Commentary
Get Off the Damn Couch
One of the most refreshing, unusual and effective aspects of the Obama campaign was its ability to convince an incredible number of regular people that they had a personal investment in his election. Every campaign relies on committed volunteers and every candidate builds networks of supporters, contributors and true believers. But the Obama phenomenon took this to an unprecedented level, partly through creative use of the internet, partly by providing real opportunities for more people than ever by building an incredibly effective grassroots network, and, most significantly, by convincingly making his campaign about engaging citizens in the political process. Time and time again, the Obama campaign drilled home the message that his election was going to change the way government works. It wasn’t just about him, it was about us. Well the election is over and now we’ll find out how that’s going to work. Normally, it’s easy to be cynical and figure that that the status quo is going to win out again. But you’ve got to hand it to the Obama transition for making good on candidate Obama’s promise, so far. The Obama transition has provided lots of opportunities for people to get involved and be heard. But, truthfully, I have confidence that President-elect Obama has a better understanding of what it’s going to take to reform Washington than most of us in the vineyards. What I am most excited about is the potential for the legions of us who were caught up in the excitement of this promise to get to work on the local needs we face in our community. We can no longer show up on election day and leave it up to our elected officials in Washington, Madison or City Hall to figure things out. We need to claim our rightful place, our necessary place at the table. The Obama organization is asking its supporters to get together in living rooms across the country this weekend and get started. Believe me, this can get messy and it probably will. One of the great advantages of the Obama campaign was its laser focus on one goal, electing a president. The question we will all face in these living room sessions is, “Where do we start?” Well the answer is “Somewhere.” Let’s face it, here in Milwaukee there is no shortage of problems. We need more jobs, our school system is failing an unconscionable number of students, and our society’s safety net programs are letting too many children and families slip through. Here’s where that great American idea of a free market comes into play. Let’s see what happens when the concept applies to how we want to fix our communities. We may not have all the answers but we can certainly bring imagination and commitment to the process and get started. So don’t put it off. The time is now. Get off the damn couch and let’s get started.
Dec 11th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Needy, Truly Needy and the Downright Greedy
So the feeding frenzy has begun. What do you expect? When the federal government announces that it’s willing to spend as much as a trillion dollars there’s going to be a lot of folks lining up with ways to put that money to good use. You know what I’m reminded of? Remember how, after last spring’s floods, people lined up at the Coggs Center on Vliet when word got out that food stamp benefits were being handed out? Remember how certain voices on the right clucked what a shame it was that these lazy, poor people were looking for handouts? Well look who’s got their hands out now? Once again, let me be very clear. There is a role for government to take steps to stimulate the economy. But I hope someone is giving thought to how to generate good, family-supporting jobs and match them with the people who need them. After all, the opportunity to get your hands on free money has been getting people in trouble for a long, long time. Just look at that highly damning indictment against the current Illinois governor. Careful, though, cause this Blagojevich dude (and his wife) are caught using some salty language. When will they learn? I mean haven’t they all seen It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World? It’s bleeping hilarious.
