Steven Walters and Patrick Marley:

Asked why he made sure the Democratic senator from Madison personally got a $40,000 check from what was then called SBC/Ameritech for a shadowy campaign fund Chvala secretly controlled, Broydrick said: “It was very clear to me that, if you played ball, you got what you wanted.”

The regional phone company, one of Broydrick’s many clients, got what it wanted in the summer of 2001.

Before the $40,000 corporate check was written, the state budget contained a tax-code change that would have cost the telecommunications industry money. After the check was delivered, the provision was removed from the budget, which Chvala and Assembly Republicans wrote over the next two weeks.

Filling up my car recently, I stood next to a woman doing the same to her 3-Series. The trunk and bumper were filled with anti-national political figure stickers. I told her that I agreed with many of her concerns but simply asked that she put some energy into local issues such as public schools or city/county government.

I feel the same way about Paul Soglin’s daily national political blasts. In my view, the local scene could use much more attention. There’s no shortage of national political commentary and criticism.

I hope Paul turns his considerable talents back toward Madison.

Fabius Maximus:

For what?

To establish some form of Kurdish state? The Turkish Government, among our stronger allies, will not thank us for this.

To establish Islamic State(s) in the Arab regions of Iraq? Probably difficult to sell this to the American people as “victory.” Certainly an odd aspect of our “War on Terror.”

To establish a Shiite State in southern Iraq? Good news for Iran, a charter member of the “Axis of Evil.” Bad news for Iraq’s southern neighbor, Saudi Arabia, most of whose oil fields lie in Shiite tribal areas.

Perhaps we can redeem ourselves by learning lessons of sufficient value.