Paul Soglin: Waxing America

Madison Then and Now: 1960's and the Walker Protests

No, I never saw in the 1960's what is occuring today in this effort to stop Governor Walker's union busting.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:   

Soglin: "I've never seen anything like this"

Soglin said he has participated in the protests against Walker’s budget repair bill for a week, starting with a march Saturday from Memorial Union on the UW-Madison campus. The crowds have built every day, and on Thursday and Friday exceeded 20,000, he estimated.

He compared the mood of the crowds to those he saw during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. There’s anger, he said, but there was also “elements of joy and enthusiasm, and that’s what’s going on here as well.”

The anti-war movement, he said, was “all energized and angry - because it was focused on stopping a war. It could not have the almost spiritual nature of what’s going on in Madison today.”

Spiritual? Joy? Soglin said the teachers and other public employees from across the state are finding a bond with each other.

“There are a lot of people who are scared about the economic consequences of what’s going to happen” with Walker’s bill, he said. “But they’re also getting strength from all of the people they are meeting.”

Governor Walker: There Are Better Options for Wisconsin

It is the ultimate false choice: Governor Walker is suggesting that we must choose between unionized workers and streamlined government.

The fact is we can, and must, have both. One critical responsibility of elected leaders is to provide the highest quality public services as efficiently as possible. This requires skilled employees, a reliable structure, and a workplace culture designed to encourage trust and productivity.

The rights of Wisconsin workers to organize and bargain collectively has been around for 50 years. Public employees are your neighbors; they are librarians, bus drivers, nurses, teachers. Their unions came to the bargaining table in recent years, willing to help share the burden and spread the pain to help make city, state and county budgets work in tough economic times.

The way to improve public services and reduce costs is to trust public employees and give them the opportunity to do quality work.

There are a couple of things we need to do to stop Governor Walker’s proposal. First, we must get out the facts about wages and benefits for Wisconsin public employees.  For example, over the years, Wisconsin public employees  chose to take the funds available for increased compensation as retirement benefits and payment for health care.  That is one reason the pay scale for most Wisconsin public employees is far below the national average.

Second, we need to examine Walker’s proposal where it may run afoul of federal law. Madison bus drivers are covered by a federal 13(C) Agreement. This is a requirement that applies to transit systems that receive federal aid.  13(C) “requires the continuation of collective bargaining rights, and protection of transit employees' wages, working conditions, pension benefits, seniority, vacation, sick and personal leave, travel passes, and other conditions of employment.” In other words it is likely that no matter what the legislature does in adopting Walker’s proposals, it will not apply to the Madison bus drivers or the drivers of any union-organized transit system in Wisconsin that receives federal funds.

We should be looking closely at all of the federal funding and regulatory requirements that may apply to the union employees in our cities, counties, and school districts.

Finally, total quality improvement must be adopted. In the city of Madison and in state government, this systems-approach to managing that focuses on the employees, not top down managers, has saved millions of dollars by creating more effective means of delivering public services. As I said in my public statement when Governor Walker’s proposal first came out, we will not, cannot and ought not fix our economic problems by demonizing working people or destroying their rights. Rather, we must continue to find ways to work together because that is the only way to meet the challenges we face.

 

Who's Worse for Wisconsin: Incompetent Walker or Ignorant Johnson?

Chris Walker at Dane101.com poses this question in stark terms:

...who would be worse for Wisconsin, an incompetent leader or an ignorant one? In other words, who is a bigger threat to our state: Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker or Republican senatorial candidate Ron Johnson?

Walker lays out Walker's failures, but at least allows that they were intentional:

Scott Walker’s incompetence leads him to only push the problems under the rug, to let someone other than him deal with it, and to claim victory when he does this.

But with Scott Walker, there is at least some semblance of intent with his actions. He intends to disband government because his beliefs tell him his shortcomings aren’t his own fault, but rather the institutions he works for. A false notion to be sure, but what matters is that he understands his beliefs, and carries them out with this in mind.

With Republican senatorial candidate Ron Johnson, it’s less clear that his intentions are consistent with his worldview. His ignorance on several issues, much less his own personal history, are cause for concern among the voters of Wisconsin, who should consider each of Johnson’s missteps as indicators of how he’d govern as Senator Johnson.

Johnson, an Oshkosh businessman in the plastics industry, has never held elected office himself but believes he would be a good fit in the most important deliberative body this world has ever seen. He’s a staunch conservative, which appeals to many in the state. But Johnson’s inconsistent record on his own life has left many wondering: is he ready to hold such a responsible position within our government?

After listing many of Johnson's recent actions that seem to run counter to his often stated beliefs, especially his efforts to block the Child Victims Act, Chris Walker finds Johnson, on balance, worse, but not by much.

