Thursday, September 28, 2006
More bad news for Democrats
Gasoline prices have reached $2.199 here in Green Bay, they are plummetting elsewhere in the state, including Milwaukee.
It might be too much for motorists to even wish. Could gas drop below two bucks?
What was perhaps unthinkable just two months ago as drivers griped and forked over more than three dollar bills for a gallon of unleaded is now a possibility.
It depends on who is opining, but at the very least, plummeting gas prices have provided relief to maxed-out credit cards and teased smiles onto the faces of formerly grumpy motorists pulling up to pumps.
"We might have gasoline under $2 soon," said Darshan Dhaliwal, president of Bulk Petroleum Corp. which owns gas stations in 12 states, including Wisconsin.
In what's shaping up to be a perfect petroleum storm brewing over the Midwest, prices in these parts are much lower than elsewhere in the United States. That's because supplies, particularly of reformulated gas, are abundant in refineries in Illinois and other spots that supply the petrol to Wisconsin. Plus the price of ethanol - a component in reformulated gas - has collapsed.
Funny how Steve Kagen has since stopped blamed Republicans for high gas prices. Remember that Jamie Wall ad with him standing at a gas station? I do. I thought it was rediculous then, and I do now.
That is because gasoline prices are cyclical. Take a look at the chart below.
Near the end of the summer season, gas prices typically plummet. Hurricane Katrina only delayed the drop in price. At its peak, gasoline was at $3.23 (average) statewide. in 2005 It would then dtop to around $2.20 by Christmas.
Today gas hit that magic number of $2.20 here in Green Bay. With large amounts of gasoline surpluses and the drop in ethanol prices, gas very well could be as low as $2 by Thanksgiving.
You won't hear a complaint from me.
Labels: Election 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Isn't that a bit of a stretch?
My wonderfully crappy university has decided to name the primary dining hall after a big-money donor in a building that the students are mostly paying for?
GREEN BAY - In recognition of a longtime supporter and distinguished graduate, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will name the main dining area in the University Union the Leona Cloud Commons.
UW-Green Bay is honoring Leona Cloud for her involvement with the University and community and for her generous financial support of the Kress Events Center.
The dining area will be named and dedicated at a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27.UW-Green Bay Chancellor Bruce Shepard thanked Mrs. Cloud for her generosity and support of the University, particularly of the Kress Events Center.
"Leona Cloud has been a great friend and supporter of Green Bay's University of Wisconsin," Shepard said. "We are proud that her name will be connected with one of our campus's most popular spots."
Mrs. Cloud and her husband, the late Walter R. Cloud, joined the UW-Green Bay Founders Association in 1975 and were members for many years. They also supported the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts and the University's first capital campaign.
More recently, her gift for UW-Green Bay's newest classroom building, Mary Ann Cofrin Hall, furnished the Cloud Lounge, a gathering place for students. She also was an early and generous supporter of the Kress Events Center, the renovated and expanded Phoenix Sports Center. The sports and events center will open in fall 2007.
Mrs. Cloud is an alumna of UW-Green Bay, having graduated in 1980 after returning to school as an adult student. She earned a degree in Human Development with high honors.
I’m glad to see that naming rights to just about anything can be purchased at UW-Green Bay. In fact, if I had a few million dollars lying around, I suppose there could be a Jon Hayden Memorial Men’s Lavatory, right across from the Christie Theatre.
Since 2002, I have paid $1,900 for the CL21—Campus Life for the 21st Century—projects. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been paid by UW-Green Bay students already for the University Union Expansion as the students are the primary source of funding for the project.
I find it highly offensive that only one student in the tens of thousands that have attended this fine university and only one of them gets the chance to have a named room after them. Forget about the fact that UWGB culture will suffer because “the Nic” is no longer—rather “the Cloud.”
The student union is a place for all students to use. We fund it, we’re the primary client and we are the primary workforce of it. No one student is more important than the other. No one student contributes more to fund the operations of it And no one student is in charge of it. That’s the beauty of the student union.
I can understand the naming Christie Theatre—Richard Christie was a fantastic Union director—but I cannot comprehend how university administration can sell the naming rights to a room like the Nic. Since Mrs. Cloud graciously contributed to the Kress Events Center, why not the Leona Cloud Fitness Center, or the Leona Cloud [insert athletics related room here]?
As a student I appreciate what Cloud family has provided the university, but as a student who has also contributed to the funding of the University Union and its expansion I wonder where we draw the line that all of the UWGB students since 1969 have financially contributed.
After all, do you really think you’d want a Jon Hayden Memorial Men’s Lavatory?
I didn’t think so.
Labels: UWGB
How many of Doyle's hacks are going to sue Mark Green?
Now the Wisconisn Democracy Campaign wants in on the lawsuits.
Madison - The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign filed a complaint Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission arguing Congressman Mark Green violated federal campaign finance law when he transferred $1,285,974 from his federal campaign account to a state campaign account to run for governor.
WDC asked the FEC to investigate whether the January 2005 money transfer violated the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, commonly known as the McCain-Feingold law, and to require Green to return $1,242,846 to his federal account.
The WDC complaint is based on state Department of Justice court documents that argue the McCain-Feingold law limited the amount to $43,128 that Green could transfer from his congressional campaign account to his state account. McCain-Feingold says transfers from federal to state campaign accounts must abide by state law, which says a committee may contribute no more than $43,128 to a Wisconsin candidate for governor in a four-year election cycle.
The Justice Department documents were filed in Dane County Circuit Court after Green requested a temporary injunction to block an August 30 State Elections Board order requiring him to remove $467,844 from his state account. The order followed a WDC review that found those funds violated state campaign finance law because they came from political action committees not registered in Wisconsin.
On Monday, a judge denied Green’s request for a temporary injunction saying it was unlikely Green would win his case on appeal because it appeared he violated state and federal laws.
What impact is this going to do now? All of the lawsuits and appeals won't be finalized after the election, and by then Mark Green may just be the governor-elect. They can label Green all they want, but past precendence shows that Green can transfer as much money into the state account as possible. Tom Barrett did it in 2002.
But I forgot that as AG, Jim Doyle was against that too...because Tom Barrett was hot on his heels for the Democratic primary.
