So much for that darn motto.

You know – “Forward” printed on the Wisconsin state flag. The wonderful little catchword that sets the tone for Wisconsin’s progressive tradition of politics.

It has been wiped pretty much away in a manner of about a month, by Governor-select Scott McCallum.

He’s considering already defiling the voter laws we have in this state by advocating the use of ID cards at the polls. He’s endangering the environment by cutting funding for recycling programs.

And worst of all, in his biennium budget proposal he’s leaving the UW System high and dry – all in the name of re-election.

McCallum might as well climb up the flag pole on the state capitol, cross out “Forward” and write “Backward” instead.

Because with McCallum in the captain’s chair, that’s exactly where our so-called progressive state is heading.

McCallum revealed his budget proposals for the next two years and left the UW System considerably short of what officials were hoping for – to the tune of $26.7 million.

That would leave students to foot 75 percent of the increase.

The $8.7 million proposed from tax revenue would be just enough to cover basic maintenance and upkeep to buildings.

But smarmy McCallum says, “Hey, don’t blame me.” He thinks it’s enough that he is proposing to allow the UW System to increase tuition at its own discretion.

He doesn’t think it’s a big deal to students that tuition would have to increase across the state to cover all the costs either.

“There are (percentage increases) I believe that will be unacceptable to students,” McCallum told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel last week.

“I’m hoping (UW Administrators) are responsible to students, because if they aren’t, the Legislature and the governor will step in.”

If this doesn’t sound like a guy on a power trip, I don’t know what does.

As Student Senate leaders will point out at 11 a.m. Friday in the Locust Room of Davies Center, students won’t find any increase in tuition acceptable. It’s already increased well above the rate of inflation, and students in this state got smacked with a 6.9 percent increase in 1999.

While another increase won’t hurt middle- and upper-class students too badly, it has a dangerous effect on who can afford education.

The American Council on Higher Education points out that for every $100 increase in tuition, there is a 2.2 percent decline in enrollment for low-income families.

McCallum and former Gov. Tommy Thompson (anybody else longing for the good old days?) are hard up about getting more kids to technical school so the service industries will have enough workers in the next 20 years.

But going about it by pricing students out of a college education is the wrong way to do it.

If the state believes getting more kids to tech school is important, then encourage the tens of thousands of students who don’t go to college in this state to fill these jobs.

College graduates are tremendously important to the economy of the state, accounting for high-paying jobs and entrusted with the duty of educating our children.

With an election looming in two short years, McCallum obviously feels the need to placate votes and balance the state budget.

But to endanger the affordability of this state’s greatest assets, election isn’t a good enough reason to screw 100,000 students across the state.