Under the order, any defendant who is sentenced to prison will be held in a county jail instead of being transferred to one of DOC’s more than 30 prison facilities across the state.
Tag Archives: Tony Evers
A devastating cure: Weighing liberties, security in the age of coronavirus
My column for the Washington County Daily News is online and in print. Go pick up a copy!
In the future, when we remember the liberties we once had and explain to our grandchildren why we surrendered them, some old man will slowly look down at his shoes and mutter, “We did it out of an abundance of caution.”
The global Coronavirus pandemic is a severe health concern that requires a response from our government. We need our government to aggressively work toward a vaccine and treatments, inform the public with the latest prevention methods, act to provide resources where needed, and provide the legal and regulatory safety net for the private sector to join in the fight. We do not need or want our government to arbitrarily suppress our civil rights, undermine the rule of law, and intentionally destroy our economy and our livelihoods.
It is breathtaking the speed at which our government leaders resorted to totalitarian extremes to combat the spread of a disease. The government ordered thousands and thousands of businesses to close indefinitely. This has forced millions of people out of work. Many of them do not have the financial cushion to get by without an income for weeks on end. Many small-business owners are losing their life’s work and their families’ entire net worth by order of the government.
With millions of people are struggling to get by, the inevitable wave of foreclosures and bankruptcies will follow. The government may try to halt this by decree or throw stimulus money at the problem, but the financial realities make the long-term impact of these decisions unavoidable.
Meanwhile, some governments are ordering people to remain home, forbidding people from assembling, and even closing churches. In California, people who are caught outside of their homes for nonessential reasons are subject to arrest, fines, and imprisonment for violating the order. At the same time, jury trials (a constitutionally protected right) are being postponed, elections are being delayed, prisoners are being released, and the government is ignoring private contracts — for example, the government ordering that landlords can’t evict people — in lieu of the judgment of politicians.
The impact is more than just financial or an inconvenience. The government restrictions have caused a massive shortage in donated blood for hospitals, crime is sure to rise, people are postponing necessary medical care for fear of leaving their homes, and an increase in depression, addiction, and suicide will result from mass unemployment and economic destruction.
Americans should be following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control to maintain a physical distance from others, cover sneezes, avoid touching faces, wash hands, sanitize surfaces, and reduce unnecessary travel. But there is an abyss between free Americans taking steps to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus of their own free will and our government using police power to enforce those steps. In most cases, it is a single man — a governor — making these incredible decisions to upend our lives.
If the response to Coronavirus has taught us anything, it is that our government officials will strip us of our liberties at a moment’s notice on the justification that it is for our own good. Instead of relying on the collective wisdom of a billion individual decisions made by free people, our government officials instantly supplanted their own judgment for that of the people they were elected to represent. They immediately assumed that they know better and are not only empowered, but obligated, to micromanage our lives “out of an abundance of caution.” And then, when the inevitable negative effects are being felt, these same people will mortgage our grandchildren’s future too with another boondoggle trillion dollar stimulus.
This is a very old debate about the balance of government power between liberty and safety. The way in which so many Americans surrendered their liberty for the dubious promise of safety with little more than a shrug and a muffled bleat is testament to how far we have strayed from our roots. For all of the “don’t tread on me” stickers and “live free or die” machismo, too many Americans have become fat and docile.
Coronavirus will ravage the world and leave devastation in its wake, but we will find workable treatments and a vaccine. It will pass. The devastation to our economy and liberties will be far longer lasting.
Posted by Owen at 0652 hours
GOP Leaders Respond to Evers’ Order
I watched all but the very end of the Q&A of the governor’s press conference. It was a mess. No details. No definition of “essential” businesses. No reason for the change of policy. Evers admitted that he hadn’t even spoken to the legislative leaders. Several times the governor’s legal counsel jumped in to answer on behalf of the governor. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to hear from my actual elected governor on these things. Overall, I was not left with any sense of comfort that the people now micromanaging our lives are competent enough to be doing so.
In any case, it appears that the GOP leadership is pushing back a little, but I want more than better communication from our governor. I want competent decision-making that takes into account all stakeholders’ interests and protects out civil liberties.
