Voter Free Choice Act

It is 2008, Hillary vs. Guliani for president. This election will be different because of the passage of the Voter Free Choice Act.

In October, you get a knock on the door from campaign workers for one of the candidates. They tell you why their candidate should get your vote. They ask you to vote right then and there, handing you a ballot for your signature. You indicate that you remain undecided and that you prefer to cast your ballot in secret. The campaigners laugh and tell you that secret ballots are a thing of the past, and then they explain the new law. Still, you don't really want to vote for this particular candidate, and you tell them so.

The campaign workers are getting impatient. They are paid to get votes. They offer you $50 to sign now. They get $100 cash per vote, so they have some cash to spare. Disgusted, you ask them to leave. Before leaving, they wonder aloud how much it would cost to replace your picture window. "More than $50, I'll bet" says one campaign worker. "We will be back next week. Be prepared to sign."

Today the House of Representatives votes on the Employee Free Choice Act which does away with secret ballots for union representation. The measure is expected to get a lot of support from Democrats and some from Republicans. Scary. Thankfully, George Bush will veto it if it comes to his desk.

Awaiting the Bill Gates of Education

The JT has a reprint of a commentary by Bill Gates in today's paper. Gates argues that innovation, education and immigration are the keys to success for our country. It is hard to argue with any of that. And by immigration, Gates refers specifically to those foriegners with skills in math, science and computer science.

Gates notes that American school children are performing poorly in math. American student recently finished 24th among 29 industrialized nations in math competency. "Governments must work with educators to reform schools and improve educational excellence" says Gates. Again, it is hard to argue with that.

Here is my concern. If innovation is important, and I think it is, wouldn't it be important to have innovation in education? Does our present system of educating children foster innovation, or stifle it? Where would Bill Gates be today if we had a government run system for the research, production and distribution of technological products? Would we have technological innovation, or would it be stifled by a lumbering government bureaucracy?

Bill Gates is a billionaire in large part because we have a more or less free market for the production of technological products. We do not have a free market when it comes to education. As such, we do not have the innovation in education that we have in technology. If we had more of a free market in education, we would see innovation in education. Someone could make billions if they came up with great ways to engage and educate children. And our children would be smarter.

I look forward to the day that the US produces a Bill Gates of education.

Government Sniffing Around

Regular readers of Free Racine know that I think government gets its nose in places where it doesn't belong. But this one takes the cake. I didn't read the full article in today's Milwaukee Journal, the headline was enough. The headline read: Source of fecal matter studied.

Future Not So Bright

The Journal Times today announced the winners of their speech writing contest concerning the future of civil rights in Racine. The JT did not indicate who judged the competition, but my guess is that it was JT staff or a similar collection of leftists.

A contest such as this gives us some insight into the propagandizing that is happening in our schools. I should note that this phenomenon is not limited to the public schools, as three of the winners are private school students.

The elementary school winner called for a smoking ban, a ban on cell phones when driving and increased funding for the D.A.R.E. program. The high school winner trumped up racism as a bigger problem than it is, all but calling me a racist when she wrote that "denial is a form of racism." The second place finisher in the elementary division wrote about a book that she read called Ida B. and her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster and Possibly Save the World. The book itself passed the PC test because it used recycled paper not tainted by chlorine, which of course "creates toxic by-products that can make people and animals sick." The second place finisher in the high school division called for manditory volunteerism, an oxymoron if there ever was one.

The news wasn't all bad though. Jaun Carlos of the San Juan Diego School took personal responsibility for his own pushing and shoving. He could stop glorifying violence by "telling other kids that there is nothing good about fighting or being mean to others." And finally he indicated that he could best protect civil rights if he were to get a good education. And second place finisher Natalie Frederickson of McKinley Middle school called for parental involvement with their children, teaching of good values, volunteerism and charity.

As for me, I think that our civil rights are routinely threatened, and it will be these children and others like them who will continue to destroy them. But there is hope. Most children will grow up. Many may well reject the childlike utopian dreams foisted on them by their liberal teachers. I am less optimistic about our local newspaper.

Raping Society

In a letter to the Journal Times, Kenneth Wagner makes a respectable argument in favor of RUSD paying a settlement to the six year old rape victim at the Red Apple School. Then he loses it.

Wagner says, "Let us not forget there are two victims in this case: there is the tragic occurance for the six year old boy, and there is Joshua Dyess. In the latter instance, Dyess is charged with the assault of the child and may have to pay the price, yet the accused may have been failed by his family, by society, by his teachers, the church, and his neighbors. We may have just begun to realize our failures."

As a member of the society that has failed Joshua Dyess, let me be the first to offer an apology. Please accept my sincerest apology Mr. Dyess. I regret my role in causing you to become a child rapist. I take full responsibility for your actions. It is very difficult to not rape children. I should have been there to help you to not rape the child. I have no doubt that you are disappointed in me. I fully understand. Now please Mr. Dyess, don't misinterpret my apology as an attempt to avoid or lessen the punishment that I should recieve for my failures. My apology is just the beginning. I think you should sue me. I will support your claim against me and my fellow members of society. And if there is any justice in this world, you will be compensated fairly for our failures.

Caledonia Cowardice

Caledonia politicians were flirting with the idea of asking their constituents whether they, the politicians, should study the viability of seceeding from Racine Unified. But they have now decided against polling their constituents on the question, and they will not include the non-binding, free advisory referendum on the April ballot. Instead, they will issue an RFP (Request for Proposals) to study the issue.

This is a politically effective way to shelve the issue altogether. The cost of studying the seccession issue will not be cheap. And Caledonia voters will not have put their stamp of approval on the expense, because the politicians decision not to ask them. Don't be surprised when the Caledonia politicians choose not to fund the study.

But when and if they do this, as quietly as possible, be sure that you understand the full significance of their inaction. They will have eagerly engaged with the administration of Racine Unified, while completely rejecting the voices of their own constituents. And this is what passes for representation in Caledonia.

It's 2007, Do You Know Where Your Students Are?

I contacted Racine Unified about ten days ago seeking some demographic information in the hopes that I could introduce some facts to the Caledonia seccession debate. Among the information that I need for my analysis is the number of RUSD eligible students from Caledonia and Racine who do not attend RUSD schools. However, Unified does not have this information.

I find this fascinating. By some estimates, 60% of Caledonia schoolchildren do not attend Unified schools. Now I would think that if the mission of RUSD was to educate children, they might need to know that huge numbers of people are balking at a pre-paid (as opposed to free) education. And more importantly, RUSD might want to know just why these people have chosen to forgo the pre-paid education, so that they could address their concerns if possible.

Or maybe it isn't Caledonia students they want, only Caledonia dollars.

Stick em up Peter

A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial calls for some "bold, new initiatives" to improve Milwaukee's transit system. No surprise there. But how to pay for the improvements?

No problem. "No robbing of Peter to pay Paul need occur, particularly if new funding sources can be tapped..."

If I am not mistaken, funding for government comes from taxes. And transit users do not pay enough to cover the costs of the transit system. So the difference is payed for by taxpayers who do not use the transit system. How is that not robbing Peter (non transit users) to pay Paul (transit users)?

Journal Times Eliminates Content

Is it just me or has our local newspaper been even more content free than usual, if that is even possible?

Will They Print It?

I sent the following e-mail to the Journal Sentinel after reading their editorial wherin they propose a year long community wide discussion on quality of life issues. I hope they print it.



I am delighted that the Journal Sentinel Editorial Board is initiating a series of discussions on quality of life issues concerning our region and state. Clearly there are problems in the areas of crime, education, economic opportunities, and health care to name a few. I share your urgency in addressing these problems.

However, I am dismayed by the following paragraph of your editorial: "We know that there is no silver bullet for what ails metro Milwaukee. We also know, however, that nothing can be accomplished unless done collectively and collaboratively."

I am quite certain that many of your readers share the view that some form of collectivism is the answer to our quality of life issues. But you may count me as one who sees collectivism as the cause of many of the problems that plague our area.

As a practical matter, I wonder what contribution opponents of collectivism could make to your important community discussion if you have already concluded that you "know" that they are wrong.

Feeling Political

An anonymous contributor to Free Racine accused me of formulating an opinion based on my feelings as a business owner. The assertion is ridiculous but I began to wonder what my political views might be if I allowed my feelings to supersede my thoughts on political matters. So the following is my best guess as to what my policy preferences would be based only on my feelings.

I feel that war is bad because people get killed so we should not participate in any wars.

I feel like the environment is very important. We only have one after all. Pollution is bad for the environment and can cause asthma and resperatory problems. We should eliminate all pollution.

I feel that children are very important and so is education. I feel that we should spare no expense in helping our children learn because they will be in charge some day.

I feel bad that some people are sick and can't afford health care. I feel as though health care should be free.

I feel sad when I think about poor people. I feel as though some people have more money than than they really need. I feel like poor people should get money from rich people.

I better stop now. I am starting to feel like a liberal. I don't like this feeling.

Blacks in Racine Should Seek School Vouchers

A meeting is scheduled for Saturday to discuss the issues facing blacks in Racine. Among the issues to be discussed is the public school system and the disproportionate failure rate among black students.

The greatest problem facing Racine in general and blacks in particular is the quality, or lack thereof, of public education. So far, the most outspoken leaders in the black community focus their efforts on improving the public school system, invariably through referendum support and desegregation efforts.

Perhaps it is time they rethink this strategy and focus their efforts on escaping the public school system. To do so would not be easy. Blacks would have to reconsider their support for the Democratic party and unionism, both of which would vigorously oppose the movement to free black students from failing schools.

On this issue at least, blacks are inexplicably aligned with a political party that opposes the only education reform that has actually helped black students. The black parents in Milwaukee are happy with school vouchers. Blacks in Racine would be as well.

