Vos-Republican Grievance Governing, Rewards for those doing "the Right Thing."

Even after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed two major social problems, shortfalls in health care and broadband availability, Wisconsin Republicans saw from their alternative world bubble a whole different set of problems. It's true they suddenly and uncharacteristically backed rural broadband so Gov. Evers wouldn't get credit for it, but they also just backed away from that with a number of ridiculous excuses.  

This is how Republicans are moving Wisconsin forward?

1. Ban Transgender Athletes by portraying Women as "Victims:" The right-wing message emphasizes how women are inferior to men, but then works in a little victimhood to justify discriminating against another group.

WSJ: The state Legislature waded into the culture wars hearing public testimony on controversial Republican-authored bills that would ban transgender athletes from participating in girls and women’s sports at the K-12 and college levels.

The fact that every legitimate organization having to do with girls and women's sports opposed this divisive legislation says a lot. Yes, we heard a lot of those completely manufactured what-if scenarios of victimhood, like having...

"...their titles and prizes awarded to transgender women."

Huh?

But the science and regulation governing transgender participation have already addressed any and all fears voiced by resentful conservative victims. Be on the lookout for a dark money funded organization or think tank specifically targeting transgender athletes.  This is rightwing job creation in action. 

As usual, Gov. Evers had to stir the political pot with this incendiary tweet during the hearing. Brutal...: 

“(They) deserve our love and support just like any other kid.”

Just to show you how phony the outrage is over this issue, political writer Jud Loundsbury reminded us that Trump promised to kill Title IX... 

It's pretty hilarious that allllll these Republicans are interested in preserving the sanctity of girls playing sports when just a few months ago Dan Gable (wrestler and college coach) endorsed Trump b/c he promised him that he'd work to get rid of Title IX! (It's literally Gable's only issue.)

2. Republicans plan to increase funding for schools...that had in-person classes only: Punish, punish, punish, and write it into law! This follows a new wave of GOP legislation that specifically targets Democrats, and is written to be temporary until a Republicans fills their seat. 

Voldemort lookalike Republican Sen. Dewy Stroebel thinks "doing the right thing" is gathering kids into schools during the heart of the pandemic, which really was all made up anyway by tyrannical Democrats:

The Republican plan would also provide a $39 per pupil increase to school districts that
held in-person classes for more than 50% of the 2020-21 school year. Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville said...

“We want to make sure districts doing the right thing are rewarded.”

 Get that parents. What, you were too afraid to do "the right thing?"

Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) pointed out that the decision to switch to virtual learning, “was not a political decision” but was made with the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff in mind.

Again, these are Republicans legislative priorities post COVID

3. Vos hires retired Police Officers to Investigate Stolen Trump Election: Again, the Republican trend nationally is to specifically target Democrats and their voters, despite possible fraud in Trump won areas of the state. JSonline. 

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is hiring retired police officers to investigate aspects of the
November election, giving the investigators a broad mandate to spend about three months reviewing all tips and following up on the most credible ones. They will have subpoena power. Anyone they subpoena will be immune from criminal prosecution, he said. 

"A sizable chunk of people believe the election was illegitimate. And democracy cannot flourish if both sides don’t believe in the end both sides had a fair shot."

Vos "ought to tell his constituents, you're WRONG." Republicans use anecdotes, "they believe," "A friend said he heard..." as a way to govern. I recently posted this comment from former Republican Jeff Flake that calls out the destruction of representative government. 

"We're changing what it means to be an elected official in a representative government...many of my colleagues will say they are simply - in going along with these conspiracy theories or buying into the big lie, that they are just representing their constituents when that really runs against what representative government is supposed to be. And that's just been a cop-out for people in my party. They ought to tell their constituents, you're wrong. And that's a big problem when you have too many party people willing to indulge their constituents if their constituents truly believe that, when in truth, they simply reinforce these beliefs.

4. Republicans attack UW Medical College over Physician Training at Planned Parenthood: The thing is, taxpayer money isn't going to abortions. Planned Parenthood is paying UW doctors to train at their facilities. Wacky fake Pro-Life Wisconsin is the only supporter. Are they for life saving gun control? Are they for life saving health care for everyone? Nope, pro-life my ass:

Seven groups have registered in opposition, including the Wisconsin Medical Society and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Pro-Life Wisconsin is the only group that has registered in support,

A bill that would end an arrangement that allows UW doctors to train on abortion procedures at a Planned Parenthood clinic. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education could pull the medical school’s accreditation if it can’t provide abortion training in its curriculum. That will lead to would-be gynecologists enrolling elsewhere, exacerbating a shortage in Wisconsin.

A second bill will purposely give anti-abortion zealots new targets to threaten: Imagine what rightwing media can do with this:

Senate Bill 261 would require providers to report to the state for each abortion they performed, the sex of the fetus, and whether it had a fetal anomaly. 

5. Republicans zeal to cut spending again for Schools would accidently lose $1.5 billion in relief funding. They ain't too smart folks, and bad at governing:

Republicans are trying to use incoming federal COVID relief money to justify cutting education spending. But doing so could cause the state to receive $1.5 billion less from the American Rescue Plan.

Last minute...

The Republicans’ amendments to the budget bill would provide less than 10% of what Gov. Tony Evers had proposed, and would represent a less-than 1% increase in K-12 spending from the current budget. 

However, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau informed legislators that the federal funds come with a requirement that the state maintain its K-12 spending at 35% (and higher education at 9%) of the total state budget. To shortchange education could mean the loss of $1.5 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

Blame Governor Evers...for the simple act of making states fund their schools like good responsible legislators should, and NOT use COVID relief to money instead. By the way, Republicans were elected on the promise of funding public schools. Guess they forgot:

Joint Finance Co-chair Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) told WisPolitics that he and his colleagues had only recently learned about the requirement (although the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported they’ve known for at least a month) and he blamed Evers for “accepting funds that lock the legislative branch into funding criteria without any consultation before accepting the money.”

Check out Jake's Wisconsin Funhouse for every detail of this fiasco.