“The governor’s announcement has created mass amounts of confusion. For days, Governor Evers took a measured approach and reassured business owners that a shelter-in-place order may not be necessary. Legislative leaders even complimented him for it. The governor’s sudden change of course and lack of specific guidance have increased the level of uncertainty and anxiety in our state. The people of Wisconsin deserve clear communications during a public health emergency.
“There also needs to be a better understanding as to why the decisions are being made, because of the impact on the economy, businesses and residents of the state.
“It appears at the end of the governor’s press conference, there are more questions than answers. We would ask the governor to answer the following questions for the people of Wisconsin:
- What are the metrics that this decision is based on?
- What is considered an essential and non-essential business? How is that being determined?
- What changes need to happen for the order to be lifted?
“The governor’s executive order came as a surprise to the legislature. It was a complete reversal from his repeated assurances. It should be noted that legislative leaders have asked on a daily basis whether or not this was the direction the governor was headed, and we were told it was not.
“We all want what’s best for Wisconsin. We want people to stay safe and follow CDC guidelines. We would ask the governor to do a better job communicating to the people of Wisconsin.”
Posted by Owen at 1501 hours
Governor Evers to Suspend Civil Rights Indefinitely
Freedom of assembly? Gone. Freedom of free exercise of religion? Gone. Freedom of movement? Gone. Perhaps elections suspended? All gone… indefinitely… by the order of a single, mediocre man: our governor, Tony Evers.
The Democratic governor made the announcement on Twitter three days after saying he did not think he would have to issue such an order but that he would do what is scientifically necessary.
He said he would formally issue the order Tuesday and it was expected to take effect within a day or so of that.
The governor did not say how long the order would last or how the state could conduct its April 7 presidential primary and election for state Supreme Court and local offices. Evers for weeks has been encouraging people to vote absentee.
The governor is calling his edict a safer-at home order rather than a shelter-in-place order, as California and New York have. Evers’ phrasing is the same as what’s been used in Ohio and is meant to get businesses to close and people to stay at home without terrifying them or making them think martial law is being imposed.
“I know this has been difficult and has disrupted the lives of people across our state,” Evers tweeted. “That’s why issuing a #SaferAtHome order isn’t something I thought we’d have to do, and it’s not something I take lightly. But here’s the bottom line: folks need to start taking this seriously.”
Under the order, people will be able to go to grocery stores, doctor’s offices and pharmacies and go outside to exercise or walk a dog. But people will be required to stay at home for most other reasons and the governor noted that means “no sleepovers, no play dates and no dinner parties with friends and neighbors.”
Posted by Owen at 1027 hours
Evers Halts Prison Admissions
Neal said most individuals who violate probation and parole rules would also go to the county jails, but some would go to a DOC facility in Milwaukee that is specifically for felons who violate their supervision terms. It is the only such DOC facility.
Although the emergency order could help prevent an inmate from bringing COVID-19 into a prison, it might also put extra pressure on county jails, including potential overcrowding.
Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney said there were “absolutely no conversations” with county sheriffs about the impact the order will have on county jails. The Dane County Jail was notified of the change via email at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
“It’s really got sheriffs really upset,” Mahoney said. “It’s just very frustrating — as we’re trying to keep our own institutions healthy while we continue to hold prison inmates for the Department of Corrections — that we were not involved in at least a conversation about the need to find a collaborative solution.”
Mahoney said if the governor would have consulted county sheriffs, they could have come up with another solution to keep the prisons and jails safe, such as screening all inmates before transferring them to prisons.
We’re watching a very average man lurch from draconian thing to stupid thing without any real understanding of the consequences. Why are we allowing this one man to have so much power over our lives? We elected a governor, not a king.
Posted by Owen at 2123 hours
Evers Relents on Open Records Request
Why is Evers so opposed to transparency? Should we be concerned given that he is wielding dictatorial powers over us right now?
Gov. Tony Evers will comply with a top state legislator’s request for records about farmer mental health programs that is the subject of a lawsuit, despite maintaining that the request is overly broad and burdensome.
