The latest count on the race to replace Sue Jeskewitz is now standing at five.  Randy Melchert (R) and Jason LaSage (R) have been involved in our Assembly "Debate" series as you know.

The additional filed candidates are:

Ms. Charlene Brady (D), a Germantown resident who is currently serving on the Washington County Board of Supervisors

Mr. Torrey Lauer (D), a Germantown resident

Mr. Dan Knodl (R),  Germantown resident who is currently serving on the Washington County Board of Supervisors

We hope to obtain the agreement of the three additional candidates to participate in the Assembly "Debate" Blog series that has begun.  If one or more decide to do so, we'll ask them the same questions already published and print a 'catch-up' Blog to get all five on the same topics from that point forward.

There is still time for another candidate or two if I remember correctly.  I believe that July 8th is the final date for the Declaration of Candidacy filing.

We should have a spirited discussion as we move toward the primary election in early-September.

We are, by all signs, involved in an oil cost run-up driven by demand being greater than supply.  It is exacerbated for us Americans because our monetary policy has seen an intentional softening of the dollar (our money is worth less than other peoples' money, so it takes more of it to buy a barrel of crude oil).  I paid $4.20 per gallon yesterday with the price of crude oil standing at about $130 +/- per barrel.  Predictions of crude oil prices of $150 per barrel or more are seen or heard regularly now.  And, the cost of oil could well be higher than that by year-end.

How did we get to this point?  We got there by congressional law making, by presidents rolling over and signing those bills, and by our country's increasing needs/demand for gasoline and diesel fuel.  Why would we permit ourselves to become part of such a quagmire?

Politics!  Politics played by those on both sides of the aisle.  Conservatives seem to have lost their voices.  Liberals never seem to lose their voices.

Laws were re-written more than thirty years ago to make it nearly impossible for a new refinery to be built.  Those were the result of congress being rolled by the environmentalists and presidents either believing the rhetoric of the day or fearing the backlash should they stand up to the rhetoric.  This has continued to this very day.  We are forbidden from drilling within 200 miles of the California and Florida coastlines but the Chinese are already doing so as we sit on our thumbs.  We are unable to pursue the shale oil deposits that span our northern plains and southwestern states.  We have ample untapped resources that are readily available but our laws don't permit us to make use of those resources.

We see the 'global warming' group and the 'environmentalist group' driving our economy into the ground...and we have not found the moral outrage/courage to stand up to them and say "no more"!  We could easily build new refineries in any number of locations around our country but we're not permitted to do so.  We know how to drill and refine today without ruining our world.  It takes from 6 to 10 years to bring a new refinery on-line so the time to have declared a moratorium on the rules that made it impossible to build new refining capacity has come and gone.  But, the typical congressional response of "that will take ten years" should remind us that if we don't roll back those silly laws today, it'll take ten years from whenever we do roll back those silly laws.  The time to begin is now, not next week or next month.

We witnessed the ridiculous 'hearings' held by congress in the past few weeks.  We watched as Sen. Herb Kohl embarrassed himself by chiding the 'big bad oil companies' for making a profit.  He is a former businessman who certainly understands that profit must be derived in order for businesses to exist and grow.  He knew how that worked when he ran Kohl's Food Stores.  He certainly must have some comprehension as the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.  His statement to the oil company executives that their profits didn't seem fair gives one a lot of insight.  He knows better but he will play/pander to the crowd he favors.  He 'feels' as do most liberals.  He doesn't necessarily reason.  He has his millions, so he can set out to control everyone else who aspires to similar success.

Sen. Kohl is but one of the 535 members of congress.  Too many of those men and women are too intent on keeping their offices to actually vote the way they probably know they should.  You have probably heard the old phrase that states you must "go along to get along".  That should be inscribed over the doorways leading to the House and the Senate chambers since it is the rule that is followed by the vast majority of people who walk through those portals.  That is true on the national stage, the state stage and the local stage.

The people who go to Washington and who do not give in and play by the Washingtonian rules are few and very far between.

Whose fault is this dilemma in the final analysis?  Yours and mine. 

We're the men and women who have permitted this to happen.  We don't vote in the House or the Senate, but we do elect those who do...and we do not seem to unelect people very often once they've gotten into office.  Rep. Steve Kagen (D) from the Appleton area stands for re-election this November.  He is at his most defeatable point historically.  If he survives the first re-election campaign and keeps his seat, he is likely to be in that seat for so long as he desires without regard to how he votes or doesn't vote.

We're so unconcerned about our vote, it seems, that we don't even think voting is sacrosanct enough to require valid photo identification before we're permitted to cast a ballot. 

So, all this angst has been brought to us by us.  Remember that the next time you buy gasoline or diesel fuel.  Remember that the next time you go to the grocery store and try to make your food budget stretch.  Remember that when you ponder whether or not you'll be able to take a vacation this year, or buy new school clothing for your children, or go out for a fish fry.  Remember that when you try to stretch your retirement income to cover your basic needs.

And, when you've gotten yourself all 'cranked up', if that happens, make a resolution to get involved and stay involved and to talk with your elected representatives at every level of government and let them know what you think and what you want them to do on your behalf.  And, if they fail you, fire them with your vote at the polling place.

