303 results for author: Phil Anderson

Constitutional Roulette

The far right efforts to re-write the U.S. Constitution moved closer to happening this week. The Wisconsin Assembly passed several resolutions calling for a national constitutional convention. This highly risky proposal is unnecessary. It is a dangerous gamble with our democracy and current political system. And it is a con job designed to achieve an objective very different than claimed by its supporters. Article V of the U.S. Constitution allows a convention for proposing amendments if two-thirds of the states (34) call for one. Amendments and other changes must be approved by three-quarters (38) of the state legislatures. If passed by the state ...

Wisconsin in the News

The current wrecking crew in Madison offers a potpourri of bad policy, goofiness, and recipes for future problems. The only good news out of Madison is that the Governor and Legislature are no longer always unified. There is division among the faithful. Here is a short list of issues in the news. Clean Water On June 1, Walker signed a bill that weakens regulation of high capacity wells. Senate Bill 76 eliminates DNR review of existing permits for high capacity wells when they are repaired, replaced, or sold in a real estate transaction. High capacity wells pump 100,000 gallons or more a day. Users include large farms, concentrated feeding ...

Spend Less, Have More

“You load sixteen tons, what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go I owe my soul to the company store.” (Traditional folk song) There are two ways to get ahead financially. One is to have more income. The other is to spend less money. Since most of us have limited ability to generate more income, it would make good personal financial sense to spend less. But shop-til-you-drop consumerism is ingrained in our modern American culture. Too many of us owe our souls to the company store, or the credit card company, which is the modern day equivalent. Getting more is a national ...

Eating Our Seed Corn

“Science has always been at the heart of America’s progress. Science cleaned up our air and water, conquered polio and invented jet airplanes. Science gave us the Internet, puts food on our tables and helps us avoid pandemics. Science and technology are widely considered by economists to be responsible for at least half of American economic growth since World War II. Defunding science is the intellectual equivalent of eating our seed corn.” Denis Hayes, LA Times editorial. Knowledge based, rational public policies are good for everyone. It is good for the economy. It is good for business. Massive cuts in science, technology, and education ...

Opinions…Everybody Has One

“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Sociologist and former U.S. Senator. “The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.” Bertrand Russell, British historian “Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” John F. Kennedy “It used to be, everyone was entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. But that's not the case anymore. Facts matter not at all.” Stephen Colbert, comedian. Opinions are important in a democracy. We need people to have opinions and to express those ...

Wisconsin Taxes 101

A favorite “wedge” issue of the conservatives is taxes. Everyone loves to hate taxes so it is easy to misrepresent the facts. Wisconsin is accused of being a “tax hell” with higher tax “burdens” than other states. Is this true? Of course this depends on what sources you cite and how you manipulate the numbers. Ultimately people will believe what they want to believe. This article provides some basic information on Wisconsin taxes from reputable sources to help better understand the issues. What do Wisconsinites pay in state and local taxes? Everyone pays taxes in one form or another. Everyone who works pays federal payroll taxes ...

You Can’t Fix Stupid

On Monday, January 30th, the current administration moved to reduce government “regulation.” Trump signed an executive order requiring all federal agencies to repeal two regulations for each new one proposed. At meetings with business executives from large companies he has promised to cut regulation by 75 percent. “If there’s a new regulation, they have to knock out two. But it goes far beyond that, we’re cutting regulations massively for small business and for large business,” Trump said during the signing of the order. The administration stresses that the new policy is intended to help small businesses. Trump claims small businesses ...

SENDING MESSAGES

Two big news stories of the last week are the missile attack on Syria and the “mother of all bombs” being used in Afghanistan. The juxtaposition of these stories with the April tax filing deadline is so ironic it demands comment. These two attacks on other countries are classic examples of why we have budget problems. These stories also speak volumes about who we think we are, vs who we actually are, as a society. The U.S. attacked an airbase in Syria with 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government. Our missile attack was intended to “send a message” to Syria that use of chemical ...

Build Diplomacy Not Bombs

“Even though tiny – only 1 percent – the leverage that foreign aid exerts on behalf of U.S. security interests is incredible.” Lt. Gen. Dan Christman, U.S. Army retired. “...if you don’t fund the State Department fully then I need to buy more ammunition...” Gen James “Mad Dog” Mattis, Secretary of Defense, testifying as Commander of the Central Command in March 2013 before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Trump administration's budget plan calls for increasing military spending by $54 billion (about 10%). This will be “paid” for by cutting the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department and many domestic ...

SEND THEM BACK TO KINDERGARTEN

“They hurt people.” This was my friend's comment a few years ago about reactionary Republicans. My friend isn't a liberal activist. Although he votes, he isn't political or opinionated in any significant way. He is a small business owner, husband, and father busy supporting his family and being a good neighbor. But I was impressed with his simple, but accurate, summary of the impact of conservative ideology. I am reminded of John McCutcheon's song “The Kindergarten Wall.” This happy little song talks about what we all should have learned in kindergarten. Many Republicans could learn from it. The chorus says, Of all you learn here remember ...