Steve Kagen, Not WWII, Ended Great Depression

There is a broad consensus among historians that the combination of Roosevelt's New Deal and the onset of World War II combined to bring an end to the period known as the Great Depression. But during a campaign stop in Rhinelander, Democrat Steve Kagen (8) seemed to challenge this consensus. WJFW reports:

"Take a look at the facts, if the facts matter in this case. I pulled our economy back from the abyss, back from the Great Depression. We've stabilized our economy. We've guaranteed access to care for everyone. We're turning away from war. And, I'm pushing to invest your tax dollars here at home to grow the jobs we need to work our way back to prosperity. I'm the fiscally responsible and socially progressive candidate in this race," explained Kagen

Even for someone with Kagen's reputation for bombast, this seemed too over the top to be true. But the link above includes video of Kagen making the statement.

I listened to it twice to be sure, but I think what he said was he pulled the economy back from a great depression, not the Great Depression. But is there anyone in this country that thinks Steve Kagen himself actually pulled the economy back from the abyss? I guess such a claim should really be no surprise since Kagen also claimed to be writing the healthcare bill.

Since the Congressman claims that the facts matter, perhaps we should fact-check his statement.

"We've stabilized our economy." - Paul Krugman argues this is no recovery.

"We've guaranteed access to care for everyone." - CBO estimates 23 million nonelderly will remain uninsured under the new healthcare law.

"We're turning away from war." - President Obama sent an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

"I'm the fiscally responsible...candidate in this race,"- For fiscal year 2010 Kagen requested almost $18 million in earmarks.

"I'm the...socially progressive candidate in this race,"- This is true. Kagen's record of voting with Nancy Pelosi 96% of the time proves it. Only problem is that Kagen represents WI-8, not CA-8.

Claims about the Great Depression aside, I know that after hearing Kagen's remarks I am greatly depressed that he represents me in Congress. I'm confident that I'm not the only one that feels this way.

Neumann Ahead of Voters On Controlling Spending

During last week's GOP Gubernatorial debate between Scott Walker and Mark Neumann, a question came up from the citizen panel in Madison asking for three areas where the candidates would prioritize state spending and three areas where they would cut spending to address the budget deficit.

Neumann had the opportunity to answer first and focused on two things, but they weren't the two items from the question.

First, he explained that the problem with these sorts of short lists are that they allow politicians to sound like they are tough on spending, but they leave out other areas of the budget where politicians, including those from the GOP, raise spending. The end result for voters is, of course, higher taxes or more debt or both.

The second item Neumann focused on was the need for an overall approach to controlling spending. Specifically, he argued for capping the growth of state spending at 1% below inflation. So his plan is to start with a bottom line approach to control overall spending and then go department by department to see how individual programs fit within the framework of controlled spending.

If you are a Keynesian who believes the government should spend mightily, this obviously isn't an answer with which you will agree. If, on the other hand, you are a likely voter in the Wisconsin GOP primary, I'm guessing you are not a Keynesian and this answer should appeal to you tremendously, just as it did to me. It is this overall framework that can guide spending decisions, and just as importantly, will allow voters to easily see how well the governor is doing when it comes to controlling spending. Frankly, I thought Neumann crushed Walker on this particular question.

Unfortunately, the members of the citizen panel weren't impressed. Debate moderator Mike Gousha allowed a follow up question where one of the panel members said that Neumann's answer was too short on specifics. I could only shake my head in disbelief. Given the choice between a comprehensive vision for attacking the problem of deficit spending in this state and a sound-bite on programs that most people love (education) and many GOP voters hate (public employee labor costs) voters actually prefer the sound-bite!

Neumann dutifully offered up his own short list centered on education, infrastructure, and safety when it came to areas to protect spending, and who can blame him. The best plan in the world won't do us any good if the guy with the plan doesn't win the election.

If you are a Wisconsin voter that believes we need to get spending in Madison under control, Mark Neumann is clearly the superior candidate on this question. Neumann's plan to control spending is discussed in more detail at his website.

Mark Neumann also has a background in education, this will come in handy if he is elected governor. It seems the voters of this state still have a few things to learn when it comes to controlling spending.

(You can watch the debate at WISN. This particular question is around the 16:00 mark)

Recent Polling Calls

Thursday and again tonight we received polling calls.

Thursday was an automated poll. The disclosure indicated it was by National Opinion Surveys of Takoma Park, MD. The major questions were:

• Did I plan to vote in the WI GOP primary
• Who did I plan to vote for in the WI-8 race (Ribble, Roth, McCormick)
• Favorable/Unfavorable on Ribble, Roth, McCormick
• Am I currently, or have I been, a member of a labor union.
• Is anyone in my household a current or former union member.

Tonight's call was a live person. Mrs. RWC took the call, and she didn't catch the name of the firm.

The questions covered WI Governor, Senate, and 8th CD races, but there were only two choices for each:

• Governor - Barrett or Walker
• Senate - Feingold or Johnson
• WI-8 - Kagen or Roth

No mention of Mark Neumann, Dave Westlake, Reid Ribble or Terri McCormick at all.

I'm a bit baffled by polling, so I'm not sure what these limited choices demonstrate. Perhaps they are a clue to voter sentiment if these are the matchups that result from the primary.

On a Personal Note

Lazy, late-summer days have been in short supply of late.

The oldest goes back to college tomorrow. Meanwhile my wife and I (mostly her) have been preparing for the upcoming year in homeschooling.

While my priorities have kept me away from the blog, it's not as if nothing has been going on.

This morning on the Jerry Bader show, Ribble, McCormick, and Roth faced off in what was, without a doubt, the most substantive discussion among them so far. I listened, but I was at work, so my attention was mostly elsewhere. I am reserving judgment on the winner until I can watch or listen to the debate again.

