Gaylord Nelson was a champion for conservation in Wisconsin. As one of Wisconsin's US Senators he started Earth Day (April, 22, 1970),and he made numerous contributions to protecting our environment, including legislation that bought about the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. He was instrumental in overseeing the preservation of thousands upon thousands of acres for Wisconsin parkland, including the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore of Lake Superior. And he always believed that Wisconsin's greatest resources were its people and its natural resources. It is a rich legacy for which the late, great statesman will always be known.
Scott Walker, unfortunately, has carved his own legacy. Walker has promoted business at the expense of Wisconsin's environment. Some of his proposals have included relaxing standards for water pollution (reducing weed-stemming phosphorous restrictions and run-off contamination), essentially eliminating farmland preservation, increasing road-building instead of promoting public transit (making cuts that will reduce public buses and halting the Madison-Milwaukee high speed rail), diverting money to transportation from a fund to clean up leaking underground gas tanks, and reducing incentives for putting land into conservation. Walker also requested changes in some wetlands protection (coincidentally on a parcel to be built upon by a major donor) and the elimination of subsidies for community recycling programs (while maintaining tipping fees charged for landfill use, which had been used to help fund those same recycling programs).
And that's just in his first four months.
Senator Nelson wouldn't recognize Wisconsin on this Earth Day.
Sadly, neither do I.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Recounting the future of Kloppenburg
I happened across what I'd term a typical talk-radio discussion on WSAU in Wausau. The host was going on and on about JoAnne Kloppenburg requesting the recount that he said is her right under Wisconsin law in the Supreme Court race wth David Prosser.
And then a funny thing happened.
I agreed with him.
Well, not for 99% of it, but for some of it, anyway.
I, too, agree that I don't think a 0.48% margin will be reversed. As I wrote in a previous post , just as the conservative talker discussed, I don't believe the recall should be done because of the expense and the relative futility of any significant change (although--surprise,surprise--Minnesota's losing Republican 2010 gubernatorial candidate did the same thing with about the same margin--0.42%) . And the host said it was likely that Kloppenburg's camp would try to get the Brookfield votes declared illegal and thrown out (which, I agree, if they are found to be illegal, I would expect they should be thrown out).
But then the host mentioned something I hadn't really considered, that the recount would keep the issue alive and energize non-conservative Wisconsin voters for the upcoming recalls.
I thought about it, and I agreed again.
Gosh, I hope he's right (I mean, correct).
And then a funny thing happened.
I agreed with him.
Well, not for 99% of it, but for some of it, anyway.
I, too, agree that I don't think a 0.48% margin will be reversed. As I wrote in a previous post , just as the conservative talker discussed, I don't believe the recall should be done because of the expense and the relative futility of any significant change (although--surprise,surprise--Minnesota's losing Republican 2010 gubernatorial candidate did the same thing with about the same margin--0.42%) . And the host said it was likely that Kloppenburg's camp would try to get the Brookfield votes declared illegal and thrown out (which, I agree, if they are found to be illegal, I would expect they should be thrown out).
But then the host mentioned something I hadn't really considered, that the recount would keep the issue alive and energize non-conservative Wisconsin voters for the upcoming recalls.
I thought about it, and I agreed again.
Gosh, I hope he's right (I mean, correct).
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Oh, to be like Arkansas!
This whole financial martial law thing (which Governor Walker denies he's considering doing) is, according to some, typical of the policies promoted by ALEC (The American Legislative Exchange Council). So I thought I'd take a quick, little internet trip up to ALEC and see what I could find.
It looks like the organization identifies the "2010 ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness rankings of the states based on their economic policies and examine which states took the right corrective actions and which states took the wrong ones in the face of this fiscal storm." ALEC website
I do not pretend to understand anywhere near the 142 pages of the full report. And it's very possible I don't care that much, but I did note that, in the 2010 State Economic Outlook Ranking, Wisconsin is number 23 (Utah, at #1, is best).
