I had some fun with a pop quiz for early January, and here’s another.

What is the single biggest issue – problem, challenge, concern – facing Whitewater in 2009?

I opened two categories for entries: dead-serious concerns, and silly ones. Entries were accepted through Friday, January 30th at 5:59 a.m.

Here are the results, by category, in order of frequency –

Dead Serious Concerns —

• Economy/Jobs/Recession.  This was by far the most expressed concern.  No other really topic even came close.  The concern is often typically specific and personal – a certain job, or jobs at a given employer, that might be lost. 
• Business Development/Retention/Survival.  There’s an obvious connection between the leading concern about the economy and this one, but it’s a topic all its own.  Here, most of the concerns were about businesses.
• Quality of Living Concerns – Campus/Student Housing, Parking, Trash.  Far less frequent than the first two concerns, but still a worry.  Most who wrote along these lines (about ¾) felt that these were legitimate concerns, but about ¼ felt that the problem was that these were exaggerated concerns.   
• Cost of Services.  Five readers wrote with the belief that ‘belt-tightening’ (phrase used) should begin with the city, in a reduction of services or employment, of one kind or another, as a cost-saving measure. 
• Special mention: Bike Bridge to Nowhere.  One reader noted that the partially-completed bridge near the bypass is especially odd, sitting incomplete. Regardless of responsibility for completion, it is an embarrassment, as half-finished projects often are.    

Silly Ones

• Dumpsters.  Most people wrote that the silliest concern in the city was the dumpster problem.  This was by far the number one silly concern.  There were teasing descriptions of these dumpsters, too – illegal, dangerous, malicious, wayward, and threatening. 
• Jaywalking.  My personal favorite, on the silly concern side, came in as the second most frequent response.
• Campus/Student Housing.  Some readers approached this simply as a comical concern (unlike those who thought it was a real concern, or a real-because-overblown concern).
• Raucous behavior.  I found this phrase in the draft minutes of a Police and Fire Commission meeting, wrote using it, and now find that it comes back to me, as a teasing reference to municipal concerns about raucous behavior.  Several readers mentioned it, sometimes tying it with a city concern about inappropriate behavior, of whatever sort. 
• Special mention: Hygiene.  I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this as a municipal concern, but one reader mentioned that he felt his neighbors were, well, not the most well-scrubbed people in America.  Sorry – no suggestions, there.  Good luck, best wishes. 

Thanks to everyone for your entries.

Good morning, Whitewater

There are municipal public meetings scheduled for today.

Some days in Wisconsin history are less memorable than others. Yesterday was the birthday of actress Heather Graham, and today brings the birthday (from 1916) of actor Frank Andrew Parker:

On this date Franciszek Andrzej Paikowski (Frank Andrew Parker) was born in Milwaukee. He starred in the the 1952 movie Pat and Mike and the 1951 film The Big Carnival.

An Internet Movie Database entry for Parker is available online.

Good morning, Whitewater

Tonight at 7 p.m. there will be a meeting of the East Campus Neighborhood Association at the community building in Starin Park. The agenda of the association is available online. Agenda items include remarks from City of Whitewater City Manager Kevin Brunner, Councilmember Roy Nosek, City Attorney Wallace McDonell and Neighborhood Services Director Bruce Parker, Police Chief Jim Coan, Municipal Judge Richard Kelly, and a Question and Answer session.

On this day in Wisconsin history, in 1970, the Wisconsin Historical Society reports that actress Heather Graham was born:

On this date film actress Heather Graham was born in Milwaukee. Graham’s filmography includes roles in Drugstore Cowboy (1989), Boogie Nights (1997), and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). [Source: Oddball Wisconsin, by Jerome Pohlen, pg. 190]

The Historical Society may refer to her as a ‘film actress,’ but the source for their information — Oddball Wisconsin — suggests B movie actress more than a Dairyland version of Meryl Streep.

Good morning, Whitewater

There are no municipal public meetings scheduled for Whitewater today. There was, yesterday, a CDA Board of Directors meeting at 4:30 p.m.

On this day in American history, in 1888, the National Geographic Society was founded:

On January 27, 1888, the National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., for “the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge.”

