
Bill Barth: The new normal and it’s a mess
Every governor, elected statewide by the people, should be able to pick their team.
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Every governor, elected statewide by the people, should be able to pick their team.

Housing in Madison is not only unaffordable for the poorest Black families, its cost puts it out of the reach of median-income Black households in nearly every part of the city.

Big profits, big executive salaries. big donations, all paid for by rate payers.

The VA rule, inconspicuously called “Change in Rates VA Pays for Special Modes of Transportation,” would lower the reimbursements both ground and air ambulance providers receive when transporting a veteran in an emergency to a level substantially below the actual cost of service.

If the next bellwether case proceeds to trial, we may soon learn whether a jury believes PFAS causes these ailments. And if the jury finds against 3M, future PFAS litigation will not resemble past PCB litigation. Instead, it will mirror past asbestos litigation, potentially wiping out some companies.

The Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act offer critical protections by expanding access to the polls, preventing voter suppression, and ensuring everyone’s ballot counts.

It’s fitting that we celebrate the manufacturing companies and skilled manufacturing workers across our state because the manufacturing industry is Wisconsin’s leading economic contributor, accounting for roughly $68 billion – nearly 20% of Wisconsin’s GDP.

Proponents say government would be more efficient, less partisan.

The college and student loan system is terribly broken and has led far too many people into borrowing more money than they can easily afford to buy degrees of marginal value. Honor, respect, and dignity demand that the borrowers pay it back as promised.

According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, among African Americans, thirteen percent of Fortune 500 CEOs, forty percent of engineers, fifty percent of professors employed at predominantly white institutions, fifty percent of attorneys, and eighty percent of judges are graduates of HBCUs.

It’s a close call, but on balance House Democrats are better off voting to keep Kevin McCarthy as Speaker than joining the hard-right Republicans to oust him.

Matt Gaetz and his fellow conservative travelers who are always angry and gnashing their teeth are almost surely about to overreach this week, letting anger advance far more than their abilities or actual power to effect change.

As with victims of gun violence, the Republicans are offering thoughts and prayers for climate change victims but no meaningful action.

AFL-CIO staff haven’t received a raise in nine years. Our lack of competitive pay fails to attract new talent while causing the departure of irreplaceable expertise.

Over the last year, the Wisconsin Hospital Association has worked with Wisconsin hospitals and health systems to implement robust quality improvement and patient safety efforts — not necessarily to impact ratings, but to better serve patients.

Local farms and businesses are extending their reach by creating experiences that draw people from all walks of life to taste, touch and learn right on the farm. And the focus for many of these experiences is in the fall when our farms are bursting with colors, flavors and activity.

A terrible week for House Republicans, almost shutting down the government, abandoning Ukraine, theatrically launching an impeachment “inquiry” with no basis against President Biden. Democrats aren’t perfect, but it’s time to throw the GOP bums out.

We admire McCarthy for refusing to cave to the small minority that is the so-called “Freedom Caucus.” One of his supporters, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb) gave the money quote: “We’re tired of f–king around with these whack jobs.”

Whether it’s working to avoid a government shutdown or opposing dangerous policies that slash benefits for constituents like me, we need Congressman Van Orden to do the right thing.

If the Legislature is serious about public-informed, transparent, redistricting map selection, why not reopen its portal for a month and invite anyone to submit an Assembly map? This time, however, the Legislature needs to actually look at what is submitted.

Every governor, elected statewide by the people, should be able to pick their team.

Housing in Madison is not only unaffordable for the poorest Black families, its cost puts it out of the reach of median-income Black households in nearly every part of the city.

Big profits, big executive salaries. big donations, all paid for by rate payers.

The VA rule, inconspicuously called “Change in Rates VA Pays for Special Modes of Transportation,” would lower the reimbursements both ground and air ambulance providers receive when transporting a veteran in an emergency to a level substantially below the actual cost of service.

If the next bellwether case proceeds to trial, we may soon learn whether a jury believes PFAS causes these ailments. And if the jury finds against 3M, future PFAS litigation will not resemble past PCB litigation. Instead, it will mirror past asbestos litigation, potentially wiping out some companies.

The Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act offer critical protections by expanding access to the polls, preventing voter suppression, and ensuring everyone’s ballot counts.

It’s fitting that we celebrate the manufacturing companies and skilled manufacturing workers across our state because the manufacturing industry is Wisconsin’s leading economic contributor, accounting for roughly $68 billion – nearly 20% of Wisconsin’s GDP.

Proponents say government would be more efficient, less partisan.

The college and student loan system is terribly broken and has led far too many people into borrowing more money than they can easily afford to buy degrees of marginal value. Honor, respect, and dignity demand that the borrowers pay it back as promised.

According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, among African Americans, thirteen percent of Fortune 500 CEOs, forty percent of engineers, fifty percent of professors employed at predominantly white institutions, fifty percent of attorneys, and eighty percent of judges are graduates of HBCUs.

It’s a close call, but on balance House Democrats are better off voting to keep Kevin McCarthy as Speaker than joining the hard-right Republicans to oust him.

Matt Gaetz and his fellow conservative travelers who are always angry and gnashing their teeth are almost surely about to overreach this week, letting anger advance far more than their abilities or actual power to effect change.

As with victims of gun violence, the Republicans are offering thoughts and prayers for climate change victims but no meaningful action.

AFL-CIO staff haven’t received a raise in nine years. Our lack of competitive pay fails to attract new talent while causing the departure of irreplaceable expertise.

Over the last year, the Wisconsin Hospital Association has worked with Wisconsin hospitals and health systems to implement robust quality improvement and patient safety efforts — not necessarily to impact ratings, but to better serve patients.

Local farms and businesses are extending their reach by creating experiences that draw people from all walks of life to taste, touch and learn right on the farm. And the focus for many of these experiences is in the fall when our farms are bursting with colors, flavors and activity.

A terrible week for House Republicans, almost shutting down the government, abandoning Ukraine, theatrically launching an impeachment “inquiry” with no basis against President Biden. Democrats aren’t perfect, but it’s time to throw the GOP bums out.

We admire McCarthy for refusing to cave to the small minority that is the so-called “Freedom Caucus.” One of his supporters, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb) gave the money quote: “We’re tired of f–king around with these whack jobs.”

Whether it’s working to avoid a government shutdown or opposing dangerous policies that slash benefits for constituents like me, we need Congressman Van Orden to do the right thing.

If the Legislature is serious about public-informed, transparent, redistricting map selection, why not reopen its portal for a month and invite anyone to submit an Assembly map? This time, however, the Legislature needs to actually look at what is submitted.