Paul Soglin: Waxing America

Two Wisconsin House Members Voted with Opposite Party On Wilson Spanking

The House symbolically spanked Rep. Joe Wilson (R-Old Dixie) yesterday.  The Hill reported:

House members formally scolded a defiant Rep. Joe Wilson on Tuesday evening for his "You lie!" outburst after he refused Democratic demands that he apologize on the House floor.

The House passed a "resolution of disapproval," considered the mildest form of punishment for a member, by a 240-179 vote that fell largely along partisan lines. Seven Republicans voted to rebuke Wilson, while 12 Democrats voted against the measure.

The actual roll-call vote had two interesting party outliers from Wisconsin: Rep. Tom Petri (R- Fond du Lac) voted "yes" with most of the Democrats, and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) voted "no" with most of the Republicans.

Rep. Petri is senior enough and frequently is independently thoughtful enough to defy his party on some issues, particularly on one that is entirely without real consequence.

Rep. Moore, on the other hand, almost never votes with the Republicans against her party, and as an early and strong Obama supporter, was no doubt outraged at Wilson. So what was up with her vote?

Most of the other Democrats voting "no" were of the "blue dog" variety, with the exception of Moore and Dennis Kucinich.  Maybe they both wanted Wilson defenestrated (look it up).

(hat tip: MyDD)

- Barry Orton

Would You Buy A Tire Manufactured in China?

First there was the pet food. Earlier this year, it turned out that China was manufacturing pet food that was laced with melamine, which is used for making plastic.

These are same the Chinese capitalists who decided to lace the melamine into infant formula.

As I read, China files WTO complaint on US tire tariffs, I wondered how many Americans will knowingly purchase automobile tires manufactured in China.

I'd rather walk.

The right wing Neocons must love the unregulated Chinese marketplace. None of those inconvenient and expensive government regulations that protect workers and consumers in areas of safety and health.

Music Video Awards Meet WWF

In the challenge to control the hearts and minds of the American people it is clear that wrestling is winning the cultural  battle.

Now the Video Music Awards have the finest qualities of a coliseum confrontation, as people in front of both a live audience and a national television audience put their lips to a microphone and talk trash in front of the camera.

Bill Veeck, My Dad, and Cuban Baseball

This is more about Bill Veeck and my dad, Al, than it is about Cuban baseball.

 I think it was September, 1976.

I was visiting my parents and siblings in Highland Park, Illinois after a business meeting in Chicago.

I sat in the kitchen reading the sports section of the Chicago Sun Times and read that Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck was contemplating a series of off-season games between the Chicago entry in the American League and the Cuban national team.

I called Comiskey Park and left a message for Veeck:

I was the mayor of Madison, I visited Cuba last year and would be glad to assist in any way. I could be reached the rest of the day at my parents' home. They told me that Veeck was expected back at the ballpark about 5:00 PM.

I clearly left my first name.

I knew there might be confusion. After all, Dad was the only Mr. Soglin in the house.  I told my mother that if Veeck called while I was gone, it was for me, not Dad, a rabid Cub fan.

Long ago, he gave up wondering where he had gone wrong in raising a son who loathed the northsiders.

My worst fears were realized when I returned home about 4:00 PM. My younger brothers were in hysterics. They rushed to tell me about this prank phone call for Dad from Bill Veeck.

My heart sunk, and I imagined the worst.

One of them answered the telephone and summoned Dad. Later we reconstructed the conversation:

Caller: Mr. Soglin? Hello, this Bill Veeck returning your call.

Dad: Who?

Caller: This is Bill Veeck, you called me.

Dad: Who the hell is this?

Caller: Bill Veeck, Bill Veeck from the White Sox.

Dad: Who the hell is this? What are you guys up to...

Caller: Bill Veeck, maybe I have the wrong....

Dad: Which sonofabitch is this? I'll see you guys Tuesday night...of all the stupid #^%#*#)%...

Veeck: click

I summoned all the courage possible and called Comiskey Park and asked for Bill Veeck. He was on the line immediately. I hastily apologized for my family and my Dad. I explained that he was a Cub fan, and he assumed the call was a practical joke by one of his buddies.

Veeck, knowing how White Sox and Cub fans felt about the opposing teams, chuckled and said no apology was necessary - he rather enjoyed the explanation. The family differences over the Cubs and White Sox and Dad's colorful language were things he appreciated.

