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	<title>Watchdog Milwaukee</title>
	<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com</link>
	<description>Your Progressive Source for Local Opinions and Insightful Commentary</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:25:37 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>No Tears Shed for Supervisor Toni Clark</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The public is paranoid enough that their elected officials are all dishonest and looking to line their own pockets so when one of them is proven to be as bad as the public believes, the full power of the law ought to come down on them.
That appears to be what&#8217;s about to happen to Milwaukee [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/no-tears-shed-for-supervisor-toni-clark/</link>
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		<title>Barrett&#8217;s New Website Offers Promise, Optimism</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Mayor Tom Barrettt has just launched his new campaign website and it shows promise that it will offer much more than the sound bites that his opponents are offering.
This promises to be a difficult race where Barrett&#8217;s biggest challenge is to respond to the simple republican slogan &#8220;cut taxes&#8221;.  Barrett has shown amazing fiscal [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/barretts-new-website-offers-promise-optimism/</link>
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		<title>Checking Back In</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I haven’t been around the doghouse for awhile (due to Real Life), so I thought I&#8217;d drop by to say that I&#8217;m alive, and to encourage you to look for my appearances as a returning Community Columnist at the Journal Sentinel. My first one, talking about corporate political donations, can be found here. If you [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/janice/2010/checking-back-in/</link>
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		<title>Walker gets the wrong Governor to back him</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Scott Walker announced that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will be headlining a fundraiser for him.  If Walker was looking for someone who had his fiscal style he picked the wrong Guv.
California&#8217;s Arnold Schwartzenegger would be a more appropriate match for Walker&#8217;s fiscal style.  Schwartzenegger has borrowed heavily rather than raise taxes today. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/walker-gets-the-wrong-governor-to-back-him/</link>
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		<title>Digging out George</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s been about 35 years since George gave me that shovel.  It was a great shovel.
My neighbor at the the time was well into his 80&#8217;s.  His health had started to fail him but I could tell he had always been an independent and hard-working kind of guy.  He would fix things [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/digging-out-george/</link>
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		<title>Limbaugh Compares Feingold to Bin Laden</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Russ Feingold is used to being called a maverick, but nothing can be more outrageous than syndicated Republican talk show host Rush Limbaugh&#8217;s comparison of him to the terrorist, Osama Bin Laden.
Limbaugh said that Bin Laden&#8217;s recent comments &#8220;sounds like this could easily be [said by] Russ Feingold, the Senator from Wisconsin.&#8221;
Limbaugh clearly doesn&#8217;t understand [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/limbaugh-compares-feingold-to-bin-laden/</link>
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		<title>Unlikely Adversaries: Republican sues Republican</title>
		<description><![CDATA[They&#8217;re typically allies, but apparently the lovefest have come to an end for Republican activists Robert &#8220;Bob&#8221; Dohnal and J.J. Blonien.
According to state records, Dohnal is hoping to cash in with a lawsuit against Blonien.
Hat tip: Dan Bice
]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/republican-sues-republican/</link>
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		<title>Ignore the Polls</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s getting to be that time &#8212; the time when newspapers and every news outlet that wants to claim they have some insight publishes polls about one candidate or another.
Yes, we&#8217;ve all heard about the poll putting Tom Barrett over both Scott Walker and Mark Neumann in the race for Governor next fall.  The [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/ignore-the-polls/</link>
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		<title>Healthy Communities are Age Diversified</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Local leaders aren&#8217;t used to looking at thinking about the needs of their community in terms of age, but they should.
Consider how all of us benefit society.  In our young lives we symbolize hope and optimism.  As enter our working years we keep the engines of industry and commerce going.  As we [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/healthy-communities-are-age-diversified/</link>
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		<title>MPS Reform is Uncomfortable as Fear and Cynicism Run Rampant</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The restructuring of MPS is running into hurdles and roadblocks.
