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Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 7.13.11

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Good morning.

It’s a sunny day, with mild temperatures in the seventies, waiting for Whitewater.

In the city today, there’s an 8 a.m. meeting of the Tech Park Board. The meeting agenda is available online.

Although a mild day may be ahead today, that’s not the prospect the Wisconsin Historical Society recalls our state faced on this day in 1936:

1936 – Hottest Temperature Recorded in Wisconsin

On this date the hottest temperature recorded to date was logged at the Wisconsin Dells in Columbia County. The mercury sizzled at 114 degrees. [Source: Oddball Wisconsin by Jerome Pohlen, p. 82]

Politics, Press

Recall Elections

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The Journal Sentinel recently ran an editorial (“The perpetual campaign”) decrying Wisconsin’s current recall elections. They’re on the wrong side of the issue: these recall elections are a legitimate response to wide-reaching legislation proposed only after the election, restricting freedom of association, on which Gov. Walker did not run, and for which he might have lost had he done so.

The JS editorial board states its case:

The Editorial Board will not recommend candidates in the recall elections. We believe policy arguments are best resolved on the floors of legislative bodies or at the ballot box during regular elections. Recalls should be used to punish gross malfeasance or corruption – something that cannot wait for the normal election cycle – not to overturn the results of an election or to dispute policy differences.

While the Board is right about the suitability of recalls to remove corrupt officials, they know well that the law does not limit recalls to those circumstances alone. On the contrary, neither the Journal Sentinel editorial board nor anyone else believes that these recalls are themselves unlawful (arguments about specific cases notwithstanding). The people of Wisconsin have the right under the law to recall state senators in the manner and for the reasons they are now offering (or for very different reasons entirely).

It’s false, too, to say these elections arose over a mere policy dispute. Not at all. There was no fair and reasonable opportunity before the election for voters to know that Gov. Walker might seek elimination of collective bargaining rights for public employees. One cannot dispute a position of which one has never heard. The GOP concealed these measures during the campaign, so that victory might be easier.

They are in no position, now, to contend that residents should be denied elections because of that concealment. To wait for a regular cycle would allow a candidate (now victorious) to dupe the voters, and profit by it by contending that those same duped voters should wait another year to seek their redress.

State senators were free to vote for these proposals; voters should now be free to remove (or retain) those who voted for them.

City, Development

Whitewater’s Downtown

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Walworthy County Today has a story online from Kevin Hoffman about downtown revitalization in small towns. Whitewater is part of that story. See, Communities work to revitalize downtown despite challenges.

Challenges there have been. The Great Recession took a toll everywhere in America, and 2007-2009 are among the worst years in American economic history. And yet — and yet — downtown Whitewater has done better in these times even than some might have hoped.

Not every problem can be blamed honestly on the recession. (The overwhelming majority of Wisconsin’s tax incremental districts, for example, have done better than Whitewater’s TID 4, excuse-making about the recession notwithstanding. TID 4’s situation, however, isn’t simply an example of private difficulties, but of political hubris, over-reach, and fumbling.)

Nevertheless, these have been difficult conditions in which to operate.

That’s true for merchants in every corner of our small town.

There was much fanfare when Whitewater became a ‘Main Street Community’ in 2006, but the hard work of day-to-day business survival since then — of the downtown’s merchants and their organization’s director — deserve the lion’s share of credit.

Customers aren’t a program, presentation, or ceremony: there are daily efforts — often unheralded — that have kept the downtown with a lower vacancy rate (13%) than it had several years ago. There’s much good sense in focusing on retention, as merchants beget merchants, and occupancy begets occupancy.

There’s more to Whitewater than her downtown, but had we slipped into a darker situation, and had the downtown become desolate, Whitewater’s overall condition would have been markedly worse.

We’re about two years past the technical end of the recession, but a powerful recovery is yet absent. Continuing sluggish growth may take a toll, as the worse prospect of a return to recession surely would. (Continuing sluggish growth seems the more likely of the two prospects.)

So here we are, not yet finished or assured, but still standing. That’s worth quite a bit, and all in all, it’s not a bad place to be.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 7.12.11

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Good morning.

It’s a day of temperatures in the lower eighties, with occasional thunderstorms, likely for Whitewater.

On this day in 1995, a

Deadly Heat Wave Begins

From July 12-15, 1995, the Midwest was subjected to a deadly outbreak of hot and humid weather responsible for 141 deaths in Wisconsin. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, this was the “greatest single event of weather-related deaths in Wisconsin history.” Most of the fatalities happened in the urban southeast counties of the state, and at one point several Milwaukee-area hospitals were unable to admit more patients.

Milwaukee Temperatures (from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel): July 12: Hi=91, Lo=65 July 13: Hi=103*, Lo=78 July 14: Hi=102, Lo=84 July 15: Hi=92, Lo=69 July 16: Hi=88, Lo=68 *Some communities reported highs as high as 108. Heat Index values were 120-130 degrees.

NOAA’s Natural Disaster Survey Report on the outbreak is available at http://www.weather.gov/os/assessments/pdfs/heat95.pdf [Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Source: Wisconsin Historical Society.