I told him about my trips to Cuba and their interest in American baseball. We discussed Hank Aaron passing babe Ruth on the all time home run list and the greatest Cuban hitter to play in the United States, my hero Minnie Minoso - "Minnie Minoso is not a friend of the revolution, but he is our hero and he is always welcome in Cuba."

I offered to provide introductions to Cuban officials if Veeck was interested. The White Sox owner thanked me, and said if he could get this by the Commissioner of Baseball, Bowie Kuhn, he would be back in touch with me.

Veeck never called back.

"You Lie": Right Wing Republicans Finally Tell the Truth

The effort by President Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats to build a broad base of support for health care reform was a waste of time.

The Republicans in the House and Senate are still controlled by the extreme right wing element of the GOP and so long as they refuse to accept the results of last year's election, there is no sense in engaging them in talks to gain support for a proposal they disdain.

It is time to move on.

I could never understand the concept of 'negotiating with yourself.' To make concessions and weaken a health care plan to accommodate Republicans who have no intention of voting for the legislation makes about as much sense as inviting a hateful neighbor to come pee in your swimming pool. Or your medicine cabinet.

The declaration "You lie," came from the heart. It was the honest truth as to how these people think and view the President of the United States.

If the moderate Republicans wish to participate, fine. But move on.

Health Care - The Real Story of Government Involvement: Saving Lives, Saving $Millions in Madison and Dane County

Since 2002, the black infant mortality rate in Madison and Dane County declined to the point where it is now the same as the white infant mortality rate. This well- documented decline is real and significant.

According to Dr. Thomas Schenker, Director and his staff at the Department of Public Health for Madison and Dane County, this 70% decline in the black infant mortality rate resulted for the period 2002-2007 in:

• 17 actual infant deaths rather then the expected 51.
• 29 actual extremely premature births rather than the expected 74.
• a short term savings for medical and hospital charges of $165,032 per infant for a total savings of $7,426,440.

There are additional savings in the tens of millions of dollars in reduced medical expenses for those surviving children, as well as significant reductions in costs for special education and related services.

Medical experts recognized that there were no specific medical interventions that took place during the period of this significant decline in infant mortality.

In 1989, the city of Madison Public Health Department wanted to open a third clinic to compliment the central facility at the City-County Building and the East Washington site.

We decided to do more than a clinic. The department, headed by Pat Gadow, collaborated with other agencies to provide a compendium of services designed to enhance the family.  It resulted in the South Madison Health and Family Center which grew into Harambee and all the service providers at the Villager Mall. As neighborhood residents utilized the facility, the health providers stepped in to expand excellent existing services to meet the new demands for quality health care.

Two things happened to make this change. One was access to health services and the other, more important, was trust. 

Area residents came to trust the service providers, they participated in the development of programming and the providers involved the residents in planning, developing and improving services.

The program cost money. The city, the county, and the health care providers such as Meriter Hospital, UW Hospital ACCESS Community Health Centers, Inc, WIngra Clinic , Planned Parenthood, Group Health Cooperative, individual nurses and physicians, and other heath care providers too numerous to mention, provided money, equipment and time.

Those who spent the money are not necessarily the ones who realized the savings.

We have to get past that. In supporting these programs we should try and get those who benefit the most to support the programming, but if we wait to figure out the perfect equitable financial solution, everyone loses. And people die.

As governmental agencies deal with tough budget decisions in the coming months, the significant human and financial benefits of a health care system that works should not be lost upon us.

author's note: I am sure I omitted many important service providers, Please let me know who I should add.

Brewer Walk Off Celebration - Knowing When To Get In Their Faces

It was funny, it was original, and it flunked the in-your-face test.

Brewer walk off celebration home run by Prince Fielder.

Horse racing handicapping genius Andy Beyer, referring to the shrieking and celebrating by two dollar show betters once wrote, "You may raise your voice as your winner crosses the finish line, if you have at least 10% of your net worth riding on the outcome."

Do it when you are in the heat of a pennant race, not some meaningless gesture when you are fourth place more than a dozen games behind and there are less than three weeks left in the season.

Morry Gash, Associated Press:

Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan: Medicare Assassin

As the United States Congress heads into the final weeks of debate on a national health care plan, Janesville, WI. Republican Paul Ryan is under careful scrutiny after attempting to kill Medicare last spring.