Labels: Election 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Lack of updates
Sorry for the lack of new posts. We've been extremely busy being college students and campaigners.
Labels: UWGB
Sunday, September 24, 2006
This is why I am voting YES on the death penalty
People that to things like this don't deserve to live.
Labels: Election 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Just how scared is Jim Doyle?
So scared that he manipulated the State Elections Board to rule in his favor.
Madison - A lawyer for Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's campaign repeatedly lobbied three Democratic members of the State Elections Board before they voted with the majority to order Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Green to divest $467,844 in donations from out-of-state political action committees, records show.
...
Holborn, Dwyer and another Democratic appointee, Robert Kasieta, were part of a five-vote majority that gave Green's campaign 10 days to divest itself of $467,844 in donations from political action committees not registered in Wisconsin - an order the Green campaign will fight in a Dane County courtroom today.
Maistelman declined to be interviewed but told the Journal Sentinel in an e-mail that he was working for the Doyle campaign when he contacted Elections Board members. He noted that it was the non-partisan Wisconsin Democracy Campaign - and not the Doyle campaign - that filed the complaint about Green's political action committee donations that was upheld by the board.
"I'm an elections lawyer retained in connection with a matter before the Elections Board," said Maistelman, who campaign finance records show has been paid more than $21,000 by the Doyle campaign since January 2004.
It's too bad the governor just can't run a clean campaign--having to resort to this to stay elected, and preventing his opponent from keeping money that people wanted to give him.
Labels: Election 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Gard calls for more taxcuts
I think this has to be some sort of record for most taxcuts in one week.
Under Gard’s plan, more money will be going to workers, and less to Uncle Sam. John Gard’s Working Family Tax Relief Package includes:
Family-Friendly Tax Code
Ending the Marriage Tax Penalty --- The marriage tax penalty is scheduled to resume in 2011. Gard proposes permanently ending this unfair penalty on married couples.Making the Child Tax Credit Permanent --- In five years, the Child Tax credit will be reduced from $1,000 to $500 Gard proposes making the Child Tax Credit permanent.
“Couples that earn roughly the same salaries tend to pay more in taxes than if they were both single filers,” said Gard. “There is no justification for taxing married couples at a higher rate. In addition, we need to take into account the added demands on today’s families and make sure they are able to spend more on their priorities.”
Reducing Income Taxes
Permanently Lock in the Pro-Growth Tax Cuts---Millions of working families have benefited from the federal pro-growth tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, which included an across-the-board income tax cut. Gard proposes making the cuts permanent.Deeper Tax Cuts for Working Families---While the pro-growth cuts are certainly reducing the tax burden on folks, even more can be done. Gard proposes an income tax reduction of 20% for families making $30,000 to $70,000.
Labels: Election 2006
Mark Green proposes pay for performance...
...on the day WEAC formally endorses Jim Doyle.
The November 7 election is boiling down to a battle to preserve the values of Wisconsin and protect the state's quality education system that provides opportunities for all children to succeed in life, Governor Doyle said while enthusiastically accepting WEAC's support Saturday (September 16, 2006) at the September WEAC Board and committee meeting.
"We have a real battle ahead of us," Doyle said after WEAC President Stan Johnson announced that WEAC members are recommending his re-election and introduced him to sustained applause and chants of 'Four More Years!'"
Yes you do governor, a real tough battle.
The problem with WEAC is that it is a labor union. They don't like performance-based pay because it would deem the union unnecesary. There would be no need for pay schedules for time in district and level of education.
"Good teachers mean good students," Green said. "If a teacher is continually exceeding expectations and increasing student achievement they deserve to be rewarded. In contrast, if a teacher’s biggest achievement is the number of years they've occupied a seat, they should be compensated far less."
Green would also expand school choice and vouchers in Milwaukee County. (Boy, it would have been nice to have that as a kid in Kenosha.)
Green's plan also included a proposal to expand the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Currently, the number of students who may attend private schools under the program may not exceed 22,500. Green would eliminate the enrollment cap, and expand the Choice Program to include any private school in Milwaukee County. He would also increase the family income limit for new students, and rescind the residency requirement for Milwaukee teachers.
"Milwaukee parents, not Madison politicians, know what's best for Milwaukee school children," Green said. "It's time we give those parents a say in their child's education. It’s also time we start tearing down some of the arbitrary barriers that are keeping talented and enthusiastic teachers out of the Milwaukee Public School System.
And finally, spending 70 cents on every dollar on acutal in-class room instruction.
"An increase of this size for classroom spending would allow school districts across the state to hire a total of at least 4,643 new teachers, or purchase an additional 245,833 computers," Green said. "Every dollar we spend on administration is one less dollar we have for textbooks, computers, exciting curriculum and qualified teachers. It's time we start channeling more of our taxpayer dollars to where they'll count most -- our classrooms."
Looks like a slam-dunk for Green. WEAC doesn't think so, but of course they wouldn't.
Labels: Election 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Gary Drzewiecki Does the Right Thing
Gary Drzewiecki gets the gold star of the week in my book because of the selfless act of not asking for a recount in the September 12th primary election where Marinette's John Nygren edged out Drzewiecki by a narrow 37 votes.
Gary Drzewiecki endorsed Nygren in the press release put out today by the Drzewiecki campaign:
I am endorsing my opponent in the primary, John Nygren, and encouraging my supporters to do like wise. I share John's believe that Wisconsin families and businesses pay more than their fair share of taxes and that belief has got to be fought for in Madison. John Nygren will do that so he has my full endorsement
One of the reasons that Gary Drzewiecki didn't request a recount is exactly why the Republicans hold the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly, and control both Houses of Congress, and that is the selflessness and willingness to keep the majority:
"Drzewiecki says even if a recount were to reverse the results it would have delayed the start of the campaign and given the Democratic candidate an advantage."
What a class act.
Labels: Election 2006
The trainwreck has left the station
The 2006-07 student senate has officially begun with absolutely no real issues or anything to vote on, except for appointments.
As I expected, there are only at most four members on each of the importance -- SUFAC and Shared Governance.
The meeting was also not in compliance with Wisconsin Open Meetings Law. Shall I file a complaint?
