May 16, 2012
No one said it would be dull!
When Joe Gruber and I drove to Milwaukee last February to protest the decision of Scott Walker to cut the heart out of Wisconsin's Family Leave law, we thought it might be lonely picketing the state office building on a windy and very cold day. But right on cue, a couple buses arrived carrying UWM students to join the picket line. We marched in the cold and talked to the crowd. It was an upbeat crowd, but no one would have predicted what followed. Two days later, the "uprising" was under way and you know the rest of the story.
We are down to a short time from judgment day. Will people turn out to vote in huge numbers? I am confident the answer is yes! This is our chance to reclaim our state, our chance to alter the way campaigns are funded. Saturday we will gather in Chippewa Falls for Fighting Bob Fest North and then on September 15, in Madison, we will gather for Fighting Bob Fest #11.
I sense that progressives are ready to do battle. Everywhere I go the conversation rapidly moves to the gubernatorial election. I have heard no one claim "burn-out." So get out your calendar and write down May 19 and September 15 for Fighting Bob. We are also on radio. "Blog Talk Radio" is on from 11 a.m. to noon every Thursday. We are slowly building an audience and urge you to join us. It is fun!
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May 15, 2012
Here come the Bucks
There goes your money! The header on a minor story in the New York Times today reads, "Govenor signs Vikings Bill." We have been writing about this theft of taxpayer money. Well, "theft" is too strong since the good people of Minnesota, calling themselves Vikings as if they are shareholders, agreed to be taken to the cleaners in order to keep their beloved Vikings in Minnesota. A deal is a deal even if one party holds a gun to the head if the other. Build the stadium or say good-bye to the Vikings. Some deal! The cost? Only $975 million. Less than half of the JPMorgan loss!
The Vikings, with a franchise worth a billion or so, will pay about half of the costs. The people will pay the rest. If it gets delayed? Dunno. Cost of change orders? If the Vikings change their mind in five years and move? Or threaten to move? Oh well. What are the odds? (Pretty darn good.)
Here is the warning. Herb Kohl has been watching the Vikings--not the on-field stuff but the off-field maneuvers. Kohl will moan that the Bradley Center is outdated; the scoreboard is too small; parking is bad; restaurants mediocre. The solution? Easy does it: Instead of worrying about the size of the scoreboard, worry about the points on the board and ask, Can Herb always be wrong when it comes to player talent?
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May 14, 2012
Wow!
Here is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's unbiased assessment of Scott Walker: "Walker is now a national figure and a rising star in the Republican Party, a man on the move, keeping up a relentless campaign schedule in the state after engaging in a methodical fund rising drive around the country."
We need a "laugh-o-meter" for JS. This would be humorous if it were not so serious. Let me see. "Man on the move"? Where is he going? Jail perhaps? How about the John Doe investigation? Or the conversation with the Beloit billionaire union buster Hendricks who urges Walker to tell her how we can make Wisconsin a Red state? A Right-to-work state? Is that too hot for JS?
Krugman! Yes. German opposition to Merkel's austerity isn't selling at home, in Greece, Spain, Italy or other countries. Too bad, Congressman Ryan. You are a dollar short and a decade late!
Did you listen to Romney pandering to the bigots in the Falwell audience? Worth reading. Who is this guy? He says God is at our door to knock for us! OK? Ok.
Let's see. Some of the Dewey & LeBoeuf partners think the firm's former chairman is a crook. Others say he was just incompetent!
And Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan Chase said his firm's recent $2 billion loss is a teaching moment. It was because of stupidity and sloppiness! Really? And one woman is responsible for all of it? What the hell is going on?
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May 13, 2012
Walker the talker
Never at a loss for words and rarely allowing truth to get in his way, Governor W. wasn't phased when we learned about his "conversation" with David Koch! (It was a good fit for Candid Camera, but ignored by Charles Franklin.) When he met the media? No problem. Embarrased? Nope. By telling Koch that they (W's men)considered placing trouble-makers into the capital demonstrations, he really, in my view, ended any credibility he had. He should have resigned for discussing illegal activity, but no way. He plays hard ball.
In Beloit with cameras whirring, a billionaire widow asks, With all the fervor of a three-year-old on Santa's lap, please Santa, "Can you make us a red state?" And Santa, played by W., says, first steps first. He will first divide and conquer. You know...public employee unions go first. Normally 2 follows 1, but Walker acts like nothing happened! Step 2? Did I say that? There might not be a number 2, or a Santa for that matter.
Right to work? Don't worry about it! It won't get to my desk, was his Romney-like response. I couldn't see the facial expression but I could feel the wink, wink to his supporters. Promise the voters anything but give them Arpege! Egad! The question posed by the billionaire who gave him $500,000 and a warm embrace, wants Right to Work. And Walker? Well, I guess so. He voted for it in the Assembly and it is GOP doxology, but, hey, don't bet the farm on it! This is Candid Camera time again.
Stick with the Gov. W. He will create 250,000 jobs, put candy in every school bag, and fool 'em again!
Meanwhile, Franklin Alert. Prepare yourselves for a rash of polling data from the so-called Marquette Law School poll. MJS continues to publish anything that has the Marquette poll in the title but won't tell us who is paying for the polls, who is shaping the questions, who determines if a poll will be published or not, and if MJS is getting first dibs on the results? We need a laugh-o-meter.
The latest chuckle from Charles Franklin? Lots of people won't vote against our bold governor. A million petition signers? Who asked? Ok Santa, let's go!
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May 11, 2012
Whoopee! Vikings remain in Minnesota
Talk about scalping tickets! The Minnesota Legislature approved a bill yesterday that will provide $498 million in public money for a new stadium, as if they need one!
NY Times speculates that a Super Bowl game will be played in Minneapolis to thank the people of Minnesota for their largess. The Vikings, who will probably get help from the other NFL teams to pay their share of construction, will pay $477 million. The total will be $975 million as we reported yesterday. Now, think of costs to tear down the current stadium. Who pays? Who gets naming rights, parking and concessions? I will bet you a "Romney $10,000" that the Vikings get the benefit of all that just like the Seligs when Miller park was built.
