Milwaukee’s 10th Aldermanic District Race

It is my understanding that my Alderman, Michael Murphy, is being challenged for his 10th Aldermanic District seat….really?  Richard Geldon filed his papers, spoke out at a couple of Common Council meetings, but is he really “running”?  No website, no mailings (I’m a 10th district resident), no door-to-door discussions, so I ask again, is Richard Geldon running for something?  What I do know is Richard Geldon, when he tried to make headlines, did have some “points” to make,  http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=683865 but the fact that he has made no effort to reach out to his district residents does not bode well for a successful campaign.  Couple that with the fact that Michael Murphy, as left of center as he is, is in fact a good public servant and would be very difficult to beat.  I truly wish both candidates “good luck”, knowing full well one will need more luck than the other…..

NFC Championship Game Loss For The Packers….Disappointment?

I’m going to state the obvious, if you didn’t know it already, I’M A PACKERS FAN!!!  I wrote a post awhile back indicating how impressed, surprised, shocked, and amazed I was at the Packers unbelievable season.  If you would have told me in August of 2007 that the 2007/2008 GB Packers would be 13-3, host a playoff game AND host the NFC Championship game I would have told you to stop drinking and get some help.  In my head, at the time, I said to myself, what if, what if?  I would be happy with that, I would be OK with making that the pinnacle of my season, as a fan.  Now, I’ve completely changed my mind.  I am not and will not be OK with JUST making it to the NFC Championship game!!!! 

 The stars have aligned for the Packers, and their aging quarterback, to make a run at the improbable….A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!!!  I realize that 1) the Packers have to win this game – most important! and 2) that the Patriots (more than likely the representative from the AFC) will be the prohibitive favorite, but it’s all there for the Packers to take and run with it.   

 If the Packers lose this game, it will be a monumental disappointment.    If they do lose, I more than likely not even watch the Superbowl.  Well, that’s probably not true, because I’ll probably play in some SB pools, and try and make some money on a game that I will detest watching!  Thinking about it further, it would be more than a disappointment it would be a sports travesty (I know I’m being dramatic, but it would really su**).  I realize the Giants are 9-1 on the road this season (that stat is Unbelievable), with two of those wins in the playoffs (with the last one against the best team in the NFC), but they are indeed a 5 seed in the playoffs, they are coming up to Lambeau, and they have a relatively untested, skittish QB, so not only should the Packers win, they should win handily.  I’m not sure if that will actually happen (a blowout), but I do believe that the Packers will come out of this game the victors, if for no other reason other than the stars told me so……

15th District Supervisor Race

I live in Milwaukee.  Other than college, and one year in the Chicago area, I’ve lived here my whole life.  The main reason for that is, I truly do love living in this area.  I live in a city and county that has everything I want.  Two major sports teams, arts, lakefront, great dining, nightlife, etc.  Saying all of that, I do have to say the one thing that drives me up a wall is the absolute GOOFY politics this city, county and state adhere to.  Now I could (and will in future posts) rail on the city and state races, but for now I need to comment on Milwaukee County’s 15th district race for County Supervisor.

Right now the position is being held by a long term incumbent by the name of Lynne DeBruin.  She is being opposed by two new-comers named Dan Cody and Dan Wycklendt.  I’m not one to stifle the democratic process, but I have a couple of pieces of advice for the two gentlemen running against Supervisor DeBruin.  One, and this is the most important, neither one has a snowball’s chance in you-know-what of winning.  It’s not because Ms. DeBruin is a stellar supervisor (that’s an oxymoron), it goes more to the experience, both politically and policy wise, of the other candidates;  bottom line is, they don’t have any experience (of consequence).  Change CAN be refreshing, sometimes needed, but to think that the two candidates that are running could do a better job than Ms. DeBruin, well let’s just say, they’re kidding themselves.  The second piece of advice I would give the other two would be, STOP using the county parks as a “rallying cry”.  Most of the people of this county have not seen any decrease in the quality of their parks.  Whether it is access, aesthetics, or services, it is a complete NON-ISSUE, period!  

It’s going to be tough, if not impossible to unseat a county supervisor (unless there’s another county pension scandal), and it will be more difficult to get someone like Lynne DeBruin out of office.  It’s a valiant effort by these two dedicated, interesting candidates, but bottom line is Lynne DeBruin is not a tax and spend supervisor, and in this county that is exactly what we need.  Admittedly Lynne carry’s water for Scott Walker, and in my opinion that’s a good thing.  Taxes in Milwaukee, city and county, are abhorrent.  To vote OUT someone the likes of Lynne DeBruin, is a vote for larger taxes, and a guarantee that more and more people and corporations will choose to move out to Waukesha County.  Sorry guys, this year I have to go with the incumbent…..good luck though!

