April
2008
Endorsements
It’s voting day. Please vote.
Here are our recommendations:
Louis Butler for Supreme Court. Butler is a common sense kind of guy whose opponent has been universally called to the carpet for lying and exaggerating in this race. If there’s one thing that both the left and the right can agree on, it is that Butler is the more honest candidate. That’s a trait we should look for in our Supreme Court Justices.
Tom Barrett has shown great leadership as the Mayor of Milwaukee. His commitment to transportation while serving in Congress made it possible for the Marquette Interchange to be rebuilt. His commitment to quality of life made it possible for the flood control projects which were desperately needed throughout Milwaukee, to be carried out. Barrett has more than earned a right to stay in the position. We only wonder what else Barrett can accomplish in the next four years.
Despite her snowballs chance in hell odds, Lena Taylor was the only candidate that chose to take on the current County Exec. She’s certainly not the perfect candidate but she would be way, way better than the bumbling, deficit loving, parks hating, transit despising silver spoon fed college dropout that is in the seat now.
Pedro Colón has been a leader in the State Assembly and would make a fine City Attorney. While it will be sad to lose his leadership in Madison, he would be an asset to the city of Milwaukee.
County Supervisor races and Aldermanic races are held today.
On the South Side, Chris Larson is the best choice in the 14th Supervisory District.
On the West Side, Lynne DeBruin is the more qualified candidate for the Supervisory seat she current holds.
In West Allis, John Weishan is exceptionally qualified and if re-elected, the board would be well served if they were to draft him as their new Chairman. (Also in West Allis, Dan Devine should be elected Mayor.)
On the Southeast Side, Marina Dimitrijevic who has established herself as one of the county board work horses, deserves to be returned to office for as long as she’s willing to settle for the pitiful salary which woefully undervalues the benefit she brings to her district and her constituents. Once Dimitrijevic is re-elected, the board would be wise to make her a Chairman of one of their key committees. When I first met Dimitrijevic four years ago, I could tell she had potential to be one of the board’s brightest stars. She has not disappointed.
On the North Side / Glendale district 1st Supervisory there is no one on the ballot but don’t confuse this to mean that there is no one running. The choices are poor if you look at just those running as write ins. An incompetent, self-indulgent incumbent who didn’t bother to file nomination papers and whose views rival Clarence Thomas, and an unknown are running.
On the East Side, Patrick Flaherty earns our nod for Alderman.
Jim McGuigan
Jim McGuigan
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I was disappointed to see that you endorsed Lynne DeBruin for the 15 District County Board seat. I looked back at your blog on January 7th (http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/debruins-paranoid-delusions-and-why-she-is-unfit-for-office/)and all the reasons you listed for her being “Unfit” still hold very true and are some of the reasons that made me want to run in the first place. We may differ in opinions on some issues, but the Unions were able to look past these to help elect someone who cares about the job and the district, I thought you would be willing to do the same. Either way thanks for keeping residents updated on this local race, any coverage is good coverage.
Dan
Dan,
It certainly wasn’t easy to do and I agree with you that she is certainly not a benefit to the board.
However, the position you staked out as your own in the race was as an ally to Scott Walker. The last thing the board needs is a rubber stamp for the parks-cutting, mass-transit hating County Exec.
Being a conservative, as you clearly are, is not in and of itself a reason for me to not endorse a candidate. A failure to understand that government has complexities which go beyond anti-tax rhetoric is such a reason to say no.
That being said, it is my belief that younger people such as yourself can have a positive impact on the political system if they take the time to invest in understanding how the system works and how it can be changed to work better for more people.
This doesn’t mean that it has to cost a ton more money. When I served, we created public-private partnerships and our partners thrived as we reduced government spending in many areas. The reason that Walker has been mostly unsuccessful in building these partnerships is that he has lied to potential partners and then tried to claim victories as his own.
While I wish you well in life, I cannot support a candidate who supports another who wishes to disassemble the quality of life County residents have, in the past, enjoyed.
Looks like a majority of your major endorsements lost (Butler, Taylor, Colon).
I’m sorry, Jim. I don’t follow your logic on your response to Dan. Who was the better candidate? You already know the answer.
Bill, the answer to that one can be answered by another question — is it better to have someone who agrees with Walker most of the time, or someone who has staked out the position to agree with Walker all of the time?
mkelover, my endorsements aren’t based on who I believe will win — they are who would make the better candidate. As I stated, Taylor had no chance of winning. Butler was a toss up. Colon will continue to serve his constituents well in the Assembly. As I see it, the only race I can be disappointed in is the Butler race.
Incidentally I’m more than a little amused that James White got smoked.
My opinion of you should not be reflective of the nut-jobs that you support. I still have to take YOU for your word and actions. If I didn’t think you were capabale of thinking for yourself, I wouldn’t even bother acknowledging you or your website. You should have extended Dan the same courtesy. That is why people are so tired of politics. Nobody thinks for themselves.
Bill, when you publicly say you area a Walker loyalist, you can’t expect people to think that you are anything but loyal to the person and the ideas of Scott Walker.
Those who have identified themselves as Walker loyalists in the past have done exactly what Walker has wanted them to do time and time again.
You’re certainly correct in stating that Lena Taylor is not the perfect candidate. Oh, boy.
For a moment Jim, forget the general Republican Party agendas, and the general Democratic Party agendas, and make a choice based on your own gut instinct. Are you afraid you might actually do the right thing? God forbid we don’t follow our fellow robots in one line or the other.