2.17.2009
1.20.2009
1.19.2009
Change Has Come, Share it with Local Dems Tomorrow (Tues, Jan 20th)
Hello Members and Friends of the Winnebago County Democratic Party!
Tomorrow, we will join with people across America in celebration of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama.
We will meet at 6:00 PM at the Neenah Labor Temple: 157 S Green Bay Rd. We will replay the Inaugural events, including the swearing in, parade and other coverage.
We will provide refreshments and some snacks. You are encouraged to bring a dish to pass, and in honor of President-elect Obama’s call to service, a non-perishable food item we will donate to local food pantries.
Please come out and join us in friendship and celebration.
Other upcoming events:
Mark Madison Retirement Party
Local Dem Mark Madison is retired – celebrate with him at Fratello’s in Oshkosh Friday Jan 23rd after 4:00 PM
Green Lake Area Dems Meeting
Caestecker Library, 518 Hill St – Green Lake
Sat, Jan 24th, 10:00 AM
WI Council of Senior Citizen’s Discussion with Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber
Neenah Labor Temple, 157 S Green Bay Rd – Neenah
Mon, Jan 26th – 9:30 AM
Waupaca/Waushara United Dems January Potluck
Chez Marche, 108 S Main St – Waupaca
Mon, Jan 26th – 5:45 PM
Fox Valley Dems Unity Breakfast
BJ Clancey’s, 3341 S Oneida St – Appleton
Fri, Jan 30th – 7:00 AM
WCDP Monthly Meeting
Delta Restaurant, 515 N Sawyer – Oshkosh
Wed, Feb 11th – 7:00 PM
Winnebago Dems Indigo Dinner
La Sure’s Hall, 3125 S Washburn – Oshkosh
Sat, Mar 7th – 5:00 PM
Join the WCDP (Winnebago County Democratic Party) & the DPW (Democratic Party of WI). When you join one, you join both. Go here: http://www.wisdems.org/membership_sign-up.asp
As always, contact me anytime with questions,
-jef-
Jef Hall
Chair, Winnebago County Democratic Party
2nd Vice Chair, Democratic Party of WI
224a Scott Ave, Oshkosh, WI 54901
920.203.6883
jef@jefhall.com
www.winnebagodems.com
www.jefhall.com
Authorized and Paid for by the Winnebago County Democratic Party – Jef Hall, Chair
Tomorrow, we will join with people across America in celebration of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama.
We will meet at 6:00 PM at the Neenah Labor Temple: 157 S Green Bay Rd. We will replay the Inaugural events, including the swearing in, parade and other coverage.
We will provide refreshments and some snacks. You are encouraged to bring a dish to pass, and in honor of President-elect Obama’s call to service, a non-perishable food item we will donate to local food pantries.
Please come out and join us in friendship and celebration.
Other upcoming events:
Mark Madison Retirement Party
Local Dem Mark Madison is retired – celebrate with him at Fratello’s in Oshkosh Friday Jan 23rd after 4:00 PM
Green Lake Area Dems Meeting
Caestecker Library, 518 Hill St – Green Lake
Sat, Jan 24th, 10:00 AM
WI Council of Senior Citizen’s Discussion with Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber
Neenah Labor Temple, 157 S Green Bay Rd – Neenah
Mon, Jan 26th – 9:30 AM
Waupaca/Waushara United Dems January Potluck
Chez Marche, 108 S Main St – Waupaca
Mon, Jan 26th – 5:45 PM
Fox Valley Dems Unity Breakfast
BJ Clancey’s, 3341 S Oneida St – Appleton
Fri, Jan 30th – 7:00 AM
WCDP Monthly Meeting
Delta Restaurant, 515 N Sawyer – Oshkosh
Wed, Feb 11th – 7:00 PM
Winnebago Dems Indigo Dinner
La Sure’s Hall, 3125 S Washburn – Oshkosh
Sat, Mar 7th – 5:00 PM
Join the WCDP (Winnebago County Democratic Party) & the DPW (Democratic Party of WI). When you join one, you join both. Go here: http://www.wisdems.org/membership_sign-up.asp
As always, contact me anytime with questions,
-jef-
Jef Hall
Chair, Winnebago County Democratic Party
2nd Vice Chair, Democratic Party of WI
224a Scott Ave, Oshkosh, WI 54901
920.203.6883
jef@jefhall.com
www.winnebagodems.com
www.jefhall.com
Authorized and Paid for by the Winnebago County Democratic Party – Jef Hall, Chair
1.14.2009
Details for Don Wyman's Memorial
Long-time Democrat and former Winnebago County Dems Chair Don Wyman passed this morning. He will be missed.