Another $150 million will come from expanded gambling options. Too bad they can't put roulette and black jack into the new joint. Why not?
Dewey--that would be Thomas Dewey who ran against Harry Truman. Will the legal profession as a whole need a bailout or just the Dewey LeBoeuf firm? For those keeping up with the collapse of Dewey & LeBoeuf, today's story is a mind-blower. In 2010 the firm raised $125 million in a bond offering. The firm did not warn of risk factors. Had they warned investors, it would have opened the big can of worms and few would have purchased the bonds. The firm, according to the NY Times, has effectively shutdown.
As well they should. The firm's pension plan is supposedly $80 million underfunded. What happened? Multi-year, multi-million dollar pay contracts it gave to top lawyers are what happened. Apparently 100 so-called "top lawyers" are owed millions of dollars. They are owed so much that many have taken off! I was told that a major lawyer in the sports world of litigation works at Dewey for an astounding $1,100 per hour.
Stay tuned. This will be interesting.
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May 10, 2012
Brother can you spare a dime?
A note on Minnesota's proposed football stadium. The Minnesota state Senate approved a plan to build a $975 million stadium for the down-trodden Vikings. For the people who don't follow sports, the Vikings are a professional football team. The team has not done well on the field lately so the new stadium will, it is hoped, inspire the team to play better. The House voted to build the stadium as well. Whoa Nelly!
Are they building a new stadium because the current facility is run-down and terrible? Are they out of money? In danger of bankruptcy? Has the fire marshall ruled it a danger? No, no and no. But we all like presents and this is taxpayers' gift to the Vikings and indeed all NFL teams that will get a few more dollars from Viking gate receipts. They will drop a thank you note in the mail.
Surely, you must be thinking, this is is a misguided Republican plot to use up money that might otherwise be spent on health care, housing, tuition and public schools. This is a Paul Ryan-like trick to take money from those who need it most. I'll bet you can't wait to watch Democratic Governor Mark Dayton toss this idea into the trash can. Ah, you would be wrong. Dayton, the multi-millionaire governor, has been fighting for the new stadium for years. I am not kidding!
Here is the odd part of this scheme: NFL teams split all revenues equally, so having a new stadium won't even bring in more money to the Vikings to purchase on-field talent! (Okay, a little more as prices rise, but not as much as a third-round draft choice would cost.)
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May 9, 2012
Convinced now?
Tom Barrett did not win by a nose. He won convincingly, in a blow-out election. Congratulations to Tom and his supporters. A tremendous victory.
Thus far it is Barrett 1 and Koch boys 0. And the other three candidates should feel good because they ran good, solid, positive campaigns. All candidates quickly focused on the real target, the pride of Kochland, Scott Walker!
Prize for foot-in-mouth comment on Election Night goes to Scott Walker. Shouting his speech in Waukesha, he hollered, "We don't want to be Milwaukee--we want to be Wisconsin!" What a goofy thing to say about the county he represented for years. What is his message? "I screwed it up so badly I don't want you to look"?
OK, the race has begun!
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May 8, 2012
Forgive me, but...
I hope you will forgive me but I have an urge to brag about Wisconsin this morning. In the La Follette era it was the laboratory for democracy, almost always in the lead to reform and improve our state and the nation. Ideas flowed from the great state University of Wisconsin: Social Security, academic freedom, a minimum wage that was higher than the federal minimum wage, unemployment compensation, workers compensation, and public funding of campaigns. Well, now our grandchildren and children will look with pride at our state. Youngsters will read about the uprising and smile.
We awakened the nation, pushed the envelope, raised more hell than money, created The People's Legislature, started FightingBob.com Radio, agreed at Fighting Bob Fest that we would fight to preserve this "special place." And we are just getting started. Once again we have moved the nation forward.
Next month we will have earned the right to tell the Koch boys to bug off.
Was it the calls from from friends in Washington, Minnesota, and California to wish us well that made my chest swell? Or MSNBC's superb coverage? Maybe, but I think I was most proud that four good people stepped to the plate, unafraid, and told Walker, Ryan and their mega-bucks friends, as the song commands, "We are not Afraid!"
There was very little carping at fellow Democrats and the message I got from everyone I talked to that they really don't care which one wins; Walker is the target and he will see a united Democratic Party. And we shall overcome.
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May 7, 2012
Well, well
So, Paul Krugman is right. Francois Hollande defeated Sarkozy in France. I wonder what the extreme right in the U.S. is thinking. Goodness, they were worried about socialism in the White House. Imagine how they will handle the notion of an avowed Socialist attending the NATO meetings not to mention new taxes instead of more non-sensical austerity. Good night, Paul Ryan.
(What if peace breaks out throughout Europe?)
Wow. In Greece and France the philosophy of austerity was resoundingly defeated.
Krugman writes, "Those Revolting Europeans." How dare they reject a failed strategy! Time is running out for the strategy of "recovery through austerity"--and that's a good thing.
The Economist magazine declared that Holland is "rather dangerous," because, get this, he wants to create a fairer society. Oh my God. Not fairness! Please!
Sit before reading: Holland has promised to raise taxes 75 percent for those earning more than 1 million euros a year! Take that, Karl Rove. Take that!
I strongly recommend Krugman's new book, End This Depression Now. Read it and smile.
Thank you, France!
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May 6, 2012
Now what?
As the political uproar over Walker's goofy priorities comes to a close, everything seems just a little too quiet. Now what? Well, the next issue will be the use of taxpayer dollars to build a new arena to help Herb Kohl. Kohl, you may remember, got elected to the Senate in 1988 in large measure because he saved the Bucks from moving out of state. Now he has a different song, and it is off-key if you ask me.
As we have been predicting, Kohl wants Milwaukee and Wisconsin to build his team a new home. (The Bradley Center was a gift from Jane Pettit, so now it is time for the taxpayers to give Herb another gift. Or is it?)