In the meantime, be sure to check out Party of Know for debate coverage. Todd tweeted the debate live. Here is a link to Party of Know on Twitter.

In other WI-8 news, Try 2 Focus has a post up on Roger Roth's record on fees and taxes.

We Have People for That

Did Baucus Read the Health Reform Bill? « S E N A T U S

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), one of the “chief authors of the healthcare law, suggested Tuesday that he did not read the entire 2,400 page piece of legislation,” The Hill reports.

Speaking at a forum in his home state, Baucus and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius were asked by an audience member if they had read the whole bill and "if not, that is the most despicable, irresponsible thing.”

“I don’t think you want me to waste my time to read every page of the healthcare bill," Baucus said, according to the Flathead Beacon. "You know why? It’s statutory language … We hire experts."

I'm not sure this even needs a comment, but just let me say that most voters believe that when they vote they are hiring the experts.  I really don't think it's too much to ask that the people voting on our laws actually read and understand them, especially since we are paying them $174,000 a year to do so. 

Maybe Baucus should offer to refund us some of our money.

Feingold on the Attack

I'm up with a new post at Fox Politics.net on Feingold's attacks over the mortgage interest deduction.

FoxPolitics.net - Appleton, WI News - What's really going on in the Fox Cities

Looking at these facts, I guess one could argue that Feingold is in favor of perpetuating tax loopholes that disproportionately benefit upper-bracket taxpayers.

Follow the link to read the whole thing.

Kagen Won't Campaign on His Record

Endangered Dems stay quiet on key votes - Jake Sherman - POLITICO.com

Wisconsin Rep. Steve Kagen talks up tax cuts in campaign literature about creating jobs — but not about voting for the $787 billion recovery act.

Indiana Rep. Baron Hill has a lengthy explanation spelling out his support for the new health care law — but no boasting about his support for the sweeping cap-and-trade legislation. Instead, he calls for increased fuel standards and cracking down on oil speculators. And he calls attention to being branded one of the “most independent Democrats” in the House.

Kagen and Hill are just two examples of dozens of endangered House Democrats who are holding their party's agenda at arm’s length, declining to highlight their votes on some of the biggest accomplishments of the Democratic Congress as they campaign for reelection.

Instead of proudly promoting their votes on health care reform, the economic stimulus and financial reform, some rank-and-file Democrats in a growing number of tight races are cherry-picking bits and pieces of congressional history, hoping to accentuate the positives that play well back home, while leaving out — or flat out rejecting — the most unpopular parts of policies.

That's from Politico. Voters in WI-8 should keep this in mind as campaign season heats up.

Roth Caught Without a Roadmap

All three of the remaining GOP candidates for WI-8 appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio this week. As I mentioned on Monday, I didn't think that Reid Ribble or Terri McCormick had won many converts with their performances, and this created an opening for Roger Roth during his appearance on Tuesday. Overall, I thought Roth had the strongest performance, but it wasn't perfect by any means.

Roger had the best short answer to why he was superior to his GOP primary opponents. This centered around his unique mix of experience in business, in the state legislature, and in the military, which made him ready to "lead from day one." His answer was succinct and sincere and was likely to catch on with voters paying attention.

He went on to draw a distinction between himself and his opponents on the issue of immigration. Arguing that he was strong on securing the border, and always has been. For those of us following the primary closely, this was obviously a shot at Ribble. The only problem is that I'm not sure many voters are paying that close of attention. Roth could have made this stronger by saying something along the lines of "unlike at least one of my opponents, I have always been in favor of taking a tough stance on immigration." In a forum like a public radio interview, there is a very fine line between distinguishing yourself and turning people off with an attack on your opponent, so it's hard to fault Roth on this score.

On the other hand, Roth's answer to one call-in question had the feel of a "not ready for prime-time moment." The caller was clear and concise, asking Roth whether or not he would support Paul Ryan's Roadmap for America's Future. In response, Roth admitted that he had not read all of Ryan's Roadmap. To which I could only reply, "what?" If you are a serious GOP candidate from Wisconsin, the one policy proposal you had better be ready to discuss in detail is Ryan's Roadmap.

Not only has the Roadmap gotten national attention, it is the only substantive major GOP proposition to reform entitlements currently being considered. Add to this the fact that Ryan is from Wisconsin, and this guarantees that the Roadmap will be an issue in the general election, including here in the 8th.

Additionally, just prior to this question Roth gave a lengthy answer on the fact that he did not favor privatization of Social Security. An answer that will no doubt help him in the general election, but maybe not so much with primary voters.

Overall, Roth did the most to help his cause among the three candidates during these radio interviews. Even so, it is clear that the GOP in WI-8 has some things to learn if we plan to defeat Steve Kagen in November.

Here is a link to the Ribble, McCormick, and Roth interviews on Wiscosin Public Radio.

Mark Neumann in DePere Thursday 8/19

GOP candidate for governor will be in DePere on Thursday at the Kress Family library from 12:00-1:00PM. Click here for details.

I'm not at all convinced Scott Walker will win the nomination, so even (especially?) if you are a Walker supporter, take the time to come out and hear Mark's message.

WI Truth Project on Terri McCormick

If you are going to vote in the GOP primary in WI-8 be sure to click the link below and read the whole thing.

Terri McCormick: No Friend of the Taxpayer « Wisconsin Truth Project

Part two in my series on Terri McCormick’s voting record and governing philosophy delves into McCormick’s record on spending.

Steve Kagen's Failure to End Corruption

Steve Kagen is a Democrat representing Wisconsin's 8th congressional district. The ad below is from one of his previous campaigns. In it he promises to, "end the corrupt ways in Washington." The ad even includes a graphic that lists "ending corruption" as one of "Steve Kagen's Changes."