On Free Trade #3

Speaking of Harleys, we stopped in a Harley store in Chicago the other day. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that Harley Davidson is a clothing and accessories company.

I don't know if it is true or not, but I have heard that Harley Davidson sells more in clothing than they do motorcycles. I pointed this out to my son and added that Harley Davidson is essentially selling the value associated with their name. For many people, HD stands for something that they want to be associated with, be it quality, luxury or a perceived lifestyle.

Now not just any company can sell their brand name. I won't be rushing out to by the latest Enron T-shirt. But if your name is associated with something positive, you can sell it.

My point to my son was that a companies reputation is valuable. And likewise, an individuals reputation is valuable. If your name stands for something positive, you will have earned it, and you can profit from it.

I can't wait for CTW's response.

On Free Trade #2

My wife told me the other day that her cousin in India wanted a Harley Davidson. The thought of an Indian purchasing a Harley Davidson would have been laughable only a decade ago. But now it is not such a ridiculous idea.

Some years ago, India decided to open their country to foriegn investment and trade. In a relatively short amount of time, India is transforming itself from an impoverished third world country into an economic powerhouse.

Are Indian people suddenly smarter or more industrious? No, they have simply embraced free trade. And now some are thinking about purchasing luxury motorcycles from Milwaukee.

Is anyone (please lets not talk about the environment on this one) harmed by this development?

On Free Trade

In one hand I held my sons tennis racket. In the other I held a small bag of gold jewelry. Given the choice, which would you like to have? I have one condition. You may not sell or trade the item that you choose.

I knew what my son would choose. He chose the tennis racket because he loves tennis. I would have made the same choice. Under those conditions, I would choose a roll of toilet paper over a mound of gold. What use do I have for gold, other than to sell or trade it?

Now what choice would you make if free trade were allowed?

Fifty Years of Liberalism

OK, I am not a Racine historian, but if I may offer a conservative guess, I suspect that in the last fifty years or more, the political scene here in Racine has been dominated by big government liberalism. So liberals ought to be able to point to Racine as a huge success story, right? So what has all this liberalism gotten us?

Well, we have a government run school system that effectively drives people away from a formerly beautiful city on a beautiful lake, nestled between to huge markets. We have a large city work force with future pension and health insurance obligations that just might bankrupt us. We have a large class of unemployable, unproductive toublemakers enticed to Wisconsin by our generous welfare benefits. We have the carcasses and/or fading memories of a once thriving manufacturing sector, though in fairness, this problem is not unique to Racine. Among our business success stories are a handful of businesses that had the good sense and good fortune to resist the unionization that continues to destroy businesses throughout our country.

And todays liberals have the answer to all of these problems. If only the government would do something. If only the government would spend more on education, job training, commuter transit, government planning etc... we could return to our heydey.

Or perhaps not.

FreeRacine Supports Public Indoor Smoking Ban

Yes, it is true. I support a smoking ban in all public buildings. Public buildings are, by definition, publicly owned. As such, the rules within those buildings should be detirmined by the public, through the legislative process. So long as smoking bans in public buildings pass constitutional muster, I am all for them. I see no reason why I must be compelled by our government to participate in a jury, for example, while also being forced to inhale cigarette smoke.

Some examples of public buildings would be public schools, courthouses, city hall, public park buildings, jails and libraries, to name a few.

Buildings that are privately owned would naturally be exempted from the public legislative process. These would of course include privately owned bars and restaurants.

What is the Left Smoking?

My evidence is entirely anecdotal, but it seems that the left is behind the push for smoking bans and the calls for legalizing marijuana.

At first glance, this incongruity makes no sense.

But these issues are not primarily about smoking, health or personal freedom for the far left. The far left is all about taxes and regulations. By legalizing marijuana, the left gets tax revenue and regulation. By pushing for smoking bans, they get more regulation.

It makes perfect sense while removing the haze from the leftists agenda. The left prefers big government over personal freedom.

RUSD Teacher Proud of Self

Tired of the "cold hard slaps in the face," Park High School economics and government teacher Anthony Arndt issued the following announcement in a JT commentary today:

"I am proud of who I am. I am proud to call myself a teacher."

Arndt failed to mention the level of his self esteem or whether he felt special.

Leave Wal-Mart Alone

I am still catching up with yesterdays news, and last Sundays as well. I just read the JT business reporter Michael Burke's article where he praises Kenosha's decision to prevent Wal-Mart from opening a supercenter in town. "An economic impact assessment concluded the area is already overserved with grocery stores and pharmacies, and that Wal-Mart would pose undue competition for existing retailers."

When businesses are protected from competition, consumers pay more. By eliminating this competition, Kenosha politicians are essentially forcing Kenosha shoppers to subsidize weak businesses that can't survive in a competitive market.

In my view, government should stay out of this entirely. Let consumers decide if the area is indeed "overserved with grocery stores and pharmacies" and if that is the case, let the consumer decide, through their patronage, which businesses should close and which should remain open.

Smoking Out Weak Arguments

The JT's arguments in favor of a smoking ban deserve a smoking out.

The JT claims that the smoking ban issue is "not an issue of personal freedom. It's an issue of public health." OK, let us assume that that is true. If true, smoking would cause public health problems wherever it occurs. In other words, any smoking would be detrimental to the public health. Therefore, smoking, anywhere, should be illegal. If the JT were to be logically consistent, they would argue for the complete prohibition of smoking.

The JT's other main argument is that everyone else is doing it. The French are banning smoking, the European Union is considering a ban, many US states have bans etc... therfore we should jump on the ban wagon. I find this to be among the most disturbing argument that can be advanced by adults. Don't think, just follow.

New RUSD Propagandist

RUSD has a new propagandist, replacing the twice retired Linda Flashinski. The new hire, Stephanie Kratochvil is saying all the right things already.

"I think there is a perception problem," says Kratochvil. No, we have a reality problem. Anyone who fails to understand that does indeed have a perception problem.

Kratchvil vows to "find the good things happening in the district," according to the JT article. Kratchvil made no promises about the bad news.

Catching Up

Jan 28. I see the JT has a front page photo of a Monument Square war protest rally. No surprise there, but why must they send a photographer to the rally. Is the scene really any different from the other rallies? Stock footage ought to do.

Jan 29. Food section. There is an article, with pictures, of a black man who opened a restaurant downtown. An anonymous blogger has previously declared that our two business organizations downtown are essentially whites only organizations. Any thoughts anon?

Jan 31. Socking it to car rental companies to fund commuter rail is not only unfair but it will have unintended consequences. My guess is that some of these companies will not survive this new tax, and fewer people will rent cars, so the anticipated revenue will gradually decline. But taxing others for what you want is a tried and true method for getting a tax increase.

Feb 1. The JT endorsed a statewide indoor public smoking ban. I am shocked shocked shocked!

Today. I see a local judge has been arrested for DUI. He intends to plead guilty, he says, because he is guilty. What a refreshing attitude! I wish him well.

Excused Absence

I apologize for the lack of entries here, but I have a valid excuse. I was away on a business trip and I thought it best not to advertise that fact in advance.

Lighten Up

The Journal Times has a blog entitled "Black girls under pressure to be lighter." They are not allowing reader comments, but I will.

While I know it is unhealthy for anyone to not like their looks, I can't help but think we might have stumbled on to the solution for the desegregation issue.

That is just a joke. Lighten up will ya.

What Business do you Boycott and Why?

Preachrboy asked an interesting question the other day. What would it take for you to boycott a business? Boycotting Pabst because you don't drink doesn't count. Boycotting McDonalds because you don't like fast food doesn't count. I am talking about businesses that you would otherwise patronize, but you don't because..........

I will answer the question myself. I don't have any boycotts going, but I sometimes consider boycotting Citgo gas stations because I think Hugo Chavez is a threat to his countrymen and neighboring countries.

Your turn.

Gary Becker on Harmful Effects of Minimum Wage Hikes

I just read a great article by Gary Becker on the harmful effects of minimum wage laws. The bipartisan fervor for a minimum wage increase "is a sad example of how interest-group politics and the public's ignorance of economics can combine to give us laws that manage to be both inefficient and inegalitarian" writes Becker. Becker goes on to explain, with convincing detail, how the minimum wage increases will harm those, the poor, that the laws are ostensibly intended to help.

Sadly, this Gary Becker is not the mayor of Racine. He is a Nobel winning economist. You can read his full article in todays Wall Street Journal.

FreeRacine Meeting Enjoyed by Host

I didn't know what to expect from the first ever in person meeting of FreeRacine readers and contributors. And I don't know if it would be quite right to give any specific details of the evening. There were about nine in attendance and, if I may be so bold, it seemed as though everyone enjoyed the evening. I would like to thank all who attended. I am flattered and honored that you read my rantings and have taken the time to meet in person. My only lament is that none of my detractors were in attendance.

Whom Should We Starve?

According to a Milwaukee Journal article, property tax bills in western Racine County are going through the roof, prompting State Rep Robin Vos to suggest a property tax freeze, which in turn elicited this response from State Senator John Lehman; "What do you want to do, starve government?

Um, yes.

Rumor Department

OK, it is a little more solid than a rumor. Chances are good that a 18,000 square foot grocery store will fill the vacant land at the southeast corner of State and Main, next to the Ivanhoe. I heard this at the Downtown Racine Corporation's annual meeting, via director Devin Sutherland.

Meeting Reminder

FreeRacine readers are invited to socialize tommorrow, Tuesday Jan 23rd at the JavaVino on Main Street in downtown at 7pm. They serve coffee drinks and wine as well as some good food in a smoke free environment. The first one is on me. All are welcome. See you there. Denis.

