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.

more »

No Comments »

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.

more »

No Comments »

Global Concerns, Leadership, Messaging, Views on News • June 10th, 2009

Budget blues

by Chris Lato

Once again, I waited far too long between posts – keeping very busy on the business side, which is always a good thing.

But reading today’s Journal Sentinel inspired/disheartened me.

The following comes directly from the article:

Both houses agree on taxing oil company revenue, but they differ on how to structure the tax. Doyle and Senate Democrats want to bar the oil companies from passing the tax on at the pump, but the oil industry is threatening to sue over that provision on the ground that it would violate constitutional protections on commerce.

Some Assembly Democrats said they didn’t want to wind up paying interest and legal fees on a case they were likely to lose. (emphasis added)

Wait what?

So, the Legislature and governor want to enact a tax that they know will get them sued, and some legislators even admit they will likely lose in court…but they still want to go ahead and run up a taxpayer tab.  Just how big is that state deficit again?

So, what is this, other than a feel-good shell game? (Get it? ‘Shell’ game!) I guess we’re expected to take comfort from the knowledge that Wisconsin is trying to punish Big Bad Oil, no matter how fruitless and expensive.

And, if we actually did win a lawsuit, it would mean higher prices at the gas pumps. Assuming this actually survived a legal challenge, does anyone honestly believe the cost to oil companies somehow wouldn’t be passed along to us? In the meantime, I wonder which law firms will benefit from the suit…

Another bit from the article that caught my eye:

The state budget faces a record $6.6 billion shortfall over two years. To close that gap, Democrats plan to cut state agencies and aid to local governments, spend federal economic stimulus cash and raise taxes and fees by about $1 billion a year. (emphasis added)

The budget is still in flux right now and the amount of that hike may well change. Still, just a little something to keep in mind next year when politicians are out looking for your vote, and they claim to be fiscally conservative types who oppose tax and fee increases - as they have been known to claim whether it’s true or not.

Give ‘em a little truth test - ask for detail on how they voted on the budget back in ’09.

No Comments »

Leadership, Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News, wispundits • November 13th, 2008

Let the turf war begin

by Chris Lato

Interesting stuff...the first real sign that as Democrats take over the Legislature, it’s still going to be a bumpy ride.

Locking Milwaukee lawmakers out of leadership roles sends a message, suggesting that it will be a Milwaukee vs. the-rest-of-Wisconsin session as the new majority grapples with a multi-billion-dollar budget hole.  

The Assembly Speaker will be Mike Sheridan, a rep from Janesville who used to be a UAW president. Other Dem Assembly leaders come from Kaukauna and Wausau.

more »

Comment (1) »

Branding Politix, Leadership, Messaging, Views on News • November 5th, 2008

The day after

by Chris Lato

Well, holy cow.

I have to admit I wasn’t quite prepared for the magnitude of the losses the GOP would experience on election day. After 2006, I wondered how much lower the Republicans could go. I now have my answer.

In the days before Tuesday, I heard talk from those in the know that Republicans could at least hold onto the Assembly. Um, nope. It’s really a clean sweep for the Dems, and it is apparent now that Barack Obama’s coattails were very long indeed. It helps to have an unprecedented amount of campaign cash, but I don’t want to get into sour grapes here.

more »

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Leadership, Messaging, Views on News • November 3rd, 2008

The curtain is falling…

by Chris Lato

What else can be said about election year 2008?

It will be interesting to see what kind of last-minute shenanigans pop up when the polls are clogged with voters. If turnout is as high as expected, the system will undoubtedly have problems.  

Polls are indicating a Barack Obama win, with the only question remaining: how big a blowout, and how long will his coattails stretch? So far that Wisconsin will have a Democratic legislature to go along with its Democratic governor?

more »

No Comments »

2008 Primaries • October 16th, 2008

Uh-oh

by Chris Lato

I have been wondering how this could possibly be seen as good for McCain. The answer: it’s not good – at least not in Wisconsin.

While I simply don’t believe Obama has a 17-point edge in Wisconsin, the RNC definitely sees things in its internal numbers that it doesn’t like. Suddenly, Wisconsin is being tossed aside after a whirlwind battleground-state romance.

The question now turns to how this will affect the campaigns in Wisconsin. If Obama is sitting on a pile of campaign cash, does he keep pouring it into Wisconsin, or does he begin to pull up stakes as well? Will McCain keep buying ads? Will the candidates stop showering love and attention all over the Badger State?

more »

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Views on News • September 17th, 2008

The iPod tax is back

by Chris Lato

Uh-oh. New taxes could be coming your way in Wisconsin…including the dreaded iPod tax.

With the election less than two months away, the timing on this proposal is interesting. With the state Senate expected to stay in Democratic hands, and the Assembly believed by some to be up for grabs, the thinking is that a Democrat-controlled Legislature, coupled with a Democrat governor, would embrace this list of proposals from the Department of Revenue.

Could this be a game changer in some legislative races? It certainly should be a hot topic on the campaign trail in these final few weeks. Republicans and fiscally-conservative Democrats would be wise to seize this issue as just one example of how important the upcoming elections are.

Those who support these taxes may be asked why they would seek tax hikes when the Wisconsin economy and families are already struggling to make ends meet.

Now, a lot can happen in the next few months. Let’s say Republicans hold onto the Assembly. Or, Barack Obama becomes our next president, and Gov. Doyle leaves Wisconsin for a job in the Obama administration. Barbara Lawton ascends to the throne, and she is thought to be more liberal on tax-and-spend policy.

Or, Congress refuses to act on these Internet-tax proposals.

Those are a lot of ‘what-if’ scenarios. These tax hikes wouldn’t go into effect tomorrow. But by the same token, these ideas aren’t going away and it’s a worthy issue for voters to consider before November 4.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Grass Roots Organization, Views on News • August 13th, 2008

Déjà vu all over again

by Chris Lato

Seriously, how many more of these stories are we going to see in the weeks ahead?

I know, I know – the argument is that the system is working because the bad apples are getting yanked out of the bunch. So how many more bad apples are out there that won’t be found before election day? 15 voter registration workers are ‘implicated’ so far. How many more are out there?

more »

No Comments »

Messaging, Views on News, public relations • March 10th, 2008

The wearin’ o’ the red

by Chris Lato

A little bit o’ resume inflation can leave politicios red-faced in embarrassment. Case in point: this fascinating tidbit about Hillary Clinton and Ireland. Just in time for St. Patty’s Day, too!

The temptation to do a little puffery on one’s resume can be strong. In this case, Clinton is looking to build credibility on her claims that she has more experience than Barack Obama. But if you reach too far, you can wind up stuck in an embarrassing place.

Clinton’s claims are debatable, and the campaign dutifully trotted out someone who attested to Clinton’s bona fides in the Irish peace process.

The key to making such claims is to ensure you can actually back them up in a reasonably strong way. Avoid the need for having to move into crisis mode by having good connections (preferably actual participants who have some appearance of objectivity) ready to step up and speak to the claims and qualifications. That way, you have the potential to turn it around and have your accusers as the ones with egg on their faces.
more »

No Comments »