On Baldwin still weighing run for Kohl's Senate seat

Posted on May 19 at 3:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Actually, Tammy has done A LOT of good for hospitals, ERs, and veterans in the state. Look at her record of seeking funding for equipment for hospitals and ERs throughout her district (small towns as well as in Madison), as well as her unbending support of US veterans. THOSE are Wisconsin values, no matter what your beliefs.

On Wisconsin plan would recognize same-sex couples

Posted on February 20 at 3:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I'm suprised to find myself admitting this, but I agree with the Joker. I, too, posed questions that seem to have been ignored rather than addressed. Instead, people are more intent on name-calling than discussing issues.

On Wisconsin plan would recognize same-sex couples

Posted on February 20 at 11:20 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Putting religion aside, and I think that is appropriate for we are not to judge lest we be judged. With religion aside, there are questions of practical concern that go unnoticed and are not discussed precisely because religion gets pulled into the conversation. Some of these questions are:

1) Should the state offer gay employees partner benefits? There are issues of budget, as well as of fairness involved here. Note, I'm only talking about state employees, because this is a state budget bill affecting only state employees.

2) If you feel the answer is yes, what kind of framework should be established to ensure that domestic partnerships are real, loving relationships and not just something to take advantage of the opportunity for state-paid benefits? At my place of employment, for example, both parties have to sign a document indicating that to be the case, they have to prove that they live together (and in fact have a lease or mortgage together), have a shared bank account or investments with substantial deposits, etc. Would that be enough?

3) If you feel the answer is no, might there be some kind of legal definition or distinction that would allow other rights for same-sex couples? For example, there is NO legal opportunity for same-sex partners to be given visitation rights in the hospital, say in an ICU situation.

4) If the answer is no, how do you justify the legal status of straight couples (religion aside)? If it's on the basis of raising children, what of those couples who are childless?

On City, university proposing technology park

Posted on October 13 at 11:02 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

biggirl- The scope of the benefits mentioned probably won't be realized in this case. But, I also don't think it's too likely that the teaching-intensive nature of UWW will change that much, either. Instead, I think you'll see more of a push to integrate undergraduate research opportunities into the science curriculum before you see research positions added in place of teaching positions. Look at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, for examples of small, four-year colleges doing serious industrial and high-tech research for local industry (on-campus laser technology used to design auto mirrors, for example)... research that involves undergraduate students and their faculty. That's a more likely model than UW-Madison, I think (hope).

On Contractors required to offer partner benefits

Posted on September 19 at 4:32 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

To respond to ktaustin, I would say that there may be some reports that would support your claim, but professional associations related to psychology and child development all seem to agree that the sexual orientation of parents has no bearing on the emotional development of the child. For example:

From the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology (1999): "It has long been established that a homosexual orientation is not related to psychopathology, and there is no basis on which to assume that a parental homosexual orientation will increase likelihood of or induce a homosexual orientation in the child.

Outcome studies of children raised by parents with a homosexual or bisexual orientation, when compared to heterosexual parents, show no greater degree of instability in the parental relationship or developmental dysfunction in children."

From the American Psychological Association (2004): "Research has shown that the adjustment, development and psychological well-being of children is unrelated to parental sexual orientation and that the children of lesbian and gay parents are as likely as those of heterosexual parents to flourish (Patterson, 2004; Perrin, 2002; Stacey & Biblarz, 2001)"

From the American Psychoanalytic Association (2002): "Gay and lesbian individuals and couples are capable of meeting the best interest of the child and should be afforded the same rights and should accept the same responsibilities as heterosexual parents."

I would suggest that, if the studies you mention had merit and could demonstrate impact, the professional associations would give them creedence. But from the statements above, it seems as if they have not.

On Contractors required to offer partner benefits

Posted on September 19 at 12:12 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

My employer has fairly strict requirements for registering as domestic partners. We had to sign an affidavit stating that we were in a long-term, committed relationship for at least six months, we had to have a lease or mortgage/deed in common (for the "primary residence...” BOTH of our names had to be on the mortgage), we had to have a common bank account with significant funds, we had to be listed on each other's life insurance policies, etc. I would imagine that the Dane County registry will require many of the same things, so the idea that just anyone can register as domestic partners probably won't reflect reality. Also, I pay for the domestic partner benefits, my employer only offers my partner and I ACCESS to those benefits. I still pay for them.

On Janesville area among nation’s worst in job losses

Posted on July 31 at 3:24 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Curlysue, I think the important thing to remember is that GM is not an American company, but a multi-national corporation. Its products are produced and sold all over the world. And it, like all other multi-national corporations, will build its products where the labor market will provide maximum profitability. In this case, they've determined that the Canadian labor market will provide maximum profit for this geographic area (North America) for the models produced. That's just the nature of the global economy in which national boundaries are relatively meaningless compared to MARKET boundaries.

On Rock County unemployment down

Posted on July 24 at 8:29 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

These rates are sometimes misleading. To be considered "unemployed," you have to: 1) be seeking employment actively, and 2) be claiming unemployment benefits. So, these rates only reflect the number of people who are actually seeking employment, and who report it when filing unemployment insurance claims. If people aren't looking for work and don't file for unemployment benefits, they aren't considered "unemployed." It's screwy, I know, but that's how the government calculates the unemployment rate.

In an economic downturn, unemployment will sometimes drop because people will get discouraged and stop looking for work, or they will run out of unemployment benefits.

On Criticism of "Hammy" coverage hard to take

Posted on July 22 at 1:54 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

One of the intents of the Janesville Gazette (and of other local newspapers) is to chronicle the lives of the members of its community and the times in which they live, whether they be happy, sad, good, or bad. I applaud the Gazette and its staff for its efforts to chronicle the life and passing of a beloved member of the community that they all serve.

On Sales of most locally made trucks fall in June

Posted on July 3 at 8:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

The real issue here is that companies are no longer associated with a country. Any company traded publically is an international entity because its stock can and IS owned by investors from all over the world. The only people to whom the company management has a responsibility is their shareholders. That's the nature of the publically-traded company. They will do what is best for the value of their shareholders, and if that means moving a production line to another location because labor is cheaper, that is what they will do. Moving a production line from Michigan to Alabama is the same as moving a production line from Michigan to Mexico. Boundaries don't matter. Stockholder value is what matters.