But I won't have to...there won't be a meeting. No votes...no confirmations.
Finding some soul in student governance: Part I
Editor's note: I had originally written this three part series in June. Now more than ever, it is seriously relevant to today's climate in student governance. It has been updated accordingly.
The UW-Green Bay Conundrum: Corruption, Lack of Leadership and Failures Lead to disenfranchised UWGB Students
Think about this: there are no political parties, no political ideologies, no religion or faith, no historical perspectives or history in general. If we clear out our differences, we all can work together, right?
In your dreams.
In the last year, I think I have seen it all -- the bickering, the backstabbing, the behind-closed-doors meetings and enough coffee and caffeine to be there for all of it. I have attempted to build grand coalitions to do what's right -- all ideology aside -- and take some political risks along the way. Coming out of it, with less hair and more gray, the same thing I said a year ago would come true:
"A lack of leadership and vision will hurt all those involved in the student governance process, both at UW-Green Bay and all the students statewide."
And it has happened.
Connecting learning to...?
It happened, especially here at UW-Green Bay where tuition is skyrocketing, classes sizes and quality are deteriorating, student services are non-existent and the common student is looking elsewhere. A stark change from recent history. We were the first to cut-off admissions every year -- about February. But this year was a different animal. A UWGB press release in April announced the closing of admissions for new freshman, roughly two months after the annual late-January, early February deadline.
Why? I can think of a few reasons. First, and the most obvious, its cheaper to go elsewhere. Students in the region can go to UW-Oshkosh for roughly $500 less than UWGB. They can be on a campus that is literally the only thing in town. They can go to UW-Milwaukee and get big-city life or UW-Madison for their liberal brainwashing.
For students not from Northeastern Wisconsin, or anywhere not in the Milwaukee-Madison Metro Area (like myself), toilets and tunnels no longer do it for me and others from the southern region. Most of the people are regional, so they have their regional tendencies: NASCAR, country music, and the lack of appreciation of city culture. We (the SE Wisconsin students) either get the hell out of here and graduate as soon as possible, transfer out, or worse, get frustrated and bad-mouth the university.
So what has the university and/or the student government done about these issues? The university wants to expand to 7,500 in hopes to be a real university. But if the SE Wisconsin students (where the majority of Wisconsin's population lies) are already on their way out, how will this happen?
Secondly, what kind of educational experience will there be by increasing the number of students from NE Wisconsin. Let's face it and take a hard look at the demographics. Brown County is 91% white and every surrounding county is even less diverse. How does that contribute to an overall diverse learning outcome? It doesn't.
The demographics of the student government at UW-Green Bay is worse, with nearly all its members coming from NE Wisconsin or Central Wisconsin. Only one current senator comes from the Milwaukee area. It's funny, because the ticket in last spring's election that had the most experience and the political connections, but lost because it couldn't connect to the average student -- because the average student wasn't from a Milwaukee suburb.
I'm not trying to say that being from the Milwaukee area makes you a better leader or more savvy, but in the bigger picture, its us that understand that picture have a vision and have means to execute it because politics is the way of life.
The struggle begins: The most corrupt student election in history.
There was a war going on last year within the UWGB student government. In fact, there's been a war going on for the last four years -- but no one really saw it, as the only ones capable of seeing it weren't in the organization. Anyone close to the UWGB student government this past year can only imagine what had happened in 2002-03. It was the year the war had begun.
I witnessed the most corrupt election in history, led by the most corrupt election committee ever assembled. They had their candidate picked before the election began, and made sure that they got elected--by any means necessary. They were looking for any excuse to not let Sarah and Mike win. They DQ'ed them for spending money they didn't technically had. When news of this occurred, there was a rumble about to go down. Public Safety was called in, there was crying, there was mass chaos. Somehow, I got in the middle of it as a young, fresh news reporter. You can read the whole story here.
But I didn't know the whole story then. Years later, over a beer, I hear the complete story. (God, how I wish I had known that years ago writing the story...talk about an award winning news story.) Turns out that crooked commission also refused to count the total number of ballots to the voter lists to see if it matched. Turns out votes and/or voters were missing well within 57 votes between the two. The commission chairs refused to do anything about it and kept it a secret. If the votes were counted, or if another election was held. I'm sure Sarah and Mike would have won, but we'll never know.
The winners of that election would be the demise of the student voice and the beginning of the war. Students lost out on every student governance issue, and the culture of corruption had begun. Highlights of the culture of corruption include:
- The new Phoenix Sports Center, in which students are paying $400 a semesterfor, is going to be a great facility for the athletes. The common student is going to get to use the old building. In fact, students are going to be stuck using the old crappy locker rooms. Yuck.
- Non-allocable segregated fees skyrocket. The student government gives administration what it wants: payraises, fat expense accounts and everything else under the sun.
- Allocable student seg fees fall to keep overall fees level. This means less money directly tied to students via student organizations and student programming.
- The introduction of the line, "it's not a senator's job to question thepresident."
Many didn't notice these changes. Most were kept low-key, as a constant smoke screen was put up. But the intensity on the war, between the corrupt student government and those who want to clean it, heated up in the last year when the truth was exposed.
The culture of corruption comes to light.
Being on the inside of the culture of corruption was just the beginning of the inflammation. I saw things that disturbed me, but I knew what was going on. Being a visionary, I wanted to change it. But my desires to make changes, to fight and stand up for what's right led to my initial demise. I was pushed out, only to find those around me that support the same issues -- the most important one -- fighting for students rights, regardless if the students appreciate or recognize our activities.
In November 2005, I had introduced a proposal to investigate the exponential growth of non-allocable segregated fees. The spending of our money was so out of control, but we were given no other options. One of the terms I had heard a lot, and subsequently got tired of, is "we have to have this increase -- there is no other option." Bullshit. Why is it the rest of the university can survive on a slashed state budget, but these programs can't survive? I wondered the same thing, and laid out a plan for the student senate to execute it.
But I was served resistance. Mostly, the corrupt president bringing in the university's leadership to try to debunk my accusations. Once again, the university administration told the student senate that it is up to the students to decide. Bullshit. If students aren't given a choice, what choice do they have? I had become the martyr of the fight as my services were no longer needed. I was out of a position in our corrupted student government, but they awoke the sleeping lion.