Herb says things must "move quickly," and his pal Martin Greenberg set the stage for a Kohl bailout. Catch this line of BS from Greenberg: "While another NBA season has come to an end for the Bucks, the Bucks cannot remain competitive nor will the NBA have along-term relationship with Milwaukee without a new state-of-the-art arena."
Pause for a moment and read Greenberg's comments again. Another Bucks season...another lousy team. Some might say a pathetic team. Greenberg says they cannot "remain competive." They are not competitive, so what in the world is he talking about? And, of course, will a new building make the Bucks a better team? How? Essentially, Greenberg will use any argument that moves us closer to a gift. As the sun rises in the east, the threat to move the team out of Milwaukee is now alive and well in Kohlland.
Greenberg disingenuously asks, "What political leader will take the lead to create a new facility? A new arena could give Milwaukee a strategic real estate development opportunity...could become a centerpiece and a catalyst for further urban transformation." Whoa Nelly. "It could be a sports community where people can work, eat, watch, congregate, learn and socialize." Such a deal! How can we take a pass on that wonderful opportunity? Oh, Okay. Schools in Milwaukee need lots of help, but schools can't move to another state so they will have to wait. First things first!
Greenberg goes on and on and on. A mixed-use development with an arena as an anchor tenant could change the face of downtown Milwaukee.
Who is the new hero? Greenberg names Tim Sheehy, president of the Milwaukee Area Association of Commerce. What a guy that Sheehy is. What a guy! He would pay for the arena with sales taxes. Thanks Tim. Greenberg writes, and I am not kidding, that Sheehy is courageous to propose sales taxes as the answer. Yikes!
Greenberg teaches at Marquette. I can hardly wait for Charles Franklin's poll to show support for public financing of an arena. Of course if the poll results look bad they can just not publish the results.
This is absurd. They have no shame.
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May 5, 2012
Getting close
It won't be long. Tuesday's primary will be boring, but the Democratic primary a short time later will be fascinating. Not only will we have a candidate to oppose Walker, there may be lots of blood on the floor. Will the labor unions come back together? If Doug La Follette loses, will he give up his job as Secretary of State? He said during the WHA debate that he has worked with Democrats and Republicans. "I am not a hard-line Democrat." OK, Doug was in office when Tony Earl was governor and, of course, Tommy Thompson, but when he says "worked together" that is news.
In my opinion, all of the candidates did a good job in the debate. I would say Kathleen Vinehaut was the winner. She gave lots of specifics. While she may not have enough name recognition to win, she might. And if she does not? A bright future in politics. She has done very well. And, as Al Frankin used to say on SNL, "doggone it people like" her.
My Friday began with David Blaska on Joy Cardin's Week in Review. We did get into the Charles Franklin/Marquette polling issue. No need to repeat all of it but who is picking up the costs? Who frames the questions? Who released the results and to whom?
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May 4, 2012
Who gets the bill?
Once again the Journal Sentinel ducks the issue of who is paying for the Charles Franklin poll/aka the "Marquette Law School poll" that the JS is relying on in article after article as we approach the all-important recall election in a month. We have been asking that question but the JS remains focused on telling us how many Badgers have stopped talking about politics at the kitchen table or Hovde's position on the price of gas.
Instead of asking Franklin or Marquette tough questions, the JS "assumes" the poll is legitimate. Well, Marquette Law School should agree to permit the public to review the memos and emails as well as other polling information generated by Franklin. If Marquette is paying for the polls, share that information with us. If some other entity is paying, tell us.
Today reporter Craig Gilbert discusses Barrett's standing in the March Marquette poll without even a mention that he was not a declared candidate when the March polling data was being collected. Seems odd or even suspicious.
The Franklin poll keeps the focus on the horse race not the news that Wisconsin is number one in the nation for job loss in the latest report. Number 1!
Franklin, you will recall, was part of the so-called partnership between the Bradley Foundation's WPRI and the UW poly sci department. Does Marquette have a staff to aid Franklin? If so, are they employed by Franklin or Marquette? Will Franklin rejoin the UW poly sci faculty after the election? Is Marquette Law School planning to continue with the Franklin "team"? In other words, will the law school become part of a political science program at Marquette?
I am on Joy Cardin's Week in Review this morning. Maybe we will learn more about Marquette's relationship with Charles Franklin.
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May 3, 2012
Truth in polling
For all sorts of reasons, a bad polling result late in a campaign is the equivalent of a gut-kick in politics. Candidates work like crazy, issue position papers, participate in forums, face editorial boards, appear on talk shows, take all the brick-bats, but all of that work can be offset with one poll even if the poll does not pass the smell test.
Most people think TV spots are biased, but reporters even ask about TV spots if sponsored by a right-wing group or a liberal funder. But a poll, with some unknown director, seems like "science." It is weird, but when statements are made that the "margin of error is 3.7 or 4.6" many people conclude that the poll must be accurate if you just subtract the margin from the results reported. The margin-of-error magic. Not unlike the weather reporter giving you the probability of rain thanks to Doppler radar. It makes it appear to be scientific and unbiased. Think again.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters, who are sticklers for truth in all things irrelevant, with their child-like "pants on fire" award for a whopper told by a candidate or a staff person, ask few, if any, serious questions about a poll. If they did ask they didn't bother to tell us the results.
About a year ago, we discovered that the far-right Bradley Foundation front, the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), made a deal to "partner" with the political science department at UW Madison. The Poli Sci department agreed to conduct WPRI polls with questions provided by WPRI. WPRI and Political Science agreed that the agreement and all polling would be outside the reach of open records laws. Incredible. Reporters who routinely use Open Records to get information wouldn't think of asking Marquette Law School about their brand new polling operation. Keeping all the relevant data outside the reach of the public is not pants on fire it is "building burning down!" And they agreed that a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter would have first crack at revealing the poll's results. A scoop so to speak. We got this information under an Open Records request. We asked questions like Who is paying for the poll?
