Paul Soglin: Waxing America

Moving Local Elections from February and April to The Fall

Three Wisconsin legislators wish to move the local spring elections to the fall. The move will save money and it will increase the turnout for voters casting ballots for the school board, county board, town board, city council, and mayor.

There is a downside to scheduling local elections to coincide with the congressional, presidential and state wide races. The idea was to prevent the coattail effect from influencing local races. Wisconsin is not the only state that ensures that local elections are as far removed from the partisan state and national elections as possible. They stagger the elections from Maine to California.

There are other problems with a fall local election:

• Local candidates will be competing for the grassroots workers with congressional candidates.
• In major markets, mayoral and county board candidates will be squeezed out of the television buys. Maybe that is a good thing.
• Most important, the voters will be focused on the higher level races and ignore the candidates for mayor or school board and ignore everything from the candidates' forums to the literature.

The higher voter turnout in November is a good reason to shift the elections, saving money is not.

Too bad we do not have a better way of increasing voter participation in the spring elections.

I will be on Wisconsin Public Radio with Joy Cardin doing the Week in Review at 8:00 am this morning.

 

Exit WMC, Enter All Children Matter

With the announcement that Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce , WMC on Sidelines,will refrain from buying vicious attack television attack advertisements in the April, 2009 Supreme Court race, the field is clear for more conservative organizations to enter the fray.

As was the case in last Fall's attacks on Democratic legislative candidate Trish O'Neil, organizations like All Children Matter, the Coalition for America's Families or the Club for Growth will hire the same writers and producers who authored the attacks on Louis Butler and Linda Clifford.

The agenda is unchanged. They are motivated to:

• crush consumers' rights to bring class action law suits
• Drive unions and organized labor from the workplace
• deprive women of the right of choice
• privatize essential public services like water and fire services
• sidetrack teachers' unions even if it means destroying public education in the process

In the past we estimated that 80% of every $2 million spent by WMC came from out-of-state organizations and businesses like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, General Electric, Home Depot, of course Wal-Mart, and right-wing religious organizations.

We can expect the same this spring. Differences we look forward to:

• The absence of WMC means the ads will lose some of their influence.
• The absence of WMC means the ads will be less restrained and more vicious.
• The presence of these national organizations playing the major role with their out-of-state money will increase the public demand for transparency when it comes to political donations to front groups.

WMC on Sidelines for Supreme Court Race. What Next?

With all  the changes and shifts, including the appointment of seven new board members at Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), one friend wrote last week, "What do your tea-leaf readers and Kremlinologists tell you about these?"

Good question, damn good question.

While I mulled it over, we got word that WMC will not participate in an effort to unseat Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson in the April Supreme Court race.

Here is what we know about recent activities at the WMC fortress on East Washington Ave:

• Moderates were upset. Despite protestations and denials to the contrary, WMC was racked with internal dissension from last spring through the summer. (Clouds Gather Over East Washington Avenue, March 19, 2008)
• Moderates get upper hand.The hardliners, mostly manufacturers and industrialists, finally capitulated to the moderates, mostly retailers, and the organization maintained a low profile in last November's elections. 
• New WMC Plan. A shift in direction was announced with a plan, What Will It Take, (December 5, 2008) designed to engage Wisconsin business, labor and academic leaders in setting the organization's agenda. 
• Soglin-Haney Summit. Student government foes from 1965 lunch at Madison Club.

Yes, there was the summit invitation, personally extend to me by WMC President Jim Haney, for lunch at the Madison Club.  Jim and I broke bread. We have been acquaintances, almost friends, in our aging careers for forty-four years, since I defeated him in a student government race in 1965.

We discussed old times, mutual friends, and the future of Wisconsin.

Put all of this together and here are the conclusions:

• The changes in board membership signify a moderate shift to the center. It is hard to make a judgment without knowing the politics of the new appointees, but given the industry groups and the role of the departing members,  the replacements are more centrist.
• In addition, given the upheaval over the departure of Cullen Construction and TDS Telecommunications from the board, the new members from the retail sector would not have accepted appointment without assurances that things will be toned down.
• The jury is still out on the legislative agenda. Over the past three years WMC positions on everything from TABOR to the 'Hospital Tax' were as right-wing as they come. Democrats controlling both legislative houses will end the TABOR sideshows  but we have yet to see what WMC will do when the chips are down on legislation that ranges from environmental protections to restructuring the funding of public education.
• The WMC role in future elections is uncertain. The announced absence from the Supreme Court race is probably a temporary response to the bad publicity.

