Clenched Fist Artist-Activist Dies

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Excerpt:
Frank Cieciorka, a nationally recognized watercolor painter, political artist, activist, and author who created many of the iconic images of the 1960s, including the clenched fist and the black panther, died on November 24, 2008 at his home in Alderpoint, California. The cause was emphysema.

To some, my web page logo has a "rising up angry" protest flavor. However, the animated image I chose to use was originally inspired by Howard Dean’s positive and vibrant enthusiasm displayed during a speech in Iowa on his presidential campaign. Those on the anti-social violent-prone Right successfully mischaracterized Dean's awakening as anger and aggression. Later on, as the Democratic Party Chairman, Dean eventually got the last laugh by channeling his defeat in 2004 into a tidal wave of Democratic victories in the mid-term 2006 and again just a few weeks ago.

But as much as I would like to believe the tidal wave stemmed from tired and fed-up Americans seeking positive change, most of these victories resulted from a large protest vote against the misguided status quo GOP platform. Despite the untimely passing of Mr. Cieciorka, the art and practice of non-violent protest and activism still lives thanks in part to his efforts. R.I.P.

Excerpt:
A persistent symbol of resistance and unity, the clenched fist (or raised fist) is part of the broader genre of "hand" symbols that include the peace "V," the forward-thrust-fist, and the clasped hands. The clenched fist usually appears in full frontal display showing all fingers and is occasionally integrated with other images such as a peace symbol or tool.

Janesville Should Follow The Law With House-Flipping Program

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Saturday’s Janesville Gazette contained a story on the city of Janesville’s Buy, Rehab and Resell Program, a program designed to buy homes in older neighborhoods and rehab them into efficient living quarters to help revitalize economically stagnant and blighted neighborhoods. Great idea, in fact, many homeowners have had those same wonderful ideas for years in Janesville only to be discouraged by something called the 50% rule.

The Gazette article explains the city plans to buy a two-flat in one of the city’s high density neighborhoods for around $65,000 and restore it back to a single family residence. But here’s the problem.

JG Excerpt:
The city will work with community action to make energy improvements, and the estimated total cost of the work is about $90,000 ……

Whoa Nelly! Not only does that conveniently consume the remaining money left in the Federal Block Grant, it violates the 50% rule by quite a bit.

The total assessed value of the property in question is $49,800 with $40,200 of it on the structure itself. According to state and city ordinances this leaves room for only $20,100 in improvements. Even if they re-assess to 100% of fair market value, closer to the $65,000 asking price, the city would be limited to spend only $32,500 for improvements, a far cry from the $90,000 they expect to pump into it.

When a private homeowner wants to pour thousands of dollars beyond the 50% value of their home to decrease density, increase owner-occupied properties, help stabilize their neighborhood or improve their own quality of life, the city imposes the 50% rule against the property. “Raze or Repair Only” is the threatening battle cry.

Of course it pays to be City Hall, as the city exempts itself from punitive damages of ordinances you and I must closely follow. Had they not, who knows how many more people who didn’t follow their consciences would fill the Rock County Jail? But who needs a conscience when you have authoritarian immunity?

The point here of course is not to raze these historic buildings in Janesville’s Fourth Ward or anywhere else in the city, but to demonstrate the terribly unfair nature of the 50% property value improvement rule. It doesn’t make sense, it stifles re-investment, is anti-renewal, anti-growth and anti-everything. It needs to be repealed.

Read previous opinion regarding 50% rule here.

Janesville Council Member Won't Seek Re-Election

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JG Excerpt:
Janesville -- City council president Amy Loasching will not seek re-election in April because of the traveling demands of a new job, and those who serve with her say the city is losing a council member who puts residents first.

I couldn't agree more but seriously, if putting residents first is such an unusual thing to pursue, who pray tell are the others serving first?

Right away I felt this would be an awkward post to write because it's difficult to praise someone for saving what I consider to be a monster, but here goes.

In my view, Loasching has done well to keep Janesville’s status quo in place. By this I mean she took an unorthodox form of city government on the decline and quickly identified several sore spots that needed some correction and healing to restore a minimum level of trust in an increasingly oppressive and disconnected administration populated by an expanding gang of academic “hires.” She prescribed opening up direct lines of communication with residents at council meetings with an unshakably engaging and inclusive style. That was the key. And if that was her intention, she did it in spades.

JG Excerpt:
She and fellow council member Tom McDonald led efforts to create a citizens committee to choose committee members rather than leaving that to the manager.

But I’m still not sold on the new structural changes with committee appointments. The project committees themselves seem to be more of a tool for the administration to help control and steer the stream of ideas, and there is still no citizen “appeals” committee. For an administration that continues to write code with enforcement outside of constitutional courts, I find this absence of citizen redress appalling. However, these shortcomings are by no means the fault of the out-going council member Loasching.

Ironically, those who have always cherished this backward form of representation have much to be grateful for in Amy Loasching. She along with Tom McDonald may very well have extended its life. They did what needed to be done to make it work.

As a self-described critic of Janesville’s form of government, I can only say she made Janesville city government slightly more palatable, considering the circumstances and the personalities involved. Whole neighborhoods in Janesville are still underrepresented and unengaged in the city administrative process. Nevertheless, this was a monumental accomplishment in my book. I’m proud to say to a person, Amy Loasching served as a unique and honorable representative of my interests. She is among the best and wish her great rewards in her new job.

