This Tuesday, March 28th at 12:30 PM, there will be a showing of Jackie @ Seniors in the Park, in the Starin community building. Jackie recounts the life of Jacqueline Kennedy following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, as she fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband’s legacy.…
City
City, Mendacity, Trump
A Reminder on Dealmaking
by JOHN ADAMS •
David Frum, writing about Trump’s failure to advance health care legislation, observes the truth about Trump: Regular reminder that Donald Trump’s core competency is not dealmaking with powerful counter-parties. It is duping gullible victims. — David Frum (@davidfrum) March 24, 2017 That’s right, and cannot be said enough: Trump’s a confidence man, and he preys…
America, City, Conflicts of Interest, Trump
How Foreign Powers Could Try to Buy Trump
by JOHN ADAMS •
Donald Trump is an unprecedentedly wealthy president, who owns or licenses his name to buildings, casinos, and luxury hotels around the world. An ethics watchdog group has already brought a lawsuit against him for violating the Constitution’s “Emoluments Clause,” which prohibits government officials from receiving gifts from foreign states. Trump has taken few steps to…
City, Economy
Preliminaries to a Discussion on Class
by JOHN ADAMS •
One finds a significant amount of information, in both lay publications and (of course) the careful studies on which they rely that working class Americans are faring poorly. There are two broad aspects to this: (1) how working class Americans are faring, and (2) what this says about economic and fiscal policy at the federal,…
City, Elections, Politics
The Upcoming Spring Election in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
One, but only one, of Whitewater’s Common Council races is contested. Some readers have asked me, variously, if I would comment on the candidates in the contested race, and where one might find the candidate statements submitted to the local League of Women Voters chapter. I’ll leave residents to consider the candidates (including the contested race…
City, Immigration, Local Government, Police
On Rumors
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater is a small town, with a population under fifteen thousand, approximately half of whom are college students. One of the advantages of being far smaller than Los Angeles or Atlanta should be the ease with which municipal leaders and law enforcement can meet and talk to residents. A person of average health and energy…
City, Economy, Free Markets, Politics
On the Whitewater League of Women Voters Questionnaire (Spring 2017)
by JOHN ADAMS •
At its website, the Whitewater Area League of Women Voters has posted a questionnaire for the upcoming local election. For all the good work that the League does (and the national organization does admirable work in many communities), the questionnaire reveals an unsupported, narrow view of Whitewater’s local economy. Consider the 7th question in the survey…
City, Film
Film: Tuesday, March 14th, 12:30 PM @ Seniors in the Park: Manchester by the Sea
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Government Spending, Innovation Center/Tech Park, WEDC
Far Less Than 10.7%
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s residents may have recently read (3.7.17) another City of Whitewater press release from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) – this time concerning more public spending on selected businesses. (For remarks on a prior release, please see The Simplest Condition for a ‘Shovel-Ready’ Site is an Empty Lot.) There are few better ways to argue against…
City, Government Spending, Innovation Center/Tech Park, WEDC
The Simplest Condition for a ‘Shovel-Ready’ Site is an Empty Lot
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s residents may have recently read (just yesterday) a City of Whitewater press release about a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) designation for the city’s thirty-five empty acres of tech park land. I’ve reproduced the release in full at the bottom of this post. A few key points: 1. The simplest condition for a “shovel ready” site is…
City, School District
Whitewater High School, Monday Morning, 2.27.17
by JOHN ADAMS •
Update, 12:25 PM: “Two suspicious packages were located and analyzed and were subsequently determined to be non-threatening. The interior of the buildings have also been search for any suspicious items. No additional suspicious items have been located in or around the buildings. Students and families will be notified via Infinite Campus once the building has been re-opened. Classes…
City, Film
Film: Tuesday, February 28th, 12:30 PM @ Seniors in the Park: Queen of Katwe
by JOHN ADAMS •
This Tuesday, February 28th at 12:30 PM, there will be a showing of Queen of Katwe @ Seniors in the Park, in the Starin community building. Queen of Katwe is a 2016 biographical drama about Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl who sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess. The film is directed by…
City, Local Government
Where Reaction Leads
by JOHN ADAMS •
What happens when the municipal officials of a small college town repeatedly malign – in print and on camera – a private business and college residents for the conduct of unrelated third-parties? This is what happens: The City of Whitewater Clarifies Recent Comments Regarding Spring Splash, Encourages Residents to Celebrate Responsibly Whitewater, Wis., February 11th, 2017…
City, Film
Film: Tuesday, January 31st, 12:30 PM @ Seniors in the Park: Sully
by JOHN ADAMS •
This Tuesday, January 31st at 12:30 PM, there will be a showing of Sully @ Seniors in the Park, in the Starin community building. Sully is a 2016 historical drama based on the story of Chesley Sullenberger, an American pilot who became a hero after landing his damaged plane on the Hudson River in order to save…