Here's a glimpse at how shallow political dialogue in this country is.
Brett Davis on controlling spending:
Brett has been on the front line of calling out wasteful government spending - such as using taxpayer dollars for prisoners' cosmetic surgery, and printing road maps for politicians to give away. Brett has called for a return to responsible budgeting using real accounting, not budgeting tricks and gimmicks, and he has used his vote in the Legislature to stand up to billions in higher taxes and hidden fees.
Tom Barrett on fiscal responsibility:
The road to fiscal responsibility and budgetary solvency starts with reducing state government spending. Wisconsin needs a Governor with real and specific solutions to the problems that face our state, not gimmicks or meaningless bumper sticker slogans.
Curiously, the third item on Tom Barrett's plan to "Put Madison on a Diet" was to "cut prisoner health care costs."
When I talked to State Rep. Mark Pocan last week, I asked him about politicians coming out against hormone therapy for prisoners. He said it was likely the result of an inexperienced politico putting the question to a poll, seeing that 90 percent of respondents oppose it, and then suggesting it as a popular position to take.
The money spent on hormone treatment is absolutely negligible, Pocan said.
But it is a good gimmick.
