In light of recent attacks against me by various issue ad groups, I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. Apparently these groups and my opponent don't want to focus on what this race is really about and that is having an honest debate on our true positions.
The group claims I cut school funding, voted against Senior Care, stood with big oil and opposed property tax relief. All of these allegations are completely false.
I supported and voted for the largest amount of funding to our K-12 schools in state history this past session.
I have supported Senior Care since its creation because it provides our seniors with access to affordable prescription drugs. I worked with a bipartisan group of legislators and Gov. Doyle in fighting to save the program from being eliminated by loss of federal funding.
The claim that I stood with big oil by providing them tax breaks is completely false. I opposed the governor's oil franchise fee because it could have raised the gas tax by as much as seven cents, meaning higher gas prices for consumers when they could least afford them. Even former Democratic Attorney General Peg Lautenslager stated in a memo the proposal was most likely unconstitutional.
Finally, the group claims that I opposed property tax relief. I have fought for property tax limits since 2003 and supported the bipartisan limits signed by Gov. Doyle in the last budget. I understand that people are already stretched to the limits and shouldn't be worried about being taxed out of their homes. Truth be told, my opponent, Fred Clark, is on record opposing these very limits.
I have always prided myself on being open and honest with my constituents and have never hid from my positions. I hope the voters will reject these ads. They are completely false, done in poor taste, and distract from the real issues of this election.
WISC TV-3 has looked at the ads and decided the facts have been twisted. The Wisconsin State Journal recently endorsed me and my efforts because they know I truly understand what this district needs.
I hope the voters of the 42nd Assembly District will reject these kinds of tactics and make this race about the real facts.
It is 2008 and another election looms upon us, it is with fond memories (mostly) I remember those hectic days of my own campaigns.
With the needs and issues facing southwestern Wisconsin it is very important to elect an Assembly representative that truly reflects their thinking.
With his education and experience, Nathan Russell, a homegrown candidate, is that type. Not afraid to tackle difficult issues, but willing to offer innovative ideas to assist in solving them.
The need for new ideas and incentives to assist agriculture, attract manufacturing and other new businesses to the state has never been greater. Wisconsin is already facing a $3 billion deficit. We need legislatures with courage and an eye toward the future.
Milwaukee County is asking for an increase in the county sales tax. Milwaukee schools want a 14 percent budget increase. Milwaukee county comprises of 20 percent of the makeup of the legislature. They will not be timid when it comes to asking to take home more state revenue.
You are going to need a strong voice that will be heard, not just a rubber stamp for the governor, or the major metropolitan areas of the state.
Nathan Russell will be a legislator you see throughout the year, not just at election time.
The 51st Assembly District needs a representative; needs to "protect and promote" southwestern Wisconsin, and Nathan Russell will do that for you.
Thank you for giving this your attention.
After attending the debate last week at the University of Wisconsin at Baraboo/Sauk County between Fred Clark and Doc Hines, I feel that Fred Clark is an even better choice for Wisconsin than I did before. My priorities, like many of my neighbors', are the three E's: Education, the Environment, and the Economy.
It is clear that after seven years in office, Doc Hines has done nothing, and will continue to do nothing, to address the imbalance in public education funding in Wisconsin (which we have been so hurt by here in Baraboo), while Fred Clark sees this issue as a legislative priority.
Fred Clark's dedication to the environment and to those who enjoy our state's natural resources have been well documented by other writers to the Mailbag. After attending the debate, however, I also now feel that Mr. Clark is the better answer to our economic woes.
He proposes reducing property taxes (I learned that Wisconsin's are among the highest in the nation) by taxing certain luxury items (such as luxury sky boxes at stadiums, which are not taxed, though bench seats are) and by taxing corporations such as Wal-Mart, which — I was shocked to learn — pays no corporate taxes at all, and which, by the way, provides financial support to Doc Hines' campaign (I wonder why!)
Finally, while Mr. Hines voted "in Republican ranks" over 95 percent of the time, Fred Clark seems to be someone who has a great deal of experience in bringing diverse people together, and by the way he spoke of Doc Hines in his closing statement at the debate — very kindly and graciously — it is clear that he is committed to building bridges and providing positive leadership in Madison. I am very pleased to be casting my vote for Fred Clark Nov. 4, and I hope that you will join me.
