Some States Seek to Cap Property Taxes

There’s just no rage here, no fire to stoke.  You saw it in the grand failure of TABOR, which was then followed by two cycles in which voters have dumped Republicans from the Legislature like yesterday’s garbage.

Nobody likes taxes (well, maybe Susan Sarandon).  But like Gregory points out, most voters value schools, roads, libraries, etc.  What these largely suburban, largely middle to upper-middle class voters want to know is that the money they turn over to the government to spend on those priorities is spent wisely and efficiently.

Sometimes it is.  Lots of times it’s not.  The failure of Republicans lately is that they generally lack sound arguments for how to spend the money better (which, in effect, leads to spending less money in the first place).  Too many Republicans have fallen into the trap of pushing cuts with no idea of how to implement those cuts in a way that is satisfactory to voters.

Building a winning message that is fiscally conservative isn’t hard.  Start by figuring out better ways to do things that people actually want government to do.  Don’t come out and say “I want to cut X by 10%.” Tell voters that you’re going to change X by doing A, B, and C, so that we can save 10% of the cost and give that back to them.

It’s the same message, except one works with voters in the middle and the other scares them into the arms of the other team.

Some States Seek to Cap Property Taxes

Tell me… have you ever lived in another state?

Pelosi Locks Minority Out of the Process

So, its patriotism when Republicans do it, but obstruction when Democrats do it?  Typical conservative hypocrisy.  Not surprising at all. 

I also think its funny that your definition of patriotism is blocking an agenda supported by a clear majority of the country.  Elections have consequences.  Sorry, you lost.  I think its about time that every oppressive procedural maneuver perfected by the Republican congress over the last decade is turned against them.

Some States Seek to Cap Property Taxes

Another living in tax hell story!!

How about matching this up with the way other states not listed in this graph pay for the services residents use and require.  That always is a missing part to these types of stories/graphs.

As for me I do not feel I live in tax hell.  I understand why I pay taxes, and am fine with that.  I might add that my property taxes actually fell by $46 this year.  They could have went up and I still would feel the same way.

I value our roads, schools, colleges, and way of life, and am more than willing to pay for it.

I own a home in a rather high property tax area, and know that this is home in more ways than just the house.

Might the naysayers who complain endlessly need to find another state with lower services to live?

Pelosi Locks Minority Out of the Process

Nobody is trying to keep anyone from speaking.  This change is hardly draconian, if you understand what she’s trying to change.

The distinction is between allowing members to make a motion to recommit promptly versus a motion to recommit forthwith.  Matters that are handled forthwith are dispensed of in a few minutes on the floor, and it’s worth noting that Democrats have often been more than willing to go along with some of these changes.  In fact, they often ask for unanimous consent to change “promptly” to “forthwith” in order to expedite proceedings and are turned down by those offering the motion.  In those instances, the only interest held by the author is to delay action.

Here’s the relevant House rule, from Section 1002(b) of the House Manual:

“Unlike the case of the motion to recommit with instructions to report back forthwith, the adoption of which occasions an immediate report to the floor, the adoption to a motion to recommit with instructions to report back other than forthwith sends the bill to committee whose eventual report, if any, would not be immediately before the House.’’

Republicans would still be able to recommit without instructions (which sends the bill back to committee for policy changes) or with instructions to makes changes forthwith, which means the matter is dealt with on the floor and the bill, amended or otherwise, moves on to passage.

Hardly a big deal - just an attempt to prevent parliamentary obstructionism.  It doesn’t restrict debate, it isn’t an attempt to shut the minority down.  It’s an attempt to get Congress to stop wasting time.  The minority is still afforded plenty of ways and plenty of opportunities to make changes to legislation.

Filing Deadline for West Bend School Board is Tomorrow

If nothing else, Kris, you have a sense of humor!

Panetta to Head CIA

Seriously, though.  If this signals a break from current policy, it also signals the gutting of our intelligence capabilities.  This could be really bad.

Franken to be Declared Winner

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Filing Deadline for West Bend School Board is Tomorrow

So Owen can expect your endorsement?

Panetta to Head CIA

I guess Hillary didn’t need to win after all.  Barry is just re-creating the Clinton administration almost as if the last eight years never even happened.

Doyle and Four Other Governors Can't Manage Own States

Irwin,

Couple of points.  One, there is no campus in Black River Falls.  It is in River Falls.  It is primarily an agriculture campus.  Stout has other offerings.  Specifically it is known as an excellent school for Tech ed teachers.  Eau Claire is known for business and elementary education.  Now, you can get a decent quality BS in many other areas at each of those schools. My point here is that some of the facilities needed to provide the top quality programs that are offered would not be easy to duplicate in another setting.  Just because they are far away does not make them unimportant.  To say that eliminating one and you will save money is shortsighted at best.  RS makes that point very well.