Caledonia's School Choices and Union Opposition

Local union guy Tom Berger weighed in on the Caledonia school secession issue in a JT commentary. He does not favor it.

Among his more hilarious questions was this gem: "How will you achieve the diversity required by federal law in those schools?" I don't know all the details of federal law as it relates to this issue, but I doubt that a school district would be required to be more diverse than the community it resides in. Otherwise we might have to start importing some Hmong students from Green Bay.

But I like this question the most as it reveals the real issue for Berger: "How do you expect to get the voters not living in Caledonia, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant to vote in favor a (sic) secession when it will undoubtedly increase their taxes to keep what is left of RUSD?" Tax happy communities like Racine are always looking for other communities to pay their bills, so the loss of Caledonia from RUSD would be a huge blow to RUSD. It is about time that Caledonia starts to look out for Caledonia students, especially as I have heard of credible reports indicating that 60% of eligible Caledonia students are stearing clear of RUSD schools. Caledonia residents are paying huge sums of cash for a school system that they are avoiding like the plague. If their secession harms RUSD, perhaps that will spur the remaining RUSD communities to consider some actual reforms that might work, such as school vouchers.

I have some questions of my own for the folks in Caledonia. Here they are:

To what extent can you link the demise of education to the rise in power and influence of the teachers unions?

Can you form a school district that minimizes or eliminates the influence of the teachers union?

Do you have to build shools at all or could you simply issue vouchers to parents who could use them to send their children to the school of their choice, whether that choice is public or private?

And this last question is for Mr. Berger: Since when do voters in Mount Pleasant get to vote on Caledonia matters?

On Lending Discrimination and Tooth Fairies

An anononymous poster asked me how we can provide equity in the mortgage lending business without affirmative action. The question is akin to asking how often one beats his wife, as it assumes guilt on the part of the lending industry. I don't think that there is widespread or systemic racial discrimination in mortgage lending. Here is why.

First, we have to understand why any individual investor or any lending institution would lend money to an individual. They do it to earn money through interest payments paid by people who do not default on their loans.

Now let us suppose that anonymous is correct. Let us say that there are a million creditworthy black people who have been denied loans simply because they are black.

This means that there are a million money making opportunities out there for investors. There are a million customers out there waiting for loans, but every single investor (including wealthy black investors) or lending institution has decided to forgo the opportunity to make money off of creditworthy black people because they all agree that it is more important to harm black people than it is to make money.

It is far more plausible that the people who are denied loans, whatever their color, are denied because they are credit risks. But some persist in believing that there is widespread racial discrimination in lending. I say that if you are willing to believe that lenders prefer harming blacks to making money, you might as well believe in the Tooth Fairy.

Observations

When we have unseasonably warm weather, it is likely that you will hear something said about global warming. What do you hear now that the orange crop in California is freezing?

When the gas prices are high, it is likely that you will hear that oil execs are gouging us and that George Bush is responsible. What do you hear now as the gas price is dropping?

When our federal deficit is growing, you are likely to hear about the tax breaks for the wealthiest 1% of our population. What do you hear now that our deficit is shrinking?

When unemployment was high, you heard about a jobless recovery? What do you hear now that unemployment is low?

What is it that you hear from liberals? Answer: hysteria.

What is it that you hear when they are proven wrong? Answer: silence.

A Higher Standard

I think Alderman Greg Helding has the potential to be a very effective local political leader. He is smart, articulate, knowledgable and hard working. He is often the voice of reason on the city council. Because of his intelligence and promise, I will hold him to a higher standard.

I was reading Mike Moore's column in the JT yesterday. At the end of the article, Helding indicated that the city should look for other sources of cash than those provided by "the gravy train of cable franchise fees."

My issue is that Helding's first instinct was to look for "other sources of cash" when the city faces the possibility of lost revenue. "Other sources of cash" invariably means more taxes or fees.

It would be wonderful if there could be at least one alderman who's first instinct is to ask what spending can the city do without. Could that alderman be Greg Helding?

JT Columnist Understands Free Market

Just days after blasting JT columnist Mike Moore for his support of race based affirmitive action, I must commend him for his column that demonstrates an understanding of the value of competitive markets.

I won't repeat the whole story here, but it involves the Racine City Councils addiction to the $750,000 franchise fee it collects from TimeWarner Cable. They want the same from AT&T but AT&T doesn't want to pay. Anyway, Moore recognizes that the consumer actually pays the fee as it is listed on his cable bill. Furthermore, Moore understands that competition among providers will bring the price down for customers. Unfortunately, some or most on the city council want to keep the TimeWarner monopoly going as they lack the understanding demonstrated by Mike Moore.

Now if only Moore and his colleagues could understand that the same principles would apply to the education of children.

More Snake Oil Please

I have been engaged in a spirited debate with Kay from BlueRacine.blogspot.com. In a recent post she equated the notion of tax cuts with "snake oil" while I maintain that tax cuts contibute to economic development which can ultimately result in more revenue for governments.

So I shared with her the delightful news that our federal deficit has been reduced by $165 billion over the last two years. Don't bother looking for that info in the JT, I found it in the Wall street Journal. Anyway, I believe that deficits can only be reduced by lower spending or higher tax reciepts or a combination of the two. Now we know that Republicans have been spending like drunken sailors, we have two ongoing wars, and we have had a huge disaster in New Orleans, so we know that the deficit reduction is not the result of spending restraint. The reason is more tax reciepts. Now we also know that Bush is widely criticized for lowering taxes. So how is it possible that after lowering tax rates, we are collecting more in taxes? The reason is that lower taxes stimulate economic growth. Economic growth is taxed, so we are collecting more in taxes despite a tax cut. To a liberal not used to thinking, this sounds like snake oil. I say bring on the snake oil.

Visit from Mayor Becker

Mayor Becker stopped by my business yesterday to, as he said it, understand the illogical opposition to commuter rail. FYI, the illogic jab was interpreted by me as a benign wise crack, ie no offense intended.

Assuming that what Becker said was true, and I don't know him to be one to deliberately mislead, I must incorporate this new info into my thinking.

It was my understanding that Metra would hemmorage about $8 million per year. Becker said that that amount is a bit high, but more importantly, that it includes repayment of the $40 million in local borrowing for up-front costs. This is an important difference because the $7 or $8 million or so of annual payments is almost entirely the repayment of capital expenses, not an operating deficit. So that annual payment will be over in a decade or so, depending on the length of the municipal bond. The operating deficit figures to be about a million per year, if I remember the mayor's figures correctly.

I never intended to get very worked up about the Metra extension largely because it is a federal battle rather than a local one, insofar as I am concerned. The problem, as I see it, is runaway spending at the federal level and that is not a problem that is going to go away anytime soon. And in this case, Racine will clearly benefit at the expense of taxpayers in Nebraska, Wausau, and west Racine county. The wealth transfer is going federal to regional, statewide to local, west of county to east of county, so Racine wins on this one. So while I remain vigorously opposed to government overspending, this is not a battle I intend to invest much of my time on.

But knowing me, that could change.

FreeRacinians Readers to Meet in Person

OK, that title involves some wishful thinking, but how about we get together on Tuesday, January 23rd at the Java Vino on Main Street in downtown Racine. It is smoke free (voluntarily) and they serve coffee and wine and some food as well. The first drink is on me. All are welcome and that includes detractors like anon. So how about it Wade, Brenda, Kathy, Fred, Preachrboy, Eric, Sam, Robin, Bill, Greg and everyone else I forgot to mention. See you there!

Awards and More Awards

If there is an award for the person who wins the most awards, it must certainly go to Corrine Owens. Yesterday Owens received the Peace Mentor of the Year Award from the Peace Learning Circles of Kenosha and Racine. She was desribed in the JT as a longtime civil rights activist. Though I have seen numerous articles about Owens winning this or that award, I have no idea what she has actually accomplished, other than winning awards of course. Is there anyone among my readers who can shed any light on Owens accomplishments?

A Little Bit of Racism OK for JT Journalist

It is amusing to watch people squirm to find a middle ground between racist policies and non-racist policies. That job fell to Journal Times columnist Mike Moore today.

Moore weighed in on the debate about race based admissions at UW schools.

One of the opponents of race based admissions, State Senetor Glenn Grothman, quipped that if diversity is the goal, they could seek to get "a good mix of hunters and non-hunters."

Moore sought the impossible middle ground, suggesting that "somewhere between those racial categories and blatant racial preferences lies a real solution. Yes, it would be an injustice for somebody's race to vault them over the combat veteran or the girl who was class president all four years. The things a student accomplishes as an individual should always come first."

But Moore's "real solution" remains elusive. OK, so ones race should not vault you over the combat hero. But should it vault you over the white guy who's grades and test scores are slightly better? Is a little bit of racism the answer?

The minute that you decide to use race as a factor to admit one student, you have decided to use race as a factor to deny another. That meets my definition of racism.

Religion Tour #8, woman reverend/Presbyterian

You can probably tell from the title of this entry that my primary purpose for visiting Covenant Presbyterian Church was that it is led by a woman, Reverend Melanie Hammond Clark. She is actually an aquaintance of mine because I once coached her son in soccer. By coincidence I sat next to her husband who apparently concluded that I was a visitor. He was very helpful and friendly.

So I learned little or nothing about the Presbyterian faith, other than it is Christian and that they allow women as reverends.

As I was raised Roman Catholic, I of course had no experience with women leading a congregation. There was nothing that Reverend Clark said or did yesterday that could not have been said or done by a male reverend, so I will not offer any conclusions about women reverends. I am also unaware of the arguments pro or con on women as reverends or priests, so I will reserve judgement until such time as I understand the issue.

Perhaps a local blogging Lutheran Reverend will tiptoe into that minefield for me. How about it Preachrboy?