McCain-Palin would only continue current mess
In an October 2004 letter to the editor, I wrote that "G W Bush was born with a golden spoon in his mouth and has since made a career out of making messes for other people to clean up. In the past, it was mainly his family that cleaned up the messes. Unfortunately, we are the ones we that will clean up the current multiple messes."
It should be obvious to everyone now that Bush/Cheney have messed up about everything they touched. A continuation of their policies is not the answer. John McCain supported most of the Bush/Cheney policies, and is promising more of the same when he isn't flip-flopping.
A few months ago, before the seriousness of the economy was acknowledged by the Bush/Cheney administration, John McCain admitted publicly that he was very limited in his understanding of the economy. By advocating more of the policies that caused the current economic problems, he has certainly proved his admission. And he probably knows much more about the economy than his running mate.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan asked if we were better off than we were four years earlier. Whether we compare now to four or eight years earlier, our troops are worse off, the stature of this country in the world is worse off, the middle class is worse off, the economy is worse off. Unless you are one of the super wealthy, you are likely worse off than four and eight years ago. As you know, we don't have too many of the super wealthy among us.
We need a change from the messes that a McCain/Palin administration would continue. Vote for change on Nov. 4.
Tom Kriegl,
Baraboo
Blaming Bush won't help fix Washington
Time to get serious and strip away all the emotional baggage of the last several years of Bush bashing and think clearly about our future as a nation. Comes down to the following facts.
Do we really believe Washington doesn't tax us enough? Do we think the answer to the wasteful, poorly spent taxes is to send them more? Do we want to go along with the abuse of "earmarks" and ignore the fact they set the tone in Washington's spending? Do we want a president to decide to take money we earn and give it to someone else just because he decides we have earned more than we should?
Do we want a commander-in-chief whose past associations would bar him from getting a security clearance high enough to serve aboard a U.S. Navy submarine? Commander-in-Chief that will invite our adversaries to test him? Commander-in-Chief that will abandon a battlefield if the fight gets tougher than planned for?
Do we want leader that is willing to set timelines for our allies to do what he thinks they should do yet not set timelines to hold our adversaries accountable for their irrational acts and rhetoric? A leader that thinks it's OK to tell us he is going to tear up treaties he deems unacceptable for the U.S. yet behind our backs tell our treaty partners he doesn't really mean it, it's just political rhetoric? A leader that thinks national security interest should be put to the United Nations for approval unless it involves invading an ally. A leader that has political allies that think it's OK to declare defeat and accuse our service members of wholesale war crimes. The list could go on.
Now for an opinion, based on rhetoric to date this leader would also spend the next four years making excuses as to why he couldn't deliver on the promises that he has made. Doesn't take a genius to figure out he can't deliver on being all things to all people. The reason he will state is that President George Bush left him a much worse mess than even he imagined. That leaves us back to where we are. Spending so much time investigating the Bush administration and blaming him for all our woes. Guess what, that doesn't make any positive changes in Washington.
Wayne Lain,
Baraboo
Oil companies want Republicans in office
Have you noticed gas prices are going down? The oil companies will do anything to keep the Republicans in power. After all, George Bush gave them a $20 million tax break, not bad for these companies who had $80 million in profits the last three quarters.
Also Bush will place our troops out of harm's way, until after the elections. He did that in 2004. This gave al-Qaida plenty of time to re-enforce their fortifications. Many American casualties occurred after that.
Proves a point the Republicans will do anything to remain in the White House.
Vote for a better government.
Delores Hartl,
Portage
McDowell Settlement House did good work
Attached is a letter with views that have been based on research and my own experience, having lived in the neighborhood where Saul Alinsky performed his first social experiment in community organizing. His activities eventually led to the demolition of the Mary McDowell Settlement House. Unfortunately he chose the Settlement House as the object on which to focus fear, confusion and mistrust among neighbors and community leaders in order to gain trust for his organization which promoted a socialist agenda. (This is one of the main tenets of his approach as stated in Rules For Radicals).