The general election is only about two months away, so I thought it was worthwhile to see how Kagen has fared on this count. Unfortunately, the answer is not well at all.

Ethics inquiries in Congress increase this year - USATODAY.com

WASHINGTON — The number of ethics cases launched in Congress has jumped dramatically in the past year, putting a focus on allegations of misconduct by lawmakers heading into November's elections....

In the first six months of this year, an independent congressional watchdog began 44 ethics investigations, up from 24 during the same period in 2009. The Office of Congressional Ethics has recommended that the House ethics committee take action against 13 lawmakers.

I freely admit that the title of this post is somewhat cynical since I personally do not believe it is possible, with a few rare exceptions, for a single member of the House to end corruption in Washington. But why would Kagen make such a claim in the first place? I can think of three reasons, none of which are flattering: This was just your standard empty campaign rhetoric that so many people denounce, but that appears in copious amounts every two years; Kagen is ignorant of human nature or of how the House of Representatives operates, or both; Kagen's ego actually permits him to believe he is capable of affecting such a change.

You Tube has the ad titled as "Enough". I know I've had enough. Have you?

Steve Kagen - Enough

Confessions of an Establishment Neocon

I've been denounced! Finally!

Thus far she’s been accused by several “conservative” (read: neocon, establishment) bloggers of not attending a rigged 8th Congressional district candidate forum, not getting enough hits at her website, questioning the good health status of Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner...

So far their smear tactics have only added fuel to her candidacy. Quite clearly the bloggers at PartyofKnow, “RhymeswithClown”, and “BerryLaker” are desperate to defeat Terri McCormick.

What, no link? And why are The Laker and I surrounded by quotation marks? Is he dissing me with grammar? That's from the Aaron of the Republican LIberty Caucaus during the course of making the case that Terri McCormick is the best GOP candidate for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district.

Let me just say for the record, I hold no ill will toward Ms. McCormick personally. I've been critical of her on this blog, but only in relation to her campaign. When they trumpeted poll results showing McCormick was in the lead, I thought they should have disclosed that it was an internal poll. I was also skeptical of her endorsement by PeopleV.US, which I described as an endorsement by a class action lawsuit.

Having done the research that I have, including seeing the candidates appear together on two separate occasions, I don't believe McCormick is the best candidate to take on Steve Kagen. I believe both Ribble and Roth would be superior choices. This shouldn't come as a surprise to Aaron, or anyone else who reads this blog. I am a conservative, not a libertarian. There is a difference. McCormick has positioned herself as the most libertarian leaning of the three remaining GOP candidates and that is fine, but it doesn't necessarily appeal to me. Is that so hard to understand? It really isn't anything nefarious as the post above makes it sound. Besides, the charges that I am either "establishment" or "neocon" are so absurd they are laughable.

I'm skeptical that an anti-incumbent mood will show itself at the polls in November, but that hasn't stopped everybody from falling all over themselves in an attempt to be seen as an outsider. In a year where being establishment is beyond sacrilege, I feel compelled to admit that I am not now nor have I ever been a member of the GOP establishment. Who knows what the future holds, but I defy Aaron, or anyone else, to find a single county chairman who has even heard of me. GOP primary voters don't come anymore outside the establishment than me. I had to google Reince Preibus just so I could spell it correctly.

With respect to being a neocon, let me just say that I think it's hard to beat the advice of the original George W. warning us against foreign entanglements. That goes for whether they are the GOP preferred type or the liberal-hawk type that hatched under Clinton and now continue under Obama.

As far as the more recent George W. goes, the best antidote to President George W. Bush would have been candidate George W. Bush. Doesn't anyone remember the guy who was openly scornful of nation building and failed a "name that junta" pop quiz sprung on him by some European journalist. If only that guy had won the election. Instead, I now know there is both a North and a South Waziristan and that the Swat Valley is not a vacation spot for law enforcement officers.

If I'm desperate to do anything it is to beat Steve Kagen. I don't believe he reflects my values or the values of many of the voters here in WI-8. While it's completely OK for citizen Kagen and I to disagree on everything, I don't have to change my views just because he gets elected to Congress. It's also OK for me to work to defeat Congressman Kagen through the ballot box, so that is what I'll keep doing.

How We Spend Matters, Even at DOD

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has undertaken an effort to reform the Pentagon's budget. Praise came swiftly, but has been somewhat tempered the last few days. NPR had a story about how taxpayers won't see any benefit, at least not anytime soon, from Gates' plan. This was due to the fact that the cuts will come from programs that the Pentagon thinks are no longer necessary, but the savings will be redirected into programs that the Pentagon thinks are necessary. Blogger Matthew Yglesias says he is supportive of the effort, but that we really should be talking about reducing total defense spending.

Since I'm all about the spending, I agree we should be talking about the total level of spending on defense. But the question of how we spend is very closely related to how much we spend. Transforming defense spending so that it is primarily directed toward programs that defense officials feel are necessary and appropriate, seems like a step in the right direction. The alternative, and current reality, is that many defense projects are directed, or kept alive long after their usefulness, due to intervention by congressman because the projects benefit their districts.

We don't have to let the military have total control over spending, but moving the needle a little bit away from Congress and toward the professional men and women tasked with actually carrying out our defense seems like a better way to do things. Besides, I'm reasonably sure that I know how Yglesias would respond if he had to choose between letting the career professionals at the Pentagon handle the spending decisions or letting, say, Mike Pence do it.

An Opening for Roger Roth

Wisconsin Public Radio had interview segments with Reid Ribble and Terri McCormick, both of whom are GOP candidates running for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district which is currently held by Democrat Steve Kagen.

