Wisconsin lawmakers ignore calls for reform

Tomorrow is June 19th, also known as Juneteenth. The date is a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States more than 150 years ago. There will be rallies and events in La Crosse and throughout the country. What there won’t be is any action by the Wisconsin Legislature to address the ongoing racial injustice. Members of Wisconsin’s Legislative Black Caucus are calling for a special session of the legislature to be held tomorrow, Juneteenth, to address legislation aimed at reforming our justice system. It would be a more than symbolic gesture at this time of urgency for reform. But Republican legislative leaders who control the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate have not bothered to get back to work on the important issues. They have not scheduled a second of debate since the killing of George Floyd or the protests that followed. Not a single piece of legislation to address the important issues were are facing today. Governor Evers could call lawmakers into a special session, but that hasn’t done much good in the past. When Evers did call two special sessions, to discuss things the other party didn’t want to talk about, they simply gaveled into session, then immediately adjourned. Would they dare do that again on an issue important to so many Wisconsinites?