Boycott everything from Wisconsin if these anti-democracy laws are enacted.
42
Scott Walker and the legislature are the devil incarnate.
36
Across the country, in state after state, the Republican Party has demonstrated how anti-democratic they are. In fact, they can’t even bring themselves to use the word “Democratic” when referring to their colleagues across the aisle. As any pretense of Republican fairness is stripped away, let’s hope the next time someone from the GOP employs the diminutive as an attempted slight, the targeted Democratic representative uses it as an opportunity to explain that nothing is more important than the right to vote, nothing is more anti-American than depriving its citizens of that right, and nothing is more obvious than the Republican Party’s inability to appreciate that.
35
They may have snookered the Democrats in the short term. But every campaign contributor to the Republicans responsible for this action can be boycotted.
34
During the Vietnam War on Army commander found it necessary to destroy a village "in order to save it".
We now find ourselves in a similar situation where the Republican Wisconsin legislature finds it justifiable to destroy the moral foundations of our Constitution "in order to save it".
137
When I talked to GOP friends (at least I used to have some), and complained about voter fraud/suppression, the reply was always,"But they all do it!" and my reply was always that this was simply not true.
Now we KNOW that it isn't true. With the NC situation (both last year's hi-jacking and the current fraud), the poorly disguised attempts in WI and MI, they are all on the GOP side.
As Paul Weyrich, founder of ALEC said in 1972 (or something close to that, and rephrasing): "If everybody votes, Republicans will always lose." The GOP has based its entire existence on that, and it is its mantra.
25
I was trying to find the person who stated essentially that ". . .no democracy has every been destroyed from the outside, the fall of democracy has always occurred from within. . .". (even though we are republic Not a democracy). When a political party moves to essentially hinder and prevent a peaceful transition of power after the will of the people was expressed in an election, is one of the things that strikes at the heart of a democracy or democratic republic like the U.S. This is an awful precedent, and speaks to erosion of respect for the rule of law that the GOP has embraced since Newt Gingrich and has become more virulent in the day of the Scott Walkers and Donald Trumps of our country. This quite a serious blow to what I think most of us believe are core tenants of our system of government. It should not stand. This is Republicans using lawful technical procedures to subvert the spirit of the law and promote structural suppression of voting and governing, something they are really good at.
23
Typical GOP -- only out for themselves, and the heck with justice and the expressed will of the people.
19
The source will be gone, but the stink will remain!
9
And people don't believe we're headed towards a Civil War when we have this kind of behavior?
21
If you can’t win on your merits, cheat.
25
Lame duck bills should have to be signed by the outgoing and incoming Governor. Put that on the next election ballot. Boycott any business with close ties to the Republican party.
28
Scott Fitzgerald has been a blemish on Wisconsin for decades. He was an architect of the gay marriage ban in 2006, so it does not surprise me to see him on the wrong side of history again.
Even so, I believe there are forces deeper than any one legislator at work here. Outside money from various quarters, including Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), dictates legislation. The democratic voices of voters are clearly a distant second, and the horrific gerrymandering in the state makes that clear.
17
The biggest threat to America ...
.
is not Islamic Terrorism.
is not Syrian refugees.
is not Mexican or Latin American immigrants
is not North Korea
is not Iran
is not Russia
is not China.
.
The biggest threat to America is ...
.
... the Republican Party.
67
Where are the Wisconsin Yellow Jackets?
Where are the Yellow umbrella protests?
Or are our media (looking at you NYT...) just not covering any protests?!
Republican MO, if you can't beat 'em, cheat 'em!
12
Governor Walker seems to be leaving electoral politics. And although this would be a reversal of course for him, if he were to block this outrageous, undemocratic power grab it would be an absolute free square chance for him to go out with a bang and gain at least a nice little footnote in history. Blocking this stuff would be both the right thing to do and also very wise from a personal standpoint. It's kind of hard to see a downside for him. Should be interesting to see what he DOES do.
10
No lame duck legislation. No exceptions.
10
Can’t these actions be stopped in the courts?
17
Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Wisconsin
34
I swear the GOP of today has twisted into something unrecognizable and un-American. How did that happen?
22
Wisconsin has a long record of electing unfit Republicans. Senator Joe McCarthy was elected to the Senate twice because of his demagoguery not in spite of it. Old Joe was a drunk and a heroin addict so the false piousness of Walker ain't far from the tree. You would think the people would learn to spot a charlatan but the same old snake oil seems to sell year after year.
15
I believe the Republicans have never thought that democracy was anything but a tribal myth! - Hunter S. Thompson
10
Wisconsin - someone in your state needs to organize a sustained general strike, and bring the state to its knees against Vos and the traitors to democracy.
To pay people who join the strike, start a national GoFundMe calling out to patriots across the country who believe in representative democracy. We WILL support you.
21
Rather than the lie about a mandate, it's clear that the people of Wisconsin elected a Democratic governor and attorney general precisely because of the Republican legislative shenanigans.
No one is fooled.
The rest of the country does not consider Wisconsin and Michigan to be on par with the other 48 states. And so-called "Republicans" -- who are these weasels? -- are responsible. Disgusting.
16
"If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.” David Frum in the Atlantic
25
Too bad this is legal, however amoral.
This just shows the soul of the those Republicans leading the Wisconsin legislature.
They have no shame, no respect for the electorate, and no regard for democracy or the spirit of our Constitution.
13
We have the same situation in North Carolina--a Democratic governor and a Republican legislature. Even before the governor took office two years ago, the legislature moved to limit his authority. Our governor has successfully challenged most of their moves in court. The in-coming Wisconsin governor should do the same.
23
Similar attempts are being made by the GOP across the country. The GOP is no longer a party that supports democracy as shown all over the country.
24
These people were elected to do a job - as it was defined at the time of the election. Talk about undoing an election. The Republicans have decided that the people's voice does not matter. Doesn't that make them the "elites" that know better?
And now we have Republicans, supposedly fiscally responsible, who are happy to pay people to sit in a chair and do nothing so they can do as they please.
10
For all the doom and gloom, voters will have a chance to vote again. It will be up to them.
5
I'm so glad to live in Minnesota. We actually considered looking for land to build a home in Wisconsin a couple years ago but couldn't bring ourselves to live under the thumb of such a corrupt government under Walker and would have been embarrassed to be associated with House Speaker Ryan. If a "Blue Wave" his any state this last cycle it was Minnesota. Proud and looking forward to the future in my home state!
12
Keep fighting! The real loss happens when we have given up! I still have hope for the Rust Belt! Democrats can no longer use centrism if we're to protect our democracy!
5
The radical right Republican party is showing once again the astonishing breadth of their fall into corruption, not to mention the denial of the rights of citizens. Breathtaking. Let us hope that it will lead to their downfall - in spite of their gerrymandering shenanigans.
217
The Republicans have the votes. It is okay to feel bad but let me remind everyone the Republicans have the votes and will continue to have them for a very long time. On the National level the state doesn't amount to that much so while it is fun to look at all the who struck John it doesn't mean that much. The Republicans have the votes.
1
Oh really? Is that why the GOp lost the governorship, Treasurer, State, and a couple judgeships? This is wrong, and you know it.
13
What the Legislature giveth the Legislature can taketh away. The separation of powers remains enshrined in the State Constitution. What the Legislature is doing modifying certain authorities it once gave to the Governor and the AG but now decided to take away. If the moves are not constitutional they will not survive. Democracy in practice.
1
Democracy in practice? Hardly.
5
RE: "Mr. Walker has indicated an openness to signing legislation of this stripe."
If Mr. Walker does not believe that these powers should be part of the Governor's and AG's office than all decisions and actions he took under these revoked authorities should be determined to be null and void and recinded. If not than his signature is nothing but a lie.
15
@Marie
Yes, he has indicated openness to signing this tripe.
1
Down 'hear in Georgia, Stacey Abrams allegedly lost her campaign for Governor. I am sure if she or Andrew Gillum had won you could add Georgia and/or Florida to the list of Republican controlled state legislatures grabbing power to hurt their citizens and stifle the incoming party. I don't expect much relief from our GOP stuffed courts.
13
Evrery one knows that if the position was reversed, the Dems would be doing the same thing to an incoming Repub administration.
What upsets the Dems is that the Repubs are playing by their rules. aka there are no rules.
1
@Rocket J Squrriel
Apparently frostbite isn't just your name. But since you have made a statement consistent with the dogma of the GOP, put your money where your mouth is, and NAME ONE INSTANCE, where a democratically controlled legislature has done these types of power grabs, when a republican governor has been voted in.
If you didn't open your mouth so wide as to drown out facts, you'd realize how ridiculous your statement is. But this another example of the only way the republican party can hold power, contrary to what the electorate in that state has said via a vote. The republican party was relieved of it's duty, and now they cannot live by will of the people, maybe it's time that the people voted those republicans that had a hand in this, out of office.
15
Please tell me when any Democratically controlled legislature behaved in this manner. The Republicans are not doing what Democrats have done- they are breaking the rules all by themselves.
15
@Rocket J Squrriel - "the Dems would be doing the same thing to an incoming Repub administration."
No. Not true. I give my state as an example. A liberal state with a Republican governor. Many Republican governors actually.
It is only something that you would find in a small minded childish setting.
13
In the game of baseball (formerly known as America's pastime), when one side is retired and must leave the field for a half-inning, they are discouraged from spreading the bases farther apart, or voting out the designated hitter rule, etc.
The fans of both teams would disapprove, wouldn't they?
Shouldn't they?
14
These (and their cohorts at the federal level) are the ones Obama and the older generation of Democrats are pressing us to be more bipartisan with.
7
The Republicans control the Wisconsin legislature due to fine-tuned, computer-generated gerrymandering. Except that doesn't help you in a statewide race. Governor Evers’ win shows that the State is really 51% Democratic, and we would also elect a Democratic legislature if we had fair elections.
The Republicans now want to diminish the Governor's powers as much as possible so they can run the place from the state assembly. My hope is that this naked power grab will be a big turn-off to some of the Republicans’ lukewarm supporters, and this will create enough Democratic votes to enable voting these crooks out in 2020, despite their gerrymandering. Of course, this should also be helped by a record turnout of people coming out to vote to vote against the Republican President.
14
The Republican electorate decided a few years ago that democracy was no longer working for it and has since abandoned any pretense of supporting majority rule. This is an almost totally white electorate that fears the emerging multiracial society in not just Wisconsin, but across the U.S. We have not seen such a wholesale rejection of majority rule since 1860, when the slave states decided to opt out of the Union when Lincoln won -- with both an electoral and a popular majority of the vote. The Republican electorate of today is, in many ways, like that Democratic electorate of long ago, except today's disgruntled minority cannot secede, so it will do everything it came to negate the legal consequences of its loss of power. This sabotaging of the gears of democracy will go on for a long time, I am afraid, with results that are not yet clear.
10
Wisconsin citizens need to do as Michigan residents did this past election and get a constitutional amendment to take redistricting out of the hands of politicians and in the hands of voters. A citizen revolt will only restore order.
11
The major problem is that politicians are increasingly ignoring the people. They appear to be fomenting a revolt in which they can resurrect their "law and order" stance and legally suppress any voice raised against their travesties.
They are utilizing a strategy embodied by our President who is taking our nation down the tubes for his family's personal gain.
Thanks to an incessant brainwashing which starts at birth many among us are unable or unwilling to discern the truth of existence and it is finally catching up to all of us
4
Let their be no doubt at Republican's willingness to engage in scorched earth politics for the purpose of stealing power. Their defeat would have been even greater were it not for their voter suppression laws. Now, the question is whether Democrats will continue to allow them to kick sand in their faces or whether they will fight for their rights.
18
I don't even think of republicans as being American anymore. How can anyone vote for them and call themselves patriots who love their country?
16
Good reason to vote a straight Democratic ticket in 2020. The GOP needs a lesson that what goes around comes around.
13
@Pat Choate
Which is why the republican party was relegated to a minority party for the better part of 40 years, maybe we need to go back to that, to keep the Republican party in it's place.
5
Democrats had perfected gerrymandering districts before the Republican Party even existed. Why complain about something your own side continues to do wherever Dems control the state legislatures?
Luckily it will be too cold to be demonstrating anything in Wisconsin soon, whether gerrymandering, global warming, or Joy Behar....
@L'osservatore
Part of that is true, however it is a fact that the republican party has taken it a step further. And by the way, since when do two wrongs make a right.
8
Wisconsin has made "huge mistakes" since they elected Republicans to power in 2010. Par for the course.
6
Just another example of the tactics Republicans resort to when they can’t win in the marketplace of ideas. Patriots they aren’t.
12
Stories like this harden my resolve to do all I can to get every Republican out of public office possible. This is simply unfair, undemocratic, just plain wrong, and in addition, mean. I live in Ohio and gave 80 hours of my time to Fair Districts. We did change the way that the district maps are drawn. I urge every American to strive to undo the harmful gerrymandering that is killing our country. The saddest part is that it's most harmful to the perpetrators, who are pushed further and further to the fringe of Americans who still support them and their agenda. SAD!
7
Wisconsin voters need to solve this problem all the way down to the bedrock: vote out the Republicans entirely. Every last one of them should be repudiated.
16
The only huge mistake is to think that reactionaries respect our country for any reason besides it's economic prosperity. They think that they are a breed apart, destined by God to rule over other people, not to live in a liberal democracy which assumes that all have equal rights politically and before the law. They don't believe that for an instant. They loath sharing power with people who the see as unlike themselves and not as good as themselves. They are striving to retain power to keep those others from messing things up for them.
6
I grew up and was educated in Wisconsin, at public elementary and high schools, through college at the wonderful University of Wisconsin-Madison. Wisconsin at the time was a progressive state that to my way of thinking was a shining example of what democracy should be. I donated (a reasonable, pre-Citizens United sized donation) to Tony Evers' campaign because I have been dismayed at what 8 years of Scott Walker and his cronies have done to the state - gerrymandering, draining funds from the UW system, burdening the people of Wisconsin with unimaginable debt with the Foxconn debacle, etc. I was elated when Tony Evers won. This blatant power grab on the part of Republicans makes me sick to my stomach. They have no respect for democracy, the voters, rule of law or basic fairness. You do not change the rules of the game because you lost. And of course they saw no need to put checks on the power of the executive branch when Scott Walker was in office - words fail me to describe the scale of their hypocrisy. And Republicans are using these schoolyard bully tactics in other states and on a national level - the same maneuver in North Carolina and Mitch McConnell's refusal to give Merrick Garland a hearing come immediately to mind. This is an attack on the foundations of our democracy, and we need to fight it with everything we have, or we are headed to a very dark place in this country.
17
I hope Evers is prepared to defy the state legislature. This is an anti-democratic act.
5
Good thing democrats weren't sore losers after Trump was elected. They might have refused to cooperate on legislation or appointing judges. They might have called for 'Resistance' and impeachment. Glad we didn't have to go through that.
But we’re still waiting for Trump’s taxes and birth certificate. Maybe the Dem House, like the GOP House did with Obamacare, will vote to severely amend last year’s tax bill 50 times knowing the Senate will defer. In fairness though, I’m sure the Dems will actually include women on the sub-committee that deals with female health issues.
6
Gotta wonder what makes the Republicans so certain that voters will not punish them at the polls as soon as possible?
5
PROTEST! I know I would if I lived in such a corrupt place!
5
My worry is that what drives this zealotry is religion. Only the profoundly morally self-righteous would consider this a reasonable action: To save the nation from the ungodly.
The Christian Right believe it is their right and duty to rule. Oh, and prosper...whichever comes first.
7
What happened to the US....we believed you were the best of the best.
Wow....I keep feeling like this is what it looks like to see an empire fall.
10
ANY measure, proposed by either party, that strips power and gives it to another branch of a government, is a direct threat to our form of government. ANY measure, proposed by either party, that makes it more difficult to people to vote, is a direct threat to our form of government.
Were Democrats to propose either of these moves, Republicans would scream bloody murder.
259
A transparent power grab - and not even remotely in line with Republican values.
So mcuh for our vaunted democracy. Republicans don't care. It's all about retaining power. Who cares if they now carry the mantle of being autocrats. They love it. And so do their ultra wealthy and corporate supporters.
It may take a revolution to to remove them and restore democracy. The purveyors of this treachery should be the first to go.
