News and Politics

What would you ask local candidates?

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:41:12 GMT

What topics are you most interested in hearing about from the candidates for the 1st Congressional District, the state legislature and county clerk?

Ryan blasts Obama's economic policy

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:48:55 GMT

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, held a telephone press conference at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, criticizing Sen. Barack Obama's economic policy ahead of the Illinois senator's planned visit to Wisconsin Thursday.

Ryan said Obama's proposed tax rate increases would put small businesses at a competitive disadvantage, in a state where the majority of workers are employed by small businesses.

“This is an economic nightmare for Wisconsin,” Ryan said. “This is precisely the wrong recipe for economic growth and job creation in Wisconsin.”

Ryan also said Obama has voted for tax increases over 100 times while serving in the Senate.

Obama has a town hall meeting planned in Kaukauna on Thursday. It will be his first appearance in Wisconsin since the February primary.

McCain to hold Milwaukee summit Wednesday

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:44:32 GMT

Sen. John McCain will hold an economic summit in the Milwaukee area Wednesday, according to a Tueday announcement.

The presidential candidate is scheduled to meet with business and academic leaders at 9 a.m. at Bucyrus International Inc., 1100 Milwaukee Ave., South Milwaukee. At the meeting, which is closed to the public, McCain will discuss his economic plan.

A Clinton comeback?

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:16:14 GMT

In what was widely regarded as a make-or-break day for her campaign, Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton came away with three victories on March 4. She won Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island, while Sen. Barack Obama won Vermont.

Republican Sen. John McCain officially won his party's nomination Tuesday, with the 1,191 necessary delegates.

According to Associated Press counts, Clinton gained at least 115 delegates and Obama received at least 88. Almost 170 delegates have yet to be allocated, including 154 from the Texas primary and caucuses that followed.

Obama had 1,477 delegates total, and Clinton had 1,391. It takes 2,025 delegates to get the nomination.

Lobbyists take interest in autism issue

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:13:22 GMT

More than 30 different groups spent nearly 300 hours last year lobbying the State Legislature about a bill that would require insurance companies to cover autism treatment.

Some groups are more well known than others.

Interested Wisconsin residents can track lobbying activity related to any bill before the Assembly or the Senate to find out what groups are exerting pressure on the Legislature.

The state Ethics Board maintains a fine Web site that details lobbying activities.

Autism is one issue among many.

People have a lot to say about the autism bill that the State Senate just approved on Tuesday.

Parents of children with autism want the bill to get to Gov. Jim Doyle’s desk. Insurance companies don’t and neither do groups like the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce that say such a requirement would increase insurance rates across the board.

After Tuesday's Senate vote, some legislators told their colleagues that they have given parents a false sense of hope that something might be done about the autism bill during this legislative session.

There’s also a belief that the Assembly won’t approve the bill.

Enter the lobbyists.

Senate Bill 178 and its companion Assembly Bill 417 have generated a lot of interest from groups both for and against. Here’s a brief glimpse.

FOR

National Association of Social Workers - Wisconsin Chapter

Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards

The Wisconsin Early Autism Project, Inc.

Wisconsin Council on Children & Families

Wisconsin Medical Society

AGAINST

America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)

Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

Wisconsin Restaurant Association

"I voted" sticker envy

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:10:12 GMT

Isn't democracy great? When election day comes around, all the babbling about why you should vote for so-and-so is over and you finally get your say.

And some of us subsequently are rewarded immediately with an "I voted" sticker to announce to the world that we did our civic duty that day.

I vote in Kenosha. And every election I come into work in the afternoon wearing my large "I voted today" sticker. And every time my co-workers -- some of whom vote in various other communities -- are abuzz about it.

"Where did you get that sticker?" "How come you got a sticker and I didn't?" "I want a sticker!"

Then there are comparisons of the stickers: "Why is yours so large and mine is so small?" "Wow, in Caledonia they're 'personalized' with the village name."

The the conversation goes on -- along with the acknowledgment of how ridiculous it is.

This amuses me every year (admittedly, part if it is because they seem jealous of my sticker -- tee-hee!). But also because in the larger picture of exercising our right to vote, we still like to dwell on what's in it for us. And for some of us, our immediate prize is an "I voted" sticker.

Did you get an "I voted" sticker? Do you think they're at all important? Or is it just silly that people become fixated on them?

Former President Bush endorses McCain

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:23:39 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) - Former President George H.W. Bush endorsed John McCain on Monday, a nod of approval from the Republican political dynasty's patriarch that sends a strong signal to a GOP establishment wary of the Arizona senator.

"No one is better prepared to lead our nation at these trying times than Sen. John McCain," Bush said, standing alongside the Republican nominee-in-waiting in an airport hanger. "His character was forged in the crucible of war. His commitment to America is beyond any doubt. But most importantly, he has the right character and values to guide our nation."

McCain, in turn, said he was deeply honored by Bush's support. "I think that our effort to continue to unite the party will be enhanced dramatically by President Bush's words," he said.

Since effectively sealing the nomination when chief rival Mitt Romney dropped out, McCain has been working to convince the fickle and influential conservative base of the Republican Party to get behind his candidacy. He's seen some progress with, several high profile Republicans from the party's establishment endorsing McCain in an effort to unite the party while Democrats continue to fight for a nominee.

President Bush is backing McCain through his body language, with protocol demanding that he not swing explicitly behind the candidate with a race still technically — and only technically — in progress.

His father's endorsement, which follows one from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who is George W. Bush's brother, is a further nudge by GOP chieftains for conservative activists to get over their distaste for McCain and for rival Mike Huckabee to get out.

Without mentioning McCain's chief standing rival by name, the elder Bush suggested that he wasn't sending a signal to Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor. "I did not come here to tell any other candidate what to do," Bush said.

Bush also called criticism by the right flank that McCain is not conservative enough "grossly unfair."

"He's got a sound conservative record," Bush said.

McCain has drawn the ire of some high-profile conservative pundits and others for what they call infractions against the party. McCain twice voted against Bush's tax cuts. He pushed a campaign finance overhaul that critics said restricted their free speech rights. And, he has worked across the aisle with Democrats on issues like an eventual path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants — heresy in the eyes of many hard-core Republicans.