Curmudgeon's Corner

Random Political Thoughts

Posted by Al Campbell on Jan. 23, 2012

Political, U.S., Wisconsin, Economy, Employment, Healthcare, Quality of Life

As I read the morning Journal Sentinel today, I was struck by the political inferences across the main section even though this publication claims to be unbiased.  (1) Dan Bice continues on the 'expose Walker' bent that he has made standard fare of late.  His "sources say" that charges will be issued in the coming days and that they likely will involve Walker operatives.  He mentions that "at least eight" of Walker's "former aides and associates have hired criminal defense lawyers".  "Insiders" have told Bice that the "next phase is focusing on the role of some of Walker's closest associates". (2) There is now an 'issue' over whether or not Wisconsin is in a deficit or not in a deficit.  The gap of some $3.6 Billion that Walker encountered when he took office was closed by the Walker government but that was on a cash basis.  So now we are exposed to the fact that under GAAP accounting there is still a deficit and that this fact was used recently in a petition to the federal government to gain its permission to cut some 50,000+ people from a state health plan if necessary.  I don't recall the continuing series of articles during the former government's time in office that traced the ever-increasing budget deficit or that condemned the use of various 'funds' (transportation and patient compensation, for example) to make possible increased state spending.  (3) A story on the national 'health care overhaul' from the Associated Press states that Wisconsin is among the states "lagging" in implementation of the wonderful new PPACA legislation that has yet to withstand U.S. Supreme Court scrutiny.  This story mentions some 500,000 Wisconsinites who have no health insurance but does not indicate that this state is among those with the lowest uninsured population in the nation.  Nor does it bother to mention that each of these 500,000 people have access to health care under federal laws that have been in force for years.  Maybe this was simply accidental story selection.  Maybe not. 

Newt Gingrich has thrown the Republican Party into the proverbial 'cocked hat' with his decisive victory in South Carolina.  Mitt Romney has not demonstrated his ability to excite the Republican masses; at best he seems to be an 'okay' candidate but not one whom people can really get pumped about.  Romney has been on the campaign trail for years and still can't light it up.  Gingrich has a lot of baggage and that will be in all the news over and over again if he emerges as the Republican candidate.  Ron Paul is a spoiler and I have no idea where his votes will go once he is out.  Santorum might be able to get moving upward but that remains to be seen.  He needs to do very well in Florida.  Some Republicans are now thinking about the dreaded "brokered" convention where a candidate suitable to the majority emerges whether or not he or she was vetted on the long campaign trail.  We might hear about another Bush, Jeb, or some teaming of Paul Ryan as the VP candidate, etc.

Tuesday night sees another State of the Nation address by President Obama where he will tout all his many accomplishments, where he will continue to chide the "do nothing Congress" while aiming his remarks at the Republican House instead of the Democrat Senate, where George Bush will again be blamed for everything that has happened on Obama's watch and where he will begin for the second or third time, so far, his campaign for re-election.