At first blush...

I liked the speech in that there was not a lot of big spending proposed. I appreciate the fact that it was still a war speech with a focus on the international efforts to advance freedom and fight tyranny. Bush's "America is addicted to oil" line will get a lot of play for two reasons. One, because it is the truth. Two, because as and oilman himself, this was his 'Nixon goes to China' moment.

He punted on Social Security, but moderates in his own party are to blame there.

He made clear demands of Hamas.

He gave a direct appeal to the people of Iran (Bush's folks understand the power of the Internet to get this message out.)

He provided an adamant defense to his terrorist surveillance program and called for the renewal of the Patriot Act.

A well delivered speech devoid of pageantry and pomp. In part as an acknowledgement of the partisan divide in Congress as much as a clear understanding of the daunting task at hand.

Cindy missed a pretty good speech.

Here is the prepared text of the President's State of the Union Address.

The Democrats were clearly expected a more partisan speech. The best they could counter with was a 'We were expecting more, there was nothing new here.'

Look at me! Hey! Over here! 2

She was looking for this...

Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was arrested and removed from the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address, a police spokeswoman said.

Sheehan, who had been invited to attend the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, a misdemeanor, said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. Sheehan was taken in handcuffs to police headquarters a few blocks away and her case was processed as Bush spoke.

Schneider said Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said.

Police handcuffed Sheehan and removed her from the gallery before Bush arrived. Sheehan was to be released on her own recognizance, Schneider said.

"I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq."

Early Spinin'

I'll be on NewsTalk 1130 WISN tomorrow morning at 7:05 as a part of The Early Spin program.

It's potpourri day. State of the Union, Concealed Carry, Contractgate and more.

Look at me! Hey! Over here!

The hurricane...massive pain.

We need more than pity...for this Chocolate City.

Bush lied. People Died. Those looted TVs...their screens...so wide.

I once gave speeches...at national political conventions...

Now here I am....talkin' 'bout flood prevention...

It's true... my relevance...is clearly fading.

So through this puddle....come...see me wading.

Not a Long Day on PPA Afterall...

NEWS FLASH FROM WISPOLITICS...
-- The state Assembly today failed to override Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of SB 403, the concealed carry bill. The veto override got 64 votes, short of the two-thirds margin needed to override the veto. Democrats Terry Van Akkeren and John Steinbrink, both considered potential swing votes, voted against the override.


I guess they looked at what happened to Gary Sherman two years ago and thought, eh..he's still here, what the hell...

My Take on Personal Protection Act Veto Override

My prediction of today's events is based on experience, gut instinct and murmurs that I heard this morning in Madison.

There is a remote possibility two things could happen that would lead to a veto override.

1) Doyle will not extend too much political capital on this, figuring he can keep gunners and talk radio at bay on this issue at least, meanwhile he focuses on other problems.

or,

2) The Dems who voted for the PPA hold firm, figuring Doyle is too weak to help them the way he helped Sherman two years ago.

However, my gut tells me it's more likely that the veto will be sustained, including the probability that all of the Dems vote in lock step to sustain veto. Such a move would dilute thepunitivee firepower of PPA advocates, which would then have to focus their attention on 6 Democrats who would have to flip flop, as opposed to one or two.

I hope I am wrong.

Expect a long day.

Concealed Carry

Interesting speculation going on regarding the PPA veto over at Boots & Sabers.

The Time is Now

For several weeks I have had posts relating to the plight of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors under the helm of Chairman Lee Holloway.

Yesterday, in a Milwaukee Insight opinion column for WisOpinion.com, I wrote:

Sick of being the subject of ridicule at both the hands of the chairman and his critics like me who mock their impotence, many county supervisors are discussing ways to break the monotony of life under Holloway.

There needs to be a vote of no confidence against Holloway. This public effort will not force him from his position of power. But it may, among other things, help encourage the county's corporation counsel, William Domina, to provide the board a clear roadmap on the procedures to replace the chair. The board has never faced such a task and such direction is needed.

At the very least, the board could reduce Holloway'’s pay by some $20,000 with a simple majority vote. (As chair, Holloway'’s pay is significantly higher than that of his fellow board supervisors.)

This week could prove to be pivotal for the board. For while I doubt Holloway will do the right thing and step aside voluntarily, the momentum to force a change at the next meeting of the county board may finally reach the breaking point.

Fittingly, the Milwaukee County Board holds its next meeting this Thursday, Feb. 2[.]

Thursday. That's two days from today.

If you live in Milwaukee County, you can find out if your elected representative on the County Board supports the current chairman, or if he or she will work for a change at the top.

If you do not know who your specific supervisor is, that's ok. You can call the main switchboard at 414-278-4222 and politely give the receptionist your address and ask to be directed to your supervisor's office.

Or you may check the various district maps at the Milwaukee County Board site here.