The 33 men who originally met and formed the National Geographic Society were a diverse group of geographers, explorers, teachers, lawyers, cartographers, military officers and financiers. All shared an interest in scientific and geographical knowledge, as well as an opinion that in a time of discovery, invention, change and mass communication, Americans were becoming more curious about the world around them. With this in mind, the men drafted a constitution and elected as the Society’s president a lawyer and philanthropist named Gardiner Greene Hubbard. Neither a scientist nor a geographer, Hubbard represented the Society’s desire to reach out to the layman.

The Society maintains a website with photos and video from world-travels and research.

I had some fun with a pop quiz for early January, and here’s another.

What is the single biggest issue – problem, challenge, concern – facing Whitewater in 2009?

I will open two categories for entries: dead-serious concerns, and silly ones.

Entries will be accepted through Friday, January 30th at 5:59 a.m. As always, this is a pseudonym-friendly blog.

Good morning, Whitewater

There are no municipal public meetings scheduled for Whitewater today.

There is, however, a regular school board meeting of the Whitewater Unified School District tonight, at 7 p.m. Even better, however, is the FFA event in Elkhorn, this afternoon and tonight. The former meeting only serves, really, to support the latter event (and so much else).

On this day in history in 1925, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society, “Fire Destroys Whitewater Hospital.”

On this date a fire destroyed the Whitewater Hospital. Monetary losses were estimated at $20,000, but no deaths were reported.

I received another message recently from the Phantom Stranger. My pleasure to hear from him, surely.

Here’s what he had to say, with my remarks thereafter.

I have noticed that our proud American Flag was not displayed about town on Martin Luther King Day (Federal and State Holiday) nor today, Inauguration Day 2009…

I was out and about on Monday and Tuesday, and did not notice any additional display of the flag in the city.  That’s too bad, really, for both occasions – Dr. King’s birthday commemoration and the Inauguration are both extraordinary events.

Good morning, Whitewater

There’s no school for students in Whitewater today. Enjoy your three-day weekend.

There are no municipal city public meetings, either.

On this day in history in 1957, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society, we find a sad day in Wisconsin history: “Edward Cochems Died.” So who was he? I didn’t recall either, but thanks to the website of the Wisconsin Historical Society, the tale may be told:

On this date Edward Bulwar Cochems died. Cochems is credited with developing football’s forward passing attack. He was also considered one of the University of Wisconsin’s finest athletes at the turn of the century. In response to a 1906 mandate from football’s rule committee that allowed forward passing and required a team to gain ten yards in 3 downs, Cochems invented an aggressive forward passing strategy that revolutionized the sport. He coached at North Dakota, Clemson, and St. Louis University. He is buried in Madison’s Resurrection Cemetery.

More on Cochems may be found elsewhere online.

Good morning, Whitewater

There’s a League of Women Voters talk tonight, at 7 p.m., in the Common Council chambers on Polling Issues and Analysis from Professor Bill Mickelsen, UW- Whitewater, Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science. More information on upcoming League events may be found in the January 2009 LWV newsletter.

In our schools, First semester ends today. Congratulations on half a year completed.

On this day in history in 1964, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society, an event that only America’s Dairyland could offer: “World’s Largest Cheese.”

On this date The world’s largest cheese of the time was manufactured in Wisconsin. The block of cheddar was produced from 170,000 quarts of milk by the Wisconsin Cheese Foundation specifically for the 1964 New York World’s Fair. It weighed 34,665 pounds (17.4 tons). The cheese was consumed in 1965 at the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association at Eau Claire. A replica is displayed in Neilsville in the specially designed “Cheesemobile”, a semi-tractor trailer in which the original cheese toured.

The first City of Whitewater Planning Commission meeting of the year took place last night, 1/19/09. 
 
I did not catch the beginning of the meeting, offering an agenda of ten items, including roll call, future items, and adjournment.  The meeting was a brief one, with uncontroversial items considered quickly, and Gregory Torres presiding for the evening.  Like most meetings in most places, participants outnumbered observing citizens, about 2-1.
 
A few comments on the evening’s events. 
 
SweetSpot Coffee Shop.  Lacey Reichwald, new owner of the SweetSpot, sought a conditional use permit application to serve beer/liquor by bottle or glass at her establishment.  (The application runs with the proprietor, and so a new proprietor would have to seek conditional use approval granted a previous owner.)
 
