Cynical Abuse of Children by Barb Lawton

Not that Ms. Lawton is the first panderer to abuse constituents--and she may not even be the worst of them (although a role-model for that category, DarthDoyle, has offices near Lawton's.)

It is the fact that Ms. Lawton is running around the State pushing one of Doyle's Big Lies to 13-year-olds that is bothersome.

Some child abuse is not illegal--and Lawton shows how to exploit kids without going to jail.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton came to [a] school, Humboldt Park on the south side, on Thursday to give him and his classmates encouragement - and a pep talk about why they should sign the Wisconsin Covenant, a plan proposed by Gov. Jim Doyle.

The covenant says participating eighth-graders who maintain a B average in college prep courses in high school and meet other conditions will be guaranteed a place in a Wisconsin university or college and a financial aid package that will cover tuition.

Unfortunately, no such program exists at this time. But hey! May as well teach the children well: that politicians cannot, and should not, be believed.

In an interview, Lawton said that as she speaks to students around the state about the covenant, she watches their faces. "You see them try it on for size," she said. Many come from homes where no one has gone to college until now and still think it is beyond their reach.

"Try it on for size?" This is Alternative Universe language, just like her next remark below...

Lawton said the covenant "invites them to imagine themselves succeeding in the classroom." She said she is confident that when the time comes, the state will fill its pledge to make sure kids who qualify have a financial package that covers their tuition.

All hucksters need a small group of people placed in the crowd to chant "Huzzah!!" at the right moments, so Lawton recruited the available local:

Humboldt Park Principal Kristi Cole said forms for signing up for the covenant would be distributed to all students, and she was already getting questions from seventh-graders about when they could sign up.

Of course, this is totally unrelated to the Wisconsin DPI scandal (below.)