Government Spending, Libertarians

Congress Gets Off Easy

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I’ll leave aside comment on the fairness of the verdicts and sentence in the Casey Anthony case. As for Congress, they deserve what a recent message from the LP dishes —

WASHINGTON – Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle released the following statement today:

“A lot of people feel like Casey Anthony got off easy. I feel the same way about our members of Congress.

“These folks violate their solemn oath to uphold the Constitution on a daily basis. Most of them deserve to be kicked out of office for life — but instead, they get praised by the media, by the special interests they cater to, and others. And of course, they get to enjoy cushy government jobs.

“The current so-called debate over the federal debt limit is a perfect example.

“The debate is all a charade. Democrats are pandering to their base by demanding tax increases on TV. Republicans are pandering to their base by pretending they want to cut spending on TV.

“But behind closed doors, they agree on almost everything.

“What have Republicans done to cut spending? Earlier this year, despite endless promises about “deep cuts,” Republicans worked out a budget compromise that actually increased 2011 spending by several billion dollars.

“And what have Democrats done to cut military spending? Nothing — the Pentagon keeps on growing. How about cutting War on Drugs spending? Again, nothing.

“Here’s what is going to happen: tiny inconsequential spending cuts, which will probably be called “deep cuts” by sensationalist media, plus various small disguised tax increases. The result? Trillions in debt, as far as the eye can see, piled on the backs of our children and grandchildren.

“And will Republicans and Democrats agree to raise the debt limit? You bet they will.

“I hope more voters will support the Libertarian Party and Libertarian candidates. It’s our only hope for getting out of this Democrapublican mess.”

….The LP is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 7.11.11

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Good morning.

It’s a day of strong storms and a high temperature of ninety-one degrees ahead for Whitewater.

In Whitewater, there’s a Park & Rec Board meeting today at 4 p.m.  Later, at 5:30 p.m., there will be a joint meeting of the Common Council and the Community Development Authority at 5:30 p.m.  Here are the two listed topics of the meeting:

(1) Discussion and Possible Direction regarding General Economic Development Program(s) for City of Whitewater and (2) Presentation on History of TIF 4 and Discussion regarding TIF 4.

From our history, the Wisconsin Historical Society observes that on this day in 1839,

First patent [was] issued to Wisconsin resident

On this day Ebenezar G. Whiting of Racine was issued patent #1232 for his improved plow, the first patent issued to someone from Wisconsin. Whiting’s improvements consisted of making the mold-board straight and flat which, when united in the center with the curvilinear part of the mold-board, would require less power to drag through the dirt. Whiting went on to serve as Vice President of the J.I. Case Plow Company and received another patent for a steel plow in 1876. [Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office]

Libertarians

A New Day in Politics – Reason Magazine

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“There are troubles and tradeoffs,” Gillespie said. “But … if somebody starts selling stuff you don’t like, you don’t hold a rally and you don’t try and get a bunch of people to vote to change it. You go to the next grocery store … or you build your own grocery store. It’s hard to do that with schools … with health care and … retirement.” Of course, as government makes more decisions for people and limits competition, it reduces our choices. It’s also given us horrible, unsustainable debt.

But, surprisingly, the Reason folks are optimistic.

“There are cases (of big government rollbacks),” Gillespie said. “New Zealand did this. Canada did this. The U.S. did this after World War II—dramatically ramped down the amount of spending, both in absolute terms and in relative terms as a percentage of economic activity. Political change happens.”

Via A New Day in Politics – Reason Magazine.

There are opportunities available to America, and even to small towns.  There’s no better example of choice, even with a public institution, than a charter school for the Whitewater School District.  If the charter school fulfills its charter, it will mean more to this city than a dozen public works projects.

Changing existing arrangements, toward a less-regulatory city, or less-regulatory schools, offers choice and competition that will improve life in a way that big-ticket projects simply haven’t.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 7.8.11

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Good morning.

It’s a sunny day in store for Whitewater, with a high of about eighty-five.

For those who admired the recent royal wedding, here’s a reminder of how ridiculous monarchy can be, a reminder made telling because it already happened this way in Wisconsin once before:

1850 – James Jesse Strang Crowned King

On this date James Jesse Strang, leader of the estranged Mormon faction, the Strangites, was crowned king; the only man to achieve such a title in America. When founder Joseph Smith was assassinated, Strang forged a letter from Smith dictating he was to be the heir. The Mormon movement split into followers of Strang and followers of Brigham Young.

As he gained more followers (but never nearly as many as Brigham Young), Strang became comparable to a Saint, and in 1850 was crowned King James in a ceremony in which he wore a discarded red robe of a Shakespearean actor, and a metal crown studded with a cluster of stars as his followers sang him hosannas. Soon after his crowning, he announced that Mormonism embraced and supported polygamy. (Young’s faction was known to have practiced polygamy, but had not at this time announced it publicly.)

A number of followers lived in Walworth County, including Strang at a home in Burlington. In 1856 Strang was himself assassinated, leaving five wives. Without Strang’s leadership, his movement disintegrated. [Source: Wisconsin Saints and Sinners, by Fred L. Holmes, p. 106-121]

Via Wisconsin Historical Society.