If you would like to attend his service the details are:
Date: Saturday, January 17th
Location:
Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home
100 Lake Point Dr.
(Corner of Witzel Ave & Lake Pointe Dr.)
Oshkosh, WI
Map & Directions
(920) 232-5485
Times:
Visitation: 10AM - 1PM
Funeral: 1PM
Burial Ceremony to Follow
If you would like to attend his service the details are:
Date: Saturday, January 17th
Location:
Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home
100 Lake Point Dr.
(Corner of Witzel Ave & Lake Pointe Dr.)
Oshkosh, WI
Map & Directions
(920) 232-5485
Times:
Visitation: 10AM - 1PM
Funeral: 1PM
Burial Ceremony to Follow
1.11.2009
Nursing Home Care: Gov't does it better.
I had been meaning to post on this since the ratings come out, but the Northwestern beat me to it with
It should be obvious that Govt would do a better job in nursing and senior care. There is no place for profit in providing this service on a large scale.
The customers are, as a general group, people who are either beyond their earning years, or unable to earn. Therefore the incentive to supply high-quality care to all but the most affluent families is not there. The profit incentive can only be in the cutting of costs (and therefore quality of care).
However, a public facility is not accountable to a profit margin, they are accountable, in the end, to voters and elected officials. As long as expenses do not get to out of hand, the incentive is to provide a high-quality product.
Let me repeat, as long as these facilities are respectfully frugal with the taxpayers dime, all of the incentive is in providing quality of care.
Now that we have seen real numbers as to how gov't can supply this nursing care, when will the public make the logical jump that it will be the same for general medical care?
You've probably heard the mantra "Private business can do it better." But, when it comes to nursing homes, can it?
A new study and sweeping round of nursing home ratings sizing up more than 16,000 sites around the U.S. shows, in Wisconsin, it's our state-, county- and city-owned facilities earning the higher average overall grades, followed by nonprofit nursing home operators, followed by for profit operations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released its ratings, based on a new system. Some nursing homes are ecstatic with the findings. Others, a little baffled by them.
To be fair, any ratings glance is just that – a snapshot of a nursing home at a moment in time. Staff performance may have been uncharacteristically stellar or subpar during a rater's visit. There's a degree of subjectivity involved with any rating system. That said, a Northwestern analysis of the ratings statewide does back up the overall findings showing nonprofits and government nursing home operations are earning higher marks.
In Wisconsin, the average overall scores on the CMS's five-star scale for government-operated nursing homes was 3.76. That was followed by nonprofit operations' 3.42 average score and for profit operations' 2.57. Winnebago County's taxpayer-owned Park View Health Center (even before it opened its new facility north of Oshkosh) earned five-star marks, a testament to the quality of care delivered within these top-rated organizations, not just their physical environs.
It should be obvious that Govt would do a better job in nursing and senior care. There is no place for profit in providing this service on a large scale.
The customers are, as a general group, people who are either beyond their earning years, or unable to earn. Therefore the incentive to supply high-quality care to all but the most affluent families is not there. The profit incentive can only be in the cutting of costs (and therefore quality of care).
