Doyle Panhandling in D.C.

This is leadership?

While banks and automakers command Washington’s attention, Gov. Jim Doyle this week wants to shift the focus to state governments across the country that face “unprecedented” and “devastating” budget cuts that could weaken their economic competitiveness.

Doyle, who said he will propose severe spending cuts early next year for the coming state budget, flies to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to testify before the House Appropriations Committee.

“There’s no doubt that we’re going to have to make much deeper cuts, and they are really going to affect people’s lives,” Doyle said Tuesday in an interview.

As we saw here, the actual budget deficit after removing additional spending looks to be about $2.6 billion.  In the context of Wisconsin’s approximately $50 billion two-year budget, this represents about a 5% deficit. 

Doyle is seriously going to go to Washington and argue that a 5% cut in state spending would be “devastating?”  Give me a break.  He should talk to some businesses and families who are dealing with shortfalls in the area of 30%, 50%, and more. 

Frankly, I think it’s embarrassing that our governor is wandering around Washington with our hat in his hand.  It’s paints a pathetic picture of Wisconsin for the rest of the nation.  Leadership that can’t manage a 5% shortfall is incompetent. 

1. Ask most businesses how much spending they are going to cut this year - I’ll bet you’ll hear most say it’s going to be more than 5%. I would assume the answer will be the same for many households.

   Give me the budget - I’ll cut 25% off in less than a day.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 1007 hrs




2. We are north of 10% in cuts at work so far for 2008.  I don’t see 2009 going any lower than than that.

   Considering the state has never really cut anything, they should be able to get 5% with out even breaking a sweat.  Amateurs…

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 1218 hrs




3. Actually, this is Wisconsin leadership at its best. Whine loudly and often until someone else shuts you up either with a program, a disbursement, a raise, or a beer. Its very clear that so many state leaders, even in legislature have no clue of the infrastructure of Wisconsin. Large amount of inept employees who need to spend large amounts on outside consultant firms to appear to know what they are doing. Simply cut all spending to all consulting services at all levels, in all agencies, and require employees to do what they were hired to do. I have yet to see anyone including the legislature, make a request for the amount this state spends in one budget year for those consulting services.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 1331 hrs




4. Incompetent being the operative word here.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 1614 hrs




5. Total agreement. Panhandling is a great description. Why doesn’t he go to DC with a plan to get things moving in WI? If he were to ask for some seed money to implement a plan to grow manufacturing I would be amazed.

   His plan to grow revenue is to sue Microsoft and Publishers Clearinghouse, et al.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 1814 hrs




6. He is going to DC to argue for more transportation dollars as part of Obama’s infrastructure stimulus plan.  Sounds like leadership to me, or should we let Mississippi get all of the money?

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 1941 hrs




7. John: What mews source are you citing? All news accounts say he is going to DC to argue for more Federal money for the states to cover deficits not for transportation dollars.

   By transportation dollars are you suggesting he is doing the squeege guy thing by asking for spare change for cleaning windshields instead of panhandling?

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 2058 hrs




8. Maybe thats why Obama hasn’t found a job for him yet.  they can’t decide which corner to have him stand on

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 10, 2008 at 2258 hrs




9. Thats almost true. There is no job offer because the nation needs doers, and they are a rare breed in Wisconsin. Most are imported from elsewhere. Doers make change and Obama needs this, I dont think the recent history of Wisconsin shows anyone doing anything. Hell isnt this 1982 all over again, but worse?

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 11, 2008 at 0938 hrs




10. There is no job offer because the nation needs doers, and they are a rare breed in Wisconsin.

    Raw truth, at it’s best.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 11, 2008 at 1131 hrs




11. John Galt:  Here you go:  http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/318176

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 11, 2008 at 1522 hrs




12. John: Here you go: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/35959784.html

    The rest of the story:

    But federal aid that jump-starts building projects is only part of the problem, the governor said.

    “Aid to long-term capital projects, while beneficial to the future, will not close our budget shortfalls or help ease devastating cuts,” Doyle said. “Our approach must allow states to meet our citizens’ most basic needs.”

    He repeated his forecast that Wisconsin state government faces a $5.4 billion deficit through mid-2011, which he said equals about 17% of the state’s two-year budget. Over that period, state government had expected to collect about $28 billion in income, sales, alcohol, tobacco and other taxes, but now expects to only take in about $25 billion.” JSOnline 12/11/08

    Sounds like a begging mission to me. I hope he drove his Prius and didn’t take the state plane.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 11, 2008 at 1556 hrs




13. Sounds to me like Doyle is asking for money for projects we already decided to do and instead of the state paying for them - he’s trying to get the feds to pay for them.

    Of course will that money ever come back to the WI taxpayers - hell no - they will flush it down some rat hole. So in the end - we really end up with nothing.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 11, 2008 at 1715 hrs




14. We can’t create wealth. We cannot bring new and viable enterprises to WI.

    We cannot keep wealth. WI spends more than it brings in. An let’s not forget that really started with Tommy the spender. 

    We cannot steal wealth. We don’t get a high percentage of Federal tax dollars compared to other/similar states.

    Now we can’t even beg for wealth. Pathetic. Squeege guy could teach our Governor how to make money.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 11, 2008 at 2326 hrs