September 29, 2010

The University of Wisconsin had "to weigh the many benefits of a visit by a sitting president against the naked political purpose of that visit."

Analysis by Dan Barry of the NYT.

But first, the necessary quotation from Bob Dylan: "But even the president of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked." In context:
While preachers preach of evil fates
Teachers teach that knowledge waits
Yes, wait while we blast political polemic that drowns out the classrooms....
Can lead to hundred-dollar plates
Goodness hides behind its gates
Hope you made it through security...
But even the president of the United States
Sometimes must have to stand naked
And you know that Bob Dylan wouldn't be "all cheesin' and grinnin'" with the President.

Now, back to the Dan Barry analysis:
[T]he event would be a kickoff rally for Democrats as they approach the midterm elections, and Barack Obama would be appearing as a party leader more than as a president....
[H]is visit wasn’t an easy call. Before the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Democratic National Committee signed a contract last week, in which the committee agreed to pay $10,500 to cover expenses, [UW Chancellor Biddy] Martin had to satisfy herself that it was the right thing to do.
$10,500! Where did they pull that number from?
“There was never a question whether we wanted President Obama to come to our campus,” Ms. Martin said. “That was clear. But the question was how to do this in a way that was fair to everyone in the community.”...

Ms. Martin, who has been chancellor since September 2008, was thrilled by the chance. You couldn’t buy this kind of educational experience, or, quite frankly, this kind of publicity; it’s an honor. 
Ah, yes! The publicity. That's what seals it, don't you think?
But she worried about the fairness of having campus life disrupted by a political event. A day or so of fretting followed.

Then, amid the many documents and manuals that provide guidance in the administration of a campus of 42,000 students and 21,000 faculty and staff members, someone uncovered a written policy called “The Use of University Facilities for Political Purposes.” Among other things, it said that each major political party can hold one event on campus during an election period.
If there's one thing I love it's a written policy. Good thing "someone uncovered" it!
And don’t forget: Library Mall, where the Democrats wanted to hold their rally, is a vibrant nerve center for the university and the city, with a rich tradition of political events and free speech.
And the great thing about a vibrant free speech forum is the way a political party can block every entrance but one and then require you to go through a "security" process that includes taking away any signs you might have.
Ms. Martin and the Board of Regents signed on, then received validation of that decision in the plans of students and faculty members to gather after the political rally to debate everything from the economy and the wars to the political process itself. 
That explains this sign we saw:

P1030473

109 comments:

Scott M said...

“There was never a question whether we wanted President Obama to come to our campus,” Ms. Martin said. “That was clear. But the question was how to do this in a way that was fair to everyone in the community.”...

I'm starting to think this is what flies to the heart of most of our problems as a nation (not necessarily a sovereign state). Why in the world does it have to be fair to everyone in that community? Who cares that's it's "unfair"? This isn't a sporting event, however much we would like to think of it as such. It's a pretty clear-cut example of freedom of association and freedom of speech.

Original Mike said...

What? We have written policies? And here I've been winging it for the last 25 years.

kjbe said...

The publicity.

Well yes, of course...it's also the same reason we have a football team.

MadisonMan said...

Has a University ever said No to a visit by a sitting President?

SteveR said...

a campus of 42,000 students and 21,000 faculty and staff members

Really? Two to one?

$10,500 obviously doesn't include loss of productivity for 21,000 people. OK maybe just 2100. No? How about 210? 21?

Joe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
I'm Full of Soup said...

The school president did not need to evaluate the request for God's sake. It should be an automatic yes to any POTUS. Martin is trying to make their cushy university jobs sound so darn hard.

MadisonMan said...

Link to actual policy.

SteveR, the staff I know who tried to go all left after working a full day. Not sure how it effected their productivity.

This being the Midwest, plenty of people start work at 7 AM.

I'm Full of Soup said...

SteveR:

Recent reports indicate the number of non-teaching jobs at colleges has exploded in the last 30 years.

Jeremy said...

Shades Of '08: Obama Draws Huge Crowd In Madison

former law student said...

each major political party can hold one event on campus during an election period.

So when is the John Boehner rally? (I always think of the late, mustachioed actor John Dehner every time I hear his name, btw.)

kjbe said...

Steve, everyone I've talked to who went, left after their workday was over.