Positively Negative

As an advocate for economic freedom, I will often oppose the never ending proposals for more government, whether it be a sales tax increase, another RUSD referendum, or a taxpayer funded ice arena. As a result, I am often described as negative.

This is a silly charge, and it must be exposed as such. If the government growth socialists every proposal is, by definition, positive, then any advocacy for individual economic freedom is therefore negative.

The "negative" label is used to avoid an actual defense of an idea. It is much easier to dismiss someone as negative than it is to make a case for a bad idea. The "negative" label is a useful tool for the intellectually lazy and mean-spirited debaters.

Wouldn't it be positive to oppose a bad idea, and wouldn't it likewise be negative to support a bad idea. Your negativity or positivity would depend on whether or not you are right. And we all agree that I am always right, isn't that right anonymous?

Mayor offers free lunch. Watch your wallet!

I heard Mayor Becker on the radio today. He was promoting a tri-county sales tax increase (Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha) to fund the Metra expansion, other municipal transportation expenditures, and of course, property tax relief.

Now I didn't catch all of the mayors points, but if I understand the jist of it, the .25% sales tax increase would cover 5 times the amount needed to fund the annual Metra shortfall. The mayor pointed out that 20% of sales tax collected is from folks outside the KRM counties. Thus, the argument goes like this: The sales tax collected from outsiders will cover all of the shortfall casued by the Metra expansion. Thus we get Metra for free.

And on top of all that we will get property tax relief. Why is it that the only time Democrats mention the problem of high taxes is when they are trying to raise them further?

Equestrian Welfare?

State Rep Robin Vos is among the handful of people who read this blog, or so he tells me. I share that info only because I wish to comment on his legislative priorities as listed in todays Journal Times.

Among those are lower taxes, eliminating income tax on pensions, health care improvements "without turning to government-run, taxpayer funded universal health care", ethics reform, and my absolute favorite, school vouchers for Racine. The devil is in the details, of course, but I can say that I approve wholeheartedly of this agenda.

But I am not writing simply to praise Robin Vos. That is not my style. I must question another of his priorities: "Vos said he wants to see property tax benefits for farmers extended to people raising horses - helping preserve rural land in Caledonia by taxing the land for agricultural use instead of its development potential."

Now I am all for tax deductions, but this one gives me pause. I am envisioning very wealthy people enjoying their horses in large open areas. Why should they get a tax break? They should be taxed according to the value of their land like everyone else. Otherwise, you and I are subsidizing the recreation of the wealthy. This does not seem fair to me at all. Now of course I would support accross the board property tax relief.

Am I wrong Robin? If so, please explain this to me and my readers. Thanks.

Drug Company Helps Ungrateful Journalist

Dustin Block of the Journal Times wrote an interesting piece today about his troubles with acid reflux. Ultimately, he found a medicine, at a reasonable cost, that has relieved his discomfort.

But along the way, he was prescribed Nexium, a "little purple pill" that was helpful, albeit quite expensive. He told the story of Nexium, a "remarkable scam" he called it. Nexium is made by AstraZenaca, the same company that created Prilosec, another very successful drug. Prilosec's patent was running out, so AstraZenaca came up with Nexium, a very similar (perhaps identical?) drug, and they got a patent for it. They spent huge sums in advertising and no doubt they wined and dined doctors etc... to ensure its widespread use.

In my opinion, if there are bad guys here, it would be the U.S. Patent Office who issued a patent for Nexium when perhaps they shouldn't have, and Dustin's doctors, who either are ignorant of the pills they are prescribing or are purposely prescribing more expensive medicine for excessive profit. AstraZenaca is guilty of successfully advertising a product that works.

Now back to Dustin Block. He couldn't help throwing jabs at high deductible health insurance plans: "The pills...cost $350. This is what happens when you pick a high-deductable health insurance plan designed to save money." Block didn't mention the money he is saving on monthly premiums. And Dustin warned us that "if we close our hearts, outside manipulaters like drug companies take control." Wow! It is these very manipulators who have brought relief to Dustin. He should be more grateful.

Instead, Dustin credits his recovery to openness. "Help didn't come from the doctor. It came from people who care about me asking, sometimes forcibly, what was wrong." And "Somehow, opening up helped me research what was going on." And "If we're open to sharing our lives, opportunities appear."

Now I am all for openness, and I am glad Dustin has friends who care for him. But openness alone did not produce the drugs that are helping Dustin lead a comfortable life. Drug companies produce the drugs that are helping Dustin. And the drug companies could not produce their drugs without the support of our mostly capitalist economic system.

But it takes more than an open heart to realize all this. You need an open mind as well.

Regulations on my Mind

I have regulations on my mind. This is because I am considering what to do with the second floor of my downtown building. It is large enough to make two nice size apartments. I will develop this property only if the projected benefit of the improvements (rental income, increased property value) exceeds the costs. The costs are the investment of cash and time, interest on loans, a property tax increase, and the big unknown; the costs associated with regulations.

The costs of regulations are hardest to calculate. Mainly this is because virtually every aspect of a development involves both state regulations and local ordinances. Plans are subject to arbitrary interpretations of codes made by unelected government bureaucrats. In other words, I am at the mercy of unelected, unaccountable people who may interpret codes in the most stringent manner, increasing my costs exponentially, ensuring a money losing venture. What's more, they can do this even after they have approved my plans.

I am hopeful that I am worrying needlessly. After all, my first investment downtown was relatively pain free, despite having some of the same worries.

Even so, I don't think it is right that unelected, unaccoutable individuals should hold so much power over others. Not only is it bad for individuals like myself, it is bad for the community if the risks of development exceed the likely rewards because of onerous regulations.

Now, for Kathy, I will try to tie this together with the posts about car safety. It is perhaps difficult to fathom the absurdity of some regulations associated with property development unless you have been there. But imagine, if you would, taking your car in for an oil change. There you meet an unelected state official who tells you that you may not drive your car unless you spend $5,000 retrofitting your car to accomodate people in wheelchairs.

Now you know that won't happen when you go for an oil change. But it may very well happen after I have already spent $100,000 renovating my building. Scary, isn't it?

Explaining "Saving Lives"

My most recent post, "Saving Lives," was pure nonsense. I suggested that cars be manufactured such that their maximum speed would be 15 miles per hour, as this would reduce the 40,000 annual traffic fatalities to nearly zero. And indeed it would.

Now why would I suggest something so ridiculous? Because most of us own and drive cars, we intuitively understand the trade off between speed and safety risks. We are better off driving 65 mph on a highway even though we put our lives at greater risk. Otherwise, we would choose not to drive on the expressway.

Wade has solved the riddle. It is nonsense to endorse anything that would save just one life, or 40,000, unless we are prepared to ask the next question, which is, "at what cost?"

As a society, we have decided, quite rightly in my opinion, that the improvements in our lives, the greater freedom, the economic benifits, etc... provided by cars that exceed 15 mph are worth the loss of 40,000 lives, though we would probably prefer not to think about the loss of life.

This is life. We must balance risk with rewards. We must take reasonable chances. There are even risks associated with any effort to avoid risks. Total safety is not possible, and any attempt to provide it will have adverse consequences.

Saving Lives

According to U.S. census data, over 40,000 people died in traffic accidents in 2003. All of those people would likely be alive today if my car safety ideas were mandated by the government. I propose that automobile manufacturers be required to limit the maximum speed of vehicles to 15 miles per hour. There is little doubt that traffic fatalities would be reduced to nearly zero. 40,000 lives could be saved annually. Is there anyone out there who disagrees with my life saving proposal? If so, please explain what it is you like about gruesome traffic fatalities.

School Board Nuggets

Superintendent Dr. Hicks figures on a "blended solution" concerning the desegregation/neighborhood schools debate.

Board member Russ Carlsen had this to say: "We have a pretty homogeneous heterogeneous population."

Board member Brian Dey proposed neighborhood schools coupled with school choice and transportation help for the socioeconomically challenged folks who wished to opt out of their neighborhood schools. Board member Randy Bangs agrees with Dey but would also permit minorities (regardless of socioeconomic status) to be included among those eligible for transportation assistance if they want to opt out of their neighborhood schools.

Religion Tour #7, Unitarians/Secular Progressives

I didn't go to church today, but I went to the Unitarian church several times starting about a year ago. I was initially drawn to them because of their claims of tolerance, open mindedness, and their interest in political matters. After a few visits, I began to wonder just what it is that they believed in. Their sermons quite often incorporated viewpoints and or teachings from numerous religions. Over time, I realized that the teachings from the various religions would support the very leftist agenda of the congregants. I concluded, perhaps unfairly, that this religion, at least as it is practiced in Racine, is the religion of liberalism. On my last visit to the Unitarian Church, the Pastor Tony Larsen directed the congregants to hold hands and loudly sing "I am a gay American." The reason given was to support those homosexuals who could not otherwise comfortably declare their sexual orientation. I was uncomfortable with this song, not because I am heterosexual, but because the song was a lie.

