On the Threats of Violence...

I am sick and tired of the threats that are being sent around to Democratic Congress Members that supported the Health Care Bill.

I am even more sick of the denials from the GOP that their rhetoric does not feed it. I am also disgusted when they say that these threats are isolated incidents.

We all get these sort of emails from the right. They are a lot more common than you might think.

It seems to be a regular tactic from that side of the political debate. When the publicity surrounding the Obama billboard was in its height, I was getting regular emails both in support and against the billboard.

I was also receiving threatening and ignorant emails. Some examples are below (no names or emails have been changes to protect anybody:

Get your head out of the sand pile and take a look at history. I am angry along with millions of other concerned citizens...legal citizens...that our president is arrogant and hell bent on doing his own thing.
I hope more signs go up and hopefully someone will finally ask our leader, just where do you really come from? And maybe you might be able to give us a TRUTHFUL answer for a change.
Swanhild Tess
17365 Sierra Lane
Brookfield, Wi 53045


----------------


jef hall
...
Fri, March 5, 2010 6:12:17 PM

From: Pa Bel
To: chair@winnebagodems.org
your an idiot. go live with hugo chavez and that the rest of the liberals idiots with you.

----------------

Wisconsin Billboard Calls for Obama's Ouster
...
Mon, February 15, 2010 12:22:01 PM
From: Fred
To: chair@winnebagodems.org
Jef Hall is the chairman of the Winnebago County Democratic Party. He says having a bad opinion of the president doesn't mean there's been an impeachable offense.

Having a bad opinion of the Obama doesn’t means he hasn’t committed impeachable offenses either. But I’m sure of one thing, many brainwashed leftist fools will pay dearly come November for crawling in bed with that narcissistic corrupt anti-American radical fascist lying worthless nigger in our White House. The scum of America, the filthy worthless slime of the human race. In fact many polls are saying it may be a political blood bath for the totally corrupt and morally bankrupt National leadership of your radical socialist party.

Have a nice day, Fred

----------------

If I were to search farther in my emails, I could find a lot more.

This sort of stuff needs to stop.

My Proposed Resolution to Purchase the Historic Fire Engine from Paul Esslinger

Here, in it's entirety, without comment, is my proposed resolution. I will be sending this to the Mayor, City Councilors and Staff (a few small edits from the original):

PURPOSE: ACCEPT 1915 FIRE ENGINE / AUTHORIZE REIMBURSEMENT

INITIATED BY: (a council member)

WHEREAS, A 1915 Fire Engine formerly used by the Oshkosh Fire Department became available for purchase and Paul Esslinger stepped forward to secure the purchase of the vehicle and its transportation to the City to preserve it for the City of Oshkosh, and

WHEREAS, Mr. Esslinger has expended $9724.50 for the purchase, transportation and insurance of the vehicle from the time of purchase to the present, and

WHEREAS, the Council previously approved, by Resolution 09-438, the establishment of a fund to accept donations for the purchase and maintenance of the Engine, and

WHEREAS, the fund currently contains $2905.02, and

WHEREAS, Mr. Esslinger would like to transfer ownership of the vehicle to the City at this time.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Oshkosh that the appropriate City staff are hereby directed and authorized to accept title to the vehicle in the name of the City of Oshkosh and take possession of the vehicle

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Finance Director is hereby authorized and directed upon presentation of documented costs to the Oshkosh Common Council and proper transfer of the title from Mr. Esslinger to pay out the amount of these documented costs to Mr. Esslinger from the City of Oshkosh's General Fund.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Finance Director is hereby authorized to disperse funds from the purchase and maintenance fund collected previously to the passage of this resolution by the Common Council, as needed for the maintenance and storage of the Engine once it is in the possession and ownership of the City.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Finance Director is also hereby authorized to collect donations for the historic firetruck to repay the general fund of the City for disbursements made in relation to the purchase and maintenance of the historic firetruck.

The Oshkosh Northwestern Agrees - Editorial: City should buy antique fire truck

The editorial is here.

I agree with most of what they have to say here:

And finally, this week was a resolution to turn the truck over to the city and disburse $2,900 in donations to the mayor. When a citizen, Jef Hall, questioned the appropriateness of the Mayor participating in the discussion from the dais and the overall appearance of the transaction, the Mayor and council member Dennis McHugh took umbrage.
...
The best, cleanest solution to the problem, as suggested by Hall, is for the council to make a determination that the fire truck has historic value to the city and buy the truck from Esslinger. They can designate the $2,900 in donations to a maintenance fund for the truck and write a $9,724 check to the Mayor.

I disagree with the suggestion that funds should come from the Fire Dept's budget. This is a vital budget that can easily go over. If, at the end of the year, the Fire Dept has $10,000 left, they can pay back the general fund with their surplus.

But, this is an item for the entire city, so the funds should come from the general fund. Otherwise you could argue that the money should come from parks, if it ends up displayed there, or business improvement, if it is in parades, or any number of other places....

I also feel a separate fund should be opened to pay back the city, AFTER Mr. Esslinger is paid. This will allow fund-raising for the truck to be separate from any payments to Mr. Esslinger.

I also agree that:

The council can leave it to the voters to decide if Mayor's dalliance with the fire truck was appropriate.