Dec 9th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Masters of the Universe
The CEOs of the Big Three American automakers are returning to Capitol Hill clearly chastened by the lashing they took two weeks ago. Back then, they apparently expected easy access to a mere fraction of the $700 billion Congress has authorized to rescue the nation’s economy during this financial crisis. One can understand their reasoning. After all, the collapse of their companies would put not only their own employees out of work but would have a devastating effect on their suppliers and thousands of other businesses. Yet their failure to appreciate Congress’s distaste for bailing them out and their inability to predict the public relations disaster that would result from arriving in separate corporate jets make you wonder if these guys should be trusted running a car dealership in Sheboygan. Nobody wants to see more people out of work. And I certainly don’t want to see labor contracts that provided job security and health and pension benefits held up as the whipping horse responsible for the Big Three’s downfall. The idea behind those labor agreements, despite the need for some common sense reforms, should serve as models rather than dismissed as a symptom of poor management. Experts tell us that the immediate challenge facing our economy, including the carmakers, is the sudden evaporation of credit and the Big Three certainly have assets that can be used as collateral for the loans they seek. But the image problem facing the bozos in charge on Wall Street and Detroit cannot be so easily addressed. Once again the curtain has been pulled to reveal these so-called “Masters of the Universe” who earn millions of dollars a year while driving their businesses into the ground. Do you remember “Bonfire of the Vanities,” the Tom Wolfe novel that poked fun at the go-go economy of the 1980s. The book was made into a not-so-well-received movie featuring Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks and Melanie Griffith in 1990 and many may feel that the story hasn’t aged well. Well I’ve got news for you. The powerful message of the book, just as relevant as ever, is that the American Dream isn’t about working hard and living within your means. That’s for chumps who can get laid off without warning or justification. The American Dream is about making a killing, either through luck, like with a lottery ticket or at the casino, or, more venally, by manipulating the system like the Michael Millkens, Jeffrey Skillings and Ken Lays of recent memory. Of course, the trick is to avoid having one’s cover blown, either through government investigation, scandal or coincidence. Because there’s nothing the public enjoys more than watching one of the privileged few get their comeuppance. That’s the power of the Fourth Estate. It can be noble and lead to the unveiling of corruption and other crimes or it can be petty and exploitative, like watching a celebrity go through the humiliation of a perp walk. So enjoy the bread and circuses as the mighty are held accountable. Hopefully, […]
Dec 3rd, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
The Bruce Bowl???
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so, of course, our thoughts naturally turn to … FOOTBALL! Understandably, most Packers fans are in a state of shock following the whupping the team took from the New Orleans Saints in the very same stadium which was the site of the team’s Super Bowl win way back in 1997. Now I really don’t want to dredge up the angst of the Brett Favre controversy of last summer. Really, I don’t. But as a lifelong fan of the New York Jets I just have to say that I am deliriously excited about that team’s prospects this year with Mr. Favre under center. Let me be clear that I root for the Packers and have been very disappointed by their performance this season. Aaron Rodgers has played very well, especially considering the enormous pressure placed on his shoulders by the team’s management. It isn’t often that a 13-3 team is turned over to an unproven young quarterback when a hall of fame caliber one is still healthy and capable of playing. In fact, as I’ve said before, how thrilling would it be for the Packers and Jets to have faced each other in this year’s Super Bowl? But that’s unlikely to happen. At 5-6, the Packers are going to struggle to even make the playoffs. Now bear with me as I raise the possibility of an extremely unlikely scenario that could only happen while I live here in Wisconsin. It now appears possible that the Giants and Jets, two New York teams who play in New Jersey, might actually meet in the Super Bowl. It couldn’t be called the Subway Bowl, unless the sandwich shop decided to pony up a whole bunch of dollars. The Turnpike Bowl, maybe or the Garden State Bowl, perhaps. Then again, Jersey purists might argue that fans in southern New Jersey are among those crazed fans of the Eagles and they might want no part of such a contest. Yet with the Great Bruce Springsteen scheduled to entertain during halftime one must admit there would be something special about a contest between the Jets and the Giants. It would amount to a rematch between Brett Favre and Eli Manning that would appeal to even the biggest Aaron Rodgers fan among the hardcore Packer Nation. So I submit to you now, for your consideration, that if the Packers fail to make a run for the Super Bowl that you might join me in rooting for such a rematch that we’ll just call The Bruce Bowl.