E-mail to Fred Dooley on Liquor Issue

The following is an email response I sent to Fred Dooley of RealDebateWisconsin. Fred, a candidate for city council, and I have been engaged in a discussion about liquor issues. You can read the exchange at his Dooley for Alderman site. (Fred, if I haven't ticked you off too much, I could use some instruction on links someday) Anyway, if I understand our differences on this issue, it is that Fred would be open to terminating liquor licenses at bars, even if the unlawful behavior was not committed by the license holder or his/her agents, while I am a stickler for differentiating between the behavior of the license holder and the behavior of the patrons. So here is my e-mail to Fred:



Yes, you answered my question. Unfortunately I did not like the answer. The way I see things, entrepreneurs should be assured, in advance, that if they act lawfully, they will be able to pursue their interests with the support of local government, including the police. With your answer, it is possible, even likely, that a responsible, law abiding bar owner will lose his livelihood because of the actions and behaviors of other people. This is a horrible climate for an entrepreneur. Additionally, this quasi-prohibitionist approach to liquor enforcement will not solve any problems. It will simply move them to other bars in Racine. Suppose Bar A is closed because of excessive fighting. The troublemakers will still be around. Do you suppose they will stay home and play Scrabble? Certainly they will take their problematic behavior to other bars, and heretofore "responsible" bar owners will become "problem" bar owners through no fault of their own. Overall I have a problem when people are not held responsible for their own behaviors, or if people are held responsible for other adults behaviors. The larger problem, that nobody wants to address, is that Racine has a large population of troublemakers. This fact makes it more difficult, I am sure, to have a business in Racine. With your approach, bar businesses will be harmed twice, first by the troublemaking patrons and then again by the city council. Should you win your race Fred, you will be faced with scenarios much like I have described. I hope that you would consider making a clear distinction between the behavior of the business owner and the behavior of the patron. To do otherwise would be to contribute to an already hostile business climate in Racine. Thanks for taking the time to consider this issue carefully. I find this discussion interesting. I will include it on my blog, as I think it may interest others and as I believe public matters should be discussed publicly. Thanks again Fred. Denis.

Seperation of Business and State

Most of us accept the idea of church and state seperation. Certainly there is squabbling as to what that means exactly, but nobody who is taken seriously is advocating a state religion. Thus, except for some whackos on the fringes, the basic concept of church and state seperation is accepted as a good thing. And it is.

But what of seperation between state and business? This concept is seldom discussed. Indeed, we hear frequently of public-private partnerships. And this is always spoken of as a positive. I don't think it is at all, and I find this frequent fusion of business and government far more threatening than paranoia about a state religion.

Consider the large developments under way or proposed in our area. Many of the developers are either former elected officials or at the very least are quite savvy politically. Political skills are neccessary to navigate or circumvent the often onerous government roadblocks.

Consider the Point Blue development at the former Walker Manufacturing location. It is a large plot right on Lake Michigan. If a developer can't make a profit developing lakefront property without government assistance, then we should ask why this is so.

Are property taxes too high? Are the building regulations too onerous? Yes and yes I believe.

So the politically savvy developer goes looking for money from his government pals, often in the form of tax breaks. A public-private partnernership developes. The politicians can point to the development when reelection time comes around and the developer gets the development profits without having to worry about the risk. The risk, minus the profits, goes to the taxpayer. In other words, we get screwed.

Many of us are developers, though we may not think of it that way. We may aspire to own a larger home or put an addition on our current home. These investments also benifit the community. The only difference between us and the big developer is that we lack the political influence. Thus, we get no tax breaks. We don't get the regulatory burden lifted. And of course, we assume all the risks, as we should. And of course your private development is made all the more difficult because you are presently underwriting the risk of other developments.

So the next time you hear someone hail the virtues of public-private partnerships, I hope you will at least begin to question whether that is a good thing. Perhaps a seperation of state and business is a better idea.

Religion Tour #6, Gospel Lighthouse Pentecostal

A few years back, I went to bat for Gospel Lighthouse as they battled the city over an occupancy permit. The jist of it was that GL had the permit already, but the city, led by Mayor Becker, sought to prevent their occupancy, presumably so the property could be sold and turned into riverfront condos. The city probably realized they had no legal, not to mention moral, leg to stand on, so they backed off. GL is located at 6th and Memorial, in the former home of the REAL School.

As for the service, I probably couldn't be more mismatched, insofar as I tend to be something of a detached observer, while the GL congregants were very expressive in their faith. Lots of singing, swaying, amens, etc...

Pastor Ray Christensen gave a talk about a conversation that he had with a curious agnostic. The conversation was going nowhere, apparently, when Pastor Ray changed tactics. Rather than try to win the debate, he talked about the love Jesus (and Pastor Ray) had for the agnostic. Pastor Ray noticed a change in attitude from the agnostic, who seemingly was thirsting for more, according to Pastor Ray's interpretation of the exchange.

I can say that the congregants were quite welcoming. Several shook my hand to introduce themselves. The associate pastor gave me a brief overview of the history of the Pentecostals. I had to leave a bit early to go to work. I would have preferred to stay. I found the music quite nice and the people warm and friendly.

Journal Times Socialist Manifesto

Don't bother reading the JT's commentary today. I will summarize it for you.

If you want something, the government should provide it for you.
Beware of the private sector.

Racism Sans Racists

In the comments following a recent blog entry entitled "Rejecting Racial Representation", I encountered an anonymous blogger who laments the "many organizations right here in racine that subscribe to racial representation for white people." Yet despite my numerous pleas, anonymous was unable or unwilling to identify even one of the organizations, much less offer any evidence to support his/her claim.

The mindset of the anonymous blogger is hardly unique. But why complain about racism without identifying the racists?

As it happens, I have a theory that addresses this question. It serves the purposes of many people to have a problem with racism. I will get to who those people are a little later. It is best if the problem is vaguely and broadly defined, such that specific allegations must be avoided at all costs. Specific allegations of racism must deal with the vexing problems of facts, evidence, proof etc... Vague allegations can conveniently disregard evidence. Racism, of course, exists, and is harmful to both the racist and the subject of the racism. But for some, it is not all bad, insofar as it provides a useful excuse for personal failure. And lets face it, most of us would prefer to find external causes for our shortcomings. So the beneficiaries of the vague racism problem are blacks who would prefer to blame others for their failures. But it is not only blacks who benefit from the vague racism allegations. Whole careers are available for those who perpetuate the vague racism problem, and they must keep the story going or lose their livelihood. In addition to a livelihood, these folks also get to enjoy a feeling of moral superiority over the masses of supposed racists in our midst. Racism, vaguely defined, is an industry. An industry that must be confronted.

On Blogger Candidates

Fred Dooley of realdebatewisconsin.blogspot.com has announced his candidacy for alderman of the 7th district in Racine. Of course I wish him well, but that is not the point of this blog post.

As an obsessive observer of politics and the antics of politicians, I would like to share some of my observations about the differences between bloggers and politicians. Political bloggers, if they are to have any interested readers, will have to say something. Politicians, on the other hand, will usually try to get elected by saying nothing.

I find it very irritating to try to figure out what a politician might actually do once in office, as they are skilled in the art of speaking well without actually saying anything. As such, you don't know what you have until it is too late. For example, did any of our politicians promise the barage of tax and fee hike proposals that we are presently seeing? No, they did not.

On the other hand, blogger candidates will have a record of their thoughts, positions, attitudes, etc... such that a voter will have a much better idea of what he is voting for, or against. I find this to be a very positive development.

Rejecting Racial Representation

I was having a conversation the other day about the redistricting controversy at Racine Unified School District. The Racine chapter of the NAACP is opposed to the idea of neighborhood schools, as they prefer efforts towards greater desegregation. I wondered aloud whether the NAACP is very representative of the average black person. Then I wondered how I would feel if an organization presumed to represent my interests because I have whitish skin.

I can tell you that the very idea would be abhorrent to me. My views, my hopes, my dreams are not the inevitable result of my whiteness. I have spent the better part of my life thinking, reflecting on experience, etc... as I attempt to carve out a consistent, logical, and moral world view. It would be insulting to think that a group could presume to represent my interests by consulting a color chart. I am more than that. And so are black people.

Religion Tour #5, Beth Isreal Sinai Congregation

I almost missed this service. Both the front and side doors were locked, so I hopped in my van to leave when I noticed someone entering an unmarked door on the other side of the building. I entered to find about a half dozen people and asked if it was OK to observe their service. They all introduced themselves and were exceedingly helpful in guiding me through the service. This included informing me that the Torah and the other book (name escapes me) were read from right to left instead of left to right. The service was quite long and much of it was in Hebrew. I was surprised that nearly all the congregants, by this time numbering about twenty, were able to speak Hebrew. I was told later that most probably did not know what they were reading. I got by because the readings were accompanied by an English translation. One of the readings that I found interesting was the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, later rose to prominence because of his ability to interpret dreams, predicted seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. His brothers later showed up seeking food and Joseph sort of toyed with them without revealing his identity. After the service a meal was offered and I ate lox for the first time. Not bad. The rabbi, who had recently lost his father, talked at some length about the rules governing mourning, which include beard growing (not sure why) and covering mirrors as it is not a time to look at your image but rather to reflect on the departed. I can't say I learned a whole heck of a lot about Judiasm but seeing as it is the first monotheistic religion with an enormous influence on both past and present, I am interested in learning more. I was told that a good book to read is called "Basic Judiasm" by Milton Steinberg. I think I will read it.

Madison Prohibitionism

The city of Madison has an alcohol coordinator. In the hundred plus years of its existence, Madison has managed without an alcohol coordinator. So the new coordinator is naturally tampering with the heretofor voluntary coordination of alcohol related activity. Until now, people interested in drinking alcohol did so at establishments run by people interested in selling alcohol. But with binge drinking identified as the problem dejour, this will no longer do.

Enter alcohol coordinator Joel Plant. He is proposing a ban on new bars. This is clever insofar as he may gain the support of some bar owners who would enjoy the protection from competition and the profits that would flow as a result of the ban.

Thankfully, some are fighting back. City Council President Austin King is opposed to the ban. "It is a huge fear of mine that this modern prohibitionist bent that we're headed around will drive students out of the bars and into less safe drinking environments."

A ban on new bars will do nothing to stop binge drinkers. It does undermine property rights and it may endanger more drinkers. Not a good idea.

