Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Reid Magney: In search of political high drama
I trucked out to Sparta, Wis., on Monday for U.S. Rep. Ron Kind’s listening session, looking for some political theater.
Unfortunately, the performances were rather predictable.
Kind, a La Crosse Democrat, is seeking re-election in November and has two opponents: Republican Paul Stark of Eau Claire, Wis., and now Libertarian Kevin Barrett of Lone Rock, Wis.
Barrett had promised to show up and ask Kind some very pointed questions. Well, Barrett did show up, but spoiled the whole thing by praising Kind’s farm policy before asking him whether he admits the war in Iraq “is a terrible mistake.”
And then Kind dropped the ball by being by being rather cordial to Barrett. Kind said he was against the war before it started, but believes he has to vote for funding to “make sure the troops have the tools they need” to be safe while they’re at war.
“I’ve got to be able to look families in the eye,” especially when there have been 19 funerals for fallen soldiers in his district since the war began, he said.
Barrett asked whether it wouldn’t just be safer to bring soldiers home. Kind said he’s trying to do that. See video of the exchange below.
Afterwards, Barrett politely called Kind’s answer “male bovine excrement.” He said Kind “means well, but he has no excuse to vote for an illegal, immoral war of aggression.”
I know Barrett is running as a Libertarian, which implies being somewhere on the far right of the political spectrum. But Barrett sounds a lot to me like a good, old-fashioned radical from the far left.
Monday, former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, who has defended Barrett on academic freedom issues but repudiated his opinions, happily noted in his “Waxing America” blog that Barrett now is the Libertarians’ problem.
Naegle retiring
La Crosse County Clerk Marion Naegle won’t seek another term of office in November. Deputy Clerk Linda Stone of La Crosse, a 28-year veteran of the clerk’s office, said she’ll run for the four-year seat as a Republican.
Naegle, of Holmen, Wis., has been clerk since 2000 and worked in the office since 1976. She, too, is a Republican, as was her predecessor and her predecessor.
The new clerk elected in November would get a one-time 6 percent raise to $60,844 under a plan the La Crosse County Board will vote on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the county treasurer and register of deeds would get 3 percent raises to $55,943 and $55,923, respectively.
The county board’s Executive Committee recommended a 6 percent bump for the clerk because of extra job responsibilities that go along with elections. The clerk then would get 3 percent annual raises each year through 2012.
Reid Magney can be reached at (608) 791-8211 rmagney@lacrossetribune.com.
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