Students fight for a better UW-Green Bay.
Our fundamental flaw was underestimating how bad the situation was. These so-called student leaders were being brainwashed into thinking "administration" way, and promised solid reference letters, resumes, internships and connections -- everything a youth could ever dream of advancing their academic careers. One-time leaders became droids of a sort, doing whatever they were told. These people blocked good legislation, good investigations -- all in fear of their futures. The grumblings had begun, but all of it would come to light in the spring of 2006.
There were a dozen of us, loosely bonded on one issue -- the corruption and cronyism within the student government. Some members of the senate despised the president more than I did. (Hard to believe, I know.) Others just wanted to make a difference for students, because that is what got them involved. I somehow became the leader and chief strategist. We were set to embark on a mission to derail the proposed new constitution--which took away rights of students. It was the only thing on the spring agenda it seemed.
The document was awful. It took powers away from student representative bodies and put it into less-representative committees. How bout a committee of three people deciding student segregated fees? The fact that the elected senators were kept in the dark on the whole process, and given take it or leave it scenarios (sound familiar?), intesified our desires to stop this.
We met late in the night (like 3 a.m. at a Country Kitchen), at different places on campus and anywhere else we had privacy to expel some of our frustrations. I remember hearing someone irate and scream at one moment and cry the next. That kind of emotion wasn't healthy -- for anyone.
We had the votes to block the changes...or so we thought. We were criticized for not supporting the president, personal agendas, and everything else under the sun. We lost because of an interpretation of a rule. Our wonderful (and totally clueless) dean of students was on hand to give the OK of the rule interpretation. (Which in hind sight was technically illegal as well.)
That night, as exciting as it was, was probably the biggest political hit and would hurt us in the upcoming elections.
The dirtiest election since 2003.
I am going to make that statement because I still don't believe that our party should have lost the election. The math I did during the election didn't add up right. Our campaign was closely aligned with the United Council referedum as well. The lies that were spread about United Council probably did hurt us, but not enough to keep us from winning.
Ask yourself this, how does a team with experience and a lot of friends lose? To this day I have wondered and I still don't have the answer. We have goons running the student government today. Thankfully, the leader of the senate is one of ours.
Since the election: Tuition raises, Fee raises and claims for TPA's defeat.
What's funny is that these people are claiming they helped stop the so-called Taxpayer Protection Amendment. They are clueless. TPA died because pork-hungry RINOs voted against it, because their pet projects would die. The weaker version of it, which the RINOs liked, died because real Republicans didn't support it. The fact that these idiots are claiming success shows how clueless they really are.
Plus they want to take credit for their political connections. I ask myself, how may of these idiots have worked on campaigns or have been involved in politics. Zero. Our coalition has worked for every major candidate in Northeastern Wisconsin: Mark Green, John Gard, Tim Michels and the list goes on. (The former president got fired by Terri McCormick this summer.)
But the truth comes out when these elected idiots put tuition at the top of their campaign platforms.
In-state tuition, which has increased more than 40 percent in the last four years, is now $4,668 per year. Add in the $1,148 per year in segregated fees, UWGB is pricer than all other UW comprehensives. With the growth agenda to 7,500 students in the near future, rising costs shuts the door on lower-income families in Northeastern Wisconsin.
The failures of the Seubert/Juska administration doesn't stop at the June Board of Regents meeting in Milwaukee. The Regents were presented with the 2007-09 operating budget at the August meeting. In it was a 2.5 percent tuition increase for the biennium. No single member of the Seubert administration was present at the meeting to criticize the tuition increases. Representatives from UW-Green Bay should have joined their fellow UW students from Madison, Milwaukee and the Colleges to protest this tuition increase. Instead, our voices aren't united and the students next year will pay for it.
In addition to the increase in tuition, on-campus residents will see a $10 surcharge to their housing bills to pay for a police officer patrolling UWGB. The tax was the brainwork of the Seubert administration, shifting the responsibility of budget shortfalls onto the students. Instead of reworking the 2006-07 operating budget by eliminating unnecessary positions and programs or creating new ones, students are getting stuck again paying for it.
But the cost of education will go up for students this fall when they have to buy their books. Last spring, the Student Senate passed "The Freedom of ISBN Act," which would put ISBN numbers on the UWGB Web site. ISBN’s allow students to look for cheaper books online at Web site like Amazon.com and Half.com. As of August 28, the Web site still hasn't posted any ISBNs. Students will have to go to their one-sided political Web site for numbers.
And it turns out the numbers are wrong as well! Students have no easy options but to buy them from the Bookstore, instead of cheaper online. Once again, it shows who’s side they’re not, and it’s not the students.
The worst part as of this revision is that there is no shared governance director. But it comes to no surprise to me as they don't want students in the shared governance process.
Being a UWGB student right now is painful at best. Our action has made the bleak outlook a bit brighter, but unless students wake up and see how there is a power-hungry student government president and a vice president who does what she is told, students will continue to get hurt.
Ed: Tonight is the first student senate meeting of the semester. I will be live blogging from it.
Labels: UW System
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Too funny...
The Recess Supervisor has made me laugh pretty hard before, but this takes it. I guess our hard work is paying off.
Labels: Strategery
Pay your bills on time.
Labels: Strategery
Gard touts higher education tax relief package at St. Norbert
DE PERE -- Today at St. Norbert College John Gard touted his tax relief plan for college student and grads. As a student in his fifth year, and with the federal loans adding up, any relief during repayment would be spectacular. At a discussion/press event today, he spelled out four main concepts
Increasing the Student Loan Interest Deduction -- ... if someone's modified adjusted gross income is $65,000 or less ... that person may deduct up to $2,500 of the interest paid on the student loans from their federal income tax. Gard proposes raising the limit to $5,000.
Making the Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Permanent -- The suspended rule allowing individuals to claim a tax deduction for the first 60 months of their loan repayment is set to expire in 2010 ... Gard proposes making the suspension permanent.
