Commentary Update for November 4, 2002: Bloechl/Hentz, Ellis Op-Ed, Common Cause On Reform Votes, Throw Em All Out, Commentary Investigation, Magruder Media, Recommended Readings, Kunstler Eyesore, Photos
Dear Friends of Commentary:
This week's Commentary guests (the show will debut Tuesday) are Melanie
Bloechl and Cheryl Hentz, producers and host of the new Oshkosh Cable Access
Television public affairs program Eye on Oshkosh:
http://www.eyeonoshkosh.com/
In other news:
We know that the state's political system is in chaos. Neenah Senator Mike
Ellis yesterday outlined a solution in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/nov02/92834.asp
Common Cause of Wisconsin has this to say about Ellis:
"Later this week--after the nastiest and most expensive political campaign
in Wisconsin's history is finally and mercifully over--Sen. Ellis will join
Common Cause In Wisconsin at a Capitol press conference to make a major announcement
about comprehensive campaign finance reform--the antidote to the poison that
has infected Wisconsin's politics and has brought us the biggest and most sweeping
political scandal in Wisconsin's history. Stay tuned for more details after
Tuesday."
The Common Cause Website can be found here:
http://commoncause.sitemanager.ims.net/
Common Cause also recently released a report identifying how legislators voted in the last session on 5 key reform votes. Mike Ellis of Neenah ranked highest with a 100%, while Senator Carol Roessler was at 0%, Dean Kaufert at 60%, Carol Owens at 25%, and Gregg Underheim at 20%.
Tuesday are the elections, of course. Echoing what has become a common
sentiment, the Green Bay News Chronicle says "Throw 'Em All Out":
http://www.greenbaynewschron.com/page.html?article=116656
Commentary Investigation:
Here's how events transpired in the last week. I found out about Northwestern
reporter Eric Bradley looking into Commentary and wrote this
piece. Then Bradley came out with this
piece in the newspaper. Cheryl Hentz claims
that Commentary is balanced, while Jon
Frings says the investigation smells of fascism. Neill
Goltz believes that the term "investigation" is not appropriate
here. By the way, here's
an example of Bradley's journalism from April of 2002.
The "investigation" has succeeded in gaining more than 20 new people on the Commentary Update list, as well as a great increase in the traffic of people clicking on to the website. Thanks Northwestern! Ed Wilcox submitted this letter, while UW Fox Valley student Michael Hengels sent in the results of a survey he conducted a class. Dan Rylance has this to say about absentee voting in Oshkosh.
My latest Media Rant for the Valley Scene takes the "Magruder Media" to task. Meanwhile, this editorial in yesterday's Northwestern was a good example of what I am talking about.
Recommended readings:
The UW Oshkosh College of Letters and Science now has on its website a list
of readings recommended by faculty. The November
listing includes a submission from Commentary friend Barry Perlman, as well
as my own recommendation of Ralph Nader's Crashing the Party.
Be sure to check out James Howard Kunstler's November Eyesore of the Month.
Commentary photos:
Finally, some photos for the political season.
*Mike
Brooks
*Bob
Hughes
*Brad
Priebe
*Bill
Lennon
*Jim
Genisio
*Gregg
Underheim
*Spencer
Black
*Jim
Simmons and Matt Zimmerman
*Simmons
and Genisio
*Third
Party Candidates for Governor Jim Young and Alan Eisenberg
Best,
-Tony