For years, the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel has taken a beating from progressives. In 2010, it endorsed Scott Walker for governor. In spite of running negative editorial pieces about how he handled Act 10, they endorsed him again in the recall election of 2012 because, they said, they were against the idea of a recall. In 2014, they didn't endorse either candidate for governor. Recently, however, their news writers have been producing some excellent pieces of incisive, fact-based journalism that are speaking truth to lies in Wisconsin. In fact, a number of their editorials recently have questioned Walker's actions regarding the Wisconsin Idea, the right-to-work bill, etc. Below are links to some great articles and editorials in today's Sunday paper.
I'll start with an article co-written by Thomas Content and Lee Bergquist about another item buried in Walker's budget, UW Energy Research Funding at Risk. Walker wants to cut $8 million and 35 positions from a "renewable energy research center that has played a key role in helping land one of its biggest government grants ever." This cut is separate from the $300 million he proposes cutting from the whole system. As with most federal grants, this five-year, $125 million bioenergy grant requires local matching funds. Walker's cuts put the entire grant, and therefore the research program, at risk.
One of the lead stories on the front page of the paper, written by Craig Gilbert, is Staunch Conservative, Then As Now: Walker Was Right of Most in Legislature, analyzing Walker's time as a member of the State Assembly from 1993 to 2002. No surprises here!
Jason Stein has also been doing some excellent, comprehensive reporting from Madison. This piece, published earlier this week, outlines Walker and the Republican legislature's efforts to make our state more conservative. Right to Work Latest Move in GOP Transformation of State.
The JS opinion section, Crossroads, has several Walker-related pieces today. First, related to Mark Andersen's piece on Walker comparing peaceful protesters to ISIS, editorial page editor David D. Haynes takes a humorous look at this analogy, including this passage:
Why not [take on] ISIS? ...he won't have to concern himself with loud protesters -not over there. No First Amendment. No free speech. No right to assemble
Second, as long as we're on the opinion pages, John Gurda, a Milwaukee historian whom I admire greatly, has written a wonderful history of the Wisconsin Idea, subtitled
Walker's Southern Strategy:
The traditional Wisconsin Idea apparently will survive for now, but it's likely to suffer as Walker pursues a different idea that's entirely his own: to turn Wisconsin into the Mississippi of the Midwest.
Finally, the opinion pages do include conservative viewpoints as well. If you're a fan of horror movies, you might want to read Christian Schneider's piece,
A Trip through Scott Walker's Brain. Schneider's brain is a pretty scary place, and when it takes a trip through Walker's brain...it's so terrifying that you might want to close your eyes.