If James Madison came back to his Wisconsin namesake today -- where the current governor appears to know even less about running state government than he knows about caller I.D. -- he might reclaim his naming rights.
Now, our venerable fourth president and principal author of the U.S. Constitution was not a die-hard Federalist, in fact helping to organize the first Republican Party. He advocated a strong union of states, but worked to limit the power of the federal government once that union was created.
But as a delegate to the Continental Congress, Madison was considered a master of coalition building, and after issuing a series of opposing arguments, he went on to draft what became our Constitution's bill of rights. In his later years, Madison worked to effect a compromise in Virginia to apportion voting districts by population rather than landownership. That vote failed.
Fast forward a hundred years, and we find another (American) Republican "Fighting Bob" La Follette fighting similar battles against patronage and limits to civil rights. La Follette broke with the Republicans of the day to form a Progressive faction that championed voter control and consumer rights. He went on to become Wisconsin's governor and senator, and the primary backer of what became known as the Wisconsin Idea, which promoted a direct role for the citizenry in governance (recall, referendum, initatives) and for experts in the development of legislation (Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library).
Some pundits are trying to portray the current clash in Madison and other state capitals as a battle between "ordinary citizens and organized labor" that "can be stopped and buried in the very place that it was born." As the president of the American Majority (and you know who you are) put it, "That is the fight -- freedom versus statism, and it is a fight for the heart and soul of this country. At the end of this struggle, America will either continue down a path of destructive statism, or return to the ideals of free enterprise and limited government, and by so doing, rise to even greater heights of freedom and prosperity."
Fiscal sanity and limited government -- those are the essential issues, according to Koch (1-800-kid-agov) Industries, Inc.'s Dr. Richard Fink. Dr. Fink asks and then tells us what politicians should be doing to stop bankrupting the country by overspending and over-regulating, claiming "these are heavy burdens we can no longer bear."
You don't have to explain that burden to our nation's policemen, firefighters, and teachers, Dr. Fink. What they and most thinking Americans want is better, not smaller government -- and leaders like James Madison and Robert La Follette, who know how to shoulder and share our common burden with the American people.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Countdown Has Begun
With the House passage of a Federal budget that cuts $61 billion and eliminates scores of vital programs and agencies, Washington has begun a breathless countdown to shutting down the government that threatens to eclipse the drama of the last Discovery space shuttle launch scheduled for Thursday.
Short of sending a few Republican Congressman into space, or at least to Wisconsin, it appears that the Republican controlled House is willing to act more like NFL owners than the deliberative body of comity promised soon after the mid-term elections. In fact, most Americans are more willing to shut Congress down than miss the next NFL season.
The threatened NFL lock-out does, however, have a thing or two to teach us about governing monopolies like the U.S. Congress. The disagreement stands to demonstrate how our collective will and creativity - extending from the Board room to the TiVo room - can solve America's economic problems. As the NFL Players Association representative Geogre Atallah put it, "Disputes over money should not hurt the fans." Or the American public.
A Washington Post columnist went futher suggesting an arrangement that keeps the teams competing on the field but collaborating in the marketplace. And an academic concluded that the fans, players, and the league would all be better off if the owners had more incentives to find more innovative ways to grow the pie than raising ticket prices and selling exorbitantly priced hot dogs. Who knows more about sharing pork than the U.S. Congress?
The Web giants have been preaching and practicing this philosophy of creative cooperation for as long as there has been a Web. Outgoing Google chief Eric Schmidt summed it up by asking, "How do you be big without being evil?" Harvard fellow Vivek Wadhwa (sounds like Danish mineral water) answered, "The difference in thinking between Silicon Valley and other places is that you compete one moment and you cooperate the next moment." It's the win-win side of things that our winter of dissent has eclipsed.
Short of sending a few Republican Congressman into space, or at least to Wisconsin, it appears that the Republican controlled House is willing to act more like NFL owners than the deliberative body of comity promised soon after the mid-term elections. In fact, most Americans are more willing to shut Congress down than miss the next NFL season.