As there is no new request for conduct, and no one has reason to doubt the new owner’s abilities, granting a request like this should be a simple matter.  It was, ultimately being approved unanimously.  There was some concern about serving beverages in glass on the location’s porch, but it was a concern only of one Planning Commission member.  Considering the size of the porch, with a limited number of seats, it’s no threat to the community to serve alcoholic beverages in glass. 
 
Now, I understand – after a discussion of the matter – that glass like this was once a community concern.  Well, yes, I am sure it was.  Perhaps for some, it still is.  It wouldn’t be my concern, but just about anyone can make a matter seem dramatic with the right presentation.  If safety’s really a concern, we’d probably preserve health better if we required everyone to wear helmets and steel-toed shoes. 

There’s risk in life, including pleasant experiences like enjoying a beverage in a glass.  If we want pleasant experiences, and patrons and shoppers who’d like the same to visit downtown Whitewater, we’ll just have to risk a beer or wine in a glass. 
 
Re-zoning for Homes along Lindsey Court, and Conditional Use on Tratt Street. Item 7 on the agenda was consideration of re-zoning parcels in the Lindsey Court area from R-1 (single family) to R-3 (multi-family).  The property owners of the affected parcels support the re-zoning.  The owners’ attorney attended the meeting on their behalf, and later on behalf of DLK for a conditional use permit application, Item 8 on the agenda.     
The Council member representative, a contributor to the Whitewater Register, and frequent exponent of politics as nostalgia, moved to approve Item 7.   Impermissible, of course – the Planning Commission can only recommend to Council.  Reminded of the difference, the motion was changed accordingly. 
 
Item 8 involved a conditional use application for conversion to a duplex at 202 N Tratt Street. 
 
Both of these changes are nothing more than the affirmation of a vibrant community that responds to the needs of its residents.  Despite all the controversy about re-zoning in Whitewater, flexible re-zoning, or conditional use change, is one of the best things that this city will ever do.  I do not believe that we have a housing problem in Whitewater, except this one: that we exacerbate our troubled local economy when we stubbornly insist on preserving existing arrangements as though insects in amber. 

Good morning, Whitewater

School’s back in session for students. All that time spent reading Chaucer playing World of Warcraft over the last few days will finally pay off. Good for you.

At 5 p.m., the Alcohol Licensing Committee meets. The agenda is available online.

There’s a meeting of the Whitewater Common Council tonight. At 6:30 p.m., a few will do what they can to assure you of a better community. You might be prudent to place these cares in your own hands, but why make the effort, if at least one other exists for that purpose?

On the agenda tonight, available online :

Swearing in an interim representative, various licensure questions, and closed session thereafter for discussion of compensation regarding union negotiations with WPPA, AFSCME, and the Teamsters.

In Wisconsin history on this date, from 1961, the Wisconsin Historical Society reports that the Milton Marching Band Performed at Inauguration, as “the 78-piece Milton Union High School Band, directed by Richard Dabson, marched in the parade at JFK’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.”

This Monday beings a new week, is prelude to a new federal administration, but is something yet more than these — a commemoration of a great man’s life. King — of America, for America, and even now from him a legacy that leaves us incomparably better than we would be on our own.

From King’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail, 1963:

Let us consider a more concrete example of just and unjust laws. An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal. Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state’s segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest.

I hope you are able to ace the distinction I am trying to point out. In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law, as would the rabid segregationist. That would lead to anarchy. One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

America offers many great men and women; yet, no better man born here.

Good morning, Whitewater

There’s a 6 p.m. meeting of the Planning Commission tonight at the Municipal Building.

The agenda for the meeting is available online, and here are posted hightlights for your free market enjoyment —

2. Hearing of Citizen Comments. No formal Plan Commission action will be taken during this meeting ON CITIZEN COMMENTS although issues raised may become a part of a future agenda. Items on the agenda may not be discussed at this time.

3. Approval of the minutes of the November 17, 2008 and the December 15, 2008 meeting.

4. Reports:
a. Report from CDA Representative.
b. Report from Tree Commission Representative.
c. Report from Park and Recreation Board Representative.
d. Report from City Council Representative.
e. Report from the Downtown Whitewater Inc. Board Representative.
f. Report from staff.
g.Report from chair.