The Supreme Court Race
I have not found the link to the report on WMC sitting on the sidelines for the Supreme Court race, but you will find the document below. 

As repeatedly predicted, the right-wing effort to control the Wisconsin Supreme Court, directed by WMC, will shift to other front organizations. As I wrote last December, WMC - Repackaging the Outfit , "Through a 'lend lease' program of money and talent, let surrogates like All Children Matter do the hatchet job on Democrats like Trish O'Neil in the November elections."

WMC will be replaced in the Supreme Court race by All Children Matter, Americans for Prosperity and other right-wing groups. Probably 80% of money to purchase the television ads to unseat Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson will come from out of state. The surrogates will hire the same professional writers and producers that authored WMC-produced TV spots trashing Louis Butler and Linda Clifford.

The WMC logo and influence will be absent making the attacks, making them slightly less effective, but it will be brutal.

The report on WMC and the Supreme Court race from Wispolitics.com:

WMC sitting out Supreme Court race

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the biggest spender in the previous two Supreme Court campaigns, will sit out this spring's race between Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and Jefferson County Judge Randy Koschnick.....

Obama Follows Some of the Bailout Money - It Is Not Enough

The morning news contains reports that the Obama administration will restrict the use of federal bailout money when it comes to lobbying. The recently confirmed Secretary of the Treasury is prepared to issue rules:

                                    Geithner to issue new lobbying rules

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is expected to unveil new rules Tuesday to limit special-interest influence involving the $700 billion financial rescue program.

The new rules are designed to crack down on lobbyist influence over the rescue program, according to an administration official with knowledge of the changes.

The new rules do not go far enough since they only, "...restrict the contact officials can have with lobbyists in connection with applications for funds from the bailout program..."

Of greater concern is the money that goes to the banks, insurance companies, and automakers and then finds its way into campaigns. As I noted yesterday,

Bailout Money to Be Used To Buy Elections

The bulk of the money will be used to purchase campaign “issue ads.” These  trade associations will either directly make the purchase, as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce did last fall to try to re-elect Norm Coleman (R-MN), or funneled to organizations like The Institute for Tort Reform, Americans for Prosperity, and even All Children Matter, who will then purchase issue ads to reward their friends.

Follow the money. Your tax dollars went from the federal government to the Citigroup to trade associations to issue groups to buy television ads to influence elections.

Ugly Details Emerge at Masel Civil Rights Trial

After watching some trial testimony in Ben Masel's federal civil rights suit against UW-Madison police officer Michael Mansavage yesterday, I'm worried about the hit we Wisconsin taxpayers will take when the jury finds for Masel.

On the night of June 29, 2006, Masel was gathering nominating petition signatures to run for Senator in the Democratic primary against Herb Kohl at a hip-hop concert on the UW-Madison Memorial Union Terrace. Masel had gathered election petitions there before, as have many local politicians.  About 11 pm, two UW-Madison police officers peppersprayed and arrested Masel for trespassing, disordery conduct and resisting arrest. The Wisconsin State Journal reported that

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, who was at the terrace, said he didn't see Masel disturbing anyone.

"I didn't feel Ben was causing any disruptions," Cieslewicz said. "I certainly didn't feel he was disrupting my evening at all. I didn't see a reason to remove him from the terrace."

Previously unreported details that came out at the trial included the fact that officer Michael Mansavage first missed Masel and instead peppersprayed his partner John McCaughtry, who was holding Masel by the arm at the time. Apparently, once McCaughtry and Mansavage had wrestled Masel into a face-down position on the ground, with McCaughtry's knee on Masel's back, Mansavage then peppersprayed Masel in the face. Mansavage also threatened to use a Taser on Masel for not putting his arm behind his back to be handcuffed fast enough, when the arm was, in fact, trapped under Masel's body.

The officers' descriptions of their actions made them look totally unprofessional, and strengthened Masel's claims. The multiple times both officers had to be taken through deposition statements that disagreed with their trial testimony didn't help either.

Two thoughts:

• The UW and the Wisconsin Attorney General's office should offer a sincere apology and a reasonable settlement to Masel before the jury awards him everything they legally can.

• The UW-Madison police need upgraded training in alternatives to using force and in community policing techniques.

- Barry Orton

Bailout Money to Be Used To Buy Elections

 

Welcome to the brave new world where your federal bailout dollars will be used to elect politicians. Hundreds of millions of bailout dollars will be used to re-elect members of Congress. Some of the money will find its way into state elections in Gubernatorial, Supreme Court, and legislative races.

