Senior Viewpoint

THANKSGIVING 2008 is here as we all celebrate the most cherished American tradition.It is a time for Family, Food, Fun and to Forgive.

Families join together, food is plentiful, fun is had for all and to forgive is to be humble.

We all have special memories of this day and I wish you all another special memory.

As for me I never forgot where I came from. (2019 W. State St.,Milwaukee).

HAVE THE BEST THANKSGIVING EVER.

The failing economy raises the cry loud and clear for more open government, the right of the people to know and to understand.

This right to open government is not limited to the feds but is all inclusive of our own local government.

City hall in the City of Brookfield is a prime example. Official meetings are open to the public for observation and private e-mails and side room discussions are not recorded.

Budgetary items are listed in general categories therefore shielding the nuts and bolts expenses.

Various press releases are issued by various city hall people under the guise of apparent authority to bind the city and it's residents to something the residents know nothing about.

Reckless statements are made by certain public officials that later have to be retracted.

Candidate for Mayor Speaker in 2002, bragged, "I'm an open book", when defending being reprimanded 9 times as a police officer. (see JSOnline, Spivak & Brice).

Yet, there is no open book in our city government.

This is my opinion based on my personal observations for 34 years as a city-wide elected offficial.

Open government. Yes or No?

Quid Pro Quo is a legal term defined in Black's Dictionary, as "what for what; something for something; used in law for the giving of one valuable thing for another; it is nothing more than the mutual consideration which passes between the parties to a contract, and which renders it it valid and binding."

The Mayor of the City of Brookfield, Jeffrey Speaker, since first being elected, has defined himself as a member and supporter of the Republican Party and therefore he is bound by the political principles of a partisan political organization whose sole purpose is to elect Republicans to public office.

Since the office of Mayor is non-partisan under our law, so should be the candidates and the incumbent. To do otherwise is to violate the law which does not bode well for a former police officer.            

This translates that former police officer Speaker represents only a part of the residents of the City of Brookfield and that his agenda is driven by politics instead of statesmanship.

There is nothing wrong with being a member of a political party but there is something wrong if you have taken a solemn oath to govern your office in a non-partisan manner.

Mayor Speaker, also a part-time Milwaukee landlord, has been personally endorsing candidates for partisan public office on the Republican party ticket.

This partisan political oriented Mayor has by his actions separated himself from independents, democrats, libertarians and a host of local residents who have heir own personal political beliefs, or none at all.

The result is "Quid Pro Quo", or you scratch my back and I will scratch yours".

During the tenure of the self proclaimed consensus builder this partisan Mayor has been consistent in his support of issues and giant expenditures as a partisan politician which is a conflict of interests.

There will be an election for Mayor in the Spring of 2010 and right after the new year of 2009 begins the campaign for Mayor that will set the tone for the future of our beloved community.

The bidding war for C.C. Sabathia, baseball pitcher elite, is firing up with the Yankees historical offer of 140 Million. The price tag is too high. Babe Ruth earned $80,000 during a depression year and he exclaimed that he had a better year then the President. The Brewers are making a fair offer in a recession year and there is no guarantee that C.C. had or will have a better year than the President. This is not meant to be a pun.

The Brewers, like many other baseball franchises, have already been burnt by paying astronomical salaries to baseball players who did not earn the money. (Sheets, Suppan, Hall and Gagne), all of whom are still on the roster.

The Brewers have an extraordinary minor league system and lots of talent to choose from.

The signing of C.C. for the playoff stretch was a bold move and nearly paid off but for the no.2 pitcher in rotation, Sheets, had not quit for fear of an another of his mystery ailments.

A one year deal for an exceptional player makes sense but to suffer through 5 years of speculation because of a bad deal makes no sense at all.

The Milwaukee Brewers are now a playoff contender and as a team they need to put 9 players on the field who play like a team.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Since pro basketball made its debut in Milwaukee, from the Milwaukee Shooting Stars to the Milwaukee Hawks to the champion Milwaukee Bucks of Lou Alcindor fame, the fan support base has been strong. Recent years have seen fair to mediocre teams fall to better teams.

The present Milwaukee Bucks are a product of their loyal and generous owner, Mr. Herb Kohl. He never gives up and never stops trying to bring a winner home.

Maybe the new edition of the Bucks have what it takes, solid management, solid coach and a host of talented players. The passion of Mr. Kohl for a winning team may soon be a reality.

All we ever asked for is a competitive team deep with talented players. This team looks like that.

Certainly, Mr. Kohl has paid the price but the new philosophy of a team effort than an individual performance will get the Bucks closer to their goals.

With or without Michael Redd the Bucks want to win as badly as their owner.

"Patience is a virtue".

Veterans day at American Legion Post 449 was a tribute to those who served in the military during a wartime period. It is the second year that the memorial service was sponsored by SAL(Sons of American Legion).

For the second year I was asked to by the keynote speaker, and as a member of Post 449 and their Judge Advocate I was proud to accept.

The theme of my address was a review of a book copyright of 1910 and entitled "PATRIOTIC ORATIONS" By Charles Henry Flower, late Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The introduction states "Patriotism is a lichen clinging to its own rock. It grows by the century in its original habitat. It defies alike the frost and ice of the frigid zone and the suns and sands of equatorial deserts. It resists transplanting".

Bishop Fowler quotes President Abraham Lincoln where in the Gettysburg address he said "We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract".

 It has always been my firm belief that every man and woman who serves in our military is a hero because they dedicated their lives to serving the United States of America and for that reason alone they have earned our respect.

Bishop Fowler wrote of great deeds of great men: "Heroism is a moral quality. It may be the glory of the humblest man or child. High station furnishes a pedestal on which the Glory of an heroic achievement may be exhibited, but it is no part of the act itself. Many private soldier has stood on picket under the guns of a treacherous foe, when his humble duty was as noble as the conduct of the officer whose sleep he guarded at such peril and whose name appears on the bulletin".

So let us remember all those brave and patriotic heroes from the Revolutionary War to the battlefields of today , both living and dead, who serve our grand nation so that we may live in peace.

Let's revisit the City of Brookfield budget now that the big election is over and focus our attention on the progress our city hall representatives , both elected, appointed and hired have made.

A timely updated public report would be a good start, from the Mayor, and even a refresher summary is in order to remind us of what has been done so far to reduce spending.

If the budget is so difficult for city hall to resolve then it is certainly more difficult for us outsiders to understand.

Many suggestions have been made by citizens, including myself, and an open report of those suggestions will be a nice gesture by city hall.

One suggestion has been to create a citizens oversight board to review where our money goes dollar for dollar, and to publish a reader friendly line item detailing each dollar item from all departments.

Another, was to publish the job/employment descriptions for each city employee at city hall, not including elected officials, but including the time/hours spent for each task.

Silence will not be satisfactory.