IS IT TRUE APRIL 17, 2015

1. Another nail in the coffin for the middle class. The dumbass Hoosiers will continue to vote for dirt bag republicans. One only needs to look at the mess the state of Kansas is in to see where this is going. The proof is in the pudding.

   • This in no way effects the middleclass, this frees taxpayers from paying more than the job is worth. Requiring the state to subsidize union workers over non union workers is a discriminatory practice set up by democrats to buy votes. Unions have been an enemy of the republican party for 70 years, unions have used member dues to support the liberal agenda. This is simply payback, plus the citizens of this great state will get more services for their tax dollars. Unions have outlived their usefulness, they haven’t done anything important in 65 years. The real enemy of the middleclass is the liberal democrats, there is nothing that has been as devastating for workers, union or non union than NAFTA, signed by Slick Willy himself, he had veto power and failed to use it. Liberal democrats view the middleclass and unions as barriers to their end goal, they have a vision of two classes, the working class and the ruling class. The liberals in this country believe they can make work what the Russians had failed at, communism. Liberals are some of the smartest people this country has to offer, they’re basically lazy and want to spend their time bossing the working class around.

2. I sat next to a bar patron imbibing last week as he told me Wieneke was a good mayor, fiscally conservative, and a friend of labor. I really shouldn’t have let him drive, his disfunction was obvious.

   • onemeover, that person was disfunctional years before entering that bar. Wonder what our dads would had said/done to that person back in the day of the Tony Elpers and Marlin Grossmans establishments?

   • My question: He must have been over the legal limit prior to entering the bar….Winnecke must think he has the Federal Reserve chairperson on his Dept Head list…spending more than you receive in the first three years of his reign by the tune of 27 MILLION DOLLARS is far from conservative….and if he is such a friend of labor why didn’t he persuade his fellow Republicans to vote NO…he obviously do not swing much Schtick on the state level…Wounded Winnecke…so sad!!!

     • Dance, A guy at the post office told me that the figure wasn’t 27 mil but 197 and 3 quarter mil. No wait was that at the barber shop ? Anyway, people wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true would they ?

       • Maybe the State Board of Accounts does not it right…maybe the dirty report as originally determined was really a dirty report.

       • Dance…I guess one of the spending plan components was not to change the oil in the police cars??

   • I think I talked to the same guy and we were discussing if sex was fun or work. We decided it was fun because if it was work you couldn’t get union people to do it, but they would stand around and watch. Winnecke is a good mayor and will continue to do the best job for the people of this city for another 4 years. Union leaders are learning a lesson that needs to trickle down to the rank and file. The message is, we need to try and get along with those republicans because we have supported democrats who have betrayed us and those conservatives are kicking our butts. Unions members need to remember they supported Gail and she didn’t stand up and fight for you but ran off to Illinois. Gail the flee bagger. The democrat party no longer stands for the common person or for this country. I know a lot of union people who claim to be Christians and are gun owners, the democrats want to take both of these away from you. They also want to open our borders to replace you at the ballot box and in the work place.

3. In general, one only needs to look back these past two generations and see that if your life depends on your hourly wage, and not stocks, bonds and inheritance, one is a fool to cast a “R” vote! OH sure, they throw in those dividing issues of the religion card, guns card, etc, to get your vote. I see it over and over, people I know that switch parties because of this card, or that card being played out by the “R’s”. They are appalled that you have a little pension, etc. that you deferred part of your wages when one was working. They are shocked of that, but don’t blink a eye when business and stocks makes money hands over fist will they receive a paltry hourly wage. Again, forget those cards that the “R’s” play, and vote to support your wages for you and your family!
   The “R”s in general don’t give a flying fig about the hourly wage earner!

   • In my lifetime I have experienced both Rs and Ds in power. It never effected my earning power or ability to find a job. And yes my life depended on a “hourly job”. I will admit I have made more money on the stock market in the last few years than I did working. But my father made more on his CDs after he quit working then he did working, with no risk.

     • By purpose or accident, the Social Security report on my income for individual working years show I took a beating during the Ronnie R. years. Same job ,same duties.

       • One, You were working somewhere and they reduced your wages because of the President ? It couldn’t have been affected by what the prior president did to the economy could it.