6
Walker and the Republican legislative cohort stealing the rights of the people of Wisconsin in secret session; a grave affront to democratic process at the hands of partisan thugs.
On Wisconsin? Hopefully the people of Badger state will wake up and loudly demand redress.
3
The Left needs to stop whining about what is not fair and learn how to win. It is obvious The Right fights dirty and has no incentive to clean up their act. The Left needs to gerrymander and beat them at their game. Lets cut the whining and start swinging.
1
Let them all pay dearly for their mistake of voting for GOP. Let them blame democrats, but make sure no more bailouts. If that governor wants to sell his state out for his personal gain, let his voters pay the rest of their working life. They need fat income tax soon to cover the cost. Elections have consequences and they voted for that policy. Pay up.
2
I know this is a very late comment (out much of the day) but here in Massachusetts, liberal - almost communist - according to the red states, we have a very Democrat controlled house and senate, and a Republican governor. And you know. It works.
Not only is it working now but it has worked a lot over the years.
Wisconsin: you have nothing to fear! Don't be afraid. If you are doing the right thing a mix of parties in control not only works but is a good thing.
2
Why have elections, when the results can be nullified by Republican fiat?
These politician belong in prison, not the legislature.
6
Once again the Republican party has demonstrated that they are the party of autocracy and that they are demonstrably anti democracy. They are a far greater threat to our freedom than Putin, China or North Korea.
5
The rot in the soul of the GOP goes well beyond Wisconsin. In Michigan, the Republican controlled legislature preempted voter initiatives that would have mandated sick leave to employees and raised the minimum wage by passing the laws themselves. But they did this only to be able to amend and water them down later in legislative amendments (which they are about to pass in a lame duck session) which they could not have done if the initiatives had gone to a popular vote and passed - as they would almost certainly have done.
This level of partisan cynicism in government is simply unprecedented and unimaginable until now. The GOP has no integrity, no sense of right and wrong anymore, and its cynicism is bottomless.
5
time and again, the GOP proves that they cannot win fairly, only by cheating, deception, and flagrant violation of the Constitution.
State after state gerrymanders in ways that distort the will of the people.
McConnell failed in his duty to hold hearings for Merrick Garland.
The WI and MI legislatures will undermine the incoming governors. And MI leg will distort citizen initiatives so they are either neutered or actually reverse the will of the people
TEA party and the distortions of don the con will continue to prove that the GOP is bad, BAD for the nation
3
Every legislature controlled by Democrats should do exactly the same.
And once they regain control of Congress and the White House, Democrats should expand the Supreme court to 13 seats and elect 4 new Democrats to it. After that, they should pass a constitutional amendment preventing any further nominations from ANY Republicans - in perpetuity.
The GOP wants a dictatorship? Well, the Democrats should give it to them after the next election.
Perhaps a law making Republicanism itself illegal, punishable by lengthy prison terms?
When and where will this extremely dangerous nonsense, started and perpetuated entirely by GOP, end?
Endlessly massive lies, climate change denial, guns for everyone - even those that slaughter first graders, everything for the 1%, non-stop corruption, pedophiles for the senate, stolen supreme court seats, gerrymandering, racism, sexism, and complete and utter moral penury.
The GOP has become absolutely pornographic.
1
GOP = "Grifters Only Party"
I wish that were hyperbole, but it's not -- at least among elected Republicans.
1
After many years away, I recently returned to Wisconsin to visit my family. The state is unrecognizable. Run down, poor, drab, and sad. Scott Walker is responsible for most of it...and he calls himself a good Christian! But, get ready America, he will probably run for president in 2020! He's almost as bad as DJT.
3
so, it's a court packing we shall go.
2
Tragic BRDS. Bitter Republican Derangement Syndrome.
1
I don't think many people outside of the USA still believes that it is a democracy. Gerrymandering, disenfranchising, weird counting systems and stunts like those of Wisconsin's Republicans make it look more like a tinpot regime that needs electoral monitors.
4
Republicans can't win on issues, policy, traditions, democratic norms, or common sense. The entire party exists on conspiracy theories, fear, and hatred.
5
So, if power grabs like this can happen in states, what's to prevent this from happening natiionally in 2020? If Wisconsin and N. Carolina don't constitute a nation wide wake up call, what would??
3
It already made the huge mistake - electing Evers Governor.
The folks in Wisconsin are in a foul mood , their beloved Packers are not doing well.
1
Oh no! Just when I thought that we had a winner in the category of “Most disgraceful Badger state GOP Rep” in the form of Paul Ryan. Now, Vos and Fitzgerald are strong contenders too. C’mon guys. Finish your race to the bottom before year end so that we can pick winners.
4
People who support/vote for these WI Republicans must stand in front of a mirror and ask: Am I an American, or am I a Member of "The Party"? Any connotation of, "The Party" will provide the same result.
The party with the mantra, "Personal Responsibility" is the only party vigorously engaged in legislating voter suppression.
Their hypocrisy is so blatant in Wisconsin it makes me want to scream:
"Stop making it impossible for millions of individuals to exercise their Personal Responsibility to vote!"
God help the people of Wisconsin, as Republicans surely will not.
5
I sure am ashamed of our Republican legislators today. They are ignoring the will of the people.
Progressives publish a list of states such as Wisconsin, Mississippi, Michigan, Ohio, Missuri, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, the Carolinas........and don't visit them, don't buy products made in them, don't drive through........pocket book issues. We know that the money that the federal government returns to these GOP states far exceeds what they send, yes, we coastal elites pay for their backward programs. So if we avoid traveling to or through these places we can start to squeeze them financially, apparently the only thing that matters to these folks. Oh, and try to stop buying anything made by the Koch brothers (yes, New Yorkers stop going to the MET and Lincoln Center until these institutions divest themselves from Koch money).
2
Time for the people of Wisconsin to start gathering signatures for ballot initiatives that circumvent their legislative branch. In fact, it's time for all those who value democracy to start aggressively pursuing new strategic options to put a stop to this disgusting behavior.
1
The Republican party is devoid of ideas so that must resort to these kind of anti-democratic tactics to stay in power. Hopefully the people of Wisconsin will see this for the shameless power grab that it is.
1
An appalling and undemocratic act by Republicans. Surprise, surprise.
1
The GOP refuses to honor the results of any election as legitimate unless they win. This power grab is nothing but a bloodless coup. The GOP is in charge of the legislature only because of gerrymandering and they do not represent the will of the people anymore than Trump's presidency reflects the results of the popular vote. Shameless.
2
To paraphrase the Washington Post, "Democracy Dies in Wisconsin."
1
If hard ball doesn't work, try Calvin ball.
This is the epitome of the modern GOP. If you can't win, Cheat.
1
Welcome to Russia, Wisconsin? Why is that the GOP is always doing something like this and the Democrats never are?
2
Time to handle election results like a coup. Walk the old regime out in handcuffs.
Duh! Actually, Wisconsin has already made the 'yughest' mistake it can make, with help from Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Now THIS is about as criminal as it gets. It approaches the level of Mitch MccConnell’s denial of Obama’s right to appoint a SCOTUS justice during his final term.
This is not Democracy - it’s tribal autocracy, and will only result in a worse backlash with every cycle. THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN - they ousted the previous Republican Administration, obviously for good reason. Repraisals will be draconian, and justified. Hopefully that will stop the cycle once and for all, but I doubt it.
We are degenerating into a nation of partisan cretins and will soon occupy our place as a third-world country. Explain THAT to your children’s!
2
Once they get in, a Republican infestation is harder to get rid of than a bad case of termites. The absolute arrogance in which Republicans usurp power and engineer ways to keep it even while losing elections is almost third world style. Unfortunately, if these laws get challenged I have little faith in the current Supreme Court to address the case from a non-partisan angle..
1
Honestly, what is wrong with Republicans? They’ve lost all connection to democracy. You lost because the voters rejected you. Get over it.
1
Michigan GOP attempting to do the same.
Wisconsin, you cannot let this happen.
Those people in Wisconsin should take to the streets over this.
1
Modern Republicans are so afraid of American democracy that they persistently do all in their power to destroy it.
Republicans are America's most dangerous enemies.
1
Democracy at work. Go China!
Sadly, the days of WI Governor Gaylord Nelson (founder of Earth Day) seem to be gone if not forgotten. Such a shame...
What do we expect from the current GOP. They have lost their souls.
1
Wisconsin - this is your state not the GOP. Vote them out whether it's through recall or just boycotting any GOP related business. Campaign that any company supporting the GOP will be boycotted. You voted and now the GOP says No you didn't. Gerrymandering, politicking and cheating - Trump's GOP!
"Elections have consequences" the Republicans are so fond of saying. Turns out, when the Democrats score a win, umm....not so much.
2
Wisconsin has now officially joined the unfortunately, seemingly ever-growing group of the New Confederate States of America.
3
Mr. Kaufman:
Where was your outrage (or any Dem's for that matter) when Mass Dems did the same thing to the incoming Repub governor a few years ago?
Some years ago family and friends would trek to Wisconsin for some fishing and fun.
No more. I will not spend any money in a state that votes for republicans except what is needed to get out of it.
If progressives, democrats, and those who are not insane just stop spending money in the states that keep us from getting to the future perhaps they will learn something. Or perhaps they will just dry up and blow away.
The republican party is antidemocratic and antiAmerican.
It's pretty clear that Wisconsin Dems should just treat any "law" like this as the silly, partisan, nonsense that it is and straight up ignore it. What can the GOP do about it?
start your own yellow vest movement. even better, invite everyone in who prefers democracy over autocracy.
All of this disgraceful political wrangling and now the Packers have fired their head coach. Pity Wisconsin.
Perhaps lame-duck sessions should be eliminated ?
3
The only way Republicans can win is by cheating.
1
Given that so many Republican legislators identify as God-fearing people, their biggest sin: stumbling blocks to observers' faith and hope.
This particular Republican body behaves as though these strangulations are not consequential to their constituents' quality of life; no more than a NFL maneuver. These Jesus Judas seem to have buried their What Would Jesus Do bracelets.
The party that was once fervently against soviet communism -- a system where a single vanguard party rules all -- is now fervently for ... a system where a single vanguard party rules all.
Up is down. Black is white. And Republicans are patriots.
2
Doesn’t really matter. Senator Joseph McCarthy has already forever soiled the state’s image as being a lousy place to invest or build a life.
Nothing new here. When Republicans cannot win on the field of ideas, they resort to such sleazy tactics. It's Party over the people every time.
They only care about power. To heck with the wishes of we the people.
1
It's the typical Republican MO: If you can't earn the votes, rig the system.
2
If you're smart enough to vote Democratic then get out of Wisconsin before the republican stupidity "tanks" the state.
If you're a tech worker head to Massachusetts or California(although Californians will groan when they read this).
Meanwhile everyone in the country can help by boycotting Wisconsin cheese for a start.
2
@wanderer
We'd welcome you in California.
What the Republican legilsature is doing in Wisconsin, the Republican legislature has already done in North Carolina.
In every state that has at least one large city, and at least one university, and at least a decent number of younger citizens and a decent number of minority citizens, Republicans can win elections only by suppressing the votes of those who oppose them, by gerrymandering districts to nullify the votes of those who oppose them, and, of course, by fraud (see Georgia, see North Carolina).
They are hypocrites, liars and thieves. Not deplorable. Detestable. Learn to beat them; mercilessly.
1
I've called my 5th district reps: the (literal) thief Dale Kooyenga and the person who lost to Tammy Baldwin for Senate, Leah Vukmir. Kooyenga is a pro-voucher politician who sends his kids to a private Christian school, as is Vukmir.
They are horrible, both as politicians and people. Vukmir and Kooyenga never met a gun they didn't want to hug and a kids they didn't want to kick. Kooyenga won a state senate position (barely and within the margin of gerrymandering), and it is critically important to note that his previous assembly seat was won by a Democrat in our deeply, deeply, deeply gerrymandered district. It makes me sick that these are the folks that represent my district -- and even worse still that children (including my own) are having their futures clipped by these sociopaths.
3
Republicans now have a tough time winning unless they cheat.
1
Mr. Vos' comment is a bit like an ex-boyfriend saying he has a mandate to control your life after you kick him to the curb just because you dated for a few years. Absurd. Egotistical. Clueless.
1
And so the Koch brothers continue to own Wisconsin.....and Iowa....and Indiana.
2
This is exactly the sort of behavior that King Donnie would insinuate a '2nd amendment solution' for.
1
Just when you think these loathesome republicans can sink no lower they do. Can't win honestly? No worries....
CHEAT!
LIE!
STEAL!
These are the core values that the current republican party has adopted when they lose and it's a shame that this week they do so much to dishonor those decent men and women who came before.
What a legacy! SHAME!
1
Time for a general strike.
This is politics 101. Just like when the Senate Democrats changed the ruling o the number of votes needed for a supreme court justice thinking that Mrs. Clinton would win in 2016 and they would crush the Republicans. Then they got shellacked in the mid-terms and lost the senate. Mike Tyson said "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."
Republicans reek of desperation. They know they are on the brink of extinction as constituents in their communities are packing up and moving to urban areas, leaving behind parts of America with backwards Republican policies where jobs and education are nonexistent. It's no wonder they are such sore losers.
147
@Bun Mam
Wouldn't you think they'd want to make friends with the demographic that is about to assume power rather than poking it in the eye with a sharp stick?
7
@Bun Mam
And they'll happily lose elections by any margin at all if they can keep power. They're ringwraiths.
8
This is why people hate politics. North Carolina has a long history of doing the same, and it is truly pathetic.
3
GOP will soon make it a crime to be a Democrat; jail time; deportation; execution . Thanks Republicans for destroying Democracy. Ray Sipe
Cheesy. Downright cheesy.
1
Sometimes, maybe now a lot of the time, you look at our politics and it looks like hungry sharks swimming in sewage.
2
Where are the Democrats??? We should have these back-room legislators in court...Bamm...like that!!
How many people does it take to run such a small state??? 19 senators, hundreds in congress, what a pork belly job.
My god people, get control of your country.
2
It's Murphy's Law for America: "If anyone can go wrong, it will".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trump and the Right, and in Wisconsin are testing democracy.
Perhaps, with all this insanity, we can find ways to limit these efforts at "fake democracy". Maybe, we can come out ahead, in the long run.
For Wisconsin, a Dem revolt may turn things around in 2020
=============================================
This Republican in Wisconsin is the same fascist approach in Washington, and North Carolina. The entire party is becoming a right wing fascist party from top to bottom.
1
President Bush was elected by his teammates to be Captain of his 1948 Yale baseball team.
That is no longer a system that is widely popular among members of the Republican Party.
https://www.courant.com/sports/baseball/hc-sp-amore-column-george-bush-yale-baseball-1204-story.html
1
There are ways to draw district boundaries mathematically that do not pay attention to political party. Unfortunately neither party - certainly not the R's - want it to be used. See https://bdistricting.com/2010/
Also, why is it that my vote counts less in the State legislature? With the large number of counties - most of them rural - having the same number of seats in the state senate as the more populous ones, the state legislature is obviously unbalanced. (Just as my vote for U.S.Senate means less than a Wyoming voter.) I am certain the Wisconsin voters face the same quandary: densely populated economic powerhouses get less representation than rural land.
Per Seth Tillman at the New Reform Club:
In Massachusetts, prior to 2004, state law provided that the governor could make a temporary appointment to the U.S. Senate in the event of a senate vacancy. When Senator Kerry won the Democratic nomination for President, the state legislature (Democratic) changed the law and repealed the authorization providing for a temporary appointment by the governor. The governor at that time was Romney: a Republican. As to subsequent developments: In 2009, “[f]ollowing [Senator] Kennedy’s death from brain cancer . . . , the Legislature [again, Democratic] tweaked the law to give Democratic Gov[ernor] Deval Patrick what they had denied [Governor] Romney, the ability to appoint a temporary senator to fill the seat for a few months until the special election.”
https://reformclub.blogspot.com/2018/12/conlawprof-normal-politics-and-fascism.html
In other news.... as though the NC legislature, having pulled off the same power grab WI and MI are attempting, check this out:
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article222563145.html
You know how republicans claim voter fraud at every opportunity? Look who's taking the opportunity to do a little vote tampering.