Nov 26th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Outing a Bully
It’s a truth many of us learned on the playgrounds of our youth: nobody reacts to criticism worse than a bully. So it’s no surprise that conservative talk show host Charlie Sykes responded to a negative article in the December issue of Milwaukee Magazine with a longwinded, sniveling diatribe that leaves the reader wondering why a guy who makes a living attacking people is so damn thin-skinned. To anyone who listens to the Sykes show on WTMJ-AM, or any of the formulaic right wing radio talk shows, much of the criticism outlined by the station’s former news director seems fairly obvious. Sykes, Mark Belling on WISN-AM and their ilk carefully select topics designed to stir up anger in their predominantly conservative audiences. They seek stories that confirm their world views and look for people to vilify. These could be public officials, bureaucrats, parents, school administrators and run-of-the-mill average citizens. Anyone, really, who provides them with the opportunity to demonize government and show how our hard-earned tax dollars are wasted. And, as Dan Shelley says in the article, Sykes is obviously very bright and very good at what he does. Sometimes Sykes can be very entertaining. He engages in a kind of verbal ju-jitsu that takes the inert energy from the many absurd stories generated by newspapers and elsewhere and builds it into an inflammatory narrative designed to entertain and anger his listeners. I get it and I can actually enjoy listening to it, in small doses, as I do Lewis Black and Dave Chappelle. But what bothers me is how manipulative he can be when dealing with listeners who call in. Those who agree with him are treated with kid gloves; they are thoughtful, insightful, clever. Callers who disagree with him are broken down in two categories. The inarticulate or weak ones are dangled as useful foils who give him the opportunity to throw the sarcastic jabs and belittling blows to diminish the caller. The brighter, more effective and persuasive callers with contrary opinions are quickly dispatched with a “thank you for your call.” It’s a cowardly tactic quite typical of the playground bully. Belling engages in a different tactic that accomplishes the same result; he raises his voice at callers and belittles them to the point you wonder why anyone would ever listen to this jerk. In fairness, it must be pointed out that Belling seems to yell at everyone but in the world of talk radio there are significant gradations to screaming. It’s also revealing (and disturbing) that Sykes is given his platform by Journal Communications Inc., which owns the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WTMJ-TV and WTMJ-AM. Sykes regularly attacks the newspaper as a part of the liberal media though the same company pays his salary and profits from his success. Sykes is also given a platform on television every Sunday morning through a show that purports to be public affairs programming. He surrounds himself with mostly like-minded fellow travelers from conservative media as well as a token, usually […]
Nov 20th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Whither Hillary?
I may be wrong but I don’t think Barack Obama will choose Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State. For one thing, during the campaign they took significantly different positions on foreign policy; from her vote for the Iraq War to the wisdom of meeting with bad guy foreign leaders to going after bin Laden in Pakistan. Then there was how she inflated her role as First Lady being sent to hotspots around the globe. Then there’s the Problem with Bill. The former president is already an extraordinary diplomatic resource of cosmic proportions; traveling around the globe on behalf of his foundation, he is able to meet with state leaders and serve as an emissary, if asked. Hillary’s Foggy Bottom appointment would require some restraint on 42 (good luck with that) and I’m not sure that serves our nation’s best interests or Obama’s. Then there’s the Biden factor. Surely, Joe the Veep was brought on board to make use of his extensive experience on the world stage. It’s hard to imagine two egos the size of Biden’s and Clinton’s effectively sharing responsibility for advising the new president on all things foreign. My guess is that Hillary would be a much better choice as Health and Human Services Secretary, following in the footsteps of two prominent Badgers, Tommy Thompson and Donna Shalala. Both Obama and Clinton promised health care reform during their campaigns. Nobody knows this issue better than Hillary and she has already been rebuffed from leading the effort in the Senate by Edward Kennedy who intends to champion it himself as long as he’s drawing breath. And way too much was made of the difference between Clinton’s proposal and Obama’s. Clearly, the children’s mandate proposed by Obama would be a lot easier to pass than the universal mandate endorsed by Clinton. But nothing will happen unless Obama undertakes an Olympian effort in collaboration with Congress. Hillary and Bill tried to ram their proposal down the throats of Kennedy, Pat Moynihan, Dan Rostenkowski, George Mitchell and other Lions of Congress which was the main reason the effort failed miserably. Everything Hillary Clinton has done since 1994 demonstrates that she learned this important lesson. She has become extremely engaged in the art of legislative compromise and could be a valuable leader in this effort. In addition, children’s issues are near and dear to her heart and the HHS position would provide her with a platform to develop and implement new initiatives that could improve the lives of millions of young people. It might seem as a step down for someone of her stature and some of her supporters might see it as an insult. But she is savvy enough to know the HHS position would provide her with an ideal platform to develop a legacy that could last for generations. Not a bad deal for her and the country.