         • Go see what happened on November 17, 1999!! This is what caused the calamity in 2008…

       • Oh, yes Mit outsourcing of jobs…wonder if those foreigners who received those jobs spent in money in Evansville…must like this Mayor who outsources our money as well…much in common?

   • Those aren’t “cards”; they are fundamental rights.

     • They are a house of cards that soon will fall down and hopefully burn those that try to play them. Fundamental rights are the right to get paid a good wage for a hard days work. That’s the basic fundamental right in this world today. The rest are playing cards shuffled from out of the bottom of the deck by some GOP card sharks.

       • Silly me. I was referring to the constitution.

         • You are not the only one who read the US Constitution. And you said “cards”. Everyone has certain inalienable rights not just you or your GOP buddies.

         • Well that was weird

   • Armstrongres I wish that more people would figure this out. They don’t vote their pocket book they instead vote for side issues like abortion, religious freedom and don’t forget the big Government is going to come get your guns issue. Those hot button issues are played like a fine tuned fiddle and people fall for it hook line and sinker.

     The GOP is dismantling the middle class one peg at a time. First is was the right to refuse to join the union and still get the benefits and then it was taking away all the benefits of even being in a union.

     There is only one union in the USA today and it’s the GOP. They are going to end up controlling every thing and this country’s regular people will suffer as a consequence of that. I’m glad that I retired early and didn’t have to try to make a living working with my hands. People who work on an hourly basis and don’t have big stock holding or money in the bank are going to be in big trouble.

     I saw in the news yesterday where protesters some where were asking for $15/hr as the new Minimum wage. That might help but it won’t ever happen as long as the GOP controls the entire congress. Some people have to work two and three jobs to try to make ends meet while other’s enjoy flying around in Big Private Jets and live in mansions that could house 30 regular families. No one said life was fair but it should be Just.

     • Why didn’t the democrats do it when they controlled both houses? Answer: because they are liberal trustfunders and need to keep the wages low so they can keep their hired help. They sure didn’t have any problems passing obamacare. This was a big money maker for the democrats. The richest people in congress are democrats and they intend to stay rich and in congress. A person with an EBT card is a bought and paid for vote that’s how democrats want to keep it.

     • Raising the mim wages sounds good but at the end of the day inflation will wipe out the effects…what maybe needed is better training, better education, better discipline….

4. I has been my experience that you get what you pay for. The times I tried to save money on labor costs it did not go well. Someone is always ready to do the job cheaper. Weather they knew how to do the job or not. It usually is not “just as good”.

   • So life is just one big race to the bottom, to republicans.

     • So I guess you are all ok with the President’s trade bill that he wants?

     • No, republicans believe in upward mobility – for everyone. not bringing everyone down to the nadir.

       After all, if everyone is making money then everyone is spending it. Cha-ching

     • And what Party does Winnecke belong???

       • I’m not talking about individuals; I’m talking about ideology.

5. I’ve said it before, if you have a net worth of less than 5 million and vote republican you’re a bona fide moron. That’s what citizens united was so crippling to this country. Advertising with lies is very effective on morons.

   • I have always voted for the person not the Party, and I can hardly lump together all Republicans or Democrats as Morons.
     I usually vote for less government and do not believe in government spending as being the answer to all our problems. The Political leaders seem to always have a reason to spend and spend, particularly if it brings Votes to keep them in power. Working Class? -that’s everybody I’ve ever known. Work a little overtime and the Government will always take More Taxes, as you are “making more”, or work two jobs (more hours away from family) trying to get a little money together(or pay a bill) and the progressive tax will beat you down under the guise of paying your “fair share”. Who gets to determine what “fair share” means by the way?
     I will tell you that it’s a little hard to take when that “fair share” is handed over by the entrenched (R&D) spenders to (buy off), — the Non-productive feeders on the Working person’s labor- in return for their vote.
     The Real Morons are the Non-Voters in our Society, and evidenced ever so glaringly locally, where approximately 80% don’t bother to Vote.
     “We’ve met the Enemy,-and it’s us”–Pogo

     • Who gets to determine what “fair share” means by the way? asked by Crash LaRue.
       That’s a damn good questions Crash. I guess you might say it’s the US Congress as they make the laws. and the laws of Congress as well as the law of supply and demand tell us what’s a fair wage.

