The Truth Hurts

I'm sure you remember this exchange between Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men.

Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I think I'm entitled.
Jessep: You want answers?!
Kaffee: I want the truth!
Jessep: You can't handle the truth!

Ah, truth!

It can be slippery, especially when presented by politicians.

In Saturday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, readers are treated to some conflicting truths.

During the gubernatorial debate on Friday night, Governor Jim Doyle claimed to have put Wisconsin on the right track economically, with job increases.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

One of the most pointed questions came from Orville Beene, 67, of Brown Deer, who asked the candidates what they would do to help reverse Milwaukee County's loss of manufacturing and other high-paying jobs. Beene said he worked for Pabst Brewery when it cut back its Milwaukee brewery in the 1997. He said plants "are closing all over the place."

Doyle cited the nationwide erosion in manufacturing, blaming policies of the Bush administration and Congress. He called for tax breaks for employers to move to high unemployment areas.

"I spend a lot of time in Milwaukee," Doyle said. "We have worked hard in Milwaukee to turn it around."

Green seized on the question as affirming the "sad reality" that "we do not have an abundance of good jobs." He called for an "entirely new approach to economic development," noting that a recent state audit found little accountability for dozens of grants, loans and other local aid programs.

"We can continue to move on the course I've set this state on," said Doyle.

Doyle wanting to be commended for a job well done in terms of jobs and Milwaukee is as ridiculous as Tom Barrett claiming that Milwaukee is not in crisis when it comes to crime.

DOYLE AND BARRETT BOTH NEED TO OPEN THEIR EYES.

THEY NEED TO QUIT DANCING AROUND THE TRUTH AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FAILURES.

The Dem leadership in Wisconsin, particularly Doyle and Barrett, is disgraceful. That's the reality.

Nonetheless, Doyle insists that he has the state on the right path.

That notion is debunked by something in a Journal Sentinel editorial, also in Saturday's edition.

The editorial appeals to readers to donate to the United Way. In the process, it paints an extremely bleak picture of Milwaukee.

Upset about recent headlines having to do with seemingly unsolvable problems in Milwaukee?

There's something you can do to make a difference. You can give to United Way of Greater Milwaukee, now in the early stages of its annual campaign. This year, organizers hope to raise a record

$40 million, with a special focus on breaking the cycle of poverty.

...According to recent census data, one of four people in Milwaukee lives in poverty, making it the seventh-poorest city in the United States. Thus, the United Way also keeps its focus on maintaining a safety net of services designed to help poor people maintain basic needs.

According to the organization, more than 300,000 people in Milwaukee were given food, shelter and basic health care last year via United Way agencies.

Milwaukee is the seventh-poorest city in the country? I didn't know that.

Half of its population depends on United Way services? I had no idea.

That is not good.

Of course, Doyle blames the Bush administration and Washington politicians for the state's and Milwaukee's ills; but that is as silly as Tom Barrett blaming his city's crime problems on federal legislation and Jim Sensenbrenner.

So, here we have an editorial spelling out what dire straits Milwaukee is in, while elsewhere we have the story of Doyle defending his record and trying to convince the public that his leadership has produced positive results. For Doyle, that's an inconvenient discrepancy.

The bottom line is Doyle has failed to address the economic problems of the state's largest city.

That's the truth.

The Journal Sentinel says so, albeit unintentionally I'm sure.