Tom "the Taxer" Flip-Flops on Anything but Tax Increases

Milwaukee Mayor and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett has provided voters with another reason to doubt his leadership: his recent flip-flop on gay marriage.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that while a member of Congress in 1996, Barrett voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Conversely, Barrett campaigned against the 2006 state constitution's ban on same-sex marriage.

And Barrett's flip-flopping record doesn't stop there. When Barrett made his first unsuccessful bid for governor in 2002, he supported the early release of criminals who were being held in prison for probation or parole violations. In May, Barrett said he has "serious reservations" about Governor Doyle's early release program.

Ironically, during a 2002 debate with gubernatorial candidates Jim Doyle and Kathleen Falk, Barrett went so far as to say, "I'm all in favor of punishing criminals. I'm not in favor of punishing taxpayers."

Wisconsinites may find it hard to believe these words ever came out of Barrett's mouth considering his legislative record includes voting for the largest tax increase in U.S. history, raising taxes every year as mayor, and voting against reducing income tax rates.

With 62 percent of Americans saying the country is on the wrong track, Tom Barrett's flip-flopping record is unlikely to provide voters with confidence in his leadership to get Wisconsin back on track.

Even if Health Care Bill "Saves" $, Still Less $ than Fed Gov't Spent in Feb.

Even if the new exclusionary figure the Democrats are touting as proof of the health care bill's ability to cut costs is accurate, an editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal makes a valid point. If the health care bill can miraculously save $138 billion dollars over the next 10 years, that is still $83 billion less than the federal government's budget deficit for February.

So, regardless of Congressional Democrats' blind praise of the health care bill's ability to save money, the federal government is still spending more in one month than it will save on a government takeover of health care in 10 years.

Click here to read the editorial

Rep. Wood: Helping No One By Staying Put

Wisconsin state Rep. Jeff Wood inarguably has a substance abuse problem, and his constituents deserve better.

Instead of resigning, as so many lawmakers have suggested, Wood has resorted to playing the blame game. In order to convince members of the Ethics Committee that are discussing his expulsion not to expel him, Wood took the time to write a resolution citing all of the Wisconsin legislators who have been charged with crimes, yet were not expelled. He adds that the state constitution enables lawmakers to expel other lawmakers only if their behavior occurred during official duties on the legislative floor or during committee hearings. He also argues he is being treated differently because he is an Independent.

These excuses made by Wood demonstrate he is unwilling to take the blame for his irresponsible and life-threatening decisions. Although his arrests never occurred while on the job, it would be extremely unlikely that his substance abuse did not affect his work. Furthermore, it has some how failed to dawn on Wood that he is likely being treated differently due to the legislature's recent revamping of drunken-driving legislation. Wisconsin lawmakers have gone to great lengths to curb acceptance of Wisconsin's binge drinking culture, and ignoring Wood's crimes would not only be hypocritical, but also counterproductive.

Representative Wood is clearly unable to do adequately do his job. Members of Wisconsin's 67th Assembly District deserve a candidate who is coherent and responsible, two things Rep. Wood is not. Rather than continue to drag out the expulsion process that began in October, Rep. Wood should bow out gracefully and continue his treatment. Rep. Wood cannot help the 67th Assembly District if he cannot help himself.