To paraphrase David Frum's words that are truer by the day - if conservatives can't win democratically, they won't give up conservatism, they'll give up democracy. They're not even trying to hide it anymore.
People, it's past time for pitchforks and tar. We've got a democracy to save.
2
There is a reason that people from Wisconsin are called Cheeseheads. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b6/62/bc/b662bc374279a61de9b40331f1f9f9a2.jpg
They elected Scott Walker, one of the most "limited" politician I've seen in recent years, except, of course, you-know-who.
If the people of Wisconsin allow this legislation to go through, they will get what they deserve.
If you are not fully engaged in politics, you become a victim of it.
1
Conservative strategy? Let's quit with polite......Putin giving them seminars on how to roll over a Democracy for fun and profit?
This is partisan tyranny. And, at some point people are going to get fed up with these jerks in more places than the ballot box. Can they all afford private security??? Taxpayers are not going to pay for cops to protect these clowns. Hell, cops might all just take permanent bathroom breaks.
1
After a family trip to Philadelphia to show his children Independence Hall, Scott Walker remarked how brilliant and brave the founding fathers were to establish our democracy. He now undermines the principles of our democracy by making it harder to vote, gerrymanders the electoral map so that the electorate citizen does not have fair representation in government, and now attempts to undermine the will of the people by removing powers from Tony Evers, the rightfully elected governor who defeated him. Walker is anti-democracy. He is an authoritarian like his President Trump, whom he campaigned for and helped elect.
2
We are watching the slow-motion collapse of American democracy. America used to symbolize all that is great about representative democracy, (small l) liberalism, and enlightenment thought. A system of, by and for the people premised on fundamental and inalienable rights and supported by a system of robust checks and balances.
In a matter of decades we have given up all pretense of these ideals. US politics is now a Machiavellian blood sport where obtaining and keeping power is the one and only goal, and politicians are willing to sacrifice anything--ideals, their constituents, any shred of decency and fairness--in pursuit of this goal. (To be sure, Republicans are far more culpable on this front, but Democrats share some responsibility as well.)
And the worst part is that we should have seen it coming. I was young at the time, but even I remember the Newt Gingrich era when partisan priorities were elevated over shared national interests. We are now at a point where political parties (again, mostly Republicans) are willing to resort to increasingly extreme measures to retain their power regardless of the will of the people.
The serious question we all have to ask is what are we willing to do about this? So long as the American public continues to lie down and take it, partisan power grabs will only get more extreme.
1
"The legislation would nullify the decision-making of Wisconsin’s voters, who rejected Republicans for every statewide office in the November midterms."
The Foxconn deal wasn’t enough?
The people of Wisconsin will be paying for that bit of Walker malfeasance for at least one generation if not more.
And the republicans will attempt to exercise their will over the citizens of Wisconsin even after they have been thrown out of office.
As the man in the red hat would say, “How sad”.
1
They will stop at nothing to preserve power. Citizens committed to good government and a thriving democracy must be equally committed to fighting back.
No, it it's not fair. Yes, it will sometimes feel hopeless. But the only way they truly "win" these battles is when we allow ourselves to quit.
Sincerely,
A beleaguered, yet hopeful, North Carolina voter.
5
I thought Mitch McConnell said we should wait until "the American people have spoken"?
Republicans have waited until AFTER the American people have voted.
And are actively thwarting what those people voted for.
7
To Mr Vos and Mr Fitzgerald: WRONG!! You do not have any such mandate. You LOST the Governorship, AND the Attorney General positions. Had your voting precincts not been so gerrymandered (as identified by the SCOTUS as well), you would have lost the State House and Senate as well. That speaks directly against your so-called (fictitious) mandate. Waste no more tax dollars.
Why do I feel I am writing to 12 year olds? You lost, fair and square. Put on your big boy pants, hand over the gavel, and grow up!!!
10
America is a joke
2
@Terry Phelps
At this time, I reluctantly agree. But there are we Americans who are using legitimate means to reverse and get rid of the stench I-1 and the Trumpublicans. Sometimes recovering from a disease takes time. America will once again rise to meet it's moral place. Give us the time.
As if we needed any more evidence that the Republican Party is a cancer on American democracy.
11
These people aren’t Republicans, they are radical fascist right wing imps.
6
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, über alles in der Welt.
3
Interesting the NYT would publish an article about a red state while ignoring blue surrounding states.
Hippocrates
In which blue state is this type of bald-faced power grab taking place?
And, since you bring him up, Hippocrates warned, “First, do no harm.” The blatant disregard by the Wisconsin legislative majority for the democratic process is doing substantial harm.
1
@CD
OK I'll bite. Which blue states have Democratic legislatures passing laws to strip powers away from Republican governors and AG's that just changed seats?
1
We cannot use inevitable a resource's misses or imperfections as a blinder. I believe we can condition ourselves to handle and improve the whole. Be a caveat and verify/respond to caveats but, don't become cynical.
Unabashed fascism at work.
4
Republicans hate democracy nearly as much as they hate brown children.
6
Walker should be in prison
6
Reprehensible is too kind a word for these Republican thugs. It starts at the top and we can thank our idiot president once again for actions that would never have been thought of before he came into power. Let's hope the voters in Wisconsin rise up and thwart this malignancy.
5
Let's face it , Scott Walker is just a nasty, mean spirited person who claims to be a christian, sore loser.
4
Typical of Fascists. I would expect nothing less from the likes of them.
2
Republicans do what psychopaths everywhere do:
When you can't win, CHEAT.
Anti-Social Behavior 101.
6
Sad to see more tribal ignorance at work. Just because a person is a democrat, you got to block his power? Is this America or third grade?
What a bummer to see another side effect of Humpty Trumpty psychology, reddy fire aim Wisconsin. Republicans do your dumbest for the GOP, you deserve a grand old goodbye party in 2020!
2
The Republican Party is now nothing more than a criminal enterprise, with there mafia leader in the White House.
2
No surprises here. The Nazis bragged in their tiresome propaganda that the Anschluss of the USA would begin in the Midwest, where most of the inhabitants were acceptable Aryans of Nordic, if not Germanic, heritage. And all these years later, Wisconsin is showing its embrace of fascist values.
3
And what happens, members of the Wisconsin Republican Legislature, when a Republican governor and AG are elected sometime in the future? You'll just rescind this legislation and restore all those powers you are now stripping away?
I sorely wish the NYT would permit a swear word or two because you're earning some pretty nasty ones. As it is, we'll just let it go that you are very sick, very fascist, and disgustingly immoral and unethical. Bye-bye democracy.
6
Wisconsin is the poster child victim of the fascist republicans' war on Democracy.
1
Well, fascists will be fascists!
The Republicans have lost all respect for democracy. They treat it as a slogan to rile up their morons programmed by Fox news. If these moron actually knew what the Republicans think of them they'd be out of office. They have been programmed to believe that they are protecting democracy, that fascism is a communist thing and not a conservative thing. They are part of the evil corroding our society and don't even know it.
We have seen this disease in Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and especially Wisconsin and Michigan.
If the rich, like Betsy DeVos, and the Koch Brothers continue down this path we will either live under fascism or they will have to run for their lives --- and justly so.
3
I went to high school in Wisconsin. Most of the talented or ambitious kids ended up out of state. A good number of us have settled in Minnesota, where there is more opportunity, a healthier economy, and more progressive social programs that we enjoy. Almost all of us have bid our farewell to Wisconsin, most of us intend to never return.
6
Given what happened in North Carolina, and what is going on in Wisconsin and here in Michigan, maybe the most effective move would be just to eliminate 'lame duck' sessions of state legislatures, and keep everyone out of the state house until the new legislature gets seated in January!
8
@Gary Schnakenberg This is not a lame duck session. Republicans retained the legislative majority.
@John
It is a lame duck session in that the Republicans lack a super majority needed to overturn a governor's veto. Therefore, if they don't pass this legislation while Walker is still governor it will be vetoed by Evers.
1
I don't quite understand why the gerrymanders are not unconstitutional. They are clearly designed to disenfranchise certain people. Is it that the courts are corrupt, and if so that should also be a part of the story? This action by the GOP in Wisconsin is clearly to disenfranchise people as well. To me it is apparent that it is not just the GOP who are corrupt, but also our courts. Maybe the courts are just too busy protecting people like Epstein. Maybe if you folks in Wisconsin were billionaires you could get a little "justice".
7
When will someone file suit in Federal court in Wisconsin to enjoin these anti-democratic measures as a violation of the separation of powers in the state's Constitution?
6
Is this what racism looks like in an otherwise democratic place? I don't think it is simply intolerance for other's opinions wipped up by media or is it, it could be? I was looking at a left leaning vs. right leaning political map of polarized Spain before their civil war (civil war began there in the late 1930's), it reminded me a great deal of a red vs. blue map here now. Maybe Spain, the first nation state, was just way ahead of the curve again in the 30's.
1
This is autocracy, not democracy. For 8 years, the Wisconsin GOP has made every move possible to ensure that they will hold on to power forever. And I mean forever, no matter the results of any election. This is par for the course, and it's coming to a state near you if the GOP gains control of all three branches of government at any time in the near future. The only way to curb this coup is to destroy the Republican Party. It is broken, quite possible beyond repair. When our state legislators are doing stuff like this and stating that it's because "they fear Evers' liberal agenda", they are telling voters that they should be afraid of anyone who doesn't vote Republican. This is the sort of stuff that paves the way for Americans to lay hands on other Americans. Stop voting for the GOP. It's the only way. They are rotten through and through.
7
Business investors are likely to shy away from building making new ones in Wisconsin if the political climate is this wretched. Politicians tend to disregard their effect on potential new industries. However, the political stability of a state/community will be looked at carefully. Wisconsin is making a gross error-in-judgment.
5
What is done can be undone. It just takes time.
2
At this point the most important thing is to fight this farcical ploy in every way possible. First, through the courts, and then at the ballot box. Surely what is being attempted is illegal and unconstitutional. Democrats and Independents must not simply wring their hands and moan and stand by passively. The people of Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina must resist this disgusting power play immediately. Likewise, this needs to happen in Georgia and throughout America.
4
Given that Wisconsin Democrats used the power of state government law agencies to censor and terrorize Republican donors a few years ago, is it any wonder the Republicans there are going on offense?
Not at all.
It certainly makes a mockery of Mitch McConnell's delay on Senate hearings to fill the SCOTUS seat with Merrick Garland until after the Presidential election in 2016 with his 'reasoned' admonition to "let the people decide." Leave it to the GOP to grab or hold onto power they have not democratically earned by any means possible, including full-out hypocrisy.
3
The Republican Electorate:
These are the people who vote for Republicans to take away their constitutional rights.
The more the electorates rights are eroded, the harder they dig in and vote for more Republicans to take away even more of their rights.
This sounds insane . . . right !
The sad and simple truth about the Republican Electorate, I mean the majority of working Republicans, not the 1%, will vote just as their parents and grand parents voted.
There will be no review of the facts or the records or even the platform of their candidates.
The mere fact that their candidate is Republican is sufficient for them to continue to have rights stripped from them by the very people they constantly vote for.
Why ?
Simple:
Being a Republican is a Belief.
Being a Republican is not the result of careful evaluation of facts.
The definition of a "Belief" is that there are no facts to support it whatsoever.
The Republican electorate "Believes" that voting Republican is the right thing to do - Period !
It is nearly impossible to "break" someone's belief.
Has anyone converted a Republican voter ?
The only way to return to our Democracy is to Outvote The Republican Electorate -
Then, when in power, make job #1 - Education !
We need an America where our citizens THINK !
2
When companies start moving out and reject this sort of behavior, they might pay attention. As so many writers have said, the only way Wisconsin becomes different is for the average Republican to decide that this is not Democratic. But to do that they would have to come to a decision that Democrats are people too.
Why would you think "do unto others whatever you like, just make sure they are properly oppressed" was a kind, Christian, or even American response? Mystifying.
3
One way to get around this, and it has worked in Arizona, is for the business community to get involved.
After the MLK holiday and SB 1070 "papers please" fiasco, the AZ business community made it clear that that type of bias and discrimination that hurt the states travel and tourism industry would not be tolerated.
This helped to send the bigots into hiding and elect more moderate leaders who, regardless of party, were quick to condemn extremism because it cost the state money.
2
Its not so surprising to see a Bible belt state move away from a free-thinking, non-authoritarian democracy. But Wisconsin?
1
Government there will come to a grinding halt, and litigation will descend like locusts. Good luck with that, Wisconsin.
1
It's not a mistake. It's a series of deliberate and willful actions to undermine democracy and rob the people they serve of any fair say in governance. It's the closest thing to a coup I've ever seen in the United States. It's shameful. It's evil. And it should be illegal.
The unfortunate thing is that we'll likely see more of this before the trump era ends.
1
In democracies, political arrogance leads to myopia, and myopia often results in disaster. It looks more and more like the political price for this arrogance may be more than just a repeat of 2018 -- a landslide at all levels in 2020.
1
Well, I sympathize with voters in Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, and even Ohio. But here in Indiana, where the GOP solidified its now decade and half domination of state and with its election of Mike Brawn to replace pinkish Joe Donnelly, I have to say you all at least recognize that there are two parties with interests in making people's lives healthier, safer, and hopeful. Here, apparently, it's business as usual. Mike Pence's brother, having no experience in governance, gets a free ticket to DC without having to campaign or debate his opponents. The State Legislators pat themselves on the back for passing (after like 2 centuries) a law that allows purchase of alcohol on Sundays. The opioid crisis is being solved by GASP! using ACA a.k.a. HIP--Hoosier Insurance Program, and adding some treatment centers! Radical proposals circa the 1970's from Public health officials. The blue wave trickled down the Wabash along with the pesticides and herbicides. But at least basketball season is here!
2
This will backfire on Republicans much like Harry Reid's elimination of the filibuster backfired on Democrats.
2
I suppose that's preferable to setting fire to the State House and blaming it on the Democrats to take control.
The big problem in WI - and a main reason the Republicans lost - is education. Walker has a chip on his shoulder when it comes to smart and educated people, and this can only take him so far so long.
2
If they didn't lie, cheat, and steal, the GOP would be forced to govern and actually come up with a policy.
I can't think of any example of that in my lifetime.
The Democrats in the four states under attack by the republicans should put initiatives on the ballot in the next state wide elections and frame the language so that it cannot unilaterally be changed by the legislature. Constitutional amendments if necessary. These assaults on democracy are shameful.
Absolute fraud on the populace. They voted for not just individuals, but for them to exercise offices within an established state system. Then the Republicans want to bait and switch that system.
O tempora, o mores...
"Wisconsin Is About to Make a Huge Mistake"
Nowhere in this article do I see how this is a "mistake" for Republicans. They will get away with it, and the new Democratic executives will have seriously limited power. Gerrymandering will still be the norm. Where is the disadvantage for Republicans? They are, rather, getting away with murder (of our democracy) and suffering no consequences.
When will the Republican Party as it now exists grow some spine and change their name to what they really have become, every one of them, in every state and at every level? THE TEA PARTY. They have bent themselves into what the Tea party radicals of the so-called "Freedom Caucus" have been preaching for so long that they have finally become the Tea Party. Why not just admit it, so maybe a REAL old school (in the manner of Nelson Rockefeller, Mayor John Lindsay of NY, Teddy Roosevelt) Republican Party could revive itself from the ashes? Oh, wait, they are too busy enjoying the raw power they have fraudulently obtained for themselves. This bodes ill for the democracy. Looks a lot like a "soft coup" to me. I have lived in 3rd world places enough to call 'em like I see's 'em. Excuse me, but I am terrified for the life of the USA.
1
At what point does the American public refuse to allow such anti-Democratic acts from their representatives? How have so many forgotten what a Democracy is and how acts like this are the antitheses of what our forefathers designed as a means of assuring equal representation? What is it going to take to stop the Republican party from these blatant power grabs? I would be interested to see any reports of Democrats doing the same. I would ask the NYT to please provide a balanced series of reports with both sides being called out for this type of behavior. We need to hold all sides responsible for these types of anti Democratic power grabs.
1
When today’s right wing holds beliefs that they can’t achieve democratically, they won’t give up those beliefs... they’ll give up on democracy. Paraphrasing David Frum.
1
As we teach our children, what's fair for one isn't fair for all.