Certainly there were some listeners for whom this was their first exposure to these candidates, including some folks right here in NE Wisconsin. Unfortunately, I'm not sure either of them had an outstanding performance. Part of this had to do with the format, Joy Cardin's questions were more akin to discussion prompts, often ending in "talk a bit about that," than actual questions requiring a response. Also, some of the questions from the callers were slightly off topic or rambling, but I guess that's just part of electoral politics.

My advice to both Ribble and McCormick would be to develop and polish a short but memorable pitch for yourself. A big part of what you should be doing is making an impression on voters, and a good pitch is what you need to do that. Save the longer more in-depth discussions for debates and forums where the audience has their attention fixed.

So why is this an opening for Roger Roth? He'll be on tomorrow morning and has a chance to distinguish himself.

You can listen to the interviews at this link.

Letter: Payoff to unions | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette

The School Board proposed that teachers pay a small portion of the cost of their health care, and in so doing the layoffs could be avoided. The teacher's union did not even allow the teachers to vote on the offer, preferring to wait for Congress to bail them out.

On Tuesday it did, voting to spend $10 billion the government doesn't have so Milwaukee teachers and others like them nationwide could avoid making any sacrifice in these difficult times. Worse yet, the bill requires states and cities accepting the aid to promise not to cut education costs in the year ahead, further protecting teachers from any attempts to reel in the runaway costs of our nation's education system.

If you contribute to your health insurance costs, this handout should make you mad. And, if you do not have insurance, you should be madder still at the unreasonable demands of unions, and the lack of backbone on the part of our Democratic representatives.

It's time for a housecleaning — retire U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen and Sen. Russ Feingold this fall!

Edson F. Allen

Sturgeon Bay

via greenbaypressgazette.com

This letter was in response to the recent legislation authorizing federal aid to the states for education and Medicaid.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

Ending Free Trade Is Not the Answer

Paul Soglin proves that the right doesn't have a monopoly on overblown rhetoric:

Paul Soglin: Waxing America: Saving The American Economy - End Poisonous "Free Trade"

There is no free trade when the workers of one nation are forced to compete with the exploited workers of another nation. There is no free trade when the manufacturer in one nation is forced to compete with the manufacturer in another nation that substitutes poisonous materials that are cheaper.

It is time to reinstate tariffs and end the exportation of our jobs and our wealth.

This isn't just simply overblown, I'm not convinced it's even based in reality. I thought this was the type of rhetoric that the left is always telling us is reserved for Fox News.

Here's economist Greg Mankiw quoting former Clinton official and current Obama adviser Larry Summers on trade:

Most economists agree with Lawrence H. Summers, a Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, who has said that Nafta “was really a watershed as to whether America was going to stand for larger markets, was going to stand for forward defense of our interests by trying to have a more integrated global economy.”

“It contributed to the strength of our economy,” he added, “both because of more exports and because imports helped to reduce inflation.”

This too is an over-simplification, but one of the things trade does for importing countries is lower prices on many goods. These lower prices mean that consumers are better off not only when wages are rising, but even if wages are flat (if you can buy more stuff with the same amount of money, your real income is said to have risen). Of course, you can't buy anything if you don't have a job. but I have yet to see a convincing case that free trade is a major contributor to our current terrible unemployment situation.

Soglin seemingly would have us turn back the clock to the post WWII era of relatively restricted trade (there's that era again, looming large in our policy debates). He may find it appealing to turn back the clock and make it 1974 in America again, but I certainly don't. Anyone who cares about maintaining the relatively high living standard that we enjoy today shouldn't either.

Savard still on GOP congressional ballot after withdrawal - JSOnline

Marc Savard, a former Door County supervisor and former county GOP chairman, had been the first Republican candidate to announce he would challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District. But Savard’s fundraising lagged far behind his primary rivals, and earlier this month, Savard announced he was ending his campaign and endorsing DePere businessman Reid Ribble.

That announcement wasn’t enough to knock Savard off the ballot, however, said Reid Magney, spokesman for the state’s Government Accountability Board. Under state law, once a candidate has officially won a spot on the ballot, election officials cannot remove the candidate’s name for any reason other than death. The ballot was final as soon as the board certified candidates’ nominating petitions in July, Magney said.

via jsonline.com

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

Blogging at Fox Politics

I'm up at FP today with thoughts on how Jim Doyle has made the best case yet for repealing Obama's health reform. No that's not a typo, Doyle. Go read the whole thing at the link.

Rent-Seeking Right Out in the Open

Matthew Yglesias has a discussion of how some restaurants in Maryland banded together to try and convince the local liquor board not to issue a license to a new competitor. If you've ever wondered what the term "rent-seeking" means, be sure to check it out.

Yglesias is not surprised by the rent-seeking itself, but by the fact that there is no attempt to conceal it:

Fortunately, the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control found this unpersuasive and granted the license. But the fact that restaurants might even think “we don’t want to let competitors take our customers” was a potentially persuasive argument is telling.

All I can say is welcome to the Age of the Bailout.

When your philosophy of governance boils down to "we should pay higher taxes so that the government can do more of the things we traditionally have done for ourselves," you really shouldn't be surprised that it has come to this. We've spent the last two years in non-stop government handout mode, and we are not talking about your proverbial helicopter drop of cash that falls equally on everyone.

This period has seen a steady stream of interest groups from Wall Street's biggest banks to Detroit's unionized auto workers, making the trip to Washington in order to petition the government for money and protection. If it's good enough for Bank of America and the UAW, does Yglesias really think that the Silver Springs Red Lobster is going to feel any shame in asking their local government to shield them from competition?

For the record, I don't think we can lay all of this at Obama's doorstep. The current era of grovelling before the federal government really went into high gear when Henry Paulson got down on one knee and begged Pelosi for the votes to do a bailout in the first place.