Had you and I done that two decades ago instead of simply going with the flow, maybe we'd not be in the situation we find ourselves in today.

It is difficult, at best, to process information and understand whatever bias one might've injected.  There may be bias or it might be imagined.  The bias, if present, could be caused by the processor or it could have been injected into the process itself through the data gathering effort.

There is a certain tone, a certain something that seems to be going on in our fair community.  We have had political change, but it is hard to determine if that was a cause or an effect, or maybe a combination of those drivers.  We have an aging volunteer community that may foretell of more changes.  For example, will there cease to be a Mai Fest in a year or two or three given the fact that many of the organizers and behind-the-scenes drivers are getting almost too old to continue on their chosen pathways.

There are the rumors that one hears and there may or may not be truth, to whatever degree hindsight will prove, but those rumors have gained in intensity and show no signs of diminishing.  Again, that may be a bias that I've injected or that has been provided knowingly or unknowingly by the people involved in the process.

There is the sense that the school bonding issue, if brought back with no change, and if not thoroughly 'vetted' in public, will be a disaster.

There is the presidential race that will continue to confuse and confound us all until November.  There is the state senate race that will continue to elicit feelings, pro and con, about each candidate.  There is the assembly vacancy that will likely have candidates from both major parties, but that is yet to unfold.

My sense is that we are witnesses to something that will unfold over the course of months and, maybe, years.  I sense what some might refer to as a watershed.  But I have not been able to pin down anything of sufficient substance as of yet to begin to draw conclusions.  All I have are feelings and yet those are giving me the sense that there is something on our collective horizon that we'll look back on for years to come.

You know how the hairs on the back of your neck sort of stand up?  What do you think?

Random thoughts:

• The turn-out by voters in Germantown was reported to be some 34%, as contrasted with the statewide prediction of only about 20%.  That may well be a 'victory' for the group that was pushing its agenda using postcards and telephone calls.  I suspect that this group stimulated a greater turnout than would've otherwise been the case.  That is a good thing.
• It seems though that the voters were not swayed sufficiently so as to follow the suggestions made by this group.  Those who were criticized by this group seem to have fared well enough to win.  Those who were 'favored' by not being attacked by this group didn't fare as well.  Are we likely done with this kind of electioneering in Germantown?  I am admittedly naive, but I'm not that naive.  I expect these tactics will continue to be seen in future Germantown elections.
• The need for some kind of solution to the school crowding in the Germantown district will have to be addressed at some point in the future.  It may be that a scaled down version of the defeated proposition will find its way to a ballot later this year.  If so, I suspect we'll see higher interest rates and increases in all the associated costs so that, even if the total bond issue were to be reduced, the ultimate costs could very well exceed what would've been the case with this issue.  The reported 55% to 45% margin was a bit surprising; I had suspected the issue might have been outvoted by a larger number.  The smaller turn-out obviously included a higher number of voters who favored the referendum.  That might be expected in a non-Presidential election.
• The face of the School Board changes a bit.
• The state Supreme Court race was critical, in my view, and the conservative won albeit by a relatively slim margin.  That bodes well for the state.
• There is a large segment of new members elected to the Washington County Board.  What that will mean can only be determined as we see the outcome of the various issues that will face this new board.  I hope that we will see special attention paid to holding down spending and thus taxes.  Maybe my naivite' is showing again.
• And, the 'Frankenstein Veto' has died at the hands of the voters.  That, also, is a very good thing without regard to which party might control the Governor's Mansion.

All in all, the voters have spoken and our representative form of government is working as was intended.

I encourage readers to click on the earlier Elementary School Blog for the give and take between citizen Irwin Fletcher and School Board member Bruce Warnimont.

This dialog will likely continue for some time and some of Mr. Warnimont's responses will appear at that location while others will comprise separate Blogs.  He has responded to questions that Mr. Fletcher had posted earlier, and the responses are very instructive.

Besides, this makes the Blog stay fresher while I'm out of town than it might otherwise :>). 

Seriously, the question as to a Yes or No vote on the elementary school issue is very important to our community, our parents and, especially, our children.  Mr. Warnimont has explained, I believe, how the expenditure of funds to build a new building might very well be offset ++ by state revenue increases. 

You need to be the judge, and you need information to be able to make the proper judgement.

That is our aim in this series.

Wisconsin citizens get the opportunity to vote on whether or not the 'Frankenstein Veto' should be eliminated by constitutional amendment.  This was made possible when the Assembly gave its final approval yesterday. 

The question will appear on the April 1st ballots.

As you'll probably remember, Governor Doyle found letters, numbers and punctuation marks across many pages of the budget to enable him to cobble together a new budget item that transferred some $470,000 from the transportation fund to another pet program that the legislature had not given him.

His spokespersons, of course, decry the elimination of this 'tool' since it gives them the opportunity to protect us from the evil legislature whenever it is misguided from Doyle's perspective.

I often disagree with legislative actions, but I have to believe that we're better off not having the governor armed with this ability.  No matter your feelings about the current governor, do you want future governors to have this kind of a tool?

