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folkbum's rambles and rantsJay Bullock's journal of politics, music, and education. |
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Monday, July 06, 2009Monday Morning Music|Sunday, July 05, 2009Welcome Mike Gousha Viewers!
by folkbum
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(Updated: If you missed the show, our segment is online here.) I'm quite certain that tens of thousands of people all across the state are waking up this morning and watching "UpFront with Mike Gousha" and, impressed by my madd debating skillz, are immediately firing up teh great gizoogle and finding this here blog. Owen and I had about 4 seconds to debate about a million things, so I thought I would add a few things here that I didn't get to say. I spent the most time boning up on the sate budget and was able to get the fewest of my talking points in about that topic. In fact, the more I read up on the budget, the more impressed I was with it. Owen's a bit lucky that Republican talking points on the budget are easily reducible to the lazy conservative dog whistles: increased spending, benefits for gays, illegal immigrants, blahdy blah blah blah. The truth about the budget is a bit more wonky and a bit more important to the actual real lives of people across the state. For example, the budget was done on time this year for the first time since 1977. In these difficult economic times--indeed, in worsening economic times, as the revenue news was revised downward several times since the beginning of the year--Democrats were able to come together and get a budget done on time. It's also a budget that does not raise the sales tax, income tax (for 99% of people), property tax, or gas tax. State workers and state agencies took a big hit so that education and shared revenue could be spared the worst. The spending from General Purpose Revenue--the big pot of tax dollars the state collects from you and me--is lower, in real dollars, in actual total dollars spent, in this budget than in the previous one, but 2.5%. The total increase in spending (yes, $61b for 09-11 is larger than the $58b for 07-09) is almost entirely accounted for by federal stimulus dollars, not tax increases--and don't let the Republicans tell you any differently. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated that the median home's property taxes would increase a grand total of just $94 if schools and municipalities taxed to the max under revenue limits. Wonky, yes. But also worth being proud of--and not something that petty little issues like gay-bashing and immigrant-bashing should be allowed to overcome. As for Jim Doyle, and whether he's running for re-election, I will reiterate what I said on the show: No one has told me any differently. However, Doyle has indeed been invisible lately, not even taking much credit for the budget. Some Democrats have expressed quite a bit of displeasure over Doyle's relative absence lately, and they have a legitimate beef. However, if you remember four years ago, Doyle was perfectly happy just to go about doing his job and letting his opponents beat each other up. I firmly believe the Republican primary will get ugly, soon, and I will be happy to watch that happen. So will Jim Doyle. UPDATED to add something else: One other thing I wanted to say on the show but that I didn't is that the single toughest opponent Jim Doyle will face next year is the economy. It doesn't matter which Republican's name is on the ballot; if the economy is still in the toilet, Doyle's re-election is less secure. ALSO: I'm watching Mark Neumann on the program this morning, and he's taking credit for the Clinton economy of the 1990s that he voted against consistently. Ugh. Labels: 2010 Elections, Jim Doyle, Mark Neumann, State Budget, Television Saturday, July 04, 2009Happy Birthday America!