The threatened NFL lock-out does, however, have a thing or two to teach us about governing monopolies like the U.S. Congress. The disagreement stands to demonstrate how our collective will and creativity - extending from the Board room to the TiVo room - can solve America's economic problems. As the NFL Players Association representative Geogre Atallah put it, "Disputes over money should not hurt the fans." Or the American public.
A Washington Post columnist went futher suggesting an arrangement that keeps the teams competing on the field but collaborating in the marketplace. And an academic concluded that the fans, players, and the league would all be better off if the owners had more incentives to find more innovative ways to grow the pie than raising ticket prices and selling exorbitantly priced hot dogs. Who knows more about sharing pork than the U.S. Congress?
The Web giants have been preaching and practicing this philosophy of creative cooperation for as long as there has been a Web. Outgoing Google chief Eric Schmidt summed it up by asking, "How do you be big without being evil?" Harvard fellow Vivek Wadhwa (sounds like Danish mineral water) answered, "The difference in thinking between Silicon Valley and other places is that you compete one moment and you cooperate the next moment." It's the win-win side of things that our winter of dissent has eclipsed.
Friday, February 18, 2011
61-derful - the 8 Keys for Life
As my 60th year draws to a close, I can honestly say that it has been a year-long celebration. First, the Philadelphia flower show and Picasso exhibit with my cherished wife; then a great summer vacation at the beach with the family; my son's involvement in debate, model U.N., and student government; exhilerating trips to L.A. and Boston, and a rousing road trip to watch Alabama football and take pride in my daughter's academic ascendancy.
But in the last two months, we have said farewell to a beloved family friend and two precious family members. All lived long and meaningful lives, but it was still sad to say good-by. Growing old does indeed mean giving up the things and people you cherish the most, but it also means finding new ways to commemorate their lives and cherish that existence.
As I approach 61-derful, I can think of no better way to celebrate than to commit to the 8 keys for life that Neil Cohen gave us at his father's memorial service. His dad, Melvin Cohen, was a righeous man in every sense of the word, and these keys capture the inspiration that was his life. He lived them each day of his life, and God willing, so will I.
1. Love your parents, your brothers, sisters, and friends.
2. Friendship - Be loyal and caring to your friends.
3. Smile! Have a good sense of humor. Strive to be optimistic.
4. Work Habits: Always strive to do your best!
5. Be Generous: Share your good fortune in life with those less fortunate.
6. Be a Reader- The whole world comes to you.
7. Be truthful: Always be honest and sincere.
8. Faith: Strong Belief in God and Judaism.
But in the last two months, we have said farewell to a beloved family friend and two precious family members. All lived long and meaningful lives, but it was still sad to say good-by. Growing old does indeed mean giving up the things and people you cherish the most, but it also means finding new ways to commemorate their lives and cherish that existence.
As I approach 61-derful, I can think of no better way to celebrate than to commit to the 8 keys for life that Neil Cohen gave us at his father's memorial service. His dad, Melvin Cohen, was a righeous man in every sense of the word, and these keys capture the inspiration that was his life. He lived them each day of his life, and God willing, so will I.
1. Love your parents, your brothers, sisters, and friends.
2. Friendship - Be loyal and caring to your friends.
3. Smile! Have a good sense of humor. Strive to be optimistic.
4. Work Habits: Always strive to do your best!
5. Be Generous: Share your good fortune in life with those less fortunate.
6. Be a Reader- The whole world comes to you.
7. Be truthful: Always be honest and sincere.
8. Faith: Strong Belief in God and Judaism.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Winning the Future
It is part of life's irony that while Egyptians were struggling for freedom, we Americans were emeshed in Super Bowl XLV. As one who is on a constant search for life's meaning, and a new topic for my blog, I turned to the words of actor Michael Douglas, who opened the game with a televised tale of struggle and triumph.