       Not everyone gets their fair share today as it was thousands of years ago. Some people get more and other’s do without. That’s the American Way these days. And those in between to two extremes are drifting towards the lower end faster all the time.

       Look at the price of a car or house today compared to 50 years ago. Then compare that price increase to the increase in the min wage. If one can’t see the different they need to go back to remedial math class and take anther class in basis entry level economics.

       • 1000 years ago…In England wasn’t serfdom the norm as well as First Night?

         Some people get more because they work hard and some others do without because they don’t.

         • Some people get more and don’t work harder. They are the entitled people who think they should be the Kings. Blue bood AH. Some people don’t know what “work” is.

         • You are just on fire tonight, aren’t you? Strange you should even go near the “entitle” word as that brings to mind entitlements as in what some folks think they deserve by virtue of their existence

     • Well Said!!!

   • It must be. Obama was elected twice.LETTERMAN’S TOP 10 REASONS TO VOTE DEMOCRAT

     #10. I vote Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I’ve decided to marry my German Shepherd.

     #9. I vote Democrat because I believe oil companies’ profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon at 15% isn’t.

     #8. I vote Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.

     #7. I vote Democrat because Freedom of Speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.

     #6. I vote Democrat because I’m way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves. I am also thankful that we have a 911 service that gets police to your home in order to identify your body after a home invasion.

     #5. I vote Democrat because I’m not concerned about millions of babies being aborted so long as we keep all death row inmates alive and comfy.

     #4. I vote Democrat because I think illegal aliens have a right to free health care, education, and Social Security benefits, and we should take away Social Security from those who paid into it.

     #3. I vote Democrat because I believe that businesses should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the Democrat Party sees fit.

     #2. I vote Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.

     … And, the #1 reason I vote Democrat is because I think it’s better to pay $billions$ for oil to people who hate us, but not drill our own because it might upset some endangered beetle, gopher, or fish here in America . We don’t care about the beetles, gophers, or fish in those other countries.

     “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits”… Albert Einstein
     =======================
     I know you all will appreciate this definition. The best description of Obamacare so far:
     Remember when Nancy Pelosi said: “We have to pass it, to find out what’s in it.”
     A physician called into a radio show and said: “That’s the definition of a stool sample.”
     =

     • I’m a man but I liked this one anyway. Anybody can copy and paste shit.

       10. I’ll vote Republican because even though I’m a woman, I love being told that I shouldn’t be paid equally because of the “free-market.” I also love being told that I’m not allowed conteception, or my legal right to an abortion (but a man can have Viagra and penis pumps no problem).

       9. I’ll vote Republican because we must suffer the deaths of 31,000 men, women and children a year in order to preserve the option of assassinating our democratically elected politicians with our guns we bought at Walmart.

       8. I’ll vote Republican because I work hard for my money, and nothing makes me happier than my tax dollars going to subsidize Big Oil and the major banks that crashed our economy in 2008. I also love that the Republicans are blaming the “lazy” minority for my economic woes.

       7. I’ll vote Republican because I believe a President who gives Americans healthcare is a “terrorist dictator” but a tax-evading rancher in Nevada who uses women as human shields is a “patriot.”

       6. I’ll vote Republican because we are the “pro-life” party, even though our deepest cuts go to feeding, housing, clothing, educating and medically treating low-income children, elderly and returning veterans.

       5. I’ll vote Republican because rather than admitting our world’s climate is changing, I’ll sit around with my thumb up my butt and deny science so billionaires like the Koch Brothers can pollute the Earth and give more to my campaign.

       4. I’ll vote Republican because even though our Founding Fathers have claimed we are not a “Christian Nation,” I still want my Christian faith to dictate who can and cannot get married, what children may learn in public schools, and what holidays may and may not be celebrated in public.

       3. I’ll vote Republican because every judge who upholds the right to get married, to get an abortion, or be treated like a decent human being is an “activist judge,” but the judges who allow dirty money to pollute our elections are “freedom-loving.”

