321 results for author: Phil Anderson

A Tale of Two Trails

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness....” Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities folks who like to hike. They both help attract visitors and boost tourism. The Lake Superior Trail runs north from Jay Cook State Park along the north shore of Lake Superior. The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) crosses far northern Wisconsin on its way from New York to North Dakota. This is a story of these two trails and efforts to combine them. But it is also a story of the difficulty of getting anything done, no matter how minor, in our current dysfunctional political world. ...

Bribe Games By the Number

“Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” Ambrose Bierce Bribing companies to create jobs is not an effective way to promote economic development. It is not a comprehensive way to promote prosperity. The primary, and often only, result of business development tax incentives is simply reduced tax collections from the favored businesses. Everyone else pays for the incentives provided for the few. In Wisconsin the job creation numbers provide proof. Citizen Action of Wisconsin has several reports on programs run by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corpora...

Smart Houses, Dumb People

“That man is richest who's pleasures are the cheapest.” Henry David Thoreau The world of technology is constantly changing. Change can be hard on many folks especially us old duffers. I may be a curmudgeon but I am not a complete Luddite. I know that many of the gadgets that clutter our lives are useful. Some of them even make life better. But sometimes I think many technological “advances” happen only because we can. Because microchips can do lots of stuff we feel a need to do lots of stuff with them. Whether any one wants, needs, uses, (or even has time to learn how to use) the cool features or “apps” is irrelevant. Interactive ...

When The Chickens Come Home

Wisconsin Public Radio recently reported that the Walker administration is not enforcing fire safety codes. The laws requiring fire suppression sprinklers in apartment buildings are in conflict with another anti-regulation law passed by the Walker wrecking crew. As I have written in the past, there are consequences to the destructive, mean spirited, short sighted, ideologically driven agendas of the radical Republicans now in charge of Wisconsin and the nation. The consequences of their senseless actions frequently hurt people. Refusing to enforce basic fire safety for ideological reasons should alarm us all. Fire suppression sprinkler systems ...

Bottom Up Economic Development

My wife tells me I should be more positive with my articles. I should write more about good things that are happening. Being a cranky curmudgeon this is not easy to do. Plus the current political situation provides a continuous stream of great negative topics. The Foxconn giveaway in Wisconsin is an example. But economic development doesn't require huge tax expenditures to create jobs. There are other ways to create jobs and build economic security. There are many positive stories about local people across the country finding local solutions. These stories show alternatives are possible. In past articles I have suggested that investing in people ...

On Tolerance

“Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.” President John F. Kennedy “Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.” Robert G. Ingersoll I recently had a discussion with a person about GLBT rights. This person asserted that she was a “Christian” and didn't “believe” in homosexuality. Therefore she could not “support” public events like the Duluth-Superior Pride parade and festivities. But as President John Kennedy said, allowing others to have their own beliefs or lifestyles does not imply you agree with or ...

Ban the Bomb

Seventy two years ago, the United States became the first and only country to use nuclear weapons on civilians. On August 6 and 9, 1945 we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people. We tell ourselves it was necessary. It was to save lives and end the war. We tell ourselves that nuclear weapons kept us safe during the Cold War and are necessary for our “defense” today. But these rationalizations ring hollow when examined closely. There were alternatives in 1945, and there are alternatives today to perpetuating the threat of a nuclear holocaust. On July 7th the United Nations finalized a treaty to ban ...

Ruminations on Foxconn

The giant electronics manufacturer Foxconn has announced it will locate in Wisconsin. It supposedly plans to spend $10 billion to create a “campus” to build LCD panels. The politicians were, of course, tripping over themselves to get in on the photo op. But I wonder if the old adage applies: “If it sounds too good to be true...it probably is.” The announcement was held at the White House. Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, President Trump, Governor Walker, and House Speaker Paul Ryan were in attendance. Trump, with typical arrogance, said it wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been elected President. Walker said the deal would transform Wisconsin. This ...

Cuba: Some Historic Perspective

“Right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions in the past.” Tryon Edwards, 19th century American theologian Normalizing relations with Cuba is long overdue. For over 50 years we have tried to change the government and social structure of this small, poor nation. Our animosity toward Cuba has been irrational, unnecessary, and contrary to our founding principles of liberty and democracy. President Obama's move toward normal relations was just the beginning. American involvement in Cuba began long before Castro and the current socialist government. To understand the harm our government's actions have brought to the ...

Cuba: A Recipe For Failure

"With God's help, a free Cuba is what we will soon achieve," President Trump “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein President Trump recently said “Effective immediately, I am canceling the last administration’s completely one-sided deal with Cuba." With all his usual bombast and inaccuracy, Trump described Obama's normalization of diplomatic relations, and small steps toward normal economic relations, as “terrible and misguided.” Trump said his “historic“ actions to reverse these changes would “free” the Cuban people. But his “new“ policy is a return to the ...