In Wisconsin, More Republican Fast-Tracking (Read: Power-Play Sleaze)
This is the core, Post-Walker election GOP tactic in Wisconsin: avoid careful consideration, stifle debate and vote hurriedly with lock-step majority votes lined up.
Stopping at nothing, they are planning to give quick approval to the entire Walker budget using a parliamentary tactic designed for emergencies or specifics. Not an entire budget, with two-years' spending and tons of policies and billions in spending to debate, amend, etc.
It's what got them into so much trouble when they stepped on the Open Meetings law to ram through Walker's union-busting/fake budget-repair bill.
And what they want to establish in permitting at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for everything from routine reviews to strip mine approvals.
Their buzzword is "streamlining," but their intent is to limit citizen input and pave the way for special interest favors at the expense of shared, publicly-held resources.
They love to manipulate the law, including running fake candidates in the recall elections their arrogance has triggered.
Their overreaching eventually will cost them their majorities, but their extremist policies and practices are doing damage every day.
7 comments:
I hate to say it, because I agree with you about 99% of the time, but I don't think it's actually ILLEGAL to run in an election against somebody, regardless of party affiliation. Immoral, maybe; dishonest, yeah; sleazy, you betcha; shame-free, too true. But not, ya know, illegal. Let's reserve that word for the things that actually are against the law. (Like, say, convening meetings without sufficient notice.)
My bad. You did say "manipulate the law," not "break the law" or "illegal." Humble apologies. I promise to read better next time.
Great post, Jim.
Political scientist Barry Pump noted the devolution of political norms in Wisconsin a while back. He also linked them to the jihad tactics introduced by Newt Gingrich almost 30 years ago.
"Stopping at nothing, they are planning to give quick approval to the entire Walker budget using a parliamentary tactic designed for emergencies or specifics. Not an entire budget, with two-years' spending and tons of policies and billions in spending to debate, amend, etc."
Why don't you show us the actual parliamentary procedure they are using? Is it because the actual procedure is much less of a bogeyman than Rep. Pocan would have us all believe?
Why didn't Rep. Pocan tell us how the procedures the Dems used to pass the budget(s) last session were actually MORE restrictive to the minority party?
Seriously... instead of pumping more noise into the echo chamber, why don't you actually provide the source docs and not just a partisan's interpretation?
The actual parliamentary procedure, as mentioned by Pocan, is an extraordinary session. See Special and Extraordinary Sessions of the Wisconsin Legislature.
page 1: As the names suggest, “special” and “extraordinary” sessions of the Wisconsin Legislature differ from regular sessions in their purposes and procedures. They are similar to each other in that they are called solely to consider one or more specified topics or pieces of legislation. Their chief difference is that a special session is called by the governor and an extraordinary session is initiated by the legislature.
page 7: action in the extraordinary session is limited to the business specified in the call by which it was authorized
the legislature ... may designate specific pieces of legislation for the session agenda.
An extraordinary session is a means by which to hurry through a piece of legislature. The use of this tactic, in context of their pending recall vote, indicates these Senators are not deterred by the Wisconsin public's outcry. It seems clear now that the Republicans value a delay of the Senate recall vote to push through as much last-minute legislature as they can. Speak to them with your vote.
It'll be necessary to challenge the legitimacy and the legality of the Reopublicans running fake candidates running in the Dem primaries. After all, it's not a Republican primary, and they admit they're running Repub candidates.
Or at least challenge the timing and legitimacy of the primaries. Demand to squeeze 'em in so that all the recall elections are still held at the same time.
Sitting there and doing nothing? It's a losers' strategy.
And it'll result in much damage to the general health and welfare of the State, as well as further electoral losses.
You have to stand up and demand that rules apply and are enforced.
The parliamentary procedure being used is truly called an "extraordinary" session. It is a session called by the legislature. Action in the extraordinary session is limited to the business specified in the call by which it was authorized.
It is a desperate tactic to push through their unwanted agenda.
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