Leadership, Messaging, Views on News• December 4th, 2009

Blasting away at the DNR

by Chris Lato

Whoa. The wrath of the Men (and Women) in Orange is swift and fierce.

It was a dismal deer hunting season, not only anecdotally but also based on the raw numbers. Now, when one of the most powerful politicians in the state is calling for your head, the need to manage the environment versus the need to keep license/tourism revenue flowing in is coming to a head, politically speaking.

This is not some tiny corner-office government operation here. We’re talking a multi-billion dollar industry that impacts the economy at the local and state levels. With more than 638-thousand gun licenses sold this year, this is a loud constituency that will not be ignored.

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Related tags: deer hunting • DNR • Gov. Doyle • guns • Russ Decker

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Views on News• November 16th, 2009

Barrett’s in

by Chris Lato

My gut told me he wouldn’t jump in. So much for the predictive abilities of said gut.

Tom Barrett has his work cut out for him. Already, we are seeing cracks in the façade - such as the ‘will he or won’t he raise taxes?’ question. The difference between the printed remarks and his actual words is revealing.

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Related tags: Governor Doyle • Mark Neumann • Milwaukee • President Obama • Scott Walker • Tom Barrett • Wisconsin governor

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Views on News• October 22nd, 2009

No more

by Chris Lato

The news of yet another arrest for State Rep. Jeff Wood is angering, sad and, no pun intended, sobering.

First and foremost, Wood is a clear danger to the general public as he repeatedly gets behind the wheel while (allegedly) under the influence. It is unacceptable behavior from anyone, but in Wood’s case he is accused of breaking the laws he is charged with creating and overseeing as a legislator.

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Related tags: Rep. Jeff Wood • Wisconsin Legislature

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Leadership, Views on News• October 21st, 2009

NO TXT 4 U

by Chris Lato

I get it. Everyone is pecking away on their iPhones, BlackBerries, and cell phones. It’s the hot, hip new thing that those crazy kids are doing. And people are doing it while driving. For shame.

OK, that’s the premise, but… Is this really needed? Don’t we already have laws on the books addressing distracted driving? With everything going on in Wisconsin, is this really what the Legislature needs to spend hours debating, revising, and focusing on right now? You know, let’s worry instead about focusing on enforcing laws that are already on the books.

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Related tags: BlackBerry • distracted driving • iPhone • texting • Wisconsin Legislature

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Leadership, Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News• October 20th, 2009

Obama vs. Fox

by Chris Lato

The White House has an ax to grind with Fox News. The question is whether this is really a wise battle to be engaging in.

On the one hand, we have Jacob Weisberg calling Fox News un-American and heavily biased. So sayeth the author of ‘The Bush Tragedy.’

On the other hand, William Murchison with the Dallas Morning News argues President Obama has an ‘enemies fetish’ and Ruth Marcus at the Washington Post says picking this fight is ‘dumb.’  

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Related tags: Fox News • media bias • President Obama

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Leadership, Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News• October 15th, 2009

Just wonderin’

by Chris Lato

President Obama is discussing sending $13 billion in checks to seniors to make up for the decline in the cost of living adjustment for Social Security. Increases are pegged to inflation, there hasn’t been inflation, and basically, it amounts to a $250 check.

Also, there is no plan at this point to pay for it.

Isn’t there a reason why the rate is tied to the cost of living and inflation?

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Related tags: healthcare • President Obama • Social Security

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Leadership, Views on News• October 13th, 2009

Where did all the Dems go?

by Chris Lato

I’m a little surprised at this one. It’s mid-October and the only Democrat of note who’s running for governor is…Barbara Lawton.

Are the Dems really that confident in the current lite guv that they’re willing to give her a free shot – essentially relying on her to carry the Democrat flag? Or is the crop of solid candidates really that small?

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Related tags: 2010 election • Jim Doyle Barbara Lawton • Mark Neumann • Scott Walker • Tom Barrett • Tommy Thompson • Wisconsin governor

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Branding Politix, Leadership, Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News• August 17th, 2009

Doyle’s decision

by Chris Lato

From a political junkie’s perspective, the news about Gov. Doyle is seismic. It blows all the current conventional wisdom out of the water and makes this anybody’s race (with a definite advantage for the GOP).

And yet, Gov. Doyle’s announcement that he will not seek a third term is not necessarily cheery news for the state in the short term. The governor is leaving Wisconsin in worse shape than he found it. There’s no joy or gloating in that statement. We have deep problems that need a fresh perspective ASAP.

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Related tags: Democrats • GOP • Gov. Doyle • governor • Mark Neumann • Ron Kind • Scott Walker

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Leadership, Views on News• August 12th, 2009

The gold rush, 2009-style

by Chris Lato

If there’s a theme that ties these different bits of news together, it’s that money does, indeed, grow on trees these days.

In New York, for example, they’re giving out ‘free money.’ Well, it’s actually ‘stimulus’ money but it might as well be free, right?

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Related tags: Doyle administration • healthcare • mandatory paid sick leave • stimulus package

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Leadership, Messaging, Views on News• August 6th, 2009

Cal Thomas nails it

by Chris Lato

There’s little I can add to this. The cliché goes that the devil is in the details, and yet we don’t even have details to consider yet in the headlong rush for healthcare reform. The central idea to date is, “Healthcare reform has to happen NOW.”

Meanwhile, President Obama’s poll numbers are taking a hit and the spin machine is whirling feverishly. One particularly stark example: House leader Nancy Pelosi claiming that healthcare town hell protestors are ‘carrying swastikas.’

So, oppose what the government is proposing and you are a neo-Nazi? Hmm.

Related tags: Cal Thomas • healthcare • Nancy Pelosi • President Obama

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