So which would be worse for Wisconsin: an incompetent leader who would destroy the government and the programs that Wisconsin citizens across the state utilize? Or an ignorant fool, who would be a rubber-stamp senator that would take the pro-business, hard-right GOP position without question on every vote? It’s really hard to decide.

...We don’t need incompetence or ignorance leading our state. We have reasonable and reliable candidates seeking election and reelection for governor and senator. These two men (Tom Barrett and Russ Feingold) are more than qualified to hold the positions they are seeking. Their rivals, as we have seen, are just not capable, and are just not committed to the people of Wisconsin.

Indeed.

- Barry Orton

New Barrett Ad Hits Back By Showing He Can Take A Punch

This new ad from the Barrett campaign isn't a direct response to that stupid boxing glove Walker ad, at least not according to the Barrett staff.  Right.

Best response ad ever. (So far this season.)

-Barry Orton

He's Baack: Scott Jensen Rides to the Rescue of... Jeff Plale!

"Scooter" Jensen, former Assembly Speaker and convicted felon, free on appeal and now awaiting a new trial (relocated to GOP - friendly Waukesha), is tiptoeing back into politics. Dan Bice had the story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

...the former Republican Assembly speaker is re-emerging in political circles even though his criminal case remains unresolved.

"He's got his hand in a lot of stuff," said one Madison lobbyist who talks with the Waukesha Republican.

Starting earlier this year, Jensen became a senior adviser for government affairs for the American Federation of Children, a newly formed national organization that advocates using tax dollars for school choice programs. The group is expected to be active in some Wisconsin political races, particularly the primary contest for Sen. Jeff Plale, a Milwaukee Democrat who supports the city's voucher program.

Jensen, the Republicans' Republican, is helping Plale, a longtime Democrat?  Don't be confused. Jensen's probably helping his WMC friends keep the "Play to Plale" machine open for business. Another good reason to give Chris Larson some love.

- Barry Orton

New Waukesha Mayor Advised to Learn From Soglin

James Rowen couldn't stop himself from telling new Waukesha mayor Jeff Scrima, age 32, that he could learn from how 27-year old Paul Soglin managed to wrest actual power from the old staff in Madison City Hall back in 1973.

I saw a similar effort to box in and undercut a new Mayor years ago in Madison when Paul Soglin was first elected Mayor, at age 27. I was his then-administrative assistant, a position now called chief of staff.

The old guard fought back in and around City Hall because some more senior officials and traditional power-brokers couldn't grasp or abide the sudden shift in power.

New young Mayors get tested, that's for sure.

Insert old fart/"get off my lawn" joke here.

- Barry Orton

Madison High Speed Rail Station - Airport, East Wash or downtown-UW campus?

With all of the discussion about high speed rail between Madison and Milwaukee, I missed the report which identified the best place to locate the local station.

I know there is lot of discussion about the Dane County Regional Airport. I also caught the suggestion that there be an alternative or additional stop at the tracks across East Washington and First Street.

I assume that airport station has three advantages:

1. It facilitates the train moving on to the Twin Cities by not diverting it downtown.
2. It gets the rail passengers to their connecting flights out of Madison.
3. The high speed rail passengers can then shift to a local rail system which is already moving passengers from downtown Madison/UW campus to the airport.

That is good if that is the best scenario given the needs of the high speed rail passengers.

I curious as to what the passengers want. Can someone direct me the study which shows the destination for the majority of passengers and surveys of the needs of potential passengers?

How realistic is it that the train will proceed to the Twin Cities in the decade after the Madison-Milwaukee route is completed?

Are the high speed rail passengers going to use the airport?

How realistic is the local rail system to downtown Madison for the airport?

MIlwaukee - Madison Rail: An Ecumenical View

On Friday last, Rail as Religion, Rick Esenberg took issue with the statements of Rick Harnish, executive director of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association who said, "Currently, people are forced to drive, and that's the most expensive and least productive way to travel..."

Esenberg's point being that interurban travel between downtown Milwaukee and the Dane County Regional Airport made no sense since most passengers are interested in downtown Madison and the University of Wisconsin campus as a point of arrival and departure.

Esenberg, famously known for purchasing the Wisconsin Supreme Court, has a valid point.

The efficiency of the system is compromised when passengers need to inefficiently transfer to a taxi or city bus to reach their final destination.

That is why there is an effort to locate a second Madison station closer to downtown and the isthmus, a detail overlooked by Esenberg.

When we look at successful interurban rail systems throughout the world, they have two things in common. First, they move people quickly, efficiently, and reliably between two distant points. Secondly, since most passengers do not have an arrival or departure point within a short distance of the terminal, the rail systems are complemented with an efficient local transit system, intra urban, designed to disperse passengers throughout the urban area.

