If there are six candidates on the ballot and only two are invited to the debate, can it still be called a “Gubernatorial Debate”?

Did you witness the “Gubernatorial Debate”? Did you know that besides the two candidates inside the studio, there were two more who are also on the ballot on the other side of the police barricade? If not, can you trust your source of information?

Phil Anderson, one of the "gubernator" candidates excluded from the debate, let people know what was wrong with broadcasters, who receive advertising revenue from the two old parties, choosing who gets to debate.

Wisconsin voters expect and deserve political news coverage that is non-partisan, not bi-partisan.Will Libertarians “spoil” the election for the two Old Parties in 2018 or will voters send a message to Madison? 

Libertarians Attempting to “Meddle” with Election!

They are at it again! They confess.  The sneaky Libertarians are again attempting to grab political power in Madison from the two Old Parties and … give it back to the people of Wisconsin! No apologies.

Libertarians aren't alone. There has been growing discontent with the so-called “two-party system." For example, Gallup found that "60 percent of Americans say the Democratic and Republicans parties do such a poor job of representing the American people that a third major party is needed. A new low of 26 percent believe the two major parties adequately represent Americans." Rasmussen Reports recently exposed the fact that "the majority of Americans no longer feel represented and no longer support the two party system monopoly of American politics.” According to a recent Marquette University poll, there are more “Independents” and Undecided voters in Wisconsin than either Republican or Democrat voters. [34%, 33%, 30%]

Most Wisconsin voters support more choices on the ballot and want all qualified candidates to be included in debates. Other polls have indicated that voters would prefer more than two choices, not less. That is not how the Wisconsin Association of Broadcasters sees it. As it has in previous years, the WBA is planning to exclude all candidates except the Democratic and Republican nominees from their televised debate for candidates for governor while still calling it a “Gubernatorial Debate."

Looking at those numbers, it is difficult to understand why in the world the so-called “news” media would choose to ignore such a large portion of the electorate. One might image that including news of interest to a third party and independents would increase the drama and interest in their political coverage. 

In the case of the television news, BI-partisan news reports and televised “Gubernatorial Debates” look like free infomercials for the benefit of sponsors of millions of dollars of political attack ads (As if they needed any more advantages.)  Follow the money.

Wisconsin voters expect and deserve political news coverage to be non-partisan, not bi-partisan.Will Libertarians “spoil” the election for the two Old Parties in 2018 or will voters send a message to Madison? 

Jim Maas, Marathon County Libertarians

This serves as a perfect example in why it's heavily recommended for Libertarians to run for local office.

The City of Neenah continues to have issues with the Phil Anderson for Governor signs.

A couple properties have received violation notices from the City Inspector. The first one was to have the sign moved, as it was over three feet tall and the city has a vision corner ordinance where no sign or fence can be taller than three feet within 25 feet of a street corner.

The resident moved the sign to appease the city. But then the same resident received a notice from the inspector now saying the sign was too big.

According to city statues, there is language that gets into not just how big a sign is on a residential property (maximum 11 square feet for residential zones, 16 square feet for commercial zones) - but also *types* of signs, like campaign/political signs, and when residents can put them on their own lawn (it even states that political signs during non-election years are not allowed).

Both residents in Neenah received this same violation notice. To make it even more interesting, one of these two letters was issued to a commercial zone - yet stating the sign violated the maximum size for a residential zone. You would figure a City Inspector would pay attention to that important detail. It was later found out, upon discussion with the City Inspector's office, that even if a zone is commercial, if there is a residence there, it can be enforced as a residential zone (confirming the city can enforce whatever rules it wants, disregarding its own legal restrictions).

As a response, one resident cut part of the sign and moved it up a little to remain within 11 square feet - and the other resident cut the sign in half and put them next to each other. Now both residents have two signs, under the 11 square feet maximum.

This hilarious nitpicking from the City of Neenah illustrates the droll stupidity of local policy and what some of our tax dollars are funding. It should be asked - for what reason do these ordinances that specifically address political signs exist? Because someone may dare express themselves with a large sign on their front yard for a candidate they may not support, and a neighbor just doesn't like looking at it? This is the epitome of first world problems. There are a million worse things out there than the ability to express themselves on their own private property.

Let's now see if the City of Neenah puts a time limit on how long these signs can be up on their yard. What is happening in Neenah, however, is also likely in your own city, too. It's worth looking up your city codes - just how intrusive is your local government with how you express yourself on your own property?

The City of Madison; what an interesting place and contradictory place. They have a Landmarks Commission which advises the Common Council on preserving historic sites. Recently the Common Council listened to the Commission recommendation on leaving alone the monument listing the names of 140 Confederate soldiers who died in captivity in Madison. Then the Council ignored that recommendation and directed it to be removed from the “Confederate Rest” section of the Forest Hill Cemetery, imagining that the monument had something to do with slavery.

Actually, only six percent of adult males in the antebellum southern United States owned slaves, which means that the average Confederate soldier was not fighting to preserve a system that actually was not in his advantage economically. The average Confederate soldier was a yeoman farmer. Most Southerners were more interested in getting away from Yankee political and economic domination.