       2. I’ll vote Republican because I support the gap between the richest and the middle class to widen because our policies only pander to the rich, and then complain that there is “class warfare” against us.

       And finally, the number 1 reason I’ll be voting Republican:

       1. I’ll vote Republican because I can’t get over the fact that President Obama was democratically elected twice, so I’ll make up a barrage of fake scandals like voter fraud, IRS, Benghazi, Fast and Furious, FEMA camps, to dumb down and inject fear into the GOP base so they don’t see how destructive our policies are.

       • No. 1 – “fake scandals”. Now that is funny. Really funny. I’m still chuckling from that. Thanks for the laughs.

         • Blown out of proportion and hypocritical is what they should have used.

         • Can you imagine if any one of the incidents in #1 had occurred under a republican’s watch. The media would eat them alive. But ALL of these things were contrived and have no substance under the democrats.

           I have decided that my views lean much more libertarian than republican but okay, let’s look at your points:

           #10 – Anyone can have any birth control they want. I could care less – just don’t want to pay for it for anybody but me. Have you see the discrepancies in the salaries at the White House? Mr O should start the ball rolling in his own administration.

           #9 Owning a gun provides an option to assassinate the president? Too inane to merit comment.

           #8 The government makes more money on a gallon of gas than anyone else along the supply chain – and they don’t turn a tap to do so.

           #7 That was a fiasco – plain and simple. It was absurd as the “Hands Up – Don’t Shoot” narrative that has been proven false and a Grand Jury and the DOJ

           #6 Saying it don’t make it so – prove it.

           #5 Climate changes – that’s what it does

           #4 I’m a believer and I live my life accordingly. You do what you damn well please. I could care less (I’m not the only conservative that has this opinion0

           #3 Dirty money…like the Clinton Foundation? Accepting BIG money from countries with no regard for women for her foundation for the empowerment of women?

           Yeah, republicans are the only ones that where their campaign financing is questionable.

           #2 The gap has widened since Mr O took office and blacks have been the hardest hit by his “leadership”

           #1 You can and will rationalize and justify anything done by a democrat. I guess you think that Hillary scrubbing her hard drive was the right thing, indeed the noble thing to do.

           #9

         • What are you blathering about dittos? Dozens of Americans were killed at embassies under bush. Not to mention 9/11 (2001.)

         • Yes, people have been killed in embassies before but it wasn’t lied about through the media for WEEKS! He (Obama) went before the UN 2 weeks after and talked about “the Video”. LIES LIES LIES

         • Who cares what the motivation for the attack was? Like hillary said, what difference does it make?

         • Ghost – Why lie about it and make it the talking points for your entire administration – for weeks? Is it because he told us that the terrorists were on the run? That Al Qaeda was a defeated foe? Is it because Mr. Thin-Skin couldn’t face the fact that even with his empathy and sparkling personality, we are still hated? That he didn’t win them over too?

         • It’s pretty sickening when someone pretends to laugh.

       • Oh Joad, such a sad pathetic excuse you are. Keep living the dream man, and be sure to inform us when you are leaving the state.

         • Brandon, Ghost promised he was moving away as soon as he could find a job. That was a long time ago.

         • Joe lying again.

       • Ghost, Did you forget to take your meds today ?

         • It is not the event – it’s the lies! Let’s hear you justified Hillary’s scrubbed hard drive

       • Even the GOP Congressional Committee investigating Bengazi said that Hillary didn’t do anything wrong. You STUPID IDIOTS keep beating that Dead Horse and it’s starting to stink to high heaven. It’s time for the bozos to sit down and shut up about Bengazi. Like it was said above, 911 happened on Bush’s watch. Hell, President Clinton warned Bush Jr. about Bin Laden and Bush failed to listen to Clinton and thus 911 happened. Bush/Cheney used the 911 Al Qaeda attack to start a war with Iraq which has absolutely NOTHING to do with 911. Bush was NUTS.

6. So this mornings posters are in favor of discriminating against non-union businesses. Interesting.

   • CS – logging on to this site is like entering the Twilight Zone. There is no logic, reason or core values. They just spew the same tired liberal talking points that has led to 93 million able Americans not even in the workforce. It probably makes them feel better about themselves to be so kind, open minded and generous with other people’s money…enlightened if you will.

