New Year's Day

I'm not the biggest U2 fan in the world, but their song "New Year's Day"from the album War is always appropriate at this time of year. Click here for a live version of the song from a 2001 concert recorded in Zurich, Switzerland.

During that same concert, Bono makes his pitch for debt relief during the intro to the song One.

The entire concert is here.

Note To Doyle: We Need Reform and Jobs, Not Smoke And Mirrors

Oshkosh News announced today that Jim The New Democrat Doyle will be holding a Town Hall Meeting (i.e. carefully scripted schmooze-fest) in Oshkosh on January 5th. Doyle was here for the Democratic Party convention last June, when he blew the opportunity to deliver a speech I had written especially for him, "We are the lesser evil."

Jim Doyle came to office on promises of reforming the state's corrupt politics, putting some integrity back into the budget process, and reviving the state's economy. He's failed miserably at each one: the legislature and governor have resisted all attempts at meaningful reform of the influence peddling culture that exists in Madison, the budget is still mired in a structural deficit and accounting tricks, while Doyle's budget assaults on the UW system have made the state's economic prospects even bleaker. Continuing to blame all these problems on John Gard and the Republicans is a dog that just won't hunt anymore.

The guv has been hard at work raising money. an activity which he pursues with a vigor that would make even Tommy Thompson blush. The fund raising mania of the Doyle Administration helps to explain the guv's contempt for Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager. From the Wisconsin State Journal:

In October, [US Attorney Steve] Biskupic, a Republican appointee, said he and Lautenschlager, a Democrat, were launching a joint investigation into the $750,000, three-year state employee travel contract that was awarded to Adelman Travel Group of Milwaukee after an evaluation committee initially scored a competing company slightly higher.

Adelman's chief executive and a board member each gave Doyle's campaign a total of $10,000 - the maximum allowed - in the months before and after the contract was announced in March. The firm eventually beat out Omega World Travel of Fairfaix, Va., after the state challenged the two to submit a "best and final" offer.

You can bet that all serious questions raised at the schmooze fest will be met with the typical smoke and mirrors responses. Doyle, we have learned, is only a politician willing say what it takes to get through an election cycle. But the last thing Wisconsin generally and the city of Oshkosh specifically needs right now is smoke and mirrors. We need political reform and jobs, and won't get the latter without the former.

Censored in 2005, Part I

As promised, here is Part I of Censored in 2005

P.S. My Amtrak trip to NYC was fascinating. I may blog about it at some point. --Tony

On Vacation Until December 30th

I'm taking a fews days off for Christmas; taking a train to NYC in fact. There will be no updates to this blog or to TonyPalmeri.Com until the 30th. Some upcoming stuff:

• On the evening of December 30th, I will be co-hosting "Wild Eyed Radio" with Bob Knudsen on WRST 90.3 FM. We'll be doing a 2005 "Year in Review" kind of deal. Be sure to check out some of catchy Radio Comnentary interviews we've done in the last few months.

• My next Media Rant column will be Part I of the Top Ten Censored Stories in Northeast Wisconsin in 2005. Look for it in the January Valley Scene. I'll probably post it on TonyPalmeri.Com around New Year's Eve. Previous censored columns can be found here, here, here, here, here, and here. Just as a little teaser, I can say that one of the censored stories of 2003 actually resurfaces on the 2005 list, albeit it in a slightly different form.

• For those of you in Oshkosh who have cable television, be sure to check out the next two weeks worth of Eye on Oshkosh with Cheryl Hentz and I. Starting next Monday at 7 p.m. (and again on Thursday at 1 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m.), we have a very thorough interview with Common Councilors Bryan Bain and Meredith Scheuermann. Be sure to tell Bryan what you think about the Troop Withdrawal Referendum on the Bain Blog. Then beginning on the following Monday we interview Dan and Amy Doty from the Oshkosh based rock band Road Trip. We talk about life in the local music scene, the history of the band, and a bunch of other things including Amy's new children's CD called Murry Tracks.

• I've received quite a bit of email in the last few months from readers asking if I will be doing a "Ten Worst Northeast Wisconsin Corporations of the Year" for 2005. I would like to do one, and [sadly] there are more than enough corporations to choose from, but I will be teaching a class in early January and I simply may not have enough time this year to do it. I'd say there's a 50-50 shot at this point. If you'd like to nominate a bad corporation, email me or simply post it in this blog. Previous worst of columns can be found here, here, here, and here.
  

• Finally, be sure to check out the tonypalmeri.com holiday update.

