Moving Ahead with Expanding I-94

Here’s some good news.

Plans to expand 35 miles of I-94 from six lanes to eight between Milwaukee and Illinois moved closer to final approval Friday with a report that declared the project would comply with federal environmental laws. Barring a dramatic shift, the $1.9 billion reconstruction and expansion plan appears in line to receive a go-ahead from the Federal Highway Administration after a 30-day comment period, which follows release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement.

I know that some folks don’t want this, but let’s be real.  This corridor is one of the primary routes for men and commerce in and out of Wisconsin.  Expanding it is not only necessary for the present, it will benefit Wisconsin’s economy for years to come.  I’m sure gas prices will come down and we’ll need to drive more. Aren’t you? More roads, fewer schools! Driving is healthy! This is the right way to collect taxes and spend them with conservative-minded road-building companies. They donate some of their profits to conservative candidates, who spend the money on ads in the mainstream media, which helps Charlie Sykes. The benefits are numerous and trickle down to all of us. I hope they build a few more rest stops, too.

Posted by Owen at 1233 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

I Suppose It Was Purely Inevitable

When I first started blogging, the Wisconsin blogosphere was pretty simple.  TAM had been around for a while.  In 2003, there were only a handful of Wisconsin bloggers.  Lakeshore Laments, The Blog General, Folkbum, Ann Althouse, and a few others that I’m sure I’m forgetting.  In any case, perhaps I’m being nostalgic (I’ve been known to do that), but it was pure.  It was almost literally a bunch of people sitting around in their underwear discussing the world around them.  I know I was in my underwear and boots. Still am! Aren’t you? It’s practically my uniform for surfing the net’s many gun sites, and I know I’m not the only one. Jed, too! We were pure quite often when we were together in college. Nostalgia! Gosh, I haven’t seen a Calvin Klein poster in years!

I recall having very lengthy and enjoyable discussions with folkbum about a variety of issues.  I’m sure if I went back through the archives, I’d find quite a bit of that (as well as a lot more gun pr0n).  Even on the righty side, we had debates about issues where we disagreed - even vehemently at times.  “Great President? Or the Greatest President?” was always good for a “debate”.

But in the toddler age of the Wisconsin blogosphere, there was a crucial element: respect.  There was respect for the fact that the other guy sitting behind his keyboard was a normal guy like me.  He or she had a job, a family, likes, dislikes, prejudices, a lawn to mow, etc.  He or she had good days, bad days, great days, was grumpy, happy, sad, etc.  He or she was a person - with all of the texture that means.  So when we engaged each other, we did it from the standpoint that we were a couple of ordinary guys talking about stuff. Just ordinary guys, in our undies, with texture you could feel if you were close enough. And it was pure.

Even as recently as 2006, this held true.  An example comes to mind, I don’t know why. I had a lengthy and respectful debate with a lovely young lady from FAIR Wisconsin regarding the gay marriage amendment.  We debated the issue and went our separate ways.  We never came to agreement, but we had the debate respectfully.  Maybe it had something to do with my underwear. It was pure. Follow the logic: Flame wars were invented by the Wisconsin blogosphere in 2006. I say so. If you disagree, don’t try to bother me with the “facts.”

I don’t see this happening in the Wisconsin blogosphere anymore.  It has evolved, or devolved, or de-revolved, into the crass identity politics which everyone laments.  It’s rarely about debating the issues.  It’s about tearing each other down.  It’s about robo-calls during dinner, funded by who knows who. Next thing you know, they’ll be holding night rallies. It’s sad and pathetic.  And, with all due respect, it ticks me off.  I think we should hold a conference on the issue some evening at a nice suburban hotel. We can invite other like-minded ordinary guys. Underwear. Pure. Guns. Know what I mean? Unlike some conferences where I was told full frontal nudity was prohibited, it’ll be OK for speakers at my new upcoming “Americans For Purity” conference. I feel pure that way. Don’t you?

I read with great interest the debate in the Wisconsin blogosphere regarding the latest Wisconsin Supreme Court election.  There were lengthy posts on the race.  Some of them were of depth and substance.  Some posts were just pictures of ordinary guys standing around drinking in sports bars, thinking about what kind of underwear the other guys were wearing. But even of those, far too many were also laced with insults and filth.  And I’m not just talking about the posts about “retards” and pole dancers and the pink gun porn. It seemed to matter less about what was said than who said it.  This has become commonplace. Even a conservative called Gableman “Fred Flintstone.” Others gasped for air as if they’d been holding their nose and breath for a long time, not wanting to admit they didn’t think Gableman was the greatest candidate we could run. There’s just no loyalty any more.