 

Most likely, some of the money is already earmarked to defeat Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson who is on the April ballot in the Badger State.  Saturday’s New York Times reported that Congress is considering legislation that would control the lobbying and political campaigning by receipts of federal bailouts.  Firms That Got Bailout Money Keep Lobbying:

……the growing dilemma facing private companies (bail out recipients), which increasingly deal with the federal government not only as rule-maker but also as shareholder, lender and trading partner.

Pressing federal policy makers risks the appearance of recycling public money to advance a private agenda, while staying on the sidelines could put a company at a comparative disadvantage.

The problem is complicated. The federal bailout money will be used to lobby Congress and to support the election of member of Congress in two years.

 

The Times reports that, “’Nobody mentioned that you are giving up your Constitutional right to petition the government when accepting federal money, said Edward L. Yingling, president of the American Bankers Association.”

 

Wrong. There is no Constitutional right to take federal money and use it to buy Congress. Readers of Waxing America knew this was a pressing issue for two years and certainly since bailout discussions began in September. Mr. Yingling, tell your members if they do not like the rules, to turn down the money.

 

No one made any bank or automobile manufacturer take a cent of federal bailout money. There is a Constitutional right to free speech. There is no Constitutional right to use federal money to influence government or to buy future elections.

 

There are two very critical issues.

 

First there is the question of bans and disclosures. Obviously a ban has more teeth than disclosure.  Secondly, there is the use of the money – the financial service companies can use it for lobbying or electioneering, or both. Some of the money is already going to pay lobbyists to influence legislation such as the pending bill S. 133, the "Troubled Asset Relief Program Transparency Reporting Act.”

Lawmakers, troubled by the prospect of taxpayer-subsidized influence-peddling, are threatening to crack down. Senator Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, and Senator Olympia J. Snowe, a Maine Republican, are pushing legislation that would explicitly bar companies from using bailout funds for lobbying or campaign contributions. (Emphasis added)

I have been told that similar legislation failed in the House, where there was:

…some opposition from Committee (House) staff as well as Legislative Counsel. Committee staff was concerned that any restrictions on communication to government would restrict the free flow of information and transparency required to track their progress. Legislative Counsel was concerned about the first amendment rights issue...

Here is what will happen. Just as AIG put $25 million into the United States Chamber of Commerce from 2001-05, , similar amounts will go to that business-oriented organization and other trade associations like Mr. Yingling’s American Bankers Association under the guise of “lobbying.”

 

Some portion of those hundreds of millions from AIG, Citigroup and General Motors will actually be used to pay the salary of lobbyists.

 

The bulk of the money will be used to purchase campaign “issue ads.” These  trade associations will either directly make the purchase, as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce did last fall to try to re-elect Norm Coleman (R-MN), or funneled to organizations like The Institute for Tort Reform, Americans for Prosperity, and even All Children Matter, who will then purchase issue ads to reward their friends.

Follow the money. Your tax dollars went from the federal government to the Citigroup to trade associations to issue groups to buy television ads to influence elections.

How To Fix Overture

I wrote an opinion piece for Isthmus which they published this week, How to Fix Overture

...The fix is not simple. First the private sector needs to solve the problem of the construction debt. That is all the private sector needs to do. It can be done.

Once that debt is retired, the mayor and city council can resurrect the management structure of the old Civic Center...

...A modest countywide sales tax of one-tenth of a percent would raise approximately $9 million annually. Probably $6.5 million would come from within the city of Madison.

Sales taxes are fairer revenue generators than the property tax and capture income from visitors. An equal split would allow $3 million each for Overture, public transit and county programs to clean up the lakes.

There have already been a number of responses:

• Ann Katz wrote: but the funding must support ALL the arts, and arts education, programs in Madison or - better - the region - not just that one facility."    She is absolutely correct. The revenue must support more than Overture.
• It was suggested that Mayor Baumann be compliment, not criticized for insisting Overture not be a city of Madison operation. If that is the only value to cherish, I concur. But if access to the arts, designs elements that reflect Madison pocketbooks, broad access to the performing arts, and fiscal responsibility are cherished, it was a terrible decision.
• There is skepticism about my conclusion that a more public process would have resulted in different outcomes. All I can say is that my years of experience in both the public and private sector tell me that a more public structure would have resulted in a different design, and subsequently far lower construction and operating costs.
• That I was consulted on the investments. That is absolutely false. I was asked my opinion about doing an arbitrage. I did support that concept but I never supported the investments that were made. Anyone who knows my record in the public sector as well as in the public finance course I teach knows that I will not support any investment of public funds that risks one cent of the principal. That is why I pulled the city of Madison investments from the Wisconsin investment pool in 1994.

