|
 |
4/23/2010
Major legislation sits in a Madison trash heap
Environmentalist Jim Rowen (leans pretty far left, but a good writer and good reporter) says it was Democrats’ wimpiness that “fail[ed] Milwaukee.”
No Regional Transit Authority legislation.
No Energy and jobs bill.
Why do we elect Democrats to run things if they have no agenda, let alone spine?
The Journal Sentinel says our elected officials just can’t handle controversial. I guess that’s the same as Rowen’s spine thing.
But as this legislative session winds down to its last day on Thursday, a bothersome trend has become clear.
If a bill is consequential and controversial, it will be left for last, with chances for approval cloudy at best. And its fate will be largely determined in previous closed-door caucus meetings. This session is no different.
That there is gridlock on many of these bills has bipartisan roots. So, all legislators should be worried about the question voters might reasonably ask after Thursday. Can these legislators govern? But this should be particularly worrisome for Democrats, with the majority in both houses and occupying the governor's mansion.
Inaction on these weighty bills is simply unacceptable.
When I talked with him yesterday afternoon, Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) said it was Milwaukee legislators failing Wisconsin.
I think for too much of this session the Democrats listened to leadership from Madison and Milwaukee in very extreme areas. As a result, the budget flooded money into the City of Milwaukee. However, finally some outstate Democrat representatives understood that not everyone who votes Democratic is a professor or a bureaucrat from the Sierra Club. That is why some of these extreme pieces of legislation died.
Makes sense to me. I don’t know how much the Democrats in the Assembly listened to Majority Leader Tom Nelson, but I would include him (and Rep. Bernard Schaber in the 57th) in the “too-radical-left-to-pass-legislation” category as well. Too radical for the state? Too radical for their districts? What do you think?
And why do you think these huge “weighty bills” died? Is it “simply unacceptable” that they did?
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Good with me - when it comes to legislation, Less IS More. I say let them pick more state symbols (state rock, state dance, state flower) and leave living our lives to us.
Let the bickering continue!
Jeff Riedl (Fri Apr 23 08:11:34 2010)
The April Fool arrived late, is this the leadership you can count on from Tom Nelson? Obviously, he could not shepherd any of these important Democratic agenda items through a seemingly bullet-proof majority, and for myself the outcome was some relief.
I also wonder what kind of voter calls came to their offices or did a shred of conscience rear it's head? Things that make us wonder and say hooray? Now had the Majority put together legislation aimed at assisting our manufacturing sector or attracting, dare I say, new manufacturing business, who knows.
Richard Parins (Fri Apr 23 08:17:56 2010)
Oh gosh, did they get around to naming the State "organism", or was it a "microorganism,", or "miniorganism" or some other differentiated animal or plant part having some very specific function that needed to be identified and be labled. Babs
babs (Fri Apr 23 10:46:48 2010)
Democrats’ wimpiness? No, the Dems are just yielding to their campaign contributors rather than their constituents. What else would you expect. And if the R's were in power it would be the same thing.
Jack Lohman (Fri Apr 23 18:47:38 2010)
Would be nice if you would list the passed legislation and the 'not passed' stuff.
s_cristaldi (Fri Apr 23 19:01:28 2010)
I remember the legislature passed a bunch of bills. And it seems to me that most of it was real legislation not the Gays, God, Guns stuff that was pushed through a few years ago under the Republicans. Sure, there was controversy about an energy policy bill and other really big things and those didn't pass. But I remember that this forum lambasted the Dems for even attempting some of these Weighty items because they interfered with the private market or other such fundamental flaws. Maybe this forum was right, they shouldn't even have attempted it and after having attempted it and not been able to receive enough support they dropped the attempt. Isn't that a good thing? I don't understand why this forum is now lamenting the loss of these Weighty issues since it seems like you didn't want them in the first place? You should be happy.
dave allen (Sat Apr 24 07:52:16 2010)
|
|
Blog Archives
| 2010 |
  December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
|
February
|
January
• Solberg: Healing After an Abortion
• Basketball fans eyeing extension of Miller Park sales tax
• Nanny sex-ed bill goes to Doyle
• A first. Village limits pension contribution for employees
• Nanny State update: Toothbrushing mandated
• Obama pushes education inflation
• WI Investment Board votes to borrow to juice up returns
• So Republicans have brought nothing to the table?
• You have got to be kidding me
• Nygren: Governor Continues Terms of Failure in State of the State
• Sen. Fitzgerald: Governor down the wrong track at high speed
• Phosphorus is the new CO2. $Billions in Wisconsin
• More Obama giveaways
• A reprimand? Would you keep him on the job?
• Burri: Sarah Palin for Prez troubles me
• Quote of the Day – Obama after the pie-eating contest
• Populism, abused and trampled
• Fitzgerald: Senate Republicans Propose Real Job Creation Agenda
• Stripped down health insurance – it’s about time
• Ok GOP, scrap the Party of NO; time to lead
• No way Feingold is a Coakley. Is Wall a Brown?
• Burri: Conservatives off the chart for a RINO?
• Paltry quid pro quo?
• Doyle says ARRA has ‘created or retained’ 44,000 WI jobs
• Does most of the public fall for this stuff?
• When you get signatures, always get a couple extra
• Blame it on the outmoded computers
• Scott Brown victory does not scuttle health bill
• 8th Congressional Candidate Forum, Jan. 25
• Scott Walker Meet-and-greet, Monday, Jan. 18
• Aren’t consumers taxpayers too?
• MORE taxes on investment income - dreadful and wrong
• Join the blaze orange army and say ‘Enough is Enough’
• The future of government-run health care
• Tax on banks is a really bad idea
• Roth, Savard on the stump, grassroots style
• Savard speaking in Appleton, 8 PM, Wed., Jan. 13.