5. Hold a public hearing for consideration of a conditional use permit application for the transfer of a Class B Beer and Liquor License for GAC Enterprises Inc. (Gregory A. Condos), to serve beer and liquor by the bottle or glass at 158 and 162 W. Whitewater Street (Mitchell’s and Pumping Station).

6. Hold a public hearing for consideration of a conditional use permit application for a Class B Beer and Liquor License for LLP, LLC (The SweetSpot Coffee Shop, Lacy Reichwald), to serve beer and liquor by the bottle or glass at 226 W. Whitewater Street.

7. Hold a public hearing for consideration of a change in the District Zoning Map for the following area to rezone from R-1 (One Family Residence) Zoning District to R-3 (Multifamily Residence) Zoning District, under Chapter 19.21 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Whitewater:

The following parcels, located along Lindsey Court are requested to change to R-3: Tax Parcel Numbers /BH 00005, /BH 00006, /BH 00007, /BH 00008, /BH 00010, and /BH 00012 City of Whitewater, Walworth County, Wisconsin.

8. Hold a public hearing for consideration of a conditional use permit application for the conversion of a single family residence into a duplex and install new parking area in the rear yard at 202 N. Tratt Street for DLK 202 North Tratt, LLC.

9. Information:
a. Possible future agenda items.
b. Next Plan Commission meeting.

There’s no school for students today, part of an unexpected, multi-day vacation from public education across almost all Wisconsin.

It’s a holiday today, and I’ll post separately on that, next.

Good morning, Whitewater

It’s chilly cold again today, in Whitewater, in Wisconsin, and much of America.

There’s no school again today.

There are no municipal public meetings scheduled for the City of Whitewater today.

Today’s the anniversary of a bad, bad day in American history, when a great, free republic — ours — thought that a comprehensive ban was a way to make Americans better: Prohibition first took effect today, in 1919. Here’s that blight on the Constitution:

Amendment XVIII

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several states shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several states, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress.

Was America really less raucous during Prohibition? Oh, yes, of course: we were all Ivory Soap pure back then.

Common sense, and confidence in individual judgment, returned, not so long after, really —

Amendment XXI

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2. The transportation or importation into any state, territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several states, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress.

Good morning, Whitewater

It’s chilly today, in Whitewater, but it was much warmer in Los Angeles in 1967. More on that contrast, below.

In Whitewater, it’s so chilly, that there’s no school. Play, play, play — responsibly. Juveniles may be a matter of concern somewhere in the city, but go ahead — enjoy a day off.

There are no municipal public meetings scheduled for the City of Whitewater today, either.

Today’s an historic day in Wisconsin, and beyond, too: the Wisconsin Historical Society recounts that today was the day in 1967 that the Green Bay Packers Won the First Superbowl:

On this date the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Superbowl championship. The game was held at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, with 61,946 sports fans in attendance. The final score was 35 to 10. For their victory, the Packers collected $15,000 per player and the Chiefs $7,500 per player – the largest single-game shares in the history of team sports at that time.

I was rightly chided for not offering commentary on a press release that I posted from Rep. Kim Hixson’s office, in a post from early January.  (See, Rep. Hixson Helps Secure Transportation Funding for District, http://freewhitewater.com/?p=2515 .)
 
The full release is posted there, but the essence is a study of commuter bus service in our area, transit within Milton, and taxi service in Whitewater. 
 
Three points that I should have made:
 
First, it’s a study.  I understand that one produces a study before one acts, but the ratio of studies without subsequent action to action itself must favor the former.
 
Two word rebuttal to those in Whitewater who would hang much hope on another study: Retail Coach.  Why not throw in countless task force recommendations for good measure?  It’s all professional, I see, but it only makes other professionally-produced ideas easier to discount as just another…well, Retail Coach study.  
 
The scattered proliferation of studies and task forces only fortifies Whitewater’s sad local bias against effective outside practices.  (The ‘all-quality-is-local view,’ which sometimes morphs into ‘all-local-is-quality.’)
 