Separate from Loasching's announcement not to run for city council, the Gazette somehow found an opening in the story to send a little message on their own behalf.

JG Excerpt:
And she always makes sure she is available to the media.

I don’t know if making oneself “available” to the public is something an elected public official owes to a private media institution, particularly when information is marginalized by the Gazette and their local affiliates. This statement out of quote seems obviously self-serving by sending a message of media cooperation to future council members and staff.

Mold Big 3 Bail-Out After DTV Coupon Program

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Here's a suggestion. Congress should pattern the Big Three auto makers bail-out after the recent TV Converter Box Coupon Program. The program could allow one coupon per household earning $50,000 a year or less. Each coupon would be worth $10,000 and be non-transferable. The coupon can be applied toward the cost of a new American vehicle manufactured or assembled on U.S. soil providing their corporate headquarters are taxed in the United States. Certainly there could be other contingencies, protections and limitations to hold the number down and max it out to $15 billion. Trading in an old polluting vehicle could be another qualifier. This program could act as a catalyst for 1.5 million domestic only vehicle sales.

Admittedly, it does "spread the wealth," but less obnoxiously so than the current TARP legislation. Also, it doesn't address American health care costs - one of the primary reasons why Detroit and other American manufacturing industries can't win against the global competition, nor does it tackle mismanagement. It's not the end-all to our economic problems.

Sure, it'll look like we're subsidizing American labor - but so what? We're on the verge of the Great Depression 2.0 and I can't think of any other country's labor I would rather help subsidize at this point in time. Like anything else, the coupon program can be abused, but tight legislation with stiff penalties should apply. I know, now I'm really sounding crazy.

But I see few other ways to offer a bottom-up stimulus for the Big 3 and guarantee most of the revenue stays in the U.S., help move product off the lots, retain jobs, pay operational expenses, restore confidence, get the Big 3 past the credit crisis and give the economy a bigger shot in the arm than the $750 billion earmarked for Wall Street ever could - all in one swoop. This program would lay the groundwork for part two of the automaker stimulus, the $25 billion already designated for future “green” auto technology.


I'm not pretending like this suggestion has any chance at all, but the question is no longer why, but why not?

Rip Rap

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The Money Party

Scoop News Excerpt:
It is not about Republicans versus Democrats. Right now, the Republicans do a better job taking money than the Democrats. But The Money Party is an equal opportunity employer. They have no permanent friends or enemies, just permanent interests. Democrats are as welcome as Republicans to this party. It’s all good when you’re on the take and the take is legal.

This really isn't "new" news. My only fear is this is what they mean by "bi-partisan efforts."

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Quote Of The Weak

Mother Jones Excerpt
“Gah! Nothing specific right now. Sitting here in these chairs that I’m going to be proposing but in working with these governors who again on the front lines are forced to and it’s our privileged obligation to find solutions to the challenges facing our own states every day being held accountable, not being just one of many just casting votes or voting present every once in a while, we don’t get away with that. We have to balance budgets and we’re dealing with multibillion dollar budgets and tens of thousands of employees in our organizations.” – Gov. Sarah Palin

They ruined it by placing that period in there, between "that" and "we." Sure, Palin's talking here and not writing, but you'd think a degree in journalism would have helped her some.

The Palin turkey slaughter video already is tired to look at, so I figured this one would be a slight break.

More "American Carol" Style Humor With John McCain

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Auto Industry Threatens To Raise Prices To Attract More Customers?

Consumers to suffer if GM goes Under:
Higher car prices, the end of incentives and vehicle shortages could occur if GM and other Big Three automakers don't get a bailout, according to experts.

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What's in a name, right?
The name of the financial bureaucrat hired to disperse the $750 billion without prejudice to his Wall Street cronies is Neel Kashkari……no kidding, a handshake away from cash-n-carry.

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Punchline Drumroll Please

BartCop Excerpt:
It portrayed Obama as a socialist, a communist, a Muslim, an America hater, and a friend of terrorists. And of course a corrupt Chicago politician.

A majority of American voters said, "Ya’know, we’re O.K. with that, as long as he’s not a Republican."
Ty G

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Tommy Thompson Threatens To Return

Capital Times Excerpt:
Solution? Thompson recommends that Republicans stop saying "no" to the ideas of Democrats and start developing their own ideas. Indeed, he suggests, the GOP's renewal will only come if it is seen as a "party of ideas."

"I definitely have decided I'm going to play a role," says Thompson, who after the election told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Craig Gilbert that, "I love that state and I'm not going to stand by and watch all the things I worked for fall apart."

Hurry Tommy – Get back in!! Wisconsin Dems need refueling.

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DOW rallies nearly 500 points On Treasury Pick.

I'm always a little suspicious when the inmates at the state pen throw a wild welcome party when a new warden shows up.

