All Things in Moderation

Scott Walker won Wisconsin’s gubernatorial election less than a year ago. He promised major changes to the state budgeting process and, with the help of Republican majorities in both the state senate and general assembly, delivered on that promise at least on paper.

It came with a hefty price tag, however. His approval rating plummeted. Two of his state senate allies lost their jobs during the divisive recall battles, reducing the GOP majority in that chamber to a somewhat precarious 17-16. Layoffs and reductions in local services have begun. And the Democrats still have their eyes on recalling him in 2012.

I don’t expect Walker to roll over, or even to feel obligated to try and patch things up with the Wisconsin Democratic leadership. But at least telling the truth would, in my mind, score points.

So I’m wondering why a September fundraising letter Walker sent out in part reads:

“Wisconsin state government is $3 billion in debt” and “Wisconsin is broke!”

I’m willing to concede a smidgeon of creative license when sending out marketing/fundraising material, but not something that: (a) so blatantly contradicts one’s own words about successfully balancing the state budget and; (b) isn’t close to being true.

It was apparently widely known by many, but not by me, that Walker admitted to violating his university’s campaign rules back in 1988 and was declared “unfit” for office by the school paper.

And now the feds are conducting an investigation into the actions of key Walker aides, and potentially of Walker himself.

So I start to wonder whether there may be a pattern of behavior with Walker that serves neither the people of Wisconsin nor the Republican Party. Maybe it’s because I live in Illinois where we have a depressing habit of electing governors who later end up in prison. I look at what’s going on just to the north and think, “is it happening there, too?”

I’m no Walker fan, but I hope not.

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This is a great TED talk. Highly recommended.

One of many things that make me think medicine is going to look very different 15 years from now–at least, much more different 15 years from now that today looks from 15 years ago.

But he’s right, genomics has wide ranging impacts: relationships, having children, politics.

I’m done. Listen to the guy who knows what he’s talking about:

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After Summer Session ’66 ended, another law student, Randy Berry from Amarillo, and I, put a Judson supercharger on Randy’s VW and headed off for Monterrey to find John Steinbeck.

Crossing the  Bonneville Salt Flats, we started pushing oil through the rings of the overstressed air cooled engine.  We got to SF and took a $2 room at they YMCA.  We met a chauffer who lived in the Y at the cafeteria and from him we got a reference to a Serbian VW mechanic in Santa Cruz.  We spent a second night in SF camping on Mt. Tam and froze, but we were down to about $30 between us and had to conserve.

We drove to Santa Cruz, slowly.  On the boardwalk, Randy, a crack shot, pulled a deal with the shooting gallery operator on the boardwalk to bring in the rubes by hitting all the targets.  He paid Randy $130. for four hours of shooting.  I stood out front, talking loudly about how easy it was to win at the gallery and would shepherd folks over to watch Randy.

Having no place to sleep, we went to a coffee house near the fledgling UCSC campus.  We played chess with Navy guys who were stationed nearby – frogmen trainees in their early to mid twenties.  Good guys.  We napped on the sofas.

In the morning we found the Serb.  He fixed the VW by nightfall.  One more night in the coffee house and we drove to our destination, Monterrey.  Pacific Biol was still standing on stilts (“Cannery Row” readers will recall it as Western Marine Biol, where Doc hung out).  One cannery was still open.  It was a dying town.  We went to the Dew Drop Inn and asked for Steinbeck.  Turned out he lived in NYC!   But his sister came in, and we bought her drinks for two hours and pumped her for details about our favorite novelist, and about Monterrey in the forties.

Next day we drove down to Morro Bay and then turned left across the desert to Las Vegas.  Got to the Sands at about 6 PM, got a room, showered, shaved, and changed into clean khakis and shirts.  When we boarded the elevator to head down to the restaurant for steaks [they were so cheap then in LV!] we joined Joey Bishop and two pretty young women in cowgirl outfits trying to pitch him on watching their routine which involved singing and lariat tricks.

He looked over to me and said “Glad you finally got here”.  Looked at the girls and said “This is an agent of mine, and he and his associate will buy you dinner while you pitch your deal.”  He smiled at me and got off the elevator.

Randy and I took the women to dinner and bought them steaks.  After the meal,  and decidedly before they had an opportunity to invite us to their room to show us their routine, I told them the entire truth.  Wounded for a minute, both of them, who were sisters from Montana, laughed, and shared dessert with us.

Drove out across Hoover Dam in the morning and then through AZ, NM, and home.  Had another adventure in Santa Fe, but Mt. Tam, the shooting gallery in Santa Cruz, Steinbeck’s sister, and Joey Bishop in the elevator stood out.
 