I think purchase without approval followed by a demand for payment, yet terming it a donation was an act of hubris on Mayor Esslinger's part. However, if I was on the council and it was brought forward to purchase an historic artifact such as this for $10,000 I would most likely support it. My problem with this is not the act of securing the item, but the process followed.

Let's settle this, get the truck into the community and move on.

I will be forwarding a copy of my resolution to the Council and staff for consideration.

I hope the Oshkosh Northwestern will also agree that Mr. Esslinger should step down from the Council Dias for the debate on this resolution.

Why City funds for the Firetruck?

Re-reading my previous post about my proposed firetruck resolution, I realized I forgot to explain why I think Mayor Paul Esslinger should be paid from city funds. Here are a few points:

Point #1: It removes all questions about potential conflicts from donations. There is not a current system set up to record all donations. There are several hundred dollars in the fund right now without a donor recorded. We do not know who or how many people these came from. By removing the ability to give to the fund anonymously, it protects both the public and Mayor Esslinger from questions relating to influence of a large, nameless donor. If the city were to continue allowing 'toss money in the bucket' donations, anyone could approach the Mayor and say they put in the bulk of it. There is a reason why these types of donations are not allowed for campaigns.

Point #2: If we allow donations into the fund to be directly funneled to Mayor Esslinger, they should follow all the rules used for campaign financing. See above for a reason. These were set up to ensure no donor would have an outsize influence on the official. For the Mayor of Oshkosh, or any council member, the limits are $.01/person in individual contributions and $.0075/person in PAC contributions. So, if Oshkosh has 65,000 people, then you may receive a max contribution of $650/individual and $487.50/PAC. I understand there has already been a $1,000 contribution to this fund, more than would be allowed for a campaign.

Point #3: If this firetruck is an asset for Oshkosh (as I believe it is) then Oshkosh should be willing to pay for it, if Mayor Esslinger is unable to truly donate it. This would not preclude a donor fund to continue around the firetruck. There would be a lot less questions if donations could be secured without a potential direct pass-through to the Mayor. I would encourage people to continue to donate to the firetruck fund, after the City makes Mayor Esslinger whole. I'm sure people with business before the city might be more willing to donate if they knew it would not be a direct pass-through to the city.

Therefore, because of my thoughts about Point #3 above, I have added the following to my potential resolution for payment for the historic firetruck:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the finance director is also hereby authorized to continue to collect donations for the historic firetruck to repay the general fund of the City for disbursements made in relation to the purchase and maintenance of the historic firetruck.

By making Mayor Esslinger whole now, but continuing to allow donations, we can pay back the general fund, while removing the potential conflicts of interest in this matter.

That said, Mayor Esslinger should remove himself from the Council Dias for these discussions.  If he does not, parliamentary procedure allows for a member of the council to call for a vote for his removal for this resolution.  I hope a member will.

If I were writing the firetruck resolution...

UPDATE: I added another BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED due to the thoughts expressed in this post.

At the Oshkosh Common Council Meeting tonight, I outlined my problems with the resolution for reimbursement for the historical firetruck that Mayor Paul Esslinger wants to 'donate' to the city.

Point #1: It is not a donation if you want to be reimbursed.  It is a purchase.  Mayor Esslinger purchased the firetruck, and wants the city to purchase it from him.The fact that he proposes that these funds come not from taxpayers but donors does not change the fact that it is a purchase, not a donation.  What we are really talking about is how to finance this purchase.  Councilor McHugh compared the firetruck to the Leech and Kimball Auditorium, but neither of those donors required that they be paid in return for their donation.

Point #2: Unlike Councilor McHugh said in his questioning, I was not accusing Mayor Esslinger of corruption.  I was pointing out that he was entering a very delicate area, and he should be careful about how he moves forward.  I had a suggestion that the resolution should come from another councilor, or that the money should come from city funds.  Both of these would allow for a separation from the Mayor that removes future potential questions.

Point #3: I am glad we have the potential of getting the firetruck for the city!  I think it will be an asset, but I don't want it a city asset under a permanent storm cloud of controversy. 

Point #4: There is a difference between the letter of the law, legal opinions and public perception for public officials.  Mayor Esslinger said he received an opinion that he can still run the meeting as they discuss the firetruck reimbursement, just not vote on the issue.  But, if you watched the meeting tonight, when Councilor Buchholz suggested a time frame for fund-raising, Mayor Esslinger said, from the Council Dias, "I'd be OK with that." While that is not technically a vote, it is beyond the common sense view of being removed from the process.

Mayor Esslinger should be off the Council Dias, and at the podium like any other citizen while this is debated, which leads to:

Point #5: The resolution should not read "the Mayor" every time that Mayor Esslinger is referenced.  It adds to the perception that this is a special deal for "the Mayor."  It should read "Paul Esslinger" or "the Owner." So that there is not a perception of a special deal for the position versus the person.

