WAUSAU (WAOW) —Labor Day parade organizers confirm that no Republicans will be allowed to participate in this year’s Labor Day Parade.
Council president Randy Radtke says they choose not to invite elected officials who have “openly attacked worker’s rights” or did nothing when state public workers lost most of their right to collectively bargain.
The parade is sponsored by the Marathon County Labor Council. A Wausau city spokeswoman said the city does not contribute any money to the parade.
Rep. Sean Duffy’s chief of staff, Brandon Moody, released a statement to Newsline 9:
“Having walked in this parade in past years, Congressman Duffy was hoping that for a moment, we could set our differences aside and simply have some fun in a family-friendly event.”
Nice.

Former Vice President Al  Gore is comparing the struggle to win over climate change skeptics to the  fight against racism.
When racist comments would come up in the course of  conversations, “There came a time when people said, ‘Hey man, why do you talk  that way? That’s wrong, I don’t go for that, so don’t talk that way around me. I  just don’t believe that,’” Gore said in an interview Friday with FearLess Revolution  founder Alex Bogusky. (more…)

As Texas governor, GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry has presided over 234 executions. It’s a record number, which, The Washington Post reported last week, bestows on Perry “a law-and-order credential that none of his competitors can match — even if they wanted to.”
Watch how pundits will try to turn that statistic into a political negative — and paint Perry as the governor with blood on his spurs — even though American voters overwhelmingly support the death penalty. (more…)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Everything in America is bigger than it is in England – including the weather. The US has responded to Hurricane Irene with characteristic fervour: millions of people evacuated, New York in darkness, sandbags everywhere and Fox News weathermen screaming “We’re all going to die!” How different it is in England, where the defining image of our effete floods is Doris from the Isle of Sheppey sitting on her roof clutching her cat in one hand and her Mantovani records in the other. (more…)

While the New Mexico-born  cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, is the first American on the CIA’s kill or capture  list, the U.S. State  Department refuses to release documents about al-Awlaki citing his right to  privacy. This disconnect was uncovered as part of the ongoing investigation by  Fox News’ Specials Unit into the cleric who is a leader of a major Al  Qaeda affiliate. (more…)

UPDATE AT BOTTOM
On Thursday, Gibson Guitar Corporation issued a press release stating that government officials raided their Tennessee manufacturing facility over warrants concerning the legality of the importation of wood purchased from India that they use in their world famous guitars. The wood–which is certified and regulated by the Forest Stewardship Council–is not illegal, but rather a domestic law in India frowns upon the processing of this wood by non-Indians. (Gibson has it processed by Americans.) (more…)

The loyal dog from the now-famous  photo of former Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson‘s funeral could lead  the Iowa Hawkeyes football  team onto the field before a game this season.
The dog is appropriately named Hawkeye, and former Iowa player Jon  Lazar is leading a push to have him run the team onto the field.
“It just tears you apart to see that (video),” Lazar told Hawk  Central today. “But I thought how great it would be for that dog to lead the  Hawkeyes down to the field and to have the announcer tell the story of this  dog. (more…)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †