Conceal and Carry Bill Shot Down

The State Assembly just voted (2:18 pm) not to override the Governor’s veto of the conceal and carry bill by a vote of 64 to 34.

Wisconsin will continue to be a safe place to raise your families, thanks to the Assembly’s actions.

It’s Going to Be Interesting Today at the Capitol…

This is making to be an interesting day at the State Capitol. We have a good cross section of Wisconsin in the building today.

First, lots of people are here who either support or oppose the Conceal and Carry legislation, which is up in the Assembly today. No shootouts are anticipated. Then, it’s the state lobby day for the Wisconsin Library Association. That’s an articulate group going office to office to get support for our libraries. And finally, there is a large contingent of Amish here for the bill up in the Assembly to license and regulate midwives.

Also, the Senate is in today as well. Now that’s a real interesting cross section of Wisconsin.

I’ll keep you posted as soon as the Assembly casts the override vote on conceal and carry or if anything else develops.

Hidden Gun Bill Veto Override Up on Tuesday

The proponents of having hidden guns in our malls, movie theaters and other public places are hoping the State Assembly will override Governor Doyle’s veto of their bill on Tuesday. (Though at times, I could see an exception for people who don’t turn their cell phones off during movies.)

The bill, which comes up every session without success, would make Wisconsin join the other 46 states that currently have this law in some form in their statutes. Ironically, the states without the law have the highest gun safety rates per capita in the nation. That includes, of course, Wisconsin. And that's not lefty spin. That came from the NRA lobbyist!

Need a reason to oppose the idea? Just look at the Virginia legislator who, after taking the required safety course, still found an opportunity to blow a hole in his office door with his hidden gun.

Hidden gun advocates continue their push, despite the fact that seventy percent of the people in Wisconsin oppose the law. Observers say that the bill is more about creating a wedge issue in certain parts of the state (northern Wisconsin for example) to ensure GOP victories, rather than about the merits of the bill (which are hard to find).

I know I’ll get comments from gun lovers. Trust me. I get them now.

For the record, I do not want to pry your gun from your cold dead hand. And I understand everyone has a right to live the bumper sticker, “My wife yes, my dog maybe, my gun never”.
Seriously, no one is going to take away your guns in Wisconsin. Take a deep breath.

My prediction? No override, no bad law.

The Newsletter is Out!

The 78th district newsletter is out! If you live in the my Assembly district, you will be receiving my legislative update, with a review of 2005 and some predictions for legislative action this Spring.

There is also a survey attached. Please fill it out and send it in. Your opinion is important to me.

For those of you who don't live in the 78th district, I will post the newsletter to my website at markpocan.net. Look for it after Monday.

Hidden Handguns Still a Good Idea?

This will be my shortest post yet. Read this.

Do you still think hidden guns are a good idea? Thanks Governor Doyle for your veto.

Economic Good News or Reason for Concern?

The non-partisan and highly respected Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a review of the status of the state’s general fund on January 19th. The good news: They projected that Wisconsin would have a gross general fund balance at the end of the biennium of $106.7 million, up $93 million from what was originally projected.

That is good news.

One of the reasons stated for the increase was an increase of corporate income and franchise taxes. That means the economy is growing, right?

Well, yes and no. Yes, tax revenues for corporations are up. But check out one of the major reasons given, from the report:

Businesses have been able to control labor costs by scaling back benefits, primarily health care, and continuing productivity gains through investment in computers and equipment.

That sounds to me like profits are up because employees are getting fewer benefits, less health care and are being replaced by computers. And that’s good?

To corroborate my concerns, the report also shows no increase in sales tax revenues from additional spending created by a stronger economy. And, individual income tax returns are lower than previously projected.

A good economy is a nonpartisan issue in Wisconsin. But when the economy is only good for a few people and bad for more, that’s worth looking at twice. Throw in the fact that the corporate share of taxes in general is way down from thirty years ago due to the legislature never meeting a big business tax break it didn’t like, and suddenly fewer benefits and more jobs being replaced by technology are the result.

I want to know more about this trend, don’t you?

Anonymous? Curious About What You Think

Indulge me.

I know some people try to guess who might be writing certain anonymous blogs. Personally, I don’t care too much.

But help me understand. In my opinion, often if you’re anonymous, your credibility isn’t necessary high. After all, when anonymous is more credible than your own name, that doesn’t say too much for you. It’s even less credible when you don’t allow anonymous comments to your posts, even though your blog is anonymous. No tit for tat. Then again, I understand for employment reasons some might want to post anonymously.

What if the blog is run by someone who has been run out of the Capitol for sleazy tactics or a lack of potential future ex-wives? Is he still credible? Or bitter? What if someone is paid to say something, but they don't disclose it? Credible? Or should I care?

Drive-by anonymous political attacks are easy to post, but are they credible?

What do you think about anonymous blogs? This isn't a knock to all anonymous blogs. I enjoy some quite a bit. But I am curious. Please share your thoughts. Anonymously if you must.

Scandal Fever

The Capitol is abuzz with scandal. The Caucus Scandal. The Travelgate Scandal. Here a scandal, there a scandal, everywhere a scandal. Or so some hope.

There is no question that Wisconsin has received a black eye for various scandals. However, compared to most other states, we’re are still pretty clean. My legislative friends in Texas love to explain “reform” to me. Their idea of reform is that you used to be able to take ANYTHING of value from a lobbyist, including free vacations. Now after Texas reform however, if you take a trip for free, you must travel WITH the lobbyist. Reform, Texas style.

That does not dismiss, however, the very serious problems that have happened in our own state. Legislators and lobbyists (oh wait, no one is even looking twice at the lobbyists also involved in the scandals) who break the law should pay the price, period.

The newest indictment at the Capitol is Georgia Thompson, a purchasing supervisor in the Department of Administration. She is facing felony fraud charges over a travel contract. Thompson, who came to DOA during the McCallum administration, will have her day in court to make her case.

However, when you read the hype from the GOP, you’d think Governor Jim Doyle stood next to her with a gun to her head and made her do something improper. Scandal. They are so hoping for a scandal.

Let me just say this. If Governor Doyle was personally involved with rigging a contract, he will pay a price both electorally and personally. But if there are no legal dots to connect, you can’t just convict him with guilt by association. There are tens of thousands of state employees. Doyle cannot be responsible for every one of their actions if he was not involved. Remember, no one actually investigating this has made any connection to Doyle.

Here’s my beef. So many Republicans have already opportunistically made political hay out of this. They are accusing the Governor with no evidence or legal pronouncement. That is hit-and-run politics at its worst.

I just hope we also judge those who make baseless accusations as well. There may not be a legal price to be paid, but there should be a political one. That’s my opinion.

It’s Official: Republicans are Hypocrites

One week after Governor Doyle’s State of the State address, the Republicans in the State Assembly are officially on record as full of….hypocrisy.

On the Assembly floor today, the GOP majority passed AB 297, a bill by Rep. Scott Jensen that gives a tax credit to businesses in Wisconsin worth about $55 million a biennium. On a 62-34 vote, Republicans decided that they are the party of big business, and NOT the party of the middle class. Check out the fiscal note with the bill; a whole bunch of corporations will now be able to get a tax credit for something they already do, shrinking the tax base for the rest of us to pick up the tab.

For the last week, GOP leadership has put out press release after press release decrying the big spending of Doyle’s “affordability agenda”, which would cost about $6 million this biennium to help people pay for heating costs. It also included plans for more affordable healthcare and improved access to higher education.

Instead the GOP stood with their benefactors, big business. I guess the rich get down in the Cayman Islands this winter, while the middle class in Wisconsin just turn down the heat.

Addressing Feedback

Last week I asked for some feedback on what you would like to hear more about on my blog. Thank you for your responses. Some of what you offered was praise (thank you!), some were good suggestions for more lengthy topics, and several of you wanted to know more about my new puppy.

Let me start with the most important issue, my new puppy. The reason there were no posts over the weekend was that I went to Grundy Center, Iowa to pick up a new puppy. It is a ten-week-old Cavachon - a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bichon Frise mix. They are smart, have a good temperament and are alright with some absence in the house. He’s great! Isn't he cute? We named him “Che”.

Let me run down a couple of one or two sentence answers to requests I received.

* Should Wisconsin be looking at a bill to make Wal-Mart pay for their employee’s healthcare along the lines of Maryland, with a percentage payment to the state? Yes, we should look at any and all ways to make Wal-Mart pay their fair share. Rep. Terese Berceau and Sen. Dave Hansen have introduced one bill which creates a study for assessing the cost. Another option would be the Maryland model. The Governor will likely have a version he recommends given the State of the State address. And I personally like the model from a bill introduced in Arizona which simply has the state bill Wal-Mart for any employees on subsidized healthcare. Lets’ look at the bunch and find what works best for our state.

* Is the healthcare debate being done in the best terms? In other words, should we be looking at quality vs. cost, since quality could drive cost, up or down? I think the best option offered right now is the Democratic proposal to have legislative Democrats and Republicans sit down this legislative session, and by the end of the year come up with a plan to cover 95% of our citizens. It allows all options to be discussed, and that doesn’t favor anyone’s plan. I think that is a reasonable move. I support universal healthcare, personally. But I also support any measure to extend coverage and affordability as a move in the right direction.

* Could you comment on the Democratic Primary for Attorney General? No, sorry I can’t. For now, my website is linked to my state government web page and I sometimes post from the Capitol. I cannot ethically discuss campaigns - elect, don’t elect. When session is over I will reassess whether to make the sight political and move it from the state site.

* Why aren’t there more anonymous Democratic bloggers? There are quite a few Republican bloggers who are anonymous. Why there are fewer Democratic bloggers I do not know. But check out Lefty Blogs. There are plenty of good posts. Also, an aside on anonymous bloggers…I believe there is more trust with bloggers who state who they are. That adds credibility. Sometimes you have to consider the source. “Anonymous” is hardly a source at times. I'm not knocking any specific sites, but credibility is key.

I also had several other requests. People want me to keep up the behind the scenes look at the Capitol and exposing GOP dirt. Glad to oblige.

I also had several more in-depth requests like my opinions on school vouchers and a variety of economic issues from trades to taxes to unions. I also should address the issue of tax credits vs. tax breaks vs. GOP hype. Watch for those in the future.

Thanks for the responses. Give me a day or two of puppy time and I’m all yours.

The Part of Drunken Sailor Will Be Played by the GOP Today

Captain Morgan, Lt. Jack Daniels and First Mate Jim Beam couldn’t spend money as insanely as Republican legislators.

Just days after a non-stop complaint-fest over Governor Jim Doyle’s “Affordability Agenda” offered in the State of the State, the GOP keeps advancing new bills that spend taxpayer’s dollars on special interest perks. Just check my post from yesterday.

Not to be outdone, today, yet another GOP bill spending money is being circulated for co-sponsors. Republican Rep. Terry Moulton has a new bill to serve up a tax credit to corporations with workplace wellness programs. The idea, patterned after a program by Coors Brewery (when I think of beer, I think of wellness), would provide up to $2 million per year to big businesses looking for a new tax break. I mean a “workplace wellness” program.

So, once again, the state has no money for helping middle class families pay for higher education, heating bills or healthcare. But we’ve got loads of cash to pass on to corporate special interests.

Can you hear them hiccup?

Two Victories with Utilities to Celebrate!

It’s nice to wake up to good news. Having had my battles with power companies in the past, I am glad to report progress in two areas.

First, Madison Gas & Electric runs one of the dirtiest power plants in the state in the heart of my district. It is dirty simply because it’s old and was grandfathered under former discharge guidelines. MG&E has always tried to be a good corporate partner to the community, and this week announced they would stop burning coal to generate electricity in the next six years. That is great news for people living in Madison, especially the often soot-coated Isthmus! A few weeks back I joined environmental groups in asking MG&E to come up with a plan for a quick clean-up of their plant, and they were obviously listening to this and other requests we’ve made over the past several years.

And second, Alliant Energy, infamous for their non-US risky investments, has decided to sell its holdings in Brazil. I’ve been critical of this practice of offshore investments in the past, and even have a bill in drafting to ban the practice (LRB-2938). No matter how often a utility says poor investments won’t affect rates for consumers, it doesn’t add up to reality. I am glad to see Alliant take this step and I hope they will make it a practice to no longer make risky investments offshore in the future.

It sure is nice to wake up to good news when you serve in the Wisconsin legislature. That doesn’t happen nearly enough.

GOP Credibility Gap

Now don’t look too surprised, but the Wisconsin GOP has no credibility whatsoever. For the last 2 days since Governor Doyle launched his “Affordability Agenda” for Wisconsin, every Republican in the Capitol has complained about the “cost”. To them, everything is about the “cost”, even if there isn’t much of one. Of course, they only complain about costs that aren't the ones they create with a new big business tax break, give-a-way for the wealthy or any other way to serve their corporate masters.

Well, it didn’t even take a full 48 hours for the Republicans in the Assembly to show their total lack of credibility. This morning, freshman Republican Terry Moulton of the Eau Claire area sent a co-sponsorship memo for a new tax credit for information technology equipment for health care providers. But don’t worry, the amount of the credit for special interests is capped at $10 million annually.

And, today the Republican leadership in the Assembly scheduled Rep. Scott Jensen’s education tax credit for businesses bill for a full assembly vote next week. That bill costs state taxpayers an estimated $20 million annually when fully implemented.

Do they really know how to take care of the wealthy in Wisconsin or what!

But Governor Doyle, who wants to come up with some bucks to help middle class families pay for their record high heating bills and find ways to attract high tech businesses that deal with stem cell research to Wisconsin, he’s a big spender. What’s the total for his entire “Affordability Agenda” for the current budget? About $6-10 million.

GOP Credibility? Sorry, ain’t got none.

Feedback Time

My blog has been officially up for two weeks now. It has been fun sharing some of the behind the scenes things that go on at the State Capitol, stories behind the stories and other random information that I thought was important to highlight.

Now it’s your turn.

What do YOU want to read in my blog? What do you want more of? What regular features would you like discussed?

I’m open. One of the things I love most about blogs is that they are interactive. I will continue to share my thoughts about what goes on in this often crazy place. As I continue to develop the blog, however, I would love to know what you are hoping to find out more about in state government.

Want more “fair and balanced” pictures of Bill O’Reilly? Do you really ever want to read about Mike Ellis again? Do you want to see and hear about my new puppy?

Add a comment below or email me at the Capitol. Rep.Pocan@legis.state.wi.us.

Thanks.

Governor Doyle’s “State of the State” KO’s Republicans

Affordability Agenda

Governor Jim Doyle’s “State of the State” address and “Affordability Agenda” for Wisconsin’s future was so strong that Republican legislators found themselves apparently knocked out and unable to stand and applaud for much, including healthcare initiatives, college affordability and ethics reform.

It was good theater. Doyle’s vision for Wisconsin’s future was right on with strong progressive themes and strong delivery. Without repeating every proposal, let me stress a few highlights.

* Healthcare: Doyle included plans to cover every child in Wisconsin with health care coverage, expand family care to keep seniors in their homes rather than nursing homes, and reduce the cost of healthcare for small businesses and others by creating a catastrophic insurance pool.

* Education: He introduced the “Wisconsin Covenant” making college education extremely affordable to Wisconsin students who get good grades and stay out of trouble, and renewed his commitment to funding K-12 education.

* Taxes: Doyle proposed a refundable Living Wage Tax Credit, helping lift 9,000 Wisconsin families and 26,000 kids out of poverty.

* Energy Costs: Doyle asked for immediate action on an emergency heating assistance program, providing $6 million to families making under $40,000 per year to help pay for heating costs, and called for renewable energy requirements to be implemented to further save on energy costs.

* Stem Cell Research: The Governor said he wants the state to be a leader in stem cell research, capturing ten percent of the stem cell product market by 2015. He also committed at least $5 million of new resources to encourage businesses working with stem cells to come to Wisconsin.

* Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform: Doyle stood by his previous efforts for election and ethics reform, and called for passage of the original Erpenbach-Ellis campaign finance bill.

Talk about a strong agenda for Wisconsin’s working families!

Republican's Stunned

The best visual during the speech was the Republicans repeatedly not standing and applauding for positive initiative after initiative. Twenty-one times either no Republicans or only a small portion stood, while Democrats and those in attendance recognized the Governor’s proposals. It got so bad that when the Governor introduced his education muse, his wife Jessica, not all Republicans stood to applaud the first lady. Classless.

In fact, at one point when Governor Doyle mentioned Wal-Mart, a couple of Republicans applauded the retail giant, rather than applauding when the rest of us did at stopping their abuses of healthcare dumping in Wisconsin.

Strong Progressive Points

Doyle got high marks from legislative progressives with his new agenda. His themes of affordable and accessible healthcare and education, as well as his reforms for tax policy and ethics and campaign finance reform, were strong progressive themes.

Many of us knew these were the values of the Jim Doyle that took office. It’s just so hard to implement them when you start on day one with a $3.2 billion deficit.

GOP Criticism

The one universal Republican beef was the “cost” of the new programs. Well, the cost in this budget cycle is about $6 to $15 million out of a $54 billion budget, less than 1/3 of one percent.

Given that Governor Doyle has erased a $3.2 billion deficit, the reality is that $15 million is a piece of cake for the Governor to find in savings and other areas without raising taxes one dime.

And to the Republicans who whine about the costs, what about the good chunk of Republican bills you’ve passed that cost a bunch. To name a few (costs generally in this budget cycle only, with more costs in future): Education Tax Credit $9.3 million ($20.6 million per year thereafter), Research Tax Credit for Engines $1.1 million (more than twice that in future years), and Mandatory 25 Year Sentence for Child Sex Offenders $11.7 million in first two years (Up to $632 million by year 25!).

Just remember, people care a whole lot more about paying for heating costs, healthcare and education than they do getting a tax credit for engine research. Wait, they won't get that credit anyway, only your corporate masters will.

Final Advice

I hope the GOP continues their agenda of hidden guns, discriminatory amendments to the constitution, allowing pharmacists to refuse to give out prescriptions and all the other crap they’ve made their signature issues this session. I’ll take Doyle and the Democrats’ agenda any day. And my guess is so will the rest of Wisconsin.

Tuesday Morning Tidbits

* We’re back in session today, with a very light calendar due to the presentation of the “State of the State” by Governor Jim Doyle this evening. Not much to talk about regarding today’s session, but in the future look for all the insider details.

* As I said, tonight is the “State of the State”. I will post an extensive blog tomorrow with details of the highlights, lowlights (if necessary) and political spin about the speech. Also, Assembly Democratic Leader Jim Kreuser (D-Kenosha) usually puts out a humorous “Top Ten” list prior to the speech of what will and won’t be covered. I’ll post that too.

* Last week’s poll – “Who really runs the Republican Assembly Caucus?” – had some interesting results. It appears Rep. John Gard is leader in title only according to blog readers. He came in second, following former GOP leader Rep. Scott Jensen. Following them came the “Benjamins”, slang for money. Biting the heels on fourth was WMC’s Jim Buchen. Best write-ins: Charlie Sykes and Mark Belling. Be sure to vote in this week’s unbiased poll.

* Glad to see Playground Politics is not a GOP casualty yet. By the way, liked the brief "laying low, feeling the heat" subhead over the weekend.

Doyle Definitely Gets MLK Jr. Day

Governor Doyle certainly understands Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Check out the WisPolitics.com article about Doyle's speech today at the Capitol event honoring Dr. King.

“We should not enshrine discrimination in the Constitution of the state of Wisconsin,” Doyle said of the proposed constitutional amendment that would prevent same-sex marriage.

My guess is that most Wisconsinites understand it too.

Note to WisPolitics: It is not the "Defense of Marriage Amendment" unless you are a Republican operative. The amendment doesn't defend anything. Does legal recognition of same sex couple's relationships hurt anyone's marriage? It is an amendment that bans gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships according to Legislative Council staff. I hope we keep the biased language out of coverage of the proposed change.

Observations as We Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today, as we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I wanted to post some thoughts about civil rights as I see it in Wisconsin and in our legislature.

We still are fighting for civil rights for all people in the year 2006. While great strides have been made over our history, much more needs to happen to make this a discrimination-free society.

Wisconsin has one of the largest populations of African Americans incarcerated per capita in the nation. We continue to hear of racial profiling occurring, denying even the most basic of freedoms to many law-abiding citizens. Poverty, while affecting everyone, disproportionately affects people of color making the American Dream less available to all. Our cities are too segregated. And full equality is still far off for many Wisconsin residents.

The Latino community still fights for equality. This session we have seen legislation advanced that would make it harder for undocumented citizens to get driver’s licenses at the same time making anyone with a Latino surname suspect as an illegal alien. Good students can’t get financial aid to Wisconsin’s university system despite having lived here their entire lives, yet the GOP includes them when they’re needed to advance privatized voucher school experiments.

Another group of people still discriminated against are our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender friends and neighbors. Some legislators, most noticeably the GOP ones, want to put discrimination in our state constitution by making gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships illegal. In case you didn’t know, they are not legal in Wisconsin under current law anyway. Tired of hate being a regular part of the legislative discourse? Check out Action Wisconsin’s website. They can give you ways to fight the legislation to ban civil unions, domestic partnerships and marriage.

Please use today to renew your commitment to civil rights and justice for all. We have a long way still to go, but with each of us doing our part we will be victorious.

Mike Ellis Part III: "The Linguistinator"

Sen. Mike Ellis truly is a man of many faces. Two weeks ago, he was the Mike Ellis who supported Governor Jim Doyle’s ethics reform package. Then, moments later, he was the Mike Ellis who said he never agreed to support such a package. (You see, HIS package was the real “reform” package.)

Well this week, in the January 15th edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (thanks to folkbum for the link), he shows a third face. Mike Ellis the linguist.

In an op-ed piece by Ellis, he acknowledges he DID help craft the ethics reform proposal Governor Doyle offered after all, but he doesn’t like it now because Doyle called it the “most comprehensive” reform proposal in the last thirty years. It’s the use of “most comprehensive” that the newest Mike Ellis doesn’t like. He thinks other comprehensive packages have been proposed, including (get ready to look surprised) his own. So the use of “most comprehensive” is really the problem, he says.

Hmmm. Sound like manure to you?

Look, Ellis is a reformer... Well, let’s at least say he is reformed.

At one time, about a decade ago, Ellis led the Senate Republicans. Ellis was a part of the sweeping changes that empowered legislative leaders then. After those changes, leaders like Jensen, Chvala and Ellis had more powers and successfully raised money for their members and candidates.

In fact, Ellis vacuumed up cash with great skill. He raised a bunch for himself and others. I have had constituents and friends share stories with me about Ellis that would make even the most aggressive violator of the public trust blush.

But now Mike Ellis is reformed. And that is good.

I just wish I knew which Mike Ellis we were dealing with from a day to day basis. That way we might actually be able to get his help in passing any kind of meaningful reform.

And, for the record, if we would pass Governor Doyle’s ethics package, it would be the “most comprehensive” reform passed in the last thirty years. That’s a damn good start.

Freedom of Speech, GOP Style?

Word has it that the Capitol Curmudgeon blog was shut down perhaps by the GOP legislative majority after a frustration from members about critical observations of them from blogs. See the December Xoff Files blog. There were no posts for a short time, but it came back with more posts.

This week, however, it shut down for what looks like good. The link is dead. The last article was on Wednesday, January 11. Then the blog was taken down.

What's occured this week that could have been related to this? Well the GOP Assembly caucus met this week. And now the blog is down. This is the same GOP caucus who wanted to punish another blogger for their posts about a late night session.

Now, the moderate and always interesting Playground Politics blog hasn’t posted since Wednesday? Coincidence or free speech casualty?

Please say it ain’t so…..

Just for the record, here’s a copy of the First Amendment. If I had an illustrated version I’d post it for some of the legislators who need a little more help understanding blogs and free speech.

Come back soon, Playground Politics, even if you want to trash me. Your blog is worth it.

The Notable Nine: Freshmen Democrats to Watch

One of the best outcomes of the 2004 election in Wisconsin was the Freshmen class of Democrats elected to the Assembly. To the person, you have a group of committed Democrats who want to move Wisconsin forward and are anxious to work hard to get it done. I wish every legislator had their energy level. If they did, we would be in charge.

Let me introduce this notable class:

State Rep. Chuck Benedict – District 45: A retired physican, Benedict knows the health care system well, and he supports single payer coverage. Talk about an expert witness! He’s a very likeable, smart legislator who serves the Beloit area very well.

State Rep. Jason Fields – District 11: Fields works diligently on behalf of women, minorities and veteran owned businesses to ensure equal opportunity to economic development for all. He knows what he’s talking about; he’s a licensed securities broker and investment-banking associate. Not many Republicans can match that experience.

State Rep. Tamara Grigsby – District 18: As a former social worker and adjunct professor, Grigsby knows families and family law like no other. Add an outspoken attitude about her progressive values, and you have a legislator to be reckoned with in the future. Milwaukee is well served by a true advocate who knows how to get things done.

State Rep. Gary Hebl – District 46: Hebl has become a name associated with genuine likeability in the State Capitol. Gary is no exception. A private practice attorney recognized multiple times for his ability, Hebl makes a great addition to the caucus and well represents his district. Watch for him on the floor. Republicans, watch out for him on the floor.

State Rep. Fred Kessler – District 12: Calling Kessler a “Freshman” is a bit of a misnomer. Actually, Fred was elected to the legislature at the age of 20 in 1960 and served five terms. Then he went on to be a County and Circuit court judge for a span of two decades. A dedicated progressive, Kessler knows what he talks about and gets things done.

State Rep. Thomas Nelson – District 5: Nelson won the upset election of 2004, defeating a Republican incumbent. He’s smart, energetic, hard-working and a rising star. You can get tired just watching him in action. Keep it up Tom!

State Rep. Joe Parisi – District 48: As a former Dane County Clerk, Parisi knows election law better than just about anyone. No, he knows it more than anyone, period. Joe is a truly committed progressive who represents Dane County in the fine tradition of Sen. Mark Miller. Watch Parisi go far in this business.

State Rep. Donna Seidel – District 85: Seidel was the Clerk of Courts in Marathon County for 16 years prior to being elected to the legislature. Prior to that, she was a police officer with the Wausau Police department and an investigator for the District Attorney’s office. Talk about law enforcement credentials! Best part, she’s smart on crime, not just tough on it. Go Donna!

State Rep. Mike Sheridan – District 44: Janesville did a very smart thing when it sent Sheridan to the legislature. Mike is the President of his United Auto Workers local. Sheridan is committed to economic justice in the very best sense. He’s also smart and outgoing. His expertise will help working families across the state. Thank him.

That’s the group. They’re impressive. Watch for them as the session continues. They make me hopeful as a progressive, and I hope they make you hopeful too.

Green Keeps Green, Tosses Back Pennies

Boy that Congressman Mark Green is a reformer. He gave $2,000 of the over $30,000 of sleazy money he took from Tom Delay back today according to The Capital Times. What a joke.

Mark, if you really want to be a reformer, give back the $800,000 of illegal money you received from Political Action Committees (PACs) in your federal account that you later transfered to your state account that exceed Wisconsin's PAC limits. You seem fine with that form of corruption. Check out some of the illegal donations.

$2,000! Reform? Reformed corruption.

Legislation for O’Reilly, by O’Reilly

It once was that conservatives wrote legislation the old fashioned way - by getting model legislative drafts from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC is a corporate-driven organization which fronts as a conservative policy think tank, with members from big business and state legislatures. Their corporate masters write the legislation; conservatives introduce it. A simple business transaction.

However, now we find there is a new conservative legislative powerhouse in the making - FOX (or is it Faux?) News’ Bill O’Reilly. Yup, he's the “no-spin” blowhard who is always spinning Republican lies.

Case in point: Assembly Bill 784, otherwise known as “Jessica’s Law”. The State Assembly passed it on November 8th by a vote of 82-13; I was one of the thirteen. The bill makes a mandatory term of confinement for certain child sex offenses of 25 years. Sound good to you? Who likes sex offenders anyway? There’s no line building on that one.

But when you go deeper into the law, the problems are overflowing. First, the bill is opposed by prosecutors. Milwaukee District Attorney E. Michael McCann told me in detail in October why it was a bad bill. Mandatory minimums don’t work in cases like this. It is harder to get a plea deal with an offender which would expedite their getting help and getting off the street. The State Bar of Wisconsin’s Criminal Law Section agreed and voted unanimously to oppose the bill, citing additional court costs and trials as well. And, even worse, these cases often happen within a family. When “Uncle John” violates a child, the family wants him to pay a price, but 25 years is too much so they may not report the crime. The result is the family deals with it internally, and “Uncle John” is still on the prowl.

Second, the bill has the largest fiscal note of any criminal justice bill I can recall seeing. Get this, it could cost $632,744,500 by year 25, requiring the state to add 2,900 staff and build 9 new prisons, according to the Department of Corrections. You got it. This bill alone costs over $630 million dollars and reduces public safety.

So why would “conservatives” (and unfortunately a lot of Democrats) vote for this budget busting, crime enhancer? Because Bill O’Reilly says so.

Yup, back in November I did a Google search on “Jessica’s Law” and the number one response was Bill O’Reilly’s web page. Now it got bumped to number two. On Bill’s page, you can even buy a “Jessica’s Law” bumper sticker.

Some legislators like Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) LOVE getting media attention and are positively ecstatic about national coverage. O’Reilly is their modern day media messiah. And his disciple, Suder, introduced the bumper sticker bill.

So next time you see a really bad piece of legislation, it may not just be another dumb idea from a Wisconsin legislator. It may be another dumb idea from Bill O’Reilly.

Kudos to a Republican

Last week was a bad week for legislative Republicans trying to bash Governor Doyle. First, Mike Ellis flipped his lid over the support he gave to an ethics reform package. Then Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) went out swinging at the Governor over SeniorCare. But he got the issue all wrong.

Kudos though go to Fitzgerald for quickly issuing an apology for last week’s press release about 2,100 senior citizens in Wisconsin being abruptly shifted from Wisconsin’s SeniorCare prescription drug program to the complex federal Medicare Part D plan.

In the first release, Fitzgerald said, “I am appalled that the Doyle Administration would kick more than two thousand eligible seniors out of the SeniorCare program without notice.” And he went on to further trash the Administration.

However, after realizing his error – the Governor’s office had nothing to do with it - he issued an apology 45 minutes later admitting he had the wrong information and would work with the Governor on fixing the problem.

Fitzgerald is a smart pol who has a bright future in Wisconsin politics due to his likableness and his strong staff hires. I’m glad to see his reaction to the misinformation he put out in a press release was to accept fault and move on. (To be perfectly honest, I myself did the same in a press release my freshmen term in the legislature – but it took me an hour to get it right).

Now if I could only get Fitzgerald to move beyond the discrimination in the Constitution crap, he might even appeal to more than the ultra right wing of his party.

Will the Real Mike Ellis, Please Stand Up?

Last week was an interesting one for Sen. Mike Ellis. First, he falls and incurs come cracked ribs. Then he agrees to sign on to an ethics reform package proposed by the Governor and a bipartisan group of legislators. Then he “forgets” he had agreed to sponsor the package. Or did he?

Well, according to the Mike Ellis ranting on WTMJ-AM radio, the Governor’s ethics package was “B.S. from one end of his body to the other”, and he was so surprised to see his name attached to the news release supporting it that, “It just about knocked my hairpiece off.”

Graphic. Visual. But not correct.

The Mike Ellis that did agree to not only support the ethics reform package, but give a positive quote about, did so in a series of emails from his staff to a staff member of Governor Doyle’s, over a two-day period.

“I’m pleased to see Governor Doyle’s support for these initiatives,” said Ellis. “It’s essential that any meaningful ethics reform be bipartisan and the Governor’s support will go a long way toward that effort.”

That was Mike Ellis’s office’s suggestion for the quote. He was “pleased”. It is “meaningful”. I guess the “BS” part was what Ellis was offering on conservative talk radio.

So, to set the record straight, one Mike Ellis supports meaningful reform and one has issues with his hairpiece falling off.

I hope the first one is back in the office this week.

Accenturating the Positive...

I got a kick out of Accenture spokesperson James McAvoy's comments in this article from the Rocky Mountain News in Colorado. Check out these whoppers...

But James McAvoy, a spokesman for Accenture, defended the company's track record as stellar, and one built by "consistently delivering well-built systems to its clients."

"In general, the overwhelming majority of Accenture's government projects around the world are completed on budget and on time," McAvoy said. "There are a small percentage of projects that require major revisions to their schedules when changes arise after the contract is signed, but this is a small percentage."

Additionally, McAvoy said that Wyoming and Wisconsin are rolling out their voting software and now are seeing good results in the testing phases.

If "seeing good results" means blowing a federally mandated deadline, missing a Spring election statewide rollout, taking five to eight minutes to process each entry and creating software that the election clerks can't easily use, then Accenture has "good results".

You see, Colorado recently cancelled their contract with Accenture to create their statewide voter registration list for project delays and systematic problems. Kansas cancelled their contract previously. It seems only Wyoming and Wisconsin are still into missed deadlines and ongoing problems.

I won't go into great detail here today. This week I will be writing a more extensive article for FightingBob.com. Check for it.

I just wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to see this great piece from Colorado on Accenture.

Issue Focus: Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform

Every now and then, I want to share some thoughts and concerns I have on the issues we are debating at the State Capitol. I’m not asking you to agree with me. I simply ask that you keep these thoughts in mind as we go forward.

One issue that I have been especially concerned with is the lack of any campaign finance or ethics reform in Wisconsin. I can tell you this unequivocally: money taints not only major legislation, but nearly everything we do in the Capitol. It is rare that I see a good piece of legislation move forward that has not been tainted by special interest influence, especially via campaign donations. That is a sad reality.

Because of this, I have proposed in the last three sessions a bill that mirrors what the States of Maine and Arizona have in place, full public financing of elections. For a small state investment ($5-10 million), you would completely remove the influence of campaign fundraising from the process. No one can give you more than $5.00. Without a doubt, the best legislators as a group I meet at conferences come from the State of Maine, where you don’t have to put your hand out for months to get elected.

Having said that, I also recognize that there are other important measures that would go far to improve the ethical situation in Wisconsin. When Governor Doyle put his ethics reform package together, I was proud to join bipartisan support of the proposal. It truly would go far in making this a much more ethical place, AND I think it could pass in the legislature. Banning fundraising during our creation of a $54 billion biennial budget is a strong and much needed reform. Full public financing of Supreme Court elections is a great start to proving this form of campaign financing is an ethical and valid one. And, the other reforms include in the package are needed ways to clean up state government.

But some “reformers” are taking pot shots at the package, saying we should pass Plan A or Plan B instead. In my opinion, these calls are off mark and are more about passing legislation THEY advocate or get funding for, than they are about getting better government.

For example, yesterday one of the Republicans who endorsed the package decided it wasn’t enough, and instead we should pass HIS bill. Fine. His bill (in its original form before the special interests diced and sliced it) would be a fine companion to the ethics reform package, as would other bills. But reform isn’t about getting the bill with your name on it passed; it’s about moving the state forward in this area. Flipping your lid (no pun intended) over who gets credit is not about reform, it’s about ego.

I’ve proudly written columns in support of Rep. Steve Freese’s (R-Dodgeville) proposal to ban fundraising during the budget. It doesn’t matter that a real reform-minded Republican is the author; what matters is that it is a good bill.

So let’s quit deciding who is more of a self-proclaimed “reformer” or what name is on a bill. Let’s pass real reform in a bipartisan manner and not let up on asking for more in the future. It’s not a “one or the other” proposition. They can all work hand-in-hand.

You Can’t Make Everyone Happy

My good friend and fellow blogger Ed Garvey gave me some advice on blogging. “You’re going to have a hard time not pissing someone off.”

He’s right.

My very first blog got an adverse reaction for comparing sausage making to law making. A friend in Madison from my home town of Kenosha didn’t like the comparison, because her family used to make Italian sausage. There goes a vote.

For the record, I am a proud native of Kenosha. I LOVE good Italian sausage. Good sausage, smothered in peppers and onions, is one of my fondest memories of growing up in Kenosha. It is hard to find the same caliber of Italian food in Madison that I found nearly everywhere in my home town. So there, the record is clarified. I am pro-sausage.

Now I probably pissed off some vegans. Sorry.

It’s Got to be the Pain Pills....

Senator Mike Ellis has had a bad holiday season. Word is he slipped on some ice and broke a couple of ribs.

