Framing the political issue has been a massive failure for Democrats. They can’t create an energized electorate even if their political life depended on it, and it does. The public is on their side on so many issues, yet strongly worded statements of conviction and advocacy are non-existent. Replacing Walker and many extremist conservatives would be easy if Democrats didn’t find a way to self-destruct or make convoluted statements that tune people out.
Take the current “emergency jobs” session. It wasn’t just a GOP wish list of ideologically driven trash that passed, but an in your face assault on a majority of Wisconsinites who aren’t conservative. We’re talking about a government elected by a small group of voters. In less than 10 months, the state has turned into Texas and that’s not representation.
Promise to repeal this stuff guys:
Repeal Castle Doctrine: jsonline: "Homeowners who shoot intruders would receive strong legal protection." Image that, by just giving people a license to carry a gun, suddenly “responsible” armed citizens don’t need to be as “responsible” anymore. The original bill didn’t even protect firefighters and emergency medical technicians entering someone’s home. Sloppy. “Under its provisions, malevolent, reckless, or paranoid people who shoot trick-or-treaters or repairmen on their porch will be presumed to be acting in self-defense," reads a statement issued this week on behalf of the criminal law section of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Shame on the 9 Democrats who voted for this new protected class of killers.
Repeal Employment discrimination: Republicans approved workplace discrimination by letting employers of the hook on punitive and compensatory damages, leaving only back pay and attorney costs. Basically a slap on the hand, and only if you get caught.
Reinstate Affirmative action: The state Assembly debated furiously for two days “a measure that would prevent the state from considering race as a factor in awarding certain college scholarships. The fire in that debate died out in the light of day when lawmakers from both sides learned race hadn't been considered as part of those scholarships for over a year.” Ooops? Thank you Democratic Rep. Peggy Krusick, for not only acted like a typically divisive Republican, but also shooting the party in the foot.
Repeal Charter School Fees for the Poor: We’re on our way to a class system of education in Wisconsin. Private voucher schools are now on their way to pricing undesirable poor families out of the system, all the while they are demanding the same per student spending as public schools. “The Assembly approved a bill (that) would allow the private schools receiving taxpayer money through the Milwaukee voucher program to charge certain fees to their students regardless of their family’s income. The schools could charge for meals, uniforms and gym clothes, musical instruments, transportation…etc.
Repeal Activist Judge Shopping bill: “Those who sue the state would get to choose their court venue.” It only made sense that Dane County would take such cases, the seat of state government. But Republicans offered this jaw dropping reason that says a lot about who really supports activist judges: "Republicans, who have lambasted Dane County judges as too liberal, would allow citizens to sue the state in any county they wanted.” Can you say conservative activist “judge shopping.” Amazing?
Repeal SAGE Destruction Law: The SAGE program is a small class size educational program, something Republicans hate more than anything, despite all the resent studies that proves it works. So guess what they did? "Loosen the requirements on school districts … The bill would allow a school board to skip the class-size limits in some cases.” Beautiful.
Repeal Cap on Attorney Fees: Working their way around our Constitutional guarantee for our day in court, Republicans pulled the rug out from getting legal representation, essentially closing the court house door. Rep. Robin Vos, who has been personally burned by the current law, thinks the checks and balances of the free market and those private sector attorneys should be eliminated. "They say it's all about the little guy," Vos said. "It's not. It's all about the trial lawyer. Everyone will get their day in court - every single Wisconsinite - but what businesses will get is some certainty."
A lie accompanied by “business certainty,” the vacuous Republican statewide theme.