Posted by Owen at 2226 hours
Despite CDC Warning, Governor Evers Closes All Wisconsin Schools
Ugh. All of the disruption… all of the expense to families… all of the missed work… for something that is more likely to make the problem worse than better. Stupid government.
Gov. Tony Evers on Friday ordered the state Department of Health Services to close all K-12 schools, public and private, as part of the state’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.
The shutdown will begin Wednesday and run through April 5, though it could be extended, Evers’ office said in a statement.
“Closing our schools is not a decision I made lightly, but keeping our kids, our educators, our families, and our communities safe is a top priority as we continue our work to respond to and prevent further spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin,” Evers said.
[…]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance on closings and cancellations for schools. It said schools, working with local health departments, have an important role in slowing the spread of diseases and that all decisions on closures should be made at the local level.
Among the factors to be considered, it said, are whether there is an infected person in the school or community and whether staff or students have traveled to high-risk areas.
But, it said, closing schools early in the spread of disease for a short time — for example two weeks — “will be unlikely to stem the spread of disease or prevent impact on the health care system, while causing significant disruption for families, schools and health care workers.”
In addition it said it may increase the impact on older adults who are enlisted to take care of children kept home from school.
Here is the actual CDC guidance:
Available modeling data indicate that early, short to medium closures do not impact the epi curve of COVID-19 or available health care measures (e.g., hospitalizations). There may be some impact of much longer closures (8 weeks, 20 weeks) further into community spread, but that modelling also shows that other mitigation efforts (e.g., handwashing, home isolation) have more impact on both spread of disease and health care measures. In other countries, those places who closed school (e.g., Hong Kong) have not had more success in reducing spread than those that did not (e.g., Singapore)
Posted by Owen at 1750 hours
Evers Doesn’t Know Why He Vetoed Bill
What the heck? Who is running the show over there?
WAUSAU – Gov. Tony Evers vetoed legislation allowing paddle wheel raffles this week but couldn’t say why when a reporter asked him about his decision.
Evers signed more than 60 bills on Tuesday and vetoed two related to games, including one that would have allowed any business with a Class B gambling license to hold raffles using a paddle wheel.
Evers told lawmakers in a veto message Tuesday that the bill could threaten revenue the state receives from casinos owned by the state’s tribal nations in exchange for exclusive gaming rights.
When a reporter asked him Thursday why he vetoed the legislation, Evers said he would follow up with an answer.
“Could you take us through your thought process on that?” Michael Leischner, a reporter for talk radio station WSAU, asked at a news conference in Wausau following a bill signing ceremony.
“We’ll get you the information on that,” Evers responded. “I signed over 100 bills two days ago and vetoed a handful of other ones — but you caught me.”
Posted by Owen at 2013 hours
Evers’ vetoes tell us his values
I forgot to post this earlier in the week… here is my full column that ran in the Washington County Daily News on Tuesday.
Governor Tony Evers spent last week telling the people of Wisconsin what his values really are by vetoing several bills that would have made Wisconsinites wealthier, healthier, and safer. Our governor’s actions tell us that he would rather Wisconsinites be poorer, sicker, and less safe if it means that he can appease his liberal benefactors and the social justice warriors.
In light of the state of Wisconsin’s projected budget surplus, the Republican Legislature passed a tax cut. The idea was simple. The people of Wisconsin are paying more in taxes than the government has budgeted to spend. The Republicans voted to reduce marginal tax rates so that those excess taxes would never be collected. Instead, that money would have been left in the pockets of Wisconsinites to spend on their families, businesses, and priorities. The Republican tax cut would have had the greatest impact for lower- and middle-income earners whose lives are most impacted by high taxes.
Governor Evers vetoed the tax cut in its entirety. In doing so, he said that he wants to use any tax surplus to spend more money on the state’s government schools. Despite the fact that statewide enrollment is declining and Wisconsinites spend more on education — by any measurement — than at any time in the history of humankind, the governor just wants to spend more. It is no coincidence that Wisconsin’s government education establishment supports Evers.
