Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Bipartisanship in the Assembly

That’s an interesting move.

Two committees in the state Assembly next year will have bipartisan co-chairs.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced the unusual move on Tuesday.

Vos says that the State and Federal Relations Committee along with the Constitution and Ethics Committee will be chaired by both Republicans and Democrats.

Republican Rep. Travis Tranel and Democratic Rep. Leon Young will co-chair the State and Federal Relations Committee. Republican Rep. Chris Kapenga and Democratic Rep. Jill Billings will co-chair the Constitution and Ethics Committee.

Vos says this is the first time since 1995 that Assembly committees had chairs from both parties. That year, the Assembly was under Republican control but a Democrat was appointed chair of the Urban Education Committee.

(6) Comments
Posted by Owen at 0830 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. I wonder what’s up with that.  Let’s not forget that it wasn’t a friendly, bipartisan gesture when Prosser did it back in 95.  I wonder if there aren’t similar motives at work here.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 05, 2012 at 1258 hrs


  2. If Leon Young is taking the chair then, clearly, there is little to no work involved.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 05, 2012 at 1414 hrs


  3. So ... even when the voters overwhelmingly choose a Republican Party government, the RINOs make sure that the Democrats remain in power.  In fact, more powerful than before the election.  “Interesting” is not the word I would choose.  “Betrayal” sounds closer.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 06, 2012 at 0140 hrs


  4. Lloyd,

    Although it’s the way governments work (the party in power getting allllll the power, even if they only have one extra member), doesn’t it seem more reasonable to recognize that at least a portion of Wisconsin residents would like some of the power to be shared?

    I’m assuming you totally disagree, because you’re a take-no-prisoners, I-hate-all-people-who-support-Democrats partisan, but I thought I’d ask.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 06, 2012 at 0918 hrs


  5. “Interesting” is indeed the right word to use. Not sure what to make of it either, but it caught me totally by surprise when I first heard it. 

    Ain’t familiar with WI politics in ‘95: what was that situation about Prosser?

    Posted by purplepenquin on December 06, 2012 at 1659 hrs


  6. Prosser picked a school choice-friendly Dem from Milwaukee to chair an education committee with the intention of fracturing the Dem caucus.  And it seems to have worked because the Rs got their school choice expansion.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 07, 2012 at 0833 hrs


Commenting is not available in this channel entry.