I used to live two blocks away from that welfare fiefdom that was OIC. I gotta give Gary George and Carl Gee a hand — they knew right off the bat where there were some surplus bucks to scam. You could spend less money reviving the old theatre in the building and you’d actually help more people by doing so.

W-2 program was no Dem program — it was GOP, designed by the Hudson Foundation, all the way. When I was at the Shepherd Express, we railed against just about every aspect of the program, pointed out its faults, the built-in and often illegal denial of benefits to women with children, and then were hardly surprised when the difference in accounting budgetary years created these huge surpluses, which were quickly taken advantage of by George and Gee, et al, inc.

And Clarke? When he ran for mayor I saw him answer a question about parking tickets by pursing his lip up Clint Eastwood style and saying “Parking tickets .. they’re a hidden tax …” and then posing to the public at St. Mathews church with that Clint Eastwood grimace (about parking tickets, no less) when only chief Jones out of nine candidates would suggest values — “You got a ticket - pay it!”

Clarke’s a clown. But it’s not just what we think — Gwen Moore, Marvin Pratt, Eric Von — the list is long — supported Bobot. Black voters were not being informed by only by little old us, they were being informed by black elected leaders and prominent members of the black community. None of us were heard. (And, yes, we can say this without the election returns from the wards b/c it’s the equation that makes the most sense — Clarke’s a black Republican experiment in Milwaukee. It’s a new thing here. That’s why Sykes is so rabid about it.)

There is racial voting in the rust belt. I still fail to see why pointing some of it out and saying “that was no good” is somehow racist.

With Clarke, it’s like electing Leon Young as your sheriff. Black voters need to look beyond the color of Clarke’s skin and do the right thing.

Holt for Sheriff — Because he’s the better guy.

I\’ll point out that you still haven\’t directly answered the question about how you didn\’t think I did my job.

Read the article and all the posts. Pretty interesting. Seems others see the same lack of respect for the voters running through your sight that I do. It boils down to this: you have to explain and argue away the fact that the black voters didn’t see it the way you did. since you are so deeply involved in the political game–running this sight and all–it must be frustrating to see all those voters not doing what you told them to do. There can’t be a logical reason for them to support Clarke; your side has all the logic, right. So they must be dumb or racist–what else could there be? Instead of looking at data like ward results, why not talk to a few of us voters?

For example, I imagine most voters respect Clarke’s call for a return to traditional values as opposed to traditional excuses and evasive manuvers like the Dems give us all the time. Perhaps people are starting to realize they don’t need another OIC. How many times can the give-em another program thing work. Clarke talks tough on values. Values. Voters realize that prosperity begins with values. Bobit, though a good man, couldn’t take this ground from Clarke who speaks like a preacher to his people.

Maybe you might consider moving things here at Watchdog into a more honest and less partisan direction. Once you no longer are so emotionally attached to the Dem/left point of view, the writing on this sight might really take off. Nothing demonstrates the open mind more clearly than a radical shift of priorities.

Anyway, I certainly respect how difficult it is to do what you are trying to do here. I just kind of got mad at McGuigan because he did make a contribution and shouldn’t give up on running for office in the future. He really helped my dad once. He could return, but he’s not ready.

If you listen to Eric Von’s show on AM 1290 - WMCS (it’s on M-F from 3-6PM), that was discussed at length. (And, yes, it’s a good idea to listen to Eric’s show whenever possible - it gives a much broader area perspective than what you find on TMJ radio or WISN).

Much to Eric’s surprise, his listeners were not at all ready to dump Clarke, no matter what kind of job he’s done. We’ve gone far into depth on this site to show that any careful evaluation on Clarke isn’t going to come up in Clarke’s favor — not with how he’s reassigned deputies, cancelled popular programs, done a miserable job of jail management, the list goes on …
Read all about it below:
http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2006/clarke-victory-what-may-have-happened/

Leon Young also won Sept. 12 — and certainly not because he’s doing a good job in the Legislature.

You’re right, pointing out facts is not racist, but the claim that voters in this case voted simply on race is rather questionable, isn’t it? Do you have any evidence that would contradict the claim the voters in this case cast their votes based on anythng but their careful evaluation of facts and proposals?

Sorry to get you all worked up. As you say, I must be misguided or maybe even stupid. And you’re right, I can’t produce anything like a smoking gun, and that’s good enough for you, heh.

I can read, however, and I do know a thing or two about rhetoric and substance. But maybe you should think twice before you take the podium. Look at your own postings. Here are a few of my favorite examples of your “substance.”

Thompson, Sykes, and Clarke and their love children.

Reynolds is “self-wounding” (a good one)

On the other hand, you write a beautiful piece–both generous and thoughtful–on your Muslim friend and the trip to the mosque. But then you spoil it with the crybaby reflection that you wouldn’t want to represent “a place where ignorance and prejudice were deciding factors” (so they are all bigots)

“Troops are cheaper than vests in Santorum’s view.” (The Iraq war is not like Braveheart, by the way.)

“Reynolds son is doing anal probes on his sister.” (another favorite)

Bob Dohnal–”wingnut.”

And, best of all, your racist comment: “people of color looked past qualifications and past what was in the public’s best interest to vote for Clarke because he is black.”

So Jim, are people only stupid when they don’t vote for you or when they think politicians (like the republican leaders who knew about the pervert’s emails) should be held accountable?

I’m a voter, and I deserve some respect. There’s some substance for you.

My guess is that you’ll fall back on some typical rhetoric that dodges the question.

As for you trying to blame me for issues of the present, you’re misguided at best. It’s been 4 years for the Walker administration — more than enough time to correct the inherent problems. Those problems would have been corrected by now had the experienced and educated people stayed in power. But the voters chose rhetoric over substance.

Isn’t the interesting thing that we wouldn’t be facing these decisions if you had done YOUR job? Too bad we disn’t have someone watching you closely enough.