The Republicans passed another bill that would have made direct primary care agreements exempt from insurance law. The idea here is also simple. The cost of health care in Wisconsin is too high and the high cost prevents some people from getting
the care they need. One of the reasons that the cost is so high is because of the regulatory structure and insurance middle man. DPC agreements are a way to cut out the insurance middle man and lower costs with a direct fee structure.
In a DPC agreement, a person or their employer pays a subscription to a health care provider that gives patients access to primary care, urgent care, lab work, and other relatively routine health care services. In doing this, the patient does not access their health insurance except for the truly critical issues. By making primary care available through a low-cost subscription, patients and their families can get the routine care they need without jumping through the insurance hoops or paying huge deductibles. The bill passed by Republicans would have clarified the law to ensure that DPC agreements do not fall subject to onerous insurance laws that would render DPC agreements unviable.
Governor Evers vetoed the bill in its entirety because it did not specifically prohibit health care providers from discriminating against people based on sexual orientation. Because Governor Evers wants to curry favor with the LGBTQ lobby, Wisconsinites will continue to have to pay more for health care and have fewer health care options available to them.
Perhaps worst of all, Governor Evers vetoed several bills that would have made Wisconsinites safer. One bill would have required that the Department of Corrections recommend revoking a person’s supervision or probation if they are charged with a crime. One would have thought that if a person was on probation and committed a crime, that they would be automatically put back in jail. Unfortunately, under current law, people often commit crimes while on supervision or probation and no action is taken.
This bill would have left judges with the discretion to actually revoke a crook’s supervision or probation, but it would have required the DOC to recommend revocation.
In another bill, the Republicans would have extended the restrictions for who is eligible to get released early from prison for certain crimes. Most of the crimes that the bill extended the restrictions for were child sex crimes. For example, the bill would have made people who commit the crimes of incest, child enticement, or sexual assault of a child, ineligible to be released from prison early.
Governor Evers vetoed both of those crime bills and several more anti-crime bills. One can only conclude that Evers wants more criminals on our streets — even those who are convicted of child sex crimes. Evers’ goal of reducing the state’s prison population takes priority over the victims of crimes.
Thanks to the actions of Governor Evers last week, Wisconsinites will be poorer, sicker, and less safe than they could have been if he had signed these bills into law. But at least the government teachers, LGBTQ lobbyists, and criminals will be better off.
Posted by Owen at 0700 hours
Evers’ vetoes tell us his values
My column for the Washington County Daily News is online and in print. Here’s how it starts:
Governor Tony Evers spent last week telling the people of Wisconsin what his values really are by vetoing several bills that would have made Wisconsinites wealthier, healthier, and safer. Our governor’s actions tell us that he would rather Wisconsinites be poorer, sicker, and less safe if it means that he can appease his liberal benefactors and the social justice warriors.
Posted by Owen at 1114 hours
Evers Vetoes Tax Cut
Governor Evers want to just spend your money.
MADISON (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a Republican-authored $250 million income tax bill on Wednesday at an elementary school in Wauwatosa, arguing that the Legislature should instead work with him on a compromise that includes more money for education.
And, apparently, he doesn’t know how government works.
‘‘There’s no time for compromise right now,’’ Fitzgerald said, noting that the Assembly adjourned last week for the year. The Senate plans to meet just one more time in about a month.
Remember when you get your paychecks that you could have been paying less in taxes if it weren’t for Governor Evers.
Posted by Owen at 0841 hours
Evers is Coy about Coveted Presidential Endorsement
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is staying neutral in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Evers said Wednesday he was open to making an endorsement but not until after the state’s April 7 presidential primary. He said withholding an endorsement boosts the chances of Wisconsin’s primary being relevant.
Posted by Owen at 0751 hours
Evers calls a special session to waste money we don’t have
Here is my full column that ran in the Washington County Daily News this week.
Thanks to a robust economy, Wisconsin’s Legislative Fiscal Bureau has projected that Wisconsin will collect more taxes than the state budgeted by the end of the biennial budget next summer. The news prompted Gov. Tony Evers to call the Legislature into a special session to waste money we do not have on stuff we do not need.
