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Lakeland Times
6/24/2014 8:17:00 AM
Writer responds on Walker vs. Burke

To the Editor:

I read Mr. Best’s Letter to the Editor and found it a bit puzzling. I guess the point he is trying to make is that Walker deserves reelection because he used to brown bag it to work and lives in a modest house. On the other hand, he criticizes Mary Burke because she is rich, likes to travel and has lots of houses. It sounds like he’s saying that being rich is somehow a character flaw and those with wealth are unworthy and thereby unfit to run for office. What a novel way to assess politicians.

Based on this, I’ve got to conclude that Mr. Best must have voted for President Obama, who rose from genteel means in a single family home rather than Mitt Romney, who inherited his father’s bucks, by his own admission has no idea how many houses he has and, while on a hardship assignment in France, may have brown bagged it while schlepping baguettes back to his mansion in Paris.

James Zamrazil
Boulder Junction

Lakeland Times
6/9/2014 8:23:00 AM
Writer supports Mary Burke for governor

To the Editor:

What has happened to the 62,776 people who were kicked off BadgerCare because of Walker’s “re-structuring” – even $1 above the Federal Poverty Level and they are on their own? 

How many have obtained insurance coverage through the private insurance industry on the Federal Insurance Exchange or how many have re-joined the ranks of the uninsured and are forced to use emergency room care when the evitable health crisis arises, resulting in rises costs for the rest of us? 

Can some of these 62,776 Wisconsinites be “too rich in Walker’s world” but “too poor in reality” afford the out-of-pocket costs for co-pays and deductibles charged by the private insurance companies? 

Many letter writers insist that private business is so much better at managing money and resources so those co-pays and deductibles must be lower? Other letter writers say that someone willing to work full time at minimum wage ought to be paying his or her own way instead of being on the dole or lining up at the public trough. A 40 hour-per-week at minimum wage of $7.25 grosses $13,920 annually, and that’s a big $2,250 above the Federal Poverty Level cut-off of $11,670 per year. Smart budgeting and corner-cutting can swing that – no problem, right?

Governor Walker has had no real experience in the business money world and ignores common sense in managing government money. Governor Walker could have expanded Medicaid coverage with 100 percent federal dollars at no cost to Wisconsin citizens. Yet, Governor Walker, unlike a majority of governors, veered off into his familiar political world of “look-at-me-the-tough-decision-maker” and added $100 million to the next two-year budget only to cover fewer people.

Mary Burke has real business sense and it’s time we had a Governor like that instead of a career politician always looking ahead to the next office a level up.

Kay L. Hoff
Minocqua

Some Cry Foul Over Rapidly Rising Propane Prices

By Senator Kathleen Vinehout
January 29, 2013
“I’ve been in business for 36 years,” the propane man told me. “I believe this is simply price gouging.” The propane retailer’s wholesale price went from $3.19 to $5.29 a gallon in just a few days. I wanted to know why.

At first, I heard the usual “supply and demand” story: a late planting season meant high moisture grain drew down propane supplies. Indeed, propane use to dry grain was four and one-half times larger this past harvest than a year prior.

January-like weather during the first of December meant increased propane demand earlier in the season. As one industry representative said: “It’s simply a matter of economics 101 – supply and demand.”

But things were not as simple as they seem.

“The propane industry has some responsibility here,” one man told me. “We knew reserves were dangerously low going into the harvest season,” said another.

According to Bloomberg News Service, propane stockpiles are the lowest since the government began keeping records in 1993.

I spoke those in the propane industry, listened to constituents and congressional staffers and did some digging in industry and government publications. I learned several “man-made” actions contributed to a shortage of propane.

In mid-November, Kinder Morgan Inc. shut down its Cochin pipeline carrying propane from Canada to the Midwest. The company kept the pipeline down until late December to install pumps used to reverse the flow of gas from south to north.

The company plans to sell a lightweight petroleum product to Canada to mix with heavy crude oil. The complete reversal of the pipeline was scheduled to happen next summer. However, I heard from retailers, the company upped the start-up date to mid-February – permanently removing a critical route transporting propane to the Midwest.

Many in the industry told me rail lines – another route of transporting propane to the Midwest – choose large volume contracts like coal, grain or sand – over smaller lots like propane. I learned of one retailer who ordered nine rail cars of propane last fall and still had not taken delivery. Trucks also are in short supply.

“I can buy propane for $1.50 a gallon in Texas,” one Alma man told me. “But I can’t find a truck to go pick it up.” A Pepin retailer said, “There are 186 trucks lined up [in Mont Belvieu, Texas] to get propane and they can only fill three an hour.”

