The Capital Times, May 30
Paul Ryan’s failure clears the way for a real farm and food bill
Paul Ryan is an inept and ineffectual speaker of the House.
Thankfully.
The Janesville Republican tried to pass a farm bill that would have done severe damage to the condition of working farmers and working families.
But the “Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018” was defeated when just 198 members of the Republican majority - including Wisconsin Congressmen Sean Duffy, Mike Gallagher, Glenn Grothman and Jim Sensenbrenner - backed this fundamentally flawed legislation. It was opposed by a bipartisan coalition of 213 House members - including Wisconsin Democrats Mark Pocan, Gwen Moore and Ron Kind.
The failure of a farm bill is a huge deal, as these five-year measures are the primary tools for addressing agricultural and food policy in the United States.
The Republican foes of the measure were not motivated by an interest in farmers or food policy; rather they were trying to send another wicked message with regard to immigration policy. But their “no” votes, in combination with united Democratic opposition, prevented Ryan from passing a measure that was designed primarily to benefit corporate agribusiness.
“It’s a relief to see this bill defeated - at a time when farmers and ranchers are in significant financial strain due to years of depressed prices, this bill would not have made necessary improvements to the farm safety net,” explained the National Farmers Union. “It would have eliminated conservation programs and funding that provide farmers with the tools they need to be the best possible stewards of our natural resources. It would have reversed progress toward expanding farmers’ access to local, regional, and specialty markets. And it would have made unnecessary cuts to programs that feed hungry Americans.”
Now comes the vital task of writing a responsible farm and food bill - in a divided Congress and in an election year. That task is made harder by the fact that our media are so neglectful of farm and rural issues, and of concerns for hungry families. As a result, most Americans are not following a debate that touches on more real-life issues than most of what is considered “news” in Washington. Media neglect allows Ryan’s allies - lobbyists for corporate agribusiness and fossil fuel interests - to exercise undue influence.
The only way to get the balance right is for informed citizens to step up in support of a new farm and food bill that, in the words of the NFU, will “keep food producers on the land during times of environmental and economic uncertainty” while at the same time helping “farmers implement practices to mitigate and adapt to climate change” and fully funding “essential programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that make food affordable for vulnerable populations.”
That’s a doable agenda - if Paul Ryan and his cronies can be elbowed aside so that we can hear the voices of Americans who care about farm and food policy.
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The Journal Times of Racine, May 28
$100 million state safety grant is a start
So far this year, on average, there has been about one fatal school shooting per week, with the most recent being the May 18 shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas that killed 10.The day after the shooting, a report published on Page A1 of The Journal Times let the public know that area schools are in the process of applying for school safety grants made available in March, totaling $100 million.
Burlington Area School District Superintendent Peter Smet said the district already has security systems in place, such as locked doors during school hours, camera/intercom systems to let people in, security cameras, and phones in every classroom.
Grant funds would be put toward “hardening” all school entrances, further enhancing access control and increasing camera surveillance.
Racine Unified School District hasn’t released the details of its safety plan. However, at a School Board meeting earlier this month, district officials said they are updating and evaluating their crisis response plans, bringing a law-enforcement presence into more schools and looking into the benefits and drawbacks of using metal detectors at school entrances.
In the Kenosha Unified School District, officials are seeking an alert system, digital cameras, gunshot detection equipment, installation of protective film on the glass of main entrances and classroom entrances, and staff training for crisis intervention and threat assessment, the Kenosha News reported.
When you divide the $100 million available to the state that is about $32,000 per school.
While a lot more than that would be needed to truly prevent casualties at a school, that $100 million is a start.
Better cameras could catch suspicious behavior before it’s too late. Protective glass could save an employee or student from being shot. Metal detectors could stop a gun or knife from getting into a school in the first place.
Every time a school shooting happens, the public analyzes the situation. It should have been caught because of one factor or it should have been stopped earlier because of another factor.
There is never one easy answer. At minimum, this grant will get districts discussing better security measures.
As part of the grant, districts also have to work with law enforcement.
“A primary goal of this grant program is to forge long-lasting partnerships between our schools and the law enforcement community,” said Attorney General Brad Schimel.
We need to get beyond thoughts and prayers and take some real action. This is a start.
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Beloit Daily News, June 4
Four decades serving state
Abrahamson broke through many barriers to serve Wisconsin citizens
Shirley Abrahamson, the longest-serving Supreme Court justice in Wisconsin history, was often revered or despised depending on one’s political viewpoint.
The first woman to serve on the court, Abrahamson was widely considered the leader of the liberal wing among justices for decades. She served as chief justice for two decades, until majority Republicans in the legislature changed the law to oust her.
Last week the 84-year-old Abrahamson announced she will not seek re-election. We’ll call that a mild surprise, because the last time she ran for the 10-year term and sat for an interview at the Beloit Daily News, as she left, Abrahamson told us, “Don’t be surprised if you see me here again for the next election.”
If it’s possible, let’s put aside politics for the moment and celebrate an individual who gave most of her adult life to serving the law and the citizens of Wisconsin. Abrahamson was on the court more than 40 years, from 1976 until her term expires in 2019. She wrote more than 450 majority opinions, and produced more than 3,500 written decisions. Friend or foe, no one ever criticized her work ethic as she came to be nationally known as one of the leading state judges in America.
So on the occasion of her announcement of planned retirement, we express appreciation for Shirley Abrahamson’s hard work and contributions to Wisconsin.
And, yes, we will miss talking with you when that election rolls around next year.
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