Politics & Government

COMMENTARY

Learning from Bob Menendez and Robin Vos

BY: - September 28, 2023

Say what you will about Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J), the motives for his alleged crimes are crystal clear. It doesn’t take an advanced degree in public policy to understand the “eye-popping photos of gold bars and money-stuffed envelopes”  — as reporter Dana DiFilippo of the New Jersey Monitor put it — which Menendez and his […]

Sen. Bob Menendez leaves the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse in Manhattan after pleading not guilty to federal corruption charges on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. (Aristide Economopoulos for New Jersey Monitor)

Menendez to address U.S. Senate Democrats Thursday about his indictment

BY: - September 28, 2023

WASHINGTON — New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez will address his Democratic colleagues in a closed-door meeting Thursday amid growing calls for him to resign following a federal indictment. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that he was “deeply disappointed, disturbed” after reading the indictment, which charged Menendez with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy […]

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U.S. Senate panel weighs free speech and deep fakes in AI campaign ads 

BY: - September 28, 2023

Artificial intelligence could be used to disrupt U.S. election campaigns, members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration said during a Wednesday hearing. But the hearing showed that imposing laws and regulations on campaign content without violating constitutional rights to political speech will be difficult. Elections pose a particular challenge for AI, an […]

The farm bill is on the verge of expiring. Congress is months away from a new version.

BY: - September 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — As the deadline for Congress to pass a new farm bill looms this weekend, staff members of the House and Senate Agriculture committees say it will be months — if not longer — until they reach agreement on a new bill. Lawmakers must rewrite the sweeping farm bill every five years to set […]

Republican tax cut bill takes a step forward in the Wisconsin Senate

BY: - September 27, 2023

A Republican bill that would further flatten Wisconsin’s state income tax and eliminate taxes for retirees up to a certain income advanced during two legislative meetings on Tuesday, despite facing a likely veto from Gov. Tony Evers. The Joint Finance Committee voted 11-4 along party lines to advance the bill that would cut taxes in […]

Authors of sweeping anti-poverty proposal say it can help state’s workforce needs

BY: - September 27, 2023

Democratic lawmakers rolled out a massive draft bill Tuesday aimed at tackling poverty by addressing housing, transportation, and a host of related factors that the backers say keep people on the margins and out of the workforce. The authors, Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) and Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick), opted for a broad approach in the […]

Anti-abortion groups call on district attorneys to enforce 1849 law

BY: - September 27, 2023

Anti-abortion groups are calling for Milwaukee and Dane County district attorneys to prosecute abortion providers, who started offering services in Wisconsin for the first time in 15 months last week. Wisconsin Right to Life, Wisconsin Family Action and Pro-Life Wisconsin issued the demand at a press conference in the state Capitol on Tuesday. It comes […]

Republican lawmakers reject additional positions for DSPS

BY: - September 27, 2023

Republican lawmakers rejected a request on Tuesday from the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) to grant the agency additional positions and funding through the end of 2025.  Gov. Tony Evers called on the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) to approve additional positions and funding last month, after announcing that he would be using federal […]

Senate elections committee pointedly excludes state elections commission from hearing

BY: - September 26, 2023

The Wisconsin Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection held a hearing Tuesday on voting access for people with disabilities as well as a number of bipartisan election bills.  While the meeting was notably free from the election conspiracy theories that have been prevalent in the committee and the Senate as a whole […]

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) speaks during a press conference at Hudson County Community College’s North Hudson Campus on September 25, 2023 in Union City, New Jersey.

Menendez urged to step down by a growing number of U.S. Senate Democrats

BY: and - September 26, 2023

WASHINGTON — More than a dozen U.S. Senate Democrats are calling on New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez to resign following his indictment on corruption charges for the second time. In a statement Tuesday, Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin called the charges against Menendez “deeply troubling” and said that the accusations against the New Jersey […]

The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. (Jim Small | Arizona Mirror)

U.S. Supreme Court rejects Alabama’s request to stay redistricting decision

BY: - September 26, 2023

The United States Supreme Court Tuesday denied Alabama’s request to stay a lower court decision directing a special master to draw new congressional maps for Alabama to remedy Voting Rights Act violations. The nation’s high court dismissed the request in two one-sentence orders Tuesday morning. No opinions were given with the decision, which could open […]

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Despite political backlash, socially responsible investing is still popular, advisor says

BY: - September 26, 2023

Investment strategies that peer into the corporate soul — or at least what’s reflected in a company’s behavior — continue to draw a growing number of investors, both individuals and organizations.  Tim Smith of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility says popularity remains at an all-time high for investment guidance that can help people who […]