Congress

Big surprise: F. Jimmy doesn't bother listening to his constituents if he can help it.

October 18, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

F. JimmyI know it's an exercise in futility, but trying to talk sense to Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner is better than ignoring him. F. Jimmy is, unfortunately, my congressman and a number of times in the past I've written him to state my views on issues ranging from the environment to our nation's military posture. His office has always returned to me a form reply, disagreeing entirely, but at least they paid attention. But not any more.

Today I jumped onto Sensenbrenner's web site to compose a message urging him to reconsider voting against components of -- or better yet, the entire -- jobs act package proposed by President Obama. Yes, this is a fool's errand, but I keep telling myself if we fill up their mailboxes with views and constituent requests that are contrary to his world view, senseless legislators like Sensenbrenner might just have to sit up and listen a bit. If only to save a few votes in a fast-narrowing political environment.

Mark Neumann's "truthful" math: Facts are pesky, pesky things

September 28, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

NeumannThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Politifact (I like to call it Politifactoid) feature today examined a statement by former GOP congressman and current US Senate candidate Mark Neumann and judged it "truthful." His statement:

Did you know that if the federal government spent $30,000 on behalf of every family of four or group of four in America, that the federal budget would be balanced today? They’re spending $46,000 on behalf of every family of four in America today, every year."

Which is the logical equivalent of saying this: If you trimmed the human population of Earth back down from the current seven billion to two billion, you'd balance the eco-system and save the planet. That may be true, just as Neumann's comment about the federal budget deficit may be true, but the devil, as usual, is in the details.

On Protecting The Innocent, Or, Is There A Death Penalty Compromise?

September 24, 2011 by Left in Alabama

I don't feel very good about this country this morning, and as so many of us are I'm thinking of how Troy Davis was hustled off this mortal coil by the State of Georgia without a lot of thought of what it means to execute the innocent.

And given the choice, I'd rather see us abandon the death penalty altogether, for reasons that must, at this moment, seem self-evident; that said, it's my suspicion that a lot of states are not going to be in any hurry to abandon their death penalties anytime soon now that they know the Supreme Court will allow the innocent to be murdered.

So what if there was a way to create a compromise that balanced the absolute need to protect the innocent with the feeling among many Americans that, for some crimes, we absolutely have to impose the death penalty?

Considering the circumstances, it's not going to be an easy subject, but let's give it a try, and see what we can do.