Sprawled Out: The Search for Community in the American Suburb

Photos of Sievert Auction

Sievert Auction, Franklin, WI, originally uploaded by John Michlig.

There used to be a small shop called Salchow Service Station on 51st Street operated by Gust Salchow. The barn and remains of the service station were open during the auction and I have some pictures posted on Flickr. It was a fascinating morning.

By the way: Entire beer can collections go for about $19 nowadays. 

The Eisenstadt Hoax

Remember Martin Eisenstadt, the "McCain advisor" who claimed "Joe the Plumber" was related to a figure in the Keating scandal?

Turns out that "Republican strategist" Eisenstadt is an elaborate multimedia HOAX that ensnared MSNBC and a host of bloggers. 

Including me; I went ahead and quoted him after I saw legit media outlets go with the Keating tale. (To my credit, I didn't believe it based simply on stuff written in other blogs - seemed odd to me.) 

As a wise man once said: It's only funny if it has some basis in reality.

That's not to say "Joe the Plumber" is off the hook, though.

From PR Watch.org:

Joe Wurzelbacher's 15 minutes of fame have prompted news reports that point to some contrasts between reality and his public comments related to the U.S. presidential campaign. It has become clear that he is politically conservative and a fan of John McCain -- not exactly an "undecided voter," as originally portrayed. Wurzelbacher also told reporters today that he does not actually have a plumber's license and that his earnings are well below the $250,000 level that he previously claimed would cost him in higher taxes under Obama's economic plan. These details suggest that "Joe the plumber" is someone with strong political opinions and a rather relaxed attitude toward specific facts -- which, if true, would put him in the same category as quite a few of his fellow Americans. However, I haven't seen anything that gives credence to "Martin Eisenstadt" and his claim that Wurzelbacher has any real relationship to the Keating scandal or other political subterfuge. Some Obama supporters might want to believe otherwise, but as often happens in politics, if you hear a story that is too good to be true, it probably isn't.

"Eisenstadt" has lately claimed to be the source of the "Palin didn't know Africa is a continent" story. Not true - part of the "hoax project." That is, the part about being the source is not true.

What remains true (at this writing) is that Fox News' Carl Cameron reported on Sarah Palin's foibles and shortcomings based on sources in the McCain camp that he promised not to name. Eisenstadt, so far as we know, was not one of Cameron's sources.

Unless Cameron got hoaxed ...

UPDATE: From Huffington Post:

However, while MSNBC — which ran with Eisenstadt's story, along with The New Republic and Mother Jones — has retracted the story (that Eisenstadt was the McCain camp leak), Fox News won't be retracting Carl Cameron's original report about the Palin/Africa flap, because it did not come from Eisenstadt — which the Huffington Post was told on background earlier this week and which the [Eisenstadt hoax] filmmakers confirmed to TVNewser Thursday:

 "To be very clear, no, we were not the source for Carl Cameron and never spoke to him," Mirvish tells TVNewser. "We took credit for his anonymous sourcing. If they were going to be cowards, then we figured we may as well step in."

Note to those who will attempt to be "the right wing John Stewart" in the new political world

It's only funny when you have some basis in reality. If you just make things up, it just becomes desperate-sounding.

Now this, for instance, is kinda funny.

I remember now why I stopped looking at the more wingnutty NOW blogs.

In spite of this omen, the Packers managed to lose to the Vikings

Root River is bright green, originally uploaded by John Michlig.

The Root River is bright green.

My district is blue

Proud to say District 3 in Franklin went for Obama on Tuesday. Prouder still that the state of Wisconsin did as well.

A new day, indeed. Isn't it great to be an American?

Did you forget the Fox zoning circus? South Milwaukee judge will consider Franklin zoning dispute

Election's over - back to the business of city and community development.

The dispute over Leonard and Verna Fox's apparent ability to ignore city zoning regulations due to seniority inches forward; wisely, an out-of-town judge will consider the case.

Via FranklinNOW.com:

South Milwaukee Judge will consider Franklin zoning dispute

Franklin’s zoning violations case against Leonard Fox is in the hands of a South Milwaukee municipal judge.