All I can say is that if you are surprised that business often tries to use the government to protect itself from competition, don't be. If you knew this went on, but are surprised businesses no longer feel the need to conceal it, get used to it. And if you are the type of person that advocates for greater government involvement in what has traditionally been the private sector, please don't be surprised when that sector finally takes your advice to heart.

I Like Ike But Enough Already

Over at Capital Gains and Games, Bruce Barlett offers some thoughts on raising the top income tax rates in which he notes that,"[i]t wasn't until World War II that the federal income tax affected a large percentage of the population. By 1943, 29.4% of Americans were filing tax returns, about the same as today." It seems to me that part of our trouble in the policy debates of today stems from the fact that people think the world they grew up in and live in now, represents the way things have been historically. Bartlett's tidbit reminds us that this is simply not the case.

Many of the things that we think of as essential characteristics of our world are really only about 70 years old. The post World War II era saw the rise of employer-sponsored health insurance and defined benefit retirement plans. Two government programs that were created on either side of WW II, Social Security and Medicare, account for an enormous portion of the federal budget. Massive defense spending in response to the Cold War is another. Political discussions today are filled with mourning for the loss of bipartisanship. At least some political scientists suggest that we are really just seeing a return to the normal level after a long period of unusually low partisanship.

Maybe some of the focus on these issues is simple demographics. This is the era in which the baby-boomers grew up and there are a lot of them. But for those of us not in that cohort, do we just wait around until the boomers work this out? Generational forbearance doesn't seem like a very good strategy. In any case, I really do think it would be helpful if we recognized the fact that just because we have done some things a certain way since 1945 or so, doesn't mean we can't do them some other way now.

Will the real Terri McCormick please step forward? « Wisconsin Truth Project

But McCormick didn’t go away when Gard did.  In 2010, she’s back – and she’s remade herself as a small-“l” libertarian candidate of the TEA party right.

Is this an honest representation of her governing philosophy?  I would argue that it is not.  Luckily, McCormick served in the legislature for several years in the early 2000’s and left a voting record for us to examine.

On her website, McCormick states the following in regard to alternative energy:

The ultimate goal of reducing energy costs, eliminating dependence on foreign oil, and increasing efficiency for the consumer can only occur with less government intervention, more competition, and fewer taxes on producers.

I agree.  However, her voting record tells a different story.

via wisconsintruthproject.wordpress.com

Be sure to check out the rest at the link. A very interesting development to say the least.

I'm happy to listen to a substantive rebuttal by the McCormick folks, if they can provide one.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

Assessing the GV Assessment

Bellevue wonders: How much will Brown County GV expansion cost? | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette

But when he and his neighbors recently received an assessment estimate for the expansion of GV from Bellevue, he hit a breaking point. The 2009 fair market value of his two plots adjacent to the road totals just more than $360,000. His assessment is estimated to be a little more than $175,000.

On Wednesday, Bellevue's Village Board will vote on whether it prefers the stretch of road to be three or four lanes. Brown County's Planning, Development and Transportation committee will look at the issue on Aug. 23.

Both votes were delayed to wait for Bellevue to get a clearer look at the cost structure of the project.

The four-lane option would cost the road's 18 Bellevue property owners just more than $622,000, with three lanes estimated at $579,000.

"I can't hang on anymore," Kuzmic said. "I owe tax money and sewer and water.

"I'm just done. I'm not messing with it anymore."

All sides agree that County GV between Brown County G and Hoffman Road is in dire need of repair. But, while some will benefit from the construction, most owners along the stretch see that benefit as minimal.

Kuzmic has tried for years to develop his property but ran into numerous problems because it's a floodplain.

That means the traffic will cruise by, rather than stopping at new developments along the route.

"Ninety-nine percent of traffic never stops on the road," said resident Vic Hoffman. "There's not a direct benefit to us landowners for what they want to charge us."

I am loath to resort to the "F" word (fairness) in a policy debate, so I'll just say I don't believe there is any way that the small number of property owners along GV will accrue 50% of the economic benefit from its expansion. I think that is the case even if there were fewer impediments to development of that area. Though, if that were the case, this position would be less certain.

Anyone familiar with the area would likely suggest that the bulk of the benefit goes to residents of the far east side of De Pere and especially those in Ledgeview. Eventually, I would think that it would benefit future residents south of De Pere as well.

The most important news and commentary to read right now. - The Slatest - Slate Magazine

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Monday that his efforts to trim a bloated defense budget will require the military to slash its spending on defense contractors, reduce the number of top-level military officials, and close the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va. Gates has ordered a 10 percent cut on contractor spending, and he's requiring the Defense Department to eliminate at least 50 general and admiral posts over the next two years. But the biggest cuts will come at the Joint Forces Command, which he says can be done away with entirely. According to the New York Times, the base employs more than 5,000 people "at an annual cost of $240 million." The work once carried out by the Joint Forces Command will be reassigned, "mostly to the Joint Staff." The Times says Pentagon staffers cannot "recall a time in recent history when a major command was shut down and vanished off the books."

via slatest.slate.com

Kathleen Sebelius please take note.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

A Different Way to Measure Public Sector Compensation

Let’s look at quit rates. Quit rates in the public sector are about one third what they are elsewhere. In other words, government employees sure do seem to like holding on to their jobs. More than just about anyone else, in fact. Doesn’t that tell us everything we need to know about who’s overcompensated?

via thebigquestions.com

I don't want everyone with a public-employee axe to grind running around shouting "definitive!" but this is certainly an intriguing way of looking at the issue.

Simply controlling for education doesn't definitively prove that the public sector employees are underpaid either, and that's the point.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

Health care opposition group funds GOP challengers - Kasie Hunt - POLITICO.com

“We’re looking for congressional candidates who will stand up and repeal Obamacare legislatively,” Dane told POLITICO in an interview.

