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4/29/2010
Why La Follette deserves to keep his job
This is too much. Long-ensconced Secretary of State Doug La Follette (Dem) is asking you to re-elect him to his post after 32 years on the job. According to the Blue Book, La Follette is single, holds multiple degrees, including a Ph.D., in chemistry and lists memberships in the American Solar Energy Society, the Audubon Society, Friends of the Earth and Phi Beta Kappa.
In the press release announcing his re-election bid,La Follette said that during the past several of [sic] years he has:
* Taken steps to guarantee preservation of important, historic public records in a stable, accessible format.
* Created an office website to provide quick and easy access to frequently requested forms, information and links.
* Redesigned the Office of the Secretary of State’s phone system to provide a personal and efficient response.
* Improved service to the public by implementing modern office and computer systems designed to improve service to the public.
As Chair of the Wisconsin Public Lands Board, La Follette work [sic] to protect Wisconsin’s resources for our children’s future by managing the people’s land using sustainable forestry practices. After 32 years, this is the best of the best, Dancing with the Stars, grand accomplishments for you, the citizens of Wisconsin. You paid La Follete $68,556 plus a whopping pile of benefits to redesign the phone system, create an office website and encourage sustainable forestry practices. In addition to all of that, La Follette supervises a whopping 7.5 employees – and by the way, has a department budget of over $1.5M.
Ok. Mine is a common refrain and La Follette’s office a common whipping boy for the smaller government crowd. But folks… it’s time. When will we get the message that perhaps this is one tiny step to trimming state government? Redesigning the office’s phone system?
According to the Blue Book:The Office of the Secretary of State performs a variety of services for state government and Wisconsin municipalities. Wisconsin’s Constitution requires the secretary of state to maintain the official acts of the legislature and governor and to keep the Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin and affix it to all official acts of the governor. How did all this come about?The 1836 congressional act that organized the Territory of Wisconsin provided for a secretary of the territory to be appointed by the President of the United States. This office was the forerunner of the post of secretary of state created by the Wisconsin Constitution. Delegates to the constitutional conventions of 1846 and 1848 determined that the secretary of state would be a constitutional officer. …. In the early days of statehood, the secretary of state personally performed a broad range of duties that are now delegated to the specialized departments of the executive branch. If the legislature can fool with legislation that would name a state microbe, couldn’t they put together a constitutional amendment to eliminate Wisconsin’s Secretary of State?
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Jo - "a state microbe..."
You could not have come up with a more suitable comparison. I love it!
Andrew Ellis (Thu Apr 29 08:38:32 2010)
While of us are working harder and
leaner, the State continues with these
high cost, useless offices and titles.
It is time for a house cleaning, or
maybe the appropriate word is downsizing
???
(Thu Apr 29 12:00:32 2010)
Jo: You are right on the mark. This office is completly useless. Let's get rid of it, constitutionally, of course. I loved the analogy of the state microbe! But seriously, that is a lot of money for such ridiculous self-imposed duties. It is no longer a necessary office.
Babs (Thu Apr 29 12:34:49 2010)
Yes that office been useless for a long time. That`s why I am running to change that. As your Secretary of State I will make sure that everybody that votes will show an ID and I would work to help clean up voter fraud. And I will go around the state working with the people of the State. The North west of the state gets no info about Wisconsin. And I will cut from 7.5 to 4.
David (Thu Apr 29 17:43:41 2010)
Get a haircut and get a real job.
Artie (Thu Apr 29 20:25:14 2010)
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