Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Wisconsin Covenant equal to snake oil

My column for the West Bend Daily News is online.  It’s called, “Wisconsin Covenant equal to snake oil.”  Here’s my conclusion:

In this case, we have the executive branch, as embodied by Governor Doyle, essentially creating a new government program out of thin air and doling out its benefits to the unwitting citizens of the state. This program was never vetted by the Legislature or passed into law. The Wisconsin Covenant is completely nonexistent and yet the executive is attempting to enact it by decree. Such haughty attempts by the executive to run roughshod over the prerogative of the legislature should be met with derision and contempt.

The Wisconsin Covenant does not exist. Governor Doyle does not have the power to make such a promise on behalf of the state of Wisconsin without the backing of the Legislature. The fact that he is attempting to usurp the Legislature’s constitutional authority for personal political gain is something that free people should abhor.

A commenter mentions Bush in 5… 4… 3… 2…

(11) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1435 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. Why would a commenter do that, Owen?

    Posted by scott on September 25, 2007 at 1457 hrs


  2. No need to mention him; you thought of it first.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 25, 2007 at 1505 hrs


  3. It’s the old lie of saying something often enough that it appears to be true. The Governor coercing the legislature to approve this would be the greater problem.
    Is there a balance of power any-longer?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 25, 2007 at 1547 hrs


  4. You touched on the subject, but only briefly.  This yet to be enacted plan is nothing more than the Democrats indoctrinating thousands of young skulls full of mush into future Democratic voters.  They’re 12 and 13 now, but in a few years, they’ll be able to vote. 

    So when they’re standing in the voter booth at age 18, they may ask themselves, “Who were those people who came to my school and promised me all sorts of free money and cool stuff??  Oh yea…the Democrats!” 

    A well-intended plan but clearly with a more sinister purpose.  Welcome to the new Democratic Party.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 25, 2007 at 1614 hrs


  5. A voter asking him or herself which party gave them a guaranteed opportunity for prosperity?  Whoa, that is sinister!

    I think it’s a great idea, but I’m not to keen on how the governor has gone about it.  On that I agree.

    Posted by scott on September 25, 2007 at 1620 hrs


  6. As opposed to the other party who reassured them that their support for their programs would eventually lead to their prosperity.  Would you like fries with that?

    Posted by John Foust on September 25, 2007 at 1628 hrs


  7. I think it’s a great idea for any political leader to encourage kids to get good grades, stay out of trouble, and help their community.  I just don’t see why we need a massive government hand out to encourage that which used to be simply called “common sense”.  Especially one that has yet to be approved by the Legislature. 

    Be a good person for the sake of being a good person; not for some bribe by the Dems for all sorts of goodies from the taxpayers.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 25, 2007 at 1646 hrs


  8. I think what you’re actual problem is is that you don’t want any new domestic government spending at all.  In fact, many here would like to see such spending cut dramatically.  Whining about the way the governor has gone about this is secondary.

    Is there another industrialized western nation who offers less government support for college educations that we do?  I’m curious.

    Posted by scott on September 25, 2007 at 1656 hrs


  9. While these are not western, Japan, Singapore and other Asian countries are much worse in college.  There top level colleges are very good but you have to be exceptionally smart to get in and if you don’t, you don’t have many options.  One options is to go overseas, go to a low level college or no college at all, even if you are a good student.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 25, 2007 at 1905 hrs


  10. Dan makes good points.  This notion of “everybody should go to college” is a distinctly American (and perhaps Canadian) perspective.  In Europe, four-year universities are usually free (save for fees), but are also much harder to get into than your typical American university.  Many students end up going to professional schools that are run separately from universities (for instance, students usually go to a police school to learn law enforcement skills instead of getting a police science degree from a technical college).  Others go to trade or craft schools, and still others go straight into the workforce.

    It’d be a lot easier to provide adequate government support for students enrolling in universities if every high school counselor in Wisconsin wasn’t trying to push some kid with a 2.9 GPA and a 22 on the ACT into one.

    Oh, but we were talking about Wisconsin Covenant.  That’s right.  We can all carp and moan about how Doyle did it, but it was still beautiful politics, and my guess is that there’s a 95% chance he’s going to leave the bargaining table with this program mostly intact.

    Some might call it underhanded.  Others might call it smart politics.  He’s just repackaging a bunch of stuff students alright get, except now he’s convincing them that Democrats are the reason they’re getting it.  Shrewd and smart.  Makes me proud for giving him my first-ever Democratic vote for governor.

    Posted by Recess Supervisor on September 25, 2007 at 1936 hrs


  11. Gee, RS, think that’s why Owen was sputtering so hard to tell us that something was so evil, yet simultaneously exists and doesn’t exist?  You’d think Doyle was squishing puppies. 

    Or kittens!  Boots and Kittens!  I knew it!

    Posted by John Foust on September 25, 2007 at 2046 hrs


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