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Parting thoughts from an advocate for democracy in Wisconsin
It’s been quite a stretch of time, for Wisconsin and for our nation, these past eight and a half years. During this time, our system of government has been tested as never before, and we’ve seen the rise of a full blown anti-democracy movement in this country. And we’ve witnessed things I thought I’d never […]
Robin Vos wants to gag citizens
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos wants to take your voice away. The shared revenue bill that the Assembly Republicans just introduced “would ban counties, municipalities from putting advisory referendums on the ballot,” according to JR Ross of WisPolitics. Vos and his cohorts don’t even want your advice! They don’t want to hear from you at all, […]
Wisconsin Republicans’ ‘riot bill’ endangers free speech
No matter our background, zip code or race, most Wisconsinites understand that free speech is crucial for a well-functioning democracy. Our society, and our faith communities, have a long tradition of speaking truth to power. Sometimes that truth is uncomfortable. Sometimes that truth is disruptive. Sometimes that truth is scary. But we have to be […]
Evers salutes democracy in second-term inaugural
Gov. Tony Evers delivered a full-throated defense of democracy in his graceful second inaugural address this week. “Each time this oath is taken is a profound display of democracy,” he said. “One much like the fundamental right to cast a ballot; like the right to have fair and secure elections, free from interference by politicians; […]
How Wisconsin Supreme Court races became so partisan
Judicial races in Wisconsin are supposed to be nonpartisan. Technically, they still are. And ideally, that’s the way they should be. Our judges and justices should be above partisanship. They should be impartial arbiters of the law, not beholden to one party or another — or one ideology or another. But over the last 15 […]
Progressive issues are popular issues
When the latest Marquette Law School poll came out, everyone in the media was focusing on the gains that Ron DeSantis has been making versus Donald Trump in the Republican field. But far more interesting to me were the poll numbers on the issues that people rank as most important, nationwide. Here the startling thing […]
Spending in Wisconsin governor’s race smashes record
Candidate and smear group spending has already shattered the old record for spending in a Wisconsin governor’s race, topping $114.6 million, according to a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign preliminary review.The previous candidate and group spending record was $93.03 million in the 2018 Wisconsin governor’s race.Recently filed campaign finance reports by the 2022 candidates showed the seven […]
Outside spending on elections hits horrifying new high
Outside groups that explicitly tell people who to vote for have spent more than $52.3 million in Wisconsin, a new record. Groups backing Republican candidates have spent more than three times more than Democratic groups with a week to go before the Nov. 8 elections. As of Monday morning, express advocacy groups supporting Republicans have […]
Rational hope in a time of despair
OK, let’s face it head on: Many of us are in despair right now over the direction of our country. Part of the problem is our reactionary Supreme Court. The horrendous decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was the biggest kick in the teeth. But the Court’s decision on guns, despite the weekly mass shootings […]
GOP still riling up its base with the Big Lie
Indifferent to the revelations of the Jan. 6 hearings, the GOP in Wisconsin is riling up its base with the Big Lie even as those hearings are under way. This week, the Republican National Committee and the Wisconsin Republic Party launched a nine-city “election integrity” tour. That would be a laughable joke if it weren’t […]
Praise for Dean Knudson, decision time for Vos
Dean Knudson deserves praise for telling the truth about the November 2020 elections. One of the Republicans on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Knudson announced his resignation on May 27, and he made no bones about the nonsense some Republicans have been peddling about Donald Trump’s loss to Joe Biden. “Trump lost the election in 2020, […]
The terrible toll of white nationalism
Revulsion is too tame a word for what I’ve been feeling ever since the heinous racist massacre in Buffalo on Saturday. But I can’t say that I’m surprised by it. Because this is the natural outcome when political leaders and media hotshots traffic in hatred and bigotry. This is what happens when Donald Trump blows […]