However, a public facility is not accountable to a profit margin, they are accountable, in the end, to voters and elected officials. As long as expenses do not get to out of hand, the incentive is to provide a high-quality product.
Let me repeat, as long as these facilities are respectfully frugal with the taxpayers dime, all of the incentive is in providing quality of care.
Now that we have seen real numbers as to how gov't can supply this nursing care, when will the public make the logical jump that it will be the same for general medical care?
1.07.2009
Winnebago County Single Stream Recycling
For anyone that is interested in the single-stream recycling presentation that was done for the Winnebago County Board yesterday, I have a copy of it linked here.
From MSNBC - The Bush years -- then and now
Results of GOP rule:
The Bush years -- then and now
From NBC's Mark Murray
With President Bush set to leave the White House less than two weeks from now, here's a "Then and Now" to show what the United States looked like when Bush was entering office and what it looks like now as he's leaving. The "Then" is the best-available figure as Bush was taking office in 2001. The "Now" is the most recent figure.UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Then: 4.2% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2001)
Now: 6.7% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 2008)DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE
Then: 10,587 (close of Friday, Jan. 19, 2001)
Now: 9,015 (close of Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009)BUSH FAVORABILITY RATING
Then: 50% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 31% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)CHENEY FAVORABILITY RATING
Then: 49% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 21% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)CONGRESS APPROVAL RATING
Then: 48% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 21% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)SATISFIED WITH THE NATION'S DIRECTION
Then: 45% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 26% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)CONSUMER CONFIDENCE (1985=100)
Then: 115.7 (Conference Board, January 2001)
Now: 38.0, which is an all-time low (Conference Board, December 2008)FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY
Then: 6.4 million (Census numbers for 2000)
Now: 7.6 million (Census numbers for 2007 -- most recent numbers available)AMERICANS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE
Then: 39.8 million (Census numbers for 2000)
Now: 45.7 million (Census numbers for 2007 -- most recent available)
U.S. BUDGET
Then: +236.2 billion (2000, Congressional Budget Office)
Now: -$1.2 trillion (projected figure for 2009, Congressional Budget Office)
1.04.2009
Which Side Are You On?
I saw the movie "Harlan County, USA" this weekend. I recommend it very highly. It is about the 1973 Coal workers strike.
During a previous strike in the same county, Florence Reece - the wife of a striking worker, wrote the song "Which Side Are You On?" and I think it may be the greatest song ever written.
Mrs. Reece sings a few verses of it on the movie, and many people have done versions of it since.
Here are some:
Pete Seeger
Dropkick Murphy's
Natalie Merchant (w/ Mrs. Reece in the beginning)
Billy Bragg
The Washington Squares
Movie Trailer:
During a previous strike in the same county, Florence Reece - the wife of a striking worker, wrote the song "Which Side Are You On?" and I think it may be the greatest song ever written.
Mrs. Reece sings a few verses of it on the movie, and many people have done versions of it since.
Here are some:
Pete Seeger
Dropkick Murphy's
Natalie Merchant (w/ Mrs. Reece in the beginning)
Billy Bragg
The Washington Squares
Movie Trailer:
DPW Chair
No, really... a chair made from DPW (Department of Pubic Works) barriers.
This is what you get when you look up 'DPW Chair' in Google:
Here is the blog I got it from...
This is what you get when you look up 'DPW Chair' in Google:
Here is the blog I got it from...
1.01.2009
A Good Point Stolen...
From the Illusory Tenant:
The Martyrdom of Saint Alberto
Spc. Tony J. Gonzales, 20, of Newman, Calif., died Dec. 28 in Sadr City, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. — USDoD 12/30/08Hang on a minute, wrong Gonzales:I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror. — WSJ 12/31/08:rolleyes:
12.30.2008
Koschnick, Gossett, the Swift Boaters and Abramoff
Right-wing Judge and candidate for WI Supreme Court Randy Koschnick has recruited our Republican DA to be the treasurer for his spring campaign, according to the footer of his website.