Feingold Supports Big 3 Help, But With Conditions

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Statement On Financially Assisting U.S. Automakers:
"With millions of jobs at stake, Congress should carve out some of the Wall Street bailout funds to help U.S. automakers. I am working with members of both parties in Congress to ensure that some of the $700 billion that Congress has already approved goes to help the auto industry. If Congress can provide $700 billion to bail out Wall Street, it ought to be able to devote some of that to helping millions of Americans keep their jobs. If the U.S. auto industry collapses, that would devastate our manufacturing base, wreck our already ailing economy, and possibly end up costing taxpayers even more in pension guarantees, unemployment benefits and other costs. But the rescue package should not be a blank check. It should include protections for taxpayers as well as requirements that the industry reform itself so that it is better prepared to produce the fuel efficient vehicles Americans are demanding while still taking advantage of the incredible workforce that has been the backbone of the automobile industry for generations." -- Sen. Russ Feingold

The poorly written original $750 billion bail-out plan has already changed targets in midstream. And it's turning out those in charge of the billions don't have a clue how to apply it to benefit the economy.

In my view, at least Feingold recognizes there are multiple problems rippling through the economy and each must be dealt with according to specific needs. His plan lays out conditions the Big 3 must accept before they get any help, but not at the expense of energy independence or the environment. That is the fundamental difference between Feingold's position and those of some Republicans including Rep. Paul Ryan, who would rather eliminate the "green" technology requirements from the previous $25 billion earmarked for the automakers.

Wryan Has It Wrong...Again

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On Wednesday, Rep. Paul Ryan said he would favor assisting the troubled American automakers immediately, using the $25 billion Congress set aside previously for tech development of more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Kenosha News Excerpt:
Ryan said he would use the already-allocated energy efficiency money now, and deal with the issue of if or how to replace it later.

Much like the rest of the over $800 billion in bail-out money? Put it on the kids credit card.

Kenosha News Excerpt:
“It comes down to whether the Democratic majority chooses between the unionists and the environmental groups,” Ryan said. “And I’d side with the union groups, if I were them.”

Listen to that. Typical Ryan, pitting environmentalists, who would like to see the automakers lead the nation’s way for energy efficiency - against the unions, who want to supply good paying jobs and benefits to the workers, and creating a false choice for democrats to make. We can’t have both – just no way. Pandering as usual in his own made-up scenario, Ryan takes the unions over an energy plan, this coming after he recently blamed Congress for the Janesville GM shut-down because, of all reasons – for not having an energy plan. My-O-My, what a difference $50 oil makes.

People voted for another two years……..of this?

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Ryan: Federal Spending Does Not Create Jobs unless it's spent on Wall Street



Picked up the video from DemoCurmudgeon Blogspot. A liberal journey into the depths of conservative deception and Republican failures.....from Wisconsin. Check it out.

Big Three: Coming Off Jet Planes With Tin Cups

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The CEO's of the Big Three American automakers flew into Washington today in their corporate jets for hearings on their request for $25 billion in taxpayer help. At least one congressman noticed.

"I think there is an irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington DC and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand saying that they are going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses. It's almost like seeing the guy show up at the soup kitchen in a tophat and tuxedo. Kind of makes you a little bit suspicious as to whether or not we've seen the future. And it causes some of the Senators to think have we seen the future.

There's a message there. Couldn't ya'll have downgraded to first class or jetpooled to get here? I mean it would have at least sent a message that you get it. If you are going to streamline your companies, where does it start? It would seem to me that as the CEOs of these companies that you cant set the standard of what that future is going to look like. That you are really going to trim the fat. That you dont need all the luxuries and bells and whistles. Causes us to wonder." -- Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.)

Later in the hearing, the CEO's were asked to raise their hand if any of them intended to sell their private jets in order to cut costs. None of them raised their hand.

Political Business Group Suffering Identity Crisis?

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Over the past two months, the Janesville Gazette has ramped up the usual series of articles written in favor of and in seeming cooperation with the politically active private economic development business group known around these parts as Forward Janesville. For several years preceding this latest new chapter in publicity, the group seemed to be receding away from the traditional “chamber of commerce” label and more towards the “economic development” description when referred to in newsprint articles and ads. But lately now, they seem to be returning to the “chamber of commerce” description for some reason.

This rather unimportant about-face in the way they want the public to perceive them may have started in September with a posting of mine titled, Time for a downtown Chamber of Commerce, where I felt the city of Janesville and particularly its downtown businesses have been neglected by the group enough to suggest area businesses create a separate and new non-partisan business-driven Janesville Chamber of Commerce.

Although Forward Janesville considers itself the front door to downtown Janesville, most downtown business owners are struggling entrepreneurs and small business enterprise left to shift for themselves. While the downtown struggles to find ways to raise capital for image and publicity improvements, Forward Janesville captures a $450,000 federal grant for image and publicity improvements. When “real” chambers of commerce from the surrounding Rock County area join together to form a health insurance cooperative, Forward Janesville co-opts out. Yet when election time rolls around for seats on the local school board, county board or city council, the business group gets a free pass from published scrutiny on their organized influence and involvement in the non-partisan process.

Of course not everyone sees things that way. But the Janesville Gazette is probably the most important piece to the pie doing all the cream puff publicity work as a willing enabler for the business group. Who could forget the front page schmooze story on Oct. 31st titled, “What is Forward Janesville?” Or a forgettable commercial ad masquerading as a news article on Page 2A on Nov.11th titled “Campaign training to precede election.” When possible and if the means are available, the newspaper makes an effort to connect the politically active private economic development business group in everything it can. Even if it's just to drop their name. Coincidence?

So this is the bottom line on their latest publicity drive. The politically active private economic development business known as Forward Janesville wants us to know they are also the official Janesville "chamber of commerce"……I think. So don’t get any funny ideas.

