The Bright Side

Does the City of Lake Geneva foreshadow national politics?
On review, a “yes” answer to this question seems very possible. Perhaps the size, location and demographics of the City of Lake Geneva make it a forecasting microcosm of the United States. The City of Lake Geneva is a small town with a residential cross section from very wealthy to quite poor. It’s located just north of the country’s center, and is in a rural setting that is within a 60 mile radius of three large cities; Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison. The demographics of the City of Lake Geneva, and its central rural location surrounded by large cities, enables Lake Geneva to reflect the composite heart of the nation better than perhaps any other city.

On comparing the history of Lake Geneva with our America’s history, both show a similar pattern. They reflect lopsided treaty settlements with the Indians, the financial impact of the railroad, control by the wealthy, a huge gangster influence in 30’s that lingered into the 50’s, the riots in the 60’s, and finally the closing down of most manufacturing jobs, as the country entered the 21st century. Yes, what happens in Lake Geneva is similar to what is happening at the national level. But unlike trends and fads that start in the coastal cities of Los Angeles or New York and move inward; or gut reactions that realign, change or alter the direction of the country that start in the heartland of the country and occur locally before spreading nationally, what happens in the City of Lake Geneva and in the swing State of Wisconsin can precede or predict what will happen nationally.

The following four items are happening locally, and may forecast a national change:

1. The reining in and consolidation of power and authority. For the city it was to bring the almost autonomous city departments, the city’s sewer & water utilities and city room tax back under the city and city administrator control. For the nation there is following a similar expansion of the executive power and authority over agencies and establishing firm executive and congressional control over them.

2. The repudiation and replacement of the old establishment is another change. Locally, after the salt investigation exposed the corrupt underbelly of the city, it set the stage for a strong city administrator, who, in a short period of time, has replaced the old guard; the public works director, street superintendent, the city’s comptroller, the building and zoning administrator and utility director. He then rearranged and consolidated all committees. For the nation the same trend started with the same distrust of government, and with the semi-permanently imbedded government and party officials running the government for their benefit or for the benefit of their supporters. The changes coming will involve a realignment of the two wealth controlled political parties that have drifted away from the country’s center and polarized the country, decimated the middle class, and neglected the common unifying American values held by the majority. These changes are what enabled a person who appeared to represent the people and not those parties to become president of the country.

3. Increased restriction and reduced public access to government information is the next area of foretelling. For Lake Geneva it has entailed the city’s elimination of the TV broadcasting of the FLR meetings (Finance, License & Regulation Committee) and Spectrum’s removal of the city’s TV channel 25 from their TV channel guide, which foretells the nation’s change, as it begins tightening security, establishes greater restrictions and limitations to all public view of government information, and a stepped up crackdown on and increased punishment for sources that leak this now more secretive government information.

4. The most dangerous and disturbing recent trend in Lake Geneva, is that local citizens, as they sense more commanding figures in power, are withdrawing from politics, and letting the local government operate independently of them, with a hands off reverse laissez-faire approach that lets the local government officials operate with little influence by, or control from residents. If this trend goes to the national level, the implication and the results of that foretelling will be more than just frightening. It will be devastating to the American people and our way of life.

Brightness in Lake Geneva
Congratulations to Michael Ruess

Michael Ruess Assistant Chief Lake Geneva

Michael B Reuss, Assistant Chief of the Lake Geneva Police Department retired Friday March 3rd 2017. He started his journey in Lake Geneva as a reserve officer and continued to move up the ranks. His many titles took him all the way up to becoming assistant chief. His retirement was mentioned at the COW meeting March 6, 2017

Cartoon of the Week

Cartoon of Week Terry O'Neill, Lake Geneva

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