The state passed the biennial budget last year that is in effect from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021. Those dates are important. The budget estimates tax collections based on the tax policies and sets sending based on the estimated taxes. Periodically, the state’s LFB will evaluate actual tax collections as compared to the budget estimates and forecast whether the state will collect more or less than the budget estimated.
Still awake? Hang in there. In January, the LFB estimated that the state will collect $620.2 million more in taxes than the budget estimated. If the LFB is right, that would mean that the state would generate a $620.2 million surplus at the end of the budget – in July of 2021. In other words, the state does not have $620.2 million in extra cash stashed in Governor Evers’ desk. The state might have $620.2 million in additional money sometime next summer – if the LFB’s forecast is correct.
The LFB does a really good job, but it is not a Delphic Oracle with divine sight. It makes estimates based on the economic data available. This changes, however, in unpredictable ways. For example, if the United States elects a communist to be president this year, it is likely that our economy will enter a deep recession, thus undermining tax collections in Wisconsin and any chance of a surplus.
From this basis, we must evaluate Governor Evers’ plan on both a financial and moral basis. Governor Evers wants the Legislature to pass bills to spend $250 million of the projected surplus on government schools. From a financial perspective, it is outright mismanagement to spend money that state government does not have. Evers wants to spend money based on a single financial projection made three weeks ago about where the state’s finances might end up in 17 months. What if the economy shifts and the surplus does not happen? What if the LFB just got it wrong? If the Legislature votes to spend the money and the surplus does not materialize, the money is still spent. They will have to find another way to pay for it.
On a moral basis, we already had a debate about the budget through our elected representatives. Out of that process came the spending and taxes that we, the people, collectively thought was necessary to fund state government. Evers already proposed that we spend more. The Legislature passed a budget and Evers signed it. If there is a surplus, there are only three things that should be done with it: pay down debt, save it in the rainy day fund, or return it to the people.
Paying down debt is never a bad thing, but if the state is just going to replace it with more debt and spending, then it is counterproductive. Thanks to years of good fiscal management when Republicans controlled all of state government, the state’s rainy day fund is already adequately funded. That leaves the last option: Give it back to the people. The state overcharged for its services and should give the people their change.
Finally, it is not just that Governor Evers wants to spend money we do not yet have. It is that he wants to pour it into the bottomless pit of government schools for no benefit. The governor lists 14 spending items directed at government schools from general state aid to grants. Nowhere does he even pretend that the additional spending will improve educational outcomes for the kids. Even Evers appears to know that more spending will not result in better education.
In fact, Wisconsin spends more on government education than at any time in its history, and yet, test scores and student performance continue their steady decline. It is a travesty that liberals like Governor Evers continue to spread the lie that more money leads to a better education because it distracts from advancing policies that will actually improve education for our children. Governor Evers’ spending plan is a boon for government workers, special interest groups, and school construction companies, but it once again leaves our kids behind.
The Legislature should ignore Evers’ folly and close the special session as soon as it opens. If the surplus does actually materialize as the LFB projects, then the Legislature should return it to the people.
Posted by Owen at 0700 hours
Evers calls a special session to waste money we don’t have
My column for the Washington County Daily News is online and in print. Here’s part of it:
Finally, it is not just that Governor Evers wants to spend money we do not yet have. It is that he wants to pour it into the bottomless pit of government schools for no benefit. The governor lists 14 spending items directed at government schools from general state aid to grants. Nowhere does he even pretend that the additional spending will improve educational outcomes for the kids. Even Evers appears to know that more spending will not result in better education.
In fact, Wisconsin spends more on government education than at any time in its history, and yet, test scores and student performance continue their steady decline. It is a travesty that liberals like Governor Evers continue to spread the lie that more money leads to a better education because it distracts from advancing policies that will actually improve education for our children. Governor Evers’ spending plan is a boon for government workers, special interest groups, and school construction companies, but it once again leaves our kids behind.
Posted by Owen at 0703 hours
Governor Wants to Piss Away $250 Million
Sigh… it’s never enough. He doesn’t even pretend to offer a plan for how dumping this in the government school system would actually improve education for a single kid.