Personally, I am going to ask my supervisor the following:

1) Will you sponsor and also vote for a motion of no confidence against Chairman Lee Holloway on Thursday when the full County Board meets?

2) Will you vote to remove him Chairman Holloway pending the resolution of his 90-count ethics violations?

Many have asked whether I, as a political consultant, am receiving compensation for publishing my opinions regarding the Milwaukee County Board. The answer is no. My interest in a clean, effective county government extends beyond even 1998 when I ran for and lost a supervisory seat (Political Fact Number 1,458, political consultants make lousy candidates). I've worked closely with advocates of county government across Wisconsin for more than a decade. I know how important a strong, ethical, functioning county government can be. What kind of good can be accomplished when budgets are watched, and when politicians display frugality, integrity and compassion.

My county deserves better than what the current board has done. Perhaps the Milwaukee County Board will take a step in the right direction this week.

Reacting to the latest Doyle reaction...

So the contract is out, but the donations stay?

Two words.

For now.

The Dems were all over Green and Ryan to give back any remotely questionable donations. Doyle rationalizes that the contract should be terminated to end any suspicion, yet he keeps the dough?

This is not over.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

And Wigderson is moving into the apparel business...

Alito Confirmation

I had to stay at home this afternoon to have some work done around the house. As I type this Senator Kennedy is having a melt down on the Senate floor. C-Span is rivaling Comedy Central this afternoon. Kennedy is so steamed. It's as if someone ended happy hour five minutes too soon. He's outraged!!!!

Doyle, Take V

Welcome back, Governor. How was your trip?

What's new?

Gov. Jim Doyle canceled a controversial contract with Adelman Travel this afternoon - six days after a state employee was indicted for allegedly manipulating the bidding process so that firm got the deal.

“While I personally have not seen any evidence of impropriety, the accusations that have been made against one of our state employees in connection with her duties must be considered seriously,” Doyle told reporters this afternoon in Janesville.

Arrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

According to Drudge, all is not well with Ol' Yeller:

Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are privately bristling over Howard Dean’s management of the Democratic National Committee and have made those sentiments clear after new fundraising numbers showed he has spent nearly all the committee’s cash and has little left to support their efforts to gain seats this cycle, ROLL CALL reports.Congressional leaders were furious last week when they learned the DNC has just $5.5 million in the bank, compared to the Republican National Committee’s $34 million.

Milwaukee Insight Column: Palace Coup in Offing?

In the movie ``Groundhog Day,'' protagonist Bill Murray is stuck reliving the same day repeatedly. Each day he tries to do something, anything, to break the endless cycle of having to react to identical occurrences again and again. The movie has become so ingrained in American culture that the phrase “Groundhog Day” has become synonymous with reliving the similar events ad nauseam.

For members of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, they’ve been stuck in a funk for ages, just like in the movie. In December 2004, eight members of the board, lead by Supervisor Joe Rice, filed an ethics complaint against the County Board chairman, Lee Holloway.

In February of 2005, the county opened an ethics probe of Holloway. On Tuesday, June 12th 2005, Holloway was charged with 90 civil ethics violations. The most serious allegations charge that Holloway voted to approve $1.8 million in county contracts with the Opportunities Industrialization Center, a now-defunct non profit agency, between 1995 and 1998 without disclosing his own personal financial transactions with the agency.

Holloway has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, yet he and his attorney have continually sought to derail and delay resolution in the case. He’s even gone so far as to sue the special prosecutor.

My full Milwaukee Insight column is available at WisOpinion.com.

School Choice IS a Civil Rights Issue

School choice - in its most basal form - is a civil rights issue.

It is a byproduct of a three-decade-long battle to secure quality educational opportunities and equal access for Milwaukee's low-income and minority students.

Some suggest the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program is a sledgehammer used to tear down the walls of educational apartheid.

They are correct in that assessment.






Now, before anyone begins with some knee-jerk 'how dare you as a white guy say this,' relax...these are the words of Mikel Holt, a prominent supporter of School Choice, and a black man from Milwaukee.

Not that the race of the person making the argument should matter (content of our character, not color of our skin, remember?).

Anyway, a great column by Holt. Read it here.

Green's Green

Mark Green has just released his 2005 campaign financing summary. Green’s report will show total receipts for 2005 of just under $1.4 million and a cash balance of $2.1 million.

Total receipts: $1,391,448.54
($2,677,422.22 including funds converted from Green’s former campaign account)

Total disbursements: $562,802.02

Cash balance: $2,129,552.34

Number of contributions: 7,699

Number of contributions less than $100: 4,839 (63%)

Average contribution: $179

Percentage of contributions from individuals: 97%

Percentage of contributions from Wisconsin sources: 95%

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"It's worse than Chinese water torture," one loyalist said. "He has to find a way to get ahead of the story. Otherwise, this will be happening every other month - or every other week."