I, for one, lament the decline of the Wisconsin blogosphere.  I suppose it was inevitable, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t change it.  We can make it pure again, because conservatives are all about returning to the Pure Golden Age that came before today’s filth. We have no responsibility for the decline. We have been sent to correct it. Unlike those liberals who want to change the world into their Utopia, we’re about moving backwards to an age where history has been written by the victors, and sufficiently whitewashed into underwear-like purity, and then taught in private schools. We will begin with archaic incantations like “Forthwith”.

Forthwith, I promise that I will engage my fellow bloggers on the content of their arguments, using headlines like “Liberals Get Their Wish”. Short and substantive and pure.  I further promise that I will ignore and possibly remove from our blogroll those who engage in constant personal attacks, unless they’re conservative.  I will ban from my blog anyone who successfully shows that I, Jed or my wife are wrong on an issue. That’ll show ’em! The use of “facts” is hereby banned. We should shun those who engage in this behavior and deprive them of the traffic they crave.  By “debate”, I mean ordinary guys sitting around in their underwear, discussing the fine points of conservative thought. If I slip up, I invite our loyal seven readers to correct me.  I’m human, after all.  I’m pure and I’m in my underwear.

As I said, it saddens me to watch the Wisconsin blogosphere decline.  But I refuse to be a part of it.  It’s been literally days since I’ve insulted a visitor. I’m feeling pure today, unlike those previous posts where I might’ve given you the impression I was about to end it all. Easy glum, easy glow!

Posted by Owen at 1002 hrs
The Blog

A Disapproving Caller

I got a call at home today about my column in the West Bend Daily News last week.  This happens from time to time.  People call to offer their opinion, agree, thank, or whatever.  It’s great to have the opportunity to pretty much ignore folks and their feedback. 

The lady who called this evening was not happy with me.  I don’t know how this could happen. It’s not like I wrote to provoke! It’s not like everyone doesn’t want to shoot deer with razored-arrows in public parks! It’s not like publishers enjoy having Sykes-like rants to encourage buzz and readership! I’m just a guy in the community. True, I’m a very heavily armed guy with an itchy trigger finger… but still just a guy.

She thought I was wrong about the three West Bend Aldermen who walked out of a meeting last year in protest.  She objected to my “Gang of 5” label.  She said something about the way conservative opinion-heads always conflate the atrocities of the Communists with the smallest things that offend them, yadda yadda yadda. She said that she thought that she thought that the whole reason we were fighting the Iraq War was to enact democracy and yadda yadda yadda.

I appreciate the commentary.  Really I do.  That’s what I mean by “yadda yadda yadda.” One of the frustrating things about writing a column is the lack of - or extremely delayed - feedback. It takes so long to be have that chance to show my superiority and lack of desire to actually have a discussion with the public. Communication should be one way, period. See, I pretty much ignore what you visitors write here as comments, too. Just keep visiting and clicking on those ads on the right, please.

But I think the lady who called got frustrated with my responses.  In essence, my responses were limited to things like, “okay,” and “uh huh.” (This isn’t surprising because I’m a well-known blogger, and blogging is often just the art and science of adding one-word interpretations of block-quotes of something someone else has written.) This is what makes today’s society great - I talk, you listen, I have the right to plug my ears afterwards.

The reasons for this were two-fold.  First, she called dangerously close to the middle of my dinner and I was anxious to return to the marvelous meal that Wendy had cooked me.  For this reason, I declined to engage my caller in debate. What right do people have calling in the middle of my Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper? That’s so rude! At least she was animated and not just automated.

Second, with all due respect yadda yadda yadda, I just didn’t care.  She disagreed with my opinion.  Fine.  Good for her.  Whatever.  I really appreciate the commentary, that’s why I talk like that. I write an opinion column.  I’m fine with people disagreeing with my opinion.  Just don’t call me during my dinner. That rankles me. Comments, they just don’t rankle me.  What, I’m supposed to change my mind because of what you say? Who are you? Are you a well-known blogger? Are you on Charlie Sykes? Huh uh huh? I didn’t think so. But I think it might have rankled her that her disapproval didn’t rankle me.  Oh well.  (These meds are great!) When you’re opinionated, you get used to people disagreeing with you.  I don’t care! It’s not like I’m rude about it! It’s not like I ever make mistakes!