School Board Promotes Political Organization

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Today's Janesville Gazette ran an article titled, School Board members offer advice for those seeking office. Under a sub-section titled 'Candidates checklist' was this recommendation.

JG Excerpt:
-- Attend Forward Janesville's Campaign Management Institute……………………. Tuition is $50 for ....... members or $75 for non-members. For more information or to register, call …………..

This more than anything demonstrates how deeply Janesville has been sold out to special interest groups when school board members suggest interested residents for the Janesville School Board should attend campaign orientation orchestrated by Forward Janesville, a politically active private organization whose philosophical template mirrors that of the Republican Party. On one hand the public school board claims to encourage regular everyday people to run for the board, on the other they recommend this.

Hey school board members, aside from the political aspects of your brazen endorsement, my first question among many is.......what's your cut on the tuition fees? I wouldn't settle for anything less than 15%.

Reach Out - But Do Not Resuscitate

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For the past week now, cable news channels, newsprint media and talk radio have been buzzing about President-elect Obama’s list of statements and promises he made while on the campaign trail. One of them, the statement made about his willingness to reach out to Republicans if elected president seems to have gotten extra attention even on the local scale here in Janesville when talk radio host Stan Milam suggested Republican Rep. Paul Ryan should try to gain some relevance by jumping on the coat-tails of Obama's “outreach” program.

Sarah Palin, in an interview with Wolf Blitzer also suggested Republicans should take Obama up on that offer.

Palin/Blitzer Transcript:
Palin: This is an opportunity to all be working together. And of course, President-elect Obama had promised also bipartisan efforts to meet the challenges. So let's seize this opportunity, let's take him up on that offer. And let's start working together.

You bet'cha. Governor. In fact it’s so good you should be the first to show the country it’s no longer partisan politics as usual in Alaska. If convicted felon Ted Stevens wins re-election to his senate seat – show us why you think you deserve the label of “maverick.” If the need arises where you must appoint a replacement, make your mark by appointing a Democrat, preferably his challenger, Mark Begich. Show President-elect Obama that you too are a willing stakeholder in a new united front to face our immediate challenges. Show 'em how to do it.

But don't try to play the usual Rovian games by attempting to trap Obama or Democrats with the responsibility of resuscitating your political party. It's not going to work.

Bingo! JanesvilleGate Is Born

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What should have been an open-and-shut case surrounding a charge of nepotism against Janeville’s former City Manager is now growing legs as administration insiders appear to be scrambling to redirect the investigation towards a possible cover-up.

JG Excerpt:
Everything stems from an incident involving then-City Manager Steve Sheiffer and his teen relative. The relative worked at the ice arena and in January made unfounded accusations against her supervisors. Some city employees said the teen's relationship to the city manager made it difficult to handle the matter.

But the real chain of events began when a city employee secretly recorded conversations between herself and her supervisor in order to protect herself from charges being levied against her from the teenage relative of the former city manager.

Things began to grow more suspicious when the Janesville Gazette, in a extremely rare burst of investigative reporting of local authorities, requested public records filed from original statements surrounding the charges of nepotism and city disciplinary action. Somewhere in between all of this, the lead supervisor is overheard on an audio recording that he destroyed records related to the original charge of nepotism stemming from the ice rink matter. Bingo! JanesvilleGate is born.

But now this episode is growing additional pairs of legs as the city has hired two outside attorneys to independently investigate whether city records were illegally released and/or whether city records were illegally destroyed. To make matters worse, the city of Janesville has it’s own on-staff attorney and legal assistant, but their long-time relationship with the former city manager apparently present a strong enough conflict of interest that officials felt it best to go outside the administration.

Additionally troubling is that the city council president position held by Amy Loasching, considered by some to be the city figurehead in Janesville’s form of democracy-lite government, seems to be deliberately kept in the dark over matters concerning the investigations.

JG Excerpt:
"If she (attorney) is really doing an independent investigation, in my opinion, she should be fact-finding," Loasching said. "Based on everyone who has contacted me who she has interviewed, it seems to be more of an accusation-type of investigation."

This lack of communication between the administration and council has been a chronic problem if not emblematic of the manager/council government. Janesville has been for all practicality - a leaderless city.

In the meantime, many new questions seem to go unanswered. Who hired the attorneys? And at this stage in the investigation, if the Council President wonders out loud why they need to hire outside attorneys, who approved of the hiring? Was city council approval required? Under who’s directive are they operating? Which officials do the attorneys answer to?

One could only imagine what would have happened to the city employee if she had not recorded her conversations to defend her position against this growing conspiracy. When employees have to start wearing voice recorders in order to defend themselves while on the job - something is seriously, seriously wrong with not only the system of government, but the people running it.

Why Is Doyle Contacted By Obama Team?

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JG Excerpt:
Obama's transition team spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter says they are not confirming or denying any reports about contacts they are making with people.

But could Doyle just as well be participating in a plan with the president-elect's team to include new vehicle production at the Janesville GM plant in exchange for $25 billion in bail-out help? Why not? The report seems to go out of their way to say Doyle’s trip is unrelated to state business.

My guess is no more or less factual than anything published by the “alternative“ news up to this point.

CNBC's Liesman Challenged Ryan's Blame Game

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Rep. Paul Ryan was on CNBC Money (Charter 67) Wednesday morning to discuss the apparent shift in former Goldman Sachs CEO Henry Paulson's focus on which troubled assets the U.S. treasury will purchase regarding the misguided and poorly written bail-out plan to buy troubled assets.

