The Journal Sentinel Editorial Board’s blog on the day’s happenings as they happen
Watch the election debate between Christian Schneider and John Nichols hosted by Marquette University of Law School
With just a week to go before the Nov. 4 election, Journal Sentinel columnist Christian Schneider squared off with John Nichols of the Capital Times of Madison in a discussion at Marquette University Law School’s Eckstein Hall. Nichols is the author of seven books on politics and the media, and serves as Washington correspondent for The Nation. Schneider is a former policy analyst in the state Legislature, a former senior fellow at the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute and a contributor to National Review. The event was hosted by Mike Gousha, a distinguished fellow in law and public policy at the Law School.
If you cannot see the video above, try this link. (2)
Say no to County Board referendum
We generally don’t do endorsements, but we do think Milwaukee County voters would be making a mistake if they approved an advisory referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot to replace the elected county executive position with an appointed administrator.
Since the first executive, John Doyne, was elected in 1960, county executives have provided the county with solid leadership and often have provided needed balance to the legislative side of county government, the County Board. Representing all the voters in the county rather than those of just one district, as supervisors do, executives also can provide a unifying theme for county government.
Yes, executives also end up at loggerheads with the board and other branches of county government, but that’s the nature of our checks-and-balances form of government, a system that has worked well for over 200 years. »Read Full Blog Post(8)
Schimel meets with Editorial Board
Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel, the Republican candidate for Wisconsin attorney general, will meet with editors and reporters of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at 11 a.m. Thursday in a session that will be streamed live here.
Happ visited the Journal Sentinel on Monday. The two had their first debate on Sunday at the Marquette University Law School.
Video: Susan Happ talks to Journal Sentinel editors, reporters
The Journal Sentinel Editorial Board is meeting this week with the candidates for state attorney general and governor. You can meet them, too.
Each of our meetings will be streamed live, starting at 2 p.m. today when we sit down with Susan Happ, district attorney for Jefferson County and the Democratic candidate for attorney general.
We’ll also give you a chance to relay questions to us via Twitter — use the hashtag #jselection. We’ll ask the candidates selected questions from viewers. »Read Full Blog Post
More American Indian students needed in the UW System
This has been too long coming, but it’s good to see it finally happening: Leaders of several tribes from across the state met last week with the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents on ancestral lands of the Menominee and Ho-Chunk to discuss how to grow the numbers of American Indian students who both attend college and graduate school.
The numbers are abysmal: Barely 800 of the nearly 180,000 University of Wisconsin System undergraduates identify themselves as American Indian, 0.4% of the total enrollment.
UW and tribal leaders need to do better at making sure the system is accessible to American Indian students and that those students can succeed in the system and get a quality education. Changing those numbers really is about “doing the right thing,” as UW System President Ray Cross, put it. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Voter ID is here; make sure you have one, help those who don't
The voter ID issue is settled — at least for the Nov. 4 election: Voters will be required to bring a photo ID to the polls. We think that’s an unnecessary burden to place on voters and could cause some to stay home for lack of a proper ID. And, with only a few weeks before the election, some may find it difficult to get one.
But our hope is that officials and voters will rise to the occasion and not allow this attempt at voter suppression to achieve its goal. Make sure you have or obtain a proper photo ID — and vote. If you know someone who needs a photo ID, help that person get one. It does matter.
The refusal Friday of the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to hold a full hearing on objections to the law means that the decision of a three-judge panel that allows the state to implement the law stands. It doesn’t mean the state has to implement the law, but the Republicans who created and passed this measure are eager to see it in action and won’t let the opportunity pass. »Read Full Blog Post(87)
John Doe issues should be settled in Wisconsin
The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals made it clear Wednesday that federal Judge Rudolph Randa overreached when he blocked the secret John Doe investigation involving Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the probe will continue – although it should – but it does mean that Randa’s effort to involve himself in state politics was out of order, as we and others have argued.
"What we have said shows not only that an injunction was an abuse of discretion but also that (as prosecutors) all defendants possess qualified immunity from liability in damages," wrote Judge Frank Easterbrook in the decision.
This is a state issue that needs to be played out first at the state level. As we’ve noted in previous editorials, the prosecutors simply were doing their jobs. Whether what happened was illegal should be decided in an impartial and fair investigation that should be allowed to continue to its conclusion, and we hope the state courts agree. It should not be decided by a federal judge inserting himself into a state issue. »Read Full Blog Post(68)
What to do with the Bradley Center: tear it down
Milwaukee Architect David V. Uihlein has an intriguing proposal for downtown Milwaukee: tear down the BMO Harris Bradley Center (built largely thanks to the generosity of his mother, Jane Bradley Pettit), the UWM Arena and the Milwaukee Theatre, and replace those venues with a modern sports and entertainment complex that would, among other things, house the Milwaukee Bucks.