MADISON (WKOW) — Surrounded by educators and school administrators Thursday morning, Gov. Tony Evers announced he would call a special session to focus on education.
The session is scheduled for Feb. 11 at 1 p.m.
The governor wants the state Senate and Assembly to use $250 million of projected revenue surplus to give more money to schools and take the pressure off of local referendums.
Posted by Owen at 2035 hours
Governor Evers Uses Heavy Hand of Government to Quash 1st Amendment
Wow.
MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers is standing by his child services officials who warned a reporter he could face jail time if he reported information from a confidential child abuse investigation.
Evers said Tuesday the Department of Children and Families acted appropriately by sending an NBC News reporter a cease and desist letter threatening legal action, a move that media law experts say is likely unconstitutional.
“I believe it’s appropriate that DCF protects the kid in this case. Somebody’s got to stick up for that young kid who was deemed to be abused,” Evers told reporters Tuesday. “Somebody’s got to stand up for the kid, and we did and I support that.”
DCF officials sought to block NBC News reporter Mike Hixenbaugh from publishing information from a confidential child abuse investigation file, saying reporting such information would violate state law and could result in six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
As we put more and more privacy laws from HIPAA to FERPA to others, this is becoming more of an issue. Business and government officials hide their abuses and wrongdoing behind these laws and use them to thwart the people’s ability to get to the truth.
Posted by Owen at 0825 hours
Evers Creates Another Task Force
PEWAUKEE — Gov. Tony Evers today, joined by Department of Financial Institutions Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld, signed Executive Order #67 creating the Governor’s Task Force on Student Debt. This task force will be chaired by Secretary Blumenfeld and will be tasked with assessing student debt in Wisconsin and providing long-term strategies to reduce education-related debt, prevent abusive practices by loan companies, and improve financial literacy education.
How ’bout we focus on lowering the cost of college so that kids don’t feel the need to take on so much debt?
Posted by Owen at 1928 hours
Evers’ latest attempted usurpation
Here is my full column that ran in the Washington County Daily News yesterday.
It has become a nasty feature of modern politics that Democrats just cannot lose gracefully. Here in Wisconsin, the Democrats went into a full frenzy when Gov. Scott Walker was elected. They insisted that he “cheated” and engaged in “collusion” to win. Sound familiar? We saw the same thing when President Donald Trump won. Democrats advanced a narrative that Trump “cheated” and “colluded” to win the election. The truth in both cases was that the Republican won and the Democrats could not accept it. In their worldview, the only way a Republican can win is if they cheat.
This brings us to the abominably boring topic of redistricting. It is a topic that only political junkies find interesting, but it is a necessary part of self-governance. The process is fairly simple. Every 10 years, the United States does a census to count everyone in the country and figure out where they live. After that, the states redraw the boundaries between congressional and legislative districts to ensure that they each have an equal number of people.
States go about the process of redistricting in different ways. In Wisconsin, the state Constitution gives this responsibility solely to the Legislature. The Constitution simply reads, “At its first session after each enumeration made by the authority of the United States, the legislature shall apportion and district anew the members of the senate and assembly, according to the number of inhabitants.” The only guidance the Constitution gives on this is that, “such districts to be bounded by county, precinct, town or ward lines, to consist of contiguous territory and be in as compact form as practicable.”
Although redistricting is the exclusive purview of the Legislature, the state Supreme Court ruled that the maps had to be passed as a normal bill and signed by the governor. This gave the governor a role in the process. The third branch of government, the courts, have an oversight role to ensure that legislative districts adhere to the Constitution and that they do not violate any federal laws or constitutional protections.
The process of redistricting is inherently political. It could not be anything but political. This is why it is appropriate for the Legislature to do it. That is the forum to which the people elect their representatives to debate political issues and make decisions on the people’s behalf. And the more controversial and heated the topic is, the more important it is to be debated by our representatives in the light of day. Decisions made after heated debates by elected representatives on the floor of the Legislature are far preferable to those made by unelected commissions or judges.