Their first choice was Terri McCormick, a former Wisconsin state legislator who is running in the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Rep. Steve Kagen. The state’s 8th District spent nearly a decade in Republican hands before Kagen won in 2006. McCormick is considered the underdog in the primary: Roofer Reid Ribble holds the lead in fundraising and establishment support

via politico.com

That's Tony Dane of Las Vegas, speaking of his group PeopleV.US. This story is old news here in WI-8, but is now making national headlines.

For the most part, I would say the support for PeopleV.US has not been beneficial to McCormick considering the negative attention it has garnered her. Of course, I'm sure the campaign donations are helpful.

For the record, I think the Roth campaign might disagree with the line about Ribble having more establishment support.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

Saturday Language Lessons

Style notes 31: August 2 2010 - Telegraph

If you find yourself using a word of whose meaning you are unsure, do look it up in the dictionary. When we get a word wrong it is embarrassing. It demeans us as professional writers and shakes our readers’ confidence in us. In recent weeks we have confused endocrinology – the study of the body’s endocrine system – with dendrochronology, which is the study of dating trees. More embarrassing still, we accused the eminent broadcaster Sir David Attenborough of being a naturist – someone who chooses not to wear clothes – when in fact he is a naturalist;

The dictionary needs to scrax and polkadodge - Telegraph

...we now learn that the Oxford University Press has something similar. It's a vault in which are stored cards inscribed with millions of words that aren't recognised by dictionaries. They aren't derived from place names – but they do have splendidly specific definitions.

"Polkadodge", for instance – "the dance that occurs when two people attempt to pass each other but move in the same direction". And "scrax" – "the waxy coating that is scratched off an instant lottery ticket".

These two words strike me as profoundly useful... English, as the distinguished lexicographer Sarah Palin reminded us last month after coining the verb "refudiate" as an alternative to "refute", is a "living language.

Fox Valley Initiative Endorses Reid Ribble for Wisconsin 8th

Reid Ribble is a fine example of the citizen representative compelled to run for office by the recklessness and arrogance of entrenched politicians. He has spent his life to this point in the private sector as an entrepreneur and a volunteer in the community. Ribble has led his roofing company to growth, success, and financial stability and has been selected by his peers to represent them as President of the National Roofing Contractors Association and President of the Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress. Ribble’s volunteerism includes serving as Varsity Volleyball coach at Appleton East High School for over twenty years, Director at WEMI radio, Director and Chairman of the Board of Life Promotions, and serving on the corporate Board of Directors for the Fox Valley YMCA.

Throughout the vetting process Ribble has proven to be a thoughtful and well read candidate. He is a fervent supporter of state’s rights, the 10^th Amendment, and the Constitution as a whole. As such, he supports passage of the Enumerated Powers Act which would require all laws passed by Congress to meet Constitutional requirements.  As a successful businessman, Ribble knows what it takes to create jobs in the private sector and how to eliminate the government interference currently hindering the free-market with overregulation and high taxes. He supports a repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also known as “Obamacare” and proposes replacing it with sound reforms such as competition across state lines, portable coverage, and a reduction of frivolous lawsuits.

For these reasons, the Fox Valley Initiative is proud to endorse Reid Ribble for the 8^th Congressional District of Wisconsin.

via foxvalleyinitiative.net

There's been a fair amount of griping among GOP voters here in WI-8 about endorsements and money from outside the district. Some of it deserved and some of it not so deserved in my opinion. Regardless, this is a major endorsement by a serious organization, and I am sure they did not make this lightly. Conservatives and others concerned with responsible government should definitely take note.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

Responses to the Prop 8 Ruling

With California's ban on same sex marriage invalidated by a federal judge's ruling, the question becomes how then shall we respond. Not in the legal sense, but how should those on both sides react in word and deed.

For those who celebrate the ruling as an unalloyed good, I would advise you to pause and reflect on the implications of fundamentally altering a social institution that has served us in good stead for generations. Like I said, I would do that, but I get the sense that there is very little consideration of such implications. Redefining marriage will have far reaching and unforeseen consequences. You may believe that the benefits of extending the notion of marriage to same sex couples outweigh those consequences, but pretending like they don't exist is dealing in bad faith.

And for conservatives, how should we respond? Illy-T offers what he sees as the natural response:

Indeed, you'd think that would be the politically conservative position, where the State...interferes at only the bare administrative minimum in the private and consensual domestic arrangements of individual Americans.

Let me (humbly) disagree and say that this is a response that only a libertarian could love. Conservatives are not crazy to see such an upheaval as an attack on "our little platoons" but frankly I'm skeptical of the value of one more outraged blog post denouncing liberal elite judges, even when the posts are veneered with serious discussions of how findings of fact and conclusions of law are treated differently on appeal.

Instead, how about building up the institution that you fear is being harmed, namely marriage. Talk to your wife, play with your kids. Better yet, talk to your wife about having more kids to play with. Burke meant that the platoons were small relative to society as a whole, he didn't mean you should just have two kids and then get a vasectomy. This is especially troubling if it's done out of a desire for material comfort. Most people who call themselves conservative would agree that serial divorce cheapens marriage, but limiting family size just so all the car seats fit in the sedan and you can afford to go to Disney World every other year may be just as harmful.

Obviously this issue is far from over, but even at this early stage it appears to me that conservatives and defenders of traditional marriage have their work cut out for them. Not in the courtroom mind you, but in their own homes.

WI-8 & The National Mood

Las Vegas donors betting on Terri McCormick in 8th District GOP primary | postcrescent.com | Appleton Post Crescent

But McCormick’s camp sees her support from outside Wisconsin as an omen and a sign of her appeal to a national movement of tea partiers and libertarians who seek to dislodge members of Congress who, they say, have backed big government spending and a trampling of constitutional rights.