Two, it has not always been possible to easily transfer credits from a tech school to the UW system.  that is new within the last 10 or so years.  Prior to that the tech system was really not a place students went on the way to a four year degree.

What you say about Waukesha may be true but it is not true system wide.

Pelosi Locks Minority Out of the Process

She must have gotten some ideas from the NC State Legislature.  The D’s there won’t even let the minority members speak.  Bills have zero debate.

Regardless of the party affiliation of the majority its wrong.  As those on the left-o-sphere are always so keen to remind us that we shouldn’t allow tyranny of the majority.

Clinton Secures Millions in Taxpayer Dollars for Donor

Clintons and money.  Money and Clintons.  Nothing unusual or unexpected here, just move along, folks ...

Panetta to Head CIA

But he’s good at budgets.  That’s got to count for something.

Franken to be Declared Winner

I especially enjoyed the comparison of Franken’s win to Stalin.  It truly will be fun watching people like Owen and Kristopher descend into complete full-on madness.  One thing you’re wrong about though Mike: at the rate they are going, they won’t last eight years.  This much hackery and Obama hasn’t even been sworn in yet!

Franken to be Declared Winner

Also, while I think that both parties have behaved rather poorly in this race, the insistence by the lefties in this thread that transparency here breeds fairness seems incorrect.  Power seems to be much more important.  Also, Owen aknowledged said transparency in his first line.

Franken to be Declared Winner

My position on recounts is that the machine should have the final say, and while that would likely favor Coleman in this instance, I would feel the same way if the situation were reversed.  Hand-counting ballots meant for a computer (or even those meant for hand-counting) is frought with peril, and is certainly less accurate than even an imperfect machine count. 

The only reason we should ever use a hand recount is if the machinery appears compromised.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Mike, Without the GOP snake-oil and talking points, Owen wouldn’t have anything to post and no idea what he actually believed in.  Stolen?  A month long, transparent recount occurs—with every development reported and detailed in the Minnesota (and to a lesser degree, national) press ad naseum—and at the end, because your candidate loses, you cry foul.  Like all Republicans, it has to be difficult for you to get out of bed in the morning anymore.  All you have left is whining and sour grapes and GOP talking points.  If you had any intellectual honesty, though, you would actually acknowledge the detailed process that went into this recount.  Funny, I seem to remember a month ago when Norm Coleman said that Franken should step aside to let the healing begin.  Now that Franken has prevailed in the recount, I’m sure Coleman will follow that approach and let Franken be seated without frivolous legal challenges.  Oh, I forgot, as a Republican, Coleman is, by definition, a hypocrite.

Pelosi Locks Minority Out of the Process

Something has changed, ATV.

The inmates are now running the asylum. Obstructionism of the Democratic agenda is patriotism.

Pelosi Locks Minority Out of the Process

I was in DC in ‘05 when Hastert was doing it and I sure didn’t hear anyone like you complaining about it. It’s as wrong now as it was then to limit minority participation, regardless of the letter after the name.

I’d like to take you back to 2005 as well Owen. I seem to remember people like you had a word for a minority party that wouldn’t let the majority do everything it wanted. Obstr...something-ists I believe was the term.

Tell me, 4 years later, are you going to use the same term for a pain in the ass minority or has something changed?

Dare you to actually answer.

Pelosi Locks Minority Out of the Process

ooooh

Franken to be Declared Winner

Robinson,

The Minnesota process was completely open and transparent.  Everything your saying is from Coleman’s legal briefs and every one was knocked down, for good reasons (as false or inaccurate or legally silly) and in broad daylight.  I’m guessing Coleman would just as soon let it go at this point, but the RNC will pick up the cost of litigation, not because they have any legitinate concern about the integrity of the result (hah), but to try to keep Franken off the Senate floor as long as possible.

Your problem is that, unlike in Florida 2000, you didn’t have a cheap political hack in the Secretary of State’s office to shut the recount down and let Bush sit on a (percentage-wise) smaller lead than Coleman had.  A fair recount like what took place in MN would (probably) have had the same result in FL.  Which ballots would you not have counted, Owen?  Is the problem that I’m blind or that you are willing to swallow any snake-oil the GOP shoves down your throat?

Panetta to Head CIA

Governor Richardson doesn’t have any experience to run the Commerce Department, but I’m sure that will work out just fine.

Panetta to Head CIA

WOW - what a great pick!!  Now he will be “Chief Spy” and he couldn’t even see Monica right under his nose.  How on earth will he be able to see a terrorist attack.  Just another Clinton re-tread and this is the change all the BHO kool-aide drinkers voted for??
On 2nd thought, maybe he did see Monica but just held his nose - LOL

Franken to be Declared Winner

While I disagree with Franken’s politics and positions, I don’t necessarily think it’s the worst thing in the world that he’s going into the U.S. senate.