But, are there any other uncomfortable reminders of the 19th century the Common Council might want to eradicate? October is the 154th anniversary of General William Tecumseh Sherman’s infamous “march to the sea.” Are there any local public places named after Sherman, the war criminal, or his accomplices? Maybe the Landmarks Commission might want to take a look, if their conclusion would be respected.

The West Point Military Academy taught cadets that armies fight armies and do not target civilians. That was not the case under Sherman and it had nothing to do with slavery. 

Historian Thomas DiLorenzo explains, “South Carolina suffered more than any other state at the hands of Sherman’s raping, looting, plundering, murdering and house-burning army because that is where the secession movement started. It was NOT because there were more slaves there than in other states, or because of anything else related to slavery. It was because South Carolinians, even more than other Southerners, did not believe in uncompromising obedience to the central state.”

While it was common for armies on the march to forage for food and supplies, Sherman’s army took what they needed and then destroyed what was left. That meant that thousands of Americans, both black and white, would die from starvation, exposure, and disease that winter. Ironically, Sherman’s victims were supposedly the people the Union wanted back.

But since we observe Indigenous Peoples Day in October, there is more to the story.

Back to the Graveyard of Empires

"Units of the 32nd  Brigade have been called to active duty, not as a last line of defense to  protect Wisconsin and the nation from foreign invaders, but to be deployed overseas for occupation duty in a bottomless quagmire. Wisconsin National Guard units belong in Wisconsin, to protect our ‘Homeland.” ~ Ben Olson, former Chair of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin—in 2009!

Deja vu all over again.

The Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs has announced, “Nearly 400 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry will deploy to Afghanistan this winter in support of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.

"The Appleton-headquartered infantry battalion and its subordinate companies, which are all part of the 32nd 'Red Arrow' Infantry Brigade Combat Team, will deploy as a security element for coalition forces operating in the region, who along with the Afghan security forces, are committed to containing and destroying terrorist safe-havens in Afghanistan and reducing the threat they pose to the world.”

We compliment the Wisconsin Guard’s public affairs staff for their vivid imagination and writing style. “… threat they pose to the world.” The only Americans who have been threatened, killed, or wounded by the Taliban are those who have invaded Afghanistan. So, to reduce that threat, if that is the intention, let’s bring our troops home from the “Graveyard of Empires,” as Afghanistan has been so rightfully referred to as.

“Let’s get out of Afghanistan. Our troops are being killed by the Afghanis we train and we waste billions there. Nonsense! Rebuild the USA.” Candidate Donald Trump tweet. Yes, on that we agree!

Note: the US Army has 470,000 members. To fight with the Taliban on the other side of the planet they need to call up a Wisconsin Guard unit. Mind boggling.

Studies in Wisconsin have found that teens are smoking tobacco less. We might assume that most government health bureaucrats would be excited about that. Well, they are, but maybe not in a good way. 

"Local and state health officials expressed serious concerns with the swift and steady rise in teen vaping, and they see no reversal in sight without intervention. The concern is partly that electronic cigarettes contain nicotine which can harm brain development and metals which can irritate lungs — and partly that vaping is still so new researchers don't know what else it might do to young people's bodies,” according to a USA TODAY report.

Wait, what? They are concerned because they don’t know what it does so they want to restrict it?

Instead of smoking cigarettes, some teens have chosen to go smoke free by vaping, which is also often used by adults who want to quit tobacco smoking. 

Vaping: Use of a battery-powered device that heats liquid solutions into an inhalable vapor to produce a sensation similar to smoking combustible cigarettes. The e-juices come in flavors and often contain nicotine, the highly addictive chemical found in tobacco.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recently launched a "Tobacco is Changing" campaign supposedly intended to educate parents about the new tobacco products tempting children. They provide information about the different products and their health risks, and offer tips for talking to children about avoiding tobacco use. Note: There is no tobacco used in vaping.

Public health campaigns of the past connected nicotine, addiction and cigarettes tightly together to promote the risks of smoking. Apparently DHS doesn’t understand or doesn’t care that e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco. No tobacco smoke. No cancer. Wisconsin taxpayers are footing the bill for this propaganda.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, in a report sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration, concluded that "e-cigarettes cannot be simply categorized as either beneficial or harmful to health.”

To some that isn’t good news. 

Anderson for WI Governor: calls for the establishment of a Universal Open Enrollment program in Wisconsin

Madison, WI, September 17th, 2018 – Libertarian Party candidate for Governor Phil Anderson calls for the establishment of a Universal Open Enrollment program in Wisconsin.

“Education shouldn’t be under the exclusive control of bureaucrats in State government,” said Anderson. “Students and parents should have the right to choose any number of options for education, whether those are public, private, or to opt out of any system altogether.”

Anderson also criticized the two major party nominees for governor. “Both Scott Walker and Tony Evers will claim they are going to be the Education Governor, but both share the same dictatorial control impulse over local schools and will just continue the current, underperforming system.”

