As part of our Refocus Wisconsin project, we have commissioned a number of local filmmakers to make short films about government and politics in Wisconsin. Each video represents a different aspect of Wisconsin government through the eyes of our independent filmmakers, and more are on their way.
Here’s the third video in our series, entitled “Milwaukee Public Schools: Losing Our Best:”
As part of our Refocus Wisconsin project, we have commissioned a number of local filmmakers to make short films about government and politics in Wisconsin. Each video represents a different aspect of Wisconsin government through the eyes of our independent filmmakers, and more are on their way.
Here’s the second video in out series, “Wisconsin-itis:”
Wisconsin-itis from WPRI.
Over the past couple of days, you may have heard about the “Refocus Wisconsin” project that we’ve undertaken here at WPRI. If you’re like most people, you thought “just what is this newfangled ‘Refocus Wisconsin’ project?” (Likely in exactly those words, before twirling your mustache and complaining about Chester A. Arthur’s civil service reforms.)
Well, thanks for asking. The project is essentially an attempt to do the most exhaustive study of Wisconsin government to date. We’re taking a look at our state, soup-to-nuts.
We’ve hired s0me well-known national writers to aid us in looking back at what’s happened to Wisconsin over the past 25 years, and where the state needs to go. The final work product from the project will serve as a blueprint for what needs to happen to Wisconsin to regain its national prestige – from government, to jobs, to culture.
We kicked the project off by issuing a poll conducted by Ken Goldstein several weeks ago. Rather than being a typical election season poll, this survey intended to really get at the attitudes Wisconsinites have towards their state (also known as “the stuff that really matters.”) The poll is an extensive poll of 3,300 Wisconsinites from around the state – and great lengths were taken to include cell phone users, which gives our poll an accuracy within the City of Milwaukee that other polls struggle to match. All the poll’s results are available in the “Polling” section of the Refocus Wisconsin website.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on the poll in this story on Sunday, focusing on the fact that 68% of Wisconsinites believe all the best and brightest students leave to work in other states.
Also, Ken Goldstein appeared on “Up Front with Mike Gousha” to discuss the poll’s results.
WPRI’s Mike Nichols appeared on “Sunday Insight with Charlie Sykes” to debate the poll’s results with other panel members:
Sykes spent a portion of his radio show on Monday talking about brain drain.
Finally, Goldstein and William G. Howell issued a report detailing Wisconsin’s thoughts on education, titled “Public Opinion in Perspective: Wisconsin’s Mind is on Education.”
As I mentioned, a significant portion of the Refocus Wisconsin project will deal with how Wisconsin has changed over the past several decades. Milwaukee historian John Gurda has written a paper for the project that clearly lays out the choices before us. It’s called “Leaving the Middle Behind: Wisconsin at a Turning Point,” and trust me – if there’s anything you want to read about Wisconsin politics this week, this is it.
To check in on the progress of the project, also feel free to follow us on Twitter at @refocuswi and on Facebook here.