We are taught when we are children (at least most of us) to be a "good loser". Nobody wins all the time, but when you lose you are expected to respect the rules and respect your opponents. You acknowledge the loss, you learn from it, and you come back and try again next time. How much more belligerent in epitomizing the concept of "sore loser" can the Repulsican party become? They would burn the democratic house and rule of law to the ground rather than hand over the keys to the new tenant. This willingness to hold onto power at any cost even if they are the kings of nothing but scorched earth is exactly what Bashir has done in Syria. The legacy of this generation of the Repulsican party is that they are salting the earth where they could have grown their next wave of supporters.
The Koch Brothers paid good money for Walker, not to mention Snyder in MI. One way or another they want value for their money.
1
"What kind of government do we have?" asked the woman. "A Republic if you can keep it." Guess what, Ben. We're not keeping it. Unlimited dark money in our campaigns, politically gerrymandered districts, corporate owner of the media, draconian voter suppression laws, broken machines, stolen absentee ballots, role cleansing, and a court system being stuffed with justices who allow it all to go on and in some cases even support it. Lastly, Republican state legislators are writing laws in secret to totally dis-empower the opposing party and the will of the people. Sorry, Ben, we tried and held out for over 200 years but money, power, oligarchs, corporations, and the ultra right-wing engineered a slow motion coup and when finally the people realized what was happening they were too busy playing video games, shopping, and looking at their iPhone screens to care.
2
Right off the top, this brazen corruption just further confirms the question, "why would anyone containing any brain matter in their head at all, ever vote for the Republican Party, a party that is solely interested in maintaining power no matter the cost or the affront to democracy? Can anyone comprehend the hue and cry from the Republicans if a majority of the legislature were democrats and they were trying to conduct themselves in the same manner towards Scott Walker as this legislature is doing now to Evers?
"Hey Republican voter out there, if it hasn't registered yet, NEWSFLASH, they don't care about you and never have, they care solely about themselves"!
I kept waiting for the part that explained why the republicans will be sorry.
This Federal government will not provide a rectification. Can the courts... cannot gerrymandering ( so named for a early use in MA; continued through Kennedy times for his districts) ... be tamed by the courts? Where is the best state district and court system to counter this legislative voter fraud, repression, and loss of equal, per capital representation? To that non-profit group I would donate consistently.
So the Republicans have engineered control of the State Legislature and now have emasculated the role of Governor and Attorney General. Government by thugs. For thugs. Sounds like the moment for federal intervention, but we will have to wait for Congress to be reformed: right now Congress is using Wisconsin as a template.
1
The new normal in America. Democracy is fragile, and it is scary to see it disintegrate so quickly in a nation that was the blueprint for modern Democratic states. I doubt our democracy here in Canada will survive if our mammoth neighbour to the south goes full totalitarian.
1
Nothing about this move seems constitutional. Does the GOP not expect this to be challenged by the courts?
In France, over far less inequality, the French have taken to the streets to push for change because of increasing inequality.
In America we are like sheep. Tax us then give the money to the wealthiest, take away our democracy and hand the reigns of power to the oligarchs and corporations. We should be in the streets, but that would require time away form watching 'Dancing with the Stars.'
345
@Truthseeker
The more they suffer, the louder they cheer.
13
@Truthseeker I am more than ready to hit the street. What the Republicans are trying to do is to take away our democracy. I don't know how to go about it, and I'm not going alone. That is the problem I have.
22
@Truthseeker
The French aren't protesting "inequality". They are protesting a government that already has huge taxes and now it wants more.
1
I was born, raised and educated in Wisconsin.....so proud of the progressive, representative traditions that once prevailed in the state of my birth. The heritage of "Fighting Bob" La Follette seems to have been lost on current Wisconsin Republicans. Nothing they are doing has anything to do with what is best for the state and it's people.....it is all about politics and control. I grew up when Warren Knowles, a Republican governor worked with Democrats to move the state forward, ensuring that education in Wisconsin would be second to none. From a family of educators, most still in the state, disgust is the prevailing sentiment surrounding education today in Wisconsin. I've always been proud of the state of my birth, the culture, the heritage, the people. Not so much anymore. Wisconsin Republicans have brought shame unto the state. The tradition of representative, democratic government in Wisconsin has become a joke and laughingstock.
252
@Gregg
The same goes for Michigan. Our once progressive state is a shambles of Republican right wing religion and tea party self-serving initiatives.
26
@Gregg Absolutely on the money Gregg. I too am a native of Wis., went to the University of Wis.-Madison as did four of my brothers and sisters along with my father.
To witness what Walker and his brigade of ideologues have done to Wisconsin in eight years is disgusting and incomprehensible considering the progressive history of the state. As they say in the Big Lebowski "This will not stand!"
31
The issue is whether it is appropriate for the legislature to take extreme partisan measures to undermine the powers of the executive. And it is hard to ignore that this is the very tactic being used by the House to undermine Trump’s powers.
2
Socrates asks, in the most favored comment "My question is to any reader Wisconsin voter or American voter who still votes Republican in 2018 ? Why would you vote for a party that so comprehensively and enthusiastically rejects democracy, representative government and the will of the people ?"
As the article says and other articles have pointed out the Wisconsin people voted for democrats in huge numbers - many points above republican votes. Republican gerrymandering over the years gave them retained control of the government except for Governor and AG. They want to control it for the 2020 census, which would cement their stolen power for another decade.
The Good People of Wisconsin cannot wait for the next election to solve the problem. They must demonstrate, march and SUE every single lawmaker who is a part of this abuse of power to get them out of office right now.
12
@njglea I think this is interesting. First, political redistricting which has existed for some time and has been used by both parties is now stolen power because Republicans won. Then to top it off, the solution is to not wait for the next election, “ get them out of office right now”. After all, forceful removal of elected officials from office without an election is democratic, right?
@njglea Thank you, really, for helping me find a less gory solution. Sue them! Of course! I am a NJ native and should have thought of this right away (said with great love and longing for my home state).
Instead, I was saying to my husband that the people of Wisconsin should demonstrate, march, and 'violently overthrow' (although to be honest my suggestion was more specific as to the violence) the lawmakers who are abusing the system.
I am just so sick and tired of the goppers and their dirty tricks.
1
This is precisely the type of issue that should be drawn to the attention of 'honest' GOP'ers and used to illustrate the danger now present for all Americans.
6
Is this not in violation of state election laws and separation of powers to allow voters to have final say over legislative matters as managed by the incoming administration as this governor intends to undermine voters will?
1
@vinit The legislature are the ones that are looking to pass the laws that are being complained about here. Legislatures pass laws and the people elected a majority of Republicans for this task. Separation of powers is not in jeopardy.
@John
Let us not be hypocritical about this situation.
I wonder what the response would be from Republicans if the situation was reversed whereby Scott Walker remained Governor and democrats had the majority in the Wisconsin legislature and proceeded to try to implement the same change in powers legislation?
6
@Deus It should not matter. If Democrats were the majority of the legislative branch then they would and should have the power to legislate. It has happened in the past that Democrats changed the law to favor themselves and gerrymandering is not just a Republican game.
As long as the governor controls the state police, he can bar all republicans from entering the statehouse. That done, the Democrats can re-design the house and senate districts and then call for a special election to re-elect the congress.
After the special election is over, republicans will be allowed back into the statehouse.
This scenario is no different than what the republicans legislators have already done by gerrymandering the state and then taking total control of the government.
3
@John Actually, Republicans won the majority of legislative races in 2010, taking the majority from Democrats by a wide margin giving them the power to control redistricting as Democrats have done in the past. There is nothing comparable between what’s happening today and a coup lead by a future governor.
So...where is the big mistake? Yes, I get it abstractly 'bad for democracy but Dan Kaufman (like many reporters) spends most of his article outlining the facts well, and yet doesn't do much to answer the question of his headline.
How? How is this a problem? The people voting for this don't see it as a problem so I don't think it's as obvious as it is made out to be. Will it be immediately revoked? Will it cause a permanent lost of power for the governor and AG? These things are not explained, among many other questions I can imagine, and need to be.
@D Collazo
Do the voters voting for a Democratic governor really want the Republican legislature to act this way? If you were to ask the voters the following, what do you think they would say?
"Did you vote for this Democratic candidate because you supported his policies and thought his proposed solutions would help solve your state's problems? Do you support a Republican majority of representatives stripping your elected Democratic governor of power, during the lame duck session, to prevent him from implementing solutions to your state's problems?
Do you support your present Governor, who you just voted out of office, signing any bills stripping the incoming governor of power? If you answer yes, why?"
1
@Larry I'm not writing this article, though. I'm reading it, seeing a lack in an answer to the question the article itself asked. I know my personal answer to the question, but this article is supposed to be informative of, at least, the question it, not I, posed.
Done for the wrong reasons maybe, but all in all a GOOD thing. Governors, just like Presidents, should have very limited powers. Powers should be vested in the legislature, both at the state and federal levels.
And forget all the non-Democratic talk, the folks in these state legislatures were elected democratically. There is not magic manta of this or that just because of one race. And in a place like Wisconsin, there is certainly no mantra given the closeness of the race itself.
For those states that value democracy, they should all push for these types of power limiting moves, keeping the power WITH the people, not with a single elected official.
1
@Marvin, I would agree with you if the election process wasn’t so obviously tilted in one direction. Especially when it is tilted in one direction by a group who is gutting middle class voters ability to make a fair living and at the same time costing the state a significant amount of money.
Giving any business billions of dollars in tax incentives to come to their state costs money even if it creates jobs. Especially incredible is scheduling 3 separate elections in 3 months for different offices to ensure the election of a particular Supreme Court judge. Wow! Millions of dollars wasted by the party of fiscal responsibility is hypocritical.
Such a power grab is typical of a place like Russia, not the US. But I guess that is becoming the norm here, too. I am trying to become optimistic when I see the younger generation of voters such as the kids from Parkland demonstrating in the streets.
5
Republicans, nationwide, are determined to destroy their party.
I have no problem with that.
I think it would benefit this nation if our 2-party system was comprised of only the Democrats and the Independents.
The Republicans are welcome to go the way of the Whigs.
6
Is the United States a democracy. Between gerrymandering and trying to control what future legislatures can do it sure doesn't sound like a democracy. I am surprised that these things are happening in 2018.
7
@Randy Harris The Republican legislature didn’t limit a future legislature. The incoming legislature is majority Republican. They limited the Governor’s power which is within the scope of the legislative body. Democrats are now calling it undemocratic because they aren’t getting the influence they hoped for.
@John
When you have 54% of the electorate voting for the Democratic Party's legislative candidates statewide, and they only end up with 1/3 of the seats, I believe that pretty much sums up the term undemocratic. So the undemocratic legislature is hamstringing people who were elected by a majority to do what they campaigned on. The people of Wisconsin wanted the Democrats to control the state. They just couldn't overcome the undemocratic, hyper-gerrymandered legislative districts.
8
@John - Actually John, the Reps are doing this because they legitimately lost the governorship and are trying to deny the Democrats (who legitimately won) the ability to govern the way the majority voted for. So yes, the Reps are not acting in a democratic way. Nice try on the spin though.
5
This will not change in Wisconsin or any other state until there are independent redistricting commisions. The voters of AZ have set up just such a commission and the districts are much fairer than they were. Early voting and vote by mail are easy and gaining in popularity. The downside is a more protracted period counting votes and certifying election winners.
20
Un-American to the core.
24
Is there no low to which Republicans won’t stoop? A truly repugnant, anti-democratic party.
29
Wisconsin,
First you support Russian Intelligence GRU agents and vote for their puppet in 2016,
and now you fight an American elected AG and Governor, who would support American Democracy voting in the future.
You guys are on Santa's naughty list!
4
The white male is losing is position in society and it will get worst before it gets better.
7
Wisconsin style politics
1
Draining the swamp? The GOP is building aqueducts from the cesspool directly into the State Capitol.
16
Why are the people of Wisconsin not in the streets en masse to protest this potential power grab by the disgusting slime balls in their state legislature? There should be a tremendous uproar and many people in the streets.
16
@Shanti Because the comments in The NY Times are largely from people out of state. The people of Wisconsin voted for the Republican majority again. They voted for a Democratic Governor. That fact is less meaningful in the grand scheme of things as the governor has no power to legislate and should not.
@John Actually in the aggregate vote for Assembly, apparently Dems received 190,000 more votes than Republicans (out of about 2.6 million voters, that's about 7% ). But with gerrymandered districts this still yielded about a 2:1 Rep advantage in Assembly seats. So "the people of Wisconsin" do not see their votes reflected in the makeup of the legislature.
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2018/12/chart-of-the-day-wisconsin-gerrymandering-was-awesome/
https://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/Summary%20Results-2018%20Gen%20Election.pdf
Wisconsin residents were in the street for I think several weeks in 2011 protesting measures taken by Gov. Walker and the legislature, some of which had not been part of the public platform of the party during the election campaign.
3
North Carolina, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia....the US is a banana republic, becoming more boldly so every day.
16
Do Wisconsin Republicans no longer believe in God, Democracy, and thr Rule of Law? What AntiCrist do they worship... is it Trump?
11
Couldn't blame Wisconsonites if they took a page out of the French playbook. Amazing to me that anyone supports Republican crooks and just allows them to get away with anything.
11
The GOP has become the Confederacy of the 21st Century.
22
@latweek Did Republicans secede from the US without anyone knowing about it?
There is a way around everything if you look for it. The Donkeys better get started now.
5
Soo... what's the "big mistake" promised in the headline? It's a big deal, and it's unfair and a middle finger to the Right's beloved Founding Fathers, but why is it a mistake? It worked in NC.
1
Just like Trump, do these Rs think no body is looking or listening when they act like this, behave like this??? Agh I guess we are buring the last bit of decency in this courty this week with 41!! Just so tired of this conduct!!!!!! whether its on the right or the left.
5
The GOP in Wisconsin and everywhere else, governs like a group of thugs hellbent at retaining power at any cost.
8
Once again, Republicans show their blatant disregard for Democracy. They should all be tried for treason.
13
@IZA I am sad for the future of our country that so few people understand what treason is.
Day! Me say day me say day me say day day-ay-ay-o.
The Greedy Old Party has become a criminal syndicate.
9
This is fascism, plain and simple.
5
Take it to the streets!!!!!!
This naked banana-republic power grab shall not stand.
9
Shamed ex-Sen. Joe McCarthy would be proud of these dudes. So would his mentor, Roy Cohn.
5
At some point doesn't it become appropriate to storm the barricades and cart people to the guillotine?
Vive la revolution!!
8
Almost sounds like apartheid with the Republicans the white minority and the Democrats the- well you know.
As has been proven, not a good thing.
2
Maybe we need some yellow jackets in Madison.
10
BANANA Republic anyone?
6
Wouldn't vote for a republican for dog catcher.
11
Everyone of the state republicans is a crybaby; if they can't win legitimately, they will do it illegally.
9
The thuggish proclivities of our President are now being baked into the DNA of the GOP---they have no policies and really have no worthwhile candidates---so what is left---they cheat.
6
The death rattle of the party dominated by poorly educated white men.
6
How disgusting! It appears that Scott Walker and his cronies can't accept defeat gracefully. A bunch of poor losers screwing up our democracy even more!
Don't give up on democracy. It works but individuals have to work to keep democracy going.
2
Looks like he just lost his front row parking space at church!
If voters are not happy with the job Republicans are doing in Wisconsin then they should elect a majority Democratic legislature in the state. The legislature, not the governor, has the right to pass laws.
@John Did you read the article? Dems got 54% of the legislative vote yet a fraction of the seats. Electing a democratic legislature is EXACTLY what the voters did, but gerrymandering undermined the the will of the majority of voters.
2
Aren't you sidestepping the real issue of Republican legislators trying to subvert the will of the people? The people of Wisconsin are now realizing their error in filling the legislature with Republicans, aren't they?
2
@John If the Republicans are indeed representing the will of the people on this matter why wait until a lame duck session? Why not tell the voters what you plan to do before the election so the voters can make an informed choice.
1
This all goes back two elections where incredibly 31% of Wisconsin's union workers actually voted for Walker.
1
@Richard - well they deserve them then if they are that stupid. A Republican will never have a worker's back. Ever!
1
I occasionally consider moving back to Wisconsin for the climate (winters, thunderstorms...). I'm more and more put off by the idea by the climate (political).