Each year for the last 20 years, those who have a great fondness for the Settlement and all the good work it did in the community (teaching immigrants to read, providing activities for teens, feeding the poor) meet for a dinner dance in memory of the Settlement. The group is called the "Mary McDowell Settlement Alumni Association." The group also provides scholarships for deserving students.
After demolition, the space became a parking lot.
Al Petrulis,
Reedsburg
Vote to support pro-life candidates on Nov. 4
Bravo Brian Moyer. You sure got it right. Abortion really is a terrible evil.
I feel it is truly amazing that the pro-abortion crowd holds human life to be so cheap that one human life can be thrown away for somebody else's convenience. And most abortions are performed for convenience, very few are performed to save the life of the mother.
Oh, and some say abortion is OK, but don't allow the death penalty for any capital offense! Does that make any sense? It is legal for a doctor to kill a baby in the womb one hour before natural birth but it is not legal to dump a one-hour-old baby to die in a Dumpster. That doesn't make any sense either. Does a life really change during that two hours?
When does life begin? Doesn't all human life have DNA? So when does DNA form? I'm betting it is not more than hours after conception. Even if it is days later, most women don't even know they're pregnant until after then. Brain waves and heart beats are detectable within a few weeks. Is that not a sign of life? How about when the little guy starts kicking in a few months?
In an abortion a human life, whose only "crime" was being conceived, is cut short. Please don't cheapen human life any more. Vote pro-life on Nov. 4.
Jim Kremsreiter,
Baraboo
Education matters when selecting a leader
To what degree does education matter?
My husband holds a bachelor's, master's and specialist degree in education. I have a bachelor's and master's degree in the same area. We are retired seniors, sometimes quite annoyed by our memory blanks. But we remember that both experience and education matter! Believe me, we would not want to be responsible for the free world! We hope and pray the man with the energy, broad experience of real life in America and a solid educational background will lead this limping country back to vigor and pride. Consider the following:
Barack Obama: Columbia University — B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations; Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude. Joseph Biden: University of Delaware — B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science; Syracuse University College of Law — Juris Doctor (J.D.). Versus John McCain: United States Naval Academy — Class rank: 894 of 899. Sarah Palin: Hawaii Pacific University — one semester; North Idaho College — two semesters — general study; University of Idaho — two semesters — journalism; Matanuska-Susitna College — one semester; University of Idaho — three semesters — B.A. in Journalism.
Education isn't everything, but this is about the two highest offices in the land as well as our standing in the world.
Deri Ament,
Baraboo
Obama has skill, persistence needed to govern
Voting for the president of the United States hinges on which candidate can fulfill the oath of office, improve all Americans' lives, and has the knowledge, competency, and persistence to achieve these goals.
The Presidential Oath is: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." This requires governing within the three coequal branches of the federal government, respecting rights of all people, and obeying constitutional law as our founders intended.
Sen. Obama, as a teacher of Constitutional law, is highly qualified to fulfill these goals.
Justice demands that government support the rights of every citizen to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. President Bush's unnecessary, unjust war is responsible for the lives of over 4,100 Americans and 150,000 Iraqis. Not providing health care for all causes 22,000 deaths each year. Rulings against workers' rights to organize and receive a living wage has lowered the income of most American families. Sen. Obama has outlined policies to correct these injustices. Check his Web site: http://www.barackobama.com/index.php.
Patriotic leaders can still fail if they do not have the competence, skills and persistence to fulfill their Constitutional duties.
Sen. McCain has denied his best decisions of the past. He repudiated his vote against the irresponsible tax cuts of President Bush and his own legislation to solve the immigration problem. His mudslinging campaign is the type he denounced in past elections. McCain, like President Bush, makes decisions without doing his ground work. This is exemplified by the lack of research and thought in his choice of a vice presidential candidate and his erratic behavior confronting the financial meltdown.
The candidate of a party which holds, "government is not the answer, government is the problem," is not qualified to oversee the solid, unemotional, restructuring of the U.S. economy. A party supporting trickle-down, voodoo economics is not qualified to lead a country where all the increase in wealth for 30 years has trickled up to the richest 5 percent.
