276 results for author: Phil Anderson

News Items You May Have Missed

Citizens United at 13 This year marks the thirteenth anniversary of Citizens United. This decision by the U.S. Supreme Court ended a century of restrictions on donations to political candidates. It allowed, corporations, other groups, and individuals to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections. The only limitation was they couldn't coordinate directly with a candidate's campaign. The result was an avalanche of $4.5 billion dollars in the decade following the 2010 decision to buy elections. Most of this money was donated by a few super wealthy individuals. “Our politics should not be a tug of war between billionaires on the right and ...

Ignoring the Lessons of Past Mistakes

Wars are a sink hole for tax dollars. This is well known and one would think Congress would take steps to prevent waste, fraud and corruption with spending on Ukraine. But this is not the case. In July, Senate Democrats blocked creating an inspector general to oversee spending for the war in Ukraine. Congress has so far authorized $113 billion in spending for Ukraine. John Sopko, the former Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, says “If that much money is coming in, you know some of it is going to be stolen...” Even more of it is going to be wasted or simply disappear in to the fog of war. The Pentagon's has an abysmal record ...

Everyone Benefits From Unions

"Where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden freedom is lost." President Ronald Reagan. “United we bargain. Divided we beg,” Service Employees International Union slogan. “We all do better when we all do better,” the late Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota. Everyone doing better involves collective action and win-win solutions. This is what collective bargaining by unions is all about. It is democracy applied to the workplace. Ronald Reagan's statement is true even if spoken disingenuously by a union busting politician. We are all better off because of unions. Even if you have never been represented by one, unions have made ...

Danny Haiphong

https://youtu.be/AS44mvuo7Ow?feature=shared

Tiffany Song and Dance

“I hope you are enjoying the summer heat.” Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI). This is the opening line in Tiffany's August 11 email newsletter. Wisconsin is suffering from unprecedented heat. Almost all of Wisconsin is experiencing drought. Parts or the state – including Tiffany's northwestern district – are in “extreme” drought with the south shore of Lake Superior having “exceptional” drought (the National Weather Service's highest category). Where I live in Douglas County is 6-9 inches below normal rainfall. Given these facts, Tiffany's statement is particularly glib and insensitive. One assumes Tiffany was downplaying our extremely hot, ...

Learning From Finland on Public Education

“Finland is leading the way because of common-sense practices and a holistic teaching environment that strives for equity over excellence.” World Economic Forum, “10 reasons why Finland's education system is the best in the world,” September 10, 2018. “We prepare children to learn how to learn, not how to take a test,” Finland’s head of the Ministry of Education and Culture (a former teacher). Finland does not do standardized student achievement testing like in the United States. Finland is a world leader in education. For many years Finland has been recognized for having among the best public schools in the world. Finnish students ...

Quality Schools for Wisconsin

“It takes a village to raise a child,”  an African proverb. The problems facing Wisconsin's public schools are complex. There are no quick or easy fixes. But neither are the problems insurmountable. Like with many issues the problems in education are solvable. We have the knowledge and resources to make needed improvements. We lack the will to make it happen. Many of these problems are structural. They are the result of the outdated educational system and funding mechanisms. I am not a expert on education but I have a lifetime of being a student, adult learner, an an instructor in a variety of work settings. This article reiterates these ...

Reasons to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

“The likelihood of a nuclear catastrophe is greater today than during the cold war, and the public is completely unaware of the danger.” Former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry “American leaders have declared that nuclear weapons will remain the cornerstone of US national security indefinitely. In truth...nuclear weapons are the sole military source of our national insecurity. We, and the whole world, would be much safer if nuclear weapons were abolished.” Rear Admiral Eugene J. Carroll, USN (Ret.)   Nuclear Weapons did not go away with the end of the Cold War. There are still an estimated12,500 warheads owned ...

Wisconsin Budget Woes

“I see a gun constantly aimed at our feet, wondering when our next self-inflicted wound will occur...” Kirk Bangstad, small business owner and political activist. Mr. Bangstad was talking about education funding in the state budget but his comments apply to the rest of the budget and the budget process itself. Too often the important, long term investments needed by the state and the people of Wisconsin are lost in the political wrangling and ideological power struggles. Governor Evers and the Republican controlled legislature are busy maneuvering to achieve competing, mutually exclusive goals for state's spending priorities. Governor Evers ...

Wisconsin Education Issues

Education is an essential component of modern societies. It is self-evident that virtually everything in our current social, economic, political, and technological world is impacted by education. Given this obvious reality, it is inexplicable to me that education – especially universal public education – is under attack in so many ways. Funding for K-12 schools, tech colleges, and universities is inadequate and being eroded by inflation. Students are being expected to pay for higher education with student loan debt. School “choice” and vouchers divert public money to private (mostly religious) schools with no gain in academic achievement. ...