What's happened to my state?!
1
A key point that was not emphasized enough in the article is the Republican control of the state supreme court. Keeping that 4-3 Republican majority is necessary to prevent the court from overturning several of these bills which are clearly questionable under the Wisconsin constitution. The Republican take over of the state supreme court was a key factor in the Walker administration passing many of the most regressive bills, especially those that were drafted and passed behind closed doors.
4
As for the legislature waking up, do not count on it for at least two years. In Illinois, Gov. Rauner insisted on right to work legislation before he would sign a budget. The Democratic majority did not initially have the votes to override the veto. Illinois went through two years with no budget. If you wanted something funded, you had to sue that not spending the money would violate the US or Illinois Constitution. Spending on schools, including the universities, was cut. Spending on child welfare was cut. And so on. Finally, after two years enough Republican state legislators, primarily from university towns, realized the damage that was being done and voted with the Democratic majority to override the Governor's veto. But it took two years. I do not expect it will take legislators in Wisconsin to take any less time.
Good luck, Wisconsin. You'll need it.
1
Dan Kaufman, thank you for your ongoing and excellent reporting on the state of Wisconsin. I was at the Joint Finance Committee meeting last night as on observer. It was a joke, and that is being kind. It was not democracy. It was no Norman Rockwell painting. It was dozens of citizens testifying against the bill all day, into the late hours, two minutes each, while the Republican members of the committee yawned, joked, played on their laptops, and made faces at the citizens testifying. Not one person testified in favor of the bills. The author of the bills, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, refused an invitation to testify to the committee. As one citizen stated, this is one, last flaming brown bag left on the front doorstep of the good people of Wisconsin by outgoing governor Scott Walker. This is not the America I grew up in, and it hurts my heart that my children are inheriting this mess.
14
“ If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservativism . They will reject democracy “ - David Frum.
Amen, times one thousand.
17
The Republicans are sending a very clear message to the voters of Wisconsin as they did in North Carolina. If the citizens vote for Democrats, their voice and their vote does not matter.
5
@K. John Exactly How is this the case? People elected a Democratic Governor, not a majority Democratic legislature. The Governor’s role is defined by the law. If the people want something different legislatively then they need to elect a majority Democratic legislature.
1
@John
You are right that the Governor's role is defined by law. And when the people of Wisconsin and Wisconsin elected Democratic governors, they assumed that they would take on the role that the law mandated. The problem is that, by changing the law after the election, the legislature took away powers that the people intended (as shown by their votes) for their new Democratic governors to have.
10
@szinar I disagree in that the people re-elected Republicans as the majority in the legislative branch in the 2018 election. If Democrats were given a majority and Republicans passed laws prior to becoming the minority then I might agree.
Vos and Fitzgerald must have been trained by Senator McConnell during trips to Washington DC.
How is it that Wisconsin's citizens are not outraged at their Legislature. The Legislature, under the leadership of Vos and Fitzgerald are turning Wisconsin into the most corrupt State in the Union. And that is saying a lot.
Every time I read about States gerrymandering so that their citizens actually have no say how the State will be governed and continue to stack the decks against fair and Democratic elections it turns my stomach.
There was once a time where Wisconsin was an extraordinary example of civility and fair play. Sadly they have gone the way of Washington, the other corrupt swamp.
10
@Jean, they are outraged! No Republican won a statewide election! Once the members of the judiciary branch are also hand picked by the perpetrators so that there is no recourse in the courts, it all becomes an exhausting exercise in futility and frustration. It is impossible to overstate how insidiously disruptive Scott Walker has been, how much distress he has perpetrated on the state of Wisconsin.
1
The clear message sent by the election wasn't enough, we now have to resort to economic actions to FORCE Republicans to understand we will fight to keep our democracy. After all, more than anything else, the U.S. is about money. Who bankrolls these democracy-hating Republicans? If I knew who they were, and if I knew all of the various commercial entities they own, I would ensure that NONE of my dollars go their way. And as much as I hate to say it, and wouldn't want to hurt the good people of Wisconsin, maybe we in other states should boycott their products too. Sufficient economic pressure WILL cause these stooges to capitulate. Their fight (and Michigan and North Carolina) now has to be our fight. The trend is crystal clear. If Republicans are successful in Wisconsin as they have been in N. Carolina, they will be increasingly brazen. Before long, there will be nothing left of our democracy to save.
1
@Zak We know it is the Koch brothers and the Menard family among others.
Is this any different from the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts changing the laws regarding the election to replace a deceased senator so that the sitting Democratic governor could appoint a Democrat?
Not really.
Power is power, and "just because they can" is more often than not the way power that might slip away is protected.
I don't recall the self-righteous outcries from the left about the Democrats in Massachusetts trying to assure that Ted Kennedy' seat stayed in their hands.
It's time we all admit that power politics is one of the trade-offs that we have to make in our political system and remain confident that when the current crop of in-power hacks regain power, the new hacks will repeal the stupid power plays...
After all, repealing them would then be to their advantage.
2
The one question I have is: what recourse is there to repudiate this maneuver, assuming Walker (who is as disingenuous as I think he is) endorses these bills?
Who can do what to reverse this egregious behavior of the Republicans in Wisconsin?
5
@David C
How about marching in the streets as they did in France (less the violence, of course)? Casting a vote is clearly not enough, but sitting at home fuming doesn't do anything. If no one protests, nothing will change.
2
I think that maybe it is time to call a state of Emergency until 2020, call the National Guard to the Capital and dissolve the Legislator.
If the Republicans want a Dictatorship let it be the Dictatorship of the People
It seems to me this kind of action is an abridgement of the constitutional rights of the voters. They voted for candidates for an office, not “whatever the office happens to become.” This process denies those voters of having the elected person in [that] office. Couldn’t every legislator who votes in favor of these changes be violating others’ rights? Perhaps even conspiring with others to violate those rights?
4
@Steven V How is this a violation of voter rights? The voters elected the Governor of the state. That vote does not entail what responsibilities the governor has. It’s up to either the state constitution or the law to determine what those roles and responsibilities are.
@John - this is a blatant disregard of voters wishes and you know that. You don't change the rules of the game after the fact b/c you don't like the result. Just b/c a party can doesn't mean it should.
2
@John Yes, I suppose the legislature could abolish the posts of Attorney General and Governor entirely whenever the "wrong" person is elected. Citizens don't have the right to elect executives unless the Legislature likes the results. Much as the U.S House and Senate don't have to seat elected officials if they don't want. All part of our continuing Constitutional crisis. Democracy is a bad idea to many. Now we know to whom.
1
The Republicans are wasting time and taxpayer funds - because if I recall when this was done in North Carolina, the Democrats sued and won. Republicans seem to not only think that being un-Democratic is OK, they also seem to be following the classic definition of unhinged - doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Just because they have a leader who is nuts is no reason to follow him down the rabbit hole.
6
@E Bennet
Good point about ending lame duck sessions. Perhaps massive civil disobedience could make it difficult or impossible for the Republican legislators to meet during the lame duck session? Surround the relevant government buildings with angry crowds? Jam government phone lines? Surround their homes? Bullies aren't famous for their courage. If these legislators succeed, we'll be seeing this in other states too. It has to be stopped.
5
Wow- who knew Wisconsin was so wealthy they could grant 4.5 billion dollars in loan subsidies to one manufacturer- Foxconn. Not to mention....the mention of other questionable loans in the millions, by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
And the idea of the legislature appointing its own AG lookalike- paying two salaries if they dont like the real AG’s actions. What- did Wisconsin discover gold in all those lakes, woods?!
Little wonder they want to help overturn the ACA medical formula for middle class insurance- I suppose they have to get those billions from somewhere.
Wisconsin citizens- and maybe Michigan’s, perhaps need some....yellow vests. To French President Macron’s credit, he listened to his people. Finally.
5
This is very simply a way of using democracy to destroy democracy, and putting in its place not something new and improved but instead the old, dastardly, retrograde ideas that no longer (if they ever) serve human evolution.
2
Historically speaking, these types of actions are the precursors to violent revolutions.
5
This proposed new legislation in Wisconsin is just wrong and also short-sighted. The Republican legislature here in North Carolina has done the same type of thing and it will come back to bite them one day when the shoe is on the other foot. And I say this as a Republican.
4
I'm frankly surprised that so many comments here find this so surprising.
For over 20 years now this has been the ALEC / Koch bros. fueled strategy to control every level of government in our country, no matter the cost and by bending every law and rule to the point of breaking, and beyond, with regularity.
My advice? Don't be resigned or give up - get angry, stay angry, and fight. Learn from this. Run for office, be it Board of Ed. in your town, or for a state or even Congressional seat.
Those who hold power never give it up, it must be wrested from them.
5
Republicans systematically work against representative democracy. The Rove/Koch Bros. gerrymandering movement of 2010 has messed up our legislative branch at both state and national levels. Now we're watching the blatant Republican campaign to take over the judicial branch.
Simultaneously, we see Republicans in the executive branch, like Donald Trump, claiming bloated executive powers, while in Wisconsin, where the executive is a Democrat, we see executive powers being shamelessly stolen.
We can't allow this gaming of American's political system to continue. It's hard to see more than one fundamental goal: the takeover of power regardless of voters' choices.
1
A lame-duck governor with integrity would veto such measures to elevate democracy above party.
Wisconsin does not have such a governor. He has consistently sold out for big money out-of-state donors (Koch, etc) and for himself in a wildly failed presidential campaign. I hope that the good people of Wisconsin will seize power back from the few and relegate the GOP to its pre-2000 position in that fine progressive state.
3
Republicans have become increasingly jaded and corrupt, and not just in Wisconsin. This is why notions of "bipartisanship" have become a farce. How is any Democrat supposed to work collaboratively with them?
4
"If conservatives become convinced that they can not win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. The will reject democracy.”
A quote from David Frum--- former speech writer for G.W. Bush.
6
A new low. Are there any dirty tricks Republicans will not try? When did our system of government get so broken?
Republicans have to somehow be convinced that they are not entitled to power.
Somehow, I’m not surprised by this. It just shows how hateful and undemocratic the right wing of the Republican Party has become.
1
I remember sitting at my dining room table 30 plus years ago talking to my nephew, who was an erstwhile Republican, but new to politics. I told him that I had never voted for a Republican in my life. I also told him then, that Republicans did not like a level playing field, that they always had their finger on the scale. It seems nothing has changed since then, in fact, they have even gotten worse.
Today, that nephew is a Democrat.
6
Republicans nowadays tend to be publicly and assertively religious, holier than thou, yet Jesus's command to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" has gone by the wayside in their relentlessly reckless and mean-spirited politics.
I'm glad my now-deceased parents, both of them moderate-to-liberal Republicans, aren't around to see this. They would have been appalled and devastated.
1
Keep going, Republicans. Keep trying to have minority rule by ignoring the spirit of Constitution and debasing our government. The payback from the majority of voters won't be swift, but it will be devastating. You are acquiring a severe karma debt and it will eventually be collected in full, plus interest. It is my most sincere hope is that the Republican party will be gone in 20 years. Maybe the Whigs will make a comeback.
This sounds like the antics of a banana republic. Wisconsin is going to regret this in the long haul--just watch and see.
3
I have to believe this will be challenged in court. This is completely undemocratic. Talk about sore losers.
This situation is simply outrageous. I wonder if a law suit could stop it?
What the heck is going on? With North Carolina leading the parade for doing away with Democracy, and now 4 other states following my only question is how do you stop this?
These are unconscionable acts!
Republican leaders in the North Carolina State Senate think it's funny that they stripped the new Democratic Governor of power. Funny. God forbid the Democrats every tried to do this to Republicans, they'd be howling like wolves.
And why aren't the Democrats. There must be some way to push back on these non democratic moves. Are they not subverting the constitutions of their respective states?
There has to be a remedy somewhere! Otherwise, what's the point of having a Democracy? I blame a lot of this on Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. They have signaled that you can do just about anything you want, so long as you are a Republican and what you're doing will help Republicans and their benefactors. This is ridiculous and must be stopped.
3
I really hope the citizens of Wisconsin storm the capital over this disgusting display of Republican abuse of power!
3
It is the utter lack of shame that I find so striking.
3
Until the Dems learn how to play hardball, the Republicans will keep bullying them. Pelosi’s vapid, conciliatory “spirit of bipartisanship” talk is just emboldening the bullies.
The Dems need fighters - not appeasers!
5
So, the GOP finds ever more devious, unethical and illegal ways to desperately maintain their tenuous grip on power no matter how much it destroys our democracy. They need to be swept into the dustbin of history ASAP.
What do we call counties with one party rule?
1
This is another vivid display of the GOP's contempt for our democracy. It's nothing new. Ask the people in North Carolina, Georgia and Texas.
The same thing is happening in Michigan as we speak. Not only are the new Gov, DA & Sec'y of State, all newly elected Dems, getting pruned by Repub lame duck legislature...our grass roots driven winning ballot proposals concerning gerrymandering, registration and legalizing marijuana are being gutted as I type. Another ballot proposal for minimum wage and sick leave was removed from the ballot because the legislature voted for these progressive ideas, while planning to undo all the legislation before they leave office. Make no mistake, this was planned months ago. Let's see some reporting about who wrote all this legislation, sounds like the DeVos and Koch attorneys have been working harder than Santa's elves. Apparently they, and only they, say what is democracy around here.
3
Why is it that I would not be surprised if the Democrats did the same exact thing?
2
Republicans cheat. They cannot win with facts, nor on virtues, so they lie, they cheat and they steal and justify it all with some mind numbing, pretzel-twisted logic somehow based on their myopic interruptions of their "faith". To anyone with a ounce of critical thinking skills its so very obvious and yet its become so normal... How these people live with themselves is the real question. When did such craven, unethical and morally perverse behavior become sanctioned? To these people, the end always seems to justify the means...
2
I continue to try to resist the simplistic notion I have, based on my upbringing in a wealthy, Republican suburb, that the kids who "won" so many things in high school -- in sports, arts, politics (remember your school's ASB?), etc. -- learned early on to cheat with impunity, and even with their parents' full-throated support. And that they went on to benefit from cheating in their adult lives.
This nonsense in Wisconsin does nothing to divest me of this notion.
1
They lose, they win.
Republicans only react to fear.
So they won't change tune until they get a taste of the 1914 socialist scare that created our liberal world order.
1
Wow how quickly Dems forgot history! Where was all this selective outrage when Jim Doyle did the same thing? America is sick of these false narratives. Evers is not in power until January. Deal with it.
1
Looks like Wisconsin has more than its share of the basket of deplorables, along with a healthy dose of despicables.
1
Scott Walker's Legacy: Sore Loser. He will never get elected to anything again, in the State of Wisconsin.
Standard practice for rule by minority. Would anyone expect anything different? Hellooo...?
I look forward to seeing all those Wisconsin Republicans imprisoned. Lock them up!
If we had a functional DoJ, and could rely on an unbiased Supreme Court bench, no state would dare try this.
But, after the suspension of the voting rights act, the looney's came out in force, trying to stop the tide of a rising majority. They sent Ryan to the House to do the same dirty work in Washington.
This effort by the anti-democracy GOP will ultimately fail, but only because the opposition to it and strength of American Democracy stops it from succeeding.
Many of these proposals, if viewed on their own merits, are not bad ideas. Why should the legislature not have the same number of appointees to a state board? And as to the special counsel provision, it is that same sort of provision that lead to the Mueller investigation on a national level.
I can see the reason for the anger about the partisan nature of the timing, but the question remains, are these good or bad ideas in and of themselves?
I urge the Democrats to stage an insurrection over these miserable last minute laws.
1
Great article! Thank you, Mr. Kaufman.
As the article says, "Like many Republican policies adopted in Wisconsin over the past eight years, taking power from a Democratic executive is part of a national conservative strategy. "
The Koch brothers et al had a plan they have been implementing since Nixon. The plan got a little derailed when Nixon was impeached but those were the days before the Koch brothers managed to take over the "conservative" movement with the sole intent of destroying OUR U.S. and all governments. Governments mean control and it's much easier to rob WE THE PEOPLE blind without controls.
