Feb

2

Tommy Thompson to Critics: Get Out of My Way

Posted by: | February 2, 2012 | 2 Comments

It was near the end of Mike Gousha’s interview with US Senate candidate Tommy Thompson. Alluding to critics, many from the right, Gousha asked, “So when they say –and they do say — Tommy Thompson is part of the problem in Washington, not part of the solution, you say?” “Get out of my way,” Thompson [...]

Jan

27

The Two Political Half-States of Wisconsin

Posted by: | January 27, 2012 | 3 Comments

Gov. Scott Walker’s job performance is drawing strong disapproval—in the city of Milwaukee. Gov. Scott Walker’s job performance is drawing strong approval—in the rest of the Milwaukee media market. A big thumbs up for Walker across most of the state of Wisconsin. A big thumbs down in Madison. The two half-states of Wisconsin—one with clear [...]

Jan

25

Marquette Law School Poll: The First Results Are Out

Posted by: | January 25, 2012 | 1 Comment

The first results from the Marquette Law School Poll, the largest political polling project in Wisconsin history, were released Wednesday morning, providing a fresh and provocative view of public opinion across the state. The full poll results can be found here. At noon today (Jan. 25), Charles Franklin, visiting professor of law and public policy and director of [...]

Jan

20

A “Paper-Shuffling Bureaucrat” at Center Stage in Wisconsin Politics

Posted by: | January 20, 2012 | Leave a Comment

Kevin Kennedy refers to himself as “just a paper-shuffling bureaucrat. – I haven’t moved to rock star status.” But sometimes, timing is everything. So that’s why there were a gaggle of television cameras, a cluster of reporters, and about 200 others in the room when Kennedy joined Mike Gousha for an “On the Issues” session [...]

Jan

19

Providing Straight Information on Public Opinion in a Historic Political Time

Posted by: | January 19, 2012 | Leave a Comment

Amid the amazing tumult on the Wisconsin political scene, with partisanship and passion running so high, how can you get straight information about what voters are thinking? One good answer: You can run a large-scale polling project, adhering to the highest standards of professionalism and non-partisanship. You can poll repeatedly throughout the year, so that [...]

Jan

12

Amid Differences, a Call to Work Together to Improve Mental Health Treatment

Posted by: | January 12, 2012 | 1 Comment

It wasn’t part of her prepared remarks, but Prof. Lucinda Roy of Virginia Tech University may have offered an especially important point as she began her keynote address at a conference Wednesday at Eckstein Hall on mental illness commitment laws and other issues related to mental illness. It had been an intense, and at times [...]

Nov

20

Stirring the Education Policy Pot

Posted by: | November 20, 2011 | 3 Comments

Can you change the world with a conference? Patch things up with a few panel discussions? The answer, of course, is rarely yes. So I don’t make any huge claims about what was accomplished at the conference, “Fresh Paths: Ideas for Navigating Wisconsin’s New Education Landscape,” on Nov. 17 in Eckstein Hall. (I say that [...]

Nov

9

Ellen Gilligan: Optimism Amid Big Problems

Posted by: | November 9, 2011 | 1 Comment

A wave of new leaders is one of the reasons to believe a new initiative to improve Milwaukee’s overall level of educational success can bring progress, one of the most influential of those new leaders said Tuesday at Eckstein Hall. “I think it’s huge” that people who weren’t part of past events are now stepping [...]

Oct

26

Will Allen: A Fascinating Life, a Bold Vision

Posted by: | October 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment

A descendent of sharecroppers, a former professional basketball player, a man hailed nationwide as a visionary – you could make an hour listening to Will Allen fascinating if you stuck just to his personal story. But in an “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” session at Eckstein Hall on Tuesday, Allen went beyond his own [...]

Oct

19

Budget Cuts Haven’t Meant Prosecution Cuts Here, Santelle Says

Posted by: | October 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment

In case any criminals reading this are hoping to avoid prosecution because budget cuts are reducing the reach of federal prosecutors, their hopes are ill-founded – at least for now, according to James Santelle, the U.S. Attorney for the eastern district of Wisconsin.   But down the road and even now in places other than eastern [...]

Oct

11

Abby Ramirez: Believing in What’s Possible for Milwaukee Schools

Posted by: | October 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Abby Ramirez wants other people to come to – and act on — the same beliefs she has: That a large majority of low-income children can become high-performing students and that the number of schools where such success is widespread can be increased sharply in Milwaukee. In an “On the Issues” session with Mike Gousha [...]

Sep

27

Doing Better Than “Nailing and Jailing” in the Fight Against Violence

Posted by: | September 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment

As Milwaukee County Children’s Court Judge Joe Donald put it, “We do a very good job of trailing, nailing, and jailing.” But can Milwaukee do more when it comes to dealing with crime so that it can be prevented and the lives of those on the path to committing crimes turn out better? The good [...]

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