OK.. so he's won bigger awards in the past...

That fact notwithstanding, This liberal blogger wins the second edition of my weekly "Different Take" of the week award.

To shrink or not to shrink...

Reversing it's direction for the 423rd time in the last few months, the Waukesha County Board has decided NOT to take the issue away from the Waukesha Taxpayers League and deal with it themselves. The Spring City Chronicle has done a great job of updating the issue on a daily basis. A couple of thoughts...

• For the political junkie, this is the best of all scenarios. The Board has basically thumbed it's nose at the WTL. After years of inactivity, the taxpayers league has become a force again lately with a series of huge wins. A lopsided defeat of a school referendum and numerous wet, sloppy kisses from the newly elected County Executive both preceded the County Board issue. The fact that the Board almost acted to reduce the number of Supervisors out of fear of a binding referendum speaks volumes to the newly found political capital of the WTL. Can they get 11,000 signatures? Even with talk radio carrying their water, THAT'S A LOT OF SIGNATURES! We will soon find out.
• From a personal point of view, the idea of a referendum interests me. I'm not quite as sold as the rest of the blogosphere that downsizing is the right answer. On one hand, 35 members is a whole lot of members. I've never sat on a committee or worked with a group that large that didn't have to work to get ANYTHING accomplished. On the other hand, do we want to lose another level of government? The Federal governement has long been beyond the reach of the ordinary citizen to make his voice heard. Several years ago, we lost our State government as well. When was the last time you contacted a State official and didn't get a form letter in return? On the local level, however, government is still within the reach of the ordinary citizen. Call or write a letter to your local trustee, school board member or supervisor and more times than not, you'll get a response. Not a canned version but , in many cases, a real conversation. Will a smaller board representing a larger number of people result in us losing government at the County level as well? That's probably a stretch but it is certainly moving in that direction. It also helps to explain why the most powerful special interest group in the county is so hell bent on lowering the number to 11.
• Why did Jim Dwyer vote for the reduction in committee and vote against it at the full board?
• Will anyone ever talk about the issues that would actually bring about a more responsible county government in Waukesha? Forget the size of the Board... or whether we should have a County Executive...why aren't we as citizens demanding that meeting be held at night when most of us could attend and exercise our right to free speech and why aren't these meetings on TV? Those two changes would bring needed accountability to the citizens, not a particular special interest group.

The next six weeks should be interesting...

Waukesha County Board debate... from the blogger's own mouths

The next four days will be interesting for political junkies to observe the going ons surrounding the debate over reducing the size of the Waukesha County Board. Before I give my take, I thought it would be interesting to look at the development of the story, from a blogging perspective.

The debate began when the Legislature and Governor Doyle agreed to make it easier for boards to reduce their size by lifting some of the restrictions previously mandated. Jenna at right off the shore comments on the bill signing and Vrakas' interest in taking advantage of it.

The idea quickly took off. Milwaukee Talk Radio spent time on it and then James gives us a hint that the County Supervisors aren't going to go along with the change quietly. As with any story that receives time on the radio, politicians begin to fall all over themselves to pose for holy pictures in support of the idea.

The debate of the issue officially begins. A conservative surprises many by arguing against the proposal. A liberal agrees. One of the giants in the blogosphere joins in and lays the foundation for supporting the downsizing.

Dean fills us in on the proposal that County Executive sends to the Board. The supervisors, not suprisingly, react with anger and threats to the Executive.

As the rhetoric between Vrakas and the Board escalates, so does the public debate. Talk radio predictably begins personal attacks on the Supervisors, calling them "hacks" and "incompetant". The bloggers ratchet up their posts.


Mike fills us in on the next big turn in the story, a split between two special interest allies. Patrick clears up the split with an explanation of the Waukesha Taxpayers League's referendum plans. Meanwhile, the belittling continues.

Patrick slips farther into whatever world he is living in.

A few detractors of the change do remain. A voice from the North talks of their bad experience with downsizing and a local newcomer to the blogging world speaks out against the idea without fear of reprisal. Strangely, a few days later, he stops writing altogether. Hmm....

The debate takes a turn again when conservative stalwart CRG speaks up against the downsizing. The response was swift. Charlie Sykes says the group's 15 minutes of fame are over. The very next day, James explains to us that all is well again. Perhaps Mr. Kliesmet read Charley's marching orders wrong.

Tim Rock joins the pitiful game of personal attacks with a pathetic picture. No, I didn't laugh.



Patrick regains his senses long enough to inform us that the County Board is beginning to sense that the writing is on the wall. Mike, James and Patrick call for renewed efforts to get signatures before the Board can act.

Meanwhile, Grumps wonders why he is being recruited.

Three hours of reading. So who is right and who is wrong? I'll give my take... soon.

Walker out

Jim Doyle's chances for re-election took quite a hit today as Scot Walker dropped out of the Republican primary. Walker claims it is a fundraising issue while Xoff and Dennis York are finding the Wisconsin appearance of RNC Chair Ken Mehlman this week too coincidental. The payoff must be big because Walker spared the Republican party a bloody 6 months. Either he is the most loyal party man in the State... or the RNC found his price. Chances are these two are on the right track.

However... two words keep coming up in the back of my mind...






Tommy Thompson??

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!!!

Yes, I'm fully aware that anyone who reads this will see through the rather veiled attempt to increase readership of my blog through this ridiculus award. But this "one reader a week" stuff is starting to hurt my feelings. So, without further ado...

The first ever winner of the "Different Take of the Week" goes to this blogger

Teacher movement

Here are some fascinating statistics on a subject worthy of debate from both sides of the political spectrum. This is the stuff we SHOULD be talking about...

And they're off...

Frank Goodwin, a Pewaukee school board member and Rich Zipperer, an aide to Jim Sensenbrenner, appear to be the first official candidates for Scott Jensen's vacated seat.


Hat tip to the Pewaukee Patriot.

I'm missing the point...

Patrick from Badger Blogger comments on the lack of accountability in public schools. Let's see... we have a law in No Child Left Behind that demands that ALL children will test at the proficient and advanced range by 2014 or be deemed in need of improvement. A demand, by the way, that all school districts will ultimately fail to meet. Yet, this somehow isn't accountability...

On one hand, the anti-school crowd argues that voucher schools can't be handicapped with government regulations. "Let the parents be the judge of whether the choice schools are working." On the other hand, us public school parents are apparently too stupid to make those same judgements. So our schools get saddled with NCLB.

A little consistancy would help me, guys...