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Another day, another story questioning the cause for and timing of donations to Governor Doyle.

Again this isn't about legality, it's about public perception. It's about how team Doyle acts. Proactive? Reactive? Three years of sloppy messaging and press relations appear to be coming back to bite this governor.

The mainstream journalists smell blood in the water now. This is a terrible development for team Doyle. Pretty hard for Joe Wineke to claim that Spivak and Bice are Republican investigators.

But nothing would surprise me.

More on Wineke / Biskupic

Thinking a little bit more about the Doyle team's attempt to smear Steve Biskupic...

This wouldn't appear to be a short-term strategy. It takes a long time to build up the argument that this is a partisan witch-hunt. The message would have to be repeated often and, like the Dems did with Ken Starr, new connections/evidence would need to be trotted out to try to prove that claim.

This doesn't happen with one release. Or in one month of press releases, for that matter.

Which leads me to believe that team Doyle worries this contract/fundraising inquiry could be a lengthy ordeal...

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa?

Yes, Humuhumunukunukuapuaa.

Or, humuhumu, for short.

Guess it beats having an official state tartan.

Complaints About Adelman

Channel 27 in Madison is the station that broke the travelgate story.

They're now reporting that:

State Workers Resent Adelman Outsourcing
Some state employees have told 27 News they resent that Milwaukee's Adelman Travel Systems has used reservation agents in Tampa, Florida to book their state travel.

Sources in the travel industry have confirmed what state employees have grumbled about, and have told 27 News Adelman relies on what's called "virtual" travel agents in Tampa. Virtual agents typically work out of their homes and save a travel firm overhead costs.

The $750,000 Adelman travel contract is under federal investigation. Department of Administration contract procurement expert Georgia Thompson was indicted by a grand jury Jan. 24 for allegedly committing fraud by inflating ranking scores for Adelman and manipulating other contract evaluators.

Thompson is scheduled to appear in federal court in Milwaukee, Feb. 3.

Adelman executives contributed $20,000 to Governor Doyle's campaign in the months surrounding the contract award. While the indictment states Thompson relied on political considerations in perverting the contract process for Adelman, it makes no mention of anyone else, nor any campaign contribution.

The contract calls for Adelman to book an estimated 10,000 flights yearly for state employees.

Several state employees, who spoke to 27 News on the condition of anonymity, said their flight bookings through Adelman were sometimes handled by reservation agents in Tampa. They said these bookings occurred during regular business hours, and agents told them they only handled "overflow" calls.

Virginia-based Omega World Travel lost out on the state contract to Adelman, despite being the choice of every contract evaluator with the exception of Thompson.

Omega's Wisconsin executive, Diane Bozicevich told 27 News overflow call operations are standard in the travel industry for night and weekend bookings, but are almost unheard of during business hours. "That's not our policy," Bozicevich told 27
News.

This would have more impact on me if the complaintants would go on the record. Anonymous complaints can easily be dismissed as partisan given the current investigation. Moreover outsourcing isn't a problem as long as the company can live up to its contractual obligations.

Nevertheless, WKOW continues to pursue the story, from many different angles.

Drip. Drip. Drip...

Doyle Helps with the Smear

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle responds to DPW Chair Joe Wineke's accusations of impropriety on the part of US Attorney Steve Biskupic.

Doyle, a former state attorney general and local prosecutor, stopped short of rebuking Wineke for issuing the statement.

"He (Wineke) can say anything he wants to say," Doyle said. "People have a lot of opinions. A lot of people certainly say things the other way. I hope it isn't true."

Wineke's statement was similar to allegations about prosecutors that sources close to Doyle have been making privately all week.

This is too cute by half. See, Doyle didn't smear Biskupic, Wineke did. But Doyle decided not to chastise his chosen party chairman when given the opportunity. Moreover, according to David Callender of the Cap Times, sources close to Doyle have been making off the record comments similar to Wineke's.

They've become unhinged, folks.

Althouse Following Alito Drama

UW Law Professor Ann Althouse is all over the Alito confirmation process.

"Judge Alito's nomination is the tipping point against constitutionally-based freedoms and protections we cherish as individuals and as a nation." So "[h]istory will show," predicts Senator Hillary Clinton, who's announced her support of the filibuster.

Her move seems to put her at odds with New York's senior senator, Charles Schumer, who spent last week privately arguing that a filibuster would damage Democrats' chances of taking back the Senate this year, according to party sources.

Is Schumer a savvier political analyst than Clinton? Or is Clinton just in a different political position?

Show me the rest.

Is the Adelman Travel Contract Indictment Having an Impact?

Is travelgate sticking? Has it had an impact beyond the insider political and media circles.

Well, thanks to a trip to the grocery store this morning, I can save all three gubernatorial campaigns thousands of dollars in polling and focus group expenditures.

