Issue of the Week: The Raw Milk Question

Many people thought the question of raw milk was putto rest when pasteurization took hold in the late 19th century. Schooltextbooks explained that the pasteurization process killed harmful bacteriathat made people ill, and the world became a safer, healthier place. Not sofast, many people are now saying. Consuming raw milk could provide real healthbenefits, advocates say, and the risks are no different than from other legalfood products. It should be a matter of personal choice for an informed public.

If this issue sounds odd, it isn’t. Europe and 25 other American states have alreadylegalized the sale of raw milk and have given their consumers a choice. A billis working its way through the state Legislature, and there is a veryreasonable chance that Wisconsin, America’sDairyland, will become the 26th state to legalize the sale of raw milk. Thebill provides restrictions and safeguards, but for those who believe in thehealth benefits of raw milk, the bill would make it possible and legal to buyraw milk in Wisconsin.

Hero of theWeek

Joseph Zilber

Legendary developer and philanthropist Joseph Zilberpassed away last Friday at the age of 92 at the Zilber Hospice in Wauwatosa.

Zilber needs no introduction, as he earned honors asthe ShepherdExpress’ Milwaukeean of the Year in 2007 and has been a householdname in Milwaukee for decadesdecades past,thanks to his real estate developments, and for decades to come, thanks to hisincredible philanthropic works, which should continue to shape Milwaukee in profound ways. In recent years,Zilber decided to invest some of his considerable fortune in the “New Potentialfor Milwaukee”initiative, which includes funds for scholarships, educational institutions andcivic and religious organizations. For his contributions toward improving thelives of all Milwaukeeans, the Shepherdmakes Zilber our Hero of the Week.

Jerk of theWeek

GubernatorialCandidate Scott Walker

After the historic vote in the House ofRepresentatives on Sunday night to pass health care reform, Scott Walker putout a press release stating that if elected governor, he would recommend thatthe attorney general pursue action to prevent the health care reforms fromgoing into effect for Wisconsin residents. Forclarification, the Wisconsin attorney generalcannot pursue any legal action on this issue unless the governor or one houseof the Legislature authorizes the attorney general to do so. If elected, Walker wouldenthusiastically authorize the attorney general to fight this health carereform legislation.

In his efforts to reward his big campaigncontributors, the health insurance industry, Walker would reverse reforms that include:

nPreventing insurance companies from excluding people with pre-existingconditions and from dropping people’s coverage if they get seriously ill.

nAllowing young adults to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans untilthey are 26 years of age.

nEnabling individuals and small businesses to become members of large pools ofpeople so that risk can be spread out and individuals and small businesses canbargain for fairer insurance rates.

nLowering prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare by closing the“doughnut hole.”

nLowering the federal budget deficit by $138 billion over the next 10 years and$1.2 trillion over the following 10 years.

Thanks, Scott, for looking out for those insurancecompanies.