I guess, then, some of the states to which #23 Wisconsin should aspire include #13 Arkansas (which happens to be #48 in median household income and #46 in Forbes' Best States To Live), #16 Louisiana (41 in income; 40 in "best states"), #17 Alabama (46 in income; 33 in "best states"), and #18
It looks like the organization identifies the "2010 ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness rankings of the states based on their economic policies and examine which states took the right corrective actions and which states took the wrong ones in the face of this fiscal storm." ALEC website
I do not pretend to understand anywhere near the 142 pages of the full report. And it's very possible I don't care that much, but I did note that, in the 2010 State Economic Outlook Ranking, Wisconsin is number 23 (Utah, at #1, is best).
I guess, then, some of the states to which #23 Wisconsin should aspire include #13 Arkansas (which happens to be #48 in median household income and #46 in Forbes' Best States To Live), #16 Louisiana (41 in income; 40 in "best states"), #17 Alabama (46 in income; 33 in "best states"), and #18
Mississippi (50 in income; 48 in "best states"). Poor #23 Wisconsin tops each of these states, though, by a pretty significant margin, in income (#21) and in "best states to live" (#24). Regarding education, ALEC's own ranking of "K-12 Performance, Progress, and Reform" in American education has Wisconsin at 21, Alabama-40, Arkansas-44, Mississippi-46, and Louisiana-47.
To the untrained eye, it sure looks like "Economic Competetiveness" may come with some costs regarding quality of life. I mean, Arkansas is nice, but it's not Wisconsin.
So, hopefully, Governor, you really won't be taking ALEC's advice, right?
To the untrained eye, it sure looks like "Economic Competetiveness" may come with some costs regarding quality of life. I mean, Arkansas is nice, but it's not Wisconsin.
So, hopefully, Governor, you really won't be taking ALEC's advice, right?
Monday, April 18, 2011
Comforting words from our Governor
Like a warm, fuzzy blanket or a bowl of grandma's chicken soup, with two little words, Governor Walker soothed all our fears today.
"Absolutely false," said the Governor discussing the Rick Ungar report that Walker was working on a "financial martial law," on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's "Midday with Charlie Sykes."
(I pledge to) "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes." Scott Walker, Americans For Tax Reform Pledge "A new nonpartisan analysis of Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal shows that it would raise taxes for poor people..." BusinessWeek, 4/15/11
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says his budget-repair bill would leave collective bargaining “fully intact,” Politfact, Rated PANTS ON FIRE
This (collective bargaining) has never been about union busting, it’s about balancing the budget. See Walker admit collective bargaining saved no money in the budget in testimony before Congressman Kucinich.
"(I will) End the practice of raiding segregated state funds to pay for other programs." Walker's website "Walker taps insurance fund to fill in deficit," JS Online
"Absolutely false," said the Governor discussing the Rick Ungar report that Walker was working on a "financial martial law," on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's "Midday with Charlie Sykes."
______________________________________________________________
Previous comforting words:(I pledge to) "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes." Scott Walker, Americans For Tax Reform Pledge "A new nonpartisan analysis of Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal shows that it would raise taxes for poor people..." BusinessWeek, 4/15/11
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says his budget-repair bill would leave collective bargaining “fully intact,” Politfact, Rated PANTS ON FIRE
This (collective bargaining) has never been about union busting, it’s about balancing the budget. See Walker admit collective bargaining saved no money in the budget in testimony before Congressman Kucinich.
"(I will) End the practice of raiding segregated state funds to pay for other programs." Walker's website "Walker taps insurance fund to fill in deficit," JS Online
______________________________________________________________
Whew. Thank goodness. For a moment there I was worried...
Saturday, April 16, 2011
HORRIFYING assault on democracy--we may be next
I may be an alarmist here, but, really, isn't this alarming?
Michigan's Republican Governor Rick Snyder has enacted and acted upon "an order prohibiting all action by all city boards, commissions, authorities and other entities, except as authorized by the (governor appointed) emergency manager" because he thought a city wasn't doing well enough financially. Thus, the roles of duly elected officials in Benton Harbor, Michigan, have been taken over by government officials. (Eclectiblog, Detroit News). As a result, virtually all contracts, schools, services, etc., can be altered by governmental decree (by gubernatorial whim?). Where are we, 1980's Baghdad? 1950's USSR?