So, with that all in mind, I would word the resolution:

PURPOSE: ACCEPT 1915 FIRE ENGINE / AUTHORIZE REIMBURSEMENT

INITIATED BY: (a council member)

WHEREAS, A 1915 Fire Engine formerly used by the Oshkosh Fire Department became available for purchase and Paul Esslinger stepped forward to secure the purchase of the vehicle and its transportation to the City to preserve it for the City of Oshkosh, and

WHEREAS, Mr. Esslinger has expended $9724.50 for the purchase, transportation and insurance of the vehicle from the time of purchase to the present, and

WHEREAS, the Council previously approved, by Resolution 09-438, the establishment of a fund to accept donations for the purchase and maintenance of the Engine, and

WHEREAS, the fund currently contains $2905.02, and

WHEREAS, Mr. Esslinger would like to transfer ownership of the vehicle to the City at this time, without regard to whether the full amount required to reimburse him for his costs has been raised.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Oshkosh that the appropriate City staff are hereby directed and authorized to accept title to the vehicle in the name of the City of Oshkosh and take possession of the vehicle

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Finance Director is hereby authorized and directed upon presentation of documented costs to the Oshkosh Common Council and proper transfer of the title from Mr. Esslinger to pay out the amount of these costs to Mr. Esslinger from the City of Oshkosh's General Fund.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Finance Director is hereby authorized to disperse funds from the purchase and maintenance fund as needed for the maintenance and storage of the Engine once it is in the possession and ownership of the City.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Finance Director is also hereby authorized to continue to collect donations for the historic firetruck to repay the general fund of the City for disbursements made in relation to the purchase and maintenance of the historic firetruck.

Pull It! (The Firetruck Resolution)

Tonight the Oshkosh Common council will consider Resolution 10-99 "Authorize 1915 Fire Engine / Authorize Future Dispersements from Donations"

This should be pulled form the agenda an re-considered at a future meeting (if at all) for several reasons:

1. According to the resolution, it was "Initiated by: Mayor Esslinger"

The Mayor should not be initiating resolutions to have the city give him money. If another councilor is not willing to sponsor the resolution, it should not be considered.

On a similar note, Mayor Esslinger should not be at the council dias for the debate on this issue. The meeting should be turned over to the Deputy Mayor and Mayor Esslinger should go to the floor to operate under the rules any other citizen has during meetings.

2. The resolution establishes a direct route for interests to funnel money to the Mayor through the city.

The resolution directs the City of Oshkosh to:

pay out the amount currently held in the fund established for the purchase and maintenance of the vehicle to the Mayor and is directed to continue to pay out amounts that are donated to the fund monthly, without contrary reservations by the donors, to the Mayor

This literally makes a fund anyone (including those with business before the council) can use to legally funnel money to the Mayor.

...and not campaign contributions, which have a legal, established limit. This would allow money up to the almost $10,000 for the full purchase cost.

Also the phrase "without contrary reservations by the donors" means that up to the $10,000 you cannot donate money to the firetruck's upkeep and housing. All money donated HAS to go to the Mayor regardless of the intent of the donor.

This is either corrupt or inept, and should be pulled.  It is not worth discussion in it's current form.

History Repeats - FDR 1936 Madison Square Garden Speech

Read the speech and hear it here.

Narrow the time frames to the 8 years of Pres Bush and the 1 year of Pres Obama and we have today:

For twelve years this Nation was afflicted with hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing Government. The Nation looked to Government but the Government looked away. Nine mocking years with the golden calf and three long years of the scourge! Nine crazy years at the ticker and three long years in the breadlines! Nine mad years of mirage and three long years of despair! Powerful influences strive today to restore that kind of government with its doctrine that that Government is best which is most indifferent.
...
We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace, business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.


They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.


Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me, and I welcome their hatred.

New GOP 'Religious' Group Organizes Against....

...health care reform, affordable housing, rehabilitation for non-violent offenders instead of imprisonment, and fair treatment for immigrants.

and

legal restrictions on payday lending practices

Doesn't sound very Christian to me. To organize against an organization advocating those issues really means that this GOP 'Religious' Group is advocating for:

Keeping health care from the poor
Decent housing for the poor
Breaking up families by locking up non-violent offenders
Usury on those less fortunate

This is the message the GOP will carry into Nov 2010, and the vision they have for the Fox Valley, Wisconsin and America.

This is the vision of America they have when you hear the GOP talk about "pro-life/pro-family patriotic Christians" - they believe it is unpatriotic and un-Christian to be poor, non-white or down on your luck.

I am glad to have no part of it.

Poor Choice of Words, Pawlenty...

Pawlenty calls on conservatives to 'fight back' against Obama

He even compared Democrats to Tiger Woods, saying "we can learn a lot" from his news conference Friday.

"Not from Tiger, but from his wife," Pawlenty said. "She said, 'I've had enough.' She said, 'No more.' I think we should take a page out of her playbook and take a nine-iron and smash the window out of the big government in this country."

Is that really a good thing to say the day after someone flew their plan through the windows of a Federal Office Building?

A reminder for Gov Pawlenty:

The remains of two people have been found in an Austin, Texas, building where a man crashed a small plane, authorities said.

The identities of the two dead people have not been confirmed, the Austin Fire Department said in a statement. Two other people who were injured in the incident were taken to a hospital, and 11 others were treated for minor injuries, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said.

The 'Mt Vernon" Statement

Yesterday, Conservatives released what they are calling the Mt. Vernon Statement - a "defining statement of conservative beliefs, values and principles" that calls for:

A Constitutional conservatism based on first principles provides the framework for a consistent and meaningful policy agenda.

I thought that was an interesting proposition, but what is a "Constitutional conservatism?" Since the Tea Baggers and Conservatives throw around the Constitution and the Founding Fathers so much, lets see how much of their "defining statement" is in the Constitution. As Newt has pointed out: Words Matter.

