Governor James Doyle to announce the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources agreement to clean the Kinnickinnic River. Today. 2000 S. 4th St, Milwaukee.

I need to grouse this morning. I have a complaint about the Democratic party (surprise, everyone). They do not like politics as usual.

If the purpose of today's event (August 20, 2008) were to get people, voters, environmental friends to the event, they could have done the usual and boring thing: invite them.

Getting It

Now, I'm not saying I'm a heavy contributor to river politics, but I've put my personhood into some public forums recently, and I am on a committee in Bay View that has the word "Environmental" [and Transportation] in it. I am easier to find than a bus. And I am beside the point. Just whom did the Party think would show up for this event? Press and political consultants? Why not voters?

The invitation begins with the (too common apology) " sorry for the late notice ..."

That river, the Kinnickinnic, is a big deal for us; you see it runs through our neighborhood, walking distance away for me. It is gorgeous where wild - and there are such spots like that one on 5th and Rosedale (not far from today's event) where we shooed away a developer just last spring, and then went down and pulled out garlic mustard to celebrate. And thousands of worker bees from around the city have in recent years swarmed the river to clean it up. We're serious. This is a river, not a sewer.

But the announcement [...Governor Jim Doyle. He will be announcing the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources agreement to clean the Kinnickinnic River.] arrived in my inbox yesterday (one day before) just hours after I worked my schedule into a conflict. Also yesterday, I happened to hear about it because I was talking with my alderman about something else, and he graciously invited me. (Governor, are you paying attention? It's called retail politics. Politics as usual.)

The press may come. And the swarms of Gubernatorial staff will come. And folks with job flexibility who don't schedule things a day in advance might come. And who else? You go, you tell me (comments below please - tell me to stop predicting the future here).

Getting There

If the Democrats want bus rider votes, this is a perfect time to appeal to bus riders.

Tell folks how to get there by bus. No bus I know of runs close to this river bend, but bus riders do walk (a lot).

Try this -  how an email will look if you set the directions from http://www.ridemcts.com

Hi, I'd like to share a Google Maps link with you.

Link:

[link appears here in your email]

(Personally, with all due respect to the little man inside Google, I'd use the #15 and walk from KK and Becher. A free map arrives with the link.)

Bus directions, right from Google Transit on every announcement will break the mysterious bus code and even teach an addicted driver how to ride the bus. And maybe provide a clue how to vote on the November 4th referendum to take our buses (and parks) off the property tax.

Every day 150,000 people ride Milwaukee County Transit. It is a perfect opportunity for retail politics. The audience is friendly and they will stay on the bus with you (up to a point). You can talk. Hand out your literature until the driver thinks you're a nuisance.

Governor, are you listening? Are you riding the bus?