Critics of MPS correctly point out that the school system has been poorly managed and many business and community leaders look to the Mayor of the City of Milwaukee for a fix.  Unfortuately the current system gives the Mayor no voice and no control over [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/mps-reform-is-uncomfortable-as-fear-and-cynicism-run-rampant/</link>
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		<title>Church forsakes Lassa.  Lassa forsakes church.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Maybe it&#8217;s just a lack of understanding of the political process.  Maybe it&#8217;s just ignorance.  Either way, what the Catholic Church did to Julie Lassa, the state legislator, can be neither forgiven nor excused.  Lassa, it seems, is doing her part by making church leaders pay for their sins.
State Senator Julie Lassa [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/church-forsakes-lassa-lassa-forsakes-church/</link>
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		<title>Welfare Queens &amp; Corporate CEO&#8217;s: A Sense of Entitlement</title>
		<description><![CDATA[How is everyone else in the world doing?  Are they struggling to make ends meet?
Who cares.
Unfortunately that twisted sentiment is one that &#8220;welfare queens&#8221; and corporate CEO&#8217;s share.  Neither really cares about the next person just trying to get by.  Welfare queens care less that someone else has to work hard to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/welfare-queens-corporate-ceos-a-sense-of-entitlement/</link>
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		<title>Overly Simplistic Message for Good Government</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve always thought it was interesting that we live in one of the most technologically advanced ages, but the political discourse that much of the public seems to subscribe could be cut right out of an episode of &#8220;The Flintstones&#8221;.
One of the biggest and most dishonest pieces of rhetoric is &#8220;cut taxes&#8221;.  We&#8217;ve all [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/overly-simplistic-message-for-good-government/</link>
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		<title>2010 to be Bad for Cowards, Rewarding for the Brave</title>
		<description><![CDATA[What happens when you&#8217;ve worked really hard on your campaign, talked to many people including many who disagree with you, then spent the next two years trying to raise money while hearing from people who support the opposing party anyway that the President is doing a horrible job?
Well you vote against what the President supports, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2010/2010-to-be-a-bad-year-for-cowards/</link>
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		<title>Goodbye 2009.  You sucked.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[2009 was a horrible year.
The economy threw many people out of work and many of those that continued to work were underemployed and of course the stock market tanked.
A spate of deaths among family and friends in late 2008 was carried forward with the loss of my Grandfather in 2009.  On top of that, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/goodbye-2009-you-sucked/</link>
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		<title>The New Media: Providing Facts vs Talking Points</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There is a lot of rhetoric right now about who is a conservative and who is a liberal one and what type of candidate is better for Wisconsin. Next November we will have two candidates to choose. It appears that the Democratic nominee is Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Republicans must choose whether they prefer former [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/the-new-media-providing-facts-vs-talking-points/</link>
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		<title>No Public Option is no Option at all</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We have to do something right?  The public is expecting some sort of compromise correct?  If we do not get something passed, we will not really be doing our jobs now will we?
This is the crux of the problem in Congress today with the debate on health care.
Many Democrats want national health care, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/no-public-option-is-no-option-at-all/</link>
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		<title>Waukesha &#8211; Baseball Hat Capital</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Went to Outback in Waukesha County tonight.
Amusing fact &#8212; over half of the men in the restaurant were wearing baseball caps&#8230; and yes, during dinner.  My how things change.
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		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/waukesha-baseball-hat-capital/</link>
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		<title>Understanding the Shepherd&#8217;s Jerk of the Week</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Shepherd-Express has given Milwaukee County Supervisor Lynne DeBruin the title &#8220;Jerk of the Week&#8221; for her votes siding with County Executive Scott Walker on the recently passed budget.
I can understand why they did it and DeBruin has certainly been a disappointment on many issues but while I don&#8217;t agree with what she has done [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/understanding-the-shepherds-jerk-of-the-week/</link>
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		<title>Predator Fish, Zebra Mussels &amp; Baitfish Explosion to Blame for Poor Fishing</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Fortunately, at least part of the problem of poor fishing on Wisconsin lakes this past year is cyclical.  Fishing was just lousy this year.  Areas that had previously been near-guarantees for at least a few panfish were bust.  Historically reliable fish runs were non-existent.  