Uihlein’s proposal raises a good question: Why does the city need all those other venues if the Bucks are going to get a new home, which the NBA says is necessary if the Bucks are to remain in Milwaukee? Why not build something that can accommodate all the sports and entertainment needs? How many old auditoriums and arenas does downtown need?
Maybe there’s a good counterargument involving cost and the historic value of some of the buildings. But until that argument is made, Uihlein’s proposal challenges area leaders to think bigger and bolder. »Read Full Blog Post(15)
GOP ballot suit a waste of time and money
Just how worried are these guys?
State Republican legislative leaders are suing over a redesign of state ballots, saying the new-look ballots could favor Democrats. So the Republican message isn’t enough, GOP redistricting that favored Republicans isn’t enough and suppressing some votes via a voter ID law isn’t enough.
Now, GOP leaders are worried that some folks might vote Democratic because the ballot will look marginally different from the last election’s ballot. And they’re filing suit just a few weeks before the election, further complicating the work of the Government Accountability Board, which is scrambling to put voter ID in place for the Nov. 4 election. »Read Full Blog Post(95)
No, UW-Madison, No. 2 is not good, and No. 1 would be worse
Like most Wisconsinites, we’re pretty proud of the University of Wisconsin System. Whether it’s in academics or athletics, the state’s public universities do a generally great job for students. But there is one ranking where we would like the University of Wisconsin-Madison to finish lower; in fact, a lot lower.
For the second year in a row, Madison has finished at No. 2 in Playboy magazine’s list of the top 10 party schools in the country. Madison also made the top 10 in 2012, 2011 and 2010. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not opposed to students having a good time; we just thinking that having too good a time – especially while consuming large quantities of alcohol – is a generally bad idea no matter who you are. And it certainly doesn’t help you in class the next morning.
So how about a little less partying and a little more studying? Or at least a little more something else. Maybe shoot for No. 15 next year and No. 20 the year after? Whatever; as long as next year’s slogan isn’t “We’re No. 1!” (20)
Voter ID reinstatement could mean trouble in November
"I just can't imagine that this could be implemented by the November election without creating a huge mess," Daniel Tokaji, an election law professor at Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, told the Journal Sentinel last month. "I think it would be imprudent, to put it mildly, to try to implement this law pursuant to an order issued after Sept. 12. I think that's just asking for trouble."
But that’s just what the appeals court did Friday – ask for trouble - when it reinstated, at least for now, Wisconsin's voter ID law hours after a three-judge panel heard arguments on the subject.
The move by the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals clears the way for the state to implement the law for the Nov. 4 election, though it does not stop the ongoing appeal over whether the measure is unconstitutional, the Journal Sentinel reported. »Read Full Blog Post(176)
Homeowners could pay for rebuilding Estabrook Dam
Although we’re still intrigued by a proposal to create a rock shelf in the Milwaukee River near the Estabrook Dam as a compromise between those who want to remove the dam and those who want to repair it, another solution might be available.
Some homeowners along the river argued at a meeting on Tuesday that Milwaukee County should go ahead and repair the dam and operate it to the tune of about $5.1 million. Arguing that their property values will plummet because the river will be a lot narrower, they’re also threatening to sue the county if it isn’t repaired.
Well, if those homeowners are so insistent on repair, why don’t they pay for it? Instead of forcing taxpayers across the county to pay for improving their back yards, the homeowners could take up a collection or perhaps form a special taxing district made up of those properties affected by the dam. »Read Full Blog Post(6)
Rant against Scott Walker by Debbie Wasserman Schultz is unwarranted
Outlandish partisan attacks may fire up the base of the parties, but they do nothing to shed light on the very real issues in the campaign for governor in Wisconsin.
The latest example: Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s rant at a round-table discussion on women's issues Wednesday.
“Scott Walker has given women the back of his hand. I know that is stark. I know that is direct. But that is reality,” the congresswoman from Florida said. »Read Full Blog Post(158)
Serious carelessness with guns deserves some kind of penalty
Your gun is not your cellphone; it's not something you can just forget about and leave in a restroom or a restaurant or anywhere else. That obviously can have serious consequences.
Yet a Wisconsin couple have done it twice: the 67-year-old wife left hers in a Brookfield church restroom in April and the 76-year-old husband left his in the restroom of a Door County fun park earlier this month. No one was endangered – the guns were found by responsible adults before any kids or irresponsible adults came across them – but this kind of seriously dangerous carelessness should raise some serious concerns.
Nik Clark, president of Wisconsin Carry Inc., a gun rights advocacy group, said forgetting a gun in a bathroom violates a fundamental rule of firearm safety: "Maintain control of your firearm at all times."