By Keith R. Schmitz
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Is this the year we declare our independence from health insurance companies? Labels: Health insurance companies, True independence Happy Independence Day
by folkbum
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I will be counting fingers on Monday, so be careful. Friday, July 03, 2009Palin gets out of the kitchen|Thursday, July 02, 2009Must-Listen TV
by folkbum
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I'll be appearing in a way too brief segment Sunday morning during "UpFront with Mike Gousha." Milwaukeeans can see it on channel 12 at 9 AM; others should check listings here. The program will also be archived and available online by early next week, too. I'm up against (natch) Owen Robinson. I got in a few good shots, but I didn't have quite enough time to get to everything I wanted to. Also, the regular make-up person was not available when we taped, so anyone with HD should probably watch blindfolded. That is all. Labels: Owen Robinson, Television Wednesday, July 01, 2009RIP, Karl Malden
by folkbum
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Karl Malden apparently did not get my request for a pause in the whole dying thing. However, at least he reached 97 and died of natural causes. You know, just to throw us off. Labels: RIP Tuesday, June 30, 2009Congratulations, Senator Franken|Let Us Count the Ways
By Keith R. Schmitz
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The state of Wisconsin budget just signed by Governor Jim Doyle is a reflection of torturous decisions. Of course what really helped the process was the shrill screaming that emanated from the GOP and the rad right that seemed to dominate the "discussion." For months we have been treated to charges of torrents of taxes and job killing regulations. Of course their needle seems to be stuck in that groove. Nobody by any stretch is happy. For me, in a recession government is the employer of last resort and we should have found ways to keep state workers on the rolls full time. Studies have shown that putting a dollar into the economy through government jobs has greater yield than not taking that dollar out through taxes. The Wisconsin Technology Network is not a Doyle cheerleader by any means, but kudos for having the fairness to find aspects of the budget that benefit business and growth. Doyle by no means hates Wisconsin business, as well as Democrats in the state legislature, or Democrats for that matter, a good number who are in business and doing very well at it. We simply don't like a having a government that brings out the worst in business or steamrollers the other stakeholders in the state. Labels: Jim Doyle, Progress, Republicans, State Budget Monday, June 29, 2009Activist court overturns precedent, law; sides with empathetic plaintiffs
by folkbum
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The Ricci decision is out. Let the howling commence. Also from SCOTUSBlog: "The fact that the Court’s four more liberal members would affirm the Second Circuit shows that Judge Sotomayor’s views were far from outlandish and put her in line with Judge Souter, [whom] she will replace." Labels: Sonia Sotomayor Sunday, June 28, 2009RIP, Billy Mays
by folkbum
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Look. Is there some sort of cosmic pause button we can press here to keep people from dying for a few weeks? It's getting a bit overwhelming. Also, here's an "On the Media" from a few weeks back that I quite enjoyed about the pitchman trade. Seems fitting to revisit it now. Update: I wonder where Tim Cuprisin got the idea to link to OTM? Hm? Labels: RIP Friday, June 26, 2009Obama claims another victim|Thursday, June 25, 2009Bad day to be a 1970s icon|Simple Answers to Simple Questions
by folkbum
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Q: What made Sonia Sotomayor so wise? A. She did everything John Roberts did, but backwards and in high heels--and in a second language. Labels: Patrick McIlheran, Sonia Sotomayor Sullivan-Vukmir 2010 race: Just like 2006?
by folkbum