Unknown said...

Anybody know if some of that audience might have been bussed in? The Demos actually want people to believe yesterday's dog-and-pony-show is The Turning of The Tide this year.

Jeremy said...

Shades Of '08: Obama Draws Huge Crowd In Madison

Shades Of '08: Heavy Snowfall in Madison during January.

PS I'd still like to know how they bribed Feingold into showing up.

Richard Dolan said...

"Ah, yes! The publicity. That's what seals it, don't you think?"

If you've been following Glenn R's posts about the next bubble to burst -- he means the overpriced and under-performing higher education market in the US -- publicity makes perfect sense. A hyped-up marketing campaign is any sensible oligopolist's response to consumer resistance on the demand side.

But this may not have been the best way to go about a publicity campaign. From your reporting, it seems that the visit of O to campus was a big hit with the university's consumers, and that may well help in increasing consumer demand for the university's services. But (bearing in mind Friedman's exhortation about being 'impactfully yours'), it may have the opposite impact on an even more critical audience -- those who pay for all that consumption of the university's services. That would be, mostly, the middle-class parents of all those well-scrubbed white kids in your photos. The parents might not feel the love that impelled Junior to skip the assigned readings of Nietzche and instead spend time at a rally essentially bashing dear old dad's values of hard work and thrift which dad quite sensibly views as the key to success in life. Junior needs to get with the program but that's not what O is selling.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

$10,500 obviously doesn't include loss of productivity for 21,000 people.

$10,500 divided by 21,000 = $0.50 per person.

That about covers it.

Professor Althouse writes

$10,500! Where did they pull that number from?

See above calculations. What are the chances that the math would work out that neatly if this was not the case.

Now you know how much the University values your productivity.

Original Mike said...

Recent reports indicate the number of non-teaching jobs at colleges has exploded in the last 30 years.

I employ several staff and students, off research grants to develop better treatments for heart disease.

Are you in favor of heart disease? ‘Cause I could retire and go fishing instead.

Hagar said...

"Obama fires up supporters
at University of
Wisconsin-Madison rally
Wisconsin State Journal
, by CLAY BARBOUR, MARY SPICUZZA and DEBORAH Original Article
Posted By: Redneck In NY- 9/29/2010 11:58:38 AM Post Reply
President Barack Obama served as the closing act Tuesday for a rock-n-roll, fire-up-the-troops extravaganza on the UW-Madison campus — a giant rally meant to recapture the excitement of the campaign trail and bridge the so-called "enthusiasm gap" among younger, Democratic voters. Obama took the stage at Library Mall to a raucous crowd, following a performance by musician Ben Harper and a series of speeches by the state's major Democratic candidates.
"
(from Lucianne.com)

So, yeah, it was a campaign rally and not a Presidential address, and so inappropriate for a state supported educational institution, but they all do it, though I cannot remember any others this bare-assed frank about it.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Mike:
My point was that some say college costs have increased radically due to excessive increase in "admin" staff which I called non-teaching. My bad for misleading you.

Bob_R said...

I'm adamantly opposed to Obama's policies, but I'd be all for letting my campus host his (or any POTUS') political rally. A visit from a president is a pretty rare experience, so it's a great opportunity for the students. I'm all for getting politics out of the classroom and into the streets where it belongs.

Original Mike said...

Mike:
My point was that some say college costs have increased radically due to excessive increase in "admin" staff which I called non-teaching. My bad for misleading you.


Damn. I was really looking forward to going fishing.

A.W. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
A.W. said...

you know, i am no big fan of barky, but if a sitting or former president wants to come to your school, a basic respect for the office should lead you to say yes.

well, except for bill clinton. i think he is subject to special limitations under meghan's law.

Brian O'Connell said...

The main thing I took from this is a campus of 42,000 students and 21,000 faculty and staff members.

I guess that explains why tuition is so high. This is- and I'm going to use a lefty word now that I hate- unsustainable.

But that's the key word now for government at all levels.

SteveR said...

I was being a bit snarky but basically it has to be the case with that many employees (THAT MANY!!!) the cost, $10,500, could not have possibly covered the impact, lost time aside.
As has been said, its silly to even make a determination, one way or the other, you're going to allow it no matter how nakedly political.

