When then-Gov. Tommy Thompson launched the Wisconsin Works (W-2)program in 1996, it was supposed to end welfare as we know it bygetting people to work for their benefits, which would lead toindependence and family stability. Though the goal of helping peopleoff of welfare and into productive employment was excellent, the designof the program was seriously flawed from the beginning.
As aresult, more than 12 years later, the program hasn’t really deliveredon its promises, and many W-2 consumers, who want to find steady,family-supporting jobs, become frustrated by the program’s limitations.
So when Gov. Jim Doyle proposed changes to W-2 as part of hisbiennial budget, advocates cheered because the program would be moreflexible, less punitive and easier for the state to monitor. Theproposed changes are based on a dozen years of studies and shouldprovide a better chance for the program to succeed in its verydifficult goal. Doyle’s plan allows consumers to stay in the program upto five years, the federal standard; gives mothers of newborns up tosix months of benefits; and drops penalties that didn’t changebehavior, such as penalizing parents of kids who don’t attend schoolregularly.
Predictably, Sen. Jeff Plale, a conservativeDemocrat, blasted the plan, saying it was too generous, and wants totake it out of the budget so it can be debated in the stateLegislature. His Republican ally, ultra-conservative stateRep. Robin Vos of Caledonia, says that Doyle’s plan to remove penaltiesfor parents of students who skip school is misguided, even though W-2’sadministrators found that it did not improve school attendance and wasexpensive and difficult to monitor and enforce.
So why take itout of the budget, as Plale suggests? Plale has put forth no positiveproposals that could be debated if this item were taken out of thebudget. This issue has been debated to death and the changes that Doyleis proposing are generally accepted by all but the extremists. TheLegislature has more pressing issues to deal with that go beyond givingPlale and his pal Vos another opportunity to grandstand as theydemonize the mothers on welfare who would like to get trained for a jobthat will support their children.
Heroes of the Week: Sweat-Free UWM
Atwo-year campaign to rid UW-Milwaukee of apparel made in sweatshops hasculminated in a victory for the Sweat-Free UWM coalition. Theuniversity announced last week that it would sign onto the DesignatedSuppliers Program, which mandates that university-licensed apparel ismanufactured in factories that treat workers well and pay a livingwage. The coalition includes Milwaukee Students for a DemocraticSociety and the Milwaukee Graduate Assistant Association; UWM is the46th university to sign onto the sweat-free program.
Jerk of the Week: Kevin Fischer, Aide to Sen. Mary Lazich
Whilecandidates and concerned citizens are trying to drum up interest in thespring elections, insipid FranklinNow blogger Kevin Fischer, whose dayjob is in the office of conservative state Sen. Mary Lazich, is tryingto discourage people from voting. Well, in a recent lameattempt at humor he’s trying to discourage liberals and moderates fromvoting. Funny, hey? Fischer’s “official voting guide” includes suchinsightful items as “If you think Johnny’s band class is more importantthan reading, writing or arithmetic, please don’t vote,” “If MSNBC isyour favorite cable channel, please don’t vote,” “If you’ve ever had adream about light rail, please don’t vote,” “Do you think teachers thathave to work from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day from September-mid Junehave it really tough? Please don’t vote” and then the capper “If youintend to vote for the bona fide, authentic conservative of yourchoice, then by all means, please do vote.” He repeats the advice “Ifyou think taxes are too low, please don’t vote” because, we assume,conservatives have no ideas other than cutting taxes for the wealthy,even though tax cuts put public education in jeopardy.