Nov 17th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
The Morning After
So the Obama girls will get a puppy. And the nation gets to celebrate. Barack Obama’s astonishing victory was the result of a nearly flawless, extremely well-run campaign. He assembled a talented, loyal and disciplined team around him who planned and implemented a remarkably effective strategy based on a message of change and hope, and built a grassroots organization all across the country around a candidate who believed that voters would support someone who displayed leadership qualities including intelligence, poise and maturity. And it worked. John McCain delivered an excellent concession speech, praising the new president-elect, pledging his support, and calling for unity in this time of challenge. Obama’s acceptance speech was appropriately somber, leaving the joyful hosannas to others while keeping his focus on the hard work ahead. So the long, long campaign is over. But the hard work of governing is just beginning. Let’s take a brief moment to reflect on the significance of this election. Much has been said about how historic it is that our nation will have it’s first African American president. No question. However, what might be even more consequential, especially to the community of nations that looks to us to set an example, is that we have held an orderly if rambunctious election that has resulted in a change in the party in power during a time of war. This democracy stuff can be a messy but wonderful thing. You will recall the contentious 2000 election sent a similar message when the outcome took weeks and a Supreme Court decision to get resolved. Remember how proud we were that the conflict ended peacefully, even if we weren’t so happy with that outcome? Let’s hope this time turns out better for the country and the world. One of the key local challenges will be to build upon the awesome organization that was created in support of candidate Obama. People turned out in droves to contribute their time and energy to elect someone they believed in. It will be difficult to maintain this organization without a specific focus or goal. But that’s our responsibility and there is no shortage of needs on the local scene. The overwhelming support of the sick leave referendum by voters in the city of Milwaukee despite the opposition of Mayor Barrett and the business community is an exciting example of the potential of such a people power movement. I find this recent trend by our political leaders to pass the buck on the pressing issues of our day by asking voters to tell them what to do through referendum to be very disturbing and cowardly. If you run for office, you are asking voters to place their confidence in you. Earn your salary by making those decisions or get out of the way and let someone else do it. One of the dangers of government through referendum is that voters may not take the time to analyze issues and may be susceptible to well-funded ad campaigns. Fortunately, the sick leave […]
Nov 6th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
We’re all in this together
Occasionally I find myself in the awkward position of having to file this column in the figurative hours just before a momentous event. This time, of course, it’s the race between Barack Obama and John McCain for the presidency. I could have gone ahead and predicted the ’04 elections and written from that perspective, and I think I can predict this one. But in this sense, I’m not much of a risk-taker. So if you’re reading this after November 4, understand that this was written in October and check this space in December, where I might share some thoughts on the election. Then again, I might be as weary of the whole thing as you, ready to move on and just see what comes next. On second thought, I’m pretty sure I’ll be all done thinking about the election by December, so I won’t bore any of us with ruminating further on the implications of its outcome – you hereby have my solemn promise on that. But I can’t guarantee that I won’t still be thinking about the mess we’re in and how we’re going to get out of it. Barring the end of the world, I believe we can recover from this, even if the global power structure shifts dramatically. We may not come out on top of the super-power dog pile in the end, but either way it’s going to take a few years before we can tell how things are going to shake out. And whatever form the new world order takes, it, too, will be impermanent. Just ask the Macedonians. For years I’ve been obsessing over the now-arrived (and amazingly predictable) financial market collapse. I’ve been writing about our dangerously over-valued economy since 2003 and moved my money (what little there is of it) to CDs and long-term growth funds in 2006. I’ve only ever borrowed $500 against my house (to help pay for new gutters) and I drive a 1996 