Doyle's out - who's stepping in?

It's official: Jim Doyle will not seek a 3rd term as governor of Wisconsin. He even promised not "to go Brett Farve" on us and change his mind at some point over the remaining year-and-a-half of his second term. Which is good of him. I'm not sure the state could take any more jerking around by major public figures. Doyle probably can't throw a touchdown pass to save his life, but still, the principal is the same.

This leaves several questions floating in the air, the most obvious of which is which Democrats will step in to run now that Doyle is out?

There's been a lot of speculation about current Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton jumping into the fray, especially since she's been making public moves to distance herself from Doyle's policies in recent weeks. Lawton has long been seen as more liberal, so those sorts of decisions would certainly play well to the left-leaning citizens tired of Doyle (I, for one, will be glad to not have him making speeches at various state events anymore--the man's oration skills are cringe-worthy).

Also proposed as a possible candidate is Rep. Ron Kind, who's a moderate-but-not-Blue-Dog Democrat from the western chunk of the state. He might be good, but some have (rightfully, I suspect) suggested that Kind may be looking instead to inhabit Sen. Herb Kohl's seat at some point in the future. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's name has also been thrown into the ring, especially after his very recent turn as public hero earned him some seriously good press.

Normally I'd say that mayors don't have the best chance of winning a governorship, solely because of a lack of statewide visibility, but the Barrett incident may well change things for him. Hard to say for sure.

Whoever ends up being the Dem's candidate, I just hope they'll give the Republican challengers a good run for their money. I am not a fan, to say the least, of either Milwaukee County Supervisor Scott "Can't Take Care of His Own County Let Alone A Whole State" Walker or Mark Neumann (currently the top two GOP contenders).

And then, what will Doyle do with the $2 million in campaign contribution's he's collected? It's not exactly chump change. One hopes he'd use it to support whoever runs in his stead, whether by returning it to donors so they can then give it to that person, or by making (within legal limits) donations of his own.

One thing that has the potential to be very interesting is what Doyle does in his final months as governor. Since he's not campaigning and trying to win more wide-ranging votes, will he step up and pass more contentious legislation? What will his focus be? He has the potential for becoming a lame duck, sure, but there's always a chance that Doyle will surprise us. Whether it's a good or bad shock, of course, remains to be seen.

UPDATE: And awaaaay we go! An aide to Lt. Gov. Lawton says she does intend to run.

The health care debate debacle

Every person in this country should have the right of access to quality, affordable health care.

No caveats, no conditions, no strings. Everyone. Health care is and should be treated as a fundamental right. Instead, certain individuals and groups in my poor, confused country are trying to make the opposite argument. They're doing it through the use of scare tactics, gross distortions, and blatant lies. And all the while, they're willfully stirring up fearful, ignorant masses and egging them on toward massive public disruptions and even violence, making meaningful debate about this incredibly crucial issue almost impossible.

It's fucking despicable.

The most vocally anti-health care reform Republicans have decided that their own political ambition and desire to see Obama taken down a peg or two trumps the well-being of their fellow Americans. That's the cold, hard truth of the matter. Petty backstabbing and one-upsmanship has taken precedence over honest discussion and work toward bettering the health care situation for their country.

How we've allowed this to happen is beyond me. There's plenty of blame to go around: Democrats too spineless to stand up for what's right or make clear what's really in the bill, politicians too willing to sacrifice work for the great good in the name of ambition, everyday folk too susceptible to the bald-faced lies and fear mongering, a media too ready to spend more time covering nonsense than issues and events that really matter.

The underlying issues are even more complicated. It's fairly obvious that questions of race and class insecurity permeate much of this debate. Selfishness, ignorance, pride, arrogance, and greed play their part, too.

But I want to scream at the top of my lungs that the health and well-being of our fellow citizens should always trump that sort of shit. Always. And how anyone can allow themselves to be distracted from that fact...I spend more time shaking my head these days than not.

• Upwards of 47 million Americans do not have health insurance.
• 8.6 million of those are children.
• The United States has the second worse infant mortality rate in the developed world.
• Prescription drug prices are some of the highest of any industrialized nation.
• More than 60% of bankruptcies in this country are caused by medical bills. (Sidenote: I have personal experience with this, and it's a major sore spot to this day - bankruptcy due to the care of a dying family member, or any other medical situation, should never happen)
  
• Yet more startling statistics here.

The numbers are not good. The personal stories of those effected are even worse. So it should be glaringly obvious to most everyone that serious reform of the health care system needs to be undertaken right now if we're to avoid an even more massive economic and social meltdown.