The poll released yesterday ignores the earlier unholy alliance between the Journal Sentinel and the Bradley Foundation's WPRI. Why raise that now since the partnership crashed and burned when they could not operate in scret? Well, guess who was with UW Political Science when we exposed their agreement with WPRI--Yes sir, Charles Franklin. Who directed the so-called Marquette University Law School poll? Yup. Charles Franklin.
There has always been a question about cell phone calls vs. land lines. (Young people use cell, old guys still like land lines.) Franklin simply asserts that the poll included cell phones! Did the pants on fire reporters ask how Franklin got cell phone numbers? How many? I get plenty of cold-calls on my land line never on cell phone.
Franklin says the resuts are even better for Barrett now than in the March poll conducted by Franklin. He doesn't mention that Barrett was not even a candidate for governor when the March results were publlished. Who knows what that means?
In addition to all that, keep in mind that Marquette is outside the reach of Wisconsin's open records law! So, Franklin, described as "visiting" professor, or "on leave professor," or "director of the Marquette Law school poll." A person close to Wisconsin politics described Franklin as a gift from Alabama to Wisconsin. Who is Charles Franklin? Is that too tough for reporters to ask?
The poll tells us all sorts of nonsense such as "Have you stopped talking politics in your family?" How about this: Who is paying for the poll? Is Franklin taking the money out of his pocket? Is Franklin on someone's payroll? Does he have a contract with Marquette? These questions are important because a Frankin poll could determine the winner.
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May 2, 2012
Irrelevant
The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United has blown the top off of our corrupt political system. It was bad enough when I met Phil Stearn in 1987, the multi-millionaire who wrote The Best Congress Money Can Buy.
I gave a talk at a conference Phil sponsored in Gulfport, Mississippi. The part of my presentation that turned Phil on was my challenge to the attendees: How could they raise $6 million for the perfect progressive candidate for U.S. Senate. At the time, six million was about the amount needed to win a Senate race. I wrote on the board $6,000,000 and then I challenged the reformers to show us how they could raise it. First up, organized labor. Assume $250,00, to our perfect candidate, we subtracted that amount so now the campaign need only raise $5,750,000. Environmental groups--say $100,000, so now we need only $5,650,000. I wrote about this in a book I wrote titled Bidding for Power.
That was then, where are we now? Tammy Baldwin, a superb candidate, must raise 30-50 million dollars to replace Herb Kohl. Maybe I am understating and it will take 80 million to elect someone to the Senate this time around. Some would argue that it simply cannot be done! If it cannot be done, we are done as a democracy.
So, while Rome is burning, what do the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Wisconsin State Journal write about? Well, they focus on how many angels dance on the head of a pin. (I am reminded of a New Yorker cartoon. Two angels flying above the clouds. One says, "I never dance on a pin unless I am really drunk"). MJS focuses on irrelevant issues. Did the candidate exaggerate when...sort or stuff.
As I see it, the money is Walker's greatest asset and it is his greatest weakness. Voters in Wisconsin will not like the fact that the super rich have just given him 25 million dollars. I predict they will throw the bum out.
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May 1, 2012
Holy cow!
Now and then I come to grips with the sad fact that Milwaukee has only one daily newspaper. (And, of course I miss the Cap Times every day.) Thank goodness and Lou Fortis for the weekly Shepherd Express. In reading the Journal Sentinel's report on the extraordinary--actually unbelievable--sum of money given to our governor the Journal-Sentinel is down right casual.
To quote someone, "Holy Crap!" (The comment was anonymous because the speaker was not authorized to comment on the record.) Don't you wonder how MJS would have treated the Brink's robbery? "Some money was missing from a Brink's Truck. Actually, more than the usual amount." Or the Hindenburg: "Blimp's landing delayed by bumpy weather"?
OK--here it comes--$25 million has been given to Walker (not "raised" as JS would have it). It is what can only be described as the largest bribe in history, with the possible exception of the NFL's "gift" of a team to New Orleans in return for an exemption from the antitrust laws so the NFL and AFL could merge.
We thought the right-wing democracy-destroyers might make 12-15 million available to Walker, but even that amount is so far outside my comfort zone. I thought they just might keep it down. Nope!
Here are some names you might want to add to a country club or Tea Party event: Diane Hendricks gave Walker a $500,000 gift that one must label honest graft. Bob Perry has given Walker $500,000 as well. Perry was the jerk who produced the video called Swift boat.
Sheldon Adelson, Sands Hotel, gave Newt Gingrich $10 million. And Walker? A full $250,000. (That means he would support bombing Iran!) Ah, the DeVos family (Amway), has dabbled in Wisconsin politics for years. This time they more than dabbled, giving Walker $250,000.
Other big givers of $100,000: John Childs, of Mass.; Warren Stevens of Arkansas; Robert Kern founder of Waukesha's Generac.
Now what? Do Democrats throw in the towel, try to raise money, or join in the Tin Cup Movement?
TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE:
Walker has given the Democrats a wonderful opportunity to change the system.
The People's Legislature adopted a resolution urging candidates to "put down the Tin Cup," and announce they will take no money from any entity other than individual contributors. That means no union money, no corporate money, no PAC money!
The moment has arrived. The four Democrats should meet to discuss a joint approach to money. Join the Tin Cup movement and challenge Walker to do the same. Democrats would be saying to voters, We are not for sale! Period.
Think about it. The Democratic nominee will have a golden opportunity to win by sticking with the pledge. And if it works the right-wing is 'f'ed (a word the NY Times reports cannot be said in front of the Supreme Court). Use your imagination. The right-wing is in deep poop.
Beat the money in June and the Koch brothers et al will fade quicker than a summer tan.
Memo to Falk, La Follette, Barrett, Vinehout: Place all the money you have into the campaign of the winner. Campaign as if our political lives are counting on you. Beat the money!
