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January 20, 2010

The Wednesday Update

January 20, 2010  Volume 4, Number 3  IN THIS ISSUE: Flagrant Journalism; Game-Changer; A Little Rebellion

January 20, 2009 Vol 4, Number 3	Wednesday Update
In This Issue: 1. Flagrant Journalism 2. Game-Changer 3. A Little Rebellion 4. Bonfire of the    Taxpayers	A Flagrant Act of Journalism Here's one to keep an eye on: Last week, the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee postponed action on a bill that would regulate the indoor air quality of public buildings by restricting the type of products that can be used to clean them. For school buildings, the bill names an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization as the sole certifying authority for acceptable "environmentally-safe" cleaning products.  According to the Atlanta non-profit, The GreenGuard Environmental Institute, only two companies in Wisconsin hold the necessary certification to clean our schools. One of those companies, Kranz Inc., is owned by none other than former State Representative Jeff Neubauer (D-Racine). Neubauer also served as state Democratic Party chairman in the 1990’s. The bill’s author, State Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine) said there was no intention to give an advantage to fellow Racine Democrat Neubauer and his company. Intention notwithstanding, that's exactly what the bill does. Revisions to give school districts access to more choices are reportedly in the works. In the meantime, just call it local economic development. We tip our hat to Tony Galli at Madison's WKOW-27 for his flagrant act of investigative journalism.   Help Wanted: Game-Changer According to an analysis done by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), Wisconsin is on the wrong path for economic development in the near future unless significant public policy changes are made. The statewide business association recently published its “Wisconsin Jobs 2010” agenda. In it WMC says successful job creation depends on a commitment from our public officials to “act in bold ways” and adopt “game-changing priorities.” In other words, our leaders must change current policies and behaviors that make employers want to locate and expand their operations anywhere but Wisconsin. WMC offers three prescriptions: Limit government spending increases and apply generally accepted accounting standards to the state budget, instead of using the kind of accounting that lands ordinary mortals in prison; Get state regulations in line with federal regulations and those of our competitor states; Reform product liability standards and cap punitive damage awards so Wisconsin doesn’t become the nation’s magnet for entrepreneurial litigation and “jackpot justice.” In an analysis of the best-recognized business climate studies, WMC found 22 different states among their combined top-ten lists. Wisconsin doesn't appear once. In fact, nearly every study ranks Wisconsin’s business climate among the ten worst. Sounds a lot like the problems Wisconsin’s electorate recognized in the mid-1980s. Back then it was the voters who decided to “act in bold ways” by sending the taxers and regulators packing. Maybe it’s time to do it again.  “A Little Rebellion” Sometimes it’s good to remember that Massachusetts, the bluest of “blue states,” takes a back seat to no other when it comes to telling an arrogant, unresponsive, self-absorbed and sometimes downright predatory government where to stick it. That reminder came last night when history repeated itself with an Election Day sequel to the Boston Tea-Party. There is no credible way for the Obama administration, or the media, to spin Tuesday’s U.S. Senate contest between incumbent Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and State Senator Scott Brown as anything but a heavy-caliber warning shot to the proponents of socialist health care. Brown won Ted Kennedy's vacant senate seat last night by a margin of 52-47. It’s instructive to note that Martha Coakley’s double-digit lead nosedived just as the Senate leadership and the Obama administration were making it painfully clear that they don’t give two hoots what the people of this country want or need. In contrast, Republican Scott Brown promised Massachusetts voters that he would cast the 41st vote to block passage of Obama’s healthcare plan in the U.S. Senate. Simply put, Tuesday’s result spells rebellion. In a letter to James Madison over 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson wrote “a little rebellion now and then is a good thing” for purposes of establishing what American liberty will and will not tolerate. Jefferson was commenting about Shay’s Rebellion and events that occurred in …Massachusetts. Bonfire of the Taxpayers Incumbent members of Congress who have indulged in wishful thinking about the Tea Party movement cooling off will be unhappy to hear about Saturday’s rally that drew over 3,000 people to a Racine County farm field in 30-degree weather. They had a nice bonfire down at Franksville, where Russ Feingold's attempts to regulate the Earth’s climate, ObamaCare and all manner of government excess took it on the chops from a crowd unhesitant to state its belief that government is, in fact, the problem. It would be a great mistake for anyone—perhaps especially the Republican political establishment—to assume this movement is the vanguard of a resurgent GOP. What you find at a Tea Party event are people of all ages, with a surprising number in their late teens, twenties and thirties, and not a lot in common except agreement that they’re tired of being taken for a ride by the political class and its media accomplices. A political party that tries to turn this movement to its own purposes had better be prepared for some rude shocks. Republicans have a shot at tapping into this powerful current, but if there is an invitation here it must be sincerely embraced because it won’t be offered more than once. Democrats…well, maybe they can organize a Brie-Party movement.