Commentary Update for June 3, 2002: Kucinich on Internet Privacy, Nusbaum and VanDeHey, Alan Ehrenault on Caucus Scandal, McCain-Feingold, Jim Young Photo

Dear Commentarians:

As you may have heard, the Justice Department (DOJ) recently gave the FBI expanded "latitude" to engage in surveillance activities, including enhanced monitoring of Internet communication (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34880-2002May30.html). With these changes in latitude come some changes in attitude: conservative Wisconsin Republican House of Representatives member Jim Sensenbrenner joined progressives like Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) in arguing that the increased FBI powers threaten civil liberties.

I share Sensenbrenner's and Kucinich's concerns, and would like to begin by welcoming any FBI members or infiltrators who may be reading these updates. Rest assured that if anyone with a name that sounds like "Atta" or "Moussaoui" tries to subscribe to these updates, I will contact you immediately. We all know that people with Arabic sounding names are much more likely to be dangerous than people with good old American names like "McVeigh," "Kaczinski," or "Helder." Finally, you probably know all this already, but in the spirit of full disclosure I should tell you that Palmeri is a Sicilian name (meaning I could have mafia connections and probably think that Sacco and Vanzetti were innocent), I went to Cuba on a 10 day educational trip in 1993 (meaning I could be a communist sympathizer), I consider Frank Zappa to be a role model (meaning I enjoy tweaking and mocking the establishment) and I ran for State Assembly as a Democrat in Oshkosh (meaning I'm a glutton for punishment). Keep up the good work, guys, and happy net surfing!

Now on to the update. This week's guests are Brown County Executive Nancy Nusbaum and Winnebago County Exec Jane Van De Hey. Here's a summary of the program that includes some links to information discussed on the program:
http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/palmeri/janeandnancy.htm

Quite a few of our guests this year have talked about the caucus scandal. At least one writer, Alan Ehrenault in governing.com, thinks that we Wisconsinites are just too sanctimonious about political corruption:
http://www.governing.com/4assess.htm

Remember how supporters of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill said that the legislation would bring the soft money problem under control? An article from last week's Washington post suggests that the soft money activity will simply move from the political parties to the Political Action Committees:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42211-2002May31.html

Finally, here's a picture from our interview with Green Party candidate for governor Jim Young: http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/palmeri/youngforgovernor.htm

Best,

-Tony