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April 30, 2012
Bishop Morlino and the Vatican
The list could go on, but let's just pause and take a quick look around. The Vatican blew a cork because nuns have spoken up on various issues including the exclusion of women as priests. The guys must feel threatened. "It scares the church hierarchy to have educated women form thoughtful opinions and engage in dialogue," said Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network.
The Vatican is saying loud and clear--Shut-up Sisters and sit down! Maureen Dowd, who grew up Catholic, suggests a rap across the knuckles for the bishops is in order. I could not agree more.
Let's see, Bishop Raymond Burke, now Cardinal Burke, tried to claim a small parish in St. Louis for the archdiocese. He lost in court in Missouri to the cheers and tears of the mostly Polish faithful.
Then we have Bishop Morlino in Madison. Once chair of the advisory board of the School for the Americas, where military men from South American countries are taught how to capture and torture.
Morlino is hot! Parishioners in Platteville, Wisconsin are in revolt. Worse, they are not gving much to the church in the way of donations. Priests assigned to St. Mary's are a reminder of the church pre-John the 23rd.
Petitions are circulating to remove the right-wing priests. Morlino shouts STOP! and ominously adds, OR ELSE!
The theme seems to be "You either want to be a Catholic or you don't." What is a Catholic? Ask Bishop Morlino! You had better not side with the nuns or advocate for girls as altar servers or women to distribute communion. The Bishop might "Interdict" you if you disagree. Whoa Nelly!
What in the world does that mean? You may remain in the church but you may not take the sacraments. One parishoner joked, "Do they send you to hell or take you to court?"
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April 29, 2012
Is war ever the answer?
I have been fascinated with the prospect of Israel going to war with Iran over nuclear weapons. My fascination has several layers. First, one must ask, are Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, up to the task?
Frankly, I doubt it. The recently retired head of Israel's FBI, Yuval Diskin, also doubts it. He said he has seen them up close for six years and "they are not the people I'd want at the wheel."
One result of bombing Iran would be a dramatic acceleration of the Iranian nuclear program. Sure sounds like Diskin isn't a believer that the nuclear program can be knocked out from the air. (He also said that Israel is more and more racist. Whoa Nelly!)
Second layer. Knowing that Israel has many nuclear bombs ready to drop raises the question, If our ally Israel has nukes, how can we deny nukes to Turkey, Iran, and other countries?
Third, the Israel government seems certain that the U.S. will support the bombing, and there are hints that we might order boots on the ground! Yikes.
Finally for now, American politicians are petrified that they might be asked if they support American boots on the ground. One thing you can count on: If you are a Democrat running for the Senate, you will support Israel or your funding will fall off dramatically.
So, who is in charge? Has the president turned over American war policy to Israel? I sure hope not.
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April 28, 2012
Minnesota just as bad
Two news items in sports. No, not the draft that perpetuates the myth that it creates "competitive balance" in the NFL--it doesn't. Nope. I am appalled that our good neighbors in Minnesota got tricked into a new stadium that will be built mostly by taxpayers. Bill Veeck once told me that baseball owners check their heads with their hats at annual meetings. Believe it, public officials are right behind the baseball owners.
It is a familiar pattern that began with Carroll Rosenbloom and Robert Irsay. Pete Rozelle and Rosenbloom figured that any team could move or threaten to move to gain leverage in negotiations with team owners. If the league approved the city would fold. OK. Rozelle promised Congress that if they would exempt the AFL-NFL merger from antitrust attack the NFL would keep the teams in the same cities and stadia. He had his fingers crossed.
Minnesota got the Vikings to build the Hubert Humphrey Dome under duress. The duress? Build it or we will move to Los Angeles! The last time it was general manager Mike Lynn threatening to move the Vikings to Memphis. The Vikings were successful. No mayor and no governor wants to be remembered as the person who lost the beloved Vikings. So siree!
Here we go again. The Vikings want a billion dollar stadium and will even pay for some of it. Vikes will pay $427 million of the billion dollars needed. Minneapolis will put in $150 million. The Vikings will have to come up with $400 million. How will they raise the money? (Sit before reading.) Minnesota will expand gambling in bars and restaurants. Whoa Nelly! One foe suggested that expanding gambling to pay for the stadium is "immoral and unreliable." What will the impact be on tribal gambling? Wait and see!
The second story is on the front page of the NY Times. Miami's new stadium is a fun park and a stadium. Who paid for this? Good guess. The cost of building the "water park" stadium? $634 million. How much did the public pay? $515 million. One result was the recall of the mayor. Huzzah! And what happens if there are cost over-runs? What happens if the team goes broke? What happens...oh never mind.
Yankee stadium was once dubbed "the house that Ruth built." That would be Babe Ruth. The late wonderful Red Smith, who was raised in Green Bay and became the greatest sports writer in America. Watching as the public was bilked by the Yankees in altering Yankee stadium, Smith opined, "This will not be known as the house that Truth built."
Is this important to Wisconsin? You betcha. Soon Herb Kohl will exhort our leaders to build a new basketball arena for the hapless Bucks. If we say no Herb will say bye-bye.
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April 27, 2012
Has Richard Pearle taken over?
Want to lose your breakfast? Read NY Times coverage of Israel's mixed messages on bombing Iran. Ehud Barak, Israeli generals and war-monger Bibi seem to be fighting internally. (Of course the question seems to get down to whether to bomb on Monday or Friday!) All these hawks need is a Richard Pearle or a Dick Cheney, and with a little luck they could destroy life on this planet.
Barak warned of a "new arms race" with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and even the new Egypt. Whoa Nelly! Could we just bomb every nation that has, or is thinking of having, nukes? Why must our leaders always turn to mililtary options?
Message to Tom Barrett. Once again, we have been told that you are critical of Walker for failure to get approval of mining legislation. Actually, Tom, it was Native Americans and environmentalists who opposed the mines, not Walker's incompetence. Barrett claims he would do better. Yikes! He would re-open the mine debate. Hot news, Tom: We don't want the mines. The Bad River Nation does not want the mines. You seem tone deaf on this issue. You have ignored Bad River chair Mike Wiggins. Wiggins confirmed Bad River opposition on Fighting Bob Radio yesterday that he tried but failed to meet with you.