Catches of perch and panfish, previously considered [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/preditor-fish-zebra-mussels-baitfish-explosion-to-blame-for-poor-fishing/</link>
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		<title>Citizen Group to Craven Lust for Power: CRG&#8217;s Downfall</title>
		<description><![CDATA[They&#8217;re at it again and now they expect elected officials to actually take orders from them.
Despite their dwindling numbers, despite the fact that many in the public know them to be a group of pro-recall nuts, despite the fact that they&#8217;re essentially an organization run by two members, the inappropriately named Citizens for Responsible Government [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/citizen-group-to-craven-lust-for-power-crgs-downfall/</link>
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		<title>Wisconsin needs Tom Barrett</title>
		<description><![CDATA[What will Barrett do?
That&#8217;s the phrase on the lips of many today as Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is expected to make an announcement as to whether or not he will run for Governor.
He should.
It&#8217;s not because democrats simply need a candidate in the race.  Others could fill those shoes.  It&#8217;s because Wisconsinites need [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/wisconsin-needs-tom-barrett/</link>
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		<title>Barrett for Governor: Strategy or Indecision?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Speculation surrounds whether or not Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will jump into the Governors race.  Respected by both Democrats and Republicans, Barrett would likely garner more votes than any of the Republican candidates if he were to take the plunge.
But with the withdrawal of Lt. Governor Barb Lawton from the race, state democrats are [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/barrett-for-governor-strategy-or-indecision/</link>
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		<title>Turn our Backs on the Politics of Divisiveness</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s human nature, but we seek answers to things that we do not understand.   and sometimes our fears fester until our anger boils over.  What makes us human is that we can choose to control these emotions.  We can choose to be better than pure, reactionary instinct.
Why do I bring this [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/turn-our-backs-on-the-politics-of-divisiveness/</link>
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		<title>Reform Plans from MPS School Board Advocates Too Little, Too Late</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Is that the smell of desperation in the air?
A modest crowd of anti-reformers has gathered to oppose Mayor Tom Barrett&#8217;s proposal for the city to take over MPS.  The plan by Milwakee Mayor Tom Barrett is really quite simple &#8212; the Mayor would appoint a Superintendent who would run MPS, in many ways, like [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/reform-plans-from-mps-school-board-advocates-too-little-too-late/</link>
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		<title>CRG Defeated Again &#8211; this time in Brown Deer</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Pitting themselves against children was probably not the smartest thing that CRG has ever done but they narrowly failed to kill a vote for a modest 2.99% increase in the tax levy for schools.  The 140-138 vote was a testament may be a signal that even in their home of Brown Deer, CRG support [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/crg-defeated-again-this-time-in-brown-deer/</link>
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		<title>Jesus is a Socialist</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Who does this Jesus guy think he is anyway?  Doesn&#8217;t he realize that if he gets his way taxes will go up?  Doesn&#8217;t he realize that it&#8217;s the natural order of things?  The free market has proven to be the driver for the best business practices.
And there he goes with his high-minded, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/jesus-is-a-socialist/</link>
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		<title>CRG wasn&#8217;t the 1st to Jump into Accusatory Politics</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Once again, the group calling themselves &#8220;Citizens for Responsible Government&#8221; (CRG) is in the news and they&#8217;re busy vilifying members of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
CRG&#8217;s claim to fame has all been related to accusing others of wrongdoing and posturing itself as the white knight riding in to save the day but CRG didn&#8217;t [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/crg-accusatory-politics/</link>
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		<title>Will Texting While Driving Laws Change Anything?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Really now, will it make a difference if Wisconsin legislators outlaw &#8220;texting&#8221; while driving?
What about using a cell phone while driving, using a radio (or mp3 player) while driving, programing a GPS while driving?  Where do you stop?  Where will we draw the line?  What technology will arise in the future?  [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/will-texting-while-driving-laws-change-anything/</link>
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		<title>America: What a Country</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
Hat tip to Cognitive Dissidence.