Since Rick is such a fan of rail, "I have to confess that I kind of like trains..." I welcome him to the constructive dialog as to how we can make this system work in Milwaukee and Madison.

Harlem Children's Zone - Education Works - Revisited

On Thursday January 7, 2010  Madison's The Capital Times ran this story: Could Harlem plan save Milwaukee's core?

...For a dozen years, the visionary educator and architect of the Harlem Children's Zone has been developing a system of family social support and educational innovations to show how it's possible to dramatically change the trajectory of an entire generation of poor and minority children in a 97-square-block area of New York City...

Since this story is so significant, Waxing America is republishing a previous entry from 2006. Enjoy. And remind Charlie Sykes and Mark Belling this post was, in part, written for them. 

The Harlem Children's Zone -Education Works

Author's Update: 1:14 PM.Thursday. May 25, 2006. On Wednesday May  24, 2006,  Wednesday I posted School Choice Is Not the Answer. Some folks asked,  "What is the answer?". The Harlem Children's Zone is, in part the answer. Note that the secret to their success is not privatization, as much as it is an expensive commitment to dealing with the child's entire life.

On Sunday, May 14, 2006, 60 Minutes' Ed Bradley did a story on education with amazing implications:

The Harlem Children's Zone: How One Man's Vision To Revitalize Harlem Starts With Children

...over the years, the neighborhood (Harlem)suffered a steady decline and came to symbolize the worst of urban poverty and decay. Today, there’s a new renaissance under way in Harlem, with the construction of new buildings, businesses and schools.

One of the people leading the charge is Geoffrey Canada. As correspondent Ed Bradley reports, his vision, quite simply, is to save children, and he has amassed a staggering amount of private money — more than $100,000,000 — to realize his goal. His testing ground is a 60-block area in central Harlem that he calls "The Harlem Children's Zone."

The Harlem Children’s Zone is an area that covers less than one square mile and is home to some 10,000 children. On the ground, the neighborhood is slowly coming back to life, with newly renovated townhouses standing side by side with buildings that have fallen victim to violence and despair, local businesses next to national chains. But despite all the renewal, nearly all the children live in poverty — and two-thirds of them score below grade level on standardized tests. That’s why Canada, a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Harvard School of Education, has claimed this territory as his own and is trying to save it, block by block, child by child.

He has made a bold promise to the parents who live in the zone.

"If your child comes to this school, we will guarantee that we will get your child into college. We will be with you with your child from the moment they enter our school till the moment they graduate from college," Canada vowed during a speech.

Canada’s ambitious experiment aims to prove that poor kids from the inner city can learn just as well as affluent kids from the other side of America. He has flooded the zone with social, medical and educational services that are available for free to all the children who live here. (emphasis added)

"They get what middle-class and upper middle-class kids get," Canada explains. "They get safety. They get structure. They get academic enrichment. They get cultural activity. They get adults who love and them and are prepared to do anything. And I mean, I’m prepared to do anything to keep these kids on the right track."

This story is profound in its simplicity. Think of the support network that middle class kids of all races have as they prepare for college: probably two parents at home, one or both successful in higher education; access to modern technology, the Internet, and more advisers and counselors than you can shake a stick at. Decent jobs where they learn valuable life lessons in the business world. The best in medical services which keeps them healthy and in school. They get a support network, or as Canada says, "They get structure."

But Canada also realizes there is more to education than the content of the classroom: there is social, medical, and supplemental tutoring support for each student.

For those prepared to give up on public education, consider this as a model and remember:

• it takes money to educate kids.
• it takes more than a classroom, it takes the structure and support network.
• it takes a low student:teacher ratio.
• "To reach as many children in the zone as possible, Canada put reading labs in public elementary schools and provided SAT tutoring to high schoolers."

There is one area I would disagree with Canada, and that is his side comment criticism of the difficulty of firing inadequate teachers in a public school.  Canada does not say it but some might infer from his comments that this success would not be possible where there was a teacher's union. My guess is that in such an environment, public or private, the inadequate teachers would be quickly found out and easy to remove.

Bradley's story concludes:

It costs $16,000 a year to educate a student at the Promise Academy; while $10,000 of those dollars come from the city, the rest is from the school’s coffers. Though the price tag may seem high, Canada says the investment is paying off.

Public Education is Wonderful: Pay Your Taxes

Author's Update: 1:14 PM.Thursday. May 25, 2006. On Wednesday May  24, 2006,  Wednesday I posted School Choice Is Not the Answer. Some folks asked,  "What is the answer?". The Harlem Children's Zone is, in part the answer. Note that the secret to their success is not privatization, as much as it is an expensive commitment to dealing with the child's entire life.