Sen. Obama has been very competent in organizing and leading a positive campaign. He has been very thoughtful in his interviews and debates. He has been consistent in his proposals, he does not shoot from the hip. His philosophy is, "We are not separated by the pro-American and anti-American parts of this nation — we all love this country, no matter where we live or where we come from." In short, he exemplifies the United States' motto on the Great Seal, "E Pluribus Unum", (out of many, one).
Raised by a single mother and grandparents, working hard in school and out to graduate, and helping out-of-work people in south Chicago instead of working for a high-paying Wall Street firm, Sen. Obama exemplifies the American Dream. Vote for Sen. Obama on Nov. 4.
Bill Dagnon,
Baraboo
Election has brought out the worst in campaign tactics
My wife Rochelle and I have watched many national elections for some time now and for negativity this one gets the highest marks for the lowest behavior.
Our political process is at its best when the discussions, the debates and the final choices are about ideas and goals and it is at its worst when we are assaulted by ideology, robo-calls, scurrilous last-minute mail, slogans, sound bites, out-of-context quotes, Internet lies, and the lock step chants of political zealots. Both candidates have been negative, but the Republican campaign gets the prizes in this category and it is not for congeniality.
If Barack Obama looked different and had a mainstream name he would now be locked in to a historic landslide victory. If John McCain had run as the return of the man who ran in 2000 and made campaign choices that reflected who he was then, he would now be ahead in the polls and would have a good chance of winning. Obama cannot change his outward appearances or his name but McCain had choices and he made the wrong ones for bad reasons. What he is now is not who we want for president and I see no reason to believe that if elected he would go back to who he was. His time has passed and his opportunity is gone.
The worst and most repulsive political processes from the worst parts of our political past have been dragged out and recycled for the 2008 elections. The mud is flying and the collateral damage mud does to everything and everyone from the source to the target and to bystanders is often, maybe usually, permanent. It may be fatal to what we know as bipartisanship.
This is election has too many independent aspects to allow a simple summary but here is mine. The election is a choice between a very smart guy with a strong, dedicated commitment and a good shot at making the future better for all of us and a smart guy who is too fixated on the past and too given to assertions that he can do — has a plan for — will solve — or can fix — all sorts of things but with no meaningful details or ideas to back that up.
My partisanship in this election is up front and visible. Yours should be as well. Choose from your best critical thinking and your commitment to what is best for all of us. Do not let it be driven by the bombardment of political trash we've all had thrown at us.
Good luck to us all, and if we are lucky, we can meet when it is over as friends and fellow citizens of the United States with a common commitment to what that actually means.
Eugene Robkin,
Baraboo
All Americans must get involved in government
I wanted to take an opportunity to share with you "A Vision For America."
America is a great nation, founded on the principles of liberty and has stood as a standard for freedom throughout the world. This electoral season has energized Americans of all opinions to get involved in this process, which is something rarely seen in recent times. We all lead busy lives, with commitments too numerous to count, but our very freedoms and opportunities to raise our voices have been falling aside. We, as Americans, need to take the time to get involved, to make our voices heard. The silent cannot be heard.
I urge all Americans to get involved! If you have children in school, get involved in the parent organizations! Go to your City Council meetings! If it means getting active with your local community, service organizations, or even running for political office, get involved! It is always a bit disheartening to see candidates running unopposed. Are there no other opinions? It is not only our right, but our sacred duty as a nation to make our voices heard, and to implore those in power to listen, without fear of retribution.
Watching the media dissect "Joe the Plumber" for having the audacity to ask Sen. Obama a simple question about taxes makes us all fearful of questioning our leaders! This should not and cannot be the way our country brings ideas to bear. Who "Joe the Plumber" is as an individual is not important. What he represents is an American asking a question of a potential leader.
And for those whom we elect to lead our cities, states and nations, we humbly ask that you listen to the people. It is always a delicate balance that leaders have to weigh to listen to the general population, and the interests of those most closely affected by policies and legislation. Let us hope that we will place people in those positions with the wisdom to discern, and the fortitude to act on our behalf. This is my vision for America.
This is a critical time for America, one at which we all need to look at our own resolve, and chart a new course for America.
An America in which people are proud to put their country first. An America in which traditional family values are held dear. An America that stands as a strong leader for freedom in the world. An America that offers unlimited opportunities for those who make the effort to succeed. An America in which we can believe, and be proud to pass on to our children.