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		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/america-what-a-country/</link>
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		<title>Walker closes Farm and Fish Hatchery at House of Corrections</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Running for Governor is Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker&#8217;s #1 priority so the long term health and safety of our community barely makes it onto his radar.  As is the case this year as every other year of his budgeting, Walker cut funding that he knew the County Board would put back in.  [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/walker-closes-farm-and-fish-hatchery-at-house-of-corrections/</link>
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		<title>How to make the Dollar Coin Succeed</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It seems every year or two the federal reserve tries to bring dollar coins into the mainstream.  From a practical and financial standpoint, it makes a lot of sense but it seems that every right wing group under the sun opposes them for one reason or another.
So you want the dollar coin to succeed? [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/how-to-make-the-dollar-coin-succeed/</link>
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		<title>Alderman Tony Zielinski&#8217;s Risky Strategy</title>
		<description><![CDATA[One thing that Milwaukee Alderman Tony Zielinski does very well is to cue in on issues that generate the interest of the media.  Seeking out opportunities to be at odds with his colleagues or the Executive branch and be vocal about it seems to be something that Zielinski is working on mastering and any [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/alderman-tony-zielinskis-risky-strategy/</link>
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		<title>The Letter I Wish Obama Would Send to Perry, Pawlenty</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Recently, both right-wing GOP Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and supposed moderate Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota have expressed sympathy for the &#8220;Tenther&#8221; movement. For those of you who don&#8217;t have the Constitution and Bill of Rights memorized, this is the Tenth Amendment:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/janice/2009/the-letter-i-wish-obama-would-send-to-perry-pawlenty/</link>
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		<title>Turn MPS Control Over to the City</title>
		<description><![CDATA[School Board members desperately want to maintain control of the Milwaukee Public Schools.  The problem is that when there are problems with MPS, many people look to blame the City &#8212; not a school board.
MPS has undergone a sea change of reforms and been subjected to a ton of changes pushed on them from [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/turn-mps-control-over-to-the-city/</link>
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		<title>The Rejectionist Right and &#8220;The Speech&#8221;</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Those of you who, like me, were saddened by the ludicrous conservative response to President Obama&#8217;s anodyne &#8220;stay-in-school-and-study-hard&#8221; speech need to read this article from the St. Petersburg Times compiling some teenagers&#8217; reactions to the speech: they&#8217;re quite heartening, and some are very funny. Those Elmbrook School District kids missed out.
Comparisons have been made to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/janice/2009/the-rejectionist-right-and-the-speech/</link>
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		<title>I was on a Death Panel</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There&#8217;s a lot of talk from fear-mongering from the right against national health care these days.  They&#8217;ve even sought to scare people by talking about how the government will have to decide who will live and who will die, all based on costs.
But if the fear is that someone other than the individual needing [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/i-was-on-a-death-panel/</link>
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		<title>Mother of Barrett&#8217;s Assailant Speaks out against victim</title>
		<description><![CDATA[“I was raised to keep to yourself.” 
This is what the mother of the suspect in Mayor Tom Barrett’s beating said on Tuesday.  She also accused the Mayor of provoking her son.   
Seeing this just galvanized the feelings I’ve been having since I first heard the circumstances of Barrett’s beating on Sunday [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/colleen/2009/mother-of-barretts-assailant-speaks-out-against-victim/</link>
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		<title>Doyle serves Wisconsin well</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Two term Governor Jim Doyle is calling it quits after this term but let&#8217;s not forget how effective he has been.
After nearly two decades of neglect by former Governor Tommy Thompson, Doyle recognized that Milwaukee played an important role in the future of Wisconsin.  While Thompson traveled the state encouraging voters and rural legislators [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/doyle-serves-wisconsin-well/</link>
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		<title>Courage and Chivalry alive and well in Mayor Barrett</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There&#8217;s never an excuse for domestic violence.  Clearly Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett agrees but unfortunately he paid the price this weekend.
Barrett suffered a brutal attack at the hands of a pipe wielding thug.  While the thug with a criminal record was in the middle of assaulting his own girlfriend, Barrett stepped in and [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2009/courage-and-chivalry-alive-and-well-in-mayor-barrett/</link>
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