Here's wishing a Joyful Holiday Season filled with Peace and Love for all! --Tony

Palmeri to facilitate discussion of "All The President's Men" at Oshkosh Grand Opera House

Mark Your Calendars:

UW Oshkosh Division of Continuing Education and Extension and the Grand Opera House are proud to present the following movies:

KISS ME KATE: Thursday, December 29th at 7:00pm

Fred and Lilly are a divorced pair of actors who are brought together by Cole Porter who has written a musical version of "The Taming of the Shrew." A fight on the opening night threatens the production, as well as two thugs who have the mistaken idea that Fred owes their boss money and insist on staying next to him all night.

ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN: Thursday, January 5th at 7:00pm

Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford are perfectly matched as (respectively) Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, whose investigation into the Watergate scandal set the stage for President Richard Nixon's eventual resignation. Their bestselling exposé was brilliantly adapted by screenwriter William Goldman, and director Alan Pakula crafted the film into one of the most intelligent and involving of the 1970s paranoid thrillers. Featuring Jason Robards in his Oscar-winning role as Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, All the President's Men is the film against which all other journalism movies must be measured. A special facilitated discussion will be held following the movie by Dr. Tony Palmeri, UW Oshkosh Communication Department.

Tickets are $4.00 each and are available in advance or at the door. In addition to the film showing, audience members are encouraged to remain after the movie for a brief "Afterglow" featuring snacks & beverages right on stage.

Scope of Doyle Fundraising Inquiry Expands

From the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign:

"It's been a tough last week for Governor Jim Doyle. First, one of the state longest-serving Democratic officials – retiring Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann – took the governor to task publicly for his overzealous fundraising and lack of commitment to campaign finance reform. Then the Wisconsin State Journal reported today that law enforcement officials looking into a questionable state travel contract also are examining the relationship between utility donations to Doyle and state approval of the sale of the Kewaunee nuclear power plant."

Think about the above and then consider the fact that Mark Green and Scott Walker have their own shady financing to answer for. And then consider that when a strong Green Party candidate gets in the race, he or she will be labeled a "spoiler." That's sick. --Tony

Update: Here's a Journal Sentinel piece on Doyle's utility-backed fundraiser.

Mike Domke Makes Second Run For Council

Statement received from Mike Domke:

I would like to announce my candidacy in the spring election for Oshkosh Common Council. As you may recall I was a candidate for the council in 2005 and it was a very positive experience to participate in the election. Since then I have had the opportunity to participate in the Citizens Academy, where I gained insight into both the structure and process of Oshkosh city government. I have also continued to follow the actions of the council and the various actions which affect all residents of Oshkosh.

For those who may be unfamiliar with me or my background, here is a quick biography: I am 35 years old and have been employed by the State of Wisconsin-Department of Corrections for 15 years. My current position is as the facility Work Release Coordinator at Winnebago Correctional Center. I have been an Oshkosh resident for the past eleven years. My family consists of my wife of 8 years Amy and our two children Brianna 4 years old and Kyle who is 11 months old.

My reason for running is I want the citizens to have someone who will look out for their best interests, yet still remain open-minded about changes from which Oshkosh and our residents may benefit. I feel that the council needs to have members who will be willing to make the tough choices associated with state mandated freezes. As a council member I will weigh the concerns of the citizens in my decision-making process and vote for what is best for Oshkosh as a whole. I feel the current council members too often come into meetings having their minds made up and not willing to consider options presented. I don't think Oshkosh residents are best served with that kind of governing style.

In closing, I would greatly appreciate your support of my campaign whether it’s in the form of your vote, signature on my nomination form, placement of a yard sign or any other support you can give. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I can be reached by phone at 920-410-2919 or via email at mdomke1@new.rr.com.

Thank you,

Mike Domke

Time For Tony For Governor?

I've been running the Babblemur/ABV Army Times Instant Runoff Voting Poll on the site for quite a while now. Yeah, yeah, everyone knows online polls are bogus. But do you think I should enter the governor's race?

Why Talk To Tony?

Well, why not? Seriously, for a long time fans and other readers of tonypalmeri.com
have been bugging me to start a blog, if only so that it would be easier for people to post feedback about the site. Others have told me that since I get attacked quite often on other peoples' blogs and websites, I should allow a space for direct attacks. That makes sense, I think.

I teach a course in First Amendment law and am about as close to a free speech absolutist as you will find in northeast Wisconsin, but I'll have to delete posts that defame others.

I won't be blogging very much myself, except to direct readers to material appearing on Tonypalmeri.com.

Peace, -Tony