Besides answering the questions with little to no new information during the discussion, Ryan as usual raised his partisan tone to place most of the blame for the financial crisis on Fannie and Freddie Mac. Steve Liesman, senior economic advisor for CNBC would have none of it and challenged Ryan on this assertion. Liesman countered that Fannie/Freddie was responsible for about 1.7% of all the toxic mortgages while Wall Street firms greedy over-indulgence of the sub-prime markets caused 20% of the mortgage notes to default into asset toxicity. Liesman also appeared surprised by Ryan's partisan naivete. Sensing an argument going nowhere fast, the topic of this escalating discussion was deliberately interrupted by one of the other CNBC panelists.

"He keeps going on this - I don't get it at all." -- Steve Liesman, referring to Ryan's constant Fannie/Freddie/Dem blame game for the current financial crisis.

You can watch the CNBC Video of the exchange here. It is 11 minutes long.

A hearty "thank you" to R.P. from Burlington, WI for emailing this episode to my attention.

Congratulations Rep. Mike Sheridan!!

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Janesville's own Mike Sheridan, a former UAW union president, was chosen for the Assembly speakership. I've always felt Sheridan had all the right tools and work ethics necessary to fight for and speak on behalf of real priorities for the State of Wisconsin.

After he was first elected to Wisconsin legislative office, I was one of few who spoke out against his continued employment with corporate GM as a conflict of interest to serve the greater good. I was happy to see that when it came time to make a decision of either/or, he chose public service.

He's one of those kind'a guys who exemplifies "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" slogan and doesn't back down from anybody when advancing democratic ideals and candidates on the local front. Yet, he has the common sense to extend his hand across the aisle to get something done. He's just what south-central Wisconsin needs in Madison during these extremely challenging times. Good going!

Read Capital Times Article here.

Newspaper Supports Legislating From The Trench

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Resurrectng that good ol' charm of the modern Republican party, the Janesville Gazette on Tuesday slammed Democrats in an editorial titled "How much do Madison Democrats support military?"

In particular, they took aim at Sen. Bob Jauch for having the wisdom and foresight to shut down an ill-advised suggestion that could not only compromise the safety and security of our soldiers overseas, it could also cheapen the legislative process here in Wisconsin to nothing more than a second thought decision made possibly under severe duress.

JG Editorial Excerpt:
Allow lawmakers who are on military deployment to vote on legislation. We urged the change while endorsing…….

Just what soldiers in a war zone need to be thinking about.

JG Editorial:
“It’s hard for me to believe that anyone is going to be informed and make and informed decision if they are 300 or 3,000 miles away…..We have not had any discussion, nor do I think we will have a discussion, about changing the procedure if an individual is physically unable to be there.” – Sen. Bob Jauch

Jauch was looking at the legislative side of the Gazette’s idea, but there is a far more insidious element to this dim-witted campaign crusaded just to secure votes from one of their endorsed partisans. One that far outweighs the legislative process, at least in my view.

JG Editorial Excerpt:
That’s too bad. It’s not like Hahn would have been sipping margaritas at some Mexican resort.

Considering the circumstances, that would have been more acceptable. But according to the Gazette, it’s much better to have a soldier in a war zone, under the blistering hot sun in Iraq second guessing whether there is an IED planted under a rotting animal carcass at the side of the road while he is text messaging his position on coal-fired power plants or the need of a sales tax on transit equipment. Much better to endanger the soldier while he legislates from the trench.

JG Editorial Excerpt:
When it comes to Democrats in Madison, partisanship apparently trumps military support.

Sen. Jauch should be commended for his intelligent decision that helps both legislators and soldiers keep their unequivocal devotion and attention to the important tasks at hand. They must not be permitted to exercise mixing these important duties. It cheapens their honor, is extremely dangerous, and you shouldn’t have to be a Democrat in order to understand that.

Shame on the Gazette for grandstanding our soldiers military service as a tool to gain political office and demonizing lawmakers as unpatriotic for opposing their polarizing jingoistic rhetoric.

This editorial coming on Veterans Day is indubitably disgraceful.

Ryan Riding Political Winds Of Opportunity

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Friday’s (Nov.7) Janesville Gazette hard copy front page article titled “Will Paul Ryan be next star for GOP” was the headline story of the day and attempted to help repaint the Congressman’s future as more of a policy maker and less of a leadership role within his party.

JG Excerpt:
Ryan announced Thursday he also won't be a candidate for House minority leader after being asked by colleagues to lead Republicans in the next Congress.

Though Ryan has been mentioned as a “rising star” in GOP politics by the likes of Robert Novak, Steve Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and of course myself, and has been a key player in the “Young Republicans” and other GOP hyper-partisan group-thinks, he's never taken a lead role. So this does not come as a big surprise.

JG Excerpt:
We need a house cleaning in our party, and we need a party that's going to go and tackle the problems of the American people," Ryan told Hume.

There’s something about that “house-cleaning” part Ryan wants no part of. Otherwise he would’ve taken that House minority leadership role. Obviously, I have no desire to see the Republican Party claw back to credibility, but like any deep hole, that would require a lot of hard work and courage.

Yet it appears, our congressman may have found a better way to reposition his career if he takes the advice from one of his local media enablers.