Weather: A new study suggests more extreme weather as global warming continues than scientists had predicted. But, what the hell, we have more pressing problems to deal with. You know, passing the Ryan budget!
Want to see Commissioner Bob and Weave? Roger Goodell was asked how he plans to deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars team owner who exposed workers in his Michigan plant (now closed) to dangerous chemicals without proper protection. Sort of like ignoring concussions in the NFL! UAW members and others concerned, picketed NFL headquarters to protest and to demand clean-up. We will soon learn if Goddell has the health of the public on his agenda.
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April 26, 2012
Come to Illinois?
I admit that the outcome of the election in June is important, but it is also raw material for great comedy. I wish George Carlin had lived to meet Scott Walker. Walker, a college dropout, promised 250,000 new jobs will be created if he is elected governor. Tall order. Enough people took that promise seriously to permit him to win the gubernatorial race! Here comes the humor. Instead of creating 250,000 jobs, or roughly 62,500 jobs per year, Wisconsin has lost more jobs than any other state. We are last in the nation! Egad. Where is the secret plan to create 250,000 new, family-supporting jobs? Better get started, Scott.
Incredible. Not only are we last, Walker traveled to Chicago to speak to the Chamber of Commerce where he acted as if he is unaware of the record. He bragged that things are better in Wisconsin! Really? Illinois is number three in the nation in job creation, and Governor Quinn pointed out that Illinois had created 31,000 jobs as Walker was losing 23,900 jobs. Whoa Nelly!
Oh, and people campaigning on county time? A secret email system a few feet from Walker's desk? Wild stuff. Enough for the moment.
The Gods Must be Crazy #3. I have heard lots of people asking, When will the nation wake-up and come to grips with climate change? How about food shortages? Water problems in Georgia and California? What's the plan?
Let's take a look at another issue: "Engineered crops." Dow chemical created a weed killer named 2,4-D. Kind of catchy, no? Well 2,4-D may cause cancer, hormone disruption and other health problems. Ah, but great news: it kills weeds but not corn!
One problem is that the chemical drifts with the wind and may land on millions of acres of other crops, killing them as if they were weeds. Tens of millions of acres could be impacted.
We don't know what chemicals are being injected in the ground for fracking. It might destroy our ground water, but the oil and gas folks tell us not to worry! And now Dow tells us not to fret over something called 2,4-D that will be sprayed on millions of acres. Hey, if this stuff hurt us, would Dow spray it? Of course not. What do you take these corporations for? Greedy, reckless polluters?
Oh boy!
Don't Forget to tune-in today at 11am for our 3rd Fighting Bob Radio Live Broadcast. Stream live at Fighting Bob Radio.
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April 25, 2012
Oh no! She is not perfect
I was surprised to awaken this morning to a remarkable bit of news. Former Senator Bob Kerrey, war hero, blasted the idea of a war with Iran. Said Kerry, after $6 trillion for Iraq and Afghanistan, 6,000 Americans dead, a war with Iran would be a disaster. Kerrey said a war with Iran would make the other two pale in comparison.
But Elizabeth Warren, every progressive's favorite candidate to watch and help in 2012, is a "hawk on Iran." She says Iran is building nuclear weapons despite Leon Panetta saying they are not. C'mon, Elizabeth, don't lead us into another war! Please. Besides, you are not running for Commander-in-Chief.
Get ready for an Etch A Sketch moment, er campaign! Romney beat five non-candidates yesterday. Wow! How about them apples? And, apparently, his wife got a sitter for the boys so she could spend victory night with Mitt. A Kodak moment.
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April 24, 2012
The State of Milwaukee
Wisconsin has always been divided between Milwaukee and the rest of the state. Much more so than Madison and the rest of the state. Remember when Tommy, after a few belts, told the northern Wisconsin group to "Stick it to Milwaukee" over the stadium issue?
Right-wingers repeat over and over that people "out-state" hate Madison. That is wrong, but there is a lack of comfort for rural Wisconsinites thinking of a trip to Milwaukee that they do not have during the state high school wrestling, basketball and football tournaments in Madison.
Milwaukee is the financial capital and Madison, is, obviously, the political capital. Minnesota has a more desirable situation. Minneapolis is the "Milwaukee" of Minnesota, and St. Paul is the political capital--the Madison, if you will, of Minnesota. They are, together, the Twin Cities.
If you live in Minneapolis but want to get to the University of Minnesota, it is a short drive across the river. If you live in Madison and want to visit Milwaukee it is a much longer trip. Some politicians like it that way, and I suspect Scott Walker pulled his nonsense over high-speed rail not for the cost but to maintain the divisions between our twin cities Madison and Milwaukee.
The firefighters of Milwaukee don't really like the firefighters of Madison, same for cops.
It is the Minnesota Vikings not the Minneapolis Vikings. It is the Minnesota Symphony not the St. Paul Symphony, but it is the Green Bay Packers and it is the Milwaukee Brewers. The one institution holding Wisconsin together is, arguably, the great state University of Wisconsin. Walker and the Bradley Foundation would love to privatize the university and now pit the UW-Madison against the UW-Milwaukee.
For many years the common wisdom was that a Milwaukee-based candidate could not win a statewide race, and for the most part that has been true. So there is cognitive dissonance in the pronouncements that Tom Barrett will win the primary because people around the state won't vote for Kathleen Falk for governor in large measure because Barrett is mayor of Milwaukee and that should give him a leg up. But, as with stick-it-to-them Tommy, it is quite possible that Milwaukee is an albatross this year as it has usually been.
I don't know how it will turn out, but the divisions were noted this weekend. Apparently Mayor Barrett visited the Ashland area and hinted that he could get legislation through to permit mining. And we thought that puppy had been put to bed! Thanks a lot, Mayor Barrett. While mines may be good for equipment manufacturers in Milwaukee, the pollution would be felt in the north. Oh, and since the Tribes have said no mining that should be the end of the road on this subject.