Palladian said...

"You couldn’t buy this kind of educational experience..."

"A visit from a president is a pretty rare experience, so it's a great opportunity for the students."

I have to ask: why? What's so "educational" about a rock show and a bunch of political boosterism? Why is it "educational" to see the President in person? This is a weird hold-over of 19th century thinking, when seeing the President was actually a rare experience and opportunity, because there was no other way to do it. Today, you can see Barack Obama on television every day, and listen to everything he's ever said in public whenever you want by going online. And by doing that, you'll see and hear him much more clearly than you'll ever be able to see and hear him by physically attending one of these events, plus you'll be in the privacy and quiet of your own dwelling, which is an environment much more conducive to critical thinking and analysis than at a big, chaotic, noisy social event.

So in short, there's nothing "educational" about this sort of disruption. The point of this kind of rally is anti-educational, that is, it's designed to physically and mentally overwhelm you with spectacle so that, by necessity, you suspend your capacity for critical thinking and get swept up in a purely emotional, sensory experience and are thus stimulated to do whatever they want you to do.

The educational needs of students would have been better served if they had watched this from a classroom, with critical discussion before, during and after. But again, this had nothing to do with education and everything to do with publicity and, more importantly, setting up the desired emotional response: Love President Obama, and vote for who he says.

Michael said...

I personally hope that our president visits every college campus across our great land. And makes a speech. Money well spent.

Original Mike said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Original Mike said...

I guess that explains why tuition is so high.

None of my staff sees a dime of tuition money. Neither do I.

Chip Ahoy said...

The king arrived wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt. His teeth had been polished to their utmost brilliant white. But then he donned also the blue crown of war which amounted to a gloriously ridiculous red white and blue stack of crowns. In the last moments the king's advisors added to the teetering stack the two upright ostrich plumes of Amun, the curved ram horns of Khnum, and the outstretched wings of the Nekhebet vulture. The king could hardly hold up his head and look over the crowd and beyond the horizon in proper pharaonic fashion and still gesticulate and jab at unseen objects in front of him for emphasis. It wasn't easy to balance the stack of hats and deliver his trademark oratory that soared and never failed to hold his audience of youngsters enthralled.

The crowd lined up for miles to take in the spectacle.

In distant cities the nobles of the great houses and the priesthoods of various cults were organizing for and against him.

Jeremy said...

Chipper - You're a bigoted asshole.

former law student said...

Why is it "educational" to see the President in person? This is a weird hold-over of 19th century thinking, when seeing the President was actually a rare experience and opportunity, because there was no other way to do it. Today, you can see Barack Obama on television every day

Explains why theater, the opera, and symphonic music have all disappeared since the 19th century -- electronic media have completely supplanted live performnce.

Ann Althouse said...

"Has a University ever said No to a visit by a sitting President?"

How often has a President asked to do a frankly political rally on a campus? There was no pretense of education. He appeared along with the Democratic candidates — Baldwin, Barrett, and Feingold — and he spoke entirely about what a great job he was doing and how people needed to get fired up and vote for Democrats. This wasn't a surprise to university officials. They knew exactly what this was going to be.

Palladian said...

"Explains why theater, the opera, and symphonic music have all disappeared since the 19th century -- electronic media have completely supplanted live performnce."

As it should be. I hate live performances, and I have never seen a performance that was remotely as impressive as a great recording or a great film.

SteveR said...

Its understood that most of the 21,000 are not full time faculty or admin staff and that the number includes lots of part time and low cost employees and those paid by sources besides tuition.

Still its a ridiculous ratio. Where my daughter attends its about five to to one. Of course they have a lousy football team so maybe that explains it. Great source of money those bowl games and ticket sales

Palladian said...

"This wasn't a surprise to university officials. They knew exactly what this was going to be."

And that's part of the reason they agreed to it.

There's a huge difference between a Presidential address and a cheap, low-brow political revival meeting, complete with pop music and attempted chanting.

Jeremy said...

The Queen - "This wasn't a surprise to university officials. They knew exactly what this was going to be."

WAHHHHH...cry me a river.

If Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck showed up, you and the hubby, Needy, would be the first in line to shake their hands.

MadisonMan said...

Neither do I.

Ditto. Soft money FTW!

Calypso Facto said...