Anderson proposes a six-point plan for K-12 education reform:

Wisconsin’s “justice system” is unjust! It has become more of a “vengeance system” than a justice system in recent decades. Wisconsin puts almost twice as many of our fellow citizens behind bars than neighboring Minnesota, with a similar population. That means that Wisconsin taxpayers pay more for prisons. Either we have more bad people in Wisconsin or more bad laws. And, more prisons doesn’t seem to have helped, unless you are employed by one. This should be a campaign issue in Wisconsin. (Thank you Scott Walker for attacking those who have advocated for reforms.)

Wisconsin prisons are over crowded. Still over crowded! Public buildings have an occupancy limit and so do prisons. Wisconsin’s prison population has more than tripled since 1990. Our prisons were built to hold about 16,000 people but there are now over 23,000 prisoners. . What happens when a prison is over capacity? Why is it okay to exceed the capacity of a state building? Why is no one held accountable for overcrowding a prison?

Wisconsin laws have a mean, vindictive streak in them. Minor children can be judged as adults. There are heavy penalties for low-level drug offenses and other victimless crimes. Wisconsin has the highest incarceration rate for African American men in the country. (We’re number one!) Concerned citizens would like some answers.

Furthermore, once a prisoner does their time, their criminal record remains, presenting barriers to such positive activities to get them back into society such as finding a job, housing, and higher education. Even such positive things such as voting and hunting may be banned. 

Libertarian candidates say enough is enough. Phil Anderson with Patrick Baird for governor and lieutenant governor [www.teamguv.org] have made a promise to Wisconsinites:

“The Republican Party of Wisconsin has turned license revocation into an issue in the governor’s race between Evers and Gov. Scott Walker, spending roughly $1 million on TV ads over a two-week span featuring three of those 88 cases in which the department didn’t revoke a license.” Wisconsin State Journal

Isn’t it odd that the GOP thinks it is effective to run attack ads claiming that Evers didn’t “protect our children” rather than focusing on the many current issues facing Wisconsin? “Our children”? My children are in their 30s. Or, have Republicans now gone over to the Hillary Clinton philosophy that “It takes a village to raise a child”? Don’t Republicans still favor local control over mandates from Madison? 

If parents become dissatisfied with their public school, where do they turn? The State Journal also reported, “Tens of thousands of Wisconsin students attending private schools using a taxpayer-funded voucher could be the last generation to do so if proposals from most of the Democratic candidates for governor become law. … If enacted, the proposals to end the state’s four private school voucher programs would dramatically upend the school system in Wisconsin, where the nation’s first voucher program was born in Milwaukee 27 years ago.” (Authored by the late Annette Polly Williams, recipient of the LPWI Torch of Freedom Award.)

Libertarian Phil Anderson’s education plank is that, “Any revenues raised to pay for K–12 education should be controlled by parents, who may use the funds for public schools, private schools, or home schooling.” (https://www.teamguv.org)

Their kids are not “our children.” Let parents choose.

Jim Maas, Chair
Marathon County Libertarians

Something interesting, but disturbing, happened last week in Wisconsin.

“A new Marquette Law School Poll of Wisconsin voters finds a tight race for governor … Among likely voters, incumbent Republican Scott Walker receives 46 percent, Democrat Tony Evers receives 46 percent and Libertarian Phil Anderson 6 percent.”  [Marquette University Law School]

That was the interesting part, especially since it has sometimes been difficult in the past for the Marquette Poll folks to pay attention to Wisconsin’s third largest political party, the Libertarian Party. The disturbing part is that almost all of the Wisconsin news media reported on the poll but edited out poll results for Phil Anderson! [https://www.teamguv.org] Following the refusal of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association to invite Phil Anderson to their exclusive, bi-partisan, so-called, “Gubernatorial Debates,” something starts to smell funny, but not in a funny way.

Typical was a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which announced that, “Wisconsin couldn't get any more 'purple' in the latest election polling.” It appears that the Journal Sentinel political coverage couldn’t get any more purple either since the author ignored the Libertarian numbers entirely. Clearly, reading newspapers and listening to the news in Wisconsin won't make you an informed  voter.

However, somebody in the newsrooms and editorial boards might want to start paying attention. According to the Journal Sentinel, (See graph) there are more “Independents” and Undecided voters in Wisconsin than either Republican or Democrat voters. Other polls have indicated that voters would prefer more than two choices, not less. (For this graph, the newspaper apparently decided that Libertarians are “Independents.”)

Looking at those numbers, it is difficult to understand why in the world the so-called “news” media would choose to ignore such a large portion of the electorate. You might image that including news of interest to a third party and independents would increase the drama and interest in their political coverage. 

In the case of the television news, bi-partisan news reports and televised “Gubernatorial Debates” look like infomercials for the benefit of sponsors of political attack ads.  Follow the money.

Wisconsin voters expect and deserve political news coverage to be non-partisan, not bi-partisan.Will voters find out who the candidates are and what they stand for before they enter the polls in November? We shall see.

James Maas, Chair
Marathon County Libertarian Party