That would mean that Gossett is in charge of fundraising. Funny thing, they are using a service called donationreport.com for online collections.
This is a service of the Donatalli Group. Where do we know them from? The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth:
The Donatelli Group were also fundraisers for Abramoff lackey Ralph Reed:
Why is it important that DA Gosset is the Treasurer using this service? A Treasurer has an important role in a Judicial campaign. Judges are not allowed to collect money themselves. All of this needs to be done by the Treasurer.
It was Gossett that had to approve this. I would hope he would look deeper into the people he chooses to work with.
That would mean that Gossett is in charge of fundraising. Funny thing, they are using a service called donationreport.com for online collections.
This is a service of the Donatalli Group. Where do we know them from? The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth:
The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's SWIFTBOATVETSFORTRUTH.ORG website was registered July 30, 2004, with CD, Inc. (Connell Donatelli Inc.) as registrant, administrator, and the tech organization. The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's SWIFTBOATVETERANSFORTRUTH.COM website was also registered July 30, 2004, with CD, Inc. as registrant, administrator, and tech organization for the website.
The Donatelli Group were also fundraisers for Abramoff lackey Ralph Reed:
The Network was coordinated by Gary Marx, "a political consultant for George W. Bush's campaign at Century Strategies in 1999, when its founder and president Ralph E. Reed was allegedly helping his long-time friend Jack Abramoff swindle over $1.2 million from the Choctaw Indians" and "coalitions organizer for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004" [12], and Wendy E. Long, a "former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas" [13].Other Donatelli/Donationreport.com hits include a David Horowitz Red Cross scam.
Why is it important that DA Gosset is the Treasurer using this service? A Treasurer has an important role in a Judicial campaign. Judges are not allowed to collect money themselves. All of this needs to be done by the Treasurer.
It was Gossett that had to approve this. I would hope he would look deeper into the people he chooses to work with.
12.29.2008
Ziggy tries to get by on $125,900
Manitowoc County Exec and State rep Bob Ziegelbauer announced today that he "will be returning my scheduled pay raise for this session."
Brave action Ziggy, maybe in your press release you should have mentioned that you also will be receiving $75,813 in pay as County Exec in Manitowoc.
Ziegelbauer, however, rightly points out in his press release:
Now, I don't point this out specifically to dump on Ziegelbauer. I do it to point out the stupidity of the entire exercise.
Lawmakers, like any other worker, are entitled to a fair wage. It is not out of line to increase their pay by a level close to inflation.
But, stupid politics dictates that these leggies need to deny themselves this raise. If a Rep had some guts, they would say that the raise is not out of line, and they have bills to pay just like any other WI resident. Most of them are your representatives as their only full-time job.
If anything else, we should let the market speak, maybe if salaries were larger for these people, we might get a better quality employee to run...
Either way, Ziegelbauer is not a hero for refusing the raise, he is just another politician - making a symbolic stance that is in essence meaningless and of no consequence to his entire pay package.
Brave action Ziggy, maybe in your press release you should have mentioned that you also will be receiving $75,813 in pay as County Exec in Manitowoc.
Ziegelbauer, however, rightly points out in his press release:
Note to the press: Since these raises occur only once every two years, in fairness, this increase ought to be described as a "5.3% over two years" or "equivalent to a 2.65% annual increase", not simply as a "5.3% pay increase".What he doesn't point out is that his scheduled annual pay increase as County Exec is about 3.5%, from $78,500. Even greater than his increase in Legislative pay.
Now, I don't point this out specifically to dump on Ziegelbauer. I do it to point out the stupidity of the entire exercise.
Lawmakers, like any other worker, are entitled to a fair wage. It is not out of line to increase their pay by a level close to inflation.
But, stupid politics dictates that these leggies need to deny themselves this raise. If a Rep had some guts, they would say that the raise is not out of line, and they have bills to pay just like any other WI resident. Most of them are your representatives as their only full-time job.
