Dem Challenge for Panzer Seat

The disarray of the Republican 20th Senate District has convinced the Democratic Party to field a write-in candidate for primary.

ABC and the Gay Governor

The catch, is that McGreevey announced he was gay, while the lover says he, himself, is straight.

A Chance to Speak Up for North Ave

"The Bronzeville project is one of the most important ventures ever planned for the 6th Aldermanic District, and I believe that it can be a dynamic, credible, and viable venue for the community."

The Kerry Rally

Senator John Kerry paid another visit to Milwaukee on Monday, August 2nd at a public rally in Pere Marquette Park. Gates to the park opened at 4:30 p.m. while the presidential candidate was still racing across Lake Michigan on the Lake Express ferry. Access to Kerry these days requires a thorough screening by security personnel, so by 6 p.m. a line stretched from Plankinton and Kilbourn, the park’s entrance, across the river to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, at which point it headed north, wrapped itself around the building, headed east on E. State Street and finally tapered off at N. Edison Street. For pictures click here. The line moved slowly as security guards checked the attendees, emptied pockets, etc. Once inside the secure enclosure, the crowd was able to buy bottled water and pizza from Amazon Pizza, a fun new spot on W. Wells St. However, many people never made it to the security screening, and they simply camped out along the riverfront, enjoying the event from the Marcus Center riverwalk. It made for a nice sight for cameras, since Candidate Kerry, speaking from a raised platform on the north end of the park, would gesture from time to time toward those on the distant shore. Alas, milwaukeeworld had almost resigned itself to distant coverage of the event, but as it turns out there was a special entrance to the event, and we designed to make it ours. Joe Klein and I headed to Kilbourn and N. Third Street where an officer was in place to tell us that we could not advance to the press table set up in our sight, but out of our reach. Meanwhile, he waved in such prominent figures as Sen. Herb Kohl, Rep. Sheldon Wasserman, Steve Marcus and others, all of whom had red tickets, while we had none. Providentially, Margaret Henningsen showed up on the scene with an extra red ticket, which we begged for and received. The red ticket made us legit for the officer, and we proceeded through our screening, after watching several of the people mentioned above get screened themselves. (Steve Marcus does not look like a guy who gets frisked a lot.) Inside the gates of the special section, where the red-ticketed people go, we were treated to a fascinating caste system in which our “Kerry Edwards From Sea to Shining Sea Believe in America Tour” Press pass marked us as scum. The real media stars, and there were dozens of them, were members of the “Traveling Press.” The Traveling Press spends its time apart from the regular press, and they dine together in a fancy tent. The food was from Chef Pat’s catering. Pat Houlihan said the campaign kept changing its meal plans, but he settled on roast pork sandwiches, a couple of salads, pretzels, soft drinks and Miller Beer. The Traveling Press drinks very little beer, which in the end turned out to be a blessing for Chef Pat’s weary and thirsty crew. The […]

Plale Recall Drive Begins

Can a group of south side political activists pull themselves together enough to acquire 13,212 signatures to force a recall election against Sen. Jeff Plale? Rep. Jon Richards said he doubts it. “This thing is going nowhere,” says Rep. Josh Zepnick. “These people are so lazy! They’ve taken out a newspaper ad asking people to come by and sign a recall petition. Who is going to do that?” True enough. To win an election, you’ve got to knock on doors, post signs in windows and do all kinds of grass-rooted activities. There is scant evidence of this in the Plale recall attempt, and absolutely no evidence of it in the northern fringes of Plale’s district, including Brady Street and the East Side. That hasn’t stopped Plale from printing up thousands of football schedules that he is handing out at every turn. The South Milwaukeean made the journey to St. Rita’s Church last week to attend the Brady Street Association monthly meeting where he was asked about the recall. “They’ve got until September 7th to get the signatures to recall me,” Plale told the audience. When told there seemed to be no effort on the East Side to circulate petitions, Plale said, “well, these people wouldn’t know how to find Brady Street.” Plale was also in the Brady Street area for what the neighborhood hopes is an annual Artisinal Food Festival. The gig was held Sunday, July 25th, and Plale was there along with his schedules. The recall effort against him stemmed from his crucial vote to uphold Governor Doyle’s veto of a republican-sponsored measure to limit property tax increases. Plale says the upcoming plans to sponsor a constitutional amendment known as the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, (TABOR) is similarly flawed, and a potential recipe for disaster. He cites Colorado, a state that has enacted similar provisions into its laws and is now in the midst of its worst fiscal crisis ever. Amendment on the Run The legislature republicans spent the last unedifying session promoting the agenda of Gays, Guns and Gambling. The Madison gang came up with loads of goofy legislation, none of which could sustain a veto by the governor. Leave it to this group to be able to reconvene and pass a constitutional amendment, no less, in just one week. This was the decision of Sen. Mary Panzer, the republican leader who had earlier been criticized for not rushing a Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights law through the Solomonic deliberations of the nation’s most august lawmakers. But, as soon as she faced a primary challenge from Rep.Glenn Grothman, an ambitious fellow republican who covets her senate seat, Panzer decided to schedule a vote for this week. Then, the legislature can go home and come back next year to vote again. Then, finally, the matter will be put to public vote in a referendum, if it is still alive. But, if the legislature does not act by August 5th, the whole procedure would have to be repeated in yet one […]

Primary Feud

Kohlenberg & Kennedy Stir it Up

Shepherd Figure to Run Madison Paper

Capital Papers Puts up the Capital

Morales V Darling Race Set

Milwaukee School Board member Jennifer Morales has decided to challenge Alberta Darling and her hold on the 8th Senate District Seat.