The Good People of Wisconsin, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana and many other supposedly "red" states showed their desire for democratic government in the midterms. They must step up and demonstrate every day against this hostile financial takeover of their state. They must also bring massive civil suits against every single lawmaker who is trying to abuse their power and destroy democracy.
This is urgent. The Koch brothers et al have been trying to put OUR United States of America into Constitutional Crisis for 40+ years, using their inherited/stolen wealth.
WE THE PEOPLE are the only ones who can/will stop them and NOW is the time.
They think we're too busy with "holiday cheer" to bother to save OUR United States of America. WE must show them how wrong they are. The best gift we can give ourselves and future generations is preservation/restoration of democracy.
6
As a citizen of Wisconsin, I am outraged at this blatantly political power grab by the Wisconsin legislature. I've tried to call a number of republican legislators, not surprisingly they don't answer their phones and their mailboxes are full so you can't leave a message. I will support any and all measures the Democrats take, including lawsuits, to turn back the peoples will as expressed in the November election.
4
The ongoing attempt to nullify the results of the 2018 election springs from the hyper partisan shift in our politics. Allow me to remind my Republican friends that their votes today sets the stage for similar types of votes tomorrow and while you still control the legislature this year through partisan district drawing, more people voted for Democrats than for Republicans statewide in those races in this election.
Precedent is a powerful thing and if you wish to set it, you'd better be quite sure that you can maintain your majorities in the future, for as we all know, what goes around, comes around. You will deliver to your political opponents a power to impose , their will upon you unencumbered by tradition and civility. Not only is demography shifting decidedly against you, but you will forced to wear the mantle of scheming, unprincipled politician. The combination of these two is death to a party's ability to affect the future of this state going forward.
5
As a resident of WI I am uncomfortable with the amount of power the governor has, regardless of party. I happen to be a Democrat so of course feel it most egregiously when when Republicans are in power, but on it's face, I don't feel like curbing the gov's power is necessarily bad. The problem is that this is easily undone by the "other" side when they come to power. I'm all for a reasonable balance of power that can be enforced regardless of party.
@Carla Then fight against gerrymandering!
1
I may not be willing to actually join any political party, but I do vote and the Republicans are doing their best to disqualify themselves from my (admittedly one vote) consideration for decades to come. When they do things like this (and similar tactics they used in North Carolina), they signal to me that they simply cannot be trusted.
I do not like the idea of "total victory," but it seems as if conservatives want every fight to be to the political death. It's not just at the state level either. Even now, many conservatives shrug off the midterm results and say despite their growing unpopularity they can still prop up the president and force in unpopular appointees via the Senate. At least to a younger voter such as myself, that sounds a lot like the GOP is simply telling me to do whatever I can to swing the Senate to Democrats.
And in presidential races, the GOP indicates that is that it is not enough for me to support a liberal presidential candidate. I can't risk another Garland situation where a GOP-controlled Congress flippantly ends a popularly elected president's powers of appointment a year early. I mean, why not 2 years? That may sound crazy, but how am I supposed to know where people like McConnell draw the line? I can't. And so despite my genuine belief in ideological diversity for it's own sake, the GOP robs me of the chance to share power by signaling that they are not interested. If it's all or nothing with them, I give them nothing.
4
@Matt
A great argument, and cogently made, but they disqualified themselves for me decades ago based on policy alone.
2
@Mikeweb
Fair enough. For what it's worth, I don't quite have decades of voting experience to draw upon, so I may wind up in the same place. History books aside, my personal memory gives me three people the GOP and Democrats have provided as leaders: (1) G.W. Bush; (2) Barack Obama; and (3) Donald Trump.
From my perspective, that makes G.W. by far the greatest Republican president many of my friends and I have ever truly known; the pinnacle of modern conservative leadership.
The even younger "Gen-Z" coming up behind me? Some of them can probably only compare Trump and Obama. [shrug] The RNC can make of that what they will going into 2020.
During the 90s Gingrich years, whenever I became worried by the greed-is-good thuggery of him and his crowd, I reminded myself that the checks and balances were in place to stop them from doing too much damage.
That's the crucial difference between the Republicans of today and the 90s and honorable citizens looking on in horror today. We saw, and see, checks and balances as critical, as to be respected. Republicans think, *The only things standing in our path are checks-and-balances. That means we have to find ways to push them out of our path.*
It didn't occur to loyal citizens that a political party would resort to that to monopolize power. Until recently, it didn't occur to me.
6
As a resident of a state in which the Governor wields far too much influence over the state level economic development corporation, residents of Wisconsin should support legislation that ensures there is a balance of power.
1
@EvenIan Perhaps, but last minute secret bills passed by a lame duck legislature and approved by the Gov who just lost reelection is NOT the way to do this.
2
What Wisconsin is doing (and North Carolina did two years ago) is to invite people to a competition with a stated prize. But if the "wrong" person wins, then the prize is yanked away. It is of a piece with landlords who advertise apartments for rent but suddenly run out of inventory if the potential lessee has the wrong color skin. (Don't feel too bad for the landlords; the inventory returns as soon as the potential lessee is gone.)
It's about as pure a case of bait and switch as one could find.
3
It seems that when Democrats lose elections, they try to figure out why and focus on turning things around next time. When Republicans lose, they want to change the rules and play the game over and over again until they win.
8
I went to graduate school in the '90s, a time when Wisconsin was known as a great place to raise a child, get a job as a teacher, and live in a place with civility and large amounts of social capital. I am still in contact with my friends there. The general feeling among them is that "Wisconsin has run off the rails."
Thank you, Scott Walker, for being the engineer, and to his supporters for being the firemen. I guess you'll have to rely on your wonderful weather now as the only reason to move to the state.
12
We can grouse and analyze the roots of such power grabs forever and not change anything.
Or, we can offer Americans a plan that has 90% support - and a way to empower and marshal that support.
What if tens of millions of Americans used a simple phone app to make a "Mass Viral Demand" for change that politicians could not ignore.
"We The People 250."
A constitutional amendment.
1) max contribution to any candidate for public office - $250. Any level - city council to president.
2) same $250 limit for "political speech" (if a person or group wants to air a commercial taking a political view, the funds for that commercial, that political speech, can only be garnered in maximum $250 chunks. No billionaire or organization can command the airwaves with massive buys of political speech.)
3) all state and Fed districts drawn by non-partisan panels. A few states do this now.
4) no lobbying after leaving Congress. No employment by any company on which the politician voted.
5) complete disclosure of all financial holdings and tax records from any candidate and all sitting politicians.
6) automatic registration to vote at birth for citizens.
7) all mailed ballots - done successfully in many states now. Paper is safer.
8) extra provisions, drafted by experts in campaign finance for all other issues.
Our government is not for sale.
Our brave soldiers did not die for that.
We turn 250 in eight years.
$250 limit ammendment.
Our early birthday present to America.
7
@Paul King - " all mailed ballots - done successfully in many states now. Paper is safer. "
Except when they get shredded by overseers of elections, like what happened in Florida.
You forgot term limits for all.
Disgusting, Republicans can be counted on to put power and party over Democracy. They are beneath contempt and should go live in Russia, Saudi Arabia or North Korea if they like autocracy so much.
7
Why not just pass a law that no Democrat can hold elective office?
526
@Kam Dog...
Not a bad idea.
5
@Kam Dog, the gears in thousands of dimwitted but corrupt Republicans just started turning.
48
@Kam Dog No one is stopping any Democrat from holding elective office.
1
Does anyone really wonder why folks despise the Republicans?
5
Those Wisconsin Republicans are attempting to subvert our democracy. Yes, I know it's actually a representative republic. In any case, that's treasonous. What's the penalty for treason? Good, then do it and send a message to the rest of them in places like N. Carolina, Ohio and Michigan--and DC.
1
@Mark R....
This problem is easily solved...
All legislative elections have immediate effect. No more "lame ducks".
In the case of the Congress, make "lame duck" sessions possible only by call of the president for action on specific proposed legislation.
2
@Mark R. Many people in this country do not understand what treason is. Treason in the US is narrowly defined as supporting foreign nations that we have declared war against or have approved the use of force against.
1
It's hard to ignore the evidence that the Republican Party, at both the federal and state level, is the largest criminal organization operating today in the U.S.
14
@Jay What exactly are you basing this analysis on? Aside from the Trump administration being under investigation, what part of the Republican Party is under investigation for criminal wrongdoing?
Generally, not a fan of municipal traffic court judges issuing federal injunctions – but this one should be a no-brainer...
No sort of partisan goal-post-moving like this should be tolerated...If folks want to redefine the foundational powers of some of their elected politicians, go ahead...
But there should be a waiting period of one full term past the next election for that redefinition to take effect...
Indulge me, NYT – perhaps I can help...
.....
“...It is heavily rumored that a double-secret federal executive order was needed, for the Wisconsin legislature to actually proceed on this initiative. At President Trump’s insistence, the order was amended – which made a SCOTUS signatory necessary – to include a peremptory injunction against any judge issuing an injunction against the Wisconsin legislature’s move. To ensure adequate standing, Air Force One circled in the skies above Sheboygan in Wisconsin airspace while Trump, on board, actually signed the order...
.....
That should get somebody going...
No wonder the republicans grew a Trump.
5
Evil run amok.
3
Hey Wisconsin Republicans: have you no sense of decency?
7
If it were the other way, the DEMS would do the exact same thing and the NYT would be applauding with heartfelt rationales. Its politics
1
@PDW They wouldn't, and the proof is they haven't. Show me your evidence to the contrary. Where in the country have Democrats been doing what Republicans are doing in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Michigan, and elsewhere.
I get awfully tired of people claiming that *everyone else* is just as corrupt and dishonorable as the politicians they personally support. Bring evidence before you libel people.
5
@PDW, no. Did the Democrats do this when they lost the 2016 election? No. The answer is no.
Republicans want one party, autocratic rule. Buy them. Only Republicans. Does that make America great again?
@PDW That isn't true. It may be true in your mind but the facts of history show that you are wrong. Just because you say something, doesn't make it so. The Republican hard line is to speak the un-truth until people are confused and don't know which way is up. This is more of the same as is your comment.
1
What have we come to?
1
This is nothing less than a coup d'etat by the Republican Party and the Democrats need to act accordingly.
And just like in North Carolina, the courts will overturn the obvious venality of the anti-fair government some loser Republicans.
The Republican corporation is not a political party. It is engaged in an attempt to *end* politics, and is in fact a criminal conspiracy to destroy democracy. All pretense has been dropped since the ascension of, not only the worst president we have ever had, but the most vile human being ever to help himself to the spoils of our highest public office. He makes Harding look like Lincoln, by comparison.
Sadly, his personal qualities appeal to many millions of our fellow citizens, a fact which in the long run is much more worrying than the almost comical misrule of the man in the long, red necktie.
3
....and we all thought dumping Scott Walker was going to make things better for Wisconsin
America is eating itself from the inside out.
2
@Aspen...
Actually, Wisconsin is a lot closer to the outside than, say Tennessee.
What Trump has wrought
Once our nation was known for fair play and decency (at least outside of the South).
1
The new GOP motto: "Heads, I win; tails, I win".
3
@C Scott "Heads I win; tails you lose."
1
This is exactly why Californians despise Republican politicians.
2
Is Republican, I think it’s absolutely brilliant
Honestly, how do they live with themselves? They are to be pitied to be so blinded by power...what a shallow, self-serving cabal.
1
Not quit sure what the "huge mistake", as in the title, actually is. The article is not really clear about that.
1
Karma is coming...served up with a nice dose of vote losses....
This attempt mirrors what happened in North Carolina.
1
These Republicans are not statesmen, these are schoolyard bullies. Can't make the grade, so cheat.
Amazing the thirst for power and control this sick, demented party has...no real solutions, no imaginative ideas, no creative answers to real life problems, no service to the people they are supposed to serve.
It's all grift and corruption...and it's amazing, nationwide, how they don't even try to hide it anymore.
1
Wisconsin voters better be taking names...
"Of the people, by the people, for the people" Aparrently Republicans don't believe this anymore. So much for the party of Lincoln.
1
This Democrat drove a wide swerve around Wisconsin and gave it a miss on my last 60 day cross country roadtrip from Vermont to California. Join me in choosing where we spend our money. Glad I spent up a bit in Orange County this time on the way to SF. That one paid off in spades. Now it’s safe to go back to Disneyland there, otherwise sticking to the one in Tokyo. Florida? Forget it.
3
Shades of what Obama tried to do before Trump arrived.
1
Republicans simply hate democracy. They are a disgrace to our nation. What an outrage.
Yikes! Is this really what the public wants in Wisconsin? Remember the slogan “What goes around, comes around?”
Wake tfu up people. It’s your state! If you let this happen, the consequences will cripple your state!
No shame to be bad losers. It's a shame.
This is the kind of story you that used to involve corrupt countries who lacked respect for the rule of law and the will of the people. Now it's Wisconsin.
I don't know how any Republican living in Wisconsin can call themselves an American if they allow this to happen.
Republicans... it is time to be counted. Call your legislator...call the Governor....and tell them if they go through with this you will never vote Republican again. You are the only people they will listen to.
1
Republicans in WI - as in the country - are minority leaders in power through gerrymander and voter suppression representing the twin brothers of darkness - bigotry and greed. This effort is just short of treason. The system don't work if you vote yourselves king - remember how that worked out?
Let the work begin to organize and rebuild our democracy. Let them show their colors - MAGA red - so we know who they are. And run 'em out of town next chance we get.
@Charly...
Forgive me, sir, but how about looking the district maps of, say, the 11th Illinois, and the entire states of Massachusetts and Maryland. Gerrymandering is an art form in politics. Note, too, that a Speaker of the House in Massachusetts was convicted by a federal jury for his role in gerrymandering the district maps in that state.
Gerrymandering is the tactic of the winning party in the elections that coincide with the decennial census. In 2010 and 2000, Republicans held the upper hand. Over time, those hegemonies ebb and flow.
Gerrymandering is going to be very difficult to contain, even with "non-partisan" commissions drawing the lines. The only difference will be thatt he faction names will change, and within a cycle or two, they will be just as partisan aaand just as objectionable as the current regimine.
Whinging about gerrymandering may soothe your battered political sense, but it does little to win elections. The rules have been the same since 1787; there is no excuse for not understanding the way things are played.
No doubt GOP legislators will cry like babies when the people of Wisconsin confront them at the reps' offices and hangouts. Don't let them eat beluga caviar in peace!
2
When trump goes low, Republicans go lower
3
GOP wouldn't give Merrick Garland a hearing because Obama was a lame duck president.
Lame Duck Walker doesn't apply the same logic.
GOP = Enemy of Democracy
2
Works in Argentina and Turkey and .... Russia.
1
The notorious Republican "Party" - distinguished by stealing elections before, during and after the actual vote. SMH.
Republicans are thieves. No question about it. They rob the public trust.
It’s up to the good people of WS to stand up for themselves at the ballot box or flee persecution.
Mitch McConnell is metastisizing throughout the country.
3
The people of Wisconsin - no, actually Amerikans, should be out on the streets in same form, fashion, and tools as those just recently demonstrated in Paris. Game over.
Here we go again. Republicans after losing a game taking their ball and quitting the field. Kind of childish don’t you think for the claimed leaders to be stabbing the new administration in the back. Lenin and Stalin are both smiling now that our Reds are following their example. Just sickening.
Hey guys don't give up. Take a cue from the French. When the few with all the money start lording it over the majority by rigging everything to the point where they can't be voted out of office there's nothing left to do except start building guillotines. I'm sure there are instructions for building them somewhere.
2
These naked power grabs by Republicans are not going to be stopped by civil disobedience, unfortunately, because that disobedience is, well, civil--pursued according to rules and practices that Republicans have no interest in joining.
Democrats and progressives are at an unfair disadvantage because they are reluctant to go there, loathe to engage is tactics they find distasteful and anti-democratic, as they still hold to principles Republicans have long since abandoned.
So, unfortunately, this will only be countered by rather UNcivil disobedience; Democrats have to make Republican legislators' and officials' lives hell. (No more Midwestern heck.) It only starts with lawsuits, phone and letter inundations, and public callouts; it has to continue with protests in the streets and sit-ins in the Capitol and office buildings and chaining oneself to doors and statues and fences and risking arrest and jail time.