"These careless mistakes reflect very poorly on the individuals who make them. Embarrassment and scorn is warranted," whether it be a gun, power tool, a running car or even matches left where and when a child might use them and injure themselves or others. "Incidents such as these, while unfortunate and shameful, are extremely rare, and do not justify sacrificing all the positive aspects of lawful gun ownership and lawful carry."
We agree – but maybe there should be some penalties for forgetting your gun in a public place once too often, such as perhaps being required to wear it on a chain around your neck, or just giving it up completely. (36)
No downside to free lunches for all students at MPS
Milwaukee Public Schools announced Monday that, thanks to a federal program, the district will be offering free breakfasts and lunches to all students, regardless of income level. It’s a program well worth implementing, providing students and their families with a necessary foundation.
"Having every student come to school well nourished and ready to learn is absolutely critical to students' well-being — and it's critical to our work to improve student outcomes," MPS Acting Superintendent Darienne Driver said in a news release. "Children who are hungry can't concentrate on learning. They are focused on their hunger."
Driver is right. Here’s what we said about the program back in June:
“Eighty-two percent of the students in Milwaukee Public Schools are eligible for free and reduced-cost lunches. Forty percent of young people in Milwaukee live in poverty. Why wouldn't MPS take advantage of a federal program to provide free lunches next year to all students, regardless of their economic standing? »Read Full Blog Post(60)
Health matters; get checked regularly
If you aren’t taking care of yourself and getting checked regularly, your body might be going through something you don’t even know about.
Every year, about 40,000 women die from breast cancer. Last year in southeast Wisconsin alone, more than 280 women died from breast cancer. That means almost every day, a woman died from this preventable cause.
Breast cancer is more likely to cause death in African-American women, though. African-American women develop a more aggressive form of the cancer compared to white women. Also, African-American women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed with cancer before age 40. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Better answers needed from state on filthy home
It does make one wonder just how bad conditions have to be in a home for state officials to become concerned about the welfare of children.
The house in question was so filthy and bug-infested that local officials immediately boarded it up and charged its owner with child neglect when they discovered it. There were piles of garbage, animal feces on the floor, roach-covered walls, bug-infested clothes, broken plumbing and missing appliances, according to a Journal Sentinel article.
And yet state officials in the Department of Children and Families did not think the duplex constituted an imminent threat to the health and safety of the seven children who lived there, according to a Tuesday article in the Journal Sentinel. »Read Full Blog Post
Great work by Department of Transportation
It’s been said that Wisconsin has two seasons: winter and construction season, and we love to complain about both, often with good reason.
But there should be few complaints about the weekend of July 19-20, when work on the Zoo Interchange required shutting down I-94 in both directions from Highway 100 to U.S. 45. Thanks to good planning and hard work, the closure went smoothly and with no major disasters.
All work was done on schedule over the weekend and cleanup was underway by late Sunday, Mike Pyritz, regional communication manager for the Department of Transportation told the Journal Sentinel. »Read Full Blog Post(4)
Army Corps must do more to stop Asian carp
OK, it was a rejection but as rejections go, it wasn’t all that bad for Wisconsin and lovers of the Great Lakes. And it leaves hope that Great Lakes states can compel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do what is necessary to stop or at least curb the impending Asian carp invasion.
On Monday, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an earlier district court’s decision to dismiss a case brought by Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania to force the Army Corps to do more to stop the Asian carp from advancing into the lakes.
But where the lower court’s ruling agreed with the Army Corps’ argument that it did not have an obligation to stop the invasive species, the 7th Circuit did not. Instead, the 7th Circuit’s rejection of the suit by the states was based on the argument that the Army Corps is already doing enough to stop the fish, an argument that we think doesn't hold much water, but at least this ruling is a step in the right direction. »Read Full Blog Post(11)
Kudos to Wisconsin Dental Association, but legislators need to step up
Among the many health care issues facing kids in poverty and low-income families is a lack of proper dental care. Lack of care can have severe consequences not only for the health of teeth and gums but can have an impact on other health issues as well. And often, dental care is not covered or not covered sufficiently under some health insurance plans.
The Wisconsin Dental Association and WDA Foundation are doing something about that with their Mission of Mercy events, which have reached more than 13,000 children and adults and provided more than $7.1 million since 2009, according to a news release from the association.
The latest event was held Friday and Saturday in Green Bay, where more than $1.3 million in charitable dental care was provided to 1,753 children and adults during 1,925 patient visits, the association said.
About 1,200 volunteers from 206 Wisconsin communities donated their time and money. Volunteers included 217 dentists, along with dental hygienists and assistants, Marquette University School of Dentistry students and faculty, Spanish, Hmong and American Sign Language translators and others. »Read Full Blog Post(13)
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