JG Excerpt:
Milam, of WCLO AM radio's "The Stan Milam Show," said Ryan might not want to languish in a Democrat-dominated Congress. Obama's Election Night speech, in which he reached out to those who did not vote for him, signaled that Obama would recruit Republicans for his administration, Milam suggested. "I can't think of a better Republican to be a part of that than Paul Ryan, who has demonstrated moderation and leadership in areas of finance and in the budget. There ought be place for him on that team," Milam said.

Milam has a point. After spending most of his career kowtowing to the Bush Administration and becoming a dependable party-line rubber stamp among his colleagues, Ryan would now find himself reduced to nothing more than an obstacle to progress by opposing the Democratic-led majority in Congress. He would find himself opposing the Obama Administration by as much as 90% of the time if history is correct. And what good would that do for his career?

Why the apparent and sudden change in his job security strategy? McCain lost. Certainly, President Obama has the prerogative to choose his own policy makers, but he must be careful not to choose those who might be viewed as career opportunists or those who might pose a threat to progressive legislation and reform.

But Ryan could prove to be of some value. His economic policies including those described in his legislative novel titled “Roadmap For America’s Future” are little more than corporate-laid booby traps designed to sell-off the U.S. Treasury and taxpayer interests to privatization. Although we are in the throes of a Bush/Ryan economy, Obama will still need to know what the wrong direction is policy-wise. Ryan can provide that with his novel.

It is in this regard that it’s beginning to look like Ryan has found greater opportunities to advance his career with the Democrats of all people, than any role his Republican comrades in Congress can offer.

Unsustainable Budget Hole Filled With 'Green' Money

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Following is an excerpt from Thursday's Janesville Gazette concerning the $1.8M windfall that will be paid to the County for allowing a high-voltage transmission line to cross the county in 2009. The money, according to the State of Wisconsin, is supposed to be used exclusively for Parks and Conservation Projects. Instead, the money is being earmarked for county operating expenses.

JG Excerpt:
JANESVILLE — The Rock County Finance Committee this morning denied the parks committee's request for a full-time community coordinator position and to use a one-time, $1.8 million payment exclusively for parks and conservation projects.

Rock Environmental Network Response:

The $1.8 million dollar payment is a bonus. A win. A lottery ticket. A payment to the County for allowing power lines to cross our land.

It is money that the County wasn't counting on to balance the budget, pay for day to day operating costs, or copy machines.

The State of Wisconsin says that the $1.8 million payment is exclusively for parks and conservation projects.

The article states that Rock County has applied and been approved to spend about 2/3 of the money, or around $1.2 million - on operating costs, leaving 600,000.00 to the Parks Dept to be used instead of property tax dollars to fund the parks and conservation departments in 2009.

So basically, Parks and Conservation are getting nothing extra. Tax dollars that would have been spent on Parks & Conservation will be diverted to the general fund - so the 600K is money P&C would have gotten anyway.

Farmland preservation projects, Clean Air programs, Clean up our Waterway, Conservation projects. There are a million ways that this money could be used to make our County a better place to live - without worrying about new copy machines. (We are supposed to be going paperless anyway - so forward thinking is required)

The money doesn't belong in the general fund. It belongs to the Citizens of Rock County.

Please read the article carefully, and take action.

If you haven't already done so, please email the Rock County Board of Supervisors at webmaster@co.rock.wi.us or contact the County Administrator, Craig Knutson at 757-5510 to voice your opinion. It is critical that you make contact before Wednesday, November 12th. -- REN

Community Organizer Wins Presidency

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24 hours later.......It just sank in. Holy Cow!!!

How sweet it is.

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OB-noxious Editorial

In Wednesday's editorial, the Janesville Gazette wasted no time setting up President-elect Obama for failure by holding him to a higher standard than any president before him.

JG Editorial:
You’ve pledged tax cuts, but in the throes of this crisis,we fear that both cutting taxes and increasing taxes could be disastrous to our already dire situation.

How’s that for demanding progress? – don't do anything - just leave things the way they are!! Stay the course, blah, blah and blah.

JG Editorial:
Democrats have been trying for years to shed the tax-and-spend label. Now, with your party controlling both houses of Congress, this is your moment, your time to prove it. Should you fail, we won’t have anyone to blame but you and your fellow Democrats.

One thing about the Janesville Gazette, politics is unimportant to them and partisanship simply doesn’t exist in Janesville.

If President Obama becomes the President of the American people and not just his party, and never calls congressional opponents the "party of cut-and-runners," he will have fulfilled all of his promises and duty.

1st Congressional District – Yes We Can’t

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Now that the election is over, there’s a few things to be said about the contest in the 1st congressional district that I held back out of respect to the campaigns. As a citizen who is diametrically opposed to nearly everything Rep. Paul Ryan stands for, I can now say I’m thoroughly embarrassed by the Democratic challenger’s campaign and her showing in this election.

From the get go, I knew the odds were overwhelming, that it would be a long hard slog for anybody running against the GOP’s corporate funded 'chosen one.’ But I held out some hope that the right candidate who can prepare for and compete with Ryan’s deceptive rhetoric, flawed policies and partisanship, would have a chance in a Democratic year. That was not to be, Ryan won handily.

