Drama & farce: WI budget hangs on car parts amendment to suit 1 legislator
[6/26 update: The legislator says the budget provision does not secure his vote. Stay tuned. Further update: His vote is secured. Whew!!]
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Want to know how far down the once-Great State of Wisconsin has been dragged by the Once-Grand Old Party?
After outlandish legislative maneuvering, unjust justices and eight-years of special-interested Walkerite contamination - - and over-the-top partisanship that has all but buried fair play - - whether Republicans can pass a two-year, do-little state budget in a Legislature they control through ostentatious gerrymandering apparently comes down to whether one GOP Senator will trade his purported fiscal conservatism for an 11th-hour amendment that could boost a car parts business he says he only engages in as a hobby.
When they go lower, there's always a new bottom:
This isn't public policy budgeting. It's public policy farce - - but what do you expect from a legislature where dozens of members were just revealed to be passing bills to help the apartment businesses they own and not a single consequence has come their way.
-----------------------------------------
Want to know how far down the once-Great State of Wisconsin has been dragged by the Once-Grand Old Party?
After outlandish legislative maneuvering, unjust justices and eight-years of special-interested Walkerite contamination - - and over-the-top partisanship that has all but buried fair play - - whether Republicans can pass a two-year, do-little state budget in a Legislature they control through ostentatious gerrymandering apparently comes down to whether one GOP Senator will trade his purported fiscal conservatism for an 11th-hour amendment that could boost a car parts business he says he only engages in as a hobby.
When they go lower, there's always a new bottom:
Provision on electric vehicles is aimed at getting GOP senator who sells Tesla parts to vote for budget
A last-minute budget provision to make it easier to sell cars made by Tesla is aimed at winning the crucial vote of Sen. Chris Kapenga, who has pushed for the measure in the past and owns a business that sells Tesla parts and salvaged electric vehicles...
Getting Kapenga's vote is essential for Republicans. Republicans control the Senate 19-14. Two Republicans — Steve Nass of Whitewater and David Craig of Big Bend — have said they will vote against the budget, and Republicans can't afford to lose any more because all Democrats oppose it.If you want Tesla to be able to more easily sell cars in Wisconsin, just legislate that on its merits - - and, by the way - - stop punishing electric car owners with newly-added vehicle registration fees.
This isn't public policy budgeting. It's public policy farce - - but what do you expect from a legislature where dozens of members were just revealed to be passing bills to help the apartment businesses they own and not a single consequence has come their way.
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| GOP State Sen. Chris Kapenga |
1 comment:
WTF
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