His essay, called "The Journey" was about football, but it is just as much about finding purpose. In his words, "This is so much bigger than just a football game. These two teams have given us the chance for one night, not only to dream, but to believe. This is a celebration of their journey -- of our journey."
Now many of us had stopped believing during the playoffs, but the dream of winning lives like a sentry in the American spirit. President Obama tapped this essence a few weeks later in his State of the Union address. He called upon the nation to work together to "win the future" by out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building our global competition. The impudent Republican response focused on putting Obama in the out-house.
For the most part, the address resonated well, with over 30 million viewers, in a head-to-head competition with American Idol, whose ratings were up substantially from the prior week. Of course, the Super Bowl's record 111 million viewers isn't a fair comparison. Obama wasn't eating Doritos.
His essay, called "The Journey" was about football, but it is just as much about finding purpose. In his words, "This is so much bigger than just a football game. These two teams have given us the chance for one night, not only to dream, but to believe. This is a celebration of their journey -- of our journey."
Now many of us had stopped believing during the playoffs, but the dream of winning lives like a sentry in the American spirit. President Obama tapped this essence a few weeks later in his State of the Union address. He called upon the nation to work together to "win the future" by out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building our global competition. The impudent Republican response focused on putting Obama in the out-house.
For the most part, the address resonated well, with over 30 million viewers, in a head-to-head competition with American Idol, whose ratings were up substantially from the prior week. Of course, the Super Bowl's record 111 million viewers isn't a fair comparison. Obama wasn't eating Doritos.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Let My People Go
It took me a year to post a new blog entry, but the Egyptians managed to finish a whole revolution in less time than it takes to complete a Seder. (Don't tell Moses.) Little did I know when I invoked the mighty Tweet in my last blog that it would lead to all of this.
It seems that a 30-something Google exec Wael Ghonim (wasn't he in The Lord of the Rings?) sparked an online protest campaign to oust President Mubarak. Google even launched a special speak-to-tweet service to help Egyptians without Internet communicate. They used it to leave voicemails at one of three international phone numbers that Twittered their message. (Is that how Congressman Lee wound up on Craigslist?)
Soon after, as Google has compiled, angry crowds began filling Tahrir Square and telling bad Mubarak jokes (Personal secretary to Mubarak: "Are you writing your farewell address to the Egyptian people?" Mubarek's reply: "No, where are they going?") Sounds like a Rodney Dangerfield punch line.
As things began to get out-of-hand, a prominent reform advocate Mohamed ElBaradei issued the frantic Tweet warning, "Egypt will explode" and then Tweeted, "I call on the the Egyptian army to immediately interfere to rescue Egypt. The credibility of the army is on the line." Lots to lose there.
That's the same army that Mubarek vowed a few days earlier would lift military law "once security and stability are restored." Egypt's Woodstock moment has begun. Let my people go, Google.
It seems that a 30-something Google exec Wael Ghonim (wasn't he in The Lord of the Rings?) sparked an online protest campaign to oust President Mubarak. Google even launched a special speak-to-tweet service to help Egyptians without Internet communicate. They used it to leave voicemails at one of three international phone numbers that Twittered their message. (Is that how Congressman Lee wound up on Craigslist?)
Soon after, as Google has compiled, angry crowds began filling Tahrir Square and telling bad Mubarak jokes (Personal secretary to Mubarak: "Are you writing your farewell address to the Egyptian people?" Mubarek's reply: "No, where are they going?") Sounds like a Rodney Dangerfield punch line.
As things began to get out-of-hand, a prominent reform advocate Mohamed ElBaradei issued the frantic Tweet warning, "Egypt will explode" and then Tweeted, "I call on the the Egyptian army to immediately interfere to rescue Egypt. The credibility of the army is on the line." Lots to lose there.
That's the same army that Mubarek vowed a few days earlier would lift military law "once security and stability are restored." Egypt's Woodstock moment has begun. Let my people go, Google.
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