There’s a Big time Kerry fundraiser taking place next Wednesday July 7th here in Milwaukee I’d like to pass along.

The Kerry Victory 2004 will be held next Wednesday at the Italian Community Center between 7:00 and 9:30PM with Gov. Doyle, Sen. Feingold, Sen. Kohl, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, and I’m sure just about every other Democratic name in the state in attendance. To attend the ‘party’, a $75 donation is asked ($35 for students) for, and to attend the ‘party’ and the reception that follows, it’s the typical $2,000 / $1,000 per plate fundraiser. That kind of cash lets you shake hands and even get a few words in with Sen. Kerry. If anyone is interested in going (To the $75 portion at least), drop me a line!

Then:

“Governor Bush and I are also absolutely determined that [we] will restore a tone of civility and decency to the debate in Washington” – Dick Cheney, 2000 presidential campaign

Now:

“F— off.” – Vice President Dick Cheney to U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy 06/24/2004

So much for civility. Sounds like someone needs a nap to me!

Just when I think politics can’t become any more counter-intuitive or un-productive (see the last post), the Milwaukee Common Council proves me wrong by passing some legislation that benefits citizens and the City.

They’ve just passed a resuolution that will establish a web page on the milwaukee.gov site dedicated to tracking and soliciting employee and citizen concerns regarding fraud, waste, and abuse within City government.

…the City Comptroller is authorized and directed to oversee a pilot program using a page on the City’s website to solicit employee and citizen concerns regarding fraud, waste and abuse within City government operations – Resolution 040063

Ald. Michael Murphy (from my district) deserves some credit as well for amending the orignal resolution to utilize the Internet instead of a toll-free hotline as originally planned. That will make the program about 100 times as useful than originally planned, and guarantee more participate from citizens who want to report or view wasteful acts the City is commiting.

When I find out about the actual URL for the web site, I’ll make sure to pass it along.

Nothing says political bullshit more than GOP Senators purposely delaying a vote on Veterans health care benefits simply because the Democratic Presidential candidate cancelled a campaign event in order to make the vote.

John Kerry canceled a campaign event in New Mexico to cast a vote as Senator on an important Vetrans health care benefits bill which had been scheduled for weeks. Sensing the chance to score brownie points with the GOP leadership, Senate Majority leader Bill Frist decided to postpone the vote after Kerry arrived because he didn’t think Kerry should ‘just be able to parachute in and cast a vote’!

He may have scored point with his party, but I think the GOP lost some points with hundreds of thousands of veterans who see the silly, childish, and stupid move for what it is. Obviously it’s more important for GOP Senators to pull middle-schoolish pranks like this than pass important legislation.

Obviously, as their own argument goes, they must not support our troops!

The national convention for the Green Party kicks off in Milwaukee today, running through Sunday. Local coverage is going to be pretty weak, which isn’t a huge surprise – after all, who besides the local media will inform parents of the hidden dangers that merry-go-rounds pose to their children (Could your child DIE from riding a merry-go-round? Find out tonite on WTMJ 4 @ 10) – despite the importance the Green’s, and spoiler of the century Ralph Nader in particular, will have on the upcoming 2004 Presidential election.

Wisconsin is home to 20 Green party elected officials, the second highest number in the country, and the highest per capita in the U.S. so it’s no surprise that the Green’s choose our fair city for their national convention. I’m going to try to hit a few events today and tomorrow to see what they’re talking about, and how they think they’re going to impact the 2004 election, with Nader or without.

It’s too bad that former President Ronald Reagan passed away this week, but the way a lot of the media organizations and especially many on the right are placing this guy on a pedestal above all others is really getting sickening.

It didn’t take three days after him passing away before certain conservative groups were calling for a national holiday in honor of our 40th President, certain other GOP lawmakers are insinuating that he single-handedly brought down communism, and among other things, a poll on the front page of cnn.com asking, “Should Ronald Reagan’s image replace Alexander Hamilton’s on the $10 bill?” has 31% of respondants saying yes. Worse, there’s serious consideration for just that from the GOP.

Before we go plastering his name on all the remaining airports, highways, currency, schools, and federal buildings that we haven’t already “Reaganized”, people should put a little perspective on the whole thing and relax.

He wasn’t the greatest president ever. He wasn’t soley responsible for ending communism in the USSR. He was anti-gay at best and homophobic at worst. He sold weapons to Iran and was buddy buddy with a guy who’s first name is Saddam, last name begins with an H. He supported CIA sponsored coups of more than a few Mid-American countries. He supported apartheid in South Africa and wasted hundreds of billions of dollars on defense pork barrel spending (helllllo ‘Star Wars’!). And on and on…

I’m not saying he was a bad guy, or even a terrible president. I’m just saying people should take a balanced look at things instead of sweeping all the bad things under the carpet ‘out of respect’ for the man.