“Apparently, Terri agrees with them,” said John Feliz, a Sacramento-based consultant to the campaign. “She’s part of the liberty caucus. Money is all over the place right now, and they’re bundling just like EMILY’s List and others. This is a wave year, and candidates like McCormick are going to do better than expected.”

While Terri no doubt has some ardent supporters here in WI-8, I'm not at all convinced that the national mood is going to propel her to victory, "wave year" or not (whatever a wave year is).

Among those that are paying attention to the campaign at this point, this type of outside support seems to hurt rather than help a candidate.  Honestly though, I can't really tell how many people are paying attention at this point.  I believe all three of the remaining GOP candidates could use some sharpening up before the primary, since the six weeks between then and the election will be intense to say the least.

If you haven't been following the race for Wisconsin's 8th district before now, it's not too late.  Get started by clicking the link above and reading the whole article. 

What Anti-Incumbency

Primary Voters Choose Candidates in Kansas, Missouri « S E N A T U S

Congressional Quarterly reports that “Rep. Roy Blunt (R) and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) cruised to easy Senate primary victories Tuesday in Missouri, contests that were mere formalities on the road to a November showdown between the state’s two modern political dynasties.”

Blunt and Carnahan may not technically be incumbents for the Senate, but as noted they represent "modern political dynasties."

The results are even more troubling when you realize that Blunt is a Republican, got 71% of the primary vote, and has a record that absolutely reeks of GOP business-as-usual.  Isn't there a tea party in Missouri?  This from the blog of a St. Louis "alternative weekly":

The tea baggers don't mince words when it comes to Roy Blunt.

Before yesterday's primary, a coalition of more than two dozen Missouri Tea Party
organizations called the longtime Republican congressman "a career
politician and Washington insider who has sold out his constituents for
special interest money" and "an abomination of everything we have been
standing up for." They said that they "do not endorse or even want Roy
Blunt for our next Senator."

I know some of us are convinced that there is widespread support for throwing all the bums out.  To which I can only say:  Show me.

Economic Scene - A Labor Market Punishing to Mothers - NYTimes.com

Taking the next step toward workplace equality probably has to start with an acknowledgment that most parents can’t have it all — at least as long as part-time work, flexible schedules and long leaves do so much career damage.

A growing number of parents already seem to have come to this conclusion. That’s one reason for the rise in the number of mothers who have dropped out of the labor force. Lacking good part-time job options, more are choosing full-time parenting.

Last year, 40.2 percent of married women with children under 3 years old were outside the labor force, up from a low of 38.6 percent in 1998. The increase, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis, “occurred across all educational levels and, for most groups, by about the same magnitude.” By contrast, women without children at home have continued to join the work force in growing numbers.

via nytimes.com

You'll have to forgive the retrograde attitude, but I find it hard to believe that having 40% of mothers with children under 3 choose not to work outside the home is a bad thing. Getting the other 60% to make child-rearing their primary focus is what we ought to be working on.

Of course, if one of the consequences of the current state of affairs is that more women choose to be childless, then that is not a good thing. In the long run, it's demography that really matters.

Reporter David Leonhardt's preferred solutions include things like universal preschool, but I fail to see how that helps. If people have children and then turn them over to the state at an even younger age, what becomes of the parent?

I do agree that addressing this issue will take "cultural change," but I'm not so sure I want to be a part of the culture that Mr. Leonhardt envisions.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

Defining Conservatism Up

The Imaginative Conservative: Russell Kirk

Imaginative conservatives in the school of Kirk take long views, and, as Dr. Kirk often reminded us, religion and ethics trump politics. Nevertheless, it is easy to understand why many of us grieve the passing of the old Republic. As John Randolph defined it - and where Dr. Kirk began his foray into historical scholarship - republican principles meant "love of peace, hatred of offensive war; jealousy of the State Governments towards the General Government, and the influence of the Executive Government over the co-ordinate branches of that Government; a dread of standing armies; a loathing of public debt, taxes, and excises; tenderness for the liberty of the citizen; jealousy, Argus-eyed jealousy, of the patronage of the President...."

Our pessimism begins with the realization that very few of our neighbors subscribe to such views today, maybe excepting the "loathing of public debt, taxes, and excises."

That's from a new blog, The Imaginative Conservative. If you are already a conservative no doubt this passage speaks directly to you. You will find more like it at the blog.

If you are someone who believes that a conservative viewpoint is what you get on Fox News, I implore you to check out the blog.  I guarantee you won't ever hear this on Fox:

Cant and equivocation dismissed, it seems to me that there are three great bodies of principle and conviction that tie together what is called modern civilization.

The first of these is the Christian faith: the theological and moral doctrines which inform us, either side of the Atlantic, of the nature of God and man, the fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, human dignity, the rights and duties of human person, the nature of charity, and the meaning of hope and resignation.

The second of these is the corpus of imaginative literature, humane letters, which is the essence of our high culture: humanism, which with the Christian faith, teaches us our powers and our limitations--the work of Plato, Virgil, Cicero, Dante, Shakespeare, and so many others.

The third is a complex of social and political institutions which we may call the reign of law, or ordered liberty: prescription, precedent, impartial justice, private rights, private property, the character of genuine community, the claims of the family and of voluntary association.

However much these three bodies of conviction have been injured by internecine disputes, nihilism, Benthamism, the cult of Rationalism, Marxism, and other modern afflictions, they remain the rocks upon which our civilization is built.

(Above is taken from the jacket cover of The Intemperate Professor, 1965.)