Selig Take A Hit

Washington Post Trashes Commissioner and Journal Communications. Plus: The Mea Culpa of Charles J. Sykes and Thompson’s Boycott of Miller Park.

Lavender, Black and Green

The Green Party’s national convention will be in Milwaukee this week, with voting by delegates to be held on Saturday. The big question: will the outfit endorse Ralph Nader? This vexing question will put Milwaukee, however briefly, once again in the national spotlight. The party has endorsed the formation of several subgroups including the Black Greens, and the Lavender Greens. The first group consists of African-American members of the party, and the second with its Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered and “Intergendered” (a new one for me) members. As of May there were 297,964 registered greens from 22 states, along with an undetermined number from states like Wisconsin where voter registration does not specify political party. Candidates for the party include four for U.S. Senate, 38 for the House of Representativees, one for Governor, one for Lieutenant Governor and 94 for State Legislatures. According to the party, at least 204 Greens hold office in 27 states, including Wisconsin. Nader, who received the party’s nomination in 2000, has 50 delegates thus far, behind David Cobb, with 194 and Peter Camejo with 112. Over 200 delegates support none of the above or are uncommitted. Nader wrote the party in March to say “I am running as an Independent and am not seeking nor accepting the Green Party nomination. If you do not choose a presidential candidate in Milwaukee, I would welcome your endorsement.” You can figure out for yourself whatever that means. Whomever the candidate, the party promises to run television ads in the presidential race, another first. One of the featured speakers at a post-convention rally will be Frank P. Zeidler, a former presidential candidate himself (Socialist Party) and reason enough to attend the event. A Man in a Hurray: Marc “Leadfoot” Marotta Department of Administration head Marc Marotta has a date in the Jefferson County intake court on June 29th at 9 a.m. in conjunction with his citation on May 24th for speeding on the freeway. The 41-year old attorney and former basketball star was busted for exceeding the speed limit by 20 – 24 miles per hour, an offense that carries a $255.40 bond. Officer Michael Meyers of the Jefferson County Sheriff Department collared the Mequon resident after clocking him going 21 miles over the limit. Earlier this year, on February 25th (the day after Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager was busted for drunk driving) Peter Moe of the State Patrol cited Marotta for speeding on the freeway, also in Jefferson County. It was a more easy-going Marotta that time, since he was caught speeding 16 – 19 miles per hour above the speed limit. On April 22nd, that charge was amended to Speeding on Freeway 1 – 10 miles above the limit. Marotta pled no contest to that charge and was fined $181. The vigilant officer Moe also noted that Marotta, a senior government official, had expired plates (PUR108), so we assume it is his personal vehicle in which he was hot-rodding, but that charge was dismissed. His attorney was Michael […]

The Governor and the Empire Builder

Ronald Reagan

I remember when Ronald Reagan was considered too far-right to become President. The fact that he did become the chief executive shows how much America has changed since then, a change brought forth, in part, by Reagan himself. Although I never voted for the guy, and to this day I am amazed at the adulation he received in his lifetime, I respected his humility and good humor. I thought his wife was frightening, yet I admire her lifelong dedication to the man she married. Nancy Reagan has made it easy to forget that Ronald Reagan was the first divorced president. I remember going to Jimmy Carter‘s inaugural where a five dollar ticket could get you into the “people’s” inaugural ball. By the time Reagan got into office there was absolutely no attempt at a “people’s” ball, just a few parties for the ultra-wealthy. I was in Washington for Reagan’s second inauguration when all public events – like the parade – were cancelled due to single-digit weather. The expensive, indoors events went on as scheduled. Still, Reagan had an undeniable appeal to the common people. I remember the Reagan years for the now-forgotten Savings and Loan scandals. (Forgotten now that the common people have paid off the debts.) I remember the Reagan years for the government’s failure to act against AIDS, even when, as Hollywoodites, the Reagan’s social life was swarming with gays. I remember the Reagan years for the introduction of evangelical Christianity as an active partner in the government, and this from a guy who rarely went to church. I remember the Reagan years for Ollie North. I also remember that no matter what, people loved Ronald Reagan. Mostly, though, I remember the Reagan presidency as the first eight years of the Bush administrations. How I miss the Reagan years. Montana Until last week I had only vague memories of Montana, which I had first and only seen as a teenager on a family motor trip. While others rhapsodized of the Purple Mountains’ Majesty, I kept my eyes to the manmade world before me and found it deficient. The buildings seemed haphazardly-constructed and landscaping was an unknown art. The bleached bones scattered across the plain could well have been those of architects. That’s the way I remembered it, and Montana still has a patched-together look. The residents in this sparsely-populated state seem as oblivious to urban planning as they are to the coastal tides. That’s the way they want it in Montana, and no outsider is going to tell them any different. Now get off my land! In the urban center of Billings, the state’s largest city, you get the feeling of being in a community on the rebound. The city is laid out on a grid along the railroad tracks that gave the place its raison d’etre. The station was built before the town lots were sold, and the city was named after the president of the railroad, just as Mitchell South Dakota was named after our own […]