Walker's Wisconsin: Safety rules? Don't need them. Questions as to why not? Ask a lobbyist.

[Scuba]

Coverage thanks to Cognitive Dissidence.

The Wisconsin State Journal is reporting that Scott Walker is ready to end the requirement for inexpensive life-saving equipment in building codes. According to the article, he wants to end the requirement for homes to be equipped with circuit interrupters which help prevent electrical fires, electrocution and thermal burns. Walker also want to end the requirement for tamper resistant outlets which protect children from sticking things in the outlet and getting a shock or electrocuted.

...

So, now we have Walker being bought off to eliminate the use of these safety devices, they can't even give a valid reason for it, except for the mysterious, unnamed "them."

Ah, but there is still more (again, emphasis mine): There is no timetable for the task, said department spokeswoman Angie Hellenbrand, who referred questions to Deschane, of the builders association, for more information.

The proposal estimates it will take 600 hours of staff time to develop the rules. WTH? Now we have state officials deferring to lobbyists for answers on state policy?! And whose staff is going to be putting in the 600 hours of work to eliminate something that will be put back in two years when Kleefisch (Walker will be in prison by then) loses to whoever the Democrats put up against her? And who will be paying for it?

If the name Deschane sounds familiar, it's because Deschane the younger was given a top job in the State's Department of Commerce despite being wholly unqualified. Well, his dad did donate $121,652 to Walker's campaign, so I guess there is that "qualification".

[midnight]

1. Everyone that knows that the investigation into O'Donnell parking structure says otherwise....

Shortly after the accident, it was announced that the Milwaukee Sheriff’s Office and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office would be conducting an investigation into the incident in an effort to determine the cause. In a press conference, Sheriff David Clarke advised that there would be no speculation as to what the cause was, and went as far as intervening when a reporter tried to question Scott Walker about deferred maintenance.

Despite the Sheriff’s words, it quickly became apparent that this was not going to be the case. Shortly after the holiday weekend, “sources familiar with the investigation” (read Scott Walker’s office) started leaking information to steer the local media into looking at the problem as being strictly a constructional issue. Walker even was so bold as to tell reporters openly that the investigation was focusing on the construction and installation of the facade.

What we have learned from these “inside sources” is that instead of using four pins to secure the facade to the structure, only two were. We also know that the two pins were not located in any of the precast spots that the four pins were to be placed. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has provided a graphic which demonstrates how the facade was supposed to be attached.

What is not known is who approved the change in the mounting, or if it was engineered to meet the needed specs for holding the facade up.

http://milwaukeecountyfirst.com/?p=1662