Judge William Fenger will consider allegations that two businesses Fox owns — Franklin Storage and Castle Concrete Products — have not received proper city approvals for outdoor storage of vehicles and boats, as well as other zoning violations.

Fox was issued a municipal citation from Franklin in September for failure to correct zoning violations at his commercial property in the 5000 block of West Rawson Avenue, near the Fountains of Franklin retail development.

The case was assigned by the Milwaukee County Circuit Court to Fenger last week because Franklin Municipal Judge Frederick Klimetz recused himself. Klimetz, a former Franklin mayor, cited his possible participation in discussions several years ago, when Fox approached the Common Council for a commercial user permit, as a potential conflict of interest in his current role as judge.

Long-sought resolution

Franklin Planning Manager Joel Dietl said Fox had received three zoning violation notices this year about the property, but the complaints from Franklin residents date back to June 2007.

The case has moved at a relatively slow pace. Fox requested and received at least two extensions to comply with the city’s request to correct the violations but a citation was issued after little or no progress was made, Dietl said.

Leonard Fox did not return a reporter’s phone calls before deadline. However, Verna Fox, Leonard’s wife, said in an interview last week that the couple was still making an effort to comply with the city, including paying for a certified survey map of the property.

“They said they wouldn’t do this if we worked on correcting our problems,” she said. “So this kind of surprises me. We’re having a (survey map) done right now that’s going to run close to $4,000.”

Franklin City Director of Administration Mark Luberda said the city will consider any compromise the Foxes make, but the case is now temporarily out of its hands.

“Realistically, the way it stands, we’re waiting for an involvement (by South Milwaukee’s municipal court),” he said.

Favoring rules enforcement

Developer David Hintzman, a nearby commercial neighbor of the Foxes who has developed some of the sprawling Fountains of Franklin site, said in a recent e-mail he would like to see more action on the case.

“We, along with other property owners in the city, are happy to see the Franklin city staff begin to enforce their ordinances on this issue,” he wrote. “However, we haven’t seen the city’s complaint specifically address the illegal operation of the outdoor storage business. This is concerning considering (Dietl and Luberda) each have explained to Mr. Fox that he is no longer able to run this illegal business.”

Fox’s court date is not yet known. The South Milwaukee city clerk did not return a reporter’s calls.

Becoming an agent of change: Inspired by Barack Obama

Look, let me say at the outset that in spite of my consternation at his fairly inexplicable appointment to the Plan Commission, I have nothing against former alderman Pete Kosovich. I am, to be sure, disturbed with his affiliation with the dubious Franklin Citizens for Responsible Government (FCRG), but, not having met him, he seems from a distance to be a nice enough guy even if we don't agree on many issues.

Kosovich is becoming quite the flier distributor, however, perhaps a holdover talent from his FCRG days. After undertaking a smear-campaign-via-flier on behalf of Mayor Tom Taylor during the latest campaign (during which he lost his seat to Steve Taylor), he's gotten back into Kinkos with this helpful little leaflet that I found in my newspaper tube this morning (click for larger version):

One has to admire Kosovich's noble-yet-ambitious sense of purpose: "If leafletting for the Mayor gets me a consolation seat on the city of Franklin's Plan Commission, doing the same for a potential President could get me a cabinet post or ambassadorship!"

For your sense of enterprise, Mr. Kosovich, I salute you.

However, as a propagandist, you're all thumbs. "Q7" is about as persuasively stealthy as John Madden in a Ninja suit (are your capitalizations of "Racist" and "Banks" some manner of honorific, by the way?)

In a Presidential race marked by soaring rhetoric and an unprecedented sense of positive energy and purpose on Obama's side and ugly, blatant appeals to greed, hatred, and fear on the other (four McCain robo-calls came to my house yesterday, each of them might as well have featured the theme from "Psycho" in the background), a desperate flier like this simply reinforces my fervent hope that we learn tonight that Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States.

In every election I've participated in, I've simply voted against the other guy. It was always clear to me who I didn't want elected, but I was not necessarily inspired by the alternative. I pulled the lever for Kerry, Gore, Clinton and Mondale, but in all cases I was more concerned with getting rid of a Bush or Reagan (can you imagine going "woo-hoo" as you pull the lever for Walter Mondale?).