Director's Blog » Blog Archive » Federal Debt and the Risk of a Financial Crisis

Although deficits during or shortly after a recession generally hasten economic recovery, persistent deficits and continually mounting debt would have several negative economic consequences for the United States. Some of those consequences would arise gradually—but a high level of federal debt, combined with an unfavorable long-term budget outlook, would also increase the probability of a sudden fiscal crisis prompted by investors’ fears that the government would renege on the terms of its existing debt or that it would increase the supply of money to finance its activities or pay creditors and thereby boost inflation. The resulting abrupt rise in interest rates would create serious challenges for the U.S. government. For example, a 4-percentage-point across-the-board increase in interest rates would raise federal interest payments next year by about $100 billion; if those higher rates persisted, net interest costs in 2015 would be nearly double the roughly $460 billion that CBO currently projects for that year. Such an increase in rates could also precipitate a broader financial crisis because it would reduce the market value of outstanding government bonds, inflicting losses on mutual funds, pension funds, insurance companies, banks, and other holders of federal debt.

Options for responding to a fiscal crisis would be limited and unattractive. The government would need to undertake some combination of three actions. One action could be changing the terms of its existing debt. This would make it difficult and costly to borrow in the future. A second action could be adopting an inflationary monetary policy by increasing the supply of money. However, this approach would have negative consequences for both the economy and future budget deficits. A third action could be implementing an austerity program of spending cuts and tax increases. Such budgetary adjustments, in the face of a fiscal crisis, would be more drastic and painful than those that would have been necessary had the adjustments come sooner.

via cboblog.cbo.gov

That's from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

There's really no need for hyperbole, since this prospect is scary enough. I do think it is important that most Americans at least become aware that this is a possibility, however likely or unlikely it is.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

The Clarity Deficit

Second-Quarter Slowdown Likely Worse Than First Thought - Real Time Economics - WSJ

The slowdown in economic growth recorded in the second quarter was likely even less robust than initially reported on Friday, according to new inventory data released today.

Does this say the slowdown was less robust? Does that mean things are getting better?

In Some Ways It's Still All About the Reformation

A Secretive Family's Success: What Makes the Aldi Discount Empire Tick - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

In 1961, Karl and Theo separated their spheres of retail influence into Aldi South and Aldi North. The dividing line separates a more sober, poorer and Protestant north from a pleasure-loving, wealthy and Catholic south. The difference can even be seen on the supermarket shelves. Aldi North stores exude spartan sobriety, while Aldi South sells such delicacies as vitello tonnato, an Italian veal dish.

My house is very much an Aldi house.  I also thought this was interesting:

After he [Aldi founder Theo Albrecht] was kidnapped and held for 17 days in 1971, he led a withdrawn life and refrained from giving interviews or appearing at public functions or being photographed. But years after the kidnapping, he went to court to try to get a tax rebate for the ransom payment. His request was denied.

WI-8 GOP Now Down To Three

With Marc Savard's exit from the race today, three GOP candidates continue to campaign for the chance to take on Steve Kagen this fall (OK, if you're the Berry Laker, there are only two).

Roger Roth announced the recent opening of a campaign office in Green Bay.

Reid Ribble will be hosting a town hall meeting with gubernatorial candidate Mark Neumann in Green Bay on Thursday.

Terri McCormick just announced the hiring of a new campaign manager. Will Johsnon is a former congressional candidate from Iowa's 1st CD.

Barring something truly unexpected, these three will be in a sprint between now and the September 14th primary.

Then on September 15th we'll see how just how fast the winner can really run.

Republicans, conservatives, and anybody who is unhappy with the representation Kagen has provided over the last four years shouldn't fool themselves into thinking defeating Kagen will be easy. It won't.

Marc Savard Leaving WI-8 Race, Endorses Reid Ribble

To my friends and supporters,
It is with a heavy heart that I must announce officially Monday morning that I will be leaving the campaign trail. I have been so honored to have had the opportunity to know all of you and to have had the chance to talk about the issues that are so important to our great country’s future.
Unfortunately I was unable to sustain the campaign with a reasonable chance of success over the last few weeks with the lack of resources we were experiencing.
I am undeterred however that our country needs good folks to get to Washington and make the necessary changes of direction that are absolutely needed over the coming years.
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Reid Ribble, one of my fellow candidates in the race, over the last year, and I wholeheartedly endorse his efforts to continue the fight for our country’s future. I urge you to introduce yourselves to him through his website, his Facebook page, and attending gatherings I will be hosting for him in the near future.
Reid has what it takes to get the job done.
I will be actively working for Reid over the next several weeks till the primary on September 14. Our country demands our attention and devotion.
Thank you for all you did to help the campaign.
Respectfully,
Marc

via savardforcongress.com

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous

A Note on Supply-Side Thinking - The Agenda - National Review Online

I mention this because I don’t think many conservatives fully understand how damaging the supply-side idea has been to the case for a smaller, more effective, more disciplined government. On July 14th, Len Burman of the Tax Policy Center made the following argument in congressional testimony on the future of individual tax rates:

The message during the last decade seems to have been not that spending and tax cuts were available at a discount, but that they were free. Spending for wars, Medicare expansion, and “no child left behind” happened at the same time that taxes were falling. Citizens could be forgiven for forgetting that there is any connection between spending and taxes.

My guess is that if President Bush had announced a new war surtax to pay for Iraq or an increase in the Medicare payroll tax rate to pay for the prescription drug benefit, both initiatives would have been less popular. Given that the prescription drug benefit only passed Congress by one vote after an extraordinary amount of arm-twisting, it seems unlikely that it would have passed at all if accompanied by a tax increase. [Emphasis added.]

via nationalreview.com

It's important that conservatives come to grips with the facts about spending and taxation.

It's also worth noting that the conservative pundits who try to prove their courage by taking a deliberately contrarian stand advocating higher government revenues in isolation aren't doing us any favors.

The essential question is what should the government be doing. Once we answer that, figuring out how to pay for it will be easy by comparison.

Posted via email from rhymeswithclown's posterous