public employee unions……

A number of years ago, I was elected to the Fort Atkinson City Council.   While I was on the council, my brother Doug had a lot of projects come up for vote.  In each case, I recused myself from voting due to potential conflict of interest. 

As I think of public employee unions, I’m beginning to feel the conflict between unions and the public administration is palpable.  During the protests last winter, it was obvious the unions were trying to wield their influence with semi-trailers parked around the Capitol Square.  Union members stalked the square with their placards, bullhorns, drums and more. 

While an interesting event, I began to wonder where else an employee could protest, miss work (in some cases with a fraudulent medical excuse), and enlist others to help get their boss fired. 

While I don’t really have anything against unions, the line is crossed when one of the bargainers at the table can essentially influence others to help get their boss fired.  Obviously, this position creates an atmosphere of conflict of interest, with the promise of campaign donations and public support for anyone who delivers for the union at the public service level.

So, here is what I think.  Since I really don’t have anything against unions, we should allow them to bargain at the public service level.  But, with that bargaining power and influence, union members should be recused from voting in the elections that affect their bargaining position, namely state, county and municipal elections. 

Like me, as a city councilman, it was and is important that we retain complete transparency and root out favoritism or influence peddling at any level.  That could be a start.

defining poor….

I just read a post on Facebook opposing the sunsetting of the Homestead Tax Credit as something that would unfairly target seniors and poor people. 

Now, I might not have all the requisite intelligence to have a discussion regarding this.  In fact, I was called “out of touch”.  But, here is my argument. 

Poor people don’t own homes.  By definition, if they owned their home, they have an asset that makes them unpoor.  It’s something that they can transfer for money.

Now, I understand that having a home can make you poorer than you want to be, and it might be necessary to relieve yourself of that “asset” and get into something your income will allow you to afford.

But, my sense is that some people believe we somehow “owe” it to people to keep their assets when they go into retirement, that we somehow owe it to them when there are alternatives, that they have a right to not pay taxes simply by turning a page on the calendar.

I get that it sucks when you’re forced out of your home when you can’t afford it.  It happens all the time, often to people with families and incomes that are much lower than those with Social Security benefits.

Here is an idea that I could support.  Get your house appraised.  If you can’t afford the taxes, the government could set up a program that allows you to live in your home as long as there is a positive balance on the ledger.  Once you pass on, or move on, the government gets a lien against the estate and gets the taxes to which it is entitled.  That’s an idea I could live with.

the most important day in history….

I was watching a movie trailer when a question was asked.  “What is the most important day in history?”

The answer.  Today.

I’m working on living in the present.  A new friend of mine spent time with me emphasizing the importance of living now, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today.

As an ambitious guy, I’ve always done this game plan.  If I do this, that will happen.  And, when that happens, I’ll do this.  And when I do this, that will happen.  And, I work myself into unknown times forward planning this and that. 

And, while I’m planning this and that, I’m missing now  Sure, if there’s a car accident in front of me, I’ll notice.  But, really, not much else, because my head’s buried up my ass trying to plan my way to oblivion. 

So, with my friend’s help, I’m going to work on this.  I’m going to let things come in their time.  I’m going to see and feel and touch and hear and smell and breathe.  I’m going to find a chair and just sit.  I’m going to play some music, LOUD.  I’m going to play with my food.  I’m going to stop and listen.  I’m going to live a life worth living.

And then, I’ll do the Rocky dance. 

Hello Today!

he’s dead….

A while ago, I wrote a very tough blog on Joe Paterno and the mess at Penn State.  Joe Paterno died today at age 85.

His situation caused me to think about things that I haven’t done or things I should have done.  What inaction on my part has caused others harm.  When didn’t I do all I could to correct a situation.  That’s a lot of stuff to think about.

While thinking about that, I thought about all of the things Paterno did that were good.  In a world that placed winning above everything else, he graduated citizens at a greater rate than any big time football program in the land.

In a world where coaches jump from job to job for a bigger check, he gave away most of what he earned, down to the last days where he gave $100,000 back to the university that unceremoniously fired him just weeks before.