Increasing the Worker Re-Training and Higher Education Tax Credit -- Those who are currently paying for college tuition out-of-pocket may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of $2,000. This benefit applies to someone who is going back to school to re-train for a new job or is a first time college student. Gard proposes raising it to $3,000 and indexing it to inflation every year following.
Expanding Education Savings Accounts -- Parents, grandparents or students may deposit up to $2,000 a year into a Coverdell Education Savings Account tax-free. John Gard proposes increasing the maximum contribution to $5,000 and allowing a tax deduction of up to $5,000 for contributions to an ESA
Overall, his plans make a lot of sense. By giving tax credits in repayment, hard working students won't have to decide which bills to pay, and should repay their federal loans faster. Students who pay off their loans will most likely spend that money and put it back into the economy.
Kudos Gard Team! You guys nailed it on this one. When John gets elected, I hope he will move on this.
Labels: UW System
Friday, September 15, 2006
'This was a Columbine waiting to happen' at GB East
Just goes to show you how that this kind of event can take place anywhere.
Two Green Bay East High School students taken into custody Thursday were depressed, wanted to die at the hands of police officers and allegedly told friends that they might explode bombs at school, witnesses told police.
Information obtained Thursday by a school resource officer at East led police to a cache of bombs and weapons.
Police searched homes in the 300 block of South Van Buren Street and 1000 block of Cherry Street and found sawed-off shotguns, automatic weapons, pistols, ammunition, and several bombs, according to Green Bay Police Chief Craig Van Schyndle. Bomb-making materials, camouflage clothing, helmets and gas masks were also found along with suicide notes left by the 17-year-old boys.
"From statements that we heard it gave us great concern that, yes, it was in the very near future something was going to take place," Van Schyndle said.
None of the weapons were found at school.
...
"This was a Columbine waiting to happen, from the briefing that I've had" Zakowski said. "Only they know how close it was to being reality. That's part of the investigation right now."
..."We found several suicide notes by the students," Van Schyndle said. "I know there are some weapons at the Cherry Street address. I don't believe there were any bombs found at that address. Most of the stuff was found at the Van Buren address."
...Late Thursday afternoon, yellow police tape surrounded the yellow-and-white home on Van Buren Street while orange cones blocked the sidewalks around the home. Police vehicles were parked outside.
Neighbors on Van Buren said they were shocked by the news.
"It can happen in any neighborhood," said Marcy Frayseth, a neighbor who is a teacher at Washington Middle School. "From what we know (of the family), they're very nice people. They're the typical American family."
...Van Schyndle said he was troubled by the amount and types of weapons the kids amassed, but said this issue goes beyond law enforcement and schools.
"This is a whole society problem we're talking about here," he said. "We need to continue preventative programs for students that are having problems like this; prevention is the key here."
I remember when the Columbine disater hit in 1999. I was in my gym class and I believe that we were doing some sort of in-class activity. It was shocking to have the news on and see kids running out of school with their arms behind their heads, with full-scale SWAT teams surrounding the school and the news helicopters in the air. It was quite the disturbing sight.
However, the bigger issue at hand was what these kids were doing with all these weapons and how they came to possess them. One finger to point is the parents of these kids. My first inclination is that the weapons were obtained by the parents. If not, then they should know what are in their kids' rooms.
Societal problems have led to this kind of could-be tragedy. It's sad to see that people are pushed to the fringe of society and the only way to get back in it is through some major catastrophe. However, historically it is human nature to form a hierarchy and those that don't want to conform either get pushed to the fringe of culture or retaliate against it.
But these "counselors" or "psychologists" think that these problems can be fixed. That students can be brought back in.
Although Richard Harris didn't know Shawn Sturtz and William Cornell directly, he had known of them during his stint as a student liaison at Green Bay East High School.
"I knew him loosely ... when I was there," said Harris, executive director of Self Help of Wisconsin Inc. in Green Bay. "They were not popular kids, and they got picked on. My feeling is kids that get picked on have a blueprint for retaliation, and it's called
Columbine."We as adults need to understand ... this is not a small thing ... it is not a phase, and nobody deserves to be picked on," he said. "We need to enforce the zero-tolerance policy we have in these schools."
So as a society we're supposed to take special care with these people? That by nurturing and being nice will all of a sudden make things better? That's hardly a solution.
Labels: Brown County
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
And to think he wanted to be mayor
Dave Nennig is out of a job as Green Bay Transit Director. He was the formerly the mayor's assistant for 20 years before he ran for mayor in 2003.
Green Bay Transit Director David Nennig is out of a job after the city's Transit Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to terminate his employment.
The group took nearly four hours to decide in a closed-session meeting at City Hall. And while commission members declined to elaborate as to why Nennig was terminated, they were clear they didn't take the move lightly.
"On the one hand, it was a very difficult decision, because Dave Nennig is a quality individual — a very good person," said commission member and City Council Vice President Chris Wery. "But on the other hand, it was a somewhat easy decision based on the information we had."
Wery wouldn't elaborate on the type of information the group had regarding Nennig, but said as a whole it led to one conclusion.
Nennig, a mayoral and City Council assistant for more than 20 years, started his Transit Department post after losing to Mayor Jim Schmitt in the 2003 mayoral election.
Reading from a brief prepared statement Tuesday, transit commission chairman Roger Kolb thanked Nennig for his three years of service as transit director.
"We at the transit commission believe it's in the best interest for the transit department to move forward with new management," Kolb said. "We have come to this conclusion based on a thorough reading review of both the … investigation and a 28-page written memo from Mr. Nennig."
Nennig and his attorney, Ross Townsend, declined comment after the decision was handed down Tuesday. Nennig had been on administrative leave since Sept. 1 after a series of yet-unspecified errors.
The city has no interim transit director, said city attorney Jerry Hanson. Transit Superintendent David Gerondale and Brown County principal planner Cole Runge have been picking up some of Nennig's duties, Hanson said.
For longtime transit commission member Elizabeth Bennett, the body's vice president, Tuesday's decision was difficult.
"I admire Mr. Nennig and his performance as director of the transit commission," Bennett said. "I don't want to say anything negative. We made this decision together. … We agonized. We did."
Good luck in retirement.
