The Fonzie Statue: Are Happy Days Here Again?
By Christian Schneider

SchneiderOn Tuesday of this week, Wisconsin will finally close a shameful chapter in its history by paying tribute to one of our most enduring public figures.  We are finally celebrating a Wisconsin resident who put us on the national map – someone who made Milwaukee a fashionable place.  Set aside, for a moment, the fact that he remained enthusiastic about high school girls well into his 30’s – the man could start a jukebox with his fist.  And thus, we honor The Fonz with his own statue for making Milwaukee “cool” for over a decade.

The Wisconsin landscape is replete with statues.  Abraham Lincoln casts a watchful eye over the UW-Madison campus from his perch on Bascom Hill.  

                                                     Read the Rest

NEW FEATURE: SUBSCRIBE TO THE WPRI NEWS FEED 

For those of you looking for easier access to WPRI’s products, we have good news: WPRI has now moved into the 21st century and added a feed to our main page.  

Just click here and add the feed to your feed reader, and you’ll be instantly updated when a new WPRI commentary or report becomes available.  You can also access the feed from the RSS link on the left side of this page.

Also, keep an eye out for new features at the WPRI site as we roll them out.

 

Will Healthy Wisconsin Bust the State Budget?
(By George Lightbourn and Christian Schneidder) July 2008 (Vol. 21 No. 5)

Moving the Milwaukee Economy Forward
(By George Lightbourn and Sammis White, Ph.D.) June 2008 (Vol. 21 No. 3)

Why Milwaukee Health Costs are High: What to Do About It
(Linda Gorman, Ph.D.) May 2008

Preparing Effective Teachers for the Milwaukee Public Schools: How Good a Job do Wisconsin Schools of Education Do?
(Scott Niederjohn, Ph.D. and Mark Schug, Ph.D.) March 2008 (Vol. 21 No. 1)

The 2007 Wisconsin Citizen Survey
 December 2007 (Vol. 20 No. 10)

The Exploding Use of Debt to Finance Government in Wisconsin
(Christian Schneider) November 2007 (Vol. 20 No. 9)

Fixing the Milwaukee Public Schools: The Limits of Parent-Driven Reform
(David Dodenhoff, Ph.D.) October 2007 (Vol. 20 No. 8)

Renewing the University of Wisconsin System: Creating the Capacity to Manage and Compete
(Thomas L. Fletemeyer) July 2007 (Vol. 20 No. 7)

The Achievement Gap in Milwaukee Public Schools
(Sammis White, Ph.D) May 2007 (Vol. 20 No. 6)

The Truth Behind Wisconsin's Oil Company Tax: Why You'll Pay More at the Pump
(George Lightbourn, Christian Schneider, and Benjamin Artz) March 2007 (Vol. 20 No. 5)

The Benefits of Cable Competition in Wisconsin
(Christian Schneider) March 2007 (Vol. 20 No. 4)

 

 

 


Wisconsin's Minimum Markup Law: Mandated Pain at the Pump
By Christian Schneider

In the summer of 2008, politicians are scrambling to cobble together plans to hold gas prices down.  Tax the oil companies more, some say.  Others propose more domestic drilling.  Yet despite their disparate solutions, they all recognize that people are fed up with paying over $4.00 a gallon for gas.

But what if it is actually the government keeping gas prices high?  What if Wisconsin state government had a law on the books that legally prevented customers from getting a good deal on motor fuel?  In fact, that is exactly what Wisconsin’s minimum markup law accomplishes.

                                           Read the Rest

The Wisconsin Interest
Wisconsin's Third Party Animals
-
By Christian Schneider

On the evening of November 5, 2002, the election results began to roll in. A rainy election day had come to wash away the grime from an often-brutal gubernatorial race in Wisconsin, which had seen the candidates refer to each other as “crooked” and “absolutely disreputable.” Incumbent Republican Governor Scott McCallum, who had been in office scarcely two years, faced a strong challenge from long-time Democratic Attorney General Jim Doyle. The race was a crucial turning point for Wisconsin, as it represented the first time in sixteen years iconic Governor Tommy Thompson was not on the ballot.

Read the Rest

The New WEAC
- By George Lightbourn

Fear the Rottweiler. That toughest of junkyard dogs has been bred to protect, trained to attack. He is a vicious mélange of teeth and sinew that needs little reason to attack. It is what he does.

Such is the image built up around WEAC—the Wisconsin Education Association Council – the rough, tough teachers union that has had its way with governors and legislators. To pick a fight with WEAC is to invite a bloody nose.

But, while few people realize it, that image has faded as surely as a sepia photograph. The junkyard dog image of WEAC is a dated caricature from a bygone day. The reality is quite different. The reality is that the WEAC of today bears little likeness to the WEAC of the past.

Read the Rest

 

©2007 Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, Inc. P.O. Box 487 Thiensville, WI 53092