And yet, we see these angry, sometimes disturbed, shouting, bizarre-sign-wielding protesters crashing town hall meetings and hijacking the national debate. Some have come up with their own reasons for hating the health care bill, many have swallowed the various ridiculous assertions coming out of the GOP. Almost all of the accusations are easily proved false.

Via PolitiFact.com:

• A "death panel" that decides whether you're too old or enfeebled to get care? Not so much.
• Abortions will be taxpayer subsidized! Crock of shite.
• We'll go to a UK-style system of socialized health care where old/disabled people will be denied care! Um...that's a big 'no' - and the UK is miffed at the accusations.
• Illegal immigrants will be given free health care! Not quite (though they should).

And on and on.

None of this is to say that the current bill is perfect - single fucking payer, anyone? - but it's a sight better than what we've got now and at least a starting point from which to do better. We won't get anywhere good, however, if the current reliance on irrational screaming matches and totally untrue statements from opposing lawmakers continues.

We need to decide, as a nation, what's more important: Meaningful debate about and changes made to our health care system so that no one has to go bankrupt because of needed medical care, or selfish and misplaced pride with a side of sensationalism?

The choice we make will have long-lasting repercussions, and probably change everything.

Music in the air and around the bikes

What are you doing tomorrow (Thursday) night? Sitting around watching TV? Clipping your ghastly long toenails? Throwing back a frosty pint of kombucha? Well I can assure you that none of those things will be as entertaining and fulfilling as heading on over to Revolution Cycles (2330 Atwood Ave. in Madison) to see my band, Little Red Wolf, play a benefit for the Dane County Rape Crisis Center.

Shameless self-promotion, I know! But it's for a truly good cause, in a unique and fun venue, and I'm told there will be free wine. That beats clipping toenails any night of the week, if you ask me. Show starts at 8:00p.m. ($5 suggested donation) and it'll be Tiger Went Tiger first, followed by Little Red Wolf. We promise we didn't intentionally plan the animal-band-name-themed evening, it just happened!

We also promise good times.

And if you're not busy tonight, one of my favorite indie bands, The Breeders, will be at the Majestic doing their thang. Plus I'm told that everyone who goes will get a free ticket to see the Dandy Warhols on August 31. Which is pretty cool. Anyway, I'll be there tonight taking pictures and whooping it up, so if you're around, do say hello.

Edgewater complaint filed

Former alder Brenda Konkel is another of Madison's concerned citizens hot on the trail of what appear to be less-than-transparent lobbying efforts on the part of Hammes Co. in their pursuit of building the new Edgewater Hotel.

Konkel just posted the contents of her first full complaint against the process. Read it here. I only hope that more people jump on board with this effort to find out the truth and hold the company responsible for any violations. Having it be Konkel alone who files these complaints leaves the effort open to easy poo-pooing by officials who've grown sour with her activities in the past (which is a shame, because though I don't always agree with her, Konkel has been a tireless champion of what she thinks is best for Madison--and you have to admire that tenacity).

I will be very curious to see how the City Attorney handles the complaint. I would think that, with this much solid documentation, they'd pretty much have to at least investigate the charges. Regardless of the verdict, I expect at least that much to be done.

If, on the other hand, the whole thing is dismissed out of hand, then we need to seriously reexamine 1) the meat of Madison's lobbying ordinances, and 2) how we go about enforcing them.

UPDATE: Everyone's talkin' about the Edgwater it seems. The Sconz weighs in here, and is actually interviewing some of the developers soon. Over at the Cap Times, they raise very reasonable objections to the request for TIF money to help fund the project.

Edgewater proposal subject of serious Rath

Jay Rath, writing for his blog at madison.com, has a massive takedown of the current Edgewater Hotel expansion proposal and its backers, the Hammes Co.

You really should read it. There are more than a few troubling aspects of the current process, and Rath goes into great detail about them.

Former alder Brenda Konkel is apparently now filing a formal complaint with the city over the company's lobbying practices, which don't appear to be properly accounted for in recent numbers released by the city.

In addition, Hammes Co. looks to have some seriously shady business dealings in their past (and present, as is the case with a lawsuit pending against them in Milwaukee). They're also asking for TIFF money from the city, though they appear to have ample funds of their own - as evidenced by substantial past campaign contributions to the likes of Bob Dole and George W. Bush, and more recently to a whole spate of local members of Congress and the like.

There's also this tidbit: "In all, according to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Robert Dunn [president of Hammes Company Sports and Entertainment] is the registered agent of 18 active state companies, most of them limited liability companies (LLCs)."

This is fun, too:

Landmark X is the designated principal for Edgewater development lobbying. It has six registered lobbyists. Hammes also lists Landmark X as the "owner" of the completed Edgewater.

