New Normal

One thing that has been striking about the Obama Era is the new normals that have crept into out lives. For example, we all have come to somehow think that 8+% unemployment and $4/gallon gas is normal. Another new normal is the one highlighted by Senator Johnson.

“The first people who need to compromise are the Democrats with themselves. They have 53 senators, they only need 51 to pass a budget,” said Johnson, adding he is willing to talk to anyone who is interested in achieving a solution.

We have never had a federal budget passed since Obama took office. It’s an absolute disgrace and shameful abandonment of duty and responsibility, but hardly anyone even mentions it anymore. It’s the new normal.

Stylin’ the ‘stache

Good to know.

Chauhan tells the BBC he uses coconut oil on his mustache and enlists help in the maintenance process. “I massage it and oil it regularly and I wash it every 10 days which takes a long time,” he said. “My wife helps me.”

An Oppressive Government at Work

George Will highlights a case of government theft.

This town’s police department is conniving with the federal government to circumvent Massachusetts law — which is less permissive than federal law — to seize his livelihood and retirement asset. In the lawsuit titled United States of America v. 434 Main Street, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, the government is suing an inanimate object, the motel Caswell’s father built in 1955. The U.S. Department of Justice intends to seize it, sell it for perhaps $1.5 million and give up to 80 percent of that to the Tewksbury Police Department, whose budget is just $5.5 million. The Caswells have not been charged with, let alone convicted of, a crime. They are being persecuted by two governments eager to profit from what is antiseptically called the “equitable sharing” of the fruits of civil forfeiture, a process of government enrichment that often is indistinguishable from robbery.

The Merrimack River Valley near the New Hampshire border has had more downs than ups since the 19th century, when the nearby towns of Lowell and Lawrence were centers of America’s textile industry. In the 1960s the area briefly enjoyed a high-tech boom. Caswell’s “budget” motel, too, has seen better days, as when the touring Annette Funicello and the Mouseketeers checked in. In its sixth decade the motel hosts tourists, some workers on extended stays and some elderly people who call it home. The 56 rooms rent for $56 a night or $285 a week.

Since 1994, about 30 motel customers have been arrested on drug-dealing charges. Even if those police figures are accurate — the police have a substantial monetary incentive to exaggerate — these 30 episodes involved less than 5/100ths of 1 percent of the 125,000 rooms Caswell has rented over those more than 6,700 days. Yet this is the government’s excuse for impoverishing the Caswells by seizing this property, which is their only significant source of income and all of their retirement security.

The government says the rooms were used to “facilitate” a crime. It does not say the Caswells knew or even that they were supposed to know what was going on in all their rooms all the time. Civil forfeiture law treats citizens worse than criminals, requiring them to prove their innocence — to prove they did everything possible to prevent those rare crimes from occurring in a few of those rooms. What counts as possible remains vague. The Caswells voluntarily installed security cameras, they photocopy customers’ identifications and record their license plates, and they turn the information over to the police, who have never asked the Caswells to do more.

I would note that it is often Republicans who support laws that allow for this kind of government tyranny.

Wisconsin Graduation Rate Has Increased

This is a good thing… or is it?

Figures released by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction on Thursday show a graduation rate of 87 percent in 2011. The U.S. Department of Education requires states to calculate graduation rates based on those students who earn a diploma within four years of starting high school.

The graduation rate of 87 percent is up 1.3 percent from the previous school year.

It’s only a good thing if those graduates are graduating with an education that prepares them for life. Outcomes are more important than any graduation statistic. That being said, it appears to be good news for Wisconsin.

Court Rules That Employees Must Opt-In To Have Dues Withheld

Good. It will be interesting to see what the opt-in rate will be.

Man Buys Super Bowl Ring at Pawn Shop

Wow.

NEENAH — A Neenah man is the new owner of a Green Bay Packers Super Bowl XLV ring.

Dennis Brucks, 71, purchased the rare piece of jewelry Wednesday for an undisclosed amount at Pawn America in Grand Chute.

“I sat on the 50-yard-line during the Ice Bowl and sat there for the whole game,” Brucks said. “And I do enjoy the Packers; it’s good for our community. When you want something relating to the Packers, how can you get any better than this?”

Pawn America manager LeRon Wilder confirmed the ring was sold between 1 and 2 p.m. Wednesday, but could not provide further details due to client confidentiality.

The Super Bowl XLV ring caused quite a stir in the Fox Valley earlier this week with fans stopping by Pawn America for a look at the female ring with the name “Pace” on the side. Certification paperwork confirmed Sarah Pace, who works in the Packers front office as “Atrium Operations Lead,” as the seller.

US Proposes High Tariff for Chinese Solar Panels

Not so free trade.

The U.S. Commerce Department on Thursday assessed penalties against solar panels imported from China, the latest move in a sun power trade dispute.

The decision was viewed as a victory by solar panel manufacturers, including Helios USA in Milwaukee, but was criticized by a coalition of installers and inverter manufacturers who said it would drive up the price of solar panels for consumers.

The finding follows up on a similar move in March in unfair trade practices complaints filed by domestic solar panel manufacturers like Helios. They charged the Chinese were unfairly dumping panels in the U.S. at prices below the cost of production.

Helios makes panels that are more efficient than typical solar panels because they can generate more power using the same amount of space. The firm was expanding last year, until a flood of imported panels in the market prompted it to cancel one of its production shifts.

Tariffs proposed Thursday range from 31% for several key panel makers, including Suntech and Trina.

Another Community Benefits from Act 10

This time in Monroe.

MONROE - Teachers in the Monroe School District will have new health and dental insurance carriers starting in the 2012-13 school year.

The Monroe school board approved Unity Insurance point of service and Delta Dental plans Monday night.

Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the Unity plan will save the district a little more than $800,000 in premiums compared to the current Wisconsin Education Association Insurance Trust. The total costs to maintain the WEA plan would be 18.3 percent. The district was targeting a 5-percent increase; Olson said the deal with Unity is a 3.2 percent increase.

Olson said the savings will help the board meet and exceed its current budgeted objective.

The Unity POS plan is associated with the UW Health Care System, but Monroe Clinic, Mercy System and Beloit Hospital System would also be included as providers.

The Delta Dental plan also includes a vision coverage that employees can pick up. Olson said the Delta Dental plan is a 5.8 percent reduction in dental insurance compared to this year and will save the district $21,475.

DNR Buying More Land

I wish that Wisconsin would stop buying up land to “preserve” it. It’s expensive, removes massive amounts of land from the tax rolls, prevents development (that’s the point), and is just generally a huge waste of money for a useless objective.

MADISON — The Department of Natural Resources says its agreement to buy 100 square miles of forest in northern Wisconsin would be the state’s largest land conservation purchase.

The DNR has a tentative agreement to spend about $17 million on land in four counties owned by Lyme Timber Co. of Hanover, N.H. The purchase protects the property from future development. The approximate 67,000 acres are located primarily in Douglas and Washburn counties, with smaller parcels in Bayfield and Burnett counties.

Walker Leads

This is positive news.

The new Marquette University Law School poll showed Walker taking a lead of 6 percentage points lead among likely voters, with the Republican governor 50 percent of the vote and Barrett with 44. The numbers were far closer just two weeks ago, when a poll released shortly before the May 8 recall primary showed Walker and Barrett in a virtual dead heat.

At the end of the day, it’s looking like Wisconsinites know Walker. They know Barrett. And not much has changed since last time.

Jobs and Dreams

It’s great news for Wisconsin that the state is adding jobs and the economy is improving. I largely agree with John Torinus’ take:

In short, the UI numbers are hard core numbers. It’s bed rock data.

The whole political brouhaha in the state has been over a survey conducted by the federal Department of Labor (DOL). For years, the less reliable survey numbers generally tracked pretty well with the UI census – until mid-year 2011. For Q3 2011, the DOL survey showed a job loss of 8500 in the state. When the real numbers came out from the UI census, Q3 showed a gain of 2876.

Of course, that variance was lost in the political dust, but it does show that something has gone kaflooey with the DOL survey. As one economist said, “Put a box of salt on the survey numbers.”

Gov. Walker’s people finally unearthed the Q4 UI numbers, and they reversed the jobs picture. Instead of losing jobs, the state is gaining jobs. That squares with every other economic metric, such as a falling unemployment rate, rising state tax revenues, rising personal incomes, Manpower surveys that show a pattern of increased hiring and an uptick in housing and auto sales.

Of course, the timing for the Q4 numbers was political. But it is also good policy to have the the freshest, cleanest numbers to work with. So, again, why haven’t the Q1 2012 numbers been made public? DWD has had them for two weeks. Someone should get fired if they aren’t released in the next week or so.

The public has a right to know how the state is doing on jobs in the timeliest manner – up or down, politics aside.

As a side note, Torinus tosses this into his commentary:

The American Dream is now a good job…

Wow. That’s quite a statement. While the definition of “The American Dream” has always been elusive, is Torinus right? It strikes me as marked downgrade of what most people thought of the American Dream even a few sort years ago. First of all, it’s a direct claim that people identify their goal and worth in terms of their employment. While many people do, the American Dream has historically been put in terms of an end - a lifesyle - a position of independence in life. This statement characterizes The Dream as just having a job, which is usually considered the means to the end. I need a job to earn money to be able to enjoy the lifestyle I want. Second, to say that the America Dream is to have a job emits a waft of desperation. Having a job should be an expectation and consequence of leading a life of value to others - not a dream.

Anyway, Torinus may be right about how people define the American Dream nowadays, but I sure hope not. That’s certianly not my American Dream.

Prayers for Lily

Little Lily Voelkel passed away yesterday. She was three. Our hearts go out to her family.

Walker lied?

My column for the Daily News is online. It’s called, “Walker lied?” Here’s a snippet:

What I can’t find in any of Barrett’s public documents or statements is what he would propose in his first budget should he be elected. He hasn’t said if he would change any of the tax code. He hasn’t published a policy statement on how he would change K-12 school funding. Nowhere has he said how he would reform BadgerCare or the prison system.

  Since the standard advocated by liberal recall supporters is that a governor should be recalled if he or she advances any policies that aren’t mentioned in a campaign, then we must think that a Gov. Barrett wouldn’t advocate any policies other than to reverse Act 10. He won’t propose a budget. He won’t change any policies regarding school funding. On the bright side, he won’t propose any laws regarding abortion or firearms. If he does, then we must maintain our newfound standard and recall him immediately.

Remiss

I admit, I’ve been remiss. We own a complete collection of James Fenimore Cooper’s works, but I have not read all of them. I’ve read a couple of his books, but not what he deserves. Let’s be fair… his works cover a shelf-and-a-half on our book shelf, so it will take me a while. Still… as long as I have books to read, I will never grow bored.

A Wee Bit of Tennyson

Amazing to envision war in the skies and the utopia of a Parliment of Man in one poem. I wonder if he appreciated the dichotomy.

For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,
Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be;

Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,
Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales;

Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rain’d a ghastly dew
From the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue;

Far along the world-wide whisper of the south-wind rushing warm,
With the standards of the peoples plunging thro’ the thunder-storm;

Till the war-drums throbb’d, no longer, and the battle-flags were furl’d
In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.

There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in awe,
And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in universal law.