Yes, if the President of the United States asks to come to campus he should be welcomed.

But it would be easier to support that decision if he then spoke as the President of the United States, about issues confronting the nation, rather than the Head of the Democratic Party blatantly stumping for Democratic candidates.

His actions introduce a question of propriety where none previously existed.

Sofa King said...

Do the University officials, I wonder, worry at all about appearance of propriety? I mean, it is likely that they will soon be governed by people whose politics they do not share - does making their University such an obvious platform for their preferred party undermine the legitimacy of the University as a taxpayer-subsidized state institution? Do they even consider this?

WV: Latin

Opus One Media said...

Palladian said...
"... since the 19th century -- electronic media have completely supplanted live performnce..As it should be. I hate live performances, and I have never seen a performance that was remotely as impressive as a great recording or a great film."

Forgiving the fact that electronic performances for personal use are pretty much a 20th century thing.......

I'm very sorry that some feel this way. I can't imagine that you read to yourself without expression and that you view great art only online...those are "performances" - just caught in time.

performers bring life to great works that obviously you can only see part of in your "mind's eye". That is a shame.

Opus One Media said...

i guess all i can say after the commentary is that thank God the GOP and Tea Party sells out their votes in back rooms ...othewise there would be even more of this.

Can you imagine. The President of United States giving a political speech on a University campus? God.

Next thing you know he will be boarding a plane in the dead of night and be flying back to Washington to sign a law that prolongs the life of a brain dead woman. I mean there is political theater and there is political theater.

Calypso Facto said...

Really a pretty big gamble, right Sofa? I mean if (when?) Walker becomes governor, should he be expected to forget that the UW hosted this fundraiser for Barrett, his opponent?

E Buzz said...

I am fairly certain that the entire staff, save for the phys plant guys, and the entire faculty, save for the eng guys, have absolutely no issue at all with a political rally held on their campus.

As long as it is the right kind of political rally, that is, a hard left political rally.

It helps with their brainwashing and indoctrination schedules.

Original Mike said...

Its understood that most of the 21,000 are not full time faculty or admin staff and that the number includes lots of part time and low cost employees and those paid by sources besides tuition.

Some of the staff are "well" paid scientists, Steve. Not as nearly as well paid as some of them could get with industry, but there are things other than money. For a scientist, the intellectual satisfaction you can get at a research University can't be beat. But their positions are soft and depend upon research grants, not state or tuition dollars.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Jeremy:

You are still an idiot. Bigoted is the last thing any of us would say about Chip.

Unknown said...

HDHouse said...

i guess all i can say after the commentary is that thank God the GOP and Tea Party sells out their votes in back rooms ...othewise there would be even more of this.

Top Senate recipient of contributions from interest groups (particularly banks) 06 - 08:

Barack Hussein Obama

Mmmm, mmm, mmm.

Scott M said...

i guess all i can say after the commentary is that thank God the GOP and Tea Party sells out their votes in back rooms ...othewise there would be even more of this.

Considering all the sausage produced during the health care passage, HD, I'm surprised you would even bring something like this up. Last I checked, there's no Tea Party in the majority in Congress. Even assuming your slander is 100% true, which I doubt, which is more onerous?

SteveR said...

Mike, there's no doubt the numbers can be justified but there's also no doubt the cost to students over the last 30 years has increased many times the CPI. The amount of debt students leave college with has skyrocketed.

So maybe your salary and the salariers of your employees are paid by some grant, etc but the overall institutional costs are very high.

Good for you that research can be done in such a great environment, but the "educational bubble" is not a far-fetched idea.

Original Mike said...

I have no fundamental disagreement with you, Steve. Just sayin' "My God! 42/21 = 2!!!" is not a persuasive argument. That's all.

Kirk Parker said...

FLS,

Actually, if your statement was slightly edited to read "all but disappeared" then the sarcasm would vanish. Do you really have no idea that opera and symphonic music are niche forms whose continued existence relies on heavy subsidies?

But I'll put in a contrary opinion to Palladians: I've seen many live performances that were unequalled, at least in classical music and theater, at decent venues. Certainly trying to listen to too-loud rock in a outdoor or indoor stadium is bound to be lame, and I've only bothered to try that once or twice in my life. Heck, even too-loud rock in a reasonably-sized club is inferior to the recorded product.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Edutcher:

Btw "The Zero" is the best nickname I have heard yet for Obama.