So the question of the day is: Are the Mt. Vernon Statement's words in the Constitution? And if so, in what context?

The Mt. Vernon Statement calls for:

A Constitutional conservatism based on first principles provides the framework for a consistent and meaningful policy agenda.

- It applies the principle of limited government based on the rule of law to every proposal.
- It honors the central place of individual liberty in American politics and life.
- It encourages free enterprise, the individual entrepreneur, and economic reforms grounded in market solutions.
- It supports America’s national interest in advancing freedom and opposing tyranny in the world and prudently considers what we can and should do to that end.
- It informs conservatism’s firm defense of family, neighborhood, community, and faith.

Below are keywords from the statement, and if they are in the Constitution?

Conservatism: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Policy: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Limited: In the Constitution!
It is used to discuss Congress' Authority over Trademark and Copyright

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

Rule of Law: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Liberty: In the Constitution!
Used 3 places
First Use: To establish the reason for our government. Note, it is seven words away from welfare, don't tell Tommy Thompson.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Second Use: In the 5th Amendment, it ensures the Government cannot take away our life, liberty or property without due process (something we can all agree on). But, how can we be guaranteed life, but not access to healthcare? Just a thought for the times...

nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law

Third Use: This is my favorite for this exercise. "Liberty" is used in the 14th Amendment to define the rights of Amendment 5 (above) and the entire Constitution to "All persons born or naturalized in the United States." Please note that Hawaii is, in fact, a state. It also says that no state can "make or enforce any law" that takes the rights of an American Citizen away from them. (Once again, even if they were born in Hawaii.)

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Free Enterprise: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Entrepreneur: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Market: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Freedom: In the Constitution!
Used in the 1st amendment to ensure there would not be a national religion (kinda gets in the way of the faith remark), or to put down speech against the government.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Tyranny: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Family: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Neighborhood: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Community: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Faith: In the Constitution!

Used to describe the authority of the Federal Government to ensure the credit of transactions and relations between the states (an expanded federal big-gov't policy I am sure the Tea-Baggers would be against). Note: not a reference to religion.

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State

So, in review, the Mt. Vernon statement is, in fact, another meaningless statement from the Teabagger Right Conservatives distorting the Constitution they claim to uphold. The words used in the statement are either not in the Constitution, or are used for an entirely different context.

David Frum has more in the meaninglessness here.

Once again on the stimulus...

Click here for more.

Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing

The Menasha Attorneys who purchased the 'Impeach Obama' Billboard are distancing themselves even farther from the act.

In a recent article in the OshNW, Thomas J. Wroblewski once again declared he does not stand behind the sign's statement, and will not produce a single name of a small business owner who does.

Two Menasha attorneys linked to an Oshkosh billboard calling for the impeachment of President Barack Obama sought Monday to deflect the flak generated by the controversial sign.

Attorney Thomas J. Wroblewski said he and his father, Thomas S. Wroblewski, merely represent an unnamed company that rented the billboard and are not responsible for its message.

“It is nothing personal for my dad or me,” Wroblewski said. “It is a limited liability company that our firm represents. The company chose the location of the billboard and chose the language.”
...
Wroblewski said he could not divulge any details about the business owners.
“My instructions from my clients are not to disclose their identity,” he said.

Mr. Wroblewski also takes pains to let the press know that the message itself has no meaning:

He said the billboard, despite its language, is not meant to allege that Obama committed any particular impeachable offense.

The sign company that accepted the anonymous money fro the billboard also wants you to know they do not want anything to do with the message as well:

Jones Signs, which owns the billboard, sent a statement Monday afternoon to media outlets saying neither the company nor the Wroblewskis "necessarily agrees with the views represented on this billboard."

So, to summarize: this is an anonymous message that the agents admit has no truth or meaning by people not willing to stand behind it.

Why all the attention?

What we know:

FVB, LLC was organized as a Domestic Limited Liability Company by Thomas S. Wroblewski on 1/20/2010.

This was the only LLC organized by the Wroblewski's since WAES, LLC on 3/25/2009. It would seem this is the LLC that for the billboard.

It's Entity ID is F044362.

To get a copy of the "Articles of Organization - Domestic LLC - Form 502" from the state costs $170. I'm not willing to pay that.

If someone else has a way to get this, let me know.

WFRV Story

Here is the report:



My previous comments are here.

Winnebago County Democratic Party Endorses David Keck for Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Branch 5

Winnebago County Democratic Party Endorses David Keck for Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Branch 5

At the January 13th, 2010 party membership meeting, the WCDP endorsed Court Commissioner David Keck for Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge in Branch 5.

Mr. Keck spoke to the members assembled about his history as a public defender, Court Commissioner and one of the founders of the Winnebago County Free Legal Assistance Clinic that offers legal advice to those who are unable to afford legal services.

Mr. Keck also helped create a program with the Christine Ann Center to provide legal representation to domestic abuse victims who need to appear in court for restraining orders or stalking cases.

Mr. Keck focused on how these victims need the confidence and help from representation as they face their victims for often the first time after leaving.

Mr. Keck has a record as a Court Commissioner of judging cases based on the fact before him, not the people. This record coupled with the compassion he outlined in a recent Oshkosh Northwestern profile:

Keck said the programs ensure professional representation in court for that those without the financial means to hire an attorney. Going into a court proceeding without a lawyer and not understanding the legal proceedings is not fair to all parties involved, he said.

