Personal Asides: Don’t Be Surprised if the Democrats Take the Easiest Course…Elizabeth Magnor Schedules a Concert…There’s a Possibility of a Much Better Candidate for the U. S. Senate than Most Who Have Been Mentioned Right Under Our Noses.

No Surprise.

It would be no great surprise to me if the Democrats running the legislature decide to take the easiest course…one outlined Sunday by Springfield correspondent Doug Finke which goes like this:

Since the House Democrats passed a low-growth budget in late May, the bill is still existent—stuck on a perch in the House awaiting an electricity rate compromise. If an agreement is reached, the Democratic House budget could be sent to the Senate where the Democrats have enough votes to pass it without Republican help. If Blagojevich signs it, it will allow the state to move through the first six months of the budget year—which would be next January. Then there would be another go-round where the Democrats would not need Republican help and a budget could be crafted without any interference by the GOP.

It was interesting to me to note that the two guests on my show Sunday…diametrically opposite on many things…conservative analyst Russ Stewart of Nadig Newspapers and liberal…at least I call him that…Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Accountability, agreed that this could easily be the interim solution.

Russ Stewart is always an interesting guest. Ralph Martire is fast becoming one also…one who sets all ten lights on the phones winking. I was impressed when he acknowledged that he is the author of the tax swap that Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) has been advocating. Martire may well be a true anomaly…a liberal who ran against Mike Quigley a few years ago and held him to a relatively narrow win…and one who posted a Topinka for Governor sign on his suburban River Forest lawn. I would imagine that his swap plan would have been implemented by Topinka had she won the governorship.


Elizabeth Magnor.

Elizabeth Magnor, a beautiful and fetching 20-year-old University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) lyric soprano whose delicacy of phrasing and beauty of tone calls to mind Renee Fleming, has been singing since a little girl and has been highly praised by many including those who heard her at the Julliard School of Music in New York (but she was entirely too young to go to New York city). One of eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Magnor of Brookfield, Wisconsin, Elizabeth has all the ambition and grace, plus quiet determination, to become one of the world’s leading sopranos.

She has the opportunity to sing in Lucca, Italy with the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in the summer of 2008. She has to pay her own way over there so she is putting on a concert…cost of admission $10 apiece…on August 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Milwaukee where she will be performing Lucia’s Mad scene, “Il dolce Suono” from Gaetano Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” (which will also feature flutist Samantha Theuring).

The concert will be held at the St. John’s Retirement Home at 1840 North Prospect avenue, Milwaukee. The program will consist of songs by Franz Schubert, Gabriel Faure and musical theatre selections as well as the aforementioned opera scene.

Why do I bring this up? Eight reasons. (1) I am a pushover for lyric sopranos. (2) The mad scene of “il dolce Suono” is my favorite. (3) “Lucia di Lammermoor” is the best work that Gaetano Donizetti produced. (4) Milwaukee in summer is where my heart is; (5) the exquisite music will drown out the buzzing cicadas outside; (6) Wisconsin is a state the Republicans need to carry in order to win the presidency next year; (7) I am scouting out the St. John’s Retirement Home as a haven when I get tired of doing this stuff.

And (8) Elizabeth Magnor is my granddaughter.

If you attend, you will see two sets of grandparents fervently applauding in the front row along with her parents. If you cannot attend but want to support the next generation’s opera star, contact me.



A Much Better Candidate.

There’s a possibility of a much better Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate against Dick Durbin than many who have been mentioned. Someone who talks authoritatively about foreign and domestic policy, an excellent communicator and a genuine patriot.

Who?

As they say, stay turned…but first tell you who you think I have in mind.