Barack Obama on the Move. Now I Feel It.

President Barack Obama is on the move down the long path of commitments he made in 2008. I mentioned on Tuesday that I felt ambivalent about the inaugural ceremonies Barack Obama - Three Degrees of Change.

Reading the morning news about his first full day of office, provided the lift and excitement that most people had Inauguration Day. The list was impressive:

• He reversed a Bush order that allowed Presidential papers to be sealed forever. There was a decisive blow for open government.
• He took steps to close the barbaric detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
• He began work on the difficult challenge of peace in the Middle East.
• He started the process towards withdrawing American troops from Iraq.
• He banned gifts from lobbyists to anyone in his administration.

Funny thing about this morning.

The past eight years I greeted each new day wondering what the President of the United States was going to do by noon to increase world tensions, fatten the wallets of his friends, crush the few remaining civil liberties Americans enjoy, and announce the appointment of another inept crony.

Instead I found progress, improvement, and a better world, and I had not yet finished my breakfast. That is something to celebrate.

The White House staff salary freeze was an unnecessary symbolic gesture, but I can live with it. 

Doug Moe's Six Madison Landmark Events

Doug Moe wrote a timely column Monday, identifying six landmark events in Madison's History. Three were political, one was musical, and the two were sporting events. Where were you for landmark events?

Curiously, despite my aversion for crowds, I was at four of them, and none were sporting events.

I would not dispute Doug's list but I would only include the Clinton-Gore campaign appearance October 1, 1992 and last February's Obama rally at the Kohl Center on my own list.

To round out a list of four more I would add:

• The October 1963 rally on the steps of the Memorial Union protesting the presence of U.S. military advisors in Vietnam. Only 200 participated but it was to have  a major impact on building the antiwar movement in Wisconsin and the United States.

• The Dow demonstration on October 17-18, 1967, which was to see Madison police officers make a unilateral decision to club students out of the Commerce Building, rather than using the rule of law. That demonstration was to alter the nature of the anti-war movement throughout the United States.

• The Mifflin Street Block Party, May 5-6, 1969 which was not the brain child of the Mifflin Street Co-op. (I have been in recent contact with one of the creators of that non-event.)  It was to forever change the course of events for thousands of people, including me.

• The night Richard Nixon resigned.

As for the 1992 Bill Clinton-Al Gore appearance, I had the privilege of opening that event and then introducing the speakers leading up to then-candidates Gore and Clinton. We were to start the proceedings when the candidates' caravan was about one hour from Madison on the interstate coming from a Milwaukee campaign appearance.

Everything went perfreclty, the last speaker before Al Gore was ready to go when I was pulled aside and told to get back there. I had to buy time and speak again, and fill another thirty minutes.

Not 20 minutes outside of Milwaukee, Bill Clinton decided he needed an ice cream cone.

As a result, when they finally arrived, all of the other speakers were down in the Capitol doing a private meet and greet with the candidates and I was on the steps of the Capitol buying time.

Other notables:

• State street, December 3, 1993,the night the Badger football team beat Michigan State in Tokyo to clinch the Big Ten title and head for a Rose Bowl win over UCLA

• Kohl Center in 2003 when the men's basketball team beat Illinois for the Big Ten Championship

• Several Coliseum concerts including:

• Steve Miller, I think it was 1975
• Bob Dylan 1976?
• Elvis's first Madison appearance

• Barry Goldwater speech at the State Capitol, fall, 1964,
• George Wallace speech, Union Theater, 1967?

 

Barack Obama - Three Degrees of Change

With his inauguration, Barack Obama begins his first day as President of the United States, at least the first official day.  I find myself rather ambivalent about this historic moment. 

As I watch the live television coverage, see the comments of experienced reporters mixed with the men and women on the streets, I wonder about our country and the world a year from now.

My focus is how small changes will result in significant differences in outcomes.

What is different about this president and this administration as it takes office,  compared to the previous eight, is the notion of hope and change.

While those ideas were mocked and belittled during the presidential campaign, Obama offers a genuine commitment to doing things better.

It will be better decision-making on a multitude of fronts, from stem cell research and public works programs, to environmental protections and strategies and tactics that will make America more secure, and a change in the decision-making process when America might engage in combat.

Curiously this will result in only a modest change of direction, perhaps only 3 or 4 degrees, but will have a monumental impact on outcomes.