"Because of the way I do hearings and make decisions, I see a need for all people to get a chance to be represented," said Keck, who was a staff attorney with the State Public Defender's Office for 13 years before becoming court commissioner. "It's like being a referee of a game where one team doesn't know what the rules are. It's hard to be fair when one side doesn't know the rules to play by."

…is why your Winnebago County Democratic Party urges you to vote for David Keck in the Judges Primary on February 16th.

The Billboard... and how the stimulus and Democratic Policy helps my community and small business.

I just finished an interview with Channel 5 Green Bay about the 'Impeach Obama' billboard. They received a statement from Mr. Wroblewski, who purchased it.

The statement read to the effect that he did not purchase it, but made the purchase with funds from an anonymous LLC of 'small businesses.' He said that this LLC knows that President Obama has done nothing impeachable, but that they wanted to make a statement.

My response was that if this anonymous LLC does not want to come forward and say who they are, then the entire statement has the credibility of an anonymous blog rant. It should be discounted as such.

I then took the reporter, Olga Halaburda, on a virtual tour of how the stimulus and Democratic Policy helps our community and small business:

- The house next door to mine was weatherized through a program funded by stimulus dollars. It is managed locally by Advocap, who had to double their weatherization staff because of the stimulus funding. Advocap also has hired local heating contractors to ensure the goals of the program are met, creating more jobs and keeping people working

On top of this, my neighbor will save on heating bills immediately, freeing up that money to be spent on other needs, as well as reducing dependence on fossil fuels and improving our local environment.

The stimulus funding was overwhelmingly opposed by Republicans in Congress; without which, these jobs and savings would not exist.

- I purchased my house in January of 2009, qualifying for the homebuyers tax rebate. With this refund, we had all the floors on the first floor stripped, sanded and resurfaced. To do this we hired a local, small business from the Fond du Lac area.

The next purchase was new carpeting. This was purchased from and installed by Sundquist's Flooring. The owner of this business lives 4-5 block away from me.

We also re-did the stairs, built a new closet, purchased a new hot water heater and front door. All purchased from and installed (the water heater) by local businesses. All items that would not have been done without the tax credit.

The Homebuyer's Tax Credit "passed... with nary a Republican vote;" without which, these purchases and installations would not have been made,

- I asked Ms. Halaburda to take note of Racette Ford on her way back to Green Bay. I drive past it everyday for work. A short time after 'Cash for Clunkers' passed, they had a mostly empty lot after a long build up of cars. In a OshNW story no longer online, they (Racette) 'hailed' the program.

'Cash for Clunkers' passed with only "7 Republicans voting for it." Without which, those car sales would not have happened.

- I also pointed to the Winnebago County Jail, which she would also pass on the way home. We recently approved the purchase of an absorption chiller to cool the jail with excess heat from burning landfill gas.

This will also save fossil fuel and pollution immediately, as well as pay off the investment in utility bill savings to the county in a few years.

Without the green energy provisions of the stimulus bill, this purchase, which will be built and installed by workers and businesses, would not have happened. These savings to the county on utilities would not happen.

The stimulus funding was overwhelmingly opposed by Republicans in Congress; without which, these jobs and savings would not exist.

Overall, the policies of the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress are helping your neighbors, your local businesses, your local governments and your environment.

An anonymous billboard can not negate this fact.


Update - WFRV Story:

UPDATE: OshNW Addresses Palmeri's 'Soviet Comments'

James Fitzhenry of the Northwestern addresses Deputy Mayor Tony Palmeri's 'Soviet Comments' in today's column:

QUESTION 3: A Common Council member compares the authorization of an urban deer hunt to something in line with the unbridled power dictated in the old Soviet Union. Those remarks show the council member to be:

A. The lone voice of reason in a sea of corrupt cowards.

B. Dangerously on the edge of irrelevancy.

C. Needing a better way to spend his time.

D. Losing his grip on reality.

We will see if Palmeri addresses (apologizes for) these comments at Tuesdays meeting. (Feel free to chat about it online here)

(P.S. I answer B with a sprinkle of D)

"At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

This is taking a local disagreement way to far.

Deputy Mayor Tony Palmeri, on his blog, compares Oshkosh City Manager Mark Rohloff to Stalin:

I hope we can all agree that a city manager ought not have the power to direct an organization or individual to discharge firearms in violation of city codes. Giving a local executive that kind of power is more in line with the old Soviet Union than the US Constitution.

Here is a little lesson in history for Mr. Palmeri (via Wikipedia):

Researchers before the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union attempting to count the number of people killed under Stalin's regime produced estimates ranging from 3 to 60 million.[72] After the Soviet Union dissolved, evidence from the Soviet archives also became available, containing official records of the execution of approximately 800,000 prisoners under Stalin for either political or criminal offenses, around 1.7 million deaths in the Gulags and some 390,000 deaths during kulak forced resettlement – for a total of about 3 million officially recorded victims in these categories.[73]

While I understand that Mr. Palmeri feels very passionate about the lives of the deer in the city, he admits in his post that he is in the minority on the council for this:

Unlike last year, when only I spoke in opposition, this time the deliberation would have included the voice of Bob Poeschl. Mr. Poeschl openly opposed the deer cull during his campaign

That is still just 2 votes. We still, by Mr. Palmeri's math, have a council that is 5-2 in favor of the cull, even after the election we had during the initial cull.

