Over the past few months I’ve been talking about the possibility of an Air America station coming to Milwaukee and it’s really starting to look like it’s going to happen.

During that time I’ve been working with a few other members of the local Democratic Party to figure out just how to bring an Air America station to Milwaukee to start the process of balancing out the airwaves which right now are dominated by ultra conservatives and hate mongers. One of the ways we’re going to do it is by asking for local individuals to chip in and possibly own a piece of the station, and the kick off party for that undertaking starts tonight!

From the announcement:

In the truest progressive tradition the newest Air America station coming to Milwaukee needs the support of the community and you to send it off and flying. In that tradition we’re having a party to kick it off.

Here is where you come in. Your small contribution will not only help get this progressive voice on the air but keep it on the air with the power of an Air America affiliate station showering liberal ideas throughout the Milwaukee metro area. The best part is that it will be OUR station.

On Wednesday night at this FREE event…

* Learn how Community Ownership of the new Air America station works.
* Find out what Air America will mean to Milwaukee.
* Meet Air America founders Anita and Shel Drobny.
* Catch the music of Mrs. Fun.
* Plus we have a special surprise guest.

So if you have the time tonite and are interested in bringing a progressive voice to Milwaukee, come join the fun at the Hi-Hat lounge tonight at 7pm!

More details on the proposed Air America station coming to Milwaukee can be found in this article in yesterday’s Biz Journal.

It mainly focuses on the business aspects of the deal, but it’s nice to see that ‘members of the Milwaukee County Democratic Party’ were identified as playing a major role in making this happen. When we do have more information, we’re planning on sending out an email to all the people who’ve submitted their email addresses at the Air America Milwaukee web site, so sign up there if you’re interested in more information!

The President signed a bill that extends tax cuts for the rich today, which I previously covered last week.

Now those making more than $100,000 a year just need to figure out how they’re going to spend their extra $1,400 – $42,000 per year in tax breaks.

Meanwhile, those American’s making between $10,000 and $50,000 will be wondering what they’re supposed to do with an extra $2 – $45 dollars per year in tax breaks.

When the Preisdent justifies these tax breaks with, “We’re going to continue to trust the American people with their own money.”, what he really means is, “The Richest American’s can trust me to let them decide what to do with everyone elses money.”

Another day, another article in Milwaukee’s major newspaper about the gasp! possibility that former Gov. Tommy Thompson just might run again for Governor. Or the Senate!

If only they dedicated as much ink to some of the real problems facing this state as they do to their teenage boyband obbsession with Thompson.

Is it the House of Represenatives or the House of Corruption?

Federal prosecutors have begun an investigation into Rep. Jerry Lewis, the Californian who chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee, government officials and others said, signaling the spread of a San Diego corruption probe.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles has issued subpoenas in an investigation into the relationship between Lewis (R-Redlands) and a Washington lobbyist linked to disgraced former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Rancho Santa Fe), three people familiar with the investigation said. – LA Times

How many Republicans in Congress are currently under federal investigation? Three? Four? More?

For years now I’ve been pointing out the ridiculous way in which this Republican controlled Congress has continually dedicated itself to working hard on behalf of America’s richest citizens.

The latest example of that is a bill that would extend tax breaks on dividends and capital gains which primarily benefit the already wealthy among us. But fear not middle income America! The Republican’s haven’t forgot about you! Find your family’s income on this chart to see how much extra money you’ll have in the bank to throw away on $3.00/gallon gasoline – all thanks to your friends in the GOP!

Just think: If you make more than a million dollars a year in income, this tax break will save you more than the average American family of four brings in during an entire year of work!! Trickle down that!

It’s no wonder average people are disgusted with Congress. With all the problems facing our country today, their focus is on making making the rich richer.

Here’s one for the “Things not to do when you’re a public servant” playbook: Pull government contracts for political reasons.

Check out this story about Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson bragging about how he canceled an awarded federal contact because the contractor didn’t like President Bush:

“I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I don’t like President Bush.’ I thought to myself, ‘Brother, you have a disconnect — the president is elected, I was selected. You wouldn’t be getting the contract unless I was sitting here. If you have a problem with the president, don’t tell the secretary.’

“He didn’t get the contract,” Jackson continued. “Why should I reward someone who doesn’t like the president, so they can use funds to try to campaign against the president? Logic says they don’t get the contract. That’s the way I believe.” – Dallas Biz Journal

Is work for the government going to come to a standstill as fewer and fewer people approve of the job the President’s is doing, thereby excluding them from winning government contracts?

Seriously though, I can’t think of a more clear cut case of illegal behavior from a top government official. Letting political considerations affect the awarding of government contracts is in direct violation of Federal law.

On top of that, what is a cabinet member of the administration doing dealing directly with the awarding or pulling of contacts for his department anyways?

The interesting thing is not that only 31% of American’s now approve of the job George Bush is doing as President, it’s that 65% now disapprove of the job he’s doing, a new high. Think about that for a minute… Nearly 7 in 10 people you pass on the street disapprove of the job he’s doing with two and a half years left in his administration.

Only four presidents have scored lower approval ratings since the Gallup Poll began regularly measuring it in the mid-1940s: Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and the first George Bush. When Nixon, Carter and the elder Bush sank below 35%, they never again registered above 40% – USA Today

I’ve shared my thoughts before on the dismal state of the metro Milwaukee media market, but it appears their may be some good news on the horizon for those of us who’d like to see some balance come to the airwaves.

There is currently a grass roots effort led by a number of ‘progressives’ (myself included) in Milwaukee County who are pursuing the possibility of bringing an Air America Radio station to Milwaukee. We’ll have more about the station in the week ahead, but for now, bookmark the Air America Milwaukee website.

“Conservatives Drive Bush’s Approval Down”

Yes indeed. Another week, another all time low in the President’s approval ratings. What’s interesting now is that the people jumping ship are traditional conservatives. All of the ‘liberals’ and most of the ‘independants’ have been driving the approval rating down for years now, and it’s finally gotten to the point where the only way it’s possible to sink even further is if traditional conservatives start disapproving as well. It looks like that’s starting to happen.

One interesting tidbit out of that poll is that 65 percent of “conservatives” disapprove of the job Congress is doing. They disapprove of their own Republican controlled Congress. Who should conservatives blame for what they see as lack of action? After all, the Federal Government has been controlled for five years now by the “conservative” party.

If conservative voters can’t get what their own members want done while they’ve had total control of Government, what does that say about what they want as a a voting population? More importantly, what does it say about the people they’re electing to represent them?

With six months to go before the mid-term election, you can bet Republican candidates in tight races are nervous at best and horrified at worst. While the GOP has benefited over the past five years from so closely aligning itself with the President to take advantage of his post 9/11 “popularity”, they’re now trying desperately to drop him like a bad habit. Unfortunately for them, it’s not going to be as easy as they’d like. People are fed up with the direction the country is heading, and it’s time for a change. If your own party members don’t even think you’re doing a good job after being in control of the Government for five years, then you deserve to be on the wrong end of that change when voters cast their ballots in November.