Quick, more money!

There are unmet needs!

There he is on page one of my Sunday Wisconsin State Journal. Madison Alder Tag Evers, Progressive Dane, virtue-signaling up a thunderstorm of righteous anger.

Progressive Madison, the State of Wisconsin, the USA three years after Obama — all have “failed to meet the needs of those most vulnerable in our midst,” Ald Evers tells the newspaper. Well, not in the midst of the 13th aldermanic district. His affluent Vilas Park constituency shops at Trader Joe’s on Monroe Street, with nary a homeless person in sight. The alderman’s voters are guilty white Bernie Sanders voters. “Defund the police!” as a cause has replaced “No Stadium Lights” at the private Catholic high school. (Would disturb the neighbors.) Nonetheless, Ald. Tag Evers its all J’accuse!

“We have defunded our schools — 90% of our black and brown students are not reading at grade level —  and then used police to keep order.”

Madison has “defunded our schools”? Since when? On an absolute dollar basis, the State of Wisconsin has never shoveled more money at K-12 education. Madison taxpayers approve extra-spending referenda almost every other election.

• Madison school property taxes are UP 37% since 2012,
• While 4K-12 enrollment is down 1.6% from 2014-15.
• Total expenditures (excluding construction fund): is UP 17.0% during the same period.
• The proposed school budget for next year increases per pupil spending 19.0% from 2014-15. (Cost of living is up 10% during that time.)

Would more free stuff help?

Madison progressives explain racial disparities by accusing police of arresting black people for spitting on the sidewalk while white kids in Maple Bluff are shooting at each other at the gas station.

An illustrative case: Last school year, 15 to 20 middle-school kids — 11, 12 and 13 years old — knocked over book shelves and emptied trash cans at Lakeview branch library. “We don’t have to listen to the police. You can’t touch us,” they taunted. One of the mothers advertised for a pro bono lawyer, hoping to cash in on taxpayer guilt money like Tony T. Robinson Jr.’s mother.

Someone needs to explain how many Madison WI K-12 students have been traumatized by police versus how likely many more have been traumatized by an absent or abusive parent, domestic violence, substance abuse, criminal activity, gang intimidation, and poor nutrition. For that matter: reduced expectations and the disabling crutch of victimhood.

BONUS: Could someone please tell those kids they bear some responsibility for their own education? But Tag Evers blames the police.

Hire more counsellors

We’re going to “reform the police” as the WI State Journal headlines its news story. We’re going to Defund the Police. Reduce their numbers, limit their portfolio. Issue laminated cards to every voter listing the phone numbers of the specific emergency specialist. … Must … Not … Call … Police!

• Substance abuse specialists for drug abusers like Tony T. Robinson Jr. (Hopped up on magic mushrooms and Xanax, after attacking random citizens, he wouldn’t attack an AODA specialist, right?)
• Marriage counselors for in-progress domestic abuse. (Police fear these more than any other call.)
• Traffic engineers for car wrecks.
• Psychologists for hostage situations.
• Career counsellors for student car thieves. 

(“Press One to leave a message. Normal office hours are from …”) Can we remember that police are First Responders? They’re hooked into all kinds of follow-up services, especially here in Madison WI.

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Like the case for reparations for slavery, it boils down to this: Black people are not succeeding because of white people. 

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Blaska’s Bottom Line: If they are white people like Tag Evers, we have to agree.

What would YOU like to defund?