Commentary Update for November 19, 2002: Lawton, Legal Laundering, Chvala, JFK, Wal-Mart Day Of Action, Instant Runoff Voting, A Second Opinion, Palmeri Headed For Big Easy

Friends of Commentary:

This week's Commentary guest is Lt. Governor-elect Barbara Lawton of Green Bay. I want to thank all of you who emailed suggested questions--we did get to quite a few of them. The Green Bay News Chronicle did a short piece about Lawton this past Sunday.

IN OTHER NEWS:

A New Oxymoron: Legal Laundering:
Up until now, my favorite oxymorons have been "sanitary landfill," "Congressional Ethics," and (especially after this past Nov. 5) "Democratic leadership." Now Wisconsin's "campaign finance laws" (another oxymoron?) provide another beauty: "legal laundering."

The Oshkosh Northwestern's Karl Ebert this past Sunday reported on how Fox Valley politicians have turned legal laundering into an art form. Here's what Jay Heck of Common Cause has to say about this, with a link to the Ebert story at the end:

"One way that enormous amounts of campaign cash was directed to candidate
coffers in the 2002 campaign and previously was through the campaign
committees of safe incumbent members of the Legislature. The Speaker or
Majority Leader would "put out the call" for help and legislators with no
opponents or in "safe" seats were expected to respond with contributions to
the candidate in need, to the Speaker's own special fund or would pay for
all or much of something the candidate needed like a voter list or the like.
In this way special interest money could be "laundered" through the campaign
committees of legislators and used to help candidates in competitive races.
The practice has mushroomed in recent years as the cost of campaigns has
risen.

While Karl Ebert's article in Sunday's Oshkosh Northwestern (which you can
access below) keys in on Assembly Republicans--this practice is utilized by
both parties in both legislative chambers. It is an area that campaign
finance reform must address."

"Republicans Funnel Funds for Campaigns"
Oshkosh Northwestern - Sunday, Novermber 17, 2002
http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/news/archive/local_7063143.shtml

Common Cause Wisconsin sends out email updates to all interested citizens. If you want to receive the updates, email Jay Heck at ccwisjwh@itis.com

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign also sends reform updates. To be placed on their list contact:
wisdc@wisdc.org

Here's what Northwestern Executive Editor Stew Rieckman has to say about the legal laundering:
http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/news/archive/columns_7077348.shtml

So long Chuck?
Former Democratic majority leader in the State Senate Chuck Chvala is facing 20 felony counts. A recall effort is underway, and has now been supported editorially by the Wisconsin State Journal, one of Chvala's most intense critics over the years.

JFK, we heavily medicated ye:
The New York Times this past Sunday included a summary of a December Atlantic Monthly feature on the medical condition of John F. Kennedy in the 8 years before he died. Newly released medical records " . . . covering the last eight years of Kennedy's life, including X-rays and prescription records, show that he took painkillers, antianxiety agents, stimulants and sleeping pills, as well as hormones to keep him alive, with extra doses in times of stress."

The story goes on to discuss Kennedy's struggle with Addison's disease and other ailments. Example: "For much of his life, Kennedy also suffered from severe and potentially dangerous bouts of diarrhea, which doctors suspected might have been from ulcerative colitis. Repeated examinations did not confirm that. Their ultimate diagnosis was spastic colitis, which today would be described as irritable bowel syndrome."

I happened to mention the above to a friend of mine yesterday, and he said "at least Dubya's only insane." I must admit that made me chuckle.

Wal-Mart Day of Action:
Some folks are so upset with Wal-Mart that not even a bout with irritable bowel syndrome would prevent them from participating in the November 21 National Day of Action. Check out this site for more information. For more information locally contact Grant Withers at gwithers@northnet.net

Media Support For Instant Runoff Voting:
Increasingly, America's plurality method of voting (where a candidate can receive less than 50% of the vote and win the election and win; e.g. Bush in 2000, Doyle in 2002) is being recognized even by the major media as absurd. The Minneapolis Star Tribune recently endorsed instant runoff voting in this editorial. The Center for Voting and Democracy provides a wealth of information about alternatives to the plurality method.

Another A Second Opinion:
The 5th issue of John Lemberger's A Second Opinion is now available in hard copy at various locations in Oshkosh. Here's an online version. The featured piece in issue #5 is Dr. Andrew Schroeder's speech delivered at an October 28th public debate at UW Oshkosh on the merits of going to war against Iraq. Dr. Schroeder believes that there is a need for "regime change"--in the United States.

No Web Updates While in Big Easy:
I will be in New Orleans for a meeting of the National Communication Association from Nov. 20-24. Academic conferences are themselves a little oxymoronic; i.e. "working vacations." There will be no updates to the Commentary website during that time.

All the best,

-Tony