Marge Krupp came out of the chutes early on running against Ryan with guns blazing and all the right talking points only to fall flat during the most critical time of the season. After attending several candidate forums and listening intently to all the candidates, I never could figure how anyone could repeatedly say they’re running a full-time campaign against Ryan, say “watch me” and not show up to some of the most critical candidate forums. There was a glaring public absence and a Ryan-like disconnect as well as a disengagement of the blogosphere. Perhaps her advisers and those closest to her suggested to do this, but it became evident many irreversible mistakes were being made throughout the campaign.

Yet, with Ryan's wrong-headed participation in the Bush Wall Street bail-out, he literally handed over a gift to the challenger. Instead of presenting a basic outline to an alternative solution, the Democrat came out in support of the bail-out! Only to reverse direction after learning Sen. Russ Feingold voted against it!! That sealed the deal.

Despite all this, Ryan knew if the people in his district were to ever pick up on his punishing economics, that if they connect their unemployment, home foreclosures, debt and spiraling down quality of life to his representation in Congress – that if they think America is headed in the wrong direction and notice he's one of the drivers - they just might throw him out the door. He knew - he wasn't willing to take that chance - he didn't spend over a million dollars for nothing.

But this is where it all begins – in the trenches on the front lines of local politics. As long as the locals keep splitting their votes and compromising their principles to achieve some imaginary balance, if we continue to send the wrong people to Congress and to the state legislature, we get what we deserve.

America is liberated, Obama will be President - while we continue to cling to the status quo in our little corner of Wisconsin.

Important Rock County Parks Meeting

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For all Trail and Parks Fans and those concerned about our environment.

When: Wednesday, Nov.5th, 2008 beginning at 6:00 PM
Where: Rock County Courthouse

From: Rock Environmental Network

We are trying to fill the courthouse with supporters of the green movement within Rock County, so please, bring everyone you know. Make signs and come early if you can! Read more here.

Reject Ryan For Tomorrow's Future

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IT'S THAT TIME of the political season again and another Ryan term in Congress has passed bringing with it yet another step down in the quality of life for citizens of Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District. Rep. Paul Ryan has a well documented record of votes and legislation in Congress which directly resulted in an economic condition our area hasn’t seen since the Great Depression.

CONSIDER the following: Paul Ryan said “yes” to Texas-sized subsidies for Big Oil while saying “no” to Wisconsin Farmers. He said “no” to the MILC program. He said “no” to expanding SCHIP and his position on SeniorCare left the state of Wisconsin to prepare for the inferior Medicare Part D supplement. Only until Washington Democrats sneaked funding into a congressional bill – was SeniorCare spared from Ryan's axe.

HE WAS hand-picked by President Bush to lead the charge against Social Security and attempted to write new expansive budgetary veto powers for the executive branch. He votes along party lines 92% of the time and voted over 90% with Bush. Despite overwhelming public opinion against socializing the losses of Wall Street fat cats, Ryan “courageously” chose to ignore the desires of his district and not only voted for it, he helped steer the Bush Administration’s original 3-point plan.

HE AUTHORED a patchwork of previously rehashed ideas into a legislative novel called “Roadmap For America’s Future,” a plan dealing with OUR Social Security, OUR Medicare and OUR taxes and presented it first to the barons at the Wall Street Journal. His finger is so tightly pressed on the pulse of the economy that his eyes never saw the financial crisis coming.

NOW, I could go on and on here with nearly every single one of Ryan’s flawed positions, but for the sake of not rehashing Ryan’s entire Congressional broken record, party-line votes or mixed-up ideological nature, I’ve decided to save for last what some consider, particularly Conservatives, to be Ryan’s strong suit – his fiscal perseverance to deny workers and taxpayers in his district a fair return on their tax dollars. This I consider to be the worst betrayal of all to his constituents as Representative of the 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin.

BEGINNING IN 2005, Ryan has embarked on a mission to cut domestic spending which has resulted in a one-man crusade against his own district, shortchanging it by over $3 billion dollars in a span of just 3 years.

IN 2005, Wisconsin congressional districts received an average of $2.82 billion each in federal funds. That year, Ryan wrote only $1.54 billion in grants for his district for a cut of $1.28 billion less than average. In 2006, the district average was $2.55 billion to Ryan’s $1.66 billion for an additional shortfall of $890 million. In 2007, the average funding was $1.98 billion to Ryan’s $1.04 billion for a shortfall of $940 million, bringing the three year total to $3.11 billion less for economic development and jobs. A severe if not crushing dividend shortfall in return for our tax dollars.

IN WISCONSIN, only Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner consistently gypped his district out of more. Yet, these guys win “taxpayer” awards for this all the while failing to pass a balanced budget in Congress. Making matters worse, these annual shortfalls are in addition to the cost burden of the Iraq War on their respective districts. A war rubber stamped by Ryan costing taxpayers $10 billion a month.

THIS coincidentally, all came during a time with Ryan himself bragging that federal tax revenues have increased, counter-intuitively I might add, despite the Bush tax cuts he voted for. With federal revenues up, our Representative intuitively cut federal allocations for his own district. All the while coming at a time when the prospects for huge job losses from the Janesville GM plant weighed heavily on the western half of his district. Ryan has borrowed and spent the nation into massive debt while cutting off his people from the fruits of their own taxes. This is the betrayal.

BUT I KNOW it's not the same for everyone in the district. Life is pretty good for some of those who support and voted for Paul Ryan in the past. They only worry about things like health care because they think they’re paying for yours. They worry about taxes because they know they’re the only ones left who can afford to pay them. Yes indeedy, Social Security is not considered an absolute necessity for surviving their senior years, to these folks it’s a Wall Street investment cache illegally held by the U.S. government.