Corolla that’s been paid off for ten years and gets 35 mpg in town. I don’t have cable and my kids don’t freak out about hand-me-downs. Sure, my business could go belly-up in 2009 (though things look stable right now), but if it does, we had a good run and I’m probably qualified for some sort of job that will keep food on the table and a roof over our heads should VITAL’s little house of cards be blown away by the winds of changing fortune. Am I pessimistic? Absolutely not, in part because in my studies, I’ve learned at least one thing: nobody is invulnerable. A recent decline in demand for Chinese steel, coupled with stagnant or falling fossil fuel consumption in many developed countries, has driven oil prices down to less than $100 per barrel (at this writing). OPEC responded recently by signaling it would cut production to stabilize prices, but Saudi Arabia, the world’s single largest oil producer, broke ranks and declared it would continue with plans to increase production, partly to […]
Nov 1st, 2008 by Jon Anne Willow
The Finish Line
In case you haven’t heard, next Tuesday is Election Day when our nation will choose its next President. This is no time for complacency and each campaign is struggling mightily to turn out its supporters and maintain a full court press through this last week. Here in Wisconsin we are truly fortunate to have the option of early voting. There is every reason to believe that turnout will break all records and exceed 70 percent which would truly be a magnificent thing. So it may prove to be a great timesaver to vote early. The Obama campaign has built an admirable organization here but there is still work to be done and volunteer shifts to be filled. Nobody wants to wake up Wednesday morning and regret not doing more. So step up to the plate, Wisconsin, and volunteer to get out the vote. Visit www.wi.barackobama.com to sign up and let’s get this done. Also, I encourage you to check out the clever video that was produced by the Obama campaign to motivate Milwaukee voters to turn out and vote for the Democrat. It has some fun with a 2004 quote by Sen. McCain when he said he wouldn’t want to live in Milwaukee. It’s entertaining and amusing (though I could have lived without the image of a certain statue holding an Obama sign). So, by all means, vote. Vote early, Vote on Election Day. Whatever. Just vote. It’s good for what ails ya.
Oct 29th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Wisconsin as a battlegound
Lots of people are assuming that Barack Obama has wrapped up Wisconsin. Certainly the polls suggest that Obama has a safe lead here and the fact that the Republican Party has stopped spending money on television ads here reinforce that impression. But, as we all know, the only poll that matters is the one on Election Day and we really don’t know how this will end. With that in mind, I call your attention to a video developed by the Washington Post capturing some of the diverse opinions and attitudes here in Wisconsin. It’s more than eight minutes long but I think you’ll find it as captivating as I did. The focus is on race and whether it will confound the results predicted by the polls. What I found most compelling about this video was the broad disparity of beliefs and attitudes across our state. Not that it should come as a surprise but it still makes your jaw drop. So, in a democracy, anything can happen when people go and vote. That’s why our system of government is so attractive and so difficult. You have to pay attention and take action. And that’s why that other guy from Illinois who ran for president called our country “the last, best hope of earth.” Lincoln’s words, quoted out of context, seem to reek of nationalistic hubris. But when you read the text of Lincoln’s speeches, especially the greatest one of all, his Second Inaugural Address, you can’t help but sense his humility and respect for every individual, friend or foe. “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” I mean does it get any better than that? Roger Johnson in The New Statesman, draws an interesting contrast between the evocation of Lincoln’s words in Obama’s speeches and the repeated references to Ronald Reagan by John McCain and Sarah Palin. Kind of makes you think. And then there’s this analysis of Lincoln by Jean Bethke Elshtain of the University of Chicago from 2002. Check out this concluding passage: More than a hundred years later, there is no point in hoping for another Abraham Lincoln. But one may hope that we have not entirely forgotten the possibilities of political and moral leadership that he exemplified. Wow. From 2002! So, remember, it’s a democracy. Who do you want as your president? And, finally, here’s a little comic relief. Washington Post cartoonist Tom Toles has a little fun with the McCain campaign’s use of robocalls. Only 11 days left. Make sure you vote.