The Wisconsin Propane Gas Association recently sent a letter to lawmakers explaining the shortage and the rapid rise in prices.  They closed the letter with the following: Be warned, the situation in 2013-14 is not the result of a “perfect storm,” but rather due to structural flaws in the industry.

The U.S has no strategic reserve for propane and no restrictions on the export of propane.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the exports of propane and propylene have increased five and a half times in the past two years. Just in the past year exports nearly tripled.

Industry officials knew about the Cochin pipeline shut down (and the plans to reverse the line no longer delivering propane to the Midwest).  They knew about the high demand for fuel to dry down grain and help cope with the very early, very cold winter. Still exports remained at the nearly triple (over last year) high figures all throughout January.

Reuters recently reported: "This is definitely an issue that will come to the surface as the fallout (of the shortage) becomes more well known," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC, a hedge fund. "The industry has been caught short, a lot of consumers are going to ask the question - why are we allowing this?"

Finding a solution involves action by the industry and government. We need an “At Home First” U.S. policy that creates a strategic reserve of propane, limits exports in times of domestic need and makes sure companies are not price gouging.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley recently requested the Federal Trade Commission “remain vigilant in overseeing the propane market to prevent anti-competitive behavior or illegal manipulation, and ensure that any supply shortages are not created artificially.” Senator Grassley has the right idea.



Kathleen Vinehout represents Wisconsin’s 31st Senate District.


Lakeland Times, Letters to the Editor. 2012

Letter to the Editor - Lakeland Times
from Bill Schweisheimer
8/21/2012 5:01:00 PM
A 'fair' exchange

http://www.lakelandtimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=11&SubSectionID=11&ArticleID=15822&TM=54293.83

To the Editor:

Last Saturday at the Vilas County Fair two teenagers in the process of leaving the fair noticed the booth sponsored by the Vilas County Democratic Party. One of the youths said something to the effect, “Why don’t you leave our country! Let us be free!” Not entirely satisfied that they had been heard, they turned around and approached the booth. One of the young men then asserted, “I’m conservative all the way.” I responded to him saying, “That’s fine.” Still not satisfied, he redoubled, “And I’m not a socialist.” To which I replied, “Neither am I.” They then turned around and left.

These were not insolent, hostile young men. Rather, I found them to be surprisingly polite, though passionate and earnest. 

However, the difference in our ages was quite striking. They are at the beginning of their lives; I’m at the tail end of mine. They spoke naively, parroting what they’ve heard at home. I’ve had the benefit of many years of life experience. I thought about wanting to engage them in discussion, but I knew it was neither the time nor the place and that the likelihood of anything fruitful coming from such an exchange was dismally low.

I wanted to tell them that I believe that everyone should have affordable healthcare, that all children and youths should have the best possible education, and that retired persons should have the social safety net provided by Social Security. If that makes me a socialist, then so be it.

However, the crux of our encounter this evening was that it caused me to reflect on the most important reason that I support Democratic candidates — the fact that our country is engaged in an intense struggle between the domination of the extremely wealthy and middle and working class people. 

Some of the wealthy are abusing their money and power to gain sway over our government — primarily via their influence and control of the Republican Party and to a notably lesser extent the Democratic Party as well. 

We are, indeed, engaged in class warfare and the rich are winning. And if they win, it will be a sad day for our democracy because it will have been taken over from within — largely by usurping the Republican Party as the instrument of their mission. If they win we will be a democracy in name only — we will in fact have become a plutocracy. 

If they win, the vanishing prosperity of middle and working class folk will continue to shrink. Our wages and safety nets will be further eroded and our children’s education will also be further gutted, ensuring that our children and grandchildren will have lower hopes and expectations for the future than their parents and grandparents. 

By the same token, the extremely wealthy will continue to amass even more wealth and influence. Wealth and power will continue to be concentrated in the hands of the few.

I wanted to tell these young men that the freedom they yearn to pursue — presumptively freedom from excessive taxation, freedom to live their own lives without government dictating what they can and cannot do is a sham. True freedom emanates from a modicum of security. To the extent that one lacks security, one’s choices are commensurately limited. When confronted with meeting your basic needs for survival, you don’t have much energy left over for loftier ambitions. Moreover, “no man is an island.” 

Whether we want to admit it or not, we are all inextricably tied to the fabric of our society. Thus, in an increasingly complex and competitive world, without the benefit of a comprehensive infrastructure (which includes comprehensive educational and health service systems as well as economic, transportation, communication, and energy systems) we lose our capacity to compete among nations. 