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When Jim Sullivan ran against then-incumbent State Senator Tom Reynolds in 2006, Reynolds's bizarre personal behavior and ability to alienate his Republican colleagues allowed Sullivan to win a squeaker in a fairly conservative district. I think most observers agreed back then that had Rep. Leah Vukmir challenged Reynolds in a primary, she would have won and made the Senate contest a little tighter. But in the three years since then, Vukmir has managed to damage her reputation among members of her party, just like Reynolds. From Milwaukee Magazine's best and worst leggies story (the "worst" section, that is): Rep. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa): Her champions rank this former nurse and educational reform advocate among the Legislature’s best. “Very, very bright and really bones up on the issues,” says a conservative lobbyist. A Republican operative credits Vukmir, 50, for making her case “in a more appealing way than some of the other archconservative troglodytes.” He even sees her as poised for a leadership position.There are also pretty persistent rumors from multiple sources about Vukmir's personal life as well. (Heck, given how far out of the loop I tend to be, you've probably heard them, too--and you know it is the kind of thing that might have a bearing on her job were she elected to the State Senate.) So we might well be looking at a kind of replay of 2006 once Vukmir makes it official later this morning. Sullivan, well liked in his district (and now a successful incumbent with a solid track record), up against a Republican who can alienate her party and whose personal behavior may become a distraction in the campaign. In that case, I'd put my money on Sullivan again. (And you can, too, literally, through my ActBlue page.) Labels: 2010 Elections, Jim Sullivan, Leah Vukmir, Tom Reynolds Wednesday, June 24, 2009Sticks out
By Keith R. Schmitz
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Spotted a great bumper sticker while biking up KK. "Faith is a journey, not a guilt trip." Labels: Religion Tuesday, June 23, 2009RIP, Midwest Airlines|RIP, Ed McMahon|Monday, June 22, 2009MIA
by folkbum
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Okay, look, sometimes we like to joke about how leaders at various levels seem to be missing in action when they fail to act to our liking about some pressing issue or another. So what do you do when your governor actually is missing in action? Labels: Mark Sanford Sunday, June 21, 2009Happy Father's Day
by folkbum
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To any and all fathers in attendance here today. Archives05/01/2003 - 06/01/2003 06/01/2003 - 07/01/2003 07/01/2003 - 08/01/2003 08/01/2003 - 09/01/2003 09/01/2003 - 10/01/2003 10/01/2003 - 11/01/2003 11/01/2003 - 12/01/2003 12/01/2003 - 01/01/2004 01/01/2004 - 02/01/2004 02/01/2004 - 03/01/2004 03/01/2004 - 04/01/2004 04/01/2004 - 05/01/2004 05/01/2004 - 06/01/2004 06/01/2004 - 07/01/2004 07/01/2004 - 08/01/2004 08/01/2004 - 09/01/2004 09/01/2004 - 10/01/2004 10/01/2004 - 11/01/2004 11/01/2004 - 12/01/2004 12/01/2004 - 01/01/2005 01/01/2005 - 02/01/2005 02/01/2005 - 03/01/2005 03/01/2005 - 04/01/2005 04/01/2005 - 05/01/2005 05/01/2005 - 06/01/2005 06/01/2005 - 07/01/2005 07/01/2005 - 08/01/2005 08/01/2005 - 09/01/2005 09/01/2005 - 10/01/2005 10/01/2005 - 11/01/2005 11/01/2005 - 12/01/2005 12/01/2005 - 01/01/2006 01/01/2006 - 02/01/2006 02/01/2006 - 03/01/2006 03/01/2006 - 04/01/2006 04/01/2006 - 05/01/2006 05/01/2006 - 06/01/2006 06/01/2006 - 07/01/2006 07/01/2006 - 08/01/2006 08/01/2006 - 09/01/2006 09/01/2006 - 10/01/2006 10/01/2006 - 11/01/2006 11/01/2006 - 12/01/2006 12/01/2006 - 01/01/2007 01/01/2007 - 02/01/2007 02/01/2007 - 03/01/2007 03/01/2007 - 04/01/2007 04/01/2007 - 05/01/2007 05/01/2007 - 06/01/2007 06/01/2007 - 07/01/2007 07/01/2007 - 08/01/2007 08/01/2007 - 09/01/2007 09/01/2007 - 10/01/2007 10/01/2007 - 11/01/2007 11/01/2007 - 12/01/2007 12/01/2007 - 01/01/2008 01/01/2008 - 02/01/2008 02/01/2008 - 03/01/2008 03/01/2008 - 04/01/2008 04/01/2008 - 05/01/2008 05/01/2008 - 06/01/2008 06/01/2008 - 07/01/2008 07/01/2008 - 08/01/2008 08/01/2008 - 09/01/2008 09/01/2008 - 10/01/2008 10/01/2008 - 11/01/2008 11/01/2008 - 12/01/2008 12/01/2008 - 01/01/2009 01/01/2009 - 02/01/2009 02/01/2009 - 03/01/2009 03/01/2009 - 04/01/2009 04/01/2009 - 05/01/2009 05/01/2009 - 06/01/2009 06/01/2009 - 07/01/2009 07/01/2009 - 08/01/2009 |
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