Uppity Wisconsin

Every year about this time, citizens from all across the state come to the Capitol to inform and educate their Legislators. These citizen lobbyists are so critical to our democratic process. They provide insight necessary to make wise public policy decisions. As Marcia Avner puts it, “Public policy is the set of decisions that we make as a society about how we will care for one another, our communities and the land.”

A couple weeks ago, farmers filled the Capitol halls. Last Wednesday was Nursing Home Advocacy Day. If ever we need to make wise policy decisions about the way we care for one another, it is how we care for our elderly and disabled.

I had the opportunity to meet with Nursing Home Administrators from around the state including our Senate District. They talked about being paid well below their costs by the state’s Medicaid program and, as a result, about wanting to improve buildings and upgrade facilities and not being able; about wanting to pay their workers more and not being able.

Just got word that our proposal to build a system for transparency web sites for Wisconsin townships has moved foward in the Knight News Challenge, and we are being allowed to submit a full proposal for the second stage.  Downsville leads the nation. 

Wisconsin Republicans vote for wars. They vote to deny low income children healthcare benefits. They vote for reducing financial regulations and oversight. They vote against tough restrictions on clean water and air.

These are Wisconsin representatives that voted in favor of giving taxpayer money to Wall Street fat cats, with NO strings attached, but when it comes to Wisconsin citizens, who do they represent?

Rep. James Sensenbrenner cries "same old song." Tom Petri says this stuff won't help the economy.

And every single one of the other Congressional House Republicans (plus 12 Democrats!) voted against the Federal stimulus package proposed by our new president. And they wonder how they lost the election? HA!

Update III: History of the Filibuster and Cloture - Great for those who seem believe that we just cannot survive without this relic from the 1850s. 
 
Update II: Thank you William Greider: Stop Senator No, Senate Dems should disable the rule that gives Mitch McConnell a virtual veto over anything he wants to kill. Advocating the filibuster defies reason.

Update: Bush is acting now, good for him.

The take-away from last night is: Kill the filibuster.

At this moment when a depression is facing the American people on the heels of two historic elections and Democrats' huge majorities in the House and Senate, are we going to let the antiquated filibuster halt needed legislation next session?

Southern Republican senators [Bush seems to be a non-actor] would throw the country into a depression to lower the wages of workers and break unions.

To borrow a line from Art Kumbalek of the Milwaukee Shepherd Express, "Man, oh Manishevitz, what a world we live in, ain' it?"

We the taxpayers are being called upon to socialize recapitalize, not only the financial markets, but now the auto industry, too. Who's next, the retailers?

Something has to be done to save the more than 3 million workers serving this domestic industry, something we sadly could not accomplish to keep the Janesville, Wis., plant alive.

As America enters what is feared to be a long and deep recession, one question is whether we save or let fade our auto industry.

The GOP has long been hostile to the auto industry's unions so any union-busting opportunity not used is a wasted opportunity, in their view: Let 'em crash, millions of jobs lost, so what?

House Republicans sitting in their fantasy world spouting free market bromides are capable of anything.

But does anyone believe that saving the millions of jobs that depend on the domestic auto industry is not in itself sufficient cause to act?

The new Congress and President will act, and Republicans as a Party opposing comprehensive measures will find themselves by the political wayside very quickly.

The economy will be geared toward establishing a middle class and raising families by this new administration.

Health care reform and the whole array of initiatives addressing the concerns of real people will become policy next year, and the Republicans will scream while they lose a generation or two of voters who will see the results.