Second, public transportation is often an inefficient and costly solution.  There is a whole host of serious, if politically incorrect, and seemingly not-so-green – objections, at the Anti-Planner.com, http://ti.org/antiplanner .  How does the Anti-Planner describe himself?  (“The Antiplanner is an active cyclist and avid railfan who nonetheless recognizes that the automobile as the greatest invention of the last 200 years.”  Heartwarming.) 
 
More from Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O’Toole can be found at http://www.cato.org/people/randal-otoole.  
 
Third, how many local media would run the press release on the study without probing journalism, of any kind?  More than one, I wouldn’t wonder.  No reason a blogger should make the same mistake. 

Good morning, Whitewater

There are no municipal public meetings scheduled for the City of Whitewater today.

In our school district today, focus groups will meet to assist the school board in the search for a District Administrator to replace Dr. Steinhaus.

Later, at 7 p.m., the Athletic Booster Club meets at the high school.

In December, I received and posted a cheery dour Christmas email from Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr. (See, from December 22nd, a post entitled, Libertarian Bob Barr Says Hello.)

Well, I saw that the LP’s Director of Communications, Andrew Davis, must really care about me, too, because yesterday I received his email (and he’s surely writing only to me!). In his message, Davis takes a few last licks at George W. Bush, by responding to an essay in the Weekly Standard praising Bush. Fred Barnes wrote that essay in defense of Bush, and Davis replies.

Everyone and his brother seems to dislike Bush these days, but libertarians came to see Bush as a big-government Republican (that is, a mess) sooner than many others. Progessives may have disliked Bush’s win over Gore, but it was libertarians, more than any, who put aside electoral disappointment for a critique of a Nixon-like administration favoring government spending and regulation.

Here’s Libertarian Davis in reply to Bush Supporter Barnes. It’s a bit overwrought, but that’s the LP. Statements from Barnes in support of Bush are highlighted in this post for easy reference.

The following are a handful of assertions made by Barnes [from this essay] as achievements of the Bush administration in the last eight years, and my responses to these statements:

Second, enhanced interrogation of terrorists. Along with use of secret prisons and wireless eavesdropping, this saved American lives. How many thousands of lives? We’ll never know.

The idea that Bush has saved lives in the so-called “War on Terror” isn’t exactly logical, and it isn’t exactly true. Data compiled by the RAND Corporation actually shows dramatic increases in deaths caused by global terrorism following the election of George Bush to office.

But, that’s the thing with things you don’t know—you don’t know them. Unfortunately, many neoconservatives struggling to find some redeeming value of the last eight years have taken the unknown to mean something they can posture as justifications for many of Bush’s mistakes.

Not only do I have to question the moral fiber of those who champion torture, the denial of habeas corpus and spying on American citizens, I also question their intellectual integrity in saying that these anti-American practices have saved lives. Barnes says thousands of lives have been saved, but why not millions, or for that matter, billions? One might even say that although we don’t know for sure if these practices have saved lives despite their obvious moral and legal failings, Bush probably saved mankind as we know it. After all, it follows the same “logic.”

Bush’s third achievement was the rebuilding of presidential authority, badly degraded in the era of Vietnam, Watergate, and Bill Clinton. He didn’t hesitate to conduct wireless surveillance of terrorists without getting a federal judge’s okay. He decided on his own how to treat terrorists and where they should be imprisoned. Those were legitimate decisions for which the president, as commander in chief, should feel no need to apologize.

This follows along the same lines Barnes’ second “Bush Achievement.” One can hardly consider the further undermining of the U.S. Constitution to be an achievement, unless that is one’s goal all along. By the sounds of it, this may be Barnes’ objective.

Ignoring the obvious (and aforementioned) moral hazards of such programs and initiatives headed by the Bush administration, which run contrary to the idea of freedom, Barnes takes no issue with apparent Constitutional violations of the presidential decisions of which he calls “achievements.”

There are decisions the president has the authority to make, either by Constitutional or assumed duties. However, so long as there is a rule of law in the United States, the president should be held to that standard.

Presidential authority, federal authority and state authority are all powers of control that citizens of a free society need to both question and suspect, as that these are all potential agents of tyranny. Barnes’ praise of Bush’s power-grabs seems to indicate he’d be perfectly content in a society where those like Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy or Barack Obama could rule without worry of opposition. However, I suspect in the next few years we shall be hearing a different tune being sung by Barnes as the presidential authority of Bush is used by Obama to further his own agenda.

