State Repubicans and the Social Agenda

The new majority talks about that it is all about the budget and jobs but their supporters want them to address the social concerns.  It is a quandary.  Many of these supporters realize that at the national level where they had Congress, the President, and the Court they were let down so they want to make sure that the State moves on this agenda.  That means no more morning after pill, no more guarantee that prescriptions get filled, more restrictions on abortion, and a repeal of the sex education law.  This is just for starters.  I agree that they should move on this agenda otherwise it looks a lot like they used these issues and their supporters to get elected. 

FOX news again

The headline screams that the Democrats failed to extend unemployment benefits, on FOX.  That is for the working class fans of FOX who are now thinking that those damn democrats don't care about us.  When the reality is that the republicans did it to them again.  Using a parliamentary tactic they derailed the bill before a vote could be taken.  Their mouth piece (FOX) then reports it as if it was the democrats who failed to pass the measure.  Where is MSNBC or the other liberal main stream media reporting that the republicans were successful in blocking an extension of unemployment?  If the dems can't improve messaging they should just give up and abstain from votes in the future.

Just Wondering

I  just heard that in Alaska a mine is going to be built that threatens to destroy the fishery in Bristol Bay.  I was wondering what the Queen of Alaska thinks of this in light of her show Sarah Palin's Alaska and the fact that her daughter is named after the bay.  Do you think that she'll do a show about strip mining?  Maybe clear cut logging.  Maybe she could take a look at the leaky pipeline.

Advice for the Dems

Now that you're in the minority you should become the party of I don't care.  Rather than blocking legislation let it all come to the floor.  Rather than voting no vote present or abstain.  This way if things don't work out you'll be able to say don't look at us it was those other guys.

Another Bright Idea

Gov. Walker has proposed that the biofuel part of  UW Madison's power plant rebuild be shelved in favor of a natural gas only facility.  On the bright side he didn't demand that the coal boilers be re-installed.  This is a short sighted proposal.  For one thing the rebuild is nearly complete.  For another the land has been acquired and existing structures removed.  So, we'll get a gas fired plant and a beautiful vacant block out of the deal.  Does the Governor have a plan for this block?  Are we going to hang onto it in case the scientists are right and we run out of cheap natural gas?  Do we try to sell the land to recoup some of the costs incurred in acquiring it?  Great sound bite proposal that wasn't thought out.  At some point the Governor is going to have to put out some real policy initiatives. 

Governor Walker on Healthcare

Governor Walker has asked lame duck Governor Doyle to suspend all provisions of the health care reform act.  This is kind of like the train money.  It is a federal law, which I believe always trumps state law or in this case Governor suggested.  So what the Governor would like to do is roll back the provisions that are insuring children to age 26, allowing that children with pre-existing conditions to get insurance coverage, and others with pre-existing conditions to buy into high risk pools.  And his plan to fix this broken system for the people in Wisconsin....silence.  Why the silence?  This is what the people want, no health care reform.  So what if your kid can't get a job and is now without insurance?  So what if your kid is not covered because of a pre-existing condition?  That is just the way it going to be.  Thank you Gov. Walker for ensuring that the State becomes a small government/ no regulation experiment.

Advice for the new majority

I think that it is time that the legislature and new governor solve the school funding problem in Wisconsin.  If you take the costs of schools out of the budget it remarkably comes into balance.  This problem is the remnant of the "I dare you vote" that the Democrats presented Gov. Thompson.  In it the State agreed to fund 2/3 of the cost of schools in an effort to limit property tax increases.  There were several problems with this, but one of the biggest was that the State was paying for something that the State had little control over.  This is a State that is big on local control.  What is the solution?  It needs to be a major reform.  You can't nibble around the edges.  The conservative believe if the QEO is reinstated it will all be good.  No it won't!  A good first step would be to make teachers state employees.  We could move to privatize the entire system.  This is extremely unpopular, school choice yes as long as it is public money.  What I'm saying is no public money.  Some say that this will lead to an erosion of standards and quality.  Look around we already have that.  I believe that there should be curriculum standards but look at some of the standards in other states like Texas.  Texas has become the Federalist state in terms of the history of the founding.  Of course, if you follow the Federalists there should be no public schools.  Public schools are a construct of the German immigrants to the country.  Granted a person like Jefferson or Paine would agree with the idea of pubic schools.  The problem with the public schools is how to fund them and this is something that we haven't figured out in the US.  In Germany, France, and the Scandinavian countries they are federally funded.  Other countries tax gambling, use sales taxes, or rely on private schools to educate more.  The new majority needs to come up with some real ideas this time.