Posted by Owen at 2040 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Obama Doesn’t want Daughters to be Punished by a Baby

Wow.  When Obama gets off script, he can be downright scary.  Those lie-berals are always on script, unlike conservatives, whose words are guided by Jesus, and whose advisors only serve to mail postcards and arrange robocalls.

“Look, I’ve got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old,” he said. “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby. I don’t want them punished with an STD at age 16, so it doesn’t make sense to not give them information.”

“Punished with a baby?” Punished?  Who does he think he is? Only God wields punishment! Like with hurricanes, STDs, AIDS, etc.

James T. Harris sees this coming back to bite Obama… and it should.  That’ll be a good punishment for him.

Can you see the attack ad? A bunch of kids born to teenage mothers asking “Am I a punishment, Senator Obama?” Wow.

Obama must secretly hate his own children. He probably doesn’’t like puppies or apple pie, either. There’’s probably some secret pro-abortion message in this, too. Taking care of children is a woman’s pleasure, not her punishment. Ask any pregnant teen mother who is on her own while her fleeting impregnator is out playing paint-ball! Having a child when you’re a teen should be welcomed, especially if you’d been told that you shouldn’t have sex and should not have access to information about birth control, much less birth control itself. See? Getting preggers or an STI is a consequence of liberal education. It’s not a punishment. It’s a gift. Posted by Owen at 0658 hrs
Politics + Politics - General

Complaint That Butler Received Illegal Corporate Contributions

Monsignor Dad29 is all over this Butler complaint:

Seems that the law offices of Finerty, Friebert, and St. John (a corporation) were also the offices of Louis Butler’s campaign. That’s easy to understand; FFStJ is the Democrat Party in law practice and has been for years; they’re well-organized, they have outstanding legal secretaries who are meticulous, they keep records well, etc., etc.

So if you’re going to have someone maintain documents, track ins/outs of donations and payments, why not friendly professionals? Especially if they do all that stuff for free?

Bob “D’oh” Dohnal will tell you “why not”: Wis. Stat. 11.38(1), which forbids, absolutely, and without reserve, ANY corporate contributions to ANY candidate for office in the State of Wisconsin, unless of course they are filtered through third-party interest groups like Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, then it’s OK and even welcomed, because corporate interests are in everyone’s best interest.

To make matters more interesting, it seems that Louis Butler did not recuse himself when hearing cases brought to SCOWI by Finerty, Friebert & St.John--nor did he mention that they were maintaining his campaign HQ (and so forth) without recompense. Dohnal suggests that SCR 66.02 and 66.03 of the Wisconsin Judicial Code of Ethics address that. Negatively.

Read the complaint here. I’m puzzled. I thought that it was Gableman who was in the pocket of corporate Wisconsin.  That’s what he told us when we were out drinking, and he had no reason to lie. All of those ads must be confusing me, what with all the mud flying around. This sounds like it comes dangerously close to violating campaign laws. The timing of this can’t be good for Butler, either. According to Dohnal, “Its Almst lykE soomone plannted it that wayy!”

Posted by Owen at 0748 hrs
Law + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Liberals Get Their Wish

Phel is moving downtown… but not by choice. 

It’s very simple. I can no longer afford to live in the wonderful duplex that I live in. It’s all due to energy prices. Therefore, unless I want to live paycheck to paycheck and not save or invest in my future, I have to move closer to work. Ah yes, the liberal dream come true. Raise the cost of energy so much that people MUST downsize and walk or bike wherever it is they have to go. In all honesty, I am rather excited about moving downtown. But I wish I had more choice in the matter. As it is right now, my energy costs exceed $400 a month. This is between heat, cooking gas, and gas for my small car. That’s pretty excessive for a single woman who doesn’t eat much and has few and basic needs.

I know that this is a hard choice for Phelony.  I would also emphasize the hardship that these choices put on families.  Think of the children! For example, we are loath to make our kids change schools.  It’s costing more and more for me to commute, but the personal value we put in keeping our kids in their school and circle of friends outweighs that cost… for now.  The glib notion of some liberals that jacking up energy costs will force people to lead more “earth friendly” “lifestyles” has “costs” beyond that of a “barrel of oil”.  Let’s follow the logic: We can clearly blame today’s economy on the Democrats. All the trouble in the years to come is clearly their fault. It’s going to take some time to practice these talking points, but we’ll need them if Barack is elected. I mean, the Democrats approved this war, didn’t they? And let’s not forget to point fingers at our not-quite-conservative-enough President Bush, as well as the terrorists, and the gays who wanted to get married. Al Gore dreamed of increasing the price of oil and now he’s got his wish, and it means Phelony can’t choose to have a house all to herself. Perhaps in a smaller apartment, she can choose to eat more often. Or maybe she could choose a male friend, get married, and then share expenses, like Wendy and I do. Please note that this situation is completely different than the rising costs of family health care, though. You can always “choose” a different plan at a different employer.