In the long run, as a nation we are only as good as our capacity for collective collaboration and problem-solving. And it is the function of government to lead and coordinate such efforts.

I wanted to tell these young men that I have a vision of an America in which peoples’ efforts and work are fairly and equitably rewarded, in which no one need go hungry or be unable to obtain necessary medical care, and in which children, regardless of their economic circumstances, are afforded equal opportunities to be the best they can be.

Bill Schweisheimer
Arbor Vitae

Letter to the Editor - Lakeland Times
from Barb Schweisheimer
5/29/2012 5:52:00 AM
Author outlines 'John Doe' investigation

http://www.lakelandtimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=11&SubSectionID=11&ArticleID=15377&TM=65419.97 

To the Editor:

I am writing this letter to be sure that people in our area are aware of the investigations, charges and convictions that have been going on regarding Scott Walker and his Milwaukee County administration. 

These investigations have been referred to as the "John Doe" investigation. Illegal activity has been identified and to date six of Walker's associates have been charged with a total of 15 felony charges and three misdemeanor charges. Two of these associates have already been convicted.

Tim Russell, Scott Walker's former deputy chief of staff, housing administrator, and economic development director, has been arrested and charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor for embezzling funds from various campaigns and from Operation Freedom, an event sponsored by the Milwaukee County Executive's office which helps military veterans and their families. 

Evidence shows that Scott Walker inexplicably ordered control of these charitable funds transferred from the American Legion to Mr. Russell. In addition to the embezzlement charges, statements in various criminal complaints related to the investigation into Scott Walker's administration allege that Mr. Russell set up the illegal email network, located just 25 feet from Walker's desk, which allowed top staffers in the executive's office to illegally campaign while on the clock for taxpayers. 

Kevin Kavanaugh, Scott Walker's close friend and political appointee to the Veteran Service Commission, has been arrested and charged with five felonies related to the theft of more than $42,000 from Operation Freedom.

Kelly Rindfleisch, Scott Walker's personal fundraiser for his campaign and his former deputy chief of staff and policy analyst, has been charged with four felonies for sending more than 1,000 campaign emails while working on the clock for taxpayers. She used the "secret email network" for Scott Walker insiders, located just 25 feet from Scott Walker's office to send these emails.

Darlene Wink, Scott Walker's former director of constituent services, has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by a public employee. During her time as Scott Walker's constituent services coordinator, she worked on campaign fundraisers, phone banks, Reagan Day dinners, Milwaukee County Republican Party matters, and posted numerous comments on political websites promoting Scott Walker as governor while working on the clock for Milwaukee County.

William Gardner, a business executive and top campaign donor to Scott Walker's 2010 campaign, was charged with asking his employees to contribute tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions, for which he then reimbursed them. This allowed Mr. Gardner to funnel $43,000 to Friends of Scott Walker. He was convicted of the largest campaign finance violation in Wisconsin history.

Incidental to the John Doe investigation, when the district attorney seized Mr. Russell's work and home computer, they discovered what appeared to be child pornography and sexually explicit online chats with a minor. This evidence led to the arrest of Brian Pierick, the partner of Tim Russell, and charges of felony enticement of a child. Mr. Pierick was also an operator of Scott Walker's campaign website, ScottWalker.org, at various times. 

The Milwaukee County District Attorney asked to meet with Scott Walker to "discuss" activities that occurred during his tenure as Milwaukee County Executive. This meeting has been delayed but in the meantime Walker has hired two criminal defense lawyers from a Chicago law firm and has set up a "legal defense fund." 

By Wisconsin Statute, the only way a state government official can set up a legal defense fund is if he is under investigation or being prosecuted.

Now if just one Walker associate was charged, then I might think, "OK, that's too bad." If two were charged I might think, "Interesting, but it could happen." If three were charged then I might think, "That's an interesting coincidence." But when six people who were hired, appointed or directly associated with Scott Walker and his campaign are charged and two are already convicted, then it is no longer a coincidence. It is a reflection of the kind of corrupt culture Walker was fostering in his administration. It begs the question, what did Walker know about all these shenanigans? If he is so oblivious to these disreputable and dishonest activities going on around him, as close as 25 feet from his office, what kind of an administrator is he? 

This could not have happened unless he fostered an atmosphere that allowed these individuals to feel they could go ahead and get away with these illegal activities.

For more details and information on these investigations you can go to the website www.walkerinvestigation.com. 

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