Wisconsin Clean Elections Coalition

Promoting fair elections for all parties and independents

eNewsletter #13

(May 27, 2006)

 

This is a periodic newsletter on election and health care reform. If you wish not to receive it please unsubscribe at the bottom and accept my apologies for the intrusion.
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In this issue:

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1) Irresponsible and Obscene 

2) www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org Goes Public

3) Health Care reform

4) Tidbits

5) From the Capital Times, On SB1

6) Give me a break

7) Book recommendations

8)  Contact Information

9)  Removal instructions
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Please do not respond to this email address. It is used for cleanup purposes only. Please use jelohman@gmail.com

 

1

Irresponsible and Obscene

 

Like the Bush administration’s previous tax cuts, the latest cuts will largely benefit those who need it least.
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By Robert B. Reich

Here we are six months before a mid-term election, with polls showing only about 20 percent of the American public approving the job Congress is doing. Small wonder. The federal budget deficit is still out of control. We’ve got a war going on that’s not going well, and the military is spending over a half a trillion dollars a year. Meanwhile, public services are being slashed. So what’s Congress about to give us? A $70 billion tax cut.
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The tax cut would be politically irresponsible, but not obscene, if it were going to middle-income workers now facing sky-high fuel prices and soaring health-insurance costs, and variable-rate mortgage payments heading through the roof.
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See the complete article at http://www.prospect.org/web/printfriendly-view.ww?id=11505

 

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www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org To Go Public

 

Embargoed until:

June 1, 2006

 

New Web Site Aims to Clean House at Capitol

ThrowTheRascalsOut.org seeks to ignite grassroots movement to replace all state legislators

Milwaukee - A new voter website, www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org has been launched to give the voters fed up with corrupt politics a louder voice, and specifically promote "term limits on demand" – a voter-driven movement to remove state lawmakers from office.

The web site takes aim at those state legislators who have refused to vote for meaningful ethics, campaign finance and health care reform.

"The people are mad as hell and don't want to take it anymore, but up to now most seemed convinced there was no alternative to just taking it," said Jack Lohman, the web site's founder. "It's time that we create an alternative."

Lohman says people understand there's a problem. But they need convincing that the problem can be solved, he said, adding he hopes his web site can help empower people to take matters into their own hands.

"They know that because of our moneyed political system, our state ranks as the third-highest taxed state in the country. Taxpayers are paying dearly for allowing special interests to fund the elections. They are getting a raw deal, and they know it. Now it's time for us citizens to do something about it."

"Ethics in Wisconsin government is in the toilet," says Lohman, a retired business owner who spent 25 years in the health care industry. "It just boggles my mind that legislators are so willing to have this dark cloud hanging over their heads when they go home to tuck their children into bed. Six of their colleagues are now convicted criminals. But they keep playing the game the same way their convicted colleagues did. Will they ever learn?"

Contact:

Jack E. Lohman, Director
www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org
414-477-8686
jelohman@gmail.com

 

 

3

Health Care reform

 

Government-Funded Care is the Best Health Solution -- Multiple Insurers, Multiple Plans Create Expensive, Draining Hassle -- April 18, 2006 ---- See: http://tinyurl.com/gcd89 - Write to Dr. Benjamin Brewer at:  thedoctorsoffice@wsj.com (This is an excellent article from a physician fed up with the current system.)
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Outsourcing Your Heart?  Elective surgery in India? Medical tourism is booming, and U.S. companies trying to contain health-care costs are starting to take notice (An excellent piece, especially for employers and the self-insured http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,1196429,00.html)
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The 4th Street Forum had an excellent panel on May 25th discussing the four proposals for health care reform in Wisconsin, plus follow-up questions from the audience. If I had to sum up the best questions into one, it is essentially “With the health care interests giving $1.4 million in campaign financing to block health care reform, what makes any one of you think your proposal has a chance of passing?” Representative Curt Gielow’s aide, who was sitting in for him, said that was off the subject and didn’t even want to consider campaign reform as a sticking point. With Gielow being a Republican, I can understand why. But we all know it is the only thing standing in the way of an intelligent decision by the state legislature. For those interested you can see the various plans at:

 

Coalition for Wisconsin Health: Dr. Linda Farley, www.wisconsinhealth.org/wiplan.html

Wisconsin Health Care Partnership Plan: David Newby, AFL-CIO, www.wisaflcio.org

Wisconsin Health Plan, David Riemer, www.wisconsinhealthproject.org/plan/index.htm

Governor Doyle’s plan: www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov

 

 

To be advised by email of future 4th Street forums, go to http://www.milwaukeeturners.org/fourth-street-forum/

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I’ve also written on the single-payer plan that Dr. Farley presented: See http://www.throwtherascalsout.org/health_care.htm and the associated links at the top of that page.

 

I’d also encourage you to ask: Why do we have corporations providing health care. See http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/09/05/editorial4.html?t=printable

 

 

 

4

Tidbits

 

So, Bush signed another $70 billion tax giveaway, and enough Democrats-on-the-take signed on to allow it to happen? Where are their heads (or pocketbooks might be a better question.)? They will never retake congress at that rate. I have nothing against tax breaks going to the right people at the right time, but they mostly go to the very rich people that don't need them. I've always maintained that if this generated a "trickle down" effect and boosted the economy, can you imagine what would happen if we just eliminated their taxes altogether? Or if we just all banned together and each wrote a $5000 check to our favorite CEO and let them trickle it back down to us? First, I haven't gotten any takers on the latter idea, and secondly, these guys don't reinvest in America, they invest where they can make the most profit. Lastly, this is not the time to be giving away resources, except to reimburse campaign contributors, and if my kids and grandkids are as smart as I think they are they are not going to be very happy with the bill my generation leaves them. 
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Herman Holtzman, a long-time campaign reformer in Madison, offers this brief overview of the advantages of full public financing of campaigns. See it at www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org/Holtzman_Case_for_full_public_financing.pdf  
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CTJ Analysis: The ink is barely dry on the latest federal tax cut-- but Congressional tax writers are already moving to enact a raft of additional tax breaks, mostly for corporations. Meanwhile, Republican leaders have moved into "spin" mode, and are frantically trying to describe the latest capital gains and dividends tax breaks as something other than a $70 billion sop to wealthy campaign contributors. A new CTJ analysis shows how they're fudging the numbers.
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CTJ Analysis: Estate Tax Vote and Costly Refund: After the Memorial Day recess the US Senate is expected to vote on further cuts in the estate tax. For a stark reminder of why the estate tax was enacted check out this CTJ release describing the growing inequality of wealth in America. For more information on estate tax facts versus fiction, read this report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Even as Congress debates whether estate tax repeal is affordable, there's more bad news for the federal budget: the Treasury Department says it will refund $15 billion to consumers for collecting certain taxes on long-distance phone calls.
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People’s Legislature in Milwaukee – Join the Milwaukee group and help move reform ahead in Southeast Wisconsin. Contact Jerry Fredrickson at bikehead@execpc.com for dates and times.
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From WDC on Internet Neutrality: Back in mid-April, the Democracy Campaign urged E-Lert subscribers to contact members of Congress in defense of a free and open Internet. Yesterday, the movement to keep the Internet free of Big Brother gatekeepers and virtual toll booths won a major victory when a bipartisan majority of the House Judiciary Committee passed the "Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006" – a bill that protects so-called "network neutrality."  For more information on Internet freedom, see SavetheInternet.com and Free Press. Another good source is Save the Internet's blog.  If you have not already signed the online petition to save network neutrality and preserve a free and open Internet, you can do so by going here. (Note that this is just one hurdle of many, and the moneyed Telecom interests will take this as a sign to increase their contributions. This battle is far from won.)
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www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org is now official, but it still needs data. I know my congressman but I don't know yours and don't have the resources to dig into the 132 state representatives and eight US Reps, so if you can help provide the data I'll get it posted. As an example please look at http://www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org/USrep-5-Sensenbrenner.htm which came together with the help of Les and Jeanne Nakamoto of Grassroots NorthShore. 