David said...

Publciity? Unfair?

Lucky for UW it was a liberal, democratic President. Can you imagine the scene if Bush had tried to speak on the UW campus during his Presidency?

That would have given UW a different kind of publicity.

A President should be welcome on the university campus at any time.

Remember that when President Palin comes to visit.

Jeremy said...

AJ Lynch - Yeah, if only he could accomplish everything you've done in your little life.

T-e-a-b-a-g-g-e-r.

MadisonMan said...

Can you imagine the scene if Bush had tried to speak on the UW campus during his Presidency?

I think most people in Madison are polite.

Original Mike said...

AJ Lynch - Yeah, if only he could accomplish everything you've done in your little life.

Yeah, AJ. He's ruined an entire country. What have you done with your life? Huh?

Jeremy said...

Original Mike said..."Yeah, AJ. He's ruined an entire country. What have you done with your life? Huh?"

Obama's "ruined an entire country?"

I see you're still staying clear of newspapers, books and periodicals.
(Give the Woodward book a read to see just how well little Georgie handled our nation's affairs.)

Why not spend more time educating yourself and less time bashing someone who's accomplished more than your entire family?

Teabagger.

Scott M said...

Ah. It's good to see that Jeremy is nothing if not consistent. That's admirable, my friend. Stick to your guns.

Jeremy said...

Speaking of higher education and the pathological liars most here support:

Another university is bringing Christine O'Donnell's self-professed education history into question Wednesday, as Claremont Graduate University, a school that the Delaware Senate candidate claims she attended, has told Talking Points Memo that they have no record of her being there.

"Claremont Graduate University has no student or education record for an individual named Christine O'Donnell," Rod Leveque, a spokesman for Claremont told TPM Tuesday, despite O'Donnell's inclusion of the school on her LinkedIn education history.

Original Mike said...

Next thing you know, O'Donnell's claim to have fought in Vietnam will turn out to be bogus as well.

Jeremy said...

Scotty - You've got some guts whining about being "consistent."

All you ever post is whine and bitch about literally anything president Obama proposes, says or does...as if Bush did a bang up job over the course of his eight years running us into the ground.

And you don't even have the guts to admit that you're just another of the many teabaggers who lives and dies for local Queen blogger...and of course, to make sure you're effectively sucking up to your fellow wing nuts on a regular basis.

Jeremy said...

Original Mike - Can we assume you support this idiot?

Of course.

Scott M said...

See what I mean? Consistency. You, sir, are a treasure.

Jeremy said...

Scotty - And I notice you didn't deny anything I said.

Keep on suckin'.

Scott M said...

If I don't, that automatically makes it true? You think very highly of yourself, Jeremy.

Original Mike said...

As DTL would tell you, Jeremy, it's none of my business.

Jeremy said...

Oroginal Mike - It's none of your business?

What the idiot lying through her teeth about everything from her education to her finances to witchcraft?

Duh.

Jeremy said...

Scotty - You don't deny what I said because you know full well that it's all true.

You come here for one reason: to suck up to and agree with the other teabaggers who want the president and our country to fail. All you ever do is bitch and whine.

It's the ONLY hope for the GOP...and the wingnuts who have taken over the party of "NO."

traditionalguy said...

The ironic thing here is that doing a naked political event raises my respect for Obama. Yhat is what it is and is true.It's the continuous lying about every other act of domestic and foreign policy that has dug Obama the deep hole he cannot climb out of.

Scott M said...

Wait, wait, wait. In that last comment you forgot to say something about the fact that complaining about Obama = support for Bush. So much for consistency.

Tsk, tsk. And after I gave you kudos too. Ah, well. The thing I love about you, Jeremy, is that you so perfectly embody that most niscient facet of 21st century life...a runaway ego with broadband.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I think a Dave Barry analysis would have been much more entertaining.

Known Unknown said...

Vampire Weekend is much better live than on film or CD or mp3 or whatever.

The drawback is you have to deal with all of the hipsters.

Jeremy said...

traditionalguy said..."It's the continuous lying about every other act of domestic and foreign policy that has dug Obama the deep hole he cannot climb out of."

