Here are a few results I’ll be looking at tonight, in the August primary: 1. Governor’s Race. How do Walker, Burke (and even Hulsey, Burke’s eccentric challenger) fare in Whitewater? Statewide and locally, how many votes do they get in a summer primary? 2. The 15th Senate District Primary. For the Democrats, will it be…
Politics
15th Senate District, Campaign Ads, Elections, Politics
When Even Other Democrats Complain About a Democratic Candidate
by JOHN ADAMS •
Mike Sheridan’s running in the 15th District Senate primary against two other Democrats, as Sen. Cullen is retiring. It’s not common for others within one’s party to be so critical of a candidate against whom they’re not running, but former colleagues of Mr. Sheridan (when he was in the Assembly) have strong criticisms of his…
Elections, Politics, State Government
The Importance of Skills
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at the Gazette, there’s a letter to the editor that touts Mike Sheridan, candidate for the 15th Senate District, as skillful: Your Views: Mike Sheridan has skills, ability to serve state Senate district (subscription req’d). I’ve written about Sheridan’s public career before; for those readers who are Democrats, and will vote in the primary,…
City, Politics
How Conservatives Ruined Conservatism in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
There are plenty of conservatives in the City of Whitewater, a small rural town, that’s home to a medium-sized campus within the city limits, and is principally located in conservative Walworth County. In many ways, this rural town should be mostly conservative, mostly Republican, campus notwithstanding. After all, Walworth County is hardly a liberal place.…
City, Corporate Welfare, Government Spending, Local Government, Politics, WEDC
WEDC Update
by JOHN ADAMS •
Anyone betting locally on the supposed prestige and success of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation has placed a bad bet. That corrupt and incompetent agency is in the news yet again for its failures and lies: WEDC award recipients outsourced Wisconsin jobs to foreign countries — WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports…
Politics
‘There’s Somebody for Everybody’
by JOHN ADAMS •
Former Sen. Neal Kedzie, a Republican from Elkhorn, will become the new president of the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association on July 1. The move to the commercial motor carriers association had been rumored since Kedzie resigned from the Senate earlier this month. Kedzie, 58, in April told his constituents he would run for re-election, but…
City, Politics
Looking to Rehabilitate Someone Politically? You’re Going to Need a Better Patient
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve written previously of one of my favorite political quotes, from Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt was asked if, somehow, Herbert Hoover might play a role after Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt accurately assessed the impossibility of political rehabilitation: Not even the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor could bring Hoover back into the mainstream of official Washington, D.C. Within…
CDA, City, Corporate Welfare, Local Government, Marketing, Politics
‘The Future Writes the History of the Present’
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s an oft-repeated truism that the future writes the history of the present. That’s true in Whitewater as much as anywhere. It is a truth (like the most important truths) apart from both independent present-day commentary and contrasting, mendacious marketing and press-flacking. All the marketing in the world cannot shield against this simple question from…
Business, CDA, City, Corporate Welfare, Innovation Center/Tech Park, Local Government, Politics, University
Local Crony Capitalism via the WEDC (and similar schemes)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s had a decades-long problem of a few town insiders manipulating government and public resources for their own private ends. That time is drawing to a close, but there are yet some years ahead in which aging, mediocre town figures will push their self-promoting lies. As their chief motivation is personal vanity and pride, they’ll…
Politics, State Government
State Sen. Kedzie Rushes the Exits
by JOHN ADAMS •
Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, abruptly announced Monday that he was resigning to pursue a “new opportunity,” just about a month after announcing he would retire at the end of the year. He said he would leave office at the end of the day. “A new opportunity has come before me, however in order to pursue…
Local Government, Politics
‘Movers and Shakers’ Get It Wrong, Again
by JOHN ADAMS •
Across Wisconsin, a majority of counties are now issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. (As of Tuesday afternoon, the number was at 50 of 72 Wisconsin counties, or about seventy-percent of them. By Wednesday in my area, Rock, Jefferson, and Walworth County were issuing licenses to gay couples.) (See, from Craig Gilbert of the Journal…
Politics
Grouping Arguments
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s a form of debate called policy debating, common in many high schools, and some colleges. One style of policy debating is called spread debating, in which a debater speaks very quickly (up to several hundred words per minute), so that he or she can make as many points as possible in the time allotted. …
Local Government, Politics
Why Don’t Politicians and Bureaucrats Get Any Better?
by JOHN ADAMS •
Someone wrote and asked me why I thought that politicians and bureaucrats don’t seem to learn from past mistakes. When controversies arise, why don’t officials seem to improve, responsively, over time? Why do they seem to have learned almost nothing? Well, many do learn and improve, but those who don’t are conspicuous. I’ll suggest a…
Elections, Politics
Nass Runs for 11th Senate District
by JOHN ADAMS •
Of course he’s running: Longtime GOP state Rep. Steve Nass will run for the open 11th Senate District, an aide tells WisPolitics.com. Nass is jumping into the race for the 11th SD after Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, announced yesterday he would not seek re-election to the heavily GOP seat in southern Wisconsin. A reminder to…