We should have a debate about the deer cull, a vigorous one, if Mr. Palmeri demands it. And we did. It was passed overwhelmingly by the council.

Calling the City Manager Stalin does not advance the debate. It seems to me that Mr. Palmeri is breaking a sub-set of Godwin's Law of the internet here (also via Wikipedia):

Godwin's Law (also known as Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies or Godwin's Law of Nazi Analogies)[1][2] is a humorous observation made by Mike Godwin in 1990 which has become an Internet adage. It states: "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."[3][2]

I would expect better discourse out of someone with a Doctorate in Rhetoric:

Education:
* 1984 - 1987: PhD, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, American Public Address
* 1983-1984: M.A., Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI. Rhetorical Theory and Criticism
* 1979-1983: B.A. St. John's University, Queens, NY. Rhetoric and Public Address

But, maybe not if you look at the main definition of rhetoric in m-w.com:

rhet·o·ric

1 : the art of speaking or writing effectively: as a : the study of principles and rules of composition formulated by critics of ancient times b : the study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion
2 a : skill in the effective use of speech b : a type or mode of language or speech; also : insincere or grandiloquent language
3 : verbal communication : discourse

Lets look further into (2)(b)(also):

gran·dil·o·quence

: a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language

Sounds about right.

By the way, in case you want background on the title of this post.

Running for Spring Office in Winnebago County

I am starting a FAQ on local offices and campaigns here.

Let me know if you have questions or suggestions.

Winnebago Politics Deja Vu...

I sent this email at 7:36 AM today:

Spring Candidates Needed! Contact Your Winnebago Dems if You Are Interested in Running

Hello Members and Friends of the Winnebago County Democratic Party!

Spring elections are upon us. Tomorrow (December 1) is the first day to gather signatures to appear on ballots in this April’s elections. Signatures are due January 5th.

To appear on a ballot, you will need to collect 50-200 signatures minimum (depending on the office).

Offices up for spring 2010 elections include County Board, School Boards, Town Boards and City Councils. If you are interested, we can help you get all the paperwork together.

Please contact Jef Hall, Chair at 920.203.6883 or via email at jef@jefhall.com if you are interested in running for a local office.

Now is the time to make sure we implement Progressive and Democratic principles and priorities in our communities. We cannot do this without people in these offices.

Contact me today!

-jef-

Jef Hall
Chair, Winnebago County Democratic Party
2nd Vice Chair, Democratic Party of WI
112 E Irving Ave
Oshkosh, WI 54901

920.203.6883
jef@jefhall.com
www.WinnebagoDems.org

Authorized and Paid for by the Winnebago County Democratic Party – Jef Hall, Chair

..and..

I received this email at 12:27 PM

Spring Candidates Needed
...
From: Winnebago County GOP
...

Dear WCRP Members and Friends,

Tomorrow, December 1st, is the first day to gather signatures in order to be on the ballot in April's elections. Signatures are due on January 5th, and in order to appear on a ballot, you must collect between 50 and 200 signatures minimum, depending on the office. Offices up for election in the spring of 2010 include the County Board, School Boards, Town Boards, and City Councils. If you have any interest, we can help you get the paperwork together. Please contact our Campaign Chair, Xxxx Xxxxxx, at xxxxxxxx@xxx.xx.xxx, or myself directly at XXX-XXX-XXXX.

We absolutely need candidates to maintain the conservative cause in Winnebago County!

Regards,

Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
WCRP Chairman

(I'm not gonna give out their contact info... They already stole my email, I'm not gonna send out theirs for them!)

Kagen Health Care Listening Session, Hmong Summer Festival, Labor Day

Hello Members and Friends of the Winnebago County Democratic Party!

There are several ways you can help your Democratic Party and get involved in your community this week:

1. Kagen Health Care Listening Session

You are invited to attend a health care listening session with Congressman Kagen on Thursday night. We would like to build a friendly crowd so Rep Kagen can have some rational, reasonable interactions. To attend, these are the details:

Thurs, Sept 3^rd - 7:00 8:30PM

Appleton North High School Gymnasium

5000 N Ballard Rd - Appleton

2. Winnebago Hmong Summer Festival

Sat & Sun, Sept 5^th & 6^th

Winnebago County Park

501 East County Road Y - Oshkosh

The Winnebago Dems will host a booth this weekend at the Hmong Summer Festival. We need people to staff the booth on Saturday and Sunday. If you are able to fill in a shift, please email Jef Hall – jef@jefhall.com or call 920.203.6883 to sign up. This is a growing constituency, and we can make a real impact by putting our best foot forward here.

3. Winnebago County Labor Day Events

We will again show our support for labor by marching in the Menasha-Neenah Labor Day Parade Monday, September 7th. Please meet at Germania Hall – 320 Chute St, Menasha at 9:15 AM for a 10:00 AM Parade start.

After the parade we will spend time at both the Neenah and Oshkosh Labor Day picnics.

Neenah Labor Day Picnic: 157 S Green Bay Rd, Neenah

Oshkosh Labor Day Picnic and Car Show: South Park, Oshkosh

To join both the Democratic Party of WI & your local Winnebago County party, go here: http://www.wisdems.org/membership_sign-up.asp

As always, please contact me at anytime with questions,

-jef-

Jef Hall

Chair, Winnebago County Democratic Party

2nd Vice Chair, Democratic Party of WI

112 E Irving 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

Tony Talks Poverty... Again...