So when he joined with the Governor and a bipartisan group of legislators to support a comprehensive ethics reform package, I applauded his efforts.

But now, he seems to be undermining it to promote HIS campaign finance bill. In its original form, it was a pretty good piece of legislation that would go hand-in-hand with the Governor’s ethics reform package nicely. In its current form, he watered it down after the special interests got a hold of it.

The bipartisan ethics package goes a long way to addressing ethical woes at the Capitol. I hope Mike gets fully back on board quickly.

Mike, tell us it’s only the pain pills...

‘Corporate’ Taxpayers Alliance....

Back in 1999, I noticed that the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance was not exactly as nonpartisan as they claimed. “Nonpartisan and fiercely independent” they claim on their website: “an unrivaled reputation for accurate, objective research” they profess. Rarely, however, do they speak out against new corporate tax giveaways or other breaks, but they often rail against government spending in general, even for things like public education. After a little research, I found some rather startling results.

In 1999, seven of their fifteen Board of Directors members were either current or former members of the very partisan Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, for a total of 47 percent of their Board membership. Even more interesting, of their Board Members who made campaign donations from 1993-98 which totaled almost $137,000, 98 percent of their donation dollars went to Republican candidates, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign’s database of state campaign donations.

Non-partisan? Heck, that’s the Republican leadership circle.

As I read this December 28, 2005 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article about Governor Doyle’s property tax freeze, this quote stood out to me:

"It's not a freeze," said alliance president Todd Berry. "What it is, is a lot of maneuvering. The counties and municipalities were limited to levy increases tied to new construction. The schools' levy dropped, but only because the state paid for more. And the tech colleges were exempted."

The upshot: "a tax cut for some and increases for others," Berry said.

Given the statewide accounts of real property tax relief offered in people’s bills last December, it seems the Republicans still have firm control of the “non-partisan” Wisconsin Taxpayer’s Alliance.

Here’s the proof. Of their current Board of Directors, ten of sixteen are either current or former WMC Board members – a whopping 63 percent! And what were their campaign donations since 1993? Well, of the $292,000 donated, 90.2 percent went to Republicans and 9.8 percent went to Democrats.

That sounds like the Corporate Taxpayers Alliance to me.

But It's About Marriage, Really....

The GOP seems obsessed these days with the idea of gay marriage, or more accurately, the potential for turnout of voters who are afraid of gay marriage. The State Assembly will take action on banning civil unions, domestic partnerships and gay marriage in late January or early February.

But ask any Republican, it’s not about civil unions or domestic partnerships, it’s about marriage. So they say.

Well today, one of the more sane members of the Assembly Republican caucus, Rep. Mark Gottlieb (R-Port Washington), sent a letter to Karen Timberlake, Director of the Office of State Employment Relations, asking her why legislative staff received an email offering a state sponsored, 100% employee paid plan for dental care that was extended to domestic partners. There's no employer contribution or cost to the state.

Gottlieb asks, “Does the department have specific statutory authority to recognize domestic partnerships, and to offer tax-advantaged insurance plans to employees and their domestic partners?”

So much for “it’s really about marriage”. Thankfully, the GOP is so busy pandering to the far right that they can't keep on message and their true feelings show. It's about discrimination. I know Gottlieb lost a leadership race to the uber-conservative Rep. Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin), but he is far better than this.


And This is a Really Important Issue Too…

On a related note, a reminder to my fellow legislators who spend time in the 78th Assembly district, which includes the State Capitol. I have a very well informed constituent base who knows who many of you are. Just because you are not in your home districts doesn't mean people don't know you.

Case in point: Two GOP Assembly members were imbibing at a local Madison watering hole, and were overheard complaining about the constitutional amendment banning civil unions and gay marriage.

“I hate voting on this f***ing amendment. I hate dealing with this issue,” said one GOPer. The other, a more rabid conservative, “I hate it too.” I hope these legislators are as articulate on the floor of the Assembly during the debate on the amendment.

My First Blog

Welcome to my very first blog entry! They say you'll always remember your first…

So, why a blog? Well, you have to know a bit about my background. I graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in journalism. I worked in public relations for about 15 months before I decided to open my own specialty printing business.

Having always been a political animal of sorts (maybe that's a future poll in the making!), I eventually ran for the Dane County Board and the Wisconsin legislature, where I currently serve in my fourth term in the State Assembly. Despite being at the center of political activity, I've always missed sharing what was really going on in the midst of government: the good, the bad, and all too often, the ugly.

When "blogs" got popular, I found a way to have the best of both worlds. First, I get to work day to day in state government. And second, I can offer a bit more information than you get from the limited news that comes out of the media about state government. In other words, I can offer a behind-the-scenes look at the State Capitol.

They say the two things you should never watch being made are sausage and laws. I can't visually show you the legislative process, but I'll do my best to describe it no matter how ugly it gets.

I predict right now that some people won't like it. One anonymous Capitol blogger so upset the Republican Assembly membership after a rather frank blog about late night happenings at the State Capitol the inside scoop was that was the blogger was to be found and fired. I hope that didn't happen. But the public should have a right to know everything that happens around here, not just the sanitized version that comes from legislators' press releases. A lot that happens around here is rather interesting even if it doesn't appear in a news article or get air time. And I hope to share some of that, worts and all.

So, check back and see what I have to say. Love it or hate it, I hope you'll at least read it and think about it. If we can get people to think, we can change this place after all.