See, lawmakers can work together

There are many disagreements between the political parties in Wisconsin. But as Governor Scott Walker points out, there are many more things on which lawmakers agree than which they disagree. One such example was evident in La Crosse this week, when Walker came to town to sign new legislation to help families who foster children. Walker pointed out that the 11 bills he signed into law to help foster families passed with bipartisan support. A Republican lawmaker and Democratic lawmaker Steve Doyle of Onalaska co-chaired the foster care task force. They worked together, despite their political differences, to put together this package of legislation. This process didn’t drag on for years, but was completed in a matter of months. When it was voted on in the Assembly and Senate, 10 of the 11 bills which have now become law were approved unanimously. These bills provide more state assistance for foster families, like more money for dental care, to help the 7000 foster children in Wisconsin. Governor Walker is right, that this shows our lawmakers can work together. And he is right that helping foster families do their good work goes well beyond partisan differences. It is simply the right thing to do. That should be celebrated. The next step should be to identify the many other issues which should not be political, and get our lawmakers to work together on those as well.