City Will Fail in Real Estate Speculation

The city of Racine is finalizing the purchase of two buildings and some land adjacent to the site of the anticipated Metra depot. Many on the JT web site are appluading the action. Not me.

First, the city is overpaying (more than assessed value) for property that will only increase in value if the Metra does come to Racine. So the city of Racine is engaging in risky real estate speculation with our money.

Also, the city of Racine has a recent history of failure when delving into real estate. For example, they have shelled out large amounts of our money to tear down businesses in West Racine, in the hopes of luring a developer to the area. At present, they have failed to do so. Developers know that the city has deep pockets, so they will ask for tax credits, a reduced purchase price, and anything else they can squeeze out of the city. The city recently took a building next to mine in downtown Racine. After losing a court dispute, they had to fork over more cash to the former owner. They then sold the property at a big loss to someone else. The building remains vacant.

Granted these are anacdotal examples of mismanaged real estate ventures, but why should anyone assume that city officials will be better at real estate speculation than the people who do this for a living? The reason why the city, any city, will more likely lose money in these deals is because they are playing with money that doesn't belong to them. It is easy to take risks when others suffer the consequences of your mistakes. Additionally, there is an upside that is visible, while the downside is a largely invisible number on a sheet of paper. Thus the mistakes made by our amature real estate speculators will not become widely known to the public.

Religion Tour #4, Buddhism

I know a reporter at the Journal Times who invited me to last nights dharma talk. As it was described to me, it seemed the best opportunity to find out a bit about Buddhism.

Now, at the risk of offending the JT reporter, I felt as though I was among people who were "playing" religion, like children might play doctor. This says nothing about my attitude towards Buddhism and everything about my attitude towards the Journal Times. Roughly 25% of the group had a JT connection.

The evening started with the dozen or so people putting on gray robes with a red sash/apron. Thankfully I was not required to wear it. The purpose of this exercise, as it was described to me, was to not be distracting with our clothing choices. I honored their request to remove my shoes. By the way, everyone there was quite nice and welcoming.

My afformentioned attitude can mostly be attributed to the fact that JT city editor Dustin Block led a discussion of sorts. I like Dustin and I think he is a kind and gentle well meaning person, but lets just say it is unlikely he will ever be my spiritual guru. He talked about the peace that he felt when working on a collaborative painting, and about a strianed relationship at work that has improved of late, seemingly a result of Dustin's improved inner peace.

During a question and answer period with the Abbot Linda Somlia, I asked about the likelyhood that inner peace will be of much use when confronted by external hostility. There doesn't seem to me a very satisfactory answer to that problem.

My tentative conclusion here is that seeking inner peace and quiet is can be a wonderful exercise. And inner peace can be helpful in dealing with lifes difficulties. However, in the face of real external dangers, it seems of limitted usefullness.

More on Global Warming

Kathy and I have had a spirited discussion on global warming. See "Becker on Global Warming" if you want to take a look. Anyway, the Wall Street Journal had an interesting editorial on the subject of U.S. vs Europe and greenhouse emmissions.

The bottom line, despite greater economic and population growth, emmissions growth has increased more slowly in the U.S. in recent years. And the following pretty much sums it up:

"If global-warming activists were as interested in lowering air temperatures as they are in expanding the role of the state, they'd understand that the key to reducing carbon emmissions lies in unleashing the private sector, not capping it. That's the real lesson from the policies- and the results- in Europe and the U.S.

Religion Tour #3, Grace Church

I had been curious about this one. It had the look of one of those mega-churches from the outside. And I had never been in a Baptist church before.

The church itself was an impressive structure. Two large screens had the lyrics for the songs and the Bible passages that were being read. The main church was two tiered and sloping downward towards the stage. I don't know what else to call it. It looked like a stage and performance was a big part of the service. There was a band, lots of singing etc... The congregants were more expressive than I am used to. Several, at various times, would reach one or both arms out towards the sky. Was this a sincere expression of faith and joy or an effort to seem like a sincere expression of faith and joy? I don't know the answer to that question, as it could depend on the person, but it did strike me as a bit strange.

The message was interesting, starting with a reading from the Bible, a parable about vines and branches and fruit. If I could summarize the basic message, it was that the branches, us, can not bear fruit independent of the vine, God/Jesus.

Not a bad experience overall. I talked with a few people that I knew. The sermon was interesting. I got the sense that this church is somewhat ahead of the game insofar as recruitment goes. It was big, lively, and I got the sense that they were probably employing professional marketing skills to the whole operation.

McReynolds, Vos: Tax Hike Supporters?

My first foray into local politics began a few years back when the Racine County Board was wrangling over the issue of building an indoor ice skating rink. Needless to say, I opposed the idea. I felt that, at the very least, Racine County residents should be able to decide this issue via referendum. Yet, the supervisors who supported the rink idea were adamantly opposed to allowing voters to decide the issue directly. I thought that was ridiculous. I thought that a new ordinance could address this problem. I worked with my county supervisor Ken Vetrovec, who introduced an ordinance proposal which would have required expensive "quality of life" projects to be approved by direct citizen vote. The measure was going nowhere and I was getting more than a little irritated. Eventually, the measure came to a vote in the executive committee and was soundly defeated. Robin Vos offered a nonsense rationale for voting against the measure, and it was suggested to me at the time that he was doing the bidding of County Exec Bill McReynolds who was opposed to my proposal. So why is this relevant now?

Because if my proposed ordinance had passed, the funding for "quality of life" projects would be decided on a per project basis by Racine County voters. But now a task force, initiated by Bill McReynolds, has proposed a 1/2% sales tax increase for the purpose of funding "quality of life" projects. If it passes, voters will have much less say about which "quality of life" projects to approve. So if we support the proposed $69 million tax increase, it is likely that we will end up paying for a whole lot of expensive projects that we don't really want.

And I could have put and end to this nonsense two years ago, were it not for the opposition from our two most noted conservatives, Robin Vos and Bill McReynolds.

Reforms Always Fail, Except This Time

If there is one constant in public education, it is calls for reform. But according to Dr. Hicks, every urban school distict that has ever attempted reform, has failed. And he is right. But somehow he has managed to convince virtually all of Racine's movers and shakers that he can reform our district. Why do seemingly smart people believe that Dr. Hicks can accomplish what has repeatedly failed everywhere else?

Hick's Message

I went to the state of the schools address today. Here is what Superintendent Hick's had to say: RUSD faces serious challenges, we are moving in the right direction, have faith.

Thinking Beyond Stage 1

A few years back I read a book by Thomas Sowell that had a tremendous impact on my thinking. The book has a very boring title and I still don't know what possessed me to pick it up and read it. It is called "Applied Economics" and subtitled "Thinking Beyond Stage 1." I will apply some of what I learned in that book to address the problem of one pending government mandate requiring sprinkler systems in appartments with three or more units.

Stage 1 is quite attractive. Sprinkler units may save some lives. Who could oppose an initiative that could save an innocent child from dying in a fire?

Sowells book suggests that you think beyond this stage. What will happen when the cost of building apartment units goes up substantially while the cost of building single unit housing does not go up? Answer: Developers will build single unit housing because there will be more demand for it because of the less onerous mandates and costs. This will contribute to more sprall, more roads, more environmental damage, more gas consumption, more traffic deaths, more time lost in vehicles etc...

Where will the poor people live? Answer: Since the cost of multiple dwelling units will go up, they will be even more out of reach for the poor. The poor will be stuck in the multiple units that they are in now. Fewer new multiple housing units will be built, so the older ones (most likely grandfathered in with no sprinkler systems) will become somewhat more valuable as they face less competition from newer units. But the poor have limitted incomes with few options. Owners of the multi-unit apartments will have no incentive to improve their facilities (sound familiar?), because their tenants can't afford to pay extra for the improvements and because the landlords are protected, by the sprinkler law, from competition by new housing units. Thus the poor will be huddled in unsprinkled, deteriorating, overpriced housing.

So I oppose the new sprinkler law because it will segregate and endanger the poor while resulting in urban sprawl, overconsumption of gasoline, more traffic fatalities, more cash in the hands of Middle Eastern despots etc....

For Your Amusement

My brother is an economist in Washington DC. He sent me the following e-mail:


I've been reviewing some applications from newly minted PhDs. Highlights from the applicants so far: Names have been changed to protect the innocent(s)

Cover letters:
I have also substantially improved my communication skills by actively joining the renounced speech club, "Toastmaster International"
I also have a diverse level of written communication skills.

From the Recommendation letters:
Matt's paper makes two important contributions. First is a policy contribution, but second is a significant mythological contribution on problems with measurement error in imputing tax prices.

And my favorite in the raised eyebrow department:
Susan has large, positive externalities....These externalities explain why I have latched onto her as my primary co-author.

Sorry but I can not attach a photo of Susan's large positive externalities.

Dousing Your Freedom

The Journal Times weighed in, sort of, on a battle brewing over a "Department of Commerce proposal that would require sprinkler systems in condos and apartment buildings with at least three dwelling units." The JT conclusion, of sorts, is "The people of Wisconsin deserve first class fire protection for their dwellings, but it should be done in the most cost-effective way, one that balances saving lives and saving livelihoods."

Well duh! But they have dodged the question of whether requiring sprinklers would be the most cost-effective way to balance lives saved and livelihoods saved.

The answer should be to keep our present arrangement, wherin these decisions are made by builders, owners, and renters. It is they, rather than government bureaucrats, who have the information needed to make the wisest decision.

My suggestion is that any lawmaker who wishes to vote in favor of this requirement should first be required to retro-fit his/her home with a sprinkler system. Only then will they have some understanding of the costs that they wish to impose on others.

