The Truth Will Set Us Free
Governor Doyle’s decision not seek re-election to a third term is comforting to those who oppose his dangerous tax and regulatory policies and special interest giveaways. But ironically it is Doyle’s strongest supporters who may be the most relieved to see the two term Governor ride off into the sunset.
Doyle’s entire tenure has been mired in controversy and scandal, and punctuated with broken promises to not raise taxes, to eliminate the state budget deficit, to clean up state government, and to keep convicted criminals behind bars. Regardless of how successful Doyle might have been at muddying up his Republican rivals next year, another campaign would surely have highlighted his unpopular policies and the supporting role played by the Democrat majorities in the legislature.
Amid revelations that Doyle’s Chief Legal Counsel was not licensed to practice law in Wisconsin, his Administration was forced to pay two newspapers over $80,000 for failing to release public records. Doyle’s office is being sued by a third newspaper for delaying the release of records in a case involving judicial appointments.
This chain of events made two things perfectly clear: the longest gubernatorial honeymoon in history was officially over, and Doyle’s tactics of delaying, denying, and redacting politically damaging records would no longer work no matter who was requesting the information.
In fact, when Doyle’s office tried to stonewall requests by the Republican Party of Wisconsin for documents related to his faux-legal counsel’s handling of open records inquiries, even the liberal Capital Times Newspaper sided with the GOP.
One can only imagine the treasure trove of controversy, graft and crass political calculation buried in what should be publicly accessible state records, not only in Doyle’s Capitol office, but in every executive state agency under his authority.
Obtaining and exposing those documents will be of great importance to reformers. Those who are truly committed to changing the way government does business should demand transparency now. We must send a clear message to all elected officials that they work for us and we are watching.
Same Stuff, Different Day
.  There will be those who say that Doyle’s departure changes everything. They're wrong. Like President Bush in 2008, Governor Doyle is the embodiment of voter dissatisfaction with a government that does not serve their interests.
What people want from their government is becoming increasingly clear: not much. At forum after forum across the state and nation, people are asking government to get out their way, to get out of their wallets and to leave them alone.
As the campaign to replace Governor Doyle unfolds, you will hear pleas for moderation from candidates on both sides of the political aisle. But remember this: trying to moderate bad public policy is like handing a pack of cigarettes to a chain smoker and expecting him to smoke only one.
Doyle’s departure comes at a time when our state government is bankrupt of both money and leadership. There has never been a better opportunity for real and lasting reform, and we should not settle for anything less.
Life After Diamond Jim
In the days following Doyle's announcement, several names have surfaced as possible Democratic candidates for governor.
Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton
Lawton awkwardly launched her candidacy by filing the official paperwork she needed to run for Governor within hours of Doyle’s announcement. She then refused to discuss her candidacy with the press, saying it was “Governor Doyle’s Day.” Her unwillingness to wait even a day for the Governor’s body to cool down caused left wing bloggers to observe that Lawton was the only major Democrat who didn’t issue a statement about Doyle’s retirement.
Lawton has been prone to gaffes. She suggested John McCain might die in a month or a year of taking office and was forced to apologize for calling replacement workers scabs.
Lawton ran unsuccessfully for the State Senate in 1992 and for Lieutenant Governor in 1998. Doyle has kept his distance from Lawton since she was elected in 2002, as she is seen as representing the most liberal fringe of the Democratic Party. She has focused her tenure on increasing taxpayer funding for the arts and passing legislation to increase women’s pay. Lawton also chaired Senator Hilary Clinton’s Presidential primary campaign in Wisconsin last year.
Congressman Ron Kind
Congressman Ron Kind is a seven-term incumbent from Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional district. While Kind would enjoy regional strength in Western Wisconsin , he is not well known in other parts of the state.
Despite his self-perpetuated reputation as a moderate, Kind rarely strays from the Nancy Pelosi wing in Congress. He voted for "cap and trade" legislation that would devastate manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin and supported both the failed stimulus and bank bailout legislation.
Kind's pro-NAFTA position might be popular with farmers, but it will cause him significant heartburn in heavily unionized areas like the Fox River Valley and Southeastern Wisconsin. Kind will also have difficulty opposing President Obama on healthcare reform and Card Check legislation while maintaining his standing with rank and file Democrats. Yoga classes might help.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett
Barrett's name makes the top tier of Democratic prospects by virtue of his current job and his one-time candidacy for governor. Barrett also has $840,000 in the bank, more than any of his top tier rivals.
Barrett served in the Wisconsin legislature from 1984 to 1992, when he was elected to the first of four terms in congress. Barrett lost a hard fought primary battle for governor to Jim Doyle in 2002 and was elected Mayor of Milwaukee in 2004.
Barrett is unlikely to indicate his intentions anytime soon as it will take some time for the Mayor to recover from injuries he received this weekend after stepping in to protect an elderly woman and small child from the child's violent father.
State Senator Jon Erpenbach
In his 11 years in office, Erpenbach has passed two signature pieces of legislation.: regulating traveling sales crews, and the creation of Wisconsin's no-call list. The Senator's only other claim to fame is the disastrous $18 billion “Healthy Wisconsin” government health care plan. The plan would have provided taxpayer-funded health care to people who do not work or who aren't even in the state legally.
The plan was so politically unpopular, that virtually every Democratic candidate running in 2008 was forced to distance themselves from it.
Erpenbach is also well known for breaking into a local Madison-area swimming pool in 2004, after a late night meal at Denny's.
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