The night Clinton won, I was at a Bruce Springsteen concert in Milwaukee. Springsteen opened the show by saying, "I hope you understand the significance of what happened tonight." I didn't, except that I'd finally voted on the winning side. It wasn't until another Bush entered the picture eight years later that I understood just how bad things can and will get under an administration that believes Democracy is for sale at all levels.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a huge mess to clean up. The profiteers have vandalized our government at the highest levels, and it's time for a clean sweep.

We are mired in a war based on lies; we lose more brave soldiers every day, duty-bound to a feckless administration.

We are in an economic crisis resultant of bipartisan ineptitude compounded by the Republican deregulation festival; capitalist warriors who fed at the trough and warned of "socialist regulations" are now swimming in government handouts and aid - - summer homes intact.

Our detached leadership - - and those who would seek to replace them with more of the same - -  are aggressively encouraging the politics of self-interest and greed; outright lies become talking points, and community activism is mocked.

Squawk radio talkers trumpet about flag lapel buttons and hiss Obama's middle name; beware the "otherness" of this man!

Meanwhile, Barack Obama appeals again and again to the best in us. He knows that bolstering the middle class rather than rewarding rich benefactors is what grows the economy and ultimately feeds businesses large and small. He understands that health care is a right in a civilized society, not a privilege for the well-born. He rejects belligerence in foreign policy and instead proposes positive-but-forceful engagement. He is not so far removed from the days of paying bills at the dining room table that he can't understand the struggles of America's shrinking middle class.

He knows that we live in a country and system that makes success-by-sweat possible, and it should be our pleasure to give  back our share when we attain the sort of financial security that the American way of life affords. That way of life is subsidized by each and every citizen; to derisively refer to progressive taxes as "wealth redistribution" or "socialism" simply spits in the face of all who came before and laid the foundation for the American Dream. This is a concept difficult to grasp when you're born on third base and believe you've hit a triple; not so hard when you've started at the bottom and worked your way upward. You see a lot during that climb.

I believe Barack Obama's message is one of unification and action in a time when we desperately need to pull together and get up off our asses. Even if you entertain the notion that he is not yet "seasoned" enough, you cannot deny that he has an almost unprecidented ability to mobilize enormous masses of people who are equipped to enact POSITIVE CHANGE right here and right now. People are energized, and, if Obama wins, we'll see a whole new wave of public service.

So it is ironic that Mr. Kosovich should be the inspiration for this election day screed, which will end with this public announcement: I intend to vie for the newly vacant seat on Franklin's Plan Commission - - my "up off my ass" initiative, so to speak, regardless of today's election result. If I fail to be seated on the commission, I'll fail in public; my application is in (I'll post it later this week), and I have the support of two aldermen. The rest is up to the mayor - - who asked me point blank a few months back which commission I'd like to serve on - - and the common council.

There are aldermen who have waited for some time to show me the back of their hand after having been criticized in this blog; this may well be their chance. If I am seated on the commission, the time commitment will be daunting in light of my work and family situation; those excuses kept me on the sidelines for years.

There are, in fact, lots of reasons to stay on the sidelines. Nonetheless, I am inspired by the example of Barack Obama to get in the ring and use my talents and ideas to help my community in a direct manner. A more effective agent of change.

And there are "mere words," spoken by Obama at the close of the Democratic National Convention:

This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich.  We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong.  Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance.  It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things.  They could've heard words of anger and discord.  They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked.  That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried.  "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.  We cannot turn back."

America, we cannot turn back.  Not with so much work to be done.  Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for.  Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save.  Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend.  America, we cannot turn back.  We cannot walk alone.  At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future.  Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

I fervently hope we wake up tomorrow in a country, newly energized by the impending presidency of Barack Obama. 

And thanks for the leaflet, Mr. Kosovich. I am further vindicated by the dark, fearful place from which it emerged.

Light-rail can turn into money train - The Denver Post

We can only hope that the momentary dip in gas prices (timed for the election) doesn't obscure our need to create sane transportation options. Perhaps the hope of higher home values will spark forward momentum.

Light-rail can turn into money train - The Denver Post

(Via The Political Environment)