Posted by Owen at 2127 hrs
Off-Duty + Politics + Politics - General

WEAC Launches Attack Ad Against Gableman

WEAC is getting in on the supreme court race.

A new player in the race is the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state’s largest teacher’s union, which is aiming to neutralize the issue of law enforcement, something Gableman has been playing up as a strengths over Butler. Gableman was a District Attorney in Ashland County and magically appointed by former Gov. McCallum without even applying for a judgeship, while Butler was a CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER before becoming a municipal and circuit court judge in Milwaukee.

“Imagine, a sexual predator attacks a young girl, then forces her to watch the attack on video,” the ad says, over pictures of actors re-enacting the scenario. “Judge Michael Gableman said this criminal only had to spend one year in jail.”

The ad goes on to say Gableman went easy on another child sexual predator, giving him “a fraction of the jail time” to which he was eligible. Online court records show he was given a sentence of five years and six months in prison, as well as seven years of extended supervision.

“Judge Michael Gableman, protecting criminals, not Wisconsin families,” the ad concludes.

I wonder if all of those anti-special interest people will be out there denouncing WEAC now. These guys are total newbies at this game. If they’re going to spend the big bucks on ads like this, at the very least the ads should contain some blatant falsehood or juxtapose the opponent with scary criminal mug shots, like the ads run by the Corporate Friends of Gableman. That’s the whole point of these ads, isn’t it? Throw some muck that’ll take time and effort for the other side to defend and take time away from their explanations of technicalities like years of experience or an awareness of legal matters. But you’ve got to give them a small amount of credit, though, at least they’re using the “tough on crime” approach that polls well with the under-educated masses who think that the Supreme Court spends its days sentencing criminals! Nyuk, nyuk! Don’t fret, friends - we’re still out-spending Butler’s friends by an order of magnitude, at least.

Posted by Owen at 1722 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

A chance for change

My column for the West Bend Daily News is online.  It’s called, ”A chance for change.” I take a look at West Bend’s races for mayor, alderman, and a couple of other things. 

One thing that won’t change? I’ll do my best to make every single race as partisan as possible, right down to City Council races! In my view, it’s not a strong opinion until I’ve declared someone a liberal and all that entails. “Not this time"? Are you kidding? Every time!

Posted by Owen at 1702 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Butler Spent Taxpayer Dollars to Try to Enable More Frivolous Appeals

Louis Butler’s campaign recently suggested that Butler earned the nickname “Loophole Louie” as a criminal defense lawyer because his colleagues admired him for unwavering devotion to the law. 

But was it really his dedication his colleagues admired, or rather the unlimited resources Butler had as a state Public Defender to pursue appeals regardless of the potential for success?  Let’s follow the logic: Clearly it’s the latter, as I imply.

In one instance, Butler took a case he knew to be wholly frivolous all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court just to prove a point and to spend some of my money and your money. Those lawyers, always proving points with our money, as if the government has an interest in insuring everyone has a swing at bat! Those defense attorneys don’t do anything but defend the guilty criminals. How hard is it to see they’re guilty?

In his staunch defense of Ellis T. McCoy, who was convicted of the kidnapping and sexual assault of a child, Butler used taxpayer funds to argue that taxpayer-funded lawyers should not have to tell the court why they believe their client’s appeal is frivolous. In the end, Louis Butler lost his own frivolous appeal when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.  Even the U.S. Supreme Court is all about the frivolous time-wasting cases! Unfortunately it was the Wisconsin taxpayers who had to pick up the tab. Can you imagine? I’m so tired of all these frivolous jobs at the Capitol, all the way to the top! I bet someone can figure out a way to privatize our Supreme Court. After all, a corporation could probably do a better job of interpreting the Constitutions.

