Posted on January 31 at 12:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

At least he didn't have a long list of people to be presented/mentioned and applauded.

On How would you rate President Bush's final State of the Union speech on a scale of one to five with one being poor and five excellent?

Posted on January 22 at 1:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The election to office of somebody we don't like is not sufficient justification
for getting rid of elections. In China, perhaps, but not in the USA. Taking
away elections from citizens is taking away the very thing that defines
democracy and differentiates it from dictatorship and oligarchy. How casually
we give away rights that millions have died to protect. The right to vote is
worthless if no elections are held. We should have more elections not fewer.

On Will we get serious about cleaning up the Wisconsin Supreme Court?

Posted on December 28 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It is not true that the law allows legislators to pick and choose where they will be tried for a crime. The law (2007 Wis. Act 1) provides that for certain specific violations (related to elections, lobbying, or ethics violations) the accused (anybody so charged, not just legislators) will be tried in the county of their residence. These defendants can request a change of venue to the county where the offense was committed, but a court decides on the request.

On A recent change in state law allows legislators accused of crimes to decide where to be tried - in the county where the crime is alleged to have occurred, or in the county where they live. Should this law be repealed?

Posted on November 28 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The average Janesville teacher makes $44,000 per year. The lowest base pay is $30,000 and the maximum pay is $60,000. On a 52 week year basis that's $21.15, $14.42, and $28.85 per hour respectively. If teachers paid $200 per month towards their health insurance premiums, it would reduce their current net pay by $1.15 per hour, leaving them with $20.00, $13.27, and $27.70 per hour. If you figure hourly rates based on a 39 week year basis, that would be $26.67, $17.69, and $36.92 per hour respectively. Any of these rates is more than a mere "living wage." Even if teachers got no wage increase and were required to pay $200 per month towards their health insurance, they would still be receiving a very decent wage. A cost of living increase would be more than fair, and anything more than that can't be justified. Teachers should pay $200 per month towards health insurance premiums and get no more than a 2.3% wage increase (the current Social Security cost of living increase amount.) The district should also acquire the authority to make merit pay increases to outstanding teachers, making the district better able to compete for outstanding teachers. The school board should determine the amount to be budgeted for merit pay increases.

On Let's go at this Janesville public school teacher pay issue from another direction. On average, teachers will receive a salary increase in excess of 5 percent. Is this not enough, about right or too much?