As I See It
Lawmakers fail to do their jobs, again
It has happened again. In a scene that has become all too familiar, Wisconsin lawmakers ignored Governor Evers’ call for a special legislative session that summoned them back to Madison. Evers wanted the lawmakers to debate his call for more money for higher education, child care, and a family leave program. As they have done a dozen times before when Evers called a special session, lawmakers returned to Madison and opened the meeting. They closed it less than a minute later, with no debate, no public hearing and no vote. They did the same thing when called into session to debate hot-button issues like abortion, gun control and tax reform. It has almost become a game to see how quickly they can open and close a meeting. The law says they must meet, but there is no requirement they actually do anything, and that’s the route Republicans who control the Legislature continue to take. Of course, that means there is zero progress on these important issues that are certainly at least worthy of debate.
Wayne
September 21, 2023 at 8:45 am
GOP is making a mockery of WI by acting like school yard bullies. Do your jobs! Debate, discuss, talk, disagree but at the very least show up and do the job you’re paid to do.Cowards do this crap.
Come On Man
September 21, 2023 at 10:42 am
I agree with Wayne, both sides are guilty of fighting and not doing their jobs.
State or federal, elected officials do nothing but argue and nothing is getting done.
If you think it is only one party, look back a few years ago when one party had their members leave the state to avoid a vote. Talk about cowards!
Not So Fast
September 21, 2023 at 12:55 pm
Calling for the session is merely a time wasting political performance and redundant to discussions already taken place during the budget season, to wit:
Child care: no, it would only add more inflationary pressure. There is no evidence handing free $ to providers in the past resulted in increased access to childcare.
Family leave: no, same reason plus small business cannot afford the cost.
Education: The professional grifters running public education provide no correlation of spending to achievement and no transparency (see La Crosse School District). Education just received a record increase in state funding which the governor further increased to an unsustainable level by reckless application of his partial veto.