Labels: Brown County
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Nusbaum, Wall concede, Kagen to face Gard
Both Nancy Nusbaum and Jamie Wall have conceded. This means big money is going to be flaunted in the 8th Congressional District by both parties. I smell a visit from George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, a Clinton and everyone else in national politics.
Labels: Election 2006
Live on WTMJ-AM, Paul Bucher has conceded in the race for Wisconsin Attorney
General. Class act all the way.
However, I think Jeff Wagner has a point about this race. While talking tonight on 620 WTMJ, he threw out the idea that a lot of Republicans in Miwaukee County crossed over to vote in the county sherriff's race, meaning less votes for Bucher. I don't know exactly if it is true, but it makes sense. This is the most sense he has ever made on the radio.
Shocking.
Labels: Election 2006
Froseth and Soleteski win Dem. Assembly primaries, other news and notes from Brown County
The results are in for Brown County and Jim Soletski beat Dan Aude for the 88th Assembly District. He will face incumbant Judy Krawcyzk (R-Green Bay). GaryFroseth defeated Carl Arnoldi for the 90th District. Froseth will try to unseat Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay).
All of the GOP incumbants, Frank Lasee, Phil Montgomery, Garey Bies, Krawcyzk and Van Roy have all won their primaries...unopposed of course. Not a lot is in on the 89th District vacated by John Gard.
News and notes: Raw numbers
KATHLEEN FALK . . . . . . . . . 10,797 57.73
PEGGY A. LAUTENSCHLAGER. . . . . . 7,897 42.23
Not a suprise. Having a DUI as DA really isn't good.
NANCY NUSBAUM . . . . . . . . . 3,999 20.52
STEVEN L. KAGEN . . . . . . . . 8,747 44.87
JAMIE WALL . . . . . . . . . . 6,740 34.58
I think Brown County voters still remember Nancy Nusbaum as the county executive, and a mess she made in Brown County. Kagen's numbers are about what I had expected. With as much TV as he did, the number of signs out on the roadside and the support from the DNCC with ads, he should have won the primary.
However, I think Jamie Wall's campaign did a fine job without a lot of money and not a lot of name recognition.
PAUL E. BUCHER. . . . . . . . . 4,250 30.86
J.B. VAN HOLLEN . . . . . . . . 9,512 69.07
Not a real surprise here. JB Van Hollen had TV in the Fox Valley and Bucher didn't. It's sad it comes down to that, but I think that's how it always works.
Labels: Election 2006
The Wisconsin bureau of the Associated Press called it.
The Associated Press has declared Assembly Speaker John Gard of Peshtigo the winner in the Republican primary in the 8th Congressional District race over state Rep. Terri McCormick of Appleton.
Labels: Election 2006
The polls close at 8 p.m. If you haven't gone out and voted, get out there in the rain and do it. I will be heading up our coverage of election night as Ty is out making the bucks to pay for tuition.
Labels: Election 2006
On my way to campus, I stopped and voted. Like Tyler, I didn't get more than a simple..."address?," then "Are you Jonathan?" Glad to see I could vote again...
Labels: Election 2006
UW-La Crosse Raises Tuition in the name of Diversity
Every Student pays a segregated fee to the University they attend. In Green Bay our seg. fees go to the Kress Center, the Union expansion, student organizations, the counseling and Health center, intermurals, etc. The administration at UW-La Crosse has compounded students woes to the tune of $1,320. One state legislator contacted the university and expressed similar thoughts that I have:
"Could you explain what I would learn about working with people of 'color' had I
attended the university that you envision?"
This is more double talk coming out of the UW system, they say they want more affordable tuition for students yet they then turn around and make students pay for something they will more than likely not get to use. I thought the whole idea behind a user fee was that you charged the users who will benefit from a particular service. I pay a fee for intermurals therefore I am entitled to use it. In this case some students are paying fees that go for loans for a small group of students.
Call me crazy but I think it is just plain wrong for students to have to fund diversity initives. Students pay a high enough price the way it is. This is why I just say NO to higher tuition.
Labels: UW System
I just got back from voting this morning and every time I vote I feel more strongly that we Wisconsin desperately needs voters to show an identification at the polls.
Here's how my experience went. After five minutes of convincing the poll workers that my address was in a different location than where other UWGB students is they ask me for my address and I recite my address as I'm looking at it on the paper. The poll worker then says: "your Tyler?"
So the question I have is what is to stop me from going back later this afternoon with different clothes and vote again as someone else, all I need to know is their street address and their name. I know what is stopping me and that is a higher moral authority and respect for our electoral system, but that is much more than I can say for other people.
Labels: Election 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
We Remember...
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world." --President George W. Bush, Sept. 11, 2001, in his evening address to the nation.
Labels: Greatness
Five short years ago we saw this...
and this...
and this...
We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will notGod Bless America
fail. Peace and freedom will prevail. -George W. Bush
Labels: Greatness
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel photojournalist Tom Lynn traveled to New York City today to document the lives of the people and the events of the day on this anniversary. Tom is a real good photographer and class act. This is great work.
Labels: Greatness
Sunday, September 10, 2006
The rebuilding begins...
Anyone think that maybe Brett Favre should have retired and not endured this? I am starting to become a believer.
The Chicago Bears barely let Brett Favre touch the ball Sunday, shutting out the three-time MVP for the first time in his career in a 26-0 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Quarterback Rex Grossman found wide receiver Bernard Berrian for a 49-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive. It would be the Bears’ only offensive touchdown of the day, but Chicago continued to move the ball well enough to keep the game largely out of Favre’s hands.
And when the Packers did have the ball, they stuck to the running game.
Favre, who deliberated for several months before deciding to return to the Packers after a 4-12 season, threw only five passes in the first half — completing all five for only 70 yards.The Bears had 236 yards of total offense in the first half, compared to only 103 for the Packers.
Favre, back for his 16th season, and the Packers opened up the offense in the second half, but Favre couldn’t get the ball in the end zone and threw interceptions to Charles Tillman and Danieal Manning in the fourth quarter.
Favre, who threw a career-worst 29 interceptions last season, finished the game 15-of-29 for 170 yards.