Scott Frostman, Baraboo
Hines has been inactive in office: Vote for Clark
We would like to state why we are going to vote for Fred Clark for the State Assembly.
The incumbent, "Doc" Hines, has been inactive during his four terms in office. In addition to his failure with public school funding, "Doc" has not addressed public health system issues.
As chairman of the Assembly Public Health Committee, he had the opportunity to initiate comprehensive health care reform for Wisconsin citizens. He didn't. Now half a million of us don't have health insurance, putting a huge burden on our hospitals. Those of us who do have insurance have seen our premiums skyrocket. Yes, it's an issue all Americans face, but Wisconsin has a proud tradition of leading the way to solutions.
It's time for someone to lead in the 42nd District. We're ready for Fred Clark.
Bruce and Jen Stewart,
Baraboo
Clark understands residents' priorities
Health care premiums in Wisconsin have risen almost five times faster than median wages over the past eight years. Five hundred thousand Wisconsin residents are without health insurance. If I were to lose my job tomorrow because of the problems with our economy I would lose my health insurance, too, and become a statistic. That worries me and many other people.
Fred Clark's not a doctor (or even a veterinarian!), but he understands the priorities of Wisconsin families: affordable health care, excellent schools, a healthy environment and a vibrant economy. And Fred's not content to spend seven years in office before he starts working to address the challenges facing Wisconsin citizens and Wisconsin communities. He's ready to get to work now.
As our state representative, Fred will work to close tax loopholes so that Wisconsin's largest and most profitable corporations start paying their fair share. He'll work for a new school funding formula so that communities aren't divided by referenda every few years. He'll work to produce jobs and protect our natural resources by investing in alternative energy and Wisconsin's "green economy." And yes, he's ready to fight so that every Wisconsin family has access to a family doctor that they can afford.
Please join me in voting for Fred Clark on Nov. 4. He's just what the doctor ordered!
Linda Bormann, Baraboo
Republican candidates show no decency
After voting the Republican ticket for many years I have to say that the McCain-Palin campaign ads have turned me totally against both of them. McCain now shows not one shred of integrity, truth or decency. I've taken the time to research many of the attacks against Senator Obama and found their claims to be false, purposefully misleading, or downright vicious.
If he can't run a clean campaign, if he can't run an effective campaign (even the most conservative political pundits agree that he hasn't), then how can anyone expect him to run the government? How could anyone ever trust him again? I couldn't.
Sen. Obama has been a gentleman throughout all this. He has remained calm and decent. I would feel confident with him representing our country to the rest of the world and seeing to our best interest. Oh, and by the way, if all you watch is Fox News, you may not be aware that the president of that organization was media consultant for Nixon, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. Get it?
Pat Nash, Baraboo
Clark rolls up his sleeves and solves problems
When Sue and I experienced the devastating flood in June, who was one of the first ones there to help out? Fred Clark. Fred spent two days helping to muck out the property on his Kubota tractor. When Highway 113 was blown out on both ends, making it impossible for us to get to work, Fred mowed a path through his back 40 so that we could access our business from across his field.
Sue and I have known Fred for years as a friend, business associate, fellow church member and for the last two years as a neighbor. Fred is well-spoken, intelligent, and is a hard worker who will proudly and capably represent all of the constituents of the 42nd Assembly District. Fred's a decent human being with worthwhile plans and ideas for moving forward and making our state first-rate again. If you've been to one of the four debates between the two candidates you might know this.
If you haven't attended a Fred rally or a debate and haven't had the privilege of meeting Fred and instead are only getting the slick literature full of half-truths courtesy of our current rep, J.A. "Doc" Hines, you'll be seeing a very skewed message that only serves to insult our intelligence and, frankly, says way more about "Doc" than Fred.
Fred has knocked on over 5,000 doors in the last several months and has made it his business to attend meetings all over the district to get to know the people and to listen to their concerns. His message addresses the $650 million budget deficit in Wisconsin, and he targets those large corporations who are not paying their fair share. Can you say "zero taxes" paid by the largest corporations while we property owners pay their share and ours?
