Despite the semi-annual hand wringing and brow-beating over the fact that state lawmakers accept campaign contributions while they are writing the budget, the practice continues bigger than ever.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign -- the independent campaign finance watchdog group -- reports that Gov. Jim Doyle and members of the Legislature took in $2.05 million in special interest money during the first six months of 2007 -- the key budget writing time for the state.

WDC suggests that all that money has led to the budget chaos now gripping Madison, with Doyle, Democrats and Republicans all envisioning different budgets to help their pals. Many lawmakers -- including Doyle -- have campaigned as recently as last fall by promising to ban the fund-raising practice.

Doyle took in $527,684 during the first half of 2007, including a June golf event which reeled in $1,000 per person for free drinks and photos with the Guv. The rest of the Legislature took $1.52 million from special interests – 12 percent more than in 2005 and 19 percent more than in 2003.

Topping the list among area legislators are the usual suspects -- Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Sen. Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield). Darling, who is a member of the Joint Finance Committee, which has the loudest say in state spending, raised $130,047.50. She also faces a tough re-election campaign next year against Rep. Sheldon Wasserman.

Kanavas, who actually sits on the Campaign Finance Reform Committee, has been among the most consummate fund-raiser despite being in a safe seat securely in Republican turf and showing no real interest for higher office so far. He raised $44,790.59 this year and has some $99,000 in his fund. Perhaps he’s waiting for Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner to retire.

Other area legislators raking in the contributions in 2007 include: New Berlin Sen. Mary Lazich, raising $27,549; Milwaukee Sen. Lena Taylor (a member of the Joint Finance Committee), at $26,495.01; Milwaukee Rep. Pedro Colon (JFC member), at $21,564.50; South Milwaukee Sen. Jeff Plale (who could be nervous after his own Democratic Party of Milwaukee County wanted him out of office last year) at $15,615.

Area legislators missing out include Milwaukee’s Christine Sinicki and Leon Young, who report $0 raised this year. Wasserman, a Milwaukee-area physician, reports having the most money of any legislator, with $211,911.72 in the bank.

Budget bow bullets: Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker won’t put forth his budget until the end of September, but it’s probably not too early to take a few shots across his bow, figures County Board member Marina Dimitrijevic. The Bay View supe suggests that from early reports -- such as drastic draconian cuts proposed by the folks running the bus system and the shuttering of community centers -- it’s going to be “a budget handed from the Twilight Zone.”

She calls it “appalling” that proposed budgets from key county departments are still coming in with cuts and no requests for increases. (Walker, after all, appoints the department heads so it would make sense to do what the boss edicts.) Closing the only two county-run community centers is “just plain illogical,” since the centers have been proven to keep kids from getting into trouble on the streets.

Tommy’s demise no surprise: To really no one’s surprise, Tommy Thompson called it quits on his quixotic ride to the White House. Thompson promised to drop out if he didn’t take at least second in an Iowa GOP straw poll over the weekend. Thompson, in fact, took sixth.

The results: Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 32 percent; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 18 percent; Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, 15 percent; Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, 14 percent ; Texas Congressman Ron Paul, 9 percent and Thompson, 7 percent. He was followed by Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, former New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain, all of whom had 1 percent. The bottom trio did not participate in the straw poll, which entails getting supporters to turn out to Ames, Iowa in order to vote and Fred Thompson isn’t even a declared candidate yet.

Tommy Thompson’s near-anonymity in the political world outside Wisconsin could easily be evidenced after a Chicago Tribune list even put candidate Ron Paul (who didn’t even show up in Iowa until last week and beat Thompson) above Thompson on its list of eight candidates to watch. Thompson didn’t even make the list. That didn’t stop state scribes from maintaining a larger-than-life aura for the ex-governor, with more than one state reporter continuing to ask him if he would run for governor.

Retail politics, which Thompson considered his forte in the race, apparently doesn’t matter. Romney catered a barbecue dinner to thousands, in a move duplicating Steve Forbes’ offering to voters in the 2000 campaign, down to contracting with the same restaurant. Arkansas Gov. Huckabee shipped in 200 watermelons from his state to lure voters. Thompson motorcycled into Ames with a group of Harley riders.

About 13,262 votes were cast in the famous Ames, Iowa straw poll for the Republican presidential race. Last time this event was held, in 1999, there were over 20,000 votes cast.

Let’s hope Thompson’s finger-to-the-wind attitude and the media fawning about his campaigning for office ends now. He cost the state GOP serious time in an effort to find a candidate to take on Herb Kohl for Senate last year and may have damaged Mark Green by his vacillating on the front page before bailing out on that campaign as well.

Mensa candidate of the year, perhaps decade: This really has nothing to do with politics, but, like trying legislate morality, there’s a good reason lawmakers can’t legislate intelligence. And the story is too good to pass up: A Two Rivers man was seriously burned after setting himself on fire. He was trying to steal gas from a lawn mower in a shed and used a lighter to get a better view of the fuel he was stealing.