Provide some objective links to these many "lies."

Jeremy said...

Scotty - Keep on suckin.

Your teabagger buddies friends will come to your aid.

*And please...no more of your bullshit about not supporting little Georgie. You voted for the asshole twice and you know it.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Jeremy:

Do you ever laugh out loud? Try to be objective and look at Obama's campaign symbol with the big "O" [or zero]. I assume that is where Edutcher got the nickname The Zero. I think it's funny and clever. And it supports what Mike says "obama is ruining the country" tho maybe not on purpose.

Got it nitwit?

Scott M said...

*And please...no more of your bullshit about not supporting little Georgie. You voted for the asshole twice and you know it.

Aha! It's finally been explained. Now I understand completely why Jeremy thinks the Cambridge police acted stupidly.

Kirby Olson said...

It's nice that we're not yet required to listen to the windbag.

Jeremy said...

AJ Lynch - And can I assume you're like the rest of the teabaggers here who were sound asleep during the Bush administration?

You actually think the economic crisis was initiated by president Obama?

Have you ever taken the time to research anything before posting idiotic statement relating to Obama "ruining the country?"

Don't bother responding, I already know you haven't and won't.

Jeremy said...

Scott M said..."Aha! It's finally been explained. Now I understand completely why Jeremy thinks the Cambridge police acted stupidly."

Good lord...you're still harping on that? With all that is going on...you're still upset over that?

Why not think about reading a newspaper or...hey, even a book...before posting ridiculous wingnut drivel that is inconsequential to America?

SteveR said...

Big Mike, well you're right 42/21 by itself is not persuasive, but combined with what we do know about the cost of higher ed in total, it does not imply the type of work environment nearly every other non union/non public sector workplace faces.

Its just not a sustainable pattern, whatever the explanation.

Jeremy said...

Kirby Olson said..."It's nice that we're not yet required to listen to the windbag."

Why would you say something like that about The Queen? Keep it up and she'll start deleting your comments.

Jeremy said...

And people say the GOP isn't right on top of things:

Congressman Louis Gohmert (R-Tex.) has a solution to the welfare situation:

"We have people on welfare and I know there's some that just don't wanna work, but there's some that do. How 'bout if instead of the welfare, we give 'em an alternative. We'll give you so many acres that can provide land where you can live off of it, make a living and we'll give you seed money to start, but you have to sign an agreement that you'll never accept welfare again. How 'bout that? We got plenty of land."

*And I bet at least 75% of the local teabaggers here will think this is a great idea.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Jeremy:

It sucks when your boy is incompetent. I know because Bush was my boy, I voted for him 2x and he f-ed up plenty.

Re O'Donnell, are you saying we should also have access to the details/ grades/ tuition payment records/ college loan records from the 3 colleges Obama attended?

Anonymous said...

Hey, it's Jeremy!

Your vitriol and off-topic rants are so cute.

I think trading land for a lifetime of welfare benefits is a great idea.

I'm Full of Soup said...

If I was a governor, I'd pay the most egregious taxeaters to leave.

Something like here's $25,000 - but they must sign an agreement that they leave the state forever or at least never take state assistance.

Rob said...

I'm sure this presented the University of Wisconsin with a real headscratcher. On the one hand, the President of the United States would like to speak here. On the other hand, it's a political rally for the Democratic Party. What to do? What to do?

Anonymous said...

Where did they pull that number from? The is a common vulgar saying that should make it obvious.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

If I was a governor, I'd pay the most egregious taxeaters to leave.

Two things wrong with your scenario.

1. You are assuming that the taxeaters (nice term, I'm going to use it) are literate.

2. They will probably all move to California and we have enough deadbeats in the state now!!!

I heard that 1/3 of all people on welfare in the United States are in California. I don't know if it is true, but it certainly seems likely.

Anonymous said...

Hey, this must be Back to School week at the college where the short bus goes!

Eric said...

I'm sure the UW administration will welcome the publicity and educational value of a presidential visit when President Palin stops by in 2013

Anonymous said...

You actually think the economic crisis was initiated by president Obama?

Have you ever taken the time to research anything before posting idiotic statement


Quite clearly you haven't "researched" anything.

M. Simon said...

Would you rather be Badgered or Requested?

