Budget Repair

Update: The situation continues to worsen.

• Democratic legislators have vacated the capitol in the hopes of preventing a vote.
• The governor has instructed that police to look for them and bring them back.
• The DNC and Organizing for America(Mr. Obama's replacement for ACORN) are busing in out of state protesters to add to an already strident situation. (There's a demonstration of civility and common sense-add to the danger of the situation by adding outside agitators to the mix.)
• Protesters have apparently gotten onto the Senate floor.
• Teachers across the state are calling in sick.
• Former Senate candidate Dave Westlake is calling for a I Stand With Governor Walker rally at the capitol on Saturday.
• Rush Limbaugh has called Madison WI, "Moscow West"
• The Socialists have chimed in for the unions.
• Mr. Obama has chimed in with his two cents worth, saying Governor Walker shouldn't have turned down the train money. (And exactly how would that have helped this situation? Unless it is Mr. Obama's contention that Mr. Walker should continue the shady accounting practices of former Gov. Doyle and have surreptitiously allocated some of that money to the general fund to make the budget look better.)
• Mr. Obama has also said that Gov. Walker's bill seems like an assault on unions. Perhaps if the members of the state employee unions hadn't spent their time over the last several years alternately whining that they aren't paid enough and bragging to the rest of us that they had lifetime security in their jobs with no worries about health care or retirement thanks to their wonderful state jobs, we might agree. As it is, not so much.

It is time for the state union employees to remember that they are citizens first and union members second. If they had reigned in their unions demands, the governor wouldn't have to. As it is, they just seem greedy, selfish and power-mad. In these days of media inspired politics, that's not the message they should want to have out there. They could have stepped up to the plate and said we offer these reductions to the state out of a wish to remain consistent in our duty as citizens to keep this state fiscally solvent.

We're all in this together. They chose to continue business as usual. This is not a republican or democrat issue. this is a common sense issue. When there is no more money, the belt must be tightened and luxuries let go.

The Wisconsin legislature will be debating the merits of governor Walker's plan to repair the budget tomorrow and Wednesday. There's been quite a bit of coverage on this plan, and much of that coverage has been negative.

Unions, for a long time, have been dictating terms of employment for many, many people, not just in the state, but in the nation. I have written in the past that it is high time that the unions were reminded that they are made up of people. People whose first priorities, as far as employment goes, need to remember that, unless there's a job available, they will be unemployed. People who need to remember that they are citizens first and union members second.

In Wisconsin, the state's union workers have had about the best benefit package available anywhere, except those offered for Federal gov't workers. They will not find much sympathy for being forced to contribute to their own retirements, much less for being forced to pay a fairly low percentage of their own Health Insurance when compared to private sector workers.

There will undoubtedly be news stories covering the plight of the poor union workers forced, forced I say, to contribute in this way to their own benefits. The facts are, as Governor Walker stated, that there is no more money. The taxpayers have no more pennies to contribute to any more largesse that might be demanded in a collective bargaining agreement with these workers. The money simply isn't there.

Not only are there no more pennies to contribute to more benefits for these union workers employed by the state, but there is no more tolerance on the part of the people of the state for watching government workers whine about benefits that the private sector cannot afford to offer.

To their credit, I have seen many comments on articles, from state union workers who support Governor Walker in this effort. Many of them are also resentful that they have been forced to be part of the union in order to have these jobs. These are the people who understand what governments service is about. These are the people who understand that they are citizens first and employees second.

The state unions will be busing people to the capitol in Madison tomorrow and Wednesday, in an attempt to communicate to our legislators their strong disapproval of this action on the part of Governor Walker. AFP will also be busing people to the state capitol in Madison tomorrow and Wednesday, in an attempt to support the governor in his attempts to rein in the spending and to restore fiscal sanity to the state of Wisconsin.

My guess is that there will be more union members than regular citizens. Mostly because regular citizens from the private sector will not be able to take off work for the day to go down to Madison and be part of a demonstration. That does not mean however, that private sector employees and other citizens cannot make a difference in this debate.