Whatever happens in the Democratic primary will be a surprise. What must not happen is a hang over with Democrats killing each other in the general election whether the winner is from Alma, Milwaukee or Madison. The stakes are too high.
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April 23, 2012
Where's the plan?
I can't recall when the word "liberal" became, in essence, a four-letter word, but it happened and we who call ourselves "progressive" are a bit timid when using the liberal label. Fox News loves to use the word because it sends a message without the need for a lengthy explanation. Some fought back: I recall one button saying "I am a proud L," but it was not much of a fight.
There was a deliberate plan by the right to condemn "liberal" to the ashcan of history. Right-wingers told the nation that liberal meant "tax and spend," it meant "big government," it "opposed small business" and "religion" and went to the back of the bus. The same people who altered the meaning of liberal changed the name of the Democratic Party to "Democrat" Party. No Republican worth his salt calls it the Democratic Party--no siree, it is the Democrat Party.
And there is "right to life" (who could oppose the right to life?). There is "Right to work." Again, who could oppose a right to work? They are clever. When ALEC was exposed, the sponsors did not cower in the corner. They came out slugging. The "liberals are jealous" that ALEC exists at all! The message was hey, it is a free country, if you want a liberal ALEC build one! (Wisconsin has COWS, but most states don't.)
I must admit that there is some truth to the rejoinder.
Once upon a time, the Democratic Party and liberal professors set the agenda. University professors did the research, created the social compact, passed unemployment comp, Medicare, Medicaid, workers' comp, and on and on. Liberals made life possible for migrant workers, created Pell grants, but that was then and this is now.
Today, a more timid Democratic Party tends to linger in the corners while the music plays. Instead of developing big new plans for the nation or the state, the party leaders play the game of "Find the Dollar." In this game, Democrats speak of social justice while searching for the campaign dollars with an out-stretched palm. They are incredibly asking the enemies of social and economic justice to fund campaigns for people who will expand the social compact. They call on Wall Street for help and even to the Chamber of Commerce. Why in the world would GE fund a progressive Democrat?
Democrats seem afraid of being labeled radical environmentalists so they talk about "Cap and Trade" and get behind the huge XL pipeline while the climate warms up and we face a disaster in the world as sea levels rise.
Lots of liberals argue that if our side had more money we cold compete. Well, unions spend a lot of money and the grass roots do as well, but most of it goes to the owners of TV stations and printers. When the election is over it is a return to normal instead of building a serious ALEC on the Left. Often it is back to the same ol' same ol'.
Where are the big plans?
Citizens United is reality. Yes, we must fight to reverse it, but in the meantime we need to build a house that will withstand some inclement weather.
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April 22, 2012
Et tu Wal-Mart?
In order to win "market dominance" in Mexico, Wal-Mart de Mexico rushed to build stores. Lots of stores!In order to make sure they would achieve the dominant market position, Wal-Mart paid bribes throughout the country. How much? Oh, just $24 million. Maybe that is not a lot of money to Wal-Mart, but it speaks volumes about so-called business ethics in America today, and I don't like it.
Where are we on the enthusiasm meter in the recalls? I hate to say it, but it seems to me that there has been a big drop-off of enthusiasm. A lot of people are ready to move on. I am not suggesting that those who signed petitions calling for recall will change their minds.
Here is the good news. The millions spent by Koch and others won't be as influential as it would be for an unknown person trying to introduce himself. (Millionaire Hovde for example. No one knows him so a couple million dollars on TV will help him.) Walker? The decision has been made. He cannot re-introduce himself. People know who he is and they have made up their minds.
Our Fighting Bob Radio is heading into week three. You will get more information before Thursday.
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April 21, 2012
Better to give?
(Remember what your parents told you, "It is better to give than to receive.") So, you decide to run for office. You begin by asking friends what to do and the obvious response is to raise some money. How much? Well, that depends on whether you have a well- financed opponent, which job you seek, etc. If you want to challenge an incumbent member of Congress you must raise about $5 million. A senator, $40 million; governor, $15-30 million.
So you put your parent's advice out of mind and start "receiving" money from friends, along with a vague pledge to "give" after you are elected.
Some of your friends will urge you to join the "Tin Cup" movement. Turn down all contributions from friends or strangers and run on principle. But the papers are filed, the nomination papers circulated, and advisers pop up to tell you how you can raise money. You don't want to go out with a tin cup in hand, but when a major PAC offers you $5,000 or $10,000 it is tempting. Very tempting. You take the money and swear that the money will not influence you. Promise!
Ah but then here is this pipeline from Canada to Mexico and it is the number-one priority for the unions, the Republicans, the oil companies. You are proud of the president. He stood up to them! Or, did he? You are astounded as more and more Democrats join with the oil companies to push the president to approve the pipeline. To hell with the environment. And the union that gave you the $5,000 is not happy that you are hesitating. This pipeline means J O B S! Jobs that will help reelect the president; jobs that will provide tax dollars to local communities...and so it goes.
When I am asked by a candidate how to prepare for the race, I urge them to sit down and write a memo to themselves. Subject? Why I am running for office. I urge that because they might forget as the dog fight for money heats up.
Pretty soon, you become consumed with the task of raising the money. After all, if you don't raise the money you won't be elected and you won't be able to advance your ideas or give back to those who contributed to your campaign!
Those thoughts raced through my mind this morning as I read this headline in NYT: "Big Donations Drop Sharply For President." Instead of the "bigs" paying $100,000 for lunch, the candidate has to rely on grassroots. And guess what. Lots of candidates have already knocked on those doors.
Now think of yourself as a middle-class professional. You will receive 50-100 requests from candidates who you probably like. But, and here is the rub, most of my friends cannot afford to give $100-$500 to all of those who solicit. So the candidate is forced back into the arms of the lobbyists for big oil, coal, pipelines and, well, you know the rest.