His fifth success was No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the education reform bill cosponsored by America’s most prominent liberal Democratic senator Edward Kennedy. The teachers’ unions, school boards, the education establishment, conservatives adamant about local control of schools–they all loathed the measure and still do. It requires two things they ardently oppose, mandatory testing and accountability.

I have not met a liberal, conservative or libertarian who is happy with No Child Left Behind. Not only is it a gross expansion of federal power over our schools, it has lowered the standards of education in schools across the country. Mandatory, standardized testing is a perfect “one-size-fits-all” solution fit for a Soviet society; however, it has had disastrous consequences for American schools.

Because schools are constantly required to meet and increase standards, schools instead lower standards in order to meet them without facing cuts in funding. Additionally, great schools are in danger of being labeled “failing schools” when they find it difficult to beat previous test scores.

This is accountability? Not only was No Child Left Behind not adequately funded for its purposes, it was a poorly crafted program that undermined its own intiatives while increasing federal control of schools.

This is why teachers, students, conservatives and liberals all hate it, and why statists love it.

Sixth, Bush declared in his second inaugural address in 2005 that American foreign policy (at least his) would henceforth focus on promoting democracy around the world.

There is nothing like democracy from the barrel of a gun. For conservatives so adamantly opposed to social welfare, they are quick to jump on the humanitarian train when it comes to global welfare. Unfortunately, this is much more expensive, both in dollars and American lives.

Not only is an interventionist foreign policy based on humanitarian motives expensive in life and blood, it is also largely ineffective when begun in nations not ready for democracy. Take a look at Palestine, who had free elections and voted-in Hamas, a terrorist organization.

Democracy is much better than any State authority (though Barnes largely argues for more State authority in his article); however, in order for democracy to work, it must be manifested domestically. It is not the responsibility of the American taxpayer to subsidize a World Task Force on Democracy.

The seventh achievement is the Medicare prescription drug benefit, enacted in 2003.

The Medicare prescription drug plan added trillions of dollars to an already struggling government program, further pushing these programs into financial ruin. Then-Comptroller General for the United States David Walker called the program “probably the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation since the 1960s.”

How is this an achievement?

Conclusion….

There are many different types of conservatives, but I don’t think Fred Barnes is one of them. If so, he represents a disgusting mutation of conservatism that has, somewhere in its philosophical evolution, replaced federalism with a high-octane breed of statism….

There is no place for Barnes’ politics in a free society, and his cheerleading of some of the most egregious offenses of the Bush administration clearly shows Barnes to be an enemy of the Constitution and freedom. His “big-government conservatism,” or more accurately, “neostatism conservatism” is a plague on our society and truly represents the ultimate bastardization of the movement once lead by Barry Goldwater.

This type of moral and intellectual depravity is a cancer on the Republican Party, and is the reason John McCain was defeated in the last election.

Americans don’t want a king. They want a leader that inspires hope, not fear. Americans want a leader who fights for more freedom, not for more laws. If Republicans and the conservative movement that drives that party wish to survive much longer, they will return to their libertarian roots and reject the creeping influence of fascism into their ideology.

How will history judge Bush? Nobody knows right now and as far as I’m concerned, this question is wholly irrelevant.

I’m an American who lived during the Bush administration and I can truly say my life has been negatively impacted as a result of his policies. Not only am I facing the responsibility to pay for trillions and trillions of dollars spent during his administration, the civil liberties that protected me from government surveillance and abuse have been undermined or altogether destroyed.

Bush has so far raised the ceiling of executive power that I fear I will never see the day when government is more restrained than when he first began office.

I don’t know if I can blame the Bush administration for the philosophical poison spewed by Fred Barnes and others like him, or whether Bush simply fell into their philosophical trap; however, it is imperative that we reject this philosophy of State authority and big government if we expect to remain a nation of free people.

Liberty is a lamp that guides a nation to prosperity and happiness, and the day it goes out is the day that nation is lost. While the Bush administration, through malice or ignorance, sullied the glass that protects this light of liberty, there is still time to wipe it clean and begin anew.

However, that time is dwindling.

My only hope is that this article never becomes an obituary for freedom, and simply remains a remonstrance of the injuries suffered in the last eight years….