On Sunday, May 14, 2006, 60 Minutes' Ed Bradley did a story on education with amazing implications:

The Harlem Children's Zone: How One Man's Vision To Revitalize Harlem Starts With Children

...over the years, the neighborhood (Harlem)suffered a steady decline and came to symbolize the worst of urban poverty and decay. Today, there’s a new renaissance under way in Harlem, with the construction of new buildings, businesses and schools.

One of the people leading the charge is Geoffrey Canada. As correspondent Ed Bradley reports, his vision, quite simply, is to save children, and he has amassed a staggering amount of private money — more than $100,000,000 — to realize his goal. His testing ground is a 60-block area in central Harlem that he calls "The Harlem Children's Zone."

The Harlem Children’s Zone is an area that covers less than one square mile and is home to some 10,000 children. On the ground, the neighborhood is slowly coming back to life, with newly renovated townhouses standing side by side with buildings that have fallen victim to violence and despair, local businesses next to national chains. But despite all the renewal, nearly all the children live in poverty — and two-thirds of them score below grade level on standardized tests. That’s why Canada, a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Harvard School of Education, has claimed this territory as his own and is trying to save it, block by block, child by child.

He has made a bold promise to the parents who live in the zone.

"If your child comes to this school, we will guarantee that we will get your child into college. We will be with you with your child from the moment they enter our school till the moment they graduate from college," Canada vowed during a speech.

Canada’s ambitious experiment aims to prove that poor kids from the inner city can learn just as well as affluent kids from the other side of America. He has flooded the zone with social, medical and educational services that are available for free to all the children who live here. (emphasis added)

"They get what middle-class and upper middle-class kids get," Canada explains. "They get safety. They get structure. They get academic enrichment. They get cultural activity. They get adults who love and them and are prepared to do anything. And I mean, I’m prepared to do anything to keep these kids on the right track."

This story is profound in its simplicity. Think of the support network that middle class kids of all races have as they prepare for college: probably two parents at home, one or both successful in higher education; access to modern technology, the Internet, and more advisers and counselors than you can shake a stick at. Decent jobs where they learn valuable life lessons in the business world. The best in medical services which keeps them healthy and in school. They get a support network, or as Canada says, "They get structure."

But Canada also realizes there is more to education than the content of the classroom: there is social, medical, and supplemental tutoring support for each student.

For those prepared to give up on public education, consider this as a model and remember:

• it takes money to educate kids.
• it takes more than a classroom, it takes the structure and support network.
• it takes a low student:teacher ratio.
• "To reach as many children in the zone as possible, Canada put reading labs in public elementary schools and provided SAT tutoring to high schoolers."

There is one area I would disagree with Canada, and that is his side comment criticism of the difficulty of firing inadequate teachers in a public school.  Canada does not say it but some might infer from his comments that this success would not be possible where there was a teacher's union. My guess is that in such an environment, public or private, the inadequate teachers would be quickly found out and easy to remove.

Bradley's story concludes:

It costs $16,000 a year to educate a student at the Promise Academy; while $10,000 of those dollars come from the city, the rest is from the school’s coffers. Though the price tag may seem high, Canada says the investment is paying off.

Public Education is Wonderful: Pay Your Taxes

Thoughts on the Governor's Race: Take Two

It was meant as a pointed jab. With humor. When I posted A Most Serious Threat To The Wisconsin Democratic Party on Friday, I was trying to elevate the discussion about the need for a viable candidate for governor.

I did not expect the post to be most widely read Waxing America since the infamous bicycle post, Bicycling Madison Style: As Dumb As It Gets, which is exactly why, my friends, I would never be a viable candidate for Governor.

Not to mention that few are worse than moi at fund-raising, or staying on message. Or that Sara would never speak to me again.

On a more serious note, I am thankful for all of the well-meant words of encouragement and kind thoughts, some from very old friends, some from people I do not know.

Let me make something constructive of this post: when I defeated Joe Sensenbrenner in 1989, he was silly enough to think that his record on management would get him re-elected.

When I ran in 2003, I was silly enough to think that my record on management would get me elected.

There were other reasons I lost, but the point is that progressives must tend to the management and administration of government.

We must make a genuine commitment and not leave the field to the Scott Walkers. They hate government and public employees.  They want to privatize or close everything except the police and fire departments, and I am not so sure about the fire departments.

With improved management, we will have a better democracy, we will save money, the quality of services will improve, and the respect for our public institutions will grow.

Let's elect someone who embraces government, knows its limitations, and is committed to making it better.