Speakers at Marquette – Page 35 – Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog

Author Bemoans “Worship of Ignorance” and Urges New Vitality in US Civic Life

Post author:Alan J. Borsuk
Post published:February 28, 2017
Post category:Political Processes & Rhetoric Public Speakers at Marquette

Tom Nichols thinks we’re in a pretty big mess in America. We’re narcissistic in a big way, we are ”obsessed with worship of ignorance,” we’re thin-skinned, we’re unwilling to have serious conversations on serious issues, we wear the fact that we don’t know much as a badge of honor, and we’re deeply divided.

His deep concerns didn’t arise from the 2016 political tumult and the rise of Donald Trump to the presidency. Nichols has been studying and writing about his concerns for several years.

The result is his new book, The Death of Expertise: The Campaign against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters. And the book led to an “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” program Tuesday at Marquette Law School.

Kleefisch and Nygren Describe “An American Epidemic” in Law School Program

Post author:Alan J. Borsuk
Post published:February 23, 2017
Post category:Public Speakers at Marquette

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch asked the audience in Eckstein Hall’s Appellate Courtroom a question: How many of you have been given a prescription for opioid pain medication in the last several years?

A large number of hands – perhaps a majority – went up.

Among these people, the drugs had been provided legally. But the large response illustrated one of Kleefisch’s main points at an “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” program on Thursday:

Powerful drugs are all over our communities. And, in a shocking number of cases, they are ending up being used for illegal purposes, they are triggering or feeding dangerous addictions, and they are leading the way for people to become involved in illegal drugs such as heroin.

Kleefisch and State Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) are co-chairs of Gov. Scott Walker’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse, created last fall. Nygren is co-chair of the legislature’s powerful Joint Committee on Finance, but also has a daughter who has struggled with heroin addiction.

Abele Offers Big Ideas in Law School Session — Like Making Milwaukee the State Capital

Post author:Alan J. Borsuk
Post published:February 22, 2017
Post category:Milwaukee Political Processes & Rhetoric Public Speakers at Marquette

Chris Abele likes to think big. How big? Try this on:

“Move the capital.”

What? Move the state capital from Madison to Milwaukee? The idea was greeted with laughter when Abele, the Milwaukee County executive, floated it during an “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” program at Marquette Law School on Wednesday.

It’s hard to picture the odds of that coming to pass as anything other than flat zero. But Abele was serious – sort of. He knew it was not going to happen, but, he said, “you can’t talk me out of thinking about it.” There is “plenty of research” that shows the advantages in terms of economic impact and government efficiency of the state capital and the state’s largest population center being the same. Think of Boston, Denver, and Minnesota’s Twin Cities.