Sustainable Racine No Longer Sustainable

The Journal Times ran a story today announcing the closing of Sustainable Racine. Here is one guy who will not be shedding any tears. Though the staff were friendly and well intentioned, their philosophy was harmful to Racine. Lets just say thet they never seemed to encounter a problem that didn't have a government solution. More power in the hands of government means less in the hands of individuals. The closing of Sustainable Racine is one step in the direction of a free Racine.

Religion Tour #2

For some time now I have considered visiting our many local churches and sharing my observations on this site. I am motivated in part by a curiousity about people and the beliefs that they hold. But I am also somewhat open to the idea of joining a church. I say somewhat because the very idea conflicts with my tendency towards independence. But perhaps I am missing something, and that is what I am setting out to explore.

Now you might be wondering why I have entitled this entry as Religion Tour #2 instead of #1. That is because I visited Grace Lutheran Church last week, where I met Preachrboy, aka Reverend Tom Chryst.

This week I attended St. Paul's Catholic Church on Spring Street in Mount Pleasant. And now it is time for a confession. My mind drifted regularly from the message offered by the priest as I wondered about the future of the church. Though the church was quite full of parishioners, and the church itself very new and fancy, I couldn't help but notice that the vast majority of worshippers were quite old. Without an influx of new members, I wondered how they will survive. I suspect that St. Paul's is not the only church that will need to grapple with this problem.

But my sociological observations did not stop there. In addition to being quite old, the parishioners were all white. I understand that people tend to gather among those whom they are most comfortable with, so I am not in the least surprised by this. In my youth, I attended St. Joseph's Church, against my will. While I am quite far from being a religious scholar, I can safely state that racial segregation is probably not exactly what Jesus had in mind for his followers. So I am left wondering whether people are members of their churches for extra-religious reasons. I have no other explanation for the obvious racial segregation. If people joined churches entirely because of shared beliefs, then I suspect that we would see much less segregation. I hope Preachrboy will be willing to offer his views on this subject.

Next week. A Wiccan ritual sacrifice of a black cat. Stay tuned.

Becker On Global Warming

"I don't care if people believe in it or not," said Racine Mayor Gary Becker. "To me, why even argue the point? All the things to reduce global warming are things we should be doing anyway."

Like what sort of things? Well, we could use less energy, reduce mercury contamination from coal-fired power plants and reduce the nations involvements overseas, according to Becker. "Do the right things, and leave the debate about global warming alone."

Wow! Now I think we humans have a responsibility as stewards of the earth, but must we follow the dictates of King Becker without any debate?

Even if we assume that the earth is warming (much evidence suggests so) and that humans and their pollution are substantial contributors to the problem ( less evidence), does it follow that Beckers proposed solutions should be followed without debate?

Debate is sorely needed. Is global warming all bad, mostly bad, or would the good outweigh the bad? The folks in northern Canada, if there are any, might just welcome some warmer weather.

But lets assume that global warming is all or mostly bad and that it is caused by humans. Do we then follow Becker without debate?

No, because we would need to consider the cost of Beckers suggestions versus the potential benefits. For example, reducing energy use in some parts of the world could contribute to poverty. Would reducing our involvements overseas slow global warming? Would this be worth it if the result was the unchecked spread of religious extremism and terror?

I wish things were as easily solved as Becker seems to think they are.

Businesses Attacked for Urban Problems

I just finished reading a commentary from the Monday JT entitled "City lacks leadership, vision for the poor and under-served", written by self proclaimed leader Elliott Cohen, CEO/President of Abundant Life Christian Center.

"As one of the African-American leaders in the city of Racine, I am appalled and ashamed of the continuous neglect and absolute disdain for the poor and under-served communities in our city." writes Cohen.

He goes on to describe the laundry list of problems from joblessness, high dropout rates, violence, drug use, as well as some positive developments that mainly "benefit a certain population of the city".

Now here is his final paragraph: "Finally, let's challenge this city economically if situations do not change through boycotts and other effective nonviolent strategies to changing the status quo."

Which leaves me wondering, which business or businesses should be held accountable for the murders, drug use, joblessness and education failures that plague our city? A better idea would be to boycott the government that helps perpetuate these inner city problems.

The Right To Be Heard

I was catching a glimpse of an interview of Supreme Court Justice Breyer the other day. I don't have a transcript of the interview, so I will not be able to provide exact quotes. Breyer was defending the courts decision on the McCain-Feingold law. Basically, Breyer was saying that both sides of this debate had realistic first ammendmant claims. The losing side argued that free speech was being denied by the restrictions on campaign financing. But Breyer supported the view that prevailed, by saying that the speech of someone with only a dollar could be drowned out by the person with $20 million. And a new right, not found in our constitution, was created right before my eyes. The right to be heard.

Bloggers Exposed

I met preachrboy today in the receiving (departing?) line after accepting his invitation to attend his church service at Grace Lutheran Church. He mentioned that he had met another blogger recently and thought it might be fun to get together for coffee and conversation. I had been thinking about this anyway, and would love to meet any and all visitors and contributors to FreeRacine. Of course, for some of us, we would risk losing our anonymity. I would love to hear from you all on this subject especially. Would you like to get together, or do you prefer to keep intact your anonymous status? I envision a gathering at Java Vino, a smoke free coffee shop that also serves wine. I might even be persuaded to purchase the first drink or two for attendees. But first, I must know if you think the idea has any merit. Let me know. Denis.

Ethical dilemma

Help me, fellow bloggers, as I grapple with a perplexing interpersonal problem. Last night I was out to dinner with my family and a couple that we have known for several years. I consider them both to be very generous and kind people and I consider myself fortunate to be among their friends. We were speculating on the ethnicity of some little children who were playing nearby, and I mentioned that when I first met my friend, I was initially mistaken about his/her ethnicity(I don't want to give any clues about the identity of said individual). When asked, I indicated that I thought he/she was black. Friend became increasingly angry about this, said that I was ignorant about his/her ethnicity, said I had insulted him/her, was angry that I did not apologize, and refused to hear anything further from me on the subject. With no opportunity to defend myself, I excused myself from the table, apologized for the unpleasantries, and waited in the car until the others had finished their meal. And this is where we stand.

My question to you is whether or not I owe an apology for a mistaken initial judgement made several years ago? The reason that I am presently hesitant to do so is because I don't think it is an insult to be mistaken for a black person. Should I likewise apologize to actual black people for the misfortune of being black? Please weigh in fellow bloggers, but keep in mind that I would like both of my friends to remain friends if at all possible.

Move Over Rosa Parks

What do the Boston Tea Party, the civil rights and women's suffrage movements, and Ken Hall's campaign against Bill McReynolds have in common? Well, according to an commentary written by County Board supervisor Ken Lumpkin, each addresses a legal injustice. The "legal injustice" Lumpkin is referring to is Bill McReynold's admitted use of county phones for personal business while serving as County Executive. Why would a black man want to diminish the importance of the civil rights movement by comparing it with a transparently political effort to discredit a local politician? So far as I can tell, Lumpkin's commentary was not intended as humor.

Finders Keepers?

According to a letter written by Robert Mozol to the Journal Times, Racine alderman Pete Karas "found" $260,000 in the city budget. The money could be used, according to Mozol, to fund some of the fire, police or public works positions that have apparently been eliminated.

"Why wouldn't they want to use the found money? I'm sure all of us would use found money for something!", Mozol writes.

I am sure Mozol could find uses for the money. Of course, I was always taught that if you find money, you should return it to the owner. Someone should tell Mr. Mozol who owns the money.

Karas on Guns

Several months ago, Racine city alderman Pete Karas took a strong stand against allowing the Racine Police department to accept free gun safety material intended to help keep children safe. And this week, Pete Karas voted against taking a strong stand against a bar that was cited for having, in addition to 21 underage drinkers, three concealed handguns. So, pictures promoting gun safety are bad. Concealed handguns in bars are good. The left is a constant source for amusement, except this one is not funny.

Agitaters Wanted

Sustainable Racine is seeking anti-smoking zealots. Here is the plea:

Committee members are needed for the Smoke Free Committee of Sustainable Racine. Meetings are held at Sustainable Racine at 9:30 on the second Monday of the month. Volunteers are also needed to do telephone surveys to restaurant managers either from your own home or from the Volunteer Center.

I will make one slam dunk prediction. The results of the telephone survey will confirm that restaurant managers favor a smoking ban.

We be jammin

"Don't jam your religion down my throat" is a common, crude, and faulty argument advanced to oppose religious displays on public property. I think this can be best illustrated by using the same crude example. We all know that many cities have gay pride parades on public streets. And this begs the question. What are they jamming down our throats?

For the record, my issue is not with gay pride parades. It is with the use of crude and flawed logic.

Addicted to Government

It is only a matter of time before a ban on smoking is proposed for Racine's bars and restaurants. And lets face it, smoking causes harm to smokers and can cause discomfort and possible harm to those near to smokers. For many, this is all the justification needed to ban smoking.

I also suspect that many smokers are addicted to cigarettes. Addictions are bad. Just about anything can be addicting. Like an excessive reliance on government intervention. Some people just can't get enough. As soon as one law is passed, they will seek another. If no new laws are passed, they will become irritable. Soon hysteria sets in, followed by dementia. We need to help these people. There should be a law.

Share The Square

As the inevitable controversy unfolds over a Christmas display on Monument Square, it is worth taking an interest in the outcome. The position of the opponents of the display can be summarized as follows: Don't shove your religion down my throat. But if religious displays are forbidden on Monument Square, will this not be secularism shoved down our throats?