Grossman has been limited by injuries to only seven regular-season starts in his previous three NFL seasons, but seems to have no problem outdueling Favre at Lambeau Field when healthy.
Grossman was 18-of-26 for 262 yards as he ran his career record to 3-0 at Lambeau Field.
On the Bears’ sixth play from scrimmage, Grossman reared back and heaved a deep pass to Berrian, who caught it in stride and turned it into a 49-yard touchdown.
After the Packers went three-and-out with three straight running plays to Ahman Green, Grossman threw an interception to linebacker Nick Barnett on the next series.
Green, who is returning from a torn quardriceps last season, carried 20 times for 110 yards.
Grossman and the Bears kept moving the ball with downfield passing plays — including five catches for 77 yards by tight end Desmond Clark — setting up kicker Robbie Gould for four field goals.
The Packers offense reached Bears territory only twice in the first half. They turned the ball over on a failed quarterback sneak by Favre early in the second quarter, and the half ended on a missed 53-yard field goal attempt by Dave Rayner.
The Packers’ final drive of the half was extended by a successful fake punt, as punter Jon Ryan threw to Noah Herron for 16 yards, one of the Packers’ few successful pass plays in the first half.
The Bears scored their second touchdown on an 84-yard punt return by Devin Hester, giving the Bears a 26-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.
It was the Bears’ first shutout since a victory at Detroit on Dec. 30, 2001. The loss ruined the debut of new Packers coach Mike McCarthy, hired after the team fired Mike Sherman.
It was the first time the Packers were shut out since a 10-0 victory by the Bears on Oct. 17, 1991 — a streak of 233 games. It was the fourth-longest such streak in league history and second-longest active streak. The Minnesota Vikings have not been shut out in 236 games.
On the bright side, the offensive line looked really good and Ahman Green looked like his old self. Safety Nick Collins continued where he left off last season, hitting people and in the mix of everything.
Labels: Sports
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Milwaukee hasn't reached a crisis yet?
Call me crazy, but I think Milwaukee is in a crisis. One shooting in a single week is enough for any community to worry, but add in a 19-member gang rape?
Tom Barrett, who is the unfortunate mayor of Milwaukee, said the problems will be fixed and long-term solutions will be made.
"I think we have some huge challenges in getting people trained for jobs, staying in school and realizing that regardless of what the dispute is, you don't resort to violence," he said.
...
"There's a tale of two cities in Milwaukee," he said, repeating themes he's sounded in the past. "There are parts of Milwaukee that are doing very, very well right now. If you look at the downtown, the Third Ward, Brewers Hill, there's growth . . . but there are parts of the city and parts of the population in Milwaukee where a lack of jobs, hopelessness and lack of education rule the day."
But I think he is missing the point. His Chief of Police is the problem. From my days of living in Kenosha and watching WISN on TV, I never saw this much crime under Arthur Jones. In fact, he fixed Milwaukee's problems--gangs, violence and other crimes.
Police Chief Nannette Hegerty should be fired for her lack of effectiveness and effciency in the MPD. Looking at her credentials, she should have never been named the police chief. She wored in the juvenille division, sensitive crimes division and served as the deputy director of training bureau.
But this should lead to the bigger issue at hand:
In April 1994, President William Clinton appointed Chief Hegerty to the position of United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Under her leadership, the Eastern District of Wisconsin was awarded the 2001 "District of the Year" award by the United States Marshals Service.
So as a Clinton appointee, she became a U.S. Marshal. Somehow, I don't think that she fits the part of a Chief Deputy Sam Gerard or a Deputy Marshal Cosmo Renfro. I just don't see her as the type that chases down a Mark Sheridan or Richard Kimble.
But keep in mind what Clinton did the U.S. Military during that time. Donald Rumsfeld is trying to fix it six years later.
Labels: SE Wisconsin
More of why Madison makes you makes you go WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!
Yesterday when I heard a radio news story saying that the Madison City Council had passed a resolution proclaiming Pluto to be the ninth planet of our solar system I thought I was just hearing things, and after an extensive internet search yielded no results I was sure that I was just hearing things. Then this morning I happened across this in the Wisconsin State Journal...
Now that the Madison City Council has boldly gone where no city has gone before and proclaimed Pluto our ninth planet, we can thank our lucky stars that we're living in the most conservative city in Wisconsin. Bet you thought I'd say "the most crazy," didn't you? Yes, I'm sure that's the way it seems in the outer reaches of our state. There goes Madison again. First it was naming a street the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Then it was supporting the Sandinistas. Now Pluto?...
Doesn't that make Madison, once again, a laughingstock? Not by my count. Conservatives like to conserve traditions. And in the case of Pluto, most of us
are very attached to what we learned as children.
WHAT? This is more representative of trends in modern liberalism, that of over regulation by the government. Any real conservative would see this as government entering in on something where it doesn't belong, it is not the Madison City Council's place to determine what is a planet and what is not a planet. Furthermore, tradition is very different from science.
After reading this article I simply had to see for myself the resolution that was written and passed and I was correct in my assumption that it was something that was directly from the out of touch city of Madison. Here are a few of my favorite lines from the resolution...
WHEREAS, one of the reasons for this demotion is that Pluto is small, which they call being a "dwarf," suggesting the IAU does not tolerate diversity; and
WHEREAS, Pluto's orbit intersects the orbit of Neptune and is somewhat elliptical, which also is being used as a reason for disqualifying it as a planet, suggesting that the IAU really does not tolerate planets pursuing different lifestyles;...
There goes Madison trying to tug and the heard strings and make you feel like someone (in this case something) is being oppressed. And finally...
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City requests Neptune modify its orbit to assist Pluto in qualifying for planetary status and that Neptune declare this to be a reasonable astronomical accommodation.
So this is the city of Madison telling the planted Neptune to change its orbit and help poor Pluto take one step closer to becoming a planet. If I was a taxpayer of the city of Madison I wouldn't know what to think I mean Madison has done some pretty stupid things before but WOW. This is a blatant case of the members of the Madison City Council who voted for this resolution being 'stuck on stupid.'