Franken may be many things: comedian, actor, author, asshole, prick, etc.  But one thing he’s not is stupid.  He has been a political junkie for years; written books, articles, been on top of the people and issues of the day - and very much in touch with mainstream culture.  He’s no anointed dipshit like Caroline Kennedy.

As much as we all love to bash politicians, few of us would give up our comfy lives to go under the microscope the way one does to become a member of the U.S. Senate.  I think Franken went for that senate seat for the right reasons: to walk the walk and influence policy in accordance with his own values and beliefs.  And that is a lot more than can be said for many other politicians.  I like seeing incumbents bumped by someone who has not spent their whole life as a power hungry pol.

We know Franken will be a lefty - but with this much of a Democratic majority in Congress, what differences does it make?  I think that Franken will be an “honest” politician (as honest as we can expect these days).  He’s never been afraid to stand up to people.  Perhaps some of the business and lobbying interests in Washington that need to be told to go “shove it” will finally hear it out of the mouth of Franken.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Owen, this is worse than what happened in Florida eight years ago how?  From what I can tell, the real shame here is that eight years later and Americans still can’t figure out how to cast ballots correctly, nor have we come up with a better way of idiotproofing our voting methods.

A pox on both parties for this mess.

Pelosi Locks Minority Out of the Process

Perhaps your readers would be interested in a more detailed and fact-based account of what Pelosi is proposing from CQ Politics, as opposed to Human Events and its own usual “steaming piles of garbage.”

People make what they will of term limits.  And it would appear that Pelosi is attempting to prevent just one type of recommit motion that some would argue Republicans have used while in the minority to railroad popular legislation with unrelated fodder from their own agenda.  There are still plenty of nearly-identical ways for Republicans to advance and promote their own ideas, either in committee or on the floor.

Richardson Out Amid Scandal

Is there a clean one in the bunch, or do their motivations absolve them of their means?

Publius - Ask Scott - the resident Dem - he has admitted on a few occasions that the ends justify the means as long as it is a dem doing it…

Once again for Obama to be the smartest president ever - he sure isn’t that bright when it comes to the people that he hangs out with and has preaching to him…

Franken to be Declared Winner

Owen:

Perhaps the halo around “The Messiah” is blinding them all. Moses was supposed to hide in a crevice of the Sinai rocks because the light of the Lord would cause him to perish. Mayhaps it is the same philosophy.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Plaisted,

Look at the inconsistent rulings.  Look at the admissions of probable double counting.  Look at the discrepancy between the machine count and the number of ballots actually cast and how the committee decided to rule differently and, remarkably, always in Franken’s favor.  You can choose to be blind all you want, but there’s no point in arguing with someone who refuses to even see what’s in front of your face.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Yet another argument to repeal the 17th amendment more than anything else.

Doyle and Four Other Governors Can't Manage Own States

@Galt: My only guess is that they support a lot of the concepts behind the mandate, but just want the funding to accompany it so that they don’t have to find it in their own budgets.  But then again, I’m not about to profess any expertise in divining what exactly goes on inside the mind of a school superintendent.

@Irwin: I agree in part, but some of what you suggest poses other difficulties.  For instance, I agree that the UW System operates more campuses than it needs.  But if you start closing campuses, you’re going to need to add thousands upon thousands of seats at other UW campuses unless your goal is to actually have fewer college graduates in Wisconsin.  Most, but not all, UW schools are at or over capacity right now.  Even if you were to reassign existing faculty to other campuses, you still need room to host classes and enough dorms for students to live in.  It’ll be difficult to sell a UW campus because it’ll be extremely difficult to repurpose.  Granted, that’s a sunk cost, just saying that there’s little hope of getting any kind of value for them in return.  Going this route would be, I think, I long-term savings but it would also be an enormous short-term expense.  I’m not saying it’s a bad idea.  It’s just not as simple as you suggest.

Franken to be Declared Winner

You people are so out of it. Rolling you for the next eight years is going to be easy.

Seriously.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Stalin got his position by making himself the secret ballot vote counter in the CP’s central committee ... Lenin had no clue what was going on.

Man, I love that kind of talk.  You people are so out of it. Rolling you for the next eight years is going to be easy.