You will also have the opportunity to help shape the future of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, choose your state senator, vote on the school referendum and school board members, and elect county supervisors and village trustees.  Mark April 1st on your calendar (and ignore the fact that this is also "April Fool's Day').

The morning Journal Sentinel carried the listing of races that we'll be deciding during the February 19th and then the April 1st elections this year.

I noted that the 7th District of Washington County has no one running for the Supervisor spot.  Interesting.  Maybe a write-in candidate will appear on the horizon.

I also noted that two Germantown Trustees also appear to be County Supervisors and are running for re-election in both races.

Mel Ewert is listed as the incumbent in District 26 as the County Supervisor while he is also the incumbent for Germantown's District 3 Trustee spot.  Similarly, Peter Sorce is listed as the incumbent in District 28 as the County Supervisor while he is also the incumbent for Germantown's District 2 Trustee position.

This raises the question as to whether or not the citizens of Germantown & Washington County receive all the representation they deserve if two people occupy two different positions at two different levels of government.

It seems, in my simple mind at least, that every once in awhile there must be something that develops in the village that flies in the face of the two peoples' roles at the county level.  It seems that the reverse could certainly be true.  I suspect that, if this were to occur, both gentlemen would abstain from the vote in one or the other jurisdiction.  I'm not suggesting that any skulduggery is involved.

I am wondering if we all get full value from both gentlemen if they periodically find themselves placed in the precarious position of having to vote for one or against the other jurisdiction's best interest while sitting as an elected official of the other governmental unit?  What about the situation where county funding is being debated about a village need?  What happens if the county is about to provide some funding for a project that one or both gentlemen are opposed to at the village level?  What do they do?  If they abstain, could that affect the outcome one way or the other?  I suspect it could in the case of a close vote.  Then there is the whole thing as to what the impact might be if they do not abstain and instead vote their positions twice.

What about the establishment of county tax rates that will impact the village?  Could that work against the village if both abstained from the vote?  It seems possible that it could. 

In my naiveté, I am a bit surprised that our laws permit this kind of situation.  It seems this just invites problems that could otherwise be avoided.

Holiday Tree...

Marlin 'Snarlin Marlin' Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids) has a bill that could go before the Assembly to rename the pointy green thing with decorations on it from Holiday tree to Christmas tree.  Isn't that something?  Our Capitol rotunda has had a Christmas tree each year since 1916.  It was a Christmas tree until 1985 when we permitted our lawmakers to go off the track.  At that point, it became known as the Holiday tree, even though everyone who saw it called it by its correct name...Christmas tree. 

Our governor says the tree's name is irrevelant.  Again, I find myself disagreeing with the governor.  We have simply lost our bearings in this morass we call 'political correctness' and it is time for us to reclaim our Christmas tree.

Washington County Board...

As of this morning, there are now eight County Supervisors who have announced that they will not stand for re-election.  Wouldn't this be a great time for the Board to reduce itself to a more workable and less expensive size by deciding to take the vote and create 22 new districts from the current 30?  Supervisors don't seem able to take a risk that their position could be one that is eliminated.  This would solve that dilemma.  And there can be little doubt that 22 would be able to serve the constituency as well as or better than 30.

Supervisor Brady, why not take a shot at this? 

Mike Gousha Returns...

Area television just got a real boost with the announcement that Mike Gousha is returning to our screens with a Sunday morning show as well as political analysis and commentary at other times.  He is simply the classiest and best TV person we've seen in ages, and it is good to be able to look forward to seeing him.

Health Care Costs Unequal Across State...

An analysis by Citizen Action, a coalition of labor unions and grass-roots groups, just announced that health care costs vary by as much as 26% from one part of Wisconsin to another.  Eau Claire, Milwaukee and Racine had the highest costs while Madison, Janesville and Beloit had the lowest.  This study used the rates for the state employees' health insurance program.

There are two major factors at work here, in my opinion.  First, the Madison/Janesville/Beloit area is filled with state employees to the point that it is the largest employer of record, and it has greater competition among more provider groups.  Second, the Eau Claire, Milwaukee and Racine areas have less competition amongst provider groups coupled with fewer state employees.

These two factors combine to produce lower or higher rates respectively.  Insurance rates are a direct function of health care costs assuming that the relative health of citizens doesn't differ markedly from one side of the state to another.

Frankly, this disparity of costs will likely increase with the continued vertical integration of health care providers.

Noting that the Washington county board had recently voted some funding to build a new building on the county fairgrounds, I was reminded of a really major 'peeve'.

Am I the only person in the county who can't read the scrolling messages at the bottom of the Fair Grounds sign along Hwy. 45? 

Who can possibly see the scroll driving at 65 miles per hour.  It is small; it is red; it scrolls too quickly. It should be large, white and somewhat fixed for a period of time...or, it should look like one of the new electronic billboards.

Can we find some funds to re-do that sign?  It was a waste from the beginning from my perspective.  I'd be interested in the process that led to this decision in the first place.  If that was the result of a consulting contract, we might have the opportunity to go back to that entity for redress.  It seems we received poor advice.

As it stands now, we'd be better off not using the sign; it is more likely to cause an accident than to communicate a message.