For now, we’ll have to make do with the current system. The Right Candidate for the job, a drinking buddy of mine named Gableman, has listened to my beer-fueled inspiration like the above. He’s announced that instead of using taxpayer money for his salary and expenses, he’ll accept corporate sponsorships. Portions of his robe will be auctioned off to the highest bidders, much like NASCAR drivers. WMC has the highest bid (so far) for the prized right shoulder spot, and the Federalist Society and Americans for Prosperity are neck-and-neck for the “other” side, as Gableman’s auctioneer puts it, not wanting to associate the non-right side with the left. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce may get to pick the color of the robe and have their name embroidered along all the trim. I hear there’s an insurance industry lobbying group who wants the back patch. It’s not prime, as you only see it when he’s leaving, but it’s a big spread.

(0) Comments

Posted by Owen at 0612 hrs
Law + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Typical White Person Sentences

What a stunning statement by Obama.

The point I was making was not that grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn’t. But she is a typical white person, who, if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn’t know, you know, there’s a reaction that’s been bred in our experiences that don’t go away and that sometimes come out in the wrong way, and that’s just the nature of race in our society. We have to break through it, and what makes me optimistic is you see each generation feeling a little less like that, and that’s powerful stuff.

Wow.  Let’s deconstruct that a bit, shall we?

“she is a typical white person”

Talk about your racial generalizations, especially when we’ve “deconstructed” this sentence bit by bit until we reach a phrase we can riff on without regard to the rest. (That, my friends with day jobs that allow blogging, is the essence of deconstruction, a word I heard in college, but never really studied, but I know when I can use it in a sentence.) Imagine Bush saying “he’s a typical brush-cutting person.” He’d be skewered by the Lefties, saying he’s a white man of privilege who touts his sawing abilities to reassure everyone he’s a regular guy.  “How racist,” they’d say, “that he’s pretending to be a regular working guy to reassure other white guys.” Obama seems to be channeling his racist pastor. I know, because I’ve seen the soundbites on Fox! There’s no point in examining any context of these six-year-old videos. Let’s follow the logic: We can rely on Fox to distill the “facts” into short segments to fuel our favorite commentators.

“if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn’t know, you know, there’s a reaction that’s been bred in our experiences that don’t go away”

What!?!?  By “somebody” he must mean “black people” because they’re the natural boogey-man. Everybody knows that, even Obama-Hussein-mama-ding-dong. Obama is suggesting that his grandma reacts negatively to only black people whom she sees on the street, but he doesn’t actually say it. So tricky! There’s the real heart of deconstruction, finding things in the text that aren’t really there! In other words, he’s saying that his grandma, who is a “typical white person,” is inherently racist. Never mind that he says this is wrong - we can ignore that fragment for now. Perhaps he’s secretly meaning that it’s right? Did you ever think of that? I did. What does Obama know about his grandmother, and why can we trust anything he says about her? We can’t. It’s clear he wants to sell her down the river, which is another fine way of saying he’s a racist, not unlike any past slave-owner - and that’s not racist, that’s just history. Again, he seems to be channeling his racist pastor in the assumption that a “typical white person” is a racist.

Personally, I’m offended by that.  I’m offended that someone who wants to lead this nation thinks that a huge portion of the population is a bunch of racists.  I’m very sensitive to the thoughts of those who lead our nation, especially well-known intellectuals like George W. Bush. How can we expect this man to lead us when every time he sees a “grandmother” he sees a racist?  What makes him think that locking our doors or crossing the street when we see a young black man makes us a racist? What makes him think it’s insensitive to make retard jokes? What makes him think that it’s racist to eat ribs at Applebee’s instead of Speed Queen BBQ? We just feel more comfortable there and at Chili’s, as we feel more comfortable living on a cul-de-sac in West Bend. What makes him think that it’s not OK to assume that all turban-wearing folks must be potential terrorists in need of some combination of killing, detention or salvation? I mean, who else is threatening our way of life? What makes him think that we want the right to carry concealed weapons because we’re scared in certain parts of town? So what if almost all of the visitors to Boots and Kittens are as white as the driven snow? We don’t see race, but we’re experts at spotting racism! (P.S. Wendy loves it when I sing the Chili’s “Baby Back Ribs” song!!! She says I’ve got “soul”.)

Posted by Owen at 1951 hrs
Politics + Politics - General

Queen

My favorite Queen song… Or should I say “our song"? Owen and I played a lot of Queen when we were living together in college. It was a great “pressure reliever.” Freddie Mercury, now there’s a Man’s Man, if you know what I mean! He could really wear the leather like he meant it. Great boots, too! I'm not kidding, but Wendy says "Fat Bottomed Girls is my favorite."

But, since it’s a duet, I’ll pick one more.  Coming from a little deeper in the discography, my favorite Queen-only song…

Posted by Jed at 0700 hrs