Garthwaite Flashback - "Get Your Ass Back Down to the South"

***This picture is not taken out of context. This is a photo of Grant County's Representative on the floor of the State Assembly screaming at Wisconsin businesses to get their "ass back down to the south."***

The latest figures from the Department of Workforce Development show that unemployment increased in Grant County by 11.6% in December. Today seems like a good day to revisit Rep. Garthwaite's infamous anti-jobs floor speech.

These days Rep. Garthwaite doesn't speak much in the legislature. He never says a peep on the Assembly floor. He doesn't debate. He doesn't hold committee hearings on legislation. He is by all accounts one of the most silent of all legislators in Madison. Perhaps his silence is attributable to the major blow up he had nine months ago when he told businesses to either accept job killing regulation or leave Wisconsin.

If you haven't watched Grant County's Rep. in action please click here to see how he behaves in Madison on the rare occasion that he speaks. Fast forward to 1:15:38 to see Rep. Garthwaite in his full self abasing glory.

"Get you ass back down to the South. I don't want you here. I don't want you in my community."

- State Rep. Phil Garthwaite speaking to any employer who opposes heavy handed government regulation. The specific bill in question that day was lobbied for by trial lawyers to make it easier for them to sue employers and to increase their odds of receiving large cash payouts.