Years later, late in the S&L crisis, I was close to bankrupt and needed $25K fast.  Randy and his brother wired me the cash from Amarillo where their cattle operation was flush, that year.  It took me almost 5 years to pay it all back [it was not my only debt from that time].  Then Randy got caught up at 55 with no health insurance and a heart condition after having spent his liquidity on a slowly dying wife uninsured with diabetes.  I wired him $5K for med bills, but he died soon after.  We were friends for life and we always laughed about Joey Bishop in the elevator.

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I’ve posted quite a bit over at PL on how first-dollar coverage can drive costs. One of the cost savings ideas being kicked around is to limit the ability of Medicare Supplemental Policies (Medigap) to offer such plans. The state insurance commissioners are opposed to the idea.

This is but a small example of how difficult it can be to change Medicare benefits, even in an area that is broadly considered to need reform.

See the Hill for details and a copy of the NAIC’s letter (PDF) to the super committee
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/medicare/183039-naic-dont-require-medigap-cost-sharing

I’ll have more thoughts on MedPAC’s recent meeting next week.

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Rick Perry’s tax returns

He did well on real estate deals. On one, a sweetheart purchase from Mike Dell, he tried to get his property tax appraisal lowered because he bought the property for far less than it was appraised for on the Travis County rolls. He and I sat next to each other in the waiting room of the central appraisal district before our first protest appearances. I suggested to him that he needed an independent appraisal. He told me that made no sense because it was obviously worth what he paid for it. I said that was some evidence, but would not likely be enough to sway the County unless there were some other comparable sales nearby on the lake. I won my appeal. He lost his.

by ashotinthedark

Since we are talking about personal interactions with politicians, I figured I would share one I had yesterday. Yesterday I attended a legal conference through the State Bar of Michigan and the keynote speaker was Michigan’s recently elected Attorney General, Bill Schuette. He was quite charismatic and introduced himself to everyone in the room by going around to each table with a caraffe of coffee and pouring coffee to those who wanted some. He said it is a trick he has used since he first ran for political office 20 pluse years ago. His speech seemed an awful lot like a political stump speech and was not particularly informative. Just about the only memorable thing he said was his consistent use of the term Obamacare….repeatedly. In fact, he was unable to recall the actual title of the bill when he attempted to refer to it as somethign other than Obamacare. I found it unprofessional and off putting, as did the obviously liberal leaning former circuit court judge who was sitting next to me. I can see using the term Obamacare at a fundraising or partisan political event, but it seems like a bad idea at a meeting of health care lawyers in Michigan.

Do others find the use of Obamacare off putting? Have others had similar experiences with local politicians using the term?

PS. Is anyone else unable to comment using their google account? It only happens when I on my network at work, but when I sign in, it send me to my blogger.com profile but when I return to the blog, I am no longer signed in. Anyway, any suggestions Kevin?

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This is not labelled Joke of the Day because, in fact, it is not a joke, but a true story.

My wife works in a local school as an aide.  Yesterday in one of her classes a 2nd grade teacher was talking about the meaning of Labor Day, and pointed out that not all people actually get the day off as a holiday.  She asked the students to name some professions that would have had to work on Labor Day.

“Policeman,” says one student.  “Nurse,” says another.  “Fireman,” says another.

Then a fourth student raisees his hand and says “Private equity.”
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Mark is adding two more reality bites, with links.

“rezentin” is a name Astra Zeneca is using for a cancer med…PTO

Sometimes we are fortunate when a TM is abandoned…PTO

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Cinemagraphs. They are photos where just a small portion is animated. Some are neat, some are creepy.

With the poverty, gang activity and high murder rate in my home town, Memphis, TN, it’s nice to see the police are still taking time to do the important work of stamping out the crime of illegal gardening.

See Jeb Corliss Grind the Crack. How someone can possibly learn to do that without killing themselves first, I have no idea.

All that time, Chewbacca was apparently mackin’ on Princess Leia. Who knew? But . . . who could blame him? Laugh it up, fuzzball, indeed.

Hurt your brain with 92 different optical illusions (some of those aren’t illusions, exactly, but they can still make your eyes hurt).

Boo! It’s the Ghost Cities of China. Talk about a real estate bubble. Well, they clearly believe government stimulus is the way to go. At least their shovel ready jobs aren’t in Finland!

Of course, I’m still enamored of Hashima, Japan, otherwise known as Battleship Island.

Several years ago, I tried to do a few musical covers. One of the best was probably my cover of Blondie’s Dreaming, although, I think my voice still leaves something to be desired. I mean, it “has character”. — KW

I loves me some Elizabeth Warren, I do!

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