Me? I'm Marooned. You know. That rather smaller school in Chicago. The one with the rather unfortunate distinction of being associated with the Pres. and his wife. Ah. Well. I'm hoping that in time all will be forgotten. If not forgiven.

Anonymous said...

who want the president and our country to fail.

Uh, I know you can't grasp this, but the policies of the President have already failed.

That is, if they were never implemented, the country would be better off.

who have taken over the party of "NO."

Er, I guess that's why the speaker of the house won't allow a vote on extending the Bush tax cuts.

You are just a clown.

M. Simon said...

Good lord...you're still harping on that?

Some people just don't like racism.

M. Simon said...

Btw "The Zero" is the best nickname I have heard yet for Obama.

Ya gotta use the proper spelling. To wit:

I'm Full of Soup said...

DBQ:

I borrow all good ideas from someone else. Ergo, when states compete to get a new auto plant, they give suff away like tax credits or land. I figured if they did the reverse they'd try to export some of their their "fixed costs i.e taxeaters" to other states. Pay them now or pay them forever! Heh.

And yes,sorry but you are righ that Caleeeeforrnnya would get most of the newly flush lazy asses.

AST said...

Tell me again, what were "the many benefits?"

To me it just reminds how wasteful this guy and his party are of public money. That doesn't excuse the Republicans for theirs, but why remind people that this man has presided over the largest deficit in history?

Luther said...

"... a campus of 42,000 students and 21,000 faculty and staff..."

This struck me as somewhat absurd.

Anonymous said...

Luther -- That's one student for every one professor and one diversity counselor.

Of course, diversity no longer matters since the crowd at Obama's speech was grossly not diverse. It only mattered before, when leftist shills were screaming racism at Tea Party types.

It's hard to keep up. I know.

BJM said...

@AJ

If I was a governor, I'd pay the most egregious taxeaters to leave.


That's pretty much what happened in SF in the late 80's when Mayor Art Agnos made an epic blunder in not enforcing loitering law and suspended residential requirements for cash public assistance while he was putting together a public housing scheme to ameliorate the federal housing disaster known as Geneva Towers (SF's Cabrini-Green).

Thousands of itinerants, hookers, runaways and addicts, poured into the city creating "Camp Agnos" in front of City Hall.

He was later forced to order them to be forcibly removed when the citizenry rebelled and a bitter political war ensued between the Homeless Coalition, City Hall and the business community & residents who were fed up with lawlessness and filth outside their doors.

That was the beginning of the end for Baghdad-by-the-Bay.

Anonymous said...

SF's Cabrini-Green

As far as vile housing projects go, Cabrini-Green was never the worst, not even here in Chicago. I'm not sure why Cabrini-Green has the reputation it has, as opposed to, say, the despicable squalor of the Robert Taylor homes.

Personally, I think it was Jimmy Walker and Good Times.

JAL said...
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JAL said...
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JAL said...

Gack! 3rd time's the charm

@AA then require you to go through a "security" process that includes taking away any signs you might have.

So tell me, where did the "Moving America Forward" and the V[Obama "O"]TE 2010 signs come from
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Look at the photo the Professor posted.

Given the signage, I would think the public university has been seriously used. If I were an independent or a conservative or Republican taxpayer in Wisconsin I would feel I'd been stiffed.

$10,500?

Of course, in Madison, who cares about details like that.

former law student said...

7M -- Cabrini-Green got its rep because it could not be ignored by white Chicagoans as the South State Street projects were. Green residents shopped at the same Jewel that Gold Coasters used.

former law student said...

a campus of 42,000 students and 21,000 faculty and staff..."

Probably the IT department accounts for half of that. :)

Anonymous said...

FLS -- I spent a lot of time in that Jewel during law school and I still go occasionally.

It was an interesting dynamic there because you'd see people from housing projects as well as people from the Gold Coast -- the nicest neighborhood in Chicago.

Things are different now. Cabrini-Green is almost gone. It's mostly condo developments there and all around there now.

dick said...

I am wondering why the university had to come up with a dime for what was blatantly a political affair. This whole thing should have been paid for by the DNC. The university should bill the DNC for this money.

orbicularioculi said...

President Obama's next rally is going to be held at your neighbor's garage sale. Get there early, seating will be limited.

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