OBVIOUSLY, I’m not trying to win over those who feel burdened by the immensity of their wealth, they are in a small minority. I’m more concerned for those who have been continually voting against their own interests over the past ten years. I’m concerned for those who have refused to cut the chains of the status quo when pressured by those who want us to feel guilty for the tax paying responsibilities their wealth brings. I need to ask them – are you really better off now than two years ago – or eight years ago?

WE KNOW NOW that trickle down economics is no longer a theory - it’s a failure. Giving Ryan two more years will only allow this Washington insider to dig a deeper entrenchment. NOW is time to seize the moment and vote for our own interests - for a change.

MAKE NO MISTAKE, the 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin is at a pivotal point in its history — a difficult time that demands talented representation in Congress to renew our nation's promise and pull our disjointed district back together to meet the incredible economic challenges that lay just around the corner. After ten years of the same old failed policies and billions of dollars less, it should be evident - Paul Ryan ain’t it.

Newspaper Scolds Democrat With Endorsement

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After endorsing Hahn, Towns and Davis (all Republicans) for state legislative offices, the Janesville Gazette on Friday issued a scolding yet pandering endorsement for incumbent Democrat Rep. Tami Baldwin. Just two years ago, they endorsed Dave Magnum over Rep. Baldwin citing a congressional ranking system as a centerpiece for their decision.

Two years ago, Baldwin ranked 394th with the congressional power ranking system. At the time the newspaper insisted she can’t use the democratic party’s congressional minority status as an excuse for her low ranking. The newspaper pulled the same thing on Sen. Russ Feingold in 2006, bringing up his low power ranking in the GOP-majority Congress as a good enough reason to slam his performance.

Well things have changed quite a bit since then, Baldwin is now ranked 44th and since we can’t use party majority status to justify congressional rankings (according to the Gazette), what does the Gazette have to say about her rapid rise in Congress?

JG Editorial Endorsement:
Baldwin, 45, has been around long enough to be more of a force in Congress……….
We’ll give her another two years. But she must make them count.

Climbing from 394 to 44 in just two years using the same criteria the Gazette used against her in the past – and that’s the best they can say?

But if I were running for elective office and had the unfortunate luck to receive the kind of scolding she got on the GM plant from the Janesville Gazette, I would publicly rebuke it and ask the owner and the editorial staff to explain why they published all of those disparaging remarks in their anonymous Sound Off column against the GM plant and union workers for all of those years. I would ask what good did they expect to come from it and how it advanced economic harmony and public discourse for the common good of the community. I would then tell them to save their precious ink and insulting support for when their kind of candidate comes along, one who deserves it - a Republican.

Today, their kind of candidate came along in the form of Paul Ryan and the Gazette issued their standard warm and fuzzy endorsement for the Republican. In it, the Gazette makes a case for the congressman explaining that his legislative rescue of the Bush Administration's $700 billion Wall Street Bail-Out should convince voters to ignore his 7 1/2 years of rubber stamping Bush Administration initiatives. The Gazette is convinced, "Washington needs more like Ryan."

Note: This posting is not in cooperation with any candidate or party and is the independent work and opinion of its author.

Forward Janesville – Chip Off The Old Block

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Friday’s Janesville Gazette front page headlines titled “What is Forward Janesville?” was little more than a promotional info-commercial masquerading as an investigative news report. The noble sub-title “Whether behind the scenes or in lead role, group puts business first” seemed contradictory to the statement later in the article which identifies the group’s interests specifically for the benefit of its members.

JG Excerpt:
Make no mistake, Forward Janesville’s overriding goal is to advance the interests of its members.

That seems to take away a bit of the selfless community spirit they repeatedly chatter. But the story’s content and tone appeared heavily controlled with softball answers to hard line questions and deliberate omissions while the newspaper haphazardly attempted to defend the organization with poorly contrived reasoning.

JG Excerpt:
About 85 percent of Forward Janesville members have fewer than 20 employees. That seems to contradict the notion that the group is a miniature version of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest and sometimes controversial business interest group.

If that answer works for you – fine. But the number of workers employed by business members of FJ can hardly contradict the notion. But this is exactly what Forward Janesville is. It is a private organization with membership dues. Politically active? You bet! They lobby Janesville City Hall and Rock County public officials the same way the WMC lobbies in the state capital. FJ has/had a local candidate training program to help like-minded citizens gain seats on the Janesville City Council and the Janesville School Board. This aspect of their political activism receives little attention from the newspaper.

Of course it also helps that they regularly ride shot-gun with the local media (Gazette). They have an inside track to local government and write grants for federal tax dollars. If given the choice of one or the other, roads are a higher priority than public education. Their political philosophy is a near carbon-copy of the GOP platform. Its president or leader as the article described him is John Beckord, a seemingly nice guy with good intentions – also happens to be on the WMC Board of Directors. The Gazette article touched on none of this.

Perhaps the most important thing to understand (including myself) is what Forward Janesville is not. They are NOT a neighborhood or downtown business group or area chamber of commerce. They are their own interests, and I'll admit they've done some good things - to help themselves. But right now during this most crucial time in its history, Janesville's business community needs more than Forward Janesville - to help itself.