• Rahmlow: Savard, Bies frontrunners for State Senate
• Burri: Failing Political Correctness 101
• School contracts and Race to the Top
• Senator Feingold worrisome and big red flags
• Psephological?
• This is really important. Contact Rep. Kagen. Now. Please.
• This is exactly what we need from Governor Doyle
• This guy is my hero
• Why am I not surprised?
• Talk health reform with Feingold (Th), Petri (today)
• Give the Mayor power over MPS - if he can break contracts
• Burri: Yup, Dems really are going to bypass a conference
• The $2.7 billion Wisconsin deficit no one told you about
• Walker launches county accountability website
• Rahmlow: Why is Van Hollen dodging the Nebraska deal?
|
| 2009 |
December
|
November
|
October
• The Lawton-Bader files
• Yup, it’s the TAX LEVY, not the tax RATE
• Ellis: costly automobile insurance laws must be rolled back
• If not Barrett, who?
• The subsidy game
• Burri: Bailouts, Banks, Health Care, and the Mob
• Attend Appleton Schools budget meeting tonight
• A public option WON’T increase costs? That’s delusional!
• Appleton Schools budget meeting Monday
• Wisconsin should be screaming for accountability
• Burri: If anything, we need more obstructionism around here
• WI on the leading edge - in the wrong direction
• Rep. Montgomery: Utility Customers Join State’s Crime-Fighting Efforts
• Public Conservation and Recreation Lands Total 16.5% of State
• In the crow's nest of the Titanic, shouting 'Iceberg!'
• Is Rep. Nelson a political hack?
• Health care: The road ahead will be brutal
• Kagen's pandering again
• Birthers - good stuff for you
• How much do we bend over backward for seniors?
• The trouble with health care is paying for it
• Two-parent families: The Gold Standard
• Burri: Kids... the joys and blessings
• Very, very worried about health care
• Rep. Huebsch: Wisconsin is proof government health care isn’t the answer
• School district contracts push up tax levy
• What? Obama, the Peace Prize?
• TODAY - hearing on Campaign Finance Reform
• Appleton School District tax levy up way too much
• CBO report is out - and the bill isn't even written yet?
• So, how much do YOU budget for health care?
• Burri: Copenhagen trip was amateurish
• “Sotomayor, you have blood on your hands...”
• Cap and Trade. Always follow the money
• Rep. Kagen gets (almost) free health services
• I actually agree with Rep. Kagen
• Future Wisconsin Conference for Conservatives, October 10, Wauwatosa
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
|
February
|
January
|
| 2008 |
December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
• Important votes Tuesday, including Appleton Common Council
• Democrats are becoming supply siders??
• Further debunking Hillary myths
• WEAC has created an unsustainable monopoly
• From Mark Gundrum: One of the greatest honors an American can experience
• 'Operation Chaos' working?
• Joe Martin the best candidate in Appleton's 8th
• State programs to cut? - Volume II
• Oh the naivete of youth
• Not just disingenuous - flat wrong
• Steve - you will be missed
• Make cuts only AFTER you're elected....
• Getting serious: What programs can we cut?
• Rep. Steve Kagen joining me on Jerry Bader Show today
• Rep. Van Roy: Dental Care Pilot Program
• Has Dave Obey turned the corner on earmarks?
• Speaker Huebsch: Governor turns down Federal Aid?
• Mark Rahmlow: "We're Broke."
• As taxpayers, how do we know if it's a Chevy or a Lexus?
• This is trash talk - about a veteran
• Frank Lasee: Take time to get the Compact right
• 'The Gableman Ad' - is it racist?
• Roth thankful, Kagen shaking money tree
• Gov. Doyle's office not enamored with Freedom of Information
• Governor Doyle will never do it
• Leadership on smoking ban? Not Hanna
• Rep. Van Roy speaks out about smear ads
• You're threatening me about potholes?
• Losing the Hastert seat is NOT a trend and NOT curtians for the GOP
• First suggestion for 'slashing' programs
• Big money-saver for municipalities
• More one time fixes. Nuts.
• Any chances???
• I'm doing the Jerry Bader Show, today, the 11th
• Representative Frank Lasee: Final Waltz of the Season
• Guest Blog: It's not the county's business to be in the nursing home business
• Yup, Hillary won Texas and Ohio
• Gableman/Butler race featured - and it isn't pretty
• Lies from Planned Parenthood and NARAL
• He who sacrifices liberty.....
• Duh.
• The Troha sentencing, Doyle and that $200K
• Guns, passion and "originality"
• How hard is it anyway, to shut down a government program?
• Voting is a PRIVILEGE. And so are property taxes....
• Guest Blog: Governor Doyle, cancel your Ireland trip
|
February
|
January
|
| 2007 |
December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
|
February
|
January
• Lots of ideas. No money.
• The Cigarette Tax - "Poor Policy Instrument?"
• School budget Lite?
• Frankenstein - not in the library, but in the legislature
• A librarian, a legislator, a president
• $1.25/pack - NO, NO, NO, and NO
• Kagen and Reagan in the same breath?
• Menasha: behind the 8-ball, but not biting the dust
• Any way you slice it, Wisconsin government wants (further) in on health care
• The World is Flat...what about health care?
• The PAC - too precious to fail. Day 3
• News follow-ups: Appleton West, Kagen at the White House
• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail - Day 2
• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail
• New Transit Tax coming your way
• Rep. Petri has his finger in the dike - I guess
• AASD Retirement Costs Burdensome
• Health care, health care, health care, health care
• Water rate increase was no slam dunk
• Education for all is just a bad dream
• New Year's resolutions from a parade snob
|
| 2006 |
December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
| 2000 |
May
|
|