Labels: SE Wisconsin
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Mark Green Ad's Are 'EXTREMELY' Entertaining
As campaign season moves along we are beginning to see many more candidates advertisements both on television and on radio, and no candidates advertising has been as clever as Mark Green. Mark's first television ad countered a Doyle ad claiming that Mark was too extreme to be governor. Yesterday the Green Team released a new radio ad called "Real Men of Greed" which is a hillarious parody of the real men of genuis ads run by Budwiser pointing out the corruption of Jim Doyle.
I give A's for both of these ad's their definatly worth a look if you haven't heard them.
Labels: Election 2006
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
And I Thought Financial Aid Was Cut?
It's the first day of classes here at UW-Green Bay and 15 minutes into my day, I have some strange thoughts already.
More refunds, less payments
First, the lines to pick up refund checks from the unversity were longer than than lines to pay tuition. Same with parking. I got a refund check because my federal loans were more than the cost of tuition and fees. Looks like I wasn't the only one. I'm sure by Friday there won't be any checks to pick up, but it does make you wonder what people were crying about all these years about not enough financial aid.
Parking is a nightmare at best
When went to campus last night to watch Monday Night Raw with some friends, the Studio Arts Parking Lot was full all the to the road to the University Union. In a normal year, it is about half of that. Today, arriving on campus at 8:45, 45 minutes after the first classes, I parked at the back of the lot, and more towards the golf course.
In short, this is nuts. I shouldn't have to walk two miles to get to class. Once the snow hits and the roads/sidewalks get icy, it will be a tough walk each and every morning. No wonder UW-Green Bay has some of the worst retention rates in the UW System. If I had the choice between killing myself to get to class or just not going...I think you see where I'm going.
John Gard signs everywhere
At least I had something to do with this. There are signs everywhere, on bulletin boards, in display cases and pretty much anywhere else you can think of. Tyler was out this morning handing out lit to the on-campus students. (While I was fixing my car.) It's good to know that we're the only ones active on campus...yet.
The Feminist movement is dead
While in line for a half hour, I had a lot of time to people watch. One of the things I noticed is that all of the girls looked normal. They looked like typical feminine students. No butch haircuts, no hippies. I know it was a small sample, but maybe the feminist movement is dead...at least here at UW-Green Bay.
Off to my first class of the semester...Introduction to Human Bio, then Astronomy, Political Theory, Public Policy Analysis and rounding out the day with Introduction to Public Administration.
I may be live blogging during one of the political science classes.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Happy Labor Day
What a better way of spending Labor Day than at work! For those of you needing a history lesson, Labor Day is in September because of Chicago riots May 1886. Wikipedia has a good entry about Labor Day.
The origins of the American Labor Day can be traced back to the Knights of Labor in the United States and a parade organized by them on September 5, 1882 in New York City. They were inspired by an annual labor parade held in Toronto, Canada. In 1884 another parade was held, and the Knights passed resolutions to make this an annual event. Other labor organizations (and there were many), but notably the affiliates of the International Workingmen's Association favored a May 1 holiday. With the event of Chicago's Haymarket riots in early May of 1886, president Grover Cleveland believed that a May 1 holiday could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. Thus, fearing that it might strengthen the socialist movement, he quickly moved in 1887 to support the position of the Knights of Labor and their date for Labor Day.
Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States since the 1880s. The September date has remained unchanged, even though the government was encouraged to adopt May 1 as Labor Day, the date celebrated by the majority of the world. Moving the holiday, in addition to breaking with tradition, could have been viewed as aligning the U.S. labor movements with internationalist sympathies.
Labor Day is generally regarded simply as a day of rest and, unlike May Day,
political demonstrations are rare. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water activities, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer. Some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school. However, of late, schools have begun well before Labor Day, up to the 15th of August in many urban districts, including Nashville and Atlanta.One of the largest modern traditions of Labor Day in the United States is the annual telethon of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, hosted by Jerry Lewis to fund research and patient support programs for the various diseases grouped as muscular dystrophy. The telethon raises tens of millions of dollars each year.
So go have a brat or two on the grill and enjoy your day off.
Labels: Brown County, General
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Green to fight for PAC money
Once again, the inept state elections board makes the wrong decision and a candidate has to go to court to fight for what's right.
Green should fight for his money he has saved. First off, everyone in the state knows that this was a political move by the elections board. It's a shame it has to go to the courts for a solution.Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Green indicated Saturday that he will go to court to hold on to $467,844 in disputed political action committee money, though the battle ahead is as much political as it is legal.
In his first comments since the State Elections Board on Wednesday ordered him to give up the money, Green accused Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle of undue influence on the board.
"It shows a campaign that is desperate," Green said while campaigning in Milwaukee. "Jim Doyle has introduced corruption into the Elections Board."
That underscored what will be Green's message in the days ahead, though analysts said the decision and its fallout have broken Doyle's way in the increasingly bitter election.
The decision lets Doyle's campaign slam Green as illegally hanging on to dirty money." And analysts and observers said it could neutralize GOP efforts to portray Doyle - whose administration is the subject of a state and federal investigation - as the one raising tainted money.
"This is illegal PAC money that is not allowed under Wisconsin law," Doyle campaign spokeswoman Melanie Fonder said. "Congressman Green should do what the bipartisan Elections Board told him to do and return the illegal
money."Fonder's comments show that Democrats are fine-tuning their message, framing the decision as bipartisan when the GOP argues that it was politically motivated.
Last week, the Libertarian Party designee on the board joined four Democratic appointees to order Green to give up the money. Republicans on the board opposed the move.
In contrast, when the board faced a similar issue four years ago involving Tom Barrett, who then was a U.S. House member and candidate for governor, just as Green is now, it voted unanimously to allow him to transfer money from his federal account to his gubernatorial one.
That 2002 transfer will be central to any legal challenge, which Green could file this week, once he gets the formal order from the board. But the issue is also playing out as a political one, as both sides battle to gain an edge in public opinion.
If Green were to comply and give up the money, which some analysts argued would be the best approach, it would mean a financial blow to a campaign that in the last reporting period outraised Doyle but trailed the governor's campaign by about $2 million in cash on hand.
Another round of reports, covering an eight-week period, are due Tuesday. They will provide some insight into just how critical the money at issue is to Green at this stage in the race.
Labels: Election 2006
