Archive for Commentaries
Talking Agriculture at the State Capitol
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my jobs as a state Representative is to meet with different groups advocating for their positions. The term “interest group” can often get a bad rap and invoke thoughts of giant unions or corporations strong arming their views on members of the legislature. But the truth is interest groups come in all sizes, and being allowed to express their views to their elected officials is the cornerstone of our great democracy. Read More→
Moving From Anger to Action: Time to Clean Up Our Elections Together
Posted by: | CommentsEditorial by Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton
A large crowd is expected to rally on the state capitol steps to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s action in Citizens United inviting corporations to spend freely in elections. The Court has been described as “dancing on democracy’s corpse.”
I’m not ready to write the obituary. Too many of us are paying attention now and we’re ready to fight. A bipartisan poll last week found voters opposed by a 2-1 ratio to the court’s ruling. 75% of us believe special interests already wield too much influence; 79% are convinced members of Congress are “controlled by” those who finance their political campaigns. Read More→
Lehman, Democrats Talk Jobs to Score Political Points
Posted by: | CommentsOn Wednesday, the Racine Journal Times featured an editorial describing the misleading job-creation numbers released by Governor Doyle’s office. After the Democrat party suffered several high-profile losses on the national stage, Wisconsin Democrats finally realized that it was time to discuss the jobs crisis in our state. Unfortunately for Racine County citizens, this empty election-year rhetoric lacks anything meaningful. Read More→



Wisconsin’s Economic Recovery Will Require Patience
Posted by: The Racine News Team | Comments (0)A legislative column by state Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin)
Sen. Mary Lazich
Wisconsin was hurt less than other states during the recession. However, Wisconsin does not possess a magic formula to rebound quickly. Job growth is coming. Unfortunately, a return to prosperity will take a long time. Two noted experts shared their economic forecasts at a symposium presented at the state Capitol sponsored by the Wisconsin Legislative Council. Mike Knetter, the Dean of the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin- Madison and Rick Mattoon, Senior Economist and Economic Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago addressed the U.S. economy and its implications for Wisconsin. Read More→