The Lobbyist's Legislature (LL) heads into the last days of this session without passing legislation providing public funding for Supreme Court races; without expanding health coverage for children with autism; without discussing how the $650 million hole in the budget will be filled; without a plan to protect families facing foreclosure on their homes. Ah, yes, but they are busy, busy.
What are they doing for their $88 per diem plus salary and insurance? If you thought these are idle minds, you will be impressed. A gaggle of 35 want July 31 recognized as, (I'm not making this up), Milton Friedman Day. In their brilliant Whereas, lines, they proclaim how he "tirelessly challenged the Keynesian approach, where government spends to stimulate demand and fix the economy during troubled times." Whoa Milton! Are these Legislators in touch with the world around them? Do they understand that we are headed into a recession? That Wisconsin families are losing their homes? Ah, but I digress.
Next on the LL agenda is the state tartan. I'm not making this up either. The Great Lakes compact remains on the drawing board, but here is the analysis from the Reference Bureau on the tartan: "Current law designates a state song (Brother can you spare a dime?); a state waltz (Matilda?) dance, symbol of peace, tree...you get the picture. But the proposed tartan is not jut any tartan. "The thread count for the state tartan shall begin with 44 threads of muted blue, followed by 6 threads of scarlet, 4 threads of muted blue, 6 threads of gray, 28 threads of black..." and on and on and on until the point the "weave reverses...and reverses again." Who will count the 44 threads to make sure they are muted blue? Outsource I say!
Lord of the Flies should be the state handbook for Legislators.
