Libertarian John Stossel has cause for skepticism: ….Remember the last time the Republicans took power? They promised fiscal responsibility, and for six of George W. Bush’s eight years, his party controlled Congress. What did we have to show for it? Federal spending increased by 54 percent. That’s more than any president in the last 50…
Politics
City, Politics
Why Whitewater Isn’t a Progressive City; Why Whitewater’s ‘Conservatives’ Hold the City Tenuously
by JOHN ADAMS •
Yesterday, I posted on the election in Wisconsin’s 43rd Assembly district, of which [the City of] Whitewater is only a part. The race wasn’t decided in Whitewater; the winning margin came from other parts of the district. My remarks below are not about that race, but are general, apart from those candidates. Whitewater’s politics are…
Politics
Reason.tv: 3 Reasons This Election Didn’t Change A Thing
by JOHN ADAMS •
For those feeling disappointed with the election results, Reason.tv offers a bit of solace; for those feeling confident, they offers words of caution — Here’s the description accompanying the video: There’s no question that the Republicans painted the map red during the 2010 midterm elections, picking up control of the House of Representatives, gaining share…
City, Politics
On the Wisconsin 43rd District Assembly Race
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ll offer a few remarks on the 43rd Wisconsin Assembly race, a contest in which Evan Wynn defeated incumbent Kim Hixson. At the bottom of the post, I’ve listed results of prior races, from the Wisconsin Blue Book. (The major candidates’ percentages don’t always add to 100 because of write-ins, etc.) The results of last…
Politics
The Vanity Index: The biggest egos in the Senate – Slate Magazine
by JOHN ADAMS •
Who are the biggest egomaniacs in the United States Senate? Darren Garnick and Ilya Mirman write that In a quest to find out, we developed the Senate Vanity Index, a formula that measures the level of egotism displayed in each senator’s lobby, the part of his or her office open to the public…. Visiting all…
Freedom of Speech, Politics
Reason.tv: Political Attack Ads, Circa 1800
by JOHN ADAMS •
Politics
John Nichols: Why a Conservative Paper Backs Feingold over Johnson
by JOHN ADAMS •
Support for campaign finance restrictions notwithstanding, Feingold’s been a good senator for Wisconsin. His opponent would never do so well. Describing the Republican nominee as a “one-note” candidate, the paper said Johnson made a big deal about the need for fiscal responsibility but “seemed unable to further articulate his plan for job creation — especially…
Freedom of Speech, Law, Laws/Regulations, Politics
CNN Money: The Absurdity of Campaign Finance Reform
by JOHN ADAMS •
Nina Easton writes about so-called reform that’s both anti-speech, and deeply hypocritical: One narrative of election year 2010 was shaped long before any votes were tabulated. President Barack Obama penned the first chapter with his January condemnation of a Supreme Court ruling that lifted government prohibitions on spending by corporations in elections. The 5-to-4 decision…
Politics
Whitewater-Area League of Women Voters Candidate Forum for the 15th Senate District (Cullen/Richard)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Politics
5 Johnson workers on state BadgerCare Plus health insurance plan
by JOHN ADAMS •
Five employees at the company run by U.S. Senate hopeful Ron Johnson are on a government-funded health plan for low-income people, according to information obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold said the news is more evidence that his Republican opponent supports government aid when it helps his company, but not when…
Politics, Wisconsin
John Nichols: Oshkosh recognizes the ‘plastic packaging of Ron Johnson’
by JOHN ADAMS •
If you don’t know much about Ron Johnson, you’re not alone: No Wisconsin candidate in modern times has been so inaccessible to the press or to the voters of Wisconsin. Who says? Johnson’s hometown paper. In a column published Sunday, the Northwestern’s managing editor, Jim Fitzhenry, wrote: “Despite the millions spent on these precision strikes…
Liberty, Politics
Jeremy Lott on William F. Buckley Jr.’s Faith and Politics
by JOHN ADAMS •
I have never been a great fan of National Review, but over the years I have come to admire its founder’s principled, diligent, often iconoclastic, and (over time) increasingly libertarian political views. He made mistakes, surely, but he acknowledged them. Buckley was an honest, serious, and courageous man. Here’s a description that accompanies Reason’s interview…
Politics
Mayor Endorses U.S. Senator’s ‘Stunning’ Looks
by JOHN ADAMS •
Politics
Whitewater-Area League of Women Voters Candidate Forum for the 43rd Assembly District (Hixson/Wynn)
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Whitewater-Area League of Women Voters hosted a forum with the candidates for Wisconsin’s 43rd Assembly District, Kim Hixson and Evan Wynn. I have embedded the video of the discussion below. The 43rd district includes Whitewater and other communities to south and west. 10/25/10 — updated with district map: Additional information on the two candidates…