Note Sensenbrenner’s Town Hall Meeting schedule:

Tuesday, May 30
7:00pm Delafield City Hall

Wednesday, May 31
7:00pm Brown Deer Public Library

Thursday, June 1
7:00pm Pewaukee City Hall

Sunday, June 11
7:00pm Hartland Village Hall

Sunday, June 25
7:00pm Thiensville Village Hall

 

 

5

From the Capital Times

 

Terri McCormick: Ethics reforms would help taxpayers

A letter to the editor

Dear Editor: Wisconsin residents don't need a reminder that we are among the highest-taxed people in the nation we experience it every time we cash our paychecks or fill up our gas tanks.

But if we are going to talk about taxpayer protection and revenue controls, we need to discuss the reasons for our high spending levels in Madison.

Consider:

• Current legislative leaders raised $765,893 for their campaigns last year while the budget was being debated and passed.

• Campaign contributions have more than tripled over the last 12 years. Not surprisingly, state spending from the general fund doubled over the last six years.

• On the same day the Legislature killed an ethics reform bill, it changed the Assembly calendar allowing solicitation from lobbyists just in time for this fall's elections.

• Last session, the Legislature passed $800 million in unapproved highway projects within weeks of a fundraiser hosted by state road builders.

• Special interest tax breaks now cost every Wisconsinite over $1,000.

Look at just a few examples from Wisconsin's budget, and it becomes clear that if we truly want to protect taxpayers, we need to change the behavior of politicians and lobbyists and end "politics as usual."

Here are a few solutions: Ban fundraising during the state budget process. Ensure every bill gets a fair hearing and up or down vote. Finally, create a Government Accountability Board as proposed in Senate Bill 1 to enforce the laws that are already on the books.

There is still time to hold a special session to clean up our act. I urge you to contact the Assembly leadership and ask for an extraordinary session on ethics reforms and SB 1. Wisconsin taxpayers literally can't afford to wait much longer.

Rep. Terri McCormick
56th Assembly District
Appleton


Published: May 23, 2006

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/letters/index.php?ntid=84842&ntpid=2

 

6

Give me a Break!

 

For those who have computer problems and don’t want to take it to the shop, for $100 per year (or $50 every six months) you can sign up to www.experts-exchange.com. When you have problems, search the database for others who have had the same problem and read the multiple pieces of advice given by the experts. If you don’t find the fix there, post your question and wait for the experts to respond. That usually takes a day or two, and sometimes a series of exchanges between you and the experts take a week or so. The experts are paid out of your $100 and compete for the points you’ve assigned to the question. I cannot speak highly enough about the service, but you must have at least a working knowledge of your computer. I don’t think this would work well for the total novice. A couple of years under your belt would be useful. They support all OS’s.

 

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Try these new search engines: www.exalead.com and www.factbites.com

 

And if you need an inexpensive Screen Cleaner try this: http://60gp.ovh.net/~cleanyou/

 

 

7
Book Recommendation

Read the reviews on www.amazon.com
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The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power
by Joel Bakan, Joel (ISBN: 0743247442)

 

From reviewer Dennis Littrell: The modern corporation, according to law professor Joel Bakan, is "singularly self-interested and unable to feel genuine concern for others in any context." (p. 56) From this Bakan concludes that the corporation is a "pathological" entity. This is a striking conclusion. The so-called pathological personality in humans is well documented and includes serial killers and others who have no regard for the life and welfare of anyone but themselves. But is it really fair to label the corporation, managed and owned by normal caring and loving people, in this way?  Also see their DVD at www.TheCorporation.com

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8
Contact information

Lohman is a retired business owner in Colgate WI and volunteers’ time on the issues of Election reform and Universal health care -

 

Contact: Jack E. Lohman

jelohman@gmail.com or jelohman@charter.net

Phone 414-477-8686 (cell)

www.WiCleanElections.org

www.wi-cfr.org

www.SmokeFreeDining.net

 

9
Removal Instructions

 

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