Hillary….WOW! (sort of)

What does Hillary’s “come from behind” victory say about Hillary?  As far as I’m concerned, not much!  Why you ask, would I not be impressed with Hillary overcoming a supposed 10 point deficit?  Simple, the polling stunk!  Think about it; Hillary didn’t lose by a couple of points (which could be statistically explained by the pollers), SHE WON!  Nice job Zogby (and others).  What’s next, predicting who’s going to win the next WWE wrestling match? 

 As for Hillary’s campaign, my prediction is, this is going to catapult her into the campaign stratosphere.  She has the money, the support, and now the moniker “the Comeback Kid” (an annoying reference to her husband’s come-from-behind victory).  People love comebacks, and Hillary’s going to ride this wave right into Super Tuesday.  Good Luck Barak, you are now going to see the Hillary machine ramped up and ready to roll over anyone in her path! 

Mike Huckabee Phenomenon

First, let’s all send out a collective R.I.P. to the Ron Paul campaign for presidency.  I KNOW, I know, it’s January and it’s only Iowa, but Iowa is the one ‘pre-nomination’ vote that REALLY takes into account the die hard politicos (ie: Mike Huckabee’s win).  Bottom line is there was only one additional spot to fill in this GOP field, outside of Romney, Giuliani, McCain, and yes Thompson.  It was going to be either Paul, Huckabee, or Hunter……well I guess we know who won that battle.  Don’t get me wrong, I like the early candidacies of people like Paul.  It’s just that in the big scheme of national politics, candidates like that really don’t have a snow balls chance in ‘you-know-what’, but Ron, thanks for the excitement.

 Now, onto the Huckabee train.  I’ve read several liberal blogs, and chats, and there seems to be a “covert” glee on the part of liberals, that base, non-evangelical, conservatives don’t like Huckabee.  Almost to the point that they would be happy to see him as the Republican nominee, if for no other reason other than the liberals see eye to eye, with Huckabee, on a number of issues, which is my major objection, to him, as a presidential candidate….but I digress. 

 The reason Huckabee grew to be a force is interesting, but not very complicated.  Let’s first look at his ascension in the race.  Mike Huckabee was a governor, so he has executive experience; he’s also a very motivating speaker.  Couple that with the fact that he is a Baptist minister with supposedly strong convictions and you have a very viable candidate (in the minds of the religious right).  This is all very impressive to those grassroots voters (especially in states like Iowa), but for those of us that look beyond social issues, it’s not that extraordinary.  You couple that with the fact that the evangelical wing of the Republican Party has been looking for their “savior” (excuse the pun) for awhile and what do you get????  Mike Huckabee.  That would be fantastic if it was not for the fact that he is, for all intents and purposes, a charlatan.  Mr. Huckabee touts himself as a conservative…..really?  Raising taxes, no real foreign policy (and what we know of that isn’t good), and his recent campaign ”hook” is to go on Leno and say, “People are looking for a presidential candidate who reminds them more of the guy they work with rather than the guy that laid them off.”.  Know this….he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  He might sound like a conservative (which he is not), but he is a lot more like James Carville than he is the down home, folksy conservative minister he’s having his spin doctors throw at us.

I appreciate the fact that the Republican base is willing to step up and send a message, but over the next few weeks (New Hampshire, S.C. and Super Tuesday) the party needs to get serious.  This nomination and subsequent presidential campaign is going to be a defining moment in our political process.  We have an outgoing president, an unbelievably inexperienced group of Democratic candidates, and a schizophrenic Republican group; mix that all together and you have a very ”interesting” 2008.  Speaking specifically to Mike Huckabee, don’t make him a headline (unless it’s for his concession speech in February).  Come Super Tuesday, Republicans need to look at the elect ability of their candidates, if they haven’t already, and vote for the person that 1) can win the presidency over the likes of Barak Obama (NO EXPERIENCE IN FOREIGN POLITICS OR EXECUTIVE DECISION MAKING), Hillary Clinton (49% of those polled don’t like her, along with the fact that she’s a Clinton - do we need ANOTHER one?), or John Edwards (of which I shouldn’t have to tell you about his faux-pas’s) and 2) one that closely resembles their ideologies. Make no mistake about it though, if you concentrate on the Mike Huckabee’s or Ron Paul’s of the world you will, by default, be hearing presidential press conference’s from Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, or (god forbid) John Edwards.  For me it’s a no brainer.  Unfortunately it seems like the Republican base has some soul searchin’ to do.  Hopefully they’ll come to their senses and realize that Mike Huckabee’s charade should be quelled in Iowa……