   • So sad…in the last mid term election, labor spent over 150 million….lost the Senate….lost 8 of 9 Governor races and more seats in the Indiana General Assembly…they had thousands of protectors on the lawn of the state capital…locally they sword to be damned that Kiefer would be tossed out on the School Board…and now they give to Winnecke who in turns passes their money to Republicans who in turns puts the final nail in their coffin…stupid, just stupid….and by the way where are all of those jobs the Pooh proclaims….?

7. Let me get this straight. Haney listed the loan on his personal bankruptcy filing? Did the city make the check out to him or to the business? I am not familiar of the ins and outs of a bankruptcy filing, but I though a debt of an LLC or corporation would not be part of a personal filing.

   Either way, the city will not get their money back.

   • What this means is that Ken Haney had personally guaranteed the loan and that he is now off the hook for that guarantee.

     Did any of the other partners in Earthcare provide personal guarantees? Does Earthcare have any assets that can be attached like the patents they claimed to have or a distribution agreement with Langston Energy? How about that phantom study approving the device for the DOD?

     None of these things were in the shoddy agreement the city signed and then breached. There was no collateral at all and no conditions on performance. Don’t be surprised if Mr. Haney and his partners follow this bankruptcy with a significant financial damages claim against the City of Evansville. After all, it was the city that breached the agreement by defaulting on rules that were never in the contract.

     One final thing, I foresaw all of this in writing in the CCO. Where are the cast of minions who extended this loan last year to just beyond the city elections hoping Haney’s ghost would lie dormant. This bankruptcy was timed this way for a reason. I predict Evansville has not heard the last from Ken Haney and Earthcare.

     • Joe can’t they be held criminally liable for fraud?

       • Maybe. That is really a question for the prosecutor. I think it depends on whether any false claims were made prior to the time when the $200,000 check was written.

         There were clearly incorrect statements made about having patent protection after the check was written but that would not apply to the fast pitch that loosened the purse strings for the $200,000.

         What should be of the highest interest to the taxpayers is just who all was in on this deal at the local level. Why were so many local power brokers in such a frenzy to pass this deal so fast. Perhaps Mr. Haney should be offered immunity to out all of the local parasites who were so enthusiastic to ram this through.

         It would be better to diagnose the cancers within and deal with them than to go on a goose chase to Texas after money that no longer exists.

         • Maybe the City should consider paying Ted Ziemer even more $$$ to object at the creditors meeting under the premise of Civil Fraud???

         • @danceswithwolves:

           Too late re: objecting at creditors meeting–Haney has already received a discharge.

         • With the administrative dissolution of Earthcare (Texas Secy of State) and Haney’s asset being Earthcare Stock we must believe that the BK Trustee would have taken the stock which includes our money?? Checked the Indiana Secy of State, the Winnecke Adm apparently did not file a UCC (Uniformed Commercial Code) document meaning that any assets inside of Earthcare was NOT used to secure our loan….just more incompetence??

       • This administration has a history of not collecting….22% of all loans are considered in default status….with Santa Lloyd and Christmas Carol at the helm…why not…

     • I can just imagine some of the campaign commercials for candidates running against the council members who voted for the agreement. Especially against those who were also a member of the loan committee.

       It will be interesting to see if any candidates have the intestinal fortitude to actually run one…

   • A debt of a Limited Liability Company can’t be sought from the personal assets of the people that are the listed company officers. That’s how things worked out with the Miller Electroplating Company’s when they left town and abandoned their hazardous waste on the site. The owner of the company got to take all his personal assets with him to Florida.

   • He probably personally guaranteed the loan….and probably stripped out all of the assets of the LLC…

8. I would like to point out that there is no law prohibiting local governments from adopting wage based regulations at the local level. The states action simply removes the state from the relationship between labor and local government. Cities and counties are free to require prevailing wages on their capital projects. It will be interesting to see if they will and what the preferences of the voters are.

   • The new law prohibits local government from setting wages.

   • Joe. In other words, they are free to continue discriminating against non-union construction companies.