Check Fred out on www.clarkforwisconsin.org or call his campaign at 356-3342 or e-mail fred@clarkforwisconsin.org to get the facts. We need Fred Clark in the Assembly now more than ever. Vote Clark on Nov. 4.
Tom Holmes, Baraboo
What does it mean to be 'pro-life?'
When considering your vote for the presidential candidate that is most "pro-life," don't be misled that you have no choice. Some would have us believe that the only proper vote is to support a candidate that affirms his desire to make abortion illegal. I would like to suggest that another perspective may be to assess the degree to which a candidate is wholly consistent in their support of life.
For too long the legality of abortion has been seen as the only "life" issue in our culture and politics, but there is a growing conviction among the faithful that poverty, disease, war, the health care crisis, human trafficking, the death penalty, nuclear weapons, and the worldwide deaths of 30,000 children every day from preventable causes are also key life issues.
We must pursue practical steps to preserve all life, including reducing abortion rates! Three-fourths of women who have an abortion say a primary reason is that they cannot afford to raise a child, so reducing poverty and supporting low-income women is a good place to start. Recent research affirms that social and economic support for women and vulnerable families are effective solutions to lowering the abortion rate, including greater access to health care, poverty reduction, adoption reform and pre- and postnatal care.
Based on his record and platform, Barack Obama offers greater prospects for serious abortion reduction and support of all life. It is absurd to propose that by voting for one of these candidates you are opposed to God's call to respect life — the real issue is which candidate's policies are most likely to actually lead to a reduction in the rate of abortions. Isn't that our goal?
Since God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, we can be comforted that He does not endorse one of the candidates over the other. Defining pro-life as only about the legality of abortion and voting for a candidate that narrowly appeals to that singular matter seems to miss the point for many of us that also "respect life." Vote for a "consistent ethic of life" and vote your conscience.
Greg Wise, Baraboo
Hines' record in Assembly falls short
I am writing today to question the leadership of J.A. "Doc" Hines on the issues of ethics and clean government.
Mr. Hines often touts the benefits of prevention with respect to public health issues, a view I share as a fellow veterinarian. However, he failed to support legislation in the 2007-08 session aimed to prevent the worst problems on our current political landscape.
Mr. Hines failed to vote to prevent campaign fundraising during the state budget process (seems like a pretty clear conflict of interest to me), failed to support public financing for state Supreme Court elections (keeping special interests in control of these critical races), and failed to support electioneering disclosure (think disparaging issue ads that support the defeat of a candidate; the outside groups that produce these ads don't have to disclose who finances them, and yet they have tremendous influence in an election process).
The "Doc" has failed at preventing the illness among our campaigns for public office and the fundamental working of state government. I think it is time that we take a surgical approach by electing a responsible leader to the Assembly. Elect Fred Clark.
Barry Hartup, Baraboo
Habitat for Humanity says thanks for the help
Habitat for Humanity of Sauk-Columbia Area would like to express its appreciation for all the community support, from individual volunteers, churches and businesses, for the successful build in Baraboo this year. This was the sixth home to be completed by the affiliate, and the third in Baraboo. We are very grateful for the support the Baraboo area has provided in these builds. You have helped local families with a hand up to affordable and decent housing.
This winter Habitat plans on helping with flood relief efforts, and next year plans on building homes in Reedsburg and Portage. All are welcome to join in the effort!
Tim Escher,
HFHSCA
UW-B/SC is still a great investment for community
As a member of the Sauk County Board 40 years ago, I was appointed to the Baraboo/Sauk County Building Committee. Today I am the only one left from the County Board on "Boo-U."
I wish to say thanks to several people to remember in this wonderful endeavor — one is Leo Rodems, a Baraboo industrialist, who was very instrumental in obtaining this community campus for the Baraboo area. Another one is our Ray Schoephorster of Sauk Prairie and board chairman, who helped to guide the County Board and go along with the intended approval. Also of course was our mayor, Bill Hommel, who later was on the Building Committee. Also our chair for the project, Allen Paschen, did a tremendous job and he is still very actively involved as is his son.
What a great facility and investment for Baraboo and Sauk County.
Bob Hirschinger,
Baraboo
