Politics
Ballot Initiatives: Wisconsin April 4 Election
The Wisconsin election coming up on April 4th is important for the Supreme Court race. Literally what kind of society Wisconsin will be is at stake. Will we return our progressive roots or continue undemocratic and uncivil the politics of the lat 14 years?
But there are also three other items on the ballot that voters need to know about. The first and second are proposed constitutional amendments regarding cash bail. The third is an advisory referendum asking the public's opinion on work requirements for public assistance programs.
Why are these topics on the ballot? ...
FOR HUMANITY’S SAKE – SEE THE OBVIOUS
When the United States places missiles on Russia’s borders that can incinerate Moscow and St. Petersburg in 5-7 minutes, and Russia does not place any missiles near US borders, it is the United States that is being “aggressive.” Not Russia. This is obvious. But the Orwellian message that has been foisted on Americans by all major media for years has been: “Russian aggression!” “Russian aggression!” “Putin is a monster!”
When the United States spends $5 billion in 2014 to orchestrate a violent coup in Ukraine to overthrow the democratically elected ...
Shameless
A peculiar thing about gerrymandering is its shamelessness. Its shamelessness is underrecognized and underappreciated in the sense of refusing to see itself for what it is, how proud it is of its morality. Its very morality exudes shamelessness.
But how did shamelessness get to be so moral?
Gerrymandering is inherently undemocratic. It stacks the electoral deck. Wisconsin is so thoroughly stacked as to be a scientific experiment in political engineering.
What can possibly justify a deliberately imposed constriction of a more inclusive and participatory democracy...
Freedom Is On The Ballot
“Whoever wins this election will determine whether our freedoms expand in Wisconsin, or whether our freedoms shrink in Wisconsin.” Matthew Rothschild, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
“The Wisconsin Supreme Court spent its 2021–22 term systematically weakening our democracy...[with rulings] that had dramatic implications for how our vote counts and how our government works.” Law Forward, in a November 2022 report.
Who wins the the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 4 will determine the ideological direction of the court for years to come. Whether the ...
Republican’s Flat Tax Nothing but a Boondoggle for the Rich
Wisconsin’s Republican leaders just can’t help themselves.
In November voters rejected a flat income tax when its proponent, Tim Michels, lost to Gov. Tony Evers. However, schemes to make the rich richer are the GOP’s trademark, so now Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu has proposed eliminating the state’s mildly progressive income tax and replacing it with a 3.25% flat tax by 2026.
No matter how they try to package it, the flat tax would accomplish only two things: drastically deteriorate our quality of life in Wisconsin and, yes, provide a windfall ...
DEAR LEGISLATORS
“Unchecked militarism is the fatal disease of empires.” - Historian Arnold Toynbee
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town ...
Democracy and Political Violence
“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his book “Strength to Love.”
Driving to Green Bay recently I noticed a number of billboards that said “Thank a cop.” That part of Wisconsin being staunchly right wing, one would assume this message was a reaction to Black Lives Matter protests and efforts to make police more accountable for excessive use of force against minorities.
We were driving through a snow storm and it occurred to me that ...
THE WISDOM OF NIKITA
Older Americans remember well the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The then Soviet Union had placed nuclear armed missiles on the island nation mere minutes from being able to destroy most major American cities, including Washington D.C. and New York. As a sovereign nation, Cuba, like Ukraine today, had every legal right to have Soviet missiles placed within its borders.
Of course, these Soviet missiles were an existential threat to the U.S. and President John F. Kennedy was left in an impossible situation. No matter the international legalities, under no circumstances was ...
Crime and Too Little Punishment
“Some men rob you with a six-gun – others rob you with a fountain pen.” Woody Guthrie
“Do the math. Far from a deterrent, multi-million dollar fines are a minuscule cost of doing business...million dollar fines on billion dollar profiteering won't deter it...” Jim Hightower on fines for illegal behavior in the meat packing industry.
Last week I wrote about corporate crime and how it is more prevalent, more costly, and more harmful to society than ordinary street crime (like murder, assault, robbery or rape). This week we look at ...
Corporate Crime
“The irony is that the nation I live in, once a beacon of democracy for my parents, is now dominated by corporations that value profit over people, safety and well-being,” Marta Tellado, CEO of Consumer Reports. Her parents fled Cuba in 1961.
Crime was a major issue in the recent election. According to the Republicans “crime is skyrocketing” and honest citizens are living in fear of widespread violent crime. “Criminals are “wreaking havoc on American cities” said Rep. Tom Tiffany despite his mostly rural northern Wisconsin congressional district having ...