Curmudgeon's Corner

There Ought'a Be A Law

Posted by Al Campbell on July 21, 2010

Economy, Political, Quality of Life, Taxes, Wisconsin

The old bromide, “there ought‘a be a law” came to mind yesterday with the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision that the raiding of the Patient Compensation Fund by our Governor and legislature was improper.

The $200 Million was just sitting there and Governor Doyle needed to find money from somewhere to at least maintain the semblance of a balanced budget.  He has, of course, purloined untold millions from many different locations that had been earmarked for other uses.  That wasn’t new.  That he took this money that had literally been placed in Trust was the straw that broke his back in this case.

Maybe there is the need for a Constitutional amendment that will preclude such “shenanigans” from occurring in future years.  We do have a requirement that our state’s budget be balanced.  We continue to spend more on annual programs than we have, and then we perpetuate that over-spending by seizing funds from other places.

This whole situation begs for adult government, honest adult government, without the games that have become so commonplace. 

We have change in the air in Wisconsin.  If Scott Walker is elected as our next Governor, the change that will occur will be refreshing, not easy but refreshing.  We will need to wean ourselves from the mother’s teat of endless programs that we simply cannot afford. 

It is way past time for this state to regain the stable and honest form of governance that it once had.  Arrogant political leaders are a dime a dozen these days.  We voters have to get a lot better at reading the tea leaves if we’re going to change our governments for the better.  We have to look at the history of those whom we’re considering for office.  If there is no history, the candidate ought to be sent back to the minor leagues until they have some history.

And really, there ought’a be a law that would actually apply a significant monetary penalty on lawmakers who do things like take money from a ‘trust’ account.  As it stands today, the Governor will skate into history when he ought to be vilified for what he did.  And those who voted for this stinky budget with those dollars being used in the way they were ought to be subjected to a monetary penalty.  That will be the only way to get their attention and to make changes to the way some politicians conduct themselves.