If anything else, we should let the market speak, maybe if salaries were larger for these people, we might get a better quality employee to run...
Either way, Ziegelbauer is not a hero for refusing the raise, he is just another politician - making a symbolic stance that is in essence meaningless and of no consequence to his entire pay package.
12.17.2008
11.06.2008
11.05.2008
Recount in the 18th? Results below...
180 votes out of over 83,000 cast in unofficial results.
County - Jess King - Randy Hopper - Difference
Dodge - 981 - 1,303 - (322)
Winnebago - 24,451 - 20,213 - 4,238
FDL - 16,232 - 20,328 - (4,096)
Total - 41,664 - 41,844 - (180)
There are also provisional ballots to be decided, as well as the results being unofficial.
In Winnebago County we use 2 types of voting machines - touchscreen and scanners. The results on the county website are sometimes shown as complete for a ward even if the ward only has one of the machine types reported.
There are several questions about these results. Lets get to the bottom of this.
County - Jess King - Randy Hopper - Difference
Dodge - 981 - 1,303 - (322)
Winnebago - 24,451 - 20,213 - 4,238
FDL - 16,232 - 20,328 - (4,096)
Total - 41,664 - 41,844 - (180)
There are also provisional ballots to be decided, as well as the results being unofficial.
In Winnebago County we use 2 types of voting machines - touchscreen and scanners. The results on the county website are sometimes shown as complete for a ward even if the ward only has one of the machine types reported.
There are several questions about these results. Lets get to the bottom of this.
11.04.2008
11.01.2008
Help Get Out the Vote in Winnebago County
Hello Members, Friends and Volunteers for the Winnebago County Democratic Party!
It is time to Get Out the Vote (GOTV)!
After the long primary, the general campaign, it comes down to these last 3 days.
Your Winnebago County Democratic Party will be working for the election every day, through Tuesday evening.
To volunteer, please contact:
Winnebago County Office – (920) 426-2262
Scott Jacobs
(920) 426-8060 - sjacobs@obamacampaign4change.org
Info on our Victory Party:Winnebago County Victory Party!
Come out to celebrate our hard earned victories!
8:01 PM – Tues, November 4th
Beckets Center Court – 1 City Center (Old Park Plaza Mall Center Court, Oshkosh
Refreshments, DJ, Returns on the Big Screen and Fellow Democrats!
Please help out whenever you can! Every vote will count for all of our local candidates as well as Obama/Biden!
10.30.2008
Why I love YouTube...
I woke up this morning with an obscure 90's song in my head.
I went to YouTube.
There is was...
Everyone, Mr Bungle:
I have this on cassette tape...
I went to YouTube.
There is was...
Everyone, Mr Bungle:
I have this on cassette tape...
10.29.2008
Volunteer for Election Day...
Don't let this happen:
Call 920.426.2262 (920.42-OBAMA) to volunteer at the Winnebago County Democratic Party Headquarters.
Call 920.426.2262 (920.42-OBAMA) to volunteer at the Winnebago County Democratic Party Headquarters.
10.19.2008
Is it just me....
Or does it make sense that a man with 7 houses and a wife worth $100 million would be worried about spreading the wealth a little.
10.15.2008
10.07.2008
9.27.2008
Quote of the Week...
Krugman on his NYTimes blog, discussing the illogical Republican solutions to our current financial situation:
Well, if a party runs on economic nonsense for 25 years, eventually many of its foot soldiers will be people who actually believe the nonsense.
9.24.2008
Save Wisconsin's Vote... Investigate the WI GOP
Perhaps you have heard about the absentee ballot applications the WI GOP has sent out to Wisconsin residents.
They have, in may instances, sent a ballot application with an incorrect return address. In one instance, a local Winnebago County Democratic Party member received an absentee ballot form from the WI GOP with a return address to go to the Town of Neenah clerk, when she lives and votes in the Town of Menasha.