     • If local authorities choose to do so your conclusion would be correct. If they let the new law stand as is they would not. I do not believe that prevailing wage laws have ever stated that union companies have any preference in getting public works jobs. Non union construction companies bidding on jobs that require prevailing wages according to Davis-Bacon laws would have to comply with the wage rules and the reporting criteria to be considered.

       By the way, Davis-Bacon will still apply to any projects that use any federal money. It is a little known fact that most public works projects do get federal support so nothing is changed. Municipalities that embark on projects without federal money will not be subject to these laws but they never were anyway.

       Any discrimination against non-union contractors has been done through the careful wording of bids by whomever writes the RFP’s. We used mostly union labor in the refurbishment of Innovation Pointe. We had few other bids. There were some independent firms that got some work but they paid prevailing wage rates. They worked side by side with the union guys without incident. Cooperation and respect is the key to getting projects done on time an budget.

       • While the discrimination may not be overt, the end result is the same. Prevailing wage destroys the one advantage non-union companies may have in the bidding process: lower costs. That’s a huge advantage to union companies, and can be a huge disadvantage to taxpayers.

9. Here is a link to the article about Earthcare last year. Evansville chose door #4 which was the most cowardly path possible? And here we go again.

   http://adoptanoldie.com/city-countyobserver/2014/03/01/the-day-of-reckoning-for-the-earthcare-energy-llc-loan-is-here/

10. I bet that if the Mayor were held personally responsible for losing that money this would never happen again. The State legislature should pass legislation making the Mayor of the cities in IN personally responsible for the money flow and if money comes up missing he/she should be bonded and be able to refund the missing money.

    • Do you really think he cares….recent reports indicate that the Utility was CASH SHORT by $400,000 and the only response is “it has been taken care of “….and discussion moves to “Kill the Messenger” status….Hollywood could not make this crap up!!!

11. Seems likely that if Haney files suit against Evansville, Billin’ Ted would be just as anxious to settle as he was to give them a pass on the $200,000. The exposure resulting from some of the folks currently running Evansville city government being hauled into the dock and having to toss up their right hands would be too great a risk to take. If Haney is contemplating legal action he should move quickly, take their second or third offer and hie out of here again. By election time it’d be way down on the list of things bothering the voters.

    As far as I know, the steerman who routed Haney to Evansville has not yet been identified.

    • It was a steerwoman.

      • Longhorn?

12. Evansville Transparency post up.

    https://www.facebook.com/evansvilletransparency/photos/a.1425379904398609.1073741829.1424909887778944/1573707819565816/?type=1&theater

13. IS IT TRUE we are very much aware of the drug problems in our city parks but stunned to hear we now have active METH Labs at OAK Hill Cemetery? …we look forward to hear how Superintendent Chris Cooke is going to correct this problem?

    * * * * * * * * * *

    How difficult is it to hide a few surveillance cameras connected to a video recorder in the cemetery? Some local business that believes in the dignity of a cemetery might volunteer to do the work for a very discounted price, or even donate the time and equipment.

    What appears lacking is the initiative to go proactive on this issue.

    • One incident of finding a backpack with items in it does not constitute an active meth lab or LABS as PAK thinks. No active meth labs have been found on any city cemetery.

      • Wait a minute…Winnecke’s proclaims Meth is down in the City….if he says so it must be true?

    • The real deal, as long as those nuts continue to support that present phased incremental screwing nothing will change. ONB is well on its way too being the poster child of “six buck chuck”. sell, like hell! While you can find some dummy to buy.

      Here it tis—> http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/onb/real-time

    • This means that he has to get of his a– and separate himself from the Debbie Cakes and get out onto the grounds!

14. It is true the CCO, after joining the mob in lying about and mischaracterizing RFRA as discriminatory and demonizing it’s( RFRA) supporters, in today’s IIT bemoans the repeal of Prevailing Wage, whose sole purpose is to discriminate against non-union construction companies?

15. There have been meth labs found in Oak Hill Cemetery for several years now…no real surprise, the surrounding area has had several one-pot related fires over the last 10 plus years…

    • . . . and hasn’t Cooke been the Superintendent for sometime now??

16. If Union labor wasn’t so much more expensive than comparable non-Union labor, this wouldn’t be an issue.

    Just sayin’

Comments are closed.