This is one of those opportunities to exercise good citizenship by contacting your state legislators and giving them your opinion. It only takes a few minutes to call and your legislators will appreciate the input on what is sure to be a highly publicized vote. This is how participatory governments are supposed to work. Participate by calling your legislators and letting them know what you think, politely please. Remember, the aides who are answering the phone are not doing the voting. Call the legislative hotline at: 1-800-362-9472. Ask for your legislator. You'll be asked where you live, and transferred to the office of one of your legislators whether it be a senator or an assembly person. I would recommend that you make note of who your legislators are, and have your call directed from one to the next.

Citizenship in a free and independent Republic is a personal duty and a demonstration that we are worthy of the freedoms we have been given in this nation.

"So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." ~ Luke 17:10

Part 6 - In State Tuition or making it harder for legitimate citizens of WI to get into college while degrading their character.

Update: The House passed this monstrosity at around 5:00 am on Saturday. Apparently having a majority wasn't enough-they felt the need to vote without witnesses. One rather believes there would have been protesters had the time of the vote been made public. It's up to us now. Call your senators folks - particularly those who ran on the democratic ticket. I have no objection to paying my fair share for government services, but this is increasing where we should be cutting and adding where responsible people would subtract.

The Governor's budget proposal contains a provision to provide in-state tuition at the UW for the children of illegal aliens. This proposal made it through the Joint Finance committee. Yes, it does contain a condition that these children must have lived in the state for 3 years, graduate from Wisconsin high schools or earn equivalency degrees here and show proof of applying for citizenship, but so what?

That's just a way of saying, if we can't catch you in three years (after tying the hands of those who would be the most likely to find and report you), you will be rewarded by allowing your children to get a reduced rate for college. How do you like that WI parents? You've worked hard to get your child to the point of college and now the governor wants to increase competition for the available spots in the freshman classes at the UW-system. This will also serve to ensure a growing population of illegal aliens as well as a skyrocketing crime rate because other criminals will be drawn to those that they may exploit.

And to whom is he giving this financial boon? To the hard working, legal inhabitants of this state who will be paying huge tax and fee increases to cover the more than 6 billion dollar deficit in this budget, if it passes as is? To the people whose car insurance premiums will skyrocket? To the people who will be watching as the state raids any funds that are not currently in use, even though they may have been sensibly designated for the purpose of covering future costs? (another proposed item in this travesty.) People whose cars are being damaged by driving on poorly paved roads because the transportation fund has been raided to pay for the general budget yet again?

NO. The recipients of this largess will be illegal aliens. People who are breaking the law by being here. People who are unable to uphold the smaller duties of neighborliness or the greater duties of citizenship for fear of being discovered and deported. People who are so lacking in character that they will raise children in a community where those children may expect nothing but a life of crime, because they are criminals (by definition) who do not have and cannot legally obtain a social security number.

Rep. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) said: "This gives children hope,".
How nice of you. It gives which children hope? Which children? The children who are actually citizens and to whom you owe a duty of protection as a legislator of this state or the criminals who have been made into criminals by parents who don't have enough moral fiber to become citizens before dragging their families to a new country?

How do you think it will affect the character of our own children to watch those citizens (state employees) who should be helping to enforce the law being forced to turn a blind eye to the law? What message does that send to them? It says:" You are worth less in the eyes of the law, because if you break the law, you will be charged with a crime." It says: "Laws are subjective. Their enforcement is selective depending on who you are." How does that give any children hope? Might I suggest you review our Pledge of Allegiance, particularly the end, you might have heard this part before - it's the part that says, "...with liberty and justice for all." Liberty without justice is not liberty - it's license.

May I remind Ms. Schilling as well as our governor that their first duty is to the citizens of this state. If you want to be nice, take your OWN money and set up a citizenship assistance agency to aid foreign nationals in becoming citizens. You do not have my permission to spend the money of the taxpayers of this state to give tuition breaks to criminals because it will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly."~Prov. 16:22

Breakfast with Sen. Liebham-Part 1

I had the opportunity to attend a breakfast with my state senator this morning. He was holding it to give some of his constituents a legislative update, okay, really a briefing on Mr. Doyle's proposed budget. A budget which contains an large number of non-fiscal items.