I have several instances of this happening.
What are the results of this? Our member, if the application is sent in, may be denied the vote. By applying for voting in the incorrect town, she will not receive a ballot. When the ballot is not received, it will be too late to apply for another one. Her only option would be to vote the day of the election.
Then, this elderly woman would have to potentially stand in line for hours to vote. Her knees are not that good, maybe she would decide not to wait that long.
The other consequence would be for the local clerks to sort out the problem. Something our stretched thin municipal governments can not handle. The hours spent correcting the WI GOP mailing will eat into needed hours to prep for what could be the highest turn-out election in Wisconsin history.
Whether the WI GOP address problem was a mistake or a dirty election tactic, they are setting up the mass disenfranchisement of absentee voters, and a chain reaction that will lead to havoc on Nov 4th.
This issue needs to be investigated now. If the WI GOP cannot prove there was a mistake made, there should be prosecution.
One Wisconsin Now has a petition online about this issue, you can sign it with the links in this message:
They have, in may instances, sent a ballot application with an incorrect return address. In one instance, a local Winnebago County Democratic Party member received an absentee ballot form from the WI GOP with a return address to go to the Town of Neenah clerk, when she lives and votes in the Town of Menasha.
I have several instances of this happening.
What are the results of this? Our member, if the application is sent in, may be denied the vote. By applying for voting in the incorrect town, she will not receive a ballot. When the ballot is not received, it will be too late to apply for another one. Her only option would be to vote the day of the election.
Then, this elderly woman would have to potentially stand in line for hours to vote. Her knees are not that good, maybe she would decide not to wait that long.
The other consequence would be for the local clerks to sort out the problem. Something our stretched thin municipal governments can not handle. The hours spent correcting the WI GOP mailing will eat into needed hours to prep for what could be the highest turn-out election in Wisconsin history.
Whether the WI GOP address problem was a mistake or a dirty election tactic, they are setting up the mass disenfranchisement of absentee voters, and a chain reaction that will lead to havoc on Nov 4th.
This issue needs to be investigated now. If the WI GOP cannot prove there was a mistake made, there should be prosecution.
One Wisconsin Now has a petition online about this issue, you can sign it with the links in this message:
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9.23.2008
Oshkosh Really is the Center of the World...
As I pointed out here...
...and MSNBC confirms today.
Obama leads the money chase in key counties
Scouring the latest campaign finance data for a Palin bounce, other trends
Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Ohio's Ashtabula County. Winnebago County, Wisconsin.
These are the counties where the 2008 presidential election may be decided. They're battleground counties in the battleground states.
9.18.2008
Is Randy Hopper Against Maternity & Family Leave?
Another greatest hit from WIEye...
In an interview with Candidate Randy Hopper at the Winnebago County Republican Party Corn Roast, he stated (and I paraphrase)...
"I spoke with a business that sold off a million dollar unit because they were about to go over 50 employees. That is absurd."
Why would that happen? Because of the Family and Medical Leave Act. Once you have 50 employees, you need to offer maternity leave. Once you have over 50 employees, you need to allow employees to care for their spouses when they are critically ill.
I believe it is important that we allow new families the time to adjust and recuperate after a birth.
I also believe that families need the time to care for loved ones in times of dire need.
I guess Randy Hopper doesn't.
In an interview with Candidate Randy Hopper at the Winnebago County Republican Party Corn Roast, he stated (and I paraphrase)...
"I spoke with a business that sold off a million dollar unit because they were about to go over 50 employees. That is absurd."
Why would that happen? Because of the Family and Medical Leave Act. Once you have 50 employees, you need to offer maternity leave. Once you have over 50 employees, you need to allow employees to care for their spouses when they are critically ill.
I believe it is important that we allow new families the time to adjust and recuperate after a birth.
I also believe that families need the time to care for loved ones in times of dire need.
I guess Randy Hopper doesn't.
9.14.2008
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