The answer is yes.

After overhearing a conversation I was having with my brother, and asking me where exactly I went for a Fish Fry last night, a 50-something year old bagger at Pick 'n' Save looked at my shirt and asked me, "What is The Markesan Group?" I told him it was a corporate and political consulting firm. (I did not say conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican, or where it was located.)

He immediately asked me:

"So, do you think this Adelman thing will sink that Doyle character?"

I said that I didn't know, that time would tell.

"I bet it does, " he said. "Shady!" he added.

I have a few theories why this particular indictment and associated allegations are having such an impact. First, the Doyle team has done an abysmal job of responding to inquiries and thus have not been able to impact the story. Second, the situation fits the template for Doyle that Republicans and others have been drawing for years: Supporters get what the want (Think tribes, teachers and trial lawyers.) Finally, and perhaps most significantly, Adelman is a well-known Democratic family name in the Milwaukee area. Everyone assumes it's a cozy relationship between the company and the Governor.

As I have said, repeatedly, an indictment does not indicate guilt. And Georgia Thompson's indictment does not mean others will be implicated.

Yet, while the legal process is the pursuit of the truth. The political process is about controlling people's perceptions.

The Doyle team has to master both to maintain control of the East Wing.

So far, no one knows about the current status or ultimate outcome of the legal process. But the Doyle team is clearly getting whacked right and left in the political arena.

Doyle Response, Take IV

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Today, Governor Doyle now firmly opens the door to returning the contributions. But even during this press availability (via phone from Belgium) he steps on his message by pointing out his ties to Adelman:

Although Doyle said he did not know how he would handle the donations from Adelman and Fromstein, he pointed out that he had long had the support of the Adelman family, which includes Lynn Adelman, a federal judge and Democratic former state senator.

"I have known the Adelman family for many, many years, and they have been big supporters of mine," Doyle said.

Craig Adelman, however, previously had never given a governor or candidate for governor more than $1,000.

So while trying to distance himself from the scandal, he reasserts his connections to the Adelman family. Not smart. Not smart at all.

Caved to Soon...

Belling reports on his show that a juror who served on the Supreme Tire Slashing Trial has said that at the time the plea bargain was reached, the jury was split 9-3 toward conviction. Apparently she's told the Milwaukee DA's office that they shouldn't have buckled so fast.

Interesting.

Signed, Epstein's Mother

Does he have a note?

Demoted dean has not shown up to teach, UW-Whitewater says
The former UW-Whitewater dean demoted after an audit criticized him in December has not showed up to teach this semester, the school acknowledged this week.

Lee Jones has been on paid sick leave since the start of the semester Jan. 17, university officials said. Two faculty members are covering the four education courses he was expected to teach, school spokeswoman Sara Kuhl said.

Jones, 40, was demoted into a backup job as a professor guaranteed in his employment contract after an audit showed he broke university policies on travel and spending. At the time, the university emphasized he would have a full teaching load this semester and reshuffled the college's schedule to accommodate him.

But Jones has yet to show up and recently provided a doctor's note saying he is ill, UW-Whitewater Provost Richard Telfer said. He was required to do so under a new rule adopted after a high-profile sick leave scandal at UW-Madison that calls for a doctor's certification after five days' absence.

"He has followed the protocol for an extended absence due to an illness," Kuhl said.

Jones can continue to collect his $62,000 salary until he exhausts his sick leave. He has eight sick days left and no vacation days, Kuhl said.

Jones' lawyer, David Lasker, insisted that Jones was sick but declined comment on the nature of the illness.

Rep. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, said taxpayers need more assurance that Jones is in fact too sick to work.

"I had indications of this several weeks ago the expectation already was that Lee Jones was going to be a no-show," he said. "What a coincidence: he's supposed to be teaching and all of a sudden he's supposedly sick."

Another outrageous situation at a UW campus. Prediction: Representative Nass will be all over this. Prediciton #2: This will be fun to watch.

Unhinged

Holy cow.

When I first read this I thought it was a joke.

After today's story, the State Democrats put out this whiny relase.

This is an incredibly stupid move by the Dems.

DPW: Chair Charges Adelman Indictment Nothing But Partisan Politics.
MADISON – Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke released the following statement today:

“The indictment of a long-time civil servant in the Adelman travel case is nothing but partisan politics and a desperate attempt by Republicans to attack Governor Doyle during the campaign season. Led by a prosecutor with GOP ties, Republicans are doing their best to smear Governor Doyle, a man of utmost integrity and honesty who does not tolerate any ethical lapses in his Administration.

“From everything we have seen, there is not one single shred of evidence that any of the assertions in the indictment of Georgia Thompson are true.