The shameless officials who support these antidemocratic initiatives should not be able to go anywhere without there being a batch of protesters there to confront them. And that includes their dry cleaners, their delis, their homes. No one should threaten anyone, but these officials should have to face their constituents asking them questions and debating their answers everywhere they go.
The old adage "no justice, no peace" is very relevant here.
5
Shocking but not surprising. This is the GOP in action.
Anyone remember when someone's 2 sons manipulated the Florida vote count to steal a presidential election from Al Gore?
And all we hear today is what a wonderful family of public servants those people are.
A decade ago the Virginia state legislature was like this, an all white male bunch of Confederate throwbacks who intimidated anyone who questioned them, including trying to push through a law that required any woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy to have an invasive "vaginal probe" first.
10 yrs later, we are rid of those people and Virginia is a solidly blue state. It was a lot of work, but we did it!
Fight Wisconsin fight!
2
This episode is yet another example of the malignancy at the heart of modern "conservatism." As with the right's approach to civilization-threatening, global climate change and so much more, the goal is short-term gain via totalitarianism, long-term consequences to themselves or our culture be damned. And please, let's avoid the intellectual laziness of "both-sides-ism." Democrats are not systematically undermining democracy in order to line their pockets and dictate reality to everyone else. No, the white right has been playing footsie with fascism for years, and it seems the chickens are now coming home to roost.
1
Welcome to North Carolina!
Well, you know it is just GOP Republican tactics--they are allowed to play by a different set of "white nationalist" rules, so I'm sure Walker will get off Scott free.
Time to boycott Wisconsin. Start with cheese.
1
If the criminal enterprise otherwise known as the Republican Party gets away with this, what choice do those of us committed to democratic governance, and I would add decency, have but to fund antifa and buy a yellow vest?
1
Wisconsin, going from the Midwest to the Midworst.
3
As a transplanted Wisconsinite, originally from Ohio, one of the reasons I had for moving here was the tolerant attitudes I found, based on many friendly and enjoyable visits. While I still don't regret the move, I am dismayed at the intolerance displayed by the failing GOP, here and elsewhere in this strong but troubled country. Equity, being the legal concept of "fairness", is being subverted here and elsewhere in a naked display of undemocratic behavior. Republicans can read the country's demographics and know that they will lose their grip on power, due to these changes. But rather than open their arms to embrace others who are not rich or white or rural, they resort to underhanded deals, made in secret, in a desperate attempt to subvert the will of the people. Robin Vos then has the insulting, unmitigated gall to say that this is what the voters in his state want them to do, even though every election, in 2012, '14, '16, and '18 has seen an average statewide Democratic vote of 55% to the GOP's 45%. Nevertheless, because of the Judicially ruled unconstitutional re-districting, The GOP holds over 60% of the seats in the Wisconsin legislature. Will of the people, indeed. "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance", little did I know that the vigilance would be in my own backyard. If 2018 was the most important election in my (considerable) lifetime, 2020 now stands as the next one.
5
A classic case of the end justifies the means. They believe that their philosophy of government and society is right and everyone else is wrong. Therefore, any action which promotes and preserves their approach is right, even if it contradicts the core principles of democracy.
No wonder Wisconsin is losing population. When you have a small fraction of the state's population setting an oppressive and backward agenda for the state's future, who'd want to live there? The Wisconsin GOP is shameless in its power grab and the nation shakes its collective finger; at you too, Michigan.
444
@Andrew Wisconsin isn’t losing population. It’s just growing more slowly than some other states.
1
@Andrew Freezing winters down to -20F, swarms of mosquitoes, AND The Rich Leading the Gullible--all without the charm and culture of it's neighbor Minnesota's Twin Cities.
Wisconsin--"A Wonderful State for Masochists."
9
@John Thanks John. I stand corrected! It has a 1.5 percent growth rate. I am surprised but conservatives have to move out of Minnesota and go some where.
9
I just emailed my state rep and senator, I live in Wisconsin. These actions of extreme partisanship are essentially non democratic and intended to disenfranchise Wisconsin voters for political and personal gain. It is shocking but not surprising. And as these Wisconsin Republicans sing the praises of President GHW Bush as he is honored for his service, they dishonor his legacy and the bipartisan leadership he brought to governing. I am sickened by the egregious lack of integrity that has come to politics, and particularly it seems, to the Republican Party. Senator McCain was remembered for the simple words “Do the right thing.” I wonder if there are any Republicans who know or care what that is?
1
I guess this meets the strict definition of mistake (an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong), but usually I associate a negative consequence with a mistake. Not sure I see one for the R's here.
This time of year many Christians prepare for the coming of Christmas by participating in Advent ceremonies. One of the scripture passages that is read is the unique spiritual encounter between angels and shepherds. The angels' appearance frightens the shepherds, to which an angel tells the shepherds "Fear not, for unto you a child is born." Fear prevents us from seeing and receiving miracles and hope. The Republican Party has been perverted by fear. Just look at their actions. Refugees fleeing violence in their homeland, traveling over a thousand miles, experience no grace when entering the USA. Instead their children are kidnapped and put in cages. Gun laws are changed to "Stand Your Ground" and "Conceal and Carry" because of fear. Voter suppression arises from the same fear, whether demanding exact signatures, street addresses for places without an address before, moving the town voting station out of town, and capriciously deleting names from voter roles. This same fear argues some candidates for a Supreme Court can be ignored for 8 months and others rushed in 3 months, that the nation's courts can have hundreds of vacant seats for years just so we can get "our people" sitting on the bench. Fear prefers a wall in a butterfly sanctuary and oil rigs in National Monuments and Wildlife Reserves. Fear practices secret meetings to obstruct democratic practices and promote hate. Their actions stand in stark contrast to the expectant child, the Prince of Peace.
3
Republicans in Wisconsin (and in North Carolina, and in Michigan, and in the Congress of the United States, and most assuredly in the White House) are proving: if you care about democracy, and fairness, and the norms of a civil society, you can no longer risk voting Republican -- anywhere, ever.
2
I have but one thought here: the GOP disdains democracy and is willing to do anything to grab and hold power. Hence, the extreme gerrymandering, the limits to early voting, the fewer polling places in Democratic areas (especially minority areas), and crying of voter fraud (though almost none has ever been substantiated). The Koch brothers et. al. conservative groups seek to protect themselves from what they as a flawed democracy. They have planned to take power legally (relying on multiple lies: supply side economics, horrible immigrants, the horrors of anything resembling socially sensitive policies) and then, when the have, lock real democracy out permanently. This is simply the proof of that. I hope most of the public sees these actions for what the truly are: the GOP wants to rule (not govern) permanently.
4
The Republican takeover in Wisconsin cannot be allowed to happen. If this goes through as planned by the Republicans it will become the blueprint for other sates. The Wisconsin election results clearly showed that the public wanted a change from Scott Walker and the Republicans. There must be some kind of legal redress to prevent what appears to be an illegal seizure of power.
1
These are mean spirited people doing mean spirited things. No other way to describe it. Shame on these so called leaders.
2
The republican party will continue to exist so long as they are not held accountable at the ballot box.
It is up to you to banish them to the dustbin of history with your vote, unless you condone changing the laws to suit you when you are in power, and limiting Democracy for all others that do not think like you.
So which is it ?
1
@FunkyIrishman There is no democracy in a one party government. I find it interesting that Democrats seem interested in eliminating the Republican Party instead of reforming it, thereby effectively eliminating representation for tens of millions of Americans.
Republican legislators steal elections systematically. Rise up and strike them down.
2
Silly me, I thought we lived in a democracy.
1
@Nomad We do live in a democracy and the Republicans are the democratically elected majority in the Wisconsin state legislature.
Obviously, Republicans no longer believe in democracy.
2
Constitutional amendment banning gerrymandering, please.
1
If Republicans had any good ideas, they wouldn't be driven to cheat to maintain power.
I just watched Kemp steal an election. A man who was recorded twice, warning his donors about black voters exercising their right to vote.
1
@Andrew Republicans aren’t doing anything different than Democrats do. Our political system has been partisan for quite sometime.
Wisconsin used to be able to point south at Illinois and laugh at our "corrupt" state government.
Who is laughing now?
4
@BJ Kapler
So true. Walker & Co. make Blagojevich look like Mr. Rogers.
2
Where is Pelosi and Schumer in all of this? They should be shouting at the top of their lungs about this abuse of power. Then again, neither Pelosi or Schumer has demonstrated bold leadership in the past two years. Democrats are at a loss with them in power.
2
@Tom Pelosi and Schumer are not the elected officials of Wisconsin. They don’t represent Wisconsin.
I've pointed this out previously in these comment threads, but it bears repeating in the context of this story: the republican party is the most successful criminal organization of modern times. Nothing else comes close in reaching the depth and breadth of its penetration of American life. And its contempt for any kind of democratic values is everywhere on display. Pete McGuire, Atlanta
1
This should be titled "Wisconsin Republicans About to Make a Huge Mistake."
Gerrymandering can only take you so far. One hopes that the citizens of Wisconsin will now see the GOP for what it is - an enemy of democracy - and throw the bums out for a generation.
1
So, if you've lost control of the state government, how else would you continue to thwart democracy and cement in place your parting gifts to the Koch brothers? This really is the best option for achieving that goal. I thought anyone who voted for Walker knew these things.
Gerrymandering is easy to accomplish because Democrats flock together like rats in urban areas. Admittedly, suburbs are gradually growing more blue, as available housing grows more limited in cities. Rather than whine about gerrymandering, though, Democrats should spread themselves out and take advantage of winning more votes nationally.
Surely someone is going to challenge this in Court? Talk about spitting in the face of democracy.
1
This is dangerous, though sadly in today's political climate not surprising, and is based on the belief that political opponents are illegitimate and an existential threat to a certain way of life.
True conservatives have a deep respect for the political process and political mores--especially the relinquishment of political power when those in a different political power have been elected to serve. Shredding political customs and mores to maintain political power is not the act of a conservative, even though those seeking to maintain power may favor outcomes that most who call themselves conservative favor. It is the act of a radical.
To those who support what the Republicans are doing--who see political opponents as illegitimate, and are willing to distort and corrupt the political process to defeat political opponents--I suggest a visit to the German History Museum in Berlin, which has an entire section on political strife in Weimar Germany.
2
From Washington to Wisconsin, so-called Conservative Republicans are actually radicals, trashing the democratic process and institutions in naked power grabs.
Democrats need to stop emulating Mr. Smith goes to Washington and start emulating Mr. McConnell Goes to Washington.
The recent vote by the people of Wisconsin should be a reminder to their representatives of just what they want from government. To do otherwise now will likely come back to bit them in the next election cycle. Shame on the GOP for their attempt at this power grab. Instead of using their energy to work on a future where they have a working bipartisanship they are ensuring their demise. The majority will demand a government that works for them.
This is just bush league. These same republicans would be crying foul if the democrats did this on the way out of office.
1
The Democrats like to govern - the Republicans prefer to rule.
3
Republicans are holding true to their game plan as they have realized that this is a democratic country and the only way for them to win anything is to cheat.
1
The GOP appears fine with 1 party rule. Only problem is that is not democracy, it is dictatorship.
3
Wisconsin has NOT been historically a progressive state. I know; I was born in Chippewa Falls, and spent five years in Madison. I have relatives across the state.
It has always been a state riven by the progressive politics of Madison (described as an "island of unreality" as far back as Tommy Thomson in the early 90's) to the much broader small city politics that slant far more conservative.
As always, the NYT continues to disappoint with their liberal projections into all things local and national. The credibility of the NYT has been severely eroded.
As a youthful college student, I loved Madison's idealistic progressive stance. Which has always been largely at odds with the state as a whole.
As a reluctant Republican, and mostly longtime Democrat, I would love if the Grey Lady would squash my fears about progressive bias in the media by publishing more balanced opinion articles.
Perhaps if we could have a more balanced reporting of news and opinions stalwart Republicans wouldn't be so opposed to serious issues, such as climate change-issues which threaten to destroy us all. Perhaps if reporting were less biased the Right would listen to the Left on issues that truly matter.
It really is difficult to find a case where republicans are not an utter disgrace.
4
So, the Republican clown car rolls on in Wisconsin. While they still command the spotlight, let's tip our hats to the college dropout governor and the congressman who grew up believing Ayn Rand was something other than a sad, demented loner. The quicker the world consigns those two guys to the dustbin of history, the better.
5
The ineptitude of the Democrats also explains the power of the Republicans.
The State of Wisconsin needs a revolution and a new constitution.
2
They’re taking their lessons from fellow authoritarians like Orban - you can keep the shell of democracy while ensuring long term minority rule.
2
Argggh. This is cheating plain and simple. The insanity has become acceptable. Business as usual.
Where are our checks, our balances, our patriots, our statespeople, our sanity????
1
The voters spoke. This is evil and political incompetence at its' very worst.
2
Sue. Let's see if SCOTUS is conservative in the constitutional sense of the word or the Feudal.
The republican party will continue to exist so long as they are not held accountable at the ballot box.
It is up to you to banish them to the dustbin of history with your vote, unless you condone changing the laws to suit you when you are in power, and limiting Democracy for all others that do not think like you.
So which is it ?
3
Nauseating, but expected of Walker & Co. Sore losers.
2
This is absolutely appalling, something I would expect from Mississippi or Georgia. But Wisconsin? Scott Walker should have the decency to go home, lick his wounds and if he chooses, present himself to the people again in 4 years.
1
The GOP only knows to lie, steal, cheat and do only for themselves. This deserves national attention and derision from all quarters.
1
Votes don’t count in WI anymore. The people spoke but no one is listening. Sad day for democracy. Republican, the party of liars and cheaters and Authoritarian govt.
1
If what Scott Walker is doing isn't criminal, it should be.
This is what despots do.
Of course this is keeping with Trump and McConnell's systematic dismemberment of our democracy.
2
Imagine the Republican reaction if the Democrats in the Maryland state legislature took similar steps to rip authority away from Governor Hogan (R).
2
It seems, sadly, that human beings have a natural propensity to bully and pursue selfish interests- unless checked by laws and to a degree public opinion and will. If the Wisconsin electorate should permit these polices to go through- then it is another failure of democracy. The greatest one of course being played out on the national scene with the electorate having elected an authoritarian thug as President. And if these reminders engender anger and angst- so be it. The Emperor not only has no cloths- he's a thief and a fool. Not plain speaking this- does not make it less true- and runs the risk of perpetuating the lie.
1
Disgusting. The idea that there are enough republican legislators who think this is a good idea is astonishing. It is literally domestic terrorism.
4
This from the state that brought us Joseph McCarthy. I guess we haven’t really changed that much.
1
Just more evidence that the GOP is a corrupt, off-the-rails, authoritarian party that could care less about democracy.
2
I will never lend my snow blower or weed whacker to Scott Walker or any of his cronies. They will never return them. They have no moral compass. Have they no sense of decency or fair play? Scott. You lost the election. Be a gentleman and hand over the keys. Don't put locks on all the doors. I will need that weed whacker around June.
I know what your thinking... thank Gods it’s that Cheese State and not mine. But just because the nasty republicans in that state will do anything to stay in power including step on the people, don’t think it can’t happen in your state. Or Washington for that matter. Republicans lie cheat and steal. They have become unrecognizable as a GOP. It’s a shame the party has taken this path but until they return to there old platform they are the dark side.
2
Without the party that lost an election accepting defeat gracefully, and working to please the voters who just gave them a message of discontent, democracy, such as it is at this grave moment, will be dead soon. The GOP adults throw infantile tantrums because they did not get their way.
In the past, gerrymandering has been common on both sides, but since 2010, the GOP drew district lines that are so transparently rigged the question is not debatable. But still the Dems won almost 40 seats in the House in 2018.
Dirty tricks politics has reached a point where a deeply radical, GOP mindset must be checked, or our country of old is gone.
The greed permeating the GOP is colossal. They are obsessed with maximum money in elite pockets, maximum power, blocking the 200 + year old Founders system by cheating on the SCOTUS, the House, with the states through ALEC and bills like the ones about to pass in Wisconsin. Corruption from the WH down to the cabinet and now even the Justice Dept.
Without the reality press like the NYT, we'd really be even darker. Only the people en masse can stop this awful political party.
1
It is very clear, and ironic, that it is Republicans who hate democracy and therefore 'hate America'.
1
It would be nice if we had more "working together" and less fighting.