At the Oshkosh Common Council meeting tonight, Councilor Tony Palmeri went off on a rant about the problems of poverty in Oshkosh. He declared the money for the Grand repairs would be much better spent helping people in poverty rather than supporting the Grand... and then voted to deny this money to people in poverty by spending the money on the Grand.

Now, I am as dedicated to poverty reduction as any elected official (and if anyone would like to discuss my record, I am open). But Palmeri, in his 2.5 years as an elected Oshkosh Common Council Member has done little or nothing to reduce poverty in Oshkosh.

Because Mr. Palmeri is very good at self-promotion, let's look at his major tool for this to evaluate his record: www.talktotony.blogspot.com (the link takes you to a Google search of his blog for the word 'Poverty').

You will find that he has 10 results about poverty on his blog. Tony was first elected in 4/2007. Of these 10, 6 are from before he was elected. Including:

In this post, he calls for the creation of a blue-ribbon panel on poverty consisting of former mayors (mind you, he would not be part of this panel) as a campaign promise.

In this post, he calls for "a jobs summit and/or create an Economic Development Commission to come up with real strategies for maintaining, attracting, and creating family supporting jobs in the community" - another opportunity for talking (but not doing anything) about poverty.

In this post he calls for "a living wage ordinance for the city of Oshkosh" - an item he has had 2.5 ears as a council member to introduce, but has not.

In the posts since his election, he has recorded:

A move by then Mayor Frank Tower (not Palmeri) to create a commission.

A post featuring a Kennedy quote.

A post comparing the war on Drugs with the War on Poverty.

A post complaining how the new ambulance rates will hurt the poor (he voted for it):

We approved new ambulance rates (I was part of the 6-1 majority), but we completely dropped any discussion of how increased rates affect those least able to pay. We gave lip service to that topic at the August workshop, and it did turn out to be just that: lip service. The painful reality is that this council or city government in general does not have in place any coherent anti-poverty program, nor do we seem particularly interested in developing one. We are all responsible for that; I am not trying to blame anyone.

Once again, Mr. Palmeri complained about the neglect of the poor, while continuing to neglect them.

Here is the rub. As a member of the Oshkosh Common Council, he has the opportunity to introduce any resolution at any meeting. The way I see it, he has been in office 52 months, and at 2 meetings a month, that is 104 opportunities to do something on this issue squandered.

Tonight, Mr. Palmeri called once again for more than lip service for Oshkosh's residents in poverty. I hope this time he actually means it.

His record does not look promising.

Health Care Reform Rally, Corn Roast, Stand by the Grand, Labor Day - Lots of Opportunities to Get Involved!

Hello Members and Friends of the Winnebago County Democratic Party!

There are several events over the next 2 weeks that you might like to get involved with:

1. Stand by the Grand!

The Oshkosh Common Council will be voting on repairs to the Grand Opera House at their meeting today Tuesday, August 25th. We need to show our support! Please gather with me in the City Hall parking lot before the meeting and show our Council members how much the people of Oshkosh value their Grand! Let's line the sidewalk with people who know the Grand must continue in our community!

The meeting starts at 5:15, please be there by 4:15!

2. Health Care rally in Green Bay

This Wednesday, August 26th, at 6:00 pm. there will be a major rally in Green Bay to support health care reform!! Send Rep. Steve Kagen back to Washington to fight for health care reform that will provide quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

The rally will be held at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix Room. Join us to show America that people from Wisconsin are fair minded, caring people who want EVERYONE to have affordable health care!

3. Winnebago Dems Corn Roast

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/event.php?eid=118301592309&ref=ts

Great Corn, Great Politics, Great People!

The Corn Roast will be August 29th, from 1-4PM. Once again, it will be held at Winnebago County Park in Shelterhouse 1. Speakers will include Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson, Rep Gordon Hintz, Rep Penny Bernard-Schaber and County Executive Mark Harris as well as other invited speakers.

$5 will once again get you a couple of hot dogs and all the corn on the cob you can eat.

4. Labor Day Events in Winnebago County

We will again show our support for labor by marching in the Menasha-Neenah Labor Day Parade Monday, September 7^th. Please meet at Germania Hall – 320 Chute St, Menasha at 9:15 AM for a 10:00 AM Parade start.

After the parade we will spend time at both the Neenah and Oshkosh Labor Day picnics.

Neenah Labor Day Picnic: 157 S Green Bay Rd, Neenah

Oshkosh Labor Day Picnic and Car Show: South Park, Oshkosh

To join both the Democratic Party of WI & your local Winnebago County party, 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

112 E Irving 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

More on Palmeri and the Grand

Some quotes from his blog:

1. In reference to budget deliberations:

Deputy Mayor Bain submitted a CIP amendment: Grand Opera House Sprinkler Project. Motion to have the City fully fund the Grand Opera House sprinkler project. Rationale: The city owns the project, and I feel it is our obligation for maintenance and upkeep, and the sprinkler project certainly falls into that category. The Foundation Board should be focused on their projects to enhance the facility. Benefit - The experience that the citizens and patrons have when visiting the building.