“Here are the facts we do know: The Adelman contract process was overseen by a long-time career civil servant who was hired by the previous Republican Administration. The contract saved taxpayers $30,000 and was awarded to the lowest bidder, a Wisconsin company. The company did not win three out of the four contracts it submitted bids for.

“Only a Republican prosecutor would indict a career civil servant for pursuing a better deal for taxpayers and for saving the state $30,000. It’s clear that this investigation has become much more about partisan politics and tearing down Governor Doyle during an election season than about the facts. If you’re looking for facts to support the indictment, the last place you should look is the indictment itself.

“I’m disturbed by the way some in the media have handled this story. In recent days, we have seen the media report on speculation rather than fact, blindly repeat false assertions from Republican Party press releases in editorials, and quote anonymous bloggers as sources.”

“I understand that reporters have a job to do, but when members of the media begin reporting on their own speculations rather than the facts, they do a disservice to their readers and to public discourse. The people of Wisconsin deserve better.”

How could a "Republican" prosecutor indicting a civil servant originally appointed by a Republican governor be partisan?

The Dems need to confer on their talking points. They're trying a new message every day. Now going after an unimpeachable prosecutor with an unquestioned track record???

This move is not only stupid, it smacks of desperation.

I am beginning to think this whole sordid affair may have more legs than I originally thought.

HSA Success Stories

Great news from my former employer...

HSAs Triple in 10 Months
Over 3 Million Enrolled in High-Deductible/HSA Plans
WASHINGTON -- At least three million consumers currently receive health overage through high-deductible health insurance plans offered in conjunction with health aving accounts (HSAs), according to preliminary results of a new study by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

According to the study, enrollment in the new insurance policies eligible for HSAs has roughly tripled since last March when a similar AHIP survey found that 1,031,000 people were covered by HSA-compatible insurance policies.

“HSAs are a remarkable success story and they are proving to be especially attractive to many who might not otherwise be able to afford coverage,” said AHIP president and CEO Karen Ignagni. “Consumers and employers have quickly embraced HSAs as a valued option in the suite of products offered by health insurance plans.”

The study is based on aggregated responses from AHIP member companies, which represent nearly all the health insurance plans offering HSA-eligible plans. The preliminary findings also show that the market for HSAs is becoming broader, with companies offering HSAs in more markets and to a wider array of large group, small group and individual customers.

Employers and individuals can contribute pre-tax dollars into an HSA for future medical expenses. The account funds belong to the individual and unused contributions can roll over tax-free from year to year.

For 2006, the maximum annual contribution for self-only coverage (whether individual or through an employer) is equal to the consumer’s medical plan deductible or $2,700, whichever is less. For family coverage, the maximum is equal to the medical plan's family deductible or $5,450, whichever is less.

HSAs were created as part of the Medicare Modernization Act that was signed in to law in December 2003. HSAs first became available to consumers and employers in January 2004.

AHIP anticipates that complete results and analysis will be available in several weeks.

For more information about HSAs, please visit ttp://www.healthdecisions.org/HSA.

Govern Doyle has repeatedly thwarted efforts to make these mechanisms more tax-friendly in Wisconsin. To his shame.

This Just in, Duh...

Harry Reid Announces Senate Dems Powerless

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid admitted on Friday he and fellow Democrats lack the votes to block President George W. Bush's nomination of conservative appeals judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Everyone knows there is not enough votes to support a filibuster," Reid said, referring to the procedural roadblock that some Democrats said should be used to put off a vote on Alito.

The move-onites must be pissed.

Doyle Reaction Take III

Contract to be rebid? Donations to be returned? The Doyle camp's reaction is evolving...

Yesterday's interview which ran today

Gov. Jim Doyle rejected calls Wednesday to rebid a travel contract that federal prosecutors say went to a suburban Milwaukee firm after a state employee manipulated the bidding process for the political advantage of her supervisors.

Doyle's re-election campaign also said it would not return $20,000 in donations that came from Adelman Travel Group executives before and after the company won the contract to book up to 40 percent of state employee travel.

Today's latest development

In an interview with 27 News as he visited Wisconsin troops serving in Iraq, Governor Doyle said he would consider returning campaign contributions and re-bidding a travel contract in the wake of a federal indictment against a state employee for allegedly carrying out a scheme to pervert the contract process.

My Tax Dollars at Work

Egads. The woman who wrote this release works for Lee Holloway, beleaguered chairking of the beleaguered Milwaukee County Board.

Milwaukee, WI – In a letter addressed to State Representative Jeff Stone and State Representative Mark Honadel and State Senator Jeff Plale, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors sent a clear message that they would not be in favor of transferring ownership of General Mitchell International Airport to a regional authority. The letter (attached), signed by 17 of 19 members of the County Board, is in response to a press conference held in late 2005 where a select few state legislators announced their intent to introduce legislation to create a regional airport authority (RAA). At the time the letter was drafted, the legislation had yet to be introduced by the state legislature. By placing the airport under the auspices of a RAA, it “clearly removes public accountability by creating an extra layer of bureaucracy”.