I can’t think of many things worse than what happened at Penn State while under Paterno’s watch.  Was he too old?  Was he too attached to the image of Penn State?  Did he respect chain of command too much to go around those who were supposed to do their jobs?

I don’t know.  And, I will never know.

What I do know is we shouldn’t judge a man, at least this man, from the events uncovered over the past few months.  He died with a broken soul. 

It sucks that he didn’t have a chance at redemption, as if doing good works for all of his life required that.

Rest in peace Joe Paterno.   

the world is coming to an end….

Justin Bieber singing toothbrushes.  Really, who thought this was a good idea?  And, if it is a good idea, what does that say about us?  Shoot me now.

another year…..

A while back, I saw “Another Year”, a beautifully written and acted movie about a group of friends and family as they move through the seasons of the year.

Well, this has been another year for me.  I’ve learned more about myself, experienced failure when I expected success, and found success when I never expected it.

My daughter called with the news she is getting married.  As a doting dad, I am very protective of Cortney.  But, as I’ve gotten to know her future husband, I couldn’t be more proud of both of them.  I will be glad to introduce Jimmy as my son-in-law.  And, Cortney never ceases to amaze me with her ability to find her way and make great choices.

Nick was able to stabilize himself on his job at the greenhouse.  I believe he’s found his “thing”, the thing that makes him get up and look forward to each day.  I’m proud of him for the struggles he’s made to become relevant, to reach the great potential he has.

And Alex.  I wish I had the answers for him.  He struggles daily with his demons.  There is progress, good progress, but I would like to see it come faster, and it’s clear the world doesn’t move on my timeline.  He’s now got a job that gets him up in the morning and keeps him going through the day.  But, it’s not his love.  I want him to find that, whatever it is.

As for me, I’m a work in progress.  Professionally, I feel very good about what I do and who I’ve become.  Personally, I think I still step in it from time to time.  I’m learning patience.  I’m learning process.  I guess, I’m just learning.

I’m trying to make my footprint smaller, live in a smaller space, consume less, reduce my wants, understand my needs.  That will be my charge in the coming year.  As the old Volkwagen ads used to say, “Think Small”.

Have a good year, everyone! 

here we go again…..

So, we’re here again.  The scabs from the bitter wounds of last winter have been re-opened.  

Opposition teams to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker are pounding the pavement to get the requisite 540,000 signatures for a recall election. 

Based on all of the shenanigans going on both sides of the aisle, I can see dirty tricks happening on all fronts.  It’s already started. 

Understanding that fund raising for a recall effort can only start when papers are filed, the Walker camp started a recall effort against its own candidate so they could start fund raising earlier and get the TV ads on earlier than their opposition.  Interesting tactics.

And, on field trips going to the Capitol, protesters have been engaging school children in their chants for “Scott must go!”, hardly the high ground we would hope for in our educators.

With an expected $100 million pouring into the state over the next few months, this could very easily be the most expensive political effort in Wisconsin history, and this is just for the opportunity to hold a new election. 

While I disagree with how Walker handled the labor issues with public employees, and no matter how badly he bungled it, there were plenty of co-conspirators.

I’m getting tired of this.  I’m tired of everyone being an activist.  I’m tired of reading points of view vilifying the other side.  I’m tired of the whiner-take-all approach to government. 

We have elections.  For governor, they happen every four years.  There are winners and there are losers.  And, there are consequences for both sides.

Government used to be about compromise, about reaching a consensus with neither side getting all of what they want.  Government used to be about leadership, about standing in front of the electorate and bringing the best solution. 

Today, it seems to be all about winning, with constituents watching on the sidelines as our elected gangs do battle to control the turf they so badly want. 

That we are in this process just one year after the last election bastardizes the process and the integrity of our government.   

That $100 million going to media outlets could just as easily go to wages, or poverty, or building a railroad.  But, no.  We are getting another election.  What a bargain for everyone involved. 

It’s just what we need, again.