And it gets worse, according to Rick Ungar at Forbes, Scott Walker is planning to enact the same laws in Wisconsin. In May.
I'm sadly afraid it won't be too terribly long before Walker makes us erect statues of him on every street corner.
ADDENDUM: I just spoke (8 PM) with a state political reporter who said "for now at least, there's nothing being talked about publicly with respect to this." For now, at least.
In the comments to his article, Rick Ungar responded to my question about whether this is privatization for privatization's sake or a belief this is for "the common good,": "I think that legislation such as this is on the avenue to privatization and the removal of pesky regulations that interfere with large business – and those who pursue these policies believe they are effecting law for the common good. In this instance, I don’t think ignoring the elected will of the people in a local election is for the common good – but I think Gov. Walker would disagree with me." 10:23 AM, 4/17/11
4/18/11 Walker says it is "absolutely false."
Michigan's Republican Governor Rick Snyder has enacted and acted upon "an order prohibiting all action by all city boards, commissions, authorities and other entities, except as authorized by the (governor appointed) emergency manager" because he thought a city wasn't doing well enough financially. Thus, the roles of duly elected officials in Benton Harbor, Michigan, have been taken over by government officials. (Eclectiblog, Detroit News). As a result, virtually all contracts, schools, services, etc., can be altered by governmental decree (by gubernatorial whim?). Where are we, 1980's Baghdad? 1950's USSR?
And it gets worse, according to Rick Ungar at Forbes, Scott Walker is planning to enact the same laws in Wisconsin. In May.
I'm sadly afraid it won't be too terribly long before Walker makes us erect statues of him on every street corner.
ADDENDUM: I just spoke (8 PM) with a state political reporter who said "for now at least, there's nothing being talked about publicly with respect to this." For now, at least.
In the comments to his article, Rick Ungar responded to my question about whether this is privatization for privatization's sake or a belief this is for "the common good,": "I think that legislation such as this is on the avenue to privatization and the removal of pesky regulations that interfere with large business – and those who pursue these policies believe they are effecting law for the common good. In this instance, I don’t think ignoring the elected will of the people in a local election is for the common good – but I think Gov. Walker would disagree with me." 10:23 AM, 4/17/11
4/18/11 Walker says it is "absolutely false."
Some comments on the Sarah Palin "Tea-Party Rally" in Madison
First words out of her mouth, "What up, Madison, Wisconsin?!"
She also incorporated a "WTF?"
The rally was sponsored by the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity.
Tea Party supporters were outnumbered (CBS News).
"Thug" was only used once (that I heard).
Palin said union supporters "trash your capitol and vandalize business."
She also stated, "A pension is a promise that must be kept," and that Scott Walker believed that, too--obviously oblivious to Walker's budget that will reevaluate and possibly change the current defined (traditional) benefit plan to defined contribution--in essence, a 401K-like fund that could completely deplete. (WREA Newsletter) It appears Walker's budget bill also raises serious questions about the all-too-real possibility of him raiding an existing public worker pension fund, as well (WisconsinReporter.com), which, um, would be illegal.
Other than that, it was business as usual--boo Obama, boo unions, yay patriotism, etc.
Annoying?
You betcha.
Find Palin's entire speech on this page
She also incorporated a "WTF?"
The rally was sponsored by the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity.
Tea Party supporters were outnumbered (CBS News).
"Thug" was only used once (that I heard).
Palin said union supporters "trash your capitol and vandalize business."
She also stated, "A pension is a promise that must be kept," and that Scott Walker believed that, too--obviously oblivious to Walker's budget that will reevaluate and possibly change the current defined (traditional) benefit plan to defined contribution--in essence, a 401K-like fund that could completely deplete. (WREA Newsletter) It appears Walker's budget bill also raises serious questions about the all-too-real possibility of him raiding an existing public worker pension fund, as well (WisconsinReporter.com), which, um, would be illegal.
Other than that, it was business as usual--boo Obama, boo unions, yay patriotism, etc.
Annoying?
You betcha.
Find Palin's entire speech on this page
MisLeading Wisconsin meets the conservative Pundit Press
Pundit Press, a conservative blog covering local and national issues, asked me a few questions in a short interview and the results are published here.
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