I’ve counted more than 20 grammatical/personification errors in the press release. Can you find them?

Now, while it is a bit petty for me to pick on a staffer (hey I’ve been there) regarding typos (plenty of them on this blog), this is just another example of what a joke the whole County Board operation has become. It’s not what you know (English, media relations), it’s the royalty you know. You know?

The truth? My 'outrage' over the release is merely a cheap excuse for me to post this graphic again, since it prompted people to send so many nasty little emails to me the first time.

You would think that instead of wasting energy being mad at this humble blogger, the folks at the Courthouse would try to figure out how to get enough votes to oust Holloway as chair. Or, at the very least, train their employees how to use spell/grammar check.

Wal-Mart

I love this.

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. -- Wal-Mart said its new store opening this week the southwestern Chicago suburbs had the largest number of job applicants in the giant retailer's history.

The store is scheduled to open Friday. Crain's Chicago Business reported that the store received 25,000 applications for 325 positions.

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer said the only other site that came close to that number of applications was a store in Oakland, Calif. It received some 11,000 applications for about the same number of positions last year.

Wal-Mart's Chicago-area manager said most new Wal-Mart stores receive between 3,000 and 4,000 applications for between 300 and 450 positions.

Well, another example of people voting with their feet. The Wal-Mart jobs offered sufficient pay and benefits to be attractive to 25,000 people.

Why is this so interesting? Well consider more background on the story...

Eighteen months after the Chicago City Council torpedoed a South Side Wal-Mart, 24,500 Chicagoans applied for 325 jobs at a Wal-Mart opening Friday in south suburban Evergreen Park, one block outside the city limits.

The new Wal-Mart at 2500 W. 95th is one block west of Western Avenue, the city
boundary.

Chicago loses out on the taxes and Evergreen Park reaps the benefits of the loony left's faulty logic.

h/t el rushbo

Corporate Ethics

This is fantastic.

Regional bank BB&T Corp., one of the nation's largest financial institutions, will make no loans to developers who plan to build commercial projects on land taken from private citizens by the government through the power of eminent domain, the company said Wednesday.

"The idea that a citizen's property can be taken by the government solely for private use is extremely misguided, in fact it's just plain wrong," John Allison, the bank's chairman and chief executive, said in a statement.

In an interview, BB&T chief credit officer Ken Chalk said the bank expects to lose only a tiny amount of business, but believes it was obligated to take a stance on the issue.

"It's not even a fraction of a percent," he said. "The dollar amount is insignificant."
But he added: "We do business with a large number of consumers and small businesses in our footprint. We are hearing from clients that this is an important philosophical issue."

Chalk said he knows of no other large U.S. bank with a similar policy.

The Kelo decision will continue to screw people, but BB&T will have no part of it. Good for them.

PPA Senate Vote

23-10

Veto overridden by Senate.

The official Roll Call

Next up, the Assembly....

Moonbat? You decide.

In this blathering, Robert Miranda, proves, he has a firm, grasp of, the comma key, if, not reality.

As if my blog alone didn't prove that WisOpinion's standards are slipping, they post yet another meandering potpourri of complaints from this award winning columnist.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is not the only County Official holding a 'stay out of jail free card' from Citizens For Responsible Government (CRG), he, shortly after his election as County Executive, is rumored to have offered CRG, a group that actually endorsed his candidacy, an office somewhere in the Milwaukee County Courthouse. Once the plot was leaked, Walker backed off the idea.

He goes on, later, to say...

Political insiders say that CRG has operated much the way the Nazi Party did in the years before Adolph Hitler came to power. The Nazis were a small group of thugs, or a street gang with political ambitions. Wealthy German businessmen, who had regrouped as a power network after WWI and rescued their businesses, were worried about a growing communist threat within Germany. They were looking for some entity to harass, threaten, and contain communist activists and organizations. Fearing that the communists would come in and nationalize their corporations, the wealthy business owners provided financial resources and technical assistance to the Nazis, and were instrumental in persuading WWI veteran, starving artist, and highly ambitious Adolph Hitler to join the party, and make speeches.

Holy cow.

The left's infuriation with CRG centers around one particular fact.

CRG has had some success in ridding the political landscape of public servants who don't do their jobs. For more information on CRG, click here. For more from Miranda...Well, I am sure, he'll have, another, column, soon.

Good News

America still makes stuff! Long-term good news for our economy.

WASHINGTON -- Orders to American factories for big-ticket manufactured goods posted a third consecutive increase in December, closing out a record year for the nation's factories.