Oct 24th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Imagine a More Just Milwaukee
Go ahead. Take a few seconds and give it some thought. If you had a magic wand and could do anything you wanted, how would you change Milwaukee to make it a better place to live, work and raise a family? Better schools? More jobs? Improved transit? More statues of fictional characters? We all have our ideas about how to improve our city. We talk about it all the time. And that’s okay. It’s good to talk about things we care about. But you know what? Just talking about it isn’t going to change a damn thing. We’d all like to think that simply voting on Election Day and paying our taxes will be enough to insure that all of our community’s needs are taken care of. Well I’ve got news for you. It ain’t. So do something. Anything. Want to see better schools but don’t know where to start? Confused by all the news reports that say MPS schools are underfunded or riddled with waste? Here’s an idea. Wherever you live, there’s a school near by. Stop by or call and get contact information for the PTA (that’s Parent Teacher Association for those of you who just arrived on this planet). Chances are they’ll have an idea or two about what you can do to help. Mentor a student. Help raise some money. Donate some materials. Whatever. You’ll be doing something concrete and you’ll feel better for it. Need other ideas? Visit Volunteer Milwaukee and look at all the local opportunities to make a difference. Don’t want to do it alone? Well here’s a suggestion. MICAH is holding its annual public meeting tonight to recruit members and solicit ideas about improving our community. MICAH stands for Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope. It’s a whole bunch of folks who believe that God helps those who help themselves. Yes it’s a faith-based organization but it’s open to everyone who cares about our city. Are you tired of religion being used as a cudgel of intolerance and divisiveness? Come and see how people of all faiths can join together to do something constructive. After all, whatever you believe, you gotta believe there’s strength in numbers. So check out MICAH’s public meeting tonight at 6 pm at St. Adalbert Catholic Church, 1923 W. Becher Street. As they used to say, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” It’s really that simple.
Oct 23rd, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Is That All You Got?
The third and final debate between John McCain and Barack Obama last night was certainly the most spirited and entertaining yet. As promised, McCain was combative and sought to pin the label of tax and spend Democrat on his rival. But if McCain’s supporters were looking for a transcendent performance from their guy that would resuscitate his flailing campaign they were disappointed. McCain threw a steady stream of jabs at Obama but few found their mark. Obama responded with poise and confidence deflecting McCain’s charges effectively. On the economy, on health care, on taxes, on abortion, and on the negative campaign, Obama was in control of the facts and gained points for appearing more calm and decorous. McCain seemed to want to show anger without losing his temper and at times it seemed that his head was about to explode. His decision to use Joe the Plumber as a foil to call attention to Obama’s faults backfired. Under President Obama, Joe’s business would not face a tax increase if it generated less than a quarter of million dollars in profit. On health care, Joe’s small business would be exempt from facing higher costs. When McCain tried to appeal directly to Joe by sarcastically calling him rich, he actually supported Obama’s point. Hey, Joe, if you’re making $250,000, you are rich. Our nation is fighting two wars, facing a trillion dollar budget deficit and an economy in a tailspin. So hitch your belt up a notch and stop whining. Your country is just asking you to pay your fair share. Time and time again, McCain’s attempts to stick his finger in Obama’s eye left him appearing petulant and desperate. Meanwhile, Obama remained calm, almost Zen-like, and used McCain’s charges to make the point that the American people wanted to hear real answers to their problems and not the same, tired political attacks. On PBS’s Charlie Rose Show, Washington journalist Al Hunt somewhat inaccurately compared the debate to the classic boxing matches between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier recalling that Ali withstood the wrath of Frazier’s blows. Actually, what made the fights legendary was that both fighters threw mighty punches at each other and were remarkably well-matched. It reminded me more of the time when a fight broke out during a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox several years ago. Yankee bench coach Don Zimmer came storming out of the dugout and charged at Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez clearly determined to send a message to the much younger man. Martinez took Zimmer by the shoulders and let his own energy drop him to the ground. Obama seems at the top of his game with a sharpness of intellect, apparent limitless energy and infectious joie de vivre that makes it obvious that this is his time. Don’t take my word for it. Have a look at this video where Obama urges Wisconsinites to vote early and see for yourself. I know sports analogies make some people […]
Oct 16th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
