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6/15/2007
Wisconsin earmark-itis
Surely is a lot going on about earmarks in Washington these days. And well there should be. What a mess. No matter what your party affiliation or political bent or “un-bent,” you’ve got to be sick about 32,000 earmarks that Mr. Obey’s staff (his staff? – who’s running the show here?) has to plow through in the dark of night. And Wednesday’s compromise – now that was good. Geez.
Earmarks are earmarks because some special interest group somewhere wants something and they haven’t been able to get it any other way. And most all those special interests make sense to somebody somewhere. Sometimes to lots of somebodies in lots of places. But dang it, earmarks are earmarks because they’re dancing around (well, outright skirting) democratic priority-setting processes.
And in its own way, the same thing is happening here now that the budget has emerged from Joint Finance. Now it’s our turn for our own Wisconsin Earmark-itis.
Is that too much of a stretch? Because, here we go again.... Lots of complaints about the budget. Everybody’s got a need they want the state to fill. And the problem is, we just don’t have the money! And we’re not in a position to go out and get the money.
So now’s the time to stay extra alert to all kinds of folks crying that we’ve just got to have something that didn’t make it through the budget - or that might be removed from the budget. More money piled on. More skirting priorities. More deficits, higher taxes.
For the Cap Times, it’s subsidized child care for state workers. What? It’s the old “lack of compassion” and “it’s not that much money” arguments.
For the Journal Times, it’s 4-year-old “kindergarten-effectiveness” articles.
For the Eau Claire Leader Telegram it’s trading AP Calculus II for jewelry-making. Oh my.
Of course, in papers – and minds – throughout the state, it’s tuition benefits for veterans. Yes, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our vets. But even that commitment cannot be allowed to break the bank.
And the media haven’t even scratched the starting gate in whining about the need for more health care for more people.
The big bad news is that the state budget simply cannot – and should not – be everything to everybody. Be on the alert! Wisconsin’s own version of Earmarkitis will have tons of opportunities to raise its ugly head in coming months.
COMMENTS
Jo I hate earmarks. I wish we could eliminate every one.
Ok Gerry. Translate that fervency to Wisconsin's budget. No earmarks, but lots of special interest spending. (Granted, all spending is someone's special interest.) So let's all be on the lookout for emotional appeals that may be nice to haves - but aren't "need to haves." We cannot afford to continue to increase the budget and our deficit. JE
Gerry (Fri Jun 15 10:11:20 2007)
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