2. Discussing a performance he was in to help raise private money for childrens programs at the Grand:

So thanks again to Joe Ferlo and the Grand Opera House, two Oshkosh treasures.

Tony, what changed? I'm sure most of the people who voted for you did not do so thinking you would say the Grand is "dead on arrival" (his exact quote below):



Contact Mr. Palmeri and remind him why the Grand was important to him, and why it is to you!

tpalmeri@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
(920) 235-1116

Mr. Palmeri is off base - Preserve the Grand

Mr. Palmeri is quoted in the OshNW today:

Palmeri said this was the time for community groups to “walk the walk.” “If we don’t get meaningful private participation on this, we can only talk the talk on public-private partnerships,” he said. “Everybody wants to see the building saved, but I do think now would be the time for people to step up to the plate and show what they can contribute.”

Since he is a private citizen and wants to see the building saved, I look forward to him walking the walk as well.

What Mr.'s Palmeri and Esslinger (read the article, he is also calling for private donations) fail to realize is that the preservation of these historic buildings is the responsibility of govt. Even more in lean times when private fundraising is more difficult.

As Mr. Palmeri wrote on his blog during the water tower debate:

My interest in this issue is not rooted in some nostalgia for history or historic structures. Rather, I believe that it's time to start actively developing the "Historic Oshkosh" brand. Other cities have done this with great success.

How can we brand ourselves as "Historic Oshkosh" if we allow Wisconsin's oldest operating theater building to close and rot?

If the private sector, which already funds the Grand to the tune of $500,000+ per year, cannot raise the funds, it is the city's job to foster the city's image and encourage tourism and business development.

Let's see some consistency... Preserve the Grand.

Limbaugh Argument Against National Healthcare: Private Healthcare Takes Care of Dogs Just Fine....

He says "it works" because "It depends on your ability to pay."

And describes swank animal hospitals and dog kennels.

Hey Rush, what do you do to a dog when you can't afford to pay for their care?

Are you advocating for putting the sick poor to sleep?

New Oshkosh leaders group to hold community meeting on state budget impact

New Oshkosh leaders group to hold community meeting on state budget impact

Citizens for a Strong Oshkosh (CSO) will hold a public meeting on June 15 to examine the proposed state budget and how it will affect the Oshkosh community. The meeting will take place Monday at 6:00 pm at the Oshkosh Convention Center, 2 North Main St, Oshkosh.

Diverse community leaders formed CSO to preserve quality services and infrastructure that Oshkosh residents rely on every day. CSO includes business owners and union leaders, elected officials from all branches of local government and interested citizens. Although members have different roles in the community and reflect different political persuasions, all care deeply about Oshkosh. Steering committee members include John Nichols, Frank Tower, Mark Harris, Tom McDermott, Steve Hintz, Jessica King, Paulette Feld, Dennis Schwab, Kathleen Propp, Joan Wade, Ashley Hesse, Sean Fitzgerald, Vue Thao, Tom Willadsen, and Steven Powers.

CSO has been looking at the large role that state revenue decisions play in our community. The budget proposed by the Governor and amended by the Joint Finance Committee is being debated now by the entire legislature in Madison.

According to Mark Harris, Winnebago County Executive, “At this community meeting, we will discuss the growing state budget deficit and how it may affect Oshkosh. We want to inform and involve citizens so state legislators hear their opinions before the budget is finalized. The decisions our state legislators make may raise our property taxes and jeopardize local services for years to come.”

CSO has met at least monthly since November to discuss the role that state revenue and decisions play in local public structures from law enforcement to schools to human services and economic development. They have been studying reforms at the state level that could make Oshkosh stronger.

Interested members of the community are encouraged to attend the meeting on June 15 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Call 231-4770 for more information.

The Myth of Canadians Flocking to the US for Healthcare:

Phantoms in the Snow...

U.S. ambulatory facilities survey. Almost 40 percent of the facilities we surveyed reported treating no Canadians, while an additional 40 percent had seen fewer than ten patients (Exhibit 1Go). Fifteen percent of respondent sites reported treating 10–25 Canadian patients, and only about 5 percent reported seeing more than 25 during the previous year (generally 25–75 patients; none reported more than 100). These findings were fairly consistent across the service categories. The overall response rate was 67 percent, and it varied across type of clinical facility from 56 percent for ambulatory surgery centers to 80 percent for cancer centers.

If we extrapolate these findings (assuming that nonrespondents show a pattern similar to that of respondents), these facilities in the three large metropolitan areas combined saw approximately 640 Canadian patients for diagnostic radiology services such as computed tomography (CT) scans or MRI and 270 patients for eye procedures such as cataract surgery over a one-year period. By comparison, the annual volume for CT scans and cataract extractions averaged about 80,000 and 25,000 procedures, respectively, in British Columbia alone during the mid-1990s.9 In Quebec the annual volume during the same period for CT scans and MRI averaged 375,000 procedures and 44,000 procedures, respectively

Wisconsinites Want Healthcare Reform

From an AARP survey:

• 49 percent say the state's health care system has major problems, and 13 percent say it is in a state of crisis
• 76 percent consider it important for the state to reduce the number of residents without health care coverage and 84 percent feel it should make health care more affordable for all
• 82 percent agree that all Wisconsinites should have access to the same basic health care coverage, and 76 percent agree that everyone should contribute to the health care system
• 56 percent say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported health care coverage for all Wisconsin residents