“All I want is a discussion. We had (two) really common-sense solutions on the table that they wouldn’t even talk about. And that’s the frustration I have about politics these days.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers
Christmas Eve 2019 ~ yet another senseless gun-related death that argubly might have been prevented. A brother with a known psychosis — and a conceal carry permit — shoots his sister to death.
The Senate Majority Leader and the Assembly Leader both should think long and hard about their actions in October because, if this keeps up, someone close to them is going to be affected by gun violence. It’s not “if” but “when.”
Sheila’s friends and family are all grieving now for such a needless loss. It is especially needless because there are extreme risk protection laws in 17 states also known as red flag laws which are specifically designed to prevent murders by people who are known to be dangerous. These laws authorize courts to issue a protection order, allowing the police to temporarily confiscate firearms from people who are deemed by a judge to be a danger to themselves or to others. Usually, the request for the order will come from relatives or friends concerned about a loved one who owns one or more guns and has expressed suicidal thoughts or discussed shooting people.
Wisconsin, however, is not one of those states. However, it could easily have had this law in place in time to protect Sheila from her brother, who was a known danger who legally possessed a gun. This past October, Gov. Evers called a special legislative session to consider to common sense gun control measures: universal background checks and red flag legislation. Despite the fact that 80% of Wisconsin residents support passage of these laws, Republican legislative leaders refused to vote on or even debate these popular measures. In an utter act of contempt for voters, Senate Majority leader Scott Fitzgerald dismissed the Senate in 30 seconds and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos dismissed the Assembly in 15 seconds. Gov. Evers has considered calling another special session on these measures, but thus far, has not done so.
This is the state of politics in not just Wisco but all over the country. It’s sad .. and it’s dangerous. Voter Suppresssion is a fascist move. Fascism begets mistrust. So .. here we are.
Republican legislators have decided to hire their own attorneys in a federal lawsuit seeking to keep more than 200,000 voter registrations in place.The move again underscores the rift between the GOP and Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. Republicans don’t trust him to defend their position in the suit.
These bastards will deny it to your face but what they say in private is another matter. Voter suppression is real, folks. Just ask ’em .. but do it behind closed doors.
One of President Donald Trump’s top reelection advisers told influential Republicans in swing state Wisconsin that the party has “traditionally” relied on voter suppression to compete in battleground states, according to an audio recording of a private event obtained by The Associated Press.
Source: Trump adviser: Expect more aggressive poll watching in 2020
Gerrymandering is a vile scourge on democracy all over the country. But one could argue it’s at its worse right here in Wisconsin. We had the perfect putrid petre dish for it with the Three HorsesAsses of the Apocolypse — Robin Vos, Scott Fitzgerald and Scott Walker. We got rid of one. And we have to finish the job before the Great State of Wisconsin is nothing more than Wisissippi.
The gerrymandering of Wisconsin’s Legislature is now so severe that legislators are less interested in respecting the will of the people than at any time in Wisconsin history.
Today’s ruling is a win for the people of Wisconsin ~ State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau
Respectfully, sir … you’re full of bullshit right up to your ears. Most recognize this as a power grab and political neutering and I suspect you do, too. The only reason it survived is because you planned and executed well your stacking of the State Supreme Court.
A two-day trial begins Wednesday to determine whether part of the lame-duck laws Republican legislators approved in December violates the state constitution.
Source: Lame-duck laws: Wisconsin court reinstates legislation on eve of trial
Vos and Fitzgerald … the Collins English Dictionary refers to a circumstance in which individuals are “beclowned” by making fools of themselves.
Source: Editorial: The beclowning of Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald | Editorial | madison.com
It was evident to any honest observer that the company’s promise to develop a manufacturing plant in southeastern Wisconsin that would ultimately employ as many as 13,000 workers represented an absurd and unobtainable promise by a foreign corporation that wanted to get on the good side of Donald Trump before the president started imposing tariffs.
Cap Times Editorial
This is good. Mr. Harwood pretty much nails it right down to calling out the legislature for ignoring small farmers because they represent basically 20,000 votes and even less in campaign money.
Our legislature ignores this problem because we are talking about maybe 20,000 votes and very little in the way of campaign contributions, most of which comes from the corporate farms anyway.
Source: Kimberly-Clark and America’s Dairyland – Open Mic – December 2018
“Republicans were surprised at how much attention it ended up getting and how intense the backlash was …”
I’m sorry … just how disconnected from reality can you possibly be?