The Commerce Department reported that orders for durable goods rose by 1.3 percent in December to $228.1 billion as demand for military aircraft, machinery and autos all posted strong gains. For all of 2005, orders increased by 8.2 percent to an all-time high of $2.51 trillion.

Hamas' Rise to Power

John Derbyshire gets right to the point regarding the Hamas Elections:

When some nutso extremist group actually attains power with wide popular support (even if not precisely by democtatic means), two forces get to work. One force is the force of moderation acting *from* the populace *on* the group; the other is the force of extremism acting *from* the group *on* the institutions of govt. The first might win (think Menachem Begin, Gerry Adams) or the second might (think Hitler, Khomeini).

As always, great insight over at The Corner.

Headlines Headache

Not the kind of headlines Governor Doyle was hoping to get today while still overseas...

Here's a smattering... (Feel free to add more in comments section)

Milwaukee
Doyle fund-raiser called legal but improper
Doyle ally's group gets key subcontracts
Editorial: Travel Contract: Find answers; rebid contract
Column: Doyle team suffers jet lag in travel scandal

Madison
Will probe of travel deal expand?

Oshkosh,
Green Bay,
Stevens Point,
Marshfield,
Wisconsin Rapids,
Manitowoc,
Sheboygan,
Wausau,
Appleton
Doyle won't return donation, rebid disputed contract

Judy Robson, Carnac the Magnificent

Judy Robson is Carnac

Judy Robson on the new Taxpayer Protection Amendment:

Glimpses of the reincarnated TABOR reveal that the latest Republican plan is the same old failed fiscal experiment, Senate Democratic Leader Judy Robson said today.

“TABOR is a proven failure,” Robson said. “Colorado sent up TABOR as a trial balloon and it came crashing down like the Hindenburg. Democrats have offered responsible ways to bring down property taxes. TABOR is an abdication of responsibility.”

Robson noted any reincarnation of TABOR hamstrings the ability of state and local government to provide basic public services.

“If it walks like TABOR and talks like TABOR, it’s TABOR. This is a law that failed so miserably in Colorado that the citizens of that state voted to suspend the law and to give back $3.7 billion in tax refunds. This is money that would have gone into their own pockets. But the voters realized they needed it to pay for basic public services like police and fire protection.”

First, she calls the Colorado TABOR a failure. Um, it worked. Voters were given the option to suspend the refunds and allocate more money for state spending. Voters in Wisconsin are not given such 'power.' But even setting that aside. This press release is ridiculous.

I've said the jury is still out on the new Amendment, and that I am skeptical. I need to read it and study it first before commenting. Fortunately for her, Robson need not trifle with such tedium.

For, not only is Robson a nurse, she's a metaphysical mystic. A clairvoyant. She just put out a press release ripping a fairly complicated legislative proposal that she has never read. Never studied. About which she's never even discussed with the authors.

Man, is she brilliant.

I am holding an envelope in my hand.

The answer is: Fred Risser's coat rack, John Erpenbach's chair and Judy Robson.

The question: Name three pieces of furniture in the state capitol.

Early Spinnin'

I'll be sharing my take on the brewing travel gate scandal tomorrow morning on NewsTalk 1130 WISN's Early Spin program.

I am slated to be on at 7:05 am.

Doyle Response, Take II

Governor Jim Doyle today released the following statement:

"I've made it very clear that I have zero tolerance for any ethical lapses in my Administration.

"But I also have a lot of confidence in the procedures that the Department of Administration has in place, including making sure that career civil servants and not political appointees make decisions about contracts, and that contracts should go to the lowest bidder.

"I've certainly never met Ms. Thompson, and from what I understand the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, a Wisconsin company, and actually saved taxpayers $30,000.

"I'm a former prosecutor, and I have a lot of respect for prosecutors and the job they do. We take this very seriously. But we also have to be very careful that election year politics and partisanship don't take the place of fairness - and that a longtime civil servant isn't used as a political football."

Expect the message to become more refined as the days pass.

Connecting the Dots

The US Attorney has been vigorously working on the travelgate investigation for some time now. Republicans are encouraging the public to connect the dots between Georgia Thomposn and Jim Doyle.

We should recognize that an indictment does not equal guilt. Moreover, Thompson's indictment does not equal greater guilt in the Doyle Administration.

With those caveats out of the way, let the dot connecting begin.

Marotta Schedule

The King and His Court (Jesters Included)

Gotta love the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.

They are demanding that heads roll over the budget problems in County Parks.

Yet they continue to sit on their hands when it comes to Lee Holloway.

Long live the King (Wish I could take credit for that moniker, but the Journal Sentinel beat me to it).


Particularly galling is Supervisor Toni Clark.

She said later in the meeting: "It's time for the county executive to make a move" by disciplining or firing someone over the deficit.

Toni Clark, Taxpayer Watchdog?

If that name is familiar to you, it may be from this.