It's not unusual for a developer to create an LLC to combine interests during construction. The LLC Hammes is using is not new, however. Landmark X was created Feb. 6, 2004. It is "managed by members," according to its 1st quarter 2009 LLC report to the state. Whoever those members are, their business is "real estate, rental and leasing of property," according to state reports.

We don't know who those members are because the lobbyist registrations for Landmark X state that it is not an LLC, and therefore does not have to disclose that information.

According to the State Department of Financial Institutions, however, it is indeed an LLC.

Rath goes on to list a series of other lobbying irregularities for the company. Ever heard of the newly created Mansion Hill Neighborhood Coalition? It was formed as an alternative to the existing Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. group, and is chaired by a one Amy Supple--a registered Landmark X lobbyist.

And it goes on. Seriously, read the whole thing - it's a pretty epic piece.

It's hard to say what the truth of this whole episode is, and I'm not quite ready to say the whole thing is a bust. But I'll be damned if it doesn't look exceedingly bad. I'm glad, then, that Konkel, Rath, and a host of other concerned residents have taken up the cause and are giving the process greater scrutiny. A little transparency could go a long way to make sure we don't end up with one massive boondoggle the city would regret for years to come.

If Obama is secretly from Kenya, then we all are

In honor of the recent spate of birther madness:

Kick predatory payday loans out of Wisconsin

I was very heartened to read the article in today's Capital Times detailing efforts by activists and state lawmakers (specifically Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh) to put the kibosh on predatory lending practices at payday loan businesses.

It is, in my opinion, one of Wisconsin's dirtiest not-so-secret truths that we currently have practically no regulations in place for these operations. When "the Legislature in 1995 repealed what was then an 18 percent interest rate cap on consumer loans," the payday loan business took off with a vengeance. Interest rates on these loans can now be as much as 525% (or more) a year. That is, simply put, absurd.

Hintz's legislation would "cap at 36 percent the rate on consumer loans of $5,000 or less," which is also the rate at which recent federal legislation limits loans made to military personnel (and which there is an effort underway to expand to all citizens). Further to this, we should be working to regulate the due dates placed on loans, as all too often borrowers are forced to roll over loans, thus accruing yet more interest, because they can't fully pay off the first one by the time their next paycheck rolls around. That's the ultimate trap.

This sort of regulation seems more than reasonable to me, but of course the lobbyists representing the payday loan industry have been quick to cry foul.

After all, we're talking about preventing them from fleecing the ever living crap out of people in already dire financial straits--which they seem to think is their God-given right to do.

It's because the industry has such deep pockets that legislation of this sort hasn't already been passed. That and lawmakers who are far too prone to being swayed by said deep pockets. They should all be ashamed of themselves. This is preying on the most vulnerable members of our society at some of its worst.

I won't argue that payday loans don't have a place in our society. They clearly serve a need. What we should be doing is encouraging more reputable banks and businesses to offer these sorts of micro-loans, though, as opposed to letting these shady operations run rampant and unregulated.

Take, for example, the credit union programs detailed in the article:

Credit unions are trying to meet the need for small, short-term loans, says Christine Henzig, director of communications for the Wisconsin Credit Union League. A survey last year found that 60 member credit unions offered loans that are, in effect, alternatives to payday loans -- although they are not always marketed that way. And a national initiative assists local credit unions in developing products to help their members improve creditworthiness and build wealth.

UW Credit Union in Madison is pleased with the response to its Paycheck Advance program, which lent more than $21,000 in 51 loans to members since its launch in June. Members can borrow up to $500 at 21.75 percent interest and must pay back a minimum $50 each month.

This sort of thing just makes sense. Much like the Kiva model of micro-financing for small business owners in developing countries, we would do well to offer a similar model right here in the good ol' United States. It addresses both the sky-high interest rates that often lead to further financial trouble as opposed to doing any good for those in need, and also begins to point those folks in a better direction for managing their money in the first place.

We are few of us financial wizards, and when things get really tough, we often end up feeling like there are no alternatives. That has to change.

We need to realize that this sort of problem effects us all, too. Not only do you never know when the proverbial financial shit might hit the fan for you, but it also behooves us, as a society, to make sure that the most vulnerable among us are not taken advantage of in this way.

I can think of no good reason not to regulate the payday loan business. Ultimately, interest rate caps and regulation of the due dates on loans are just the start of what needs to be done. But they're an important start--crucial, even. We need to hold our representatives accountable to make sure this legislation is well-crafted, with actual teeth, and then passed into law. And soon.


(photo by taberandrew on Flickr)