This is why Gov. Tony Evers creation of a socalled “People’s Maps Commission” is so offensive. It is a deliberate attempt by the governor to usurp the will of the people as expressed in their elected legislators. Instead, Evers proposes to appoint a group of commissars who will draw new maps according to the will of one man: Tony Evers. In a representative government, we do not decide big issues with unelected commissions with allegiance to the governor. We decide big issues by debating them in the People’s House – the Legislature.
Evers’ reason for this attempted usurpation is the reason cited at the beginning of this column. Democrats just cannot accept losing elections. The Democrats have claimed for years that the Republican majorities in the state Legislature are due to rank partisan gerrymandering. For evidence, they point to the fact that Democrats won statewide elections at the same time that they failed to win majorities in the Legislature.
The problem with their argument is threefold. First, politics are truly local. During the time that Republicans have held majorities in the state Legislature, Scott Walker, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and Tony Evers all won statewide majorities. In the state Assembly, for example, Republicans have held the majority for all except two of the previous 26 years. The fluctuations in regional turnout have more impact on these discrepancies than the boundaries of the districts.
Second, Democrats conveniently forget that Republicans first swept into their most recent legislative majorities in November of 2010 in legislative districts drawn by the courts after the divided legislature deadlocked in 2001. Their majorities are not a result of maps that Republicans drew. Republican majorities are due to good local politicking, good candidates, and good policies.
Third, partisan gerrymandering, while perhaps unfair and annoying, is not illegal or unconstitutional. The United States Supreme Court affirmed that fact as recently as last year. Governor Evers’ unelected commission of usurpers is pretending to fix or prevent something that is perfectly legal and constitutional. The truth is that their purpose is not fairer maps. Their purpose is maps that favor Democrats.
Governor Evers has repeatedly demonstrated that he lacks the skills, personality, or will to work with the Legislature on important issues. Instead, he seeks to circumvent the Legislature and concentrate power in himself. In doing so, Evers is attempting to circumvent the people’s right to self-governance.
Posted by Owen at 0853 hours
Evers Hides as Vice President Visits Wisonsin
And one more to show just how even-handed and nonpartisan our governor can be.
MADISON, Wis. — Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers won’t be in his office when Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to give a speech just a few feet away in the rotunda of the state Capitol.
The event Tuesday in battleground Wisconsin is believed to mark the first time a sitting vice president or president has appeared inside the 103-year-old building.
Evers is a petty, bitter, partisan man who can’t even rise up enough on behalf of the people of Wisconsin to welcome the sitting Vice President to our state.
Posted by Owen at 0727 hours
Democrats Announce “Nonpartisan” Commission
I heard Jay Weber talking about this on WISN1130.
Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order Monday creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission that excludes lawmakers, lobbyists and party officials from participating.
The commission, which Evers unveiled in last week’s State of the State address, will consist of members from across the state and present maps to the Legislature for consideration after completion of the 2020 Census.
Evers, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul and most of the governor’s cabinet assembled in the Capitol Monday for the executive order requiring the creation of the People’s Maps Commission, which will visit each congressional district in Wisconsin to help create the maps.
Funny how ONLY Democrats were invited to announce what they are pretending will be a “nonpartisan” commission, eh?
Posted by Owen at 0724 hours
Evers’ latest attempted usurpation
My column for the Washington County Daily News is online and in print. It’s about Governor Evers’ ridiculous “People’s” Maps Commission. Here’s a part.
The process of redistricting is inherently political. It could not be anything but political. This is why it is appropriate for the Legislature to do it. That is the forum to which the people elect their representatives to debate political issues and make decisions on the people’s behalf. And the more controversial and heated the topic is, the more important it is to be debated by our representatives in the light of day. Decisions made after heated debates by elected representatives on the floor of the Legislature are far preferable to those made by unelected commissions or judges.
This is why Gov. Tony Evers creation of a socalled “People’s Maps Commission” is so offensive. It is a deliberate attempt by the governor to usurp the will of the people as expressed in their elected legislators. Instead, Evers proposes to appoint a group of commissars who will draw new maps according to the will of one man: Tony Evers. In a representative government, we do not decide big issues with unelected commissions with allegiance to the governor. We decide big issues by debating them in the People’s House – the Legislature.
Posted by Owen at 0719 hours
