000

2007: 446,000

2008: 436,000

2009: 427,000

2010: 417,000

2011: 407,000

http://dva.state.wi.us/PA_veteransdata.asp#Population

At these rates, Scocos and his toxic leadership are driving them away so fast there won’t be any veterans left in the state.

One of the reasons UW tuition is going up so substantially is because of 100% tuition remission for veterans under the Wisconsin GI Bill, in addition to the federal GI Bill.

But, hey, it’ll be just like the good old days when Tommy G. Thompson “buys” a Senate seat and Ray Boland is elected to the House, except, there is a fat chance of that happening with the over-the-hill gang running for office.

Nevertheless, Boland probably really likes Thompson’s proposal to cut pension and health benefits for federal workers as a ruse to deflect questions about $13 million in lobbying wealth Thompson has accrued.

Boland's pet bogyman is entitlements. He proposes to end all entitlements except for those he collects.

Not surprisingly, the Republican Party of Monroe County couldn’t wait to endorse Boland, after he spoke at their annual caucus in Sparta this Sunday.

It’s highly unusual to endorse a candidate so early in the game, but Boland relentlessly pushed them for their support.

If that doesn’t tell you something the rightwingnuts took a straw poll and Rick Santorum topped Mitt Romney.

Expect more feral endorsements like that from clueless Republicans. But Scocos ought not use state resources for his mentor's political campaign.