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