With national ambitions, Ryan is having a difficult time crafting a moderate political image in light of his ultra-conservative approach to health care.

It was Ryan who on April 2, 2009 authored and offered the Ryan of Wisconsin Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to the Congressional Budget for Fiscal Year 2010.

This substitute amendment, which received 137 Republican votes and no support from Democrats, was authored by Ryan. As reported by the Twin Cities' Star-Tribune, Ryan the

...top Republican on the House Budget Committee, called for eventually replacing the traditional Medicare program with subsidies to help retirees enroll in private health care plans. Current beneficiaries would keep their coverage and those 55 and older also would go into the current system...(emphasis added).

Thanks to Matthew Yglesias for his post last week, Republicans Against Medicare.

As we march forward in the efforts to fix both social security and the medical system, Ryan continues to champion systems of private individually managed accounts, which provide none of the efficiencies or protections of a larger system, which is designed to not only protect the individual, but also to maintain its overall integrity.

Ryan does not care that foolishly invested funds and high administrative fees will result in failed individual accounts that leave the rest of us taxpayers holding the bag. Ryan knows that there are billions of dollars to be made by the financial services industry with the dismantling of Social Security and Medicare.

UPDATE: Folkbum has a great point-by-point rebuttal of Ryan's many fabrications about the current House bill here.

A Union Quiz for Idiots As Labor Day Approaches

When I posted  The Weekend: Brought to You By Organized Labor. And Don't Ever Forget It, some of the geniuses who read this blog posted such clever remarks as:

• There was a time and a place when unions served the US well and progress at all levels was unheralded. Those days will never be in America again.
• We owe our weekends to unions like we owe our lives to the knights who protect us from barbarians. Sure, they're the historical reason for a thing, but that doesn't make them relevant in a current context.
• Unions have no place in America anymore; they served their purpose 50 years ago but now are the root of all evil when it comes to destroying jobs and forcing them out of WI and the USA

Why not save me the time and effort of listing all of the accomplishments that organized labor brought to this country and Wisconsin in the past ten years?

Dear readers, if there are any left, please send in examples of changes nationally and in Wisconsin that are result of the efforts of organized labor.

I'll start with the increase in the minimum wage that raised the floor for salaries and wages and helped every worker, union or not.

Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance Distorts - What Else Is New?

The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WTA) misleads, distorts and will not come clean. It is that simple.

Last week they issued a press release. Wisconsin Income Taxes Rank Among Highest in Nation

MADISON—Wisconsin’s income tax claimed 3.3% of personal income in 2007, making it the 10th highest nationally among state income taxes. When compared on a per capita basis, income taxes averaged $1,137 per person, 13th highest nationally, and ahead of all neighboring states except Minnesota. These facts come from a new report from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) titled "Wisconsin’s ‘Big Two’: Income and Property Taxes."

According to WISTAX researchers, Wisconsin’s reliance on the income tax, compared to other taxes, was also higher than most states...

Truthful?  Yes it is.

Is WTA accurate in portraying the burden placed on Wisconsin taxpayers by state government? No. Not by a long shot.

We have been over this. State governments have many revenue sources. They include not only income taxes, but fees, various licenses and other assessments. Some progressive states like Wisconsin rely more heavily on progressive income taxes rather than regressive fees.

When we look at all government revenues on a per capita basis, Wisconsin does not rank near the top, but ranks 17th. Using 2008 revenues and current population data, our state collects $2680 per capita. That puts us as close to 34th ranked Mississippi ($2252) as it does to tenth ranked Delaware ($3360).

Is WTA acting consistent with its stated mission when it writes a misleading press release?  You make the call.

The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) believes an active, informed citizenry is essential for effective representative government.  We demonstrate this belief by providing Wisconsin voters and taxpayers, students and teachers, business leaders and public officials with accurate, objective information about the operation of their Wisconsin government.  Nonpartisan and independent, WISTAX is the only statewide group that cuts through the partisan and special-interest rhetoric to deliver the honest facts about how Wisconsin government works, taxes and spends.  The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance has been working to achieve efficient, responsible government through research and education since 1932.

• "accurate, objective information?"
• "nonpartisan and independent?"
• "honest facts?"

Nonsense.