Hmmm...Still haven’t heard from Owen, who cast the smear in the first place....[crickets]…

Doyle and Four Other Governors Can't Manage Own States

The issue as I see it is that Diamond Jim and the legislature are saying that we have cut to the bone and cannot go any further. But yet we have massive amounts of duplication of services, wasteful spending at all levels and no one willing to do the heavy lifting.
Lets look at examples:
1) The state just spent 1 million dollars on a website for the Government Accountability Board. 1 MILLION DOLLARS. That is ridiculous. I cannot believe that this website could not be made for $10K or less.
2) UW System/2 year colleges/Tech Schools. The state has never lloked at the viability of these systems and whether or not we actually need them as they stand today. Do we truly need 3 full campuses within 90 miles of each other (Stout\BR Falls and Eau Claire) these campuses are not at capacity and could be consolidated. 2 year colleges and the Tech schools are also offering many of the same courses. You can take classes at Waukesha Technical College and they will transfer to the UW system so why do I need UW Waukesha right down the road?
The list goes on and on. We as a state are bloated and fat with beurocrats and wasteful spending yet our governor is running to Washington to ask for more money.

Its time someone in this state grows a pair and actully stands up and makes the tough decisions. It is pathetic and embarrising to be a resident of Wisconsin.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Didn’t think he was Scott, but if you say so..........

Richardson Out Amid Scandal

RS,

Hey, I’m just grateful I’m not on some sort of auto-block with your comments.  You never know these days.

Until then, how about we agree to keep on perpetual lookout for Bill Richardson’s baseball draft status?

Richardson Out Amid Scandal

Kevin,

That’s a fair point.  Obviously, the legislative and contracting processes are different, and certainly the control of the contracting process tends to be more centralized.  That should probably increase our level of scrutiny, since they’re often run via sealed bid by a handful of people and the decisions made are often far removed from public scrutiny.

As for PLW, hey, I just needed a hypothetical.  I suppose I could’ve used WMC too.  Although I will say that I think the tragedy of PLW is that the members spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on lobbyists and lobbying efforts that never amount to squat - another thing I’ve witnessed firsthand.  They’d be better off spending the money on grassroots organizing and developing a good media campaign.  At least then they’d have something to show for it.

Also, thanks for passing that hello along from our mutual acquaintance a few weeks ago.  He’s certainly a fountain of knowledge and the most terrifying source of fantasy stats ever.  Next time you see him, ask him about his baseball spreadsheets.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Not sure where you read that more ballots were counted than voters registered, but I bet Coleman would love to hear that. He didn’t even make that claim in his court filing over the duplicate ballot issue. Also how duplicate ballots were handle was agreed upon prior to the recount, and those ballots had to be agreed upon during the recount. This is an issue drumed up after the fact that is part of the bunch of straws Coleman is grasping.

Big Bopper's Casket Up for Sale

Goodbye, Baaaabyyyy.

Richardson Out Amid Scandal

The problem is that government now controls a purse that is far too large.  Any purse of that size will be corrupted.

Exactly… Too many spoils to be fought over.  When there is this much “wealth distribution” everyone needs to volley for position under the faucet.

as for quid pro quo… good grief.  Thats ALL politics is these days.  “Vote for me, I’ll give you a tax breat and raise taxes on the guy across town.” “Vote for me and I’ll give you free healthcare”

Work on my campaign and I’ll appoint you a judge…

There’s no end.

Franken to be Declared Winner

I think we all already know how to stop the spread of communism.

Three Wisconsin Legislators Refuse Pay Raise

In the real world people lose their jobs when they perform badly.

Franken to be Declared Winner

The head vote-counter position in a given state is that state’s most important race.

I am disappointed that Democrats realize this but Republican Party officials can’t be bothered to care.

Stalin got his position by making himself the secret ballot vote counter in the CP’s central committee ... Lenin had no clue what was going on.

Franken to be Declared Winner

To Bad the Fox News Article has been shown to be a fraud!

By Whom?

Franken to be Declared Winner

And communism.  Don’t forget communism.

Franken to be Declared Winner

That figures Scott...more unbridled liberalism, more unbridled taxation.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Stolen my butt.  And man am I glad Franken won.  I enjoyed a couple of his books and his victory is the absolute cherry on top of the 2008 election for me.

Franken to be Declared Winner

Kinda odd that more votes were cast than people who actually voted (from what I read). Can you explain?

Franken to be Declared Winner

To Bad the Fox News Article has been shown to be a fraud!
The Actual Ballots are on the web.
yes they had to make a call on such ballots, but they did so in the same manner regardless of who it benefited.
you dopes do realize they had 2 minn supreme court justices working on the panel.
reminder that the minn supreme court has 7 justices,
4 been appointed by REPUBLICAN IDOL Tim Pawlenty.
Tell me again why they’d let franken steal a donut much less an election. Owen you really got look into this stuff rather than just trust the right wing nutbags.
just like i don’t expect all lefty blogs to buy into the 911 was an inside jon BS just cause they are lefty’s!