The 27th Annual Wisconsin Troopers’ Art & Essay Contest is accepting entries through February 15th. I have included the contest rules and an entry form immediately below. The forms are available for downloading and printing. Best of luck to all contestants.
Wisconsin
America, Law, Liberty, Local Government, School District, Wisconsin
How Many Rights for Whitewater?
by JOHN ADAMS •
How many rights do Whitewater’s residents possess? It’s a simple question, and there’s a simple answer: They possess all the rights of residency or citizenship, respectively, of Americans and Wisconsinites elsewhere. One may express this plainly: All of America, and all of Wisconsin, for all of Whitewater. There is no local practice, no old custom,…
Economy, Federal Government, Gluttony, Government Spending, Local Government, State Government, Taxes/Taxation, Walworth County, Wisconsin
The Crazy-Wrong Argument on Taxes
by JOHN ADAMS •
A succinct truth: money doesn’t grow on trees. Local government funds municipal projects in one of three principal ways: through local taxes & fees, local borrowing (debt in the form of bonds), or public money from other jurisdictions (grants from the state or federal government). These grants of state or federal public money are, themselves,…
City, Gov. Walker, Local Government, Politics, State Government, Wisconsin
The Failure of Inside-Out (Thanks in Part to Governor Walker)
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s never been sensible to believe that the center of civilization is 312 W. Whitewater Street, with people and events beyond shrinking markedly in significance as one gets farther from that supposed center. Under that theory, by the time one reaches Palmyra, one might as well be in the unexplored Amazon. Exaggerating the significance of…
CDA, City, Corporate Welfare, Government Spending, Innovation Center/Tech Park, Law, Official Misconduct, Open Government, State Government, Taxes/Taxation, Wisconsin
The Truth about the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
by JOHN ADAMS •
A person should be able to make simple distinctions, as between the sensible and foolish, or practical and impractical. Sometimes those distinctions should be clear, and as stark as the difference between the contents of a sample cup and a glass of Chardonnay. You’ll hear a lot locally over the next few days about a…
Food, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Foodie: Food Trucks
by JOHN ADAMS •
Green Energy Holdings, Open Government, Waste Digesters, Wisconsin
Waste Digesters and the Ledge Guardians
by JOHN ADAMS •
Nearly one-hundred fifty miles from Whitewater, in Maribel, Wisconsin and surrounding communities, hundreds of residents are organized and committed against a large, commercial waste digester in their area. They’ve an impressive website on behalf of their dedicated efforts: Ledge Guardians, www.ledgeguardians.com. There are sound arguments against waste digesters, against how they really work, what they bring into a community, what they spew out into a community, against their…
Daily Adams, Presidential race 2012, Wisconsin
Which Romney for Wisconsin?
by JOHN ADAMS •
In January, looking ahead to Wisconsin’s big political year, I thought that Gov. Walker would be recalled in June, and Gov. Romney would win both Wisconsin and the presidency in November. The first prediction was well off-the-mark. (Gov. Walker actually did better in 2012 than he did in 2010.) The November contest is yet ahead,…
US Senate Race 2012, Wisconsin
The Baldwin-Thompson U.S. Senate Debate (9.28.12)
by JOHN ADAMS •
We’ve a competitive U.S. Senate race here in Wisconsin, between former Gov. Tommy Thompson and incumbent Rep. Tammy Baldwin. Recent polls show a Baldwin lead, but everyone in the state sees that this will be a close election on Nov. 6th. Here’s an assessment of this first debate, on overall impression, format, style, and substance.…
History, Open Government, Politics, Wisconsin
Then and Now
by JOHN ADAMS •
Consider these remarks, from a Wisconsin politician: What is it that is swelling the ranks of the dissatisfied? Is it a growing conviction in state after state, that we are fast being dominated by forces that thwart the will of the people and menace representative government? Do you not know people who feel, as perhaps…
Politics, Poll, US Senate Race 2012, Wisconsin
Questions about the WISGOP Senate Race
by JOHN ADAMS •
Public Policy Polling, a solid pollster, has a poll out today that puts Eric Hovde (28%) in the lead for the GOP Senate race, with Mark Neumann and Tommy Thompson (25%) tied closed behind. There are two weeks to go, and these are close findings, with more campaigning and money yet to be spent. Still,…
Agriculture, Walworth County, Weather, Wisconsin
USDA declares 23 Wisconsin counties disaster areas
by JOHN ADAMS •
Walworth County among them. Neither ordinary nor easy times: MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Federal officials have declared 23 counties in southern Wisconsin as natural disaster areas, making farms in those areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans. The counties have been baked by recent heat waves in which temperatures sizzled into the 100-degree range and left…
Food, Wisconsin
At this year’s State Fair — the Pork Donut
by JOHN ADAMS •
WEAU reports that there will be dozens of new recipes at State Fair this year, including the….pork donut. Who knows what they’re like, but I did find this video about Dunkin Donuts’ introduction of pork donuts in their one-hundred fifty Chinese stores. Mark your calendars: State Fair runs from August 2nd to August 12th.