NOW, that's an outrage

I never thought I'd find myself on the same side of anything as Ted Kennedy - until NOW.

A press release from The New York Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) has attacked Senator Ted Kennedy for endorsing Barack Obama. The chapter has called the Senator's action, the "ultimate betrayal" since apparently, a vote for anyone but Hillary, is anathema to all women.

National Organization For Women, public logo

In fairness, the national organization has disavowed this insipid press release, but even that might not blunt the near-term reputation damage - compliments of its rogue New York chapter.

I'm sure he gets better advice than I can give...

but I do not understand why Senator Obama highlights relatively innocuous aspects of Hillary Clinton's history like service on Wal-Mart's board (is that a crime?) when there is so much else to choose from.

Ms. Clinton burst on to the national scene when she insulted American women who choose to stay home and raise their children (remember her inane "cookies" comment?). Then she held our attention after we learned about her involvement in FileGate and TravelGate.

She never stopped annoying critics with policy proposals like her health care plan hatched as an unelected, un-official, or her preposterous statements to the press (e.g. "vast right wing conspiracy") and now she criticizes Mr. Obama for the quality of clients he represented while in private practice.

I bet Ms. Clinton would much prefer to discuss her board memberships than many other issues that stained her political dossier. So why does Sen. Obama choose Wal-Mart?

Behaving un-presidential?

I am surprised by all the disapproval of former President Bill Clinton's recent speech-making. When Senator Ted Kennedy is unhappy with the Clintons, you know it's newsworthy.  Some criticized Mr. Clinton's bare-knuckled comments to promote his wife's candidacy as "un-presidential" which seems odd to me.

I've long been enamored with Mr. Clinton's intelligence and his command of complex issues -- he is also a magnificent speaker and an gifted politician. 

On the other hand, he used the Oval Office like a Bangkok sex parlor, deceived the American people about it, lied under oath, rented the Lincoln bedroom for campaign funds, pardoned Mark Rich and one could go on, but the point is this -- how consistently did he behave in a presidential manner?

A toast to South Carolina

The Palmetto state makes me proud tonight. Dum Spiro Spero (while I breathe, I hope).

South Carolina state flag

Consider the beginning to tonight's Republican debate in Myrtle Beach - a chorus of men in suits and women (in lovely white dresses) singing the Star Spangled Banner. My, how radical.

If I wanted to have drinks with cynical intellectuals watching this debate - e.g. some Manhattan salon, I'd have to sniff and say something disapproving. If I expressed my delight, they probably wouldn't serve me. That's OK, I don't drink with those people anyway.

For me, it was a perfect start to the debate.

State of Wisconsin flubs identity handling (redux)

Haven't we seen this movie before?

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported today that a state mailing may have compromised the identities of thousands of Wisconsinites because of Social Security numbers that were inadvertently printed on mailing labels.

I published a column last year in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after approximately 171,000 taxpayer social security numbers adorned the front of tax booklets. I also mentioned in that column, another breach (not cited in today's Journal Sentinel story) by a human resources aide who mishandled social security numbers of state assembly members.

The only thing more astonishing than all of this repeated carelessness, is the blatant blame game being played. It appears that the State Department of Health and Family Services and Governor Doyle's spokesman, Matt Canter, are feigning indignation in order to place the blame squarely (and entirely) on the vendor, EDS.

I remember the Mea Culpa letter last year from the printer that accompanied a similar letter from the Department of Revenue explaining and taking responsibility for that debacle. At least, there was a semblance of accountability communicated by the Department of Revenue.

In today's JS story, the Guv's spokesman Matt Canter, suggests that there is a big difference between last year's data goof and this new one because last year, the printer had no use for the data compromised, but EDS needed the data to do it's processing this year.  So what?

How does that make State government any less responsible? In both cases state government provided the data files containing our social security numbers to a vendor. Therefore it's incumbent upon them to review and sign off before irretrievable damage goes out the door.

Here's the first step for a patient to heal thyself - admit you have a problem and stop blaming the vendor. Next, examine your processes and what went wrong- then implement new controls and test them, again and again and again - to make sure they are working.

We don't need to have someone's head - just take responsibility, analyze it and fix it.

Also announced today was Governor Doyle's commendable effort to expand tax incentives for research and development at Wisconsin companies.  If only we could persuade the Governor's administration to research and develop better state processes for handling our critical data.

Public teachers unions selective about choice

Yesterday’s blog post from Patrick McIlheran is spot on.

Teachers unions often exalt a right to choice.  Some choices they promote include secular or free-from-faith learning environments, politically correct curricula, etc.  (They also choose to fight performance standards intended to hold them accountable, they choose to strike, etc. but that’s another post). 

The point Mr. McIlheran makes is that when parents choose for their children, an alternative to traditional public education, “choice” vanishes from teacher unions' consciousness and they behave as though they are victims. 

Yes, in that case, when standards and competition emerge, the notion of choice goes right out the classroom window. 

Repudiation!

Hillary Clinton, official public photo

It's simply the only appropriate word to describe Hillary Clinton's third place finish in Iowa tonight. The leading spender finishes third.