Saving Catholic Schools

I am saddened but not surprised by the financial difficulties facing some of our local Catholic schools. With taxes fully supporting a $12,000 per student public education, it is no wonder that little money remains for private schooling. As such, the effort to save our local Catholic schools is likely to fail unless private school advocates address the $12,000 to $0 funding gap between public and private education in Racine. Addressing this imbalance will necessitate entry into political debate. Public funding of education is a political decision. The Milwaukee voucher program has passed constitutional muster. Vouchers could save private schools that are substantially and unfairly harmed by a $12,000 funding imbalance. I doubt that private school advocates can save the private schooling option without addressing this political and financial discrimination.

Equality vs Excellence

Can a society pursue excellence and equality at the same time?

Open Thread

I never thought I would copy an idea from the JT, but I will be away from my computer until Wednesday, and I would love to have some content to come back to. So blog away please.

Political Correctness 101

This is one post that could haunt me if I ever ran for public office. So, on the outside chance that I do, understand that I am just kidding. So lighten up already. Here goes.

I am concerned about the stigma attached to the term "homeless." A far more sensitive phrase would be "free range humans".

More MacNonsense

I tried to post this comment on the JT website, regarding calls for an investigation into Bill McReynolds personal phone calls while at work as our County Exec. My posts at the JT are sometimes denied because I have dial up service and the IP address sometimes matches that of a person who has been banned from posting. Anyway, here it is.

I am all for cleaning up government, but I don't understand this at all. Making personal phone calls from work seems to me a minor offense if that. The County Exec and Sheriff positions are not 9 to 5 operations. As such, any normal person would have to conduct some personal business during the day if, for example, he had a meeting in the evening. I suppose the answer would be to use a personal cell phone for such occasions. However, a call to Robin Vos, a friend, government official and business partner, could have elements of county business, friendship, and business related matters all in the same call. Do we really want to require our elected officials to use different phones for each aspect of a conversation? We could take this a step further. Suppose Mac is driving the CE car to an official function. On the way, he sees a friend. He pulls the car over to say hello. Should he be investigated for using a government car for personal use? Should he reimburse the county for the gas used while the car was idling? Should he turn off the ignition or would that neccessitate reimbursement for wear and tear on the starter?

Drinking While Black

I attended the License and Welfare Committee meeting this evening as I am interested in seeing how the city intends to handle the blatant violations of the law which occurred at the City Haul Lounge. After much wrangling, the committee voted to pursue due process hearings, which could result in a suspended or revoked license for the owner, Leonard Hand.

While I think the committee made the right decision, I am more intrigued by one aspect of Hand's defense. Hand has now stated repeatedly that he will ensure that the problems, which include underaged drinking and gun possession, will be remedied, in part, by his decision to discontinue the playing of hip-hop music. It is quite clear, to me at least, that the word hip-hop is a kind of code for black. In other words, Hand seems to be saying that he will see to it that his bar will try to discourage black people (or at least the troublemaking black people) from frequenting his establishment. In fairness to Hand, this is not the first time I have heard prospective or embattled license holders swearing off hip-hop music. Swearing off hip-hop music is a popular strategy to gain favor with city council members. As an aside to Alderman Helding, a frequent reader of Free Racine, I am not suggesting that it is necessarily a winning strategy, only a popular one.

At any rate, in this day of hypersensitivity, I find it hard to believe that a white bar owner could say anything of the sort without angering some black people. I believe it was obvious to everyone in the room that Hand was delivering a coded message, telling the committee members that he will discourage young blacks from entering his bar. I would think some people would find this a bit upsetting. I do.

Too Little, Too Late

I don't mean to continually harp on the blatant political partisanship routinely displayed by the Journal Times, but I must comment on their recent stern commentary directed at Governor Doyle. Now that the election is over, the JT decides to point out the scandalous behavior of our governor. That knowledge may have come in handy before the election, but they choose to try to keep their readers in the dark in a transparent effort to get Doyle reelected. I must be old fashioned. I thought the purpose of a newspaper is to report the news.

Wisconsin Voters Bipolarized

I will leave the post game political analysis for others, but I can't help but pass on one observation. Republicans statewide took it on the chin while the conservative causes (marriage protection, death penalty) prevailed. Could it be that Wisconsinites like conservative ideas but not conservative politicians? Or perhaps Republican politicians are not behaving like conservatives? Would any of my fellow bloggers wish to take a stab at explaining this phenomenon?

Horlick Students Used for Liberal Political Causes

Yesterday was election day. And if you are a Horlick student involved in liberal activist clubs, its time to leave school and get liberals out to vote. Of course, administrators at Horlick would not describe their activities as partisan political activity. They would describe this as non-partisan education on the political process. The claim in the past is that students are merely urging voters to the polls, not advocating for candidates or causes. Sounds like non-partisan activity, right? It might be except the canvassing is performed in the ten wards with the lowest voter turnout. And these areas of low voter turnout have higher concentrations of voters who would vote Democratic. Therefore, to the extent that these students are successful, they are increasing the odds for Democratic candidates. Or, to be more blunt, they are engaging in partisan political activity, with the active support of public school personel, when they should be in school. Now, if they actually were attempting a non-partisan education field trip, they would choose their canvassing areas randomly throughout the RUSD boundaries. But they won't do that unless they are forced to do so. Perhaps a school board member should make an issue of this. Or perhaps I will.

Check the Judges

I will be voting "yes" on the marriage amendment, albeit uncomfortably. My reasons have less to do with marriage or the aspirations of homosexuals and more to do with protecting our system of checks and balances. Increasingly in our country, our constitution is being undermined by judges wishing to creatively interpret the document to further political objectives. In doing so, they are removing power from voters, and upsetting the proper and delicate balance of power. This problem is a great threat to our country and it should worry you regardless of your political orientation. Today it is primarily liberals creating novel interpretations of our constitution. Tommorow it could be conservatives. The threat of runaway judges is far more dangerous than gay marriage. I will be voting "yes" to protect our way of life, where voters and their representatives make the laws, while judges refrain from policy making.

Front Page Editorials

Journalism or advocacy, you be the judge. The JT had a front page article entitled "It's not just about gays." In the article, we heard from people like Jason Collum, a gay man who said "Gay people have no rights now, so even a no vote maintaining the status quo won't make a difference... The people who will really be affected are heterosexual couples." Affected how? Well, in Ohio, "courts are trying to decide whether women who are physically abused can file domestic battery charges against their live-in boyfriends." And then there is "the possibility that shareholders could file a suit ...demanding that a company end its unconstitutional domestic partnership benefits." And on and on. What was missing from this article was any viewpoint, counter arguments, or perspective from marriage amendment advocates. Fair and balanced? Not in the least. Just more evidence of the JT's slide from newspaper to political organization.

Ditch the Straw Man

Perhaps I am a little dense, but I finally figured out the Journal Times editorialists' favorite technique for advancing their point of view. It is the intellectually dishonest "straw man" argument. First present a weak or non-existent point of view supposedly held by your opponent, then refute it. Here are some recent examples:

On the marriage protection amendment. Here is the straw man: "Much of the push for the constitutional amendment has come from religious groups who oppose gay relationships as being a sin under their church teachings." And the easy refutation: "It is foolish to think banning gay marriages or civil unions will make gay relationships disappear.

On the death penalty referendum. Here is the straw man: Perhaps "in this day of reality television shows, Wisconsin would welcome back such morbid entertainment." And the easy refutation: "We on the JT editorial board are morally superior than you bloodthirsty Republicans, and have evolved such that we enjoy more sophisticated entertainment, like the opera." OK, OK, they didn't really write that, but I can't quote them directly because their actual opinion is not in their archives. But you get my point, I hope.

This rhetorical technique is quite dishonest, because it avoids and/or lies about the opposing argument. The best argument for a "yes" vote on the marriage amendment is the preempt courts from redefining marriage. But did the JT take on that argument? No. Do people want the death penalty in order to enjoy hangings, or their equivilant, on the public square. Of course not. A better rationale is to prevent further murders and to punish murderers. Did the JT take on those points? No.

Now I will demonstrate how easy this is. Straw man: Homosexual activists are opposed to the marriage protection because they think everyone should engage in homosexual activity. Defeating the referendum will help promote their agenda. And the easy refutation: The consensual sex between consenting homosexuals is their business in our view, but we would urge them to respect those who prefer heterosexual sex.

This kind of argument is for lazy and dishonest people. It has no place in a real newspaper.

Out of the Muck

I have been asked, privately, to help spread info that could be damaging to a local candidate running for office. There is some damning evidence, it seems, but all in all it feels like the kind of last minute political dirt spreading that I find quite distasteful. I will not be spreading this information for three reasons. The accusations seem somewhat petty. There is not much time for the candidate to credibly respond to the charges. And most importantly, I will not let Free Racine become a forum for partisan hackery.

One Vote for Politics

"I hate politics."

No, I did not say this. But I heard it said recently, and I am kicking myself for not asking a follow up question, such as, "What do you propose as an alternative?"

I consider politics the process wherin decisions are made among people with divergent interests. Usually this refers to public matters as in who we should elect to represent us, or which public policies should be pursued. But politics are everywhere. There are politics at work, politics in organizations, politics among friends.There is even politics at home. Anywhere a decision is made among more than one person, you will find politics.

As I have pondered the above statement, I have tried to think of places where there are no politics. Cuba, Iraq under Saddam, and the former Soviet Union come to mind. These are places where the expression of dissenting political views might lead to imprisonment or murder. How about the Catholic Church? Church doctrine is detirmined through a hierarchy. Families can be absent politics to some degree if one member of the family has the final say in family matters.

Politics can be ugly. People and groups will often decieve, lie, and bribe to achieve their objectives. It is therefore not surprising that someone should say "I hate politics." But unless I am mistaken, the only alternative to politics is authoritarianism, which, in public matters at least, necessitates oppression, coercion and other forms of violence. Given that choice, I will take politics, warts and all.