One of the more alarming things about this budget is that this governor, having a clear majority in both the assembly and the senate, still feels the need to include these items in the budget. It is my understanding that this practice (including non-fiscal items in the budget)is done in order to get legislation passed - or at least looked at - that would otherwise be difficult to pass. Let me say that again. Our governor, here in WI, a governor with a majority in the assembly and the senate, feels the need to include these non-fiscal items in the budget, ostensibly because even with a majority, they would be difficult to pass otherwise. There is good reason for concern on his part about passing these items. Some of them are nothing less than social engineering on a grand scale. Perhaps that is the payback for the bailout he went hat-in-hand to Washington to obtain. I hope to post a bit about the various items over the next few weeks, but for today, I want to look at leadership.

There was some concern about who will be running for office in the next election cycle. While there are a few looking at the governor's seat, there isn't anyone stepping up to challenge Mr. Feingold. This is something that interests me because I have been hearing variations of the "We need new people to run" concern across the net, but especially in the conservative camp. I find this interesting because one of the challenges I have seen in my own volunteer work of choice is getting people to step up and take leadership positions in the group for which I volunteer. These are small leadership positions and it's a real challenge to get people, so I can certainly understand the concerns I am reading and hearing about a leadership deficit in this country.

I am wondering right now if the same techniques that work to get those volunteer leaders would work to fill these larger roles. To some extent, I think they would. I think many are intimidated by the sheer unfamiliarity of the job along with the potential to make huge, horrible, public mistakes. The idea of campaigning for office is also repugnant to some.

First, I think we need to lay out the requirements for the job. That way, folks would have the same decision making process to approach a run for office as they would for any other job.

Lay out the requirements: travel; public speaking; communication skills; marketing(or the ability to recruit someone who will do that for you); fund-raising; reading and reading comprehension, familiarity with the legislative process and legalese(yes, I know that's not a word-just what grandpa and I used to call the peculiar language lawyers use to write contracts.) and etc. Then lay out the benefits in a similar manner. Is a degree required? I recognize that it may be difficult to get elected when one's opponent can point to your lack of a degree, but is it a requirement? Abraham Lincoln didn't have one.

What is the day-to-day schedule of a legislator like? It seems to me that that is something I would want to know before putting myself or my family into that life.

So, that's the first step, giving people the ability to envision their lives in that position.

The second step is finding someone who is upset enough at the current situation to be willing to work to change it, to take a personal role in changing it.

If the GOP is really sincere about finding new candidates, here's what they should do: Look at the people who are complaining the most at the current situation and wanting them to "do something". Find the ones who can articulate their concerns effectively and who can pass a background screening. Then look in that group for those who would be successful at maintaining their principles in the face of pressure and whose values reflect those of your constituency. I'm sure they can think of other qualifiers to narrow down the list if it's still too large.

Third step: Evaluate the fitness of those folks to serve. Do they have the capacity to do what's required? Can they learn on the job? Do they have the temperament?

I detest political parties, but they are good at supporting a candidate for office-they should be, isn't that what they are for? Stop whining about a dearth of leaders and go out and find some.

Fourth step: Damage control. Stop portraying candidates of the opposing parties as corrupt and evil. They may be corrupt and evil, but it's our duty, as an electorate, is to look at our legislators objectively and evaluate their performance and behavior and replace those who are corrupt and evil. It's a decision we can make for ourselves, given honest, objective reporting. Stop telling us how to think. Those of us who vote have been thinking and making decisions for at least 18 years. (I'll grant you not all of us will make good decisions, but that's the risk we take to be a free people.)

I'm not a big fan of Joseph Lieberman, but he wrote a book called "In Praise of Public Life" encouraging more people to get involved in government service. If we hold our legislators to high standards of behavior, perhaps public service will once again be viewed as service and not the fast track to corruption. Promoting the view that all government employees are corrupt does not encourage participation by those who value their good names. If you want those folks, you need to show that you are not willing to smear opposing candidates. (Presenting objective facts is okay, putting an editorial spin on those facts is not.) People of good character recognize that, what you are willing to do to someone else, you will do to them eventually and will have nothing to do with you if you are willing to engage in that sort of behavior.

"Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good." ~2 Sam 10:12