Milwaukee County Supervisor Toni M. Clark worked two daytime, taxpayer-funded jobs in September, missing multiple days at both the County Board and as a full-time elementary school teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools.

There are some decent folks on that county board. But until they rise up and dethrone the King, they'll continue to be lumped in with the Holloway/Clark/Johnson cabal.

TABOR DEAD?

Is TABOR DEAD?

Discarding plans for rigid spending limits that swept the Capitol only 18 months ago, Republican legislators are drafting a proposed constitutional amendment that instead would impose revenue controls on state and local governments, lawmakers said Tuesday.

Republican lawmakers are working on a constitutional amendment that would limit how much revenue state and local governments could collect. Under the plan: The state, counties and technical colleges could increase revenue equal to the combination of inflation and population growth. Public school districts could raise revenues equal to increases in enrollment and the three-year average change in inflation. The revenue limit for most municipalities would be equal to the three-year average change in inflation and 60% of the value of new construction.

"It provides more protection for the taxpayers and - in some ways - more flexibility," said state Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), who was elected to the Senate in 2004 on a platform of trying to find a way to permanently control state and local taxes.

Grothman ousted former Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer (R-West Bend) in a fall 2004 primary dominated by debate over what proponents call a taxpayer bill of rights, or TABOR.

At that time, some legislators were pushing limits similar to those that had choked state spending in Colorado, although voters in that state in November waived its spending limits on state government for the next five years.

Now, however, Grothman and Rep. Jeff Wood (R-Chippewa Falls) no longer speak of inflexible, TABOR-like spending limits.

"It's not a 'spending' limit," said Wood, adding that he had yet to explain all details of his final proposal to the Republicans who control the Assembly.

Instead, Republicans are focused on trying to impose controls on revenue, which they would define as taxes and most fees, on state and local governments. They say revenue controls would be a simpler way to restrain spending.

"It is much easier to define 'revenue' than it is to define 'spending,' " Grothman said.

So, is TABOR dead? Will the new Revenue Control bill have a huge bonding loophole? I'm told by folks at the Capitol that we shouldn't jump to those conclusions, and that more details will emerge in the next few days.

I am skeptical but will give them the benefit of the doubt.

For about 72 more hours.

The fact that it's taken this long is already quite discouraging.

No Clips Today, Sir

This conversation did not happen this morning.

"Good morning Susan, Jim here. I can barely hear you. These satellite phones don't work too well...Huh? What? I can't hear you. Anyway, I'd like to see the press clips from this trip to Baghdad, can you send them to my Blackberry? What? What do you mean I don't want to see today's clips? What? Ok, the noise in this 'copter is too loud. Just send me the a link to the Google Search for today's clips. I'll try to download it here when we land. What? Yes we'll talk when I get back? Huh? Just send the link for today's press clippings, ok?"

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&ncl=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi%3Ff%3D/n/a/2006/01/24/politics/p212341S75.DTL&scoring=d

Indictment Reaction Review

Let's take a look at how the various players are handling the indictment of Georgia Thompson.

Doyle ducks and defers to his top aide, the Secretary of the Department of Administration:

In a statement late Tuesday, Marotta's successor, Steve Bablitch, said, "The Doyle administration has zero tolerance for ethical lapses, but we certainly hope that saving money for taxpayers doesn't become a crime in Wisconsin. We also hope that the career of a civil servant doesn't become a political football."

Scott Walker:

“The indictment handed down today shows how corruption can infiltrate all areas of government. Unfortunately we have a Governor and administration that condones unethical and illegal behavior. The people of Wisconsin deserve better.

“Today’s indictment provides further confirmation that the Doyle administration is damaged andmust be removed from the Capitol. Jim Doyle’s political connections to this aide are, without question, mentioned as a defining piece of the evidence used to bring forth this indictment.”

Mark Green:

“The Doyle Administration’s ethical lapses have cast a cloud over state government that grows darker and darker each day. Today’s announcement is further evidence that we need to not only replace Governor Doyle, but we must take affirmative steps to restore the confidence of the public in the integrity of their elected officials.

“That’s why I’ve laid out an aggressive reform agenda I believe will help rebuild the trust the Doyle administration has breached with Wisconsinites.”

Both Green and Walker then reiterated their call for reforms, which they've brought forth in the past.

Unlike in response to the State of the State Address, where I felt Green's operation and message were better prepared and better delivered, both candidates hit the right tone with the right vigor on this one.

Then again, a federal indictment in an election year is a bit of a gimme.

Meanwhile the Dolye Administration is walking the tightrope here. On one hand, they didn't do anything wrong, on the other, Georgia Thompson is a mid level bureaucrat we don't even know. Oh, and the contract was a good one, nonetheless.

This is far from over. When Doyle returns from Iraq, he'll be peppered with questions as soon as he gets off the plane. Stay tuned.