It is time to say "hell no" when asked to give money to candidates unless they agree to refuse all PAC money and support public financing of campaigns.
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April 20, 2012
Equal pay
I had an urge to upchuck when Ann Romney tried to act the role of the "good mom" raising kids in one of five homes. Just keeping five homes is a tough job! I would bet a lot that she had lots of help while raising the boys.
Not exactly hardship, but it is not easy to live up to her obligations at the country club, church activities and all the rest. Nope! Not easy! (By the way, none of the boys went off to war nor did she leave home to work one or two jobs, requiring lots of public transportation. She has a couple cars.)
Good ol' Ann, I say, but take a look at our probable future should Ann's husband gets into the White house.
Fighting Bob Fest speaker and FightingBob.com contributor Ellen Bravo now heads Family Values at Work, a coalition that promotes paid-leave programs. Catch this from Ellen: "Two-thirds of women with young children now work and half are the primary breadwinner."
Yes, remaining at home while raising kids is tough work, but c'mon! Ann Romney typical mom? Hardly.
My goodness. The right wingers do not like the Ledbetter law that requires equal pay for equal work. Scott Walker killed that step forward as soon as he could. And Glenn Grothman said that women don't care that much about money so no big deal. Whoa Nelly! Women, taking care of young children, seeking employment, getting less than their male counter-parts...Yikes, and they are OK with that?
You can bet that a Romney presidency would end family leave all together. We should have paid leave for birth of a child or an illness, but these goofs disagree. Who will these women vote for? You guessed it!
Fighting Bob Radio program number two went well. Topics included Fighting Bob Fest North (May 19 in Chippewa) and an interview with Tia Nelson on Earth Day. Where do we go from here? It is starting to sound pretty good.
Spoke to a group of Milwaukee lawyers last night. Had a lot of laughs. Interesting lack of enthusiasm about the gubernatorial race. Will voters turn out?
Milwaukee alderperson Donegan issued a challenge to the mayor. He urged that the trolley be delayed until a new mayor is installed should Tom Barrett win the governor's chair. It seems obvious that soon the opposition will be suggesting all sorts of uncomfortable ideas for the mayor/governor.
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April 19, 2012
The gods must be crazy!
A hunting season for the beautiful Sandhill cranes? For what? Sport? Surely you jest! Oh, I get it. Cranes fly and could be knocked out of the air by a good shot. Or, I suppose, one could shoot them standing around in a marsh. That is called "sport." What fun! Can we get kids involved? Has anyone tasted crane meat?
The Wisconsin Conservation Congress makes recommendations to the Legislature on issues like a "season" for shooting sandhill cranes. (Whoa Nelly! read David Giffey's article.) The vote was 2,559 to 1,064 in favor of shooting cranes, but the Legislature must approve. In the 1940s there were only about 22 whooping cranes. But through great work by the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo the whooping crane survived and one might even say thrived. Serious people worry that hunters might not distinguish the whooping crane and the sandhill crane and the whooping crane might well go back to the bad old days when they were almost wiped out.
I think this is nuts. Why in the world would anyone want to kill these birds? The whooping crane became the symbol of hope to save endangered species. (Remind you of the arguments for shooting the mourning doves--the symbol of peace?)
WALKER. Talk about money to burn. Scott Walker apparently has so much money in his campaign that his team is running TV spots for the lieutenant governor. Wow! But no mater how much is sent to him from the Koch brothers, Walker still begged the NRA to protect him by giving him money because "they are trying to take me out!" Really?
Nuns. Those nuns sure are bad! Yes, it is painful to report, nuns in the organization known as the Leadership Conference of Women Religious had the nerve to question the men who lead the Catholic church. Yes, the women challenged the "male-only priesthood," church teachings on homosexuality, and many supported the Obama health plan. Egad. Such insubordination! Women priests? Gay Catholics? No wonder the Vatican is angry. What's next? A woman Pope? Rein them in!
The Pope was previously in charge of the Inquisition office now called the doctrinal office in the Vatican. The Cardinals were furious. They are taking control of the women's organization because the nuns have "serious doctrinal problems."
These radical feminists have been given up to five years to get in line! A bishop will be in charge to make sure there is no more dissent. The executive director of the network, a Catholic social justice lobby founded by sisters, said, "I'm stunned." Really?
Really.
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April 18, 2012
What a shame!
How embarrassing that the shareholders of Citigroup recommended a no vote on the CEO's compensation package. He only wanted $15 million for heaven's sake. C'mon Citigroup! Get with it. Pay the guy before he is forced to apply for food stamps!
GAB DECISION: Fake Democrats can be on the ballot for the primary, says GAB. I agree with them. If the GAB starts telling us who is and who is not a Democrat, it would set a dangerous precedent.
Two choices, friends: Either agree on a vetting process by the party or you permit self-selection and let them run with your label. Herb Kohl, as an example. Was he a Democrat when he opted to run? Doesn't matter, because he could put his personal wealth into the battle with or without a platform. Money, money, money.
Everytime I read about the hundreds of millions or billions that will be spent in the presidential race I cringe. Democracy has been sold, so I guess we should get used to it.
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April 17, 2012
Now what?
Suddenly the big bucks are rolling into Wisconsin and, as exected, the out-of-state money speaks loudly on radio and TV! While four Dems hammer at Walker, he is fighting back against Falk and Barrett. According to Daily Kos, Walker has moved ahead by 5 percent! Whoa Nelly! Barrett has unfavorables of 45 and favorable of 41. Ed Schultz asked John Nichols last night how he could explain what is happening. John's response was not to worry at this point and, while I agree, the news is disturbing. It seems that until the Dems settle on a candidate it will be hard to catch Walker if his millions open a big gap before the primary.
Bernie Sanders announced that of all new money last year, 93 percent of it went to the top one percent! Unbelievable? Nope--very believable.
The right wing has made Walker into a national figure. The only way he can lose is if turnout is high.
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