However, I note that the New York Times has never been much of a fan of "working together". The majority of articles every day are hostile to Mr. Trump and to the Republicans.
"That hostility is justified," you might say. But it is a circle. Trump is a combative man and he will meet hostility with hostility. I fear it is too late to tell the NYT that you are doing a great deal of damage to America.
As the GOP continues to become a minority party, they are doing everything in their power to maintain power. No matter how deceitful, illegal, unethical or immoral.
What they fail to realize is that they are creating an "apartheid-like" situation in these states and the US. How well did that end in South Africa?
The only way the US is preserved for another 230 years is to vote each and everyone of these despicable characters out of office and relegate the GOP to the dustbins of history.
1
We need to be rid of this so-called Grand Old Party. They bristle when they are called what they truly are—‘fascists’. But they are, the state controlled by a small cabal, a pack of criminals bent on looting their State for their own profit and power, they only radicalize their opposition.
This will not last, there will be a backlash, the only question is how violent will it be?
1
Actual prostitutes have more dignity, ethics and class.
Seriously.
4
It looks like anarchy will be all that's left.
1
Both sides play dirty, even though Democrats pretend they don’t. It’s called politics.
Have they no decency, at long last, have they no decency
(to paraphrase)
Take them to court. I presume (must admit, haven't read the article: bad me!) that that must be possible. Take them to court.
Isn't there something called a State Constitution??
I'm surprised the Republicans haven't passed laws breaking up that "socialist cabal" called the Green Bay Packers so it could be privatized and sold off to the highest bidder.
The people of Wisconsin need to go on strike.
Glad to be FROM Wisconsin, and never going back.
1
The GOP in Wisconsin don't want a democracy. Instead they want a dictatorship. Their mantra is simple: If they can't beat you straight up then they will cheat you. If they can't do neither, they will strip you[of your power].
Since Trick Dick Nixon, the Republican Party has undergone a transmogrification. Today's Republican Party has become an insult to the root word "republic," meaning elected representative government.
"Republican" has taken on a new and sinister meaning:
noun - a person disguised in the cloth of democracy who is secretly a true believer in despotic monarchy.
adjective - favoring, supporting, advocating for a despotic monarchy in a secretive, deceptive way.
So, really, is there any doubt that Republicans are pretty much purely evil despots?
1
Republicans no longer even pretend to be interested in democracy.
1
Need any more proof that Republicans have no respect for Democracy?
1
That first sentence is very hard to follow.
Wisconsin can’t be understand without understanding the Koch Brothers and the ways in which their out of state big money impacted elections, gerrymandering, voter suppression and corruption of the WI tradition. Add a corrupt and ignorant Walker and uneducated voters who were suckered into their promises and you have a mess. Sad.
1
Isn't there a definition of State Treason against a State of the Union, separately from Treason as a US Constitution definition?i
Yet another example of why the current version of the GOP is anti-democracy, neofascist, cheats. They deserve to disappear as a viable political party in our country.
Why does this sort of thing seem to happen only with Republicans?
This is a page right out of Mitch McConnell's playbook, chapter 1, Power and Privilege.
1
This is the face of the Republican party: dirty, backroom deals that seek to hold power against the will of the people. When your health insurance is cancelled, you know who to blame.
1
What’s up with the 10 weeks between our elections and the elections to take effect? So people can bury the skeletons and sign their own pardons?
The lame duck period in this country between elections and when they take effect is another grotesque remainder from the times travel and the spreading of news was done by horse carriage in this country. It needs to go.
2
I don't know why the Times considers what theRepublicans are doing a big mistake. They are not making a mitake; they are very clearly and consciously attempting to retain power and continue their policies. If they succeed they won't look around and say "Gee we made a big mistake." The plan i wrong, it violates a number of the key assumtions of democracy, it's a crude power grab -- and it's not a mistake. Mistakes can be corrected by those who make them. This is nbot what's going to happen if they succeed,.
1
A vote for a Republican is a vote to be disenfranchised.
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Is this the much vaunted American democracy? Sounds more like Venezuela.
2
Strange that the GOP, which is supposed to be about individual freedom and free markets is the now most totalitarian and fascist party. Sad thing is that revolutions are noticed and contained, but this gradual erosion of power will not be noticed until one day we wake up and find that we have become Russia. By then it will be too late.
The Republican Party is the most hyperindulged collection of bullies and cheats in the USA. It is utterly devoid of positive attributes.
2
Blame the Koch brothers, Wilson is just their stooge.
Inherited money has poisoned our politics.
Money is not free speech.
It is high time to publicly declare the fact that the republican party is not a political party but rather a criminal organization.
1
This is one result of the Citizens United decision empowering people like the Koch Brothers, the Mercer family and Sheldon Adelson to remake democracy to their villainous advantage. It is anti ethical to everything the Founders envisioned as the United States of America, sending us clearly down the path to an oligarchy, SHAME!!
2
What a glaring, and malevolent, abuse by republicans, trying to emasculate the power of the incoming democratic governor...before they leave. Shameful, and unjustifiable. Not even pigs fly this low. No decency left?
1
Wisconsinite here. After Walker's win in 2010, he and the Republican majority gutted the Unions with Act 10. Before that vote, many of the Democratic elected officials fled to Illinois in an attempt to delay the vote long enough to raise opposition to the bill. It failed and the bill passed.
What did I hear from Republican friends and Republican voices on radio and TV after that vote, and after the 2012 recall election? "Elections have consequences." (It was usually preceded by an expletive of one sort or another.)
Funny, I'm not hearing that now from my conservative friends and talking heads here in Milwaukee.
Oh, and I'd love to hear political commentator Charlie Sykes' take on what the Wisconsin Republicans are doing today. He was the most powerful conservative talking head in Wisconsin back in Walker's first terms (some would say he was the puppet master to Walker's puppet show) and it was he that led the charge telling liberals to shut up and take their medicine. Charlie, if you are truly on a mission to redeem yourself, there's not better time than now to speak up.
2
This Wi Democrat is totally disgusted. It is appalling to see Walker, his cronies and Koch brothers destroy our state.
3
I hope the people of Wisconsin run the GOP out of town.
2
After January 2019, Scott Walker should get admitted to a decent college, preferably in science subject (to learn few basics of truth and logic, and learn things beyond the fairy-tales of God and religion). His family must ensure that Scott finishes his college education this time. Uneducated and religious fundamentalist politicians are very dangerous to any secular democracy like yours.
1
Mario Savio said
“There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part. You can't even passively take part! And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it — that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!”
Wisconsin, North Carolina and Michigan. Same playbook. Republicans hate democracy.
2
This piece is blatantly mislabeled, because it doesn't say why this GOP plot is 'a mistake.' The GOP will pay no price in this effort to move one step closer to their long term goal of fascism ... the only way they can actually rule over an unwilling majority.
1
Is there no legal action to challenge this de facto nullification of the last election? The actions of the Wisconsin state legislature are dangerous to the health of a democratic republic. They might as well have passed a law doing away with elections.
1
RepubLieCons are becoming bolder, more clearly showing their true governing philosophy, based on authoritarian rule, blithely showing their total disregard for the will of the voters, preferring instead to affirm their obsequiousness to the donor class.
As the proportion of the electorate that supports RepubLieCons slowly declines, it appears their desperation to hold on to power is leading them to innovate more and more ways to subvert American democracy. If they succeed with their latest experiments in perversions of power (Wisconsin, and possibly Michigan, in 2018, North Carolina in 2016), we can expect more of the same, and probably more experiments, in 2020.
As RepubLieCons become bolder, and more desperate to maintain power by whatever anti-democratic means necessary, it becomes more incumbent on us as citizens to assert ourselves, to leverage our superior numbers in an effort to revitalize the quest for a more perfect union.
2
This reminds me of the defense offered for the My Lai massacre in the Vietnam war: "We had to destroy the village in order to save it."
However, I would not use the word "mistake" to characterize it, because that implies it will backfire on them, and there is no indication that it will. Rather, I would call it a "huge injustice." As people said in 2016 when Trump threatened to repudiate a loss, the peaceful transfer of power was a core of democracy. But if the other side is said to be evil, abusing power to destroy them and the system will seem justified.
2
I blame Newt Gingrich. It was he who raised the temperature on political discourse so any cooperation or compromise between the parties was interpreted as disloyalty.
But it is Congressional and party GOP leaders who permit this rabid base in the states to proliferate.
Allegiance to the Republican Party is now half its recent glory. This is why. It's also why they lost the election.
3
Newt Gingrich, execrably self-dealing, bloviating wretch that he is, is nothing more than an early symptom of a far deeper core syndrome of the anti-democratic, institutional bigotry that defines the emergent GOP of our contemporary time.
Pursuant to the 5th and 14th Amendments, legislation which is not reasonably related to a legitimate state interest, is unlawful. Obviously, it is not a legitimate state interest to weaken the powers of Democratic officials. An honest federal judiciary should overturn all these acts.
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@bmz Neither the 5th or 14th amendment are applicable. The 5th is about criminal due process and the 14th is equal protection.
@bmz: The Federal Judiciary continues to be systematically infiltrated with kooks and cranks who believe the Establishment Clause interferes with God's administration of the US. It will shortly become useless to decide anything.
@bmz: States are a contrivance to perpetuate unequally protective laws that originally included the option for lawful indefinite indenture and/or slavery. As long as the states continue to be treated as semi-sovereign entities, they will have leeway to compete with each other culturally with unequally protective laws.
1
It's a huge mistake, but what can the good people of Wisconsin do about it? If they sue, what happens then? It heads to the Supreme Court? Despite Justice Roberts' comments that there aren't Bush judges and Obama judges, I have little faith in our institutions any more.
4
@A Teacher: Many of them seem to consider themselves God's judges. US judges really are the least supervised government officials with material effects on people's lives.
1
Merrick Garland was not called by Senate and Maj. Leader McConell said they wont allow this nomination as its election year , now the same guys are weakening the democracy in lameduck session after losing the election . Why Critical Bills are allowed during this period . LameDuck Sessions should be used only for Transition and for governance alone . First they captured all state legislatures and focused on Judiciary , then gerrymandered now they are diluting the powers of Governors and Attorney Generals . Now Courts are filled with GOP .
3
Living my whole life within the parliamentary style of government we have in Canada whereby, the party that wins the most seats in a federal or provincial election forms the government and its leader is made head of the government, I find it baffling that there are separate elections for the government and the head of the government within a given jurisdiction. So the Republicans lose the governorship but win the general election and lose the race for attorney general. So the legislature could vote to restrict the powers of the governor. One would think that changes could be made at least at the state level to let the winning party name a governor from their winning candidates. How can a governor implement his or her agenda if the government is controlled by the other party? Stranger than fiction.
Will they rescind these laws when a republican is elected for governor? That's the question that all democrats should be asking. And then, take them to court.
1
America is a democracy.
This article shows Republicans are against democracy.
Therefore voting for Republicans is anti-American.
Patriots don't vote Republican.
19
I recall hearing Karl Rove proudly announce after the 2004 elections, that the Republican party has found the way to control a majority of state governments and the federal government for the next 40 years. Is this not one of the tactics utilized to attain control? The unexpected Supreme Court decision to remove supervision of states previously violating fair voting laws only improved the odds of success at voter suppression. Democrats now have to win by near 60% margins in many states to reflect the true public vote.
8
At this point it seems the only recourse for WI voters is to hit the streets and protest.
8
Maybe we should stop calling Republicans conservative. This is a radical change.
7
@Covert
"Conservative" means churchy.
I'd like to know how ANY American citizen, even if they DO identify as 'Republican', would be 'OK' with this full on assault on democracy.
8
Disgusting.
5
They want to burn $7 million in taxpayer money to help re-elect one of their judges? Oh, I pray they do it. Imagine the attack ads. He would be toast.
7
What can one say? Clearly, one "blue wave" was not enough. The rampant criminality that puts up yet another anti-constitutional measure even as its twin was struck down in the courts foreshadows the sort of corrupt tinhorn dictatorship to which the Republican Party would reduce every state of our nation.
The People must unite as never before to overcome this cynical Big Money assault on our Constitution and democracy itself. No one else is coming to save us. It is down to We The People. Our nation has been divided by bigotry and afflicted by war before. But never in our worst trials, have we faced a Constitutional crisis with the virtual certainty that the Presidency itself were occupied by a` self-interested traitor. Nor at any time would we have imagined that such a criminal were aided and abetted by a Party willing to defend his every crime.
No one who cherishes democracy may now abandon the struggle. We must each of us continue to march, to donate, and to turn out and defend the vote as never before. If you love your country, don't just comment here. Rise up!!
9
The Republican party has become an evil empire of anti-democratic shysters who want to destroy the US Constitution and the Rule of Law.
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If you are a Republican, the title of this opinion would be "Wisconsin is About to Make a Huge Win". But in reality, the win would be outlawing the Democratic party altogether.
3
The GOP keeps pushing like this, they may not like the form pushback eventually comes in. As the old saying goes, “You reap what you sow.”
6
The headline is misleading. The article does not address in any way why “Wisconsin is about to make a huge mistake.”
It seems to me that the people of Wisconsin have spoken, but those still in power have found ways to guarantee continued dominance. How is that a mistake, unless a popular revolution is the eventual result?
2
Can anyone read stories like this and not think that our democracy is at risk?
"Reagan conservatives" would NEVER have tried to pull stunts like, back in the days when Scott Walker was 15 years old!
6
NOW is when the residents of Wisconsin need to take over the State House. Even those who did not vote for the Democrat who won need to be very concerned because their own rights are being undermined.The Republicans are undermining the very concept of Democracy. they are also weakening the office that has the power to fight for the citizens of the state.Be afraid citizens of Wisconsin- be very afraid. And act...NOW!
5
Why can't the Democrats take these issues to court? Even if they don't win at least the issues would be brought out in the light of day before the voters.
2
As this article notes, the proposed legislation by the Republican controlled state legislature in Wisconsin has been done in other Republican controlled states. Isn't it time to move beyond this and name names? Just what are the think tanks and organizations that come up with these ideas and then lobby them through by finding and then financially supporting these candidates to pass them? More importantly who are the people behind all the money that funds all this?
Much of this information is in Jane Mayer's book "Dark Money " but that needs to be updated and improved upon. Just how are these "funders" being enriched and to what extent.
5
I moved here from Maryland 32 years ago. Most of the time it has been a good government, but not since 2010. I was at the Capital in 2011. I am ashamed of Walker and the GOP. This is wrong!!!
6
This has been going on for years. Republicans are domestic enemies of the U.S. Constitution. Thank God that light is being shown upon them.
5
The GOP fights dirty. We, the people of this country, have to fight back if we still believe in what we have been given. If not it will be stolen from us.
2
We should expect no less from Scott Walker. This is a man who, in the late eighties when he and I were both students at Marquette, reacted to the student newspaper's endorsement of his rival in a student government election by stealing all the newspapers. He did this as a teenager. What else would you expect when you give real power to a child like that (and he still acts like a spoiled child).
7
GOP bravely defends Badger State citizens from horrors of democracy, facts, science, education, jobs with a future, international trade, fair wages, affordable health insurance, clean air and water and secure retirement. Amazing.
2
And this is a huge mistake because? Seems like genius from a GOP point of view. But the Democrats are still talking like Obama; it won't get the country anywhere.
Good for the governor. This paper remained mute when Obama left his trail of sabotage for the incoming Trump administration. Obama authorized spying, insured the deep state would leak like a siv, and did everything in his power to leave a road to political carnage. This is the new game of politics. The democrats lobbed the first salvo. Stay tuned.
The Republicans' strategy, at both the state and national levels, is very much the same as that of the fascists of Poland and Hungary, who are being promoted by Putin. A brilliant strategy to weaken the West by remaking it in Russia's image. I wonder how far down into the Republican Party the Russian connection will extend, once the floorboards are peeled away (*if* they are) and we can see it.
3
The bill also gives the Legislature the right to effectively act as its own attorney general by granting the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization the power to hire its own special counsel if it determines it is in the “interests of the state” to do so. (Both Mr. Vos and Scott Fitzgerald, the Senate majority leader, who is collaborating closely with Mr. Vos, are members of the committee.)
When did Fascists seize control of Wisconsin? Because that's what these people are. Plain and simple.
5