News Highlights of the Days - 3/24 and 3/25

Before I launch into this afternoon/evening's madness involving WI Act 10, it is time to play catch-up with the news from yesterday and today.

I had also said a post on education was coming. It is, but has been stalled to the contents of my next post.

Education in Brief:
Wednesday was the Senate Education Committee hearing on SB-22 (regarding setting up an appointed state chartering authority to create charter schools) as well as a few other unsavory bills. Summary of the Ed Com hearing on SB 22. http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/blog/article_c406a4da-55b5-11e0-9c47-001cc4c03286.html

It's not exactly news, since it is spelled out in the Biennial Budget, but the Biennial Budget will eliminate teacher licensing requirements for charters: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_53098d18-5549-11e0-9361-001cc4c03286.html. This opens up the possibility that a teacher who has had their license *revoked* could end up teaching at a charter school. I want to challenge the Republicans on this: Are their lawyers members of the bar? Are their doctors certified? Do they want drivers to be licensed? It's bad enough to consider ending up with a highly politicized separate school system that is private/public partnership, but to think that it could be WORSE while being billed as better is just horrible. 
  
Republicans also want to expand private school vouchers (a program currently operating only in Milwaukee, and only for low-income families): http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2011/03/24/news/local_news/news2403.txt. They'd also consider tax credits to families who send their children to private school. Again, more on education another time. 
 
Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission:
In the Budget, the counsel for the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC) will act as a mediator (and final authority) for labor disputes (since we won't have unions). It would also make this position*appointed* (and thus, probably politically biased). http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/walkers-budget-would-make-wi-labor-mediator-political-appointee.php.  Yet again, Walker is continuing to consolidate power in the hands of the Governor, while removing power from legislators, citizens, and local governments (where citizens, of course, have the most influence). And it amazes me how little resistance the Republicans are putting up. Perhaps they didn't realize that their party is supposedly all about removing government interference and getting rid of big government...

And, there are questions about whether WERC (Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission) will be able to hold elections for unions in time for the deadline in the WI Act 10: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/118552299.html. Plus, that article contains more info on Open Meetings suit.


Budget Repair Bill: The second coming:
In order to pass WI Act 10, all fiscal provisions were (theoretically) stripped out so that it could pass with a simple majority. Now, the fiscal parts of Budget Repair are lurking: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_f00eeec0-a9ef-5e63-b726-8fd4773d82c3.html
Many of these are things that many of us are opposed to, such as the sale of our state's power plants, potentially in a no-bid sale. The legislature returns on April 5th (election day). 


Voter ID Update:
With the upcoming Supreme Court Justice election, and the recent debate in the Senate over a Voter ID bill, there have been a lot of concerns that they would pass it just before the election, and disenfranchise many people. The ID law not in effect for April 5 election! http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/crime_and_courts/blog/article_275151ba-557b-11e0-972c-001cc4c03286.html. It hasn't passed both houses, and they are on recess until April 5. Even if it does get passed and is signed, La Follette might wait the full 10 days to publish, so it won't be in effect by April 5th, regardless. The reason the Senate did not push it through without the Democrats is that if they removed the fiscal element, it would have been very likely to have been challenged for it's constitutionality (forcing people to pay for an ID in order to vote can be considered a poll tax).  

Open Meetings Lawsuit, and The Importance of The State Supreme Court:
On Thursday, an appeals court sent the Open Meetings case to State Supreme Court: http://budget.wispolitics.com/2011/03/appeals-court-asks-supreme-court-to.html

This is a clear explanation of why the April 5th election matters: there are many legal challenges pending (including a new one today, which claims that WI Act 10 contains fiscal components, and thus there was not quorum to vote on it: http://budget.wispolitics.com/2011/03/report-unions-lawsuit-alleges.html). Many, if not all, of these looming cases will end up at the Supreme Court. 

Also, this will be a fairly wide-reaching decision - one thing the appeals court is asking the Supreme Court to rule on is whether a ciruit court judge can strike down a law that has been passed, if there were open meetings violations. If the answer is no, then our open meetings laws may lose some of their teeth - I am not sure, and I plan to try to learn more.  

  

Supreme Court incumbent Prosser will, as a current Supreme Court Justice, help decide whether the Court will hear the appeal of the Open Meetings violation suit: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_83ea87ea-566e-11e0-a3a7-001cc4c03286.html

 

 Provocation:
On Thursday, a second Indiana prosecutor resigned after suggesting that the government in Wisconsin use violence during the protests.  Initially, it was reported that an email had been sent to Walker, suggesting that he could stage an attack on himself, possibly involving firearms, which could then be pinned on the protesters and the unions. In the initial reports, there was a claim that this man's email had been hacked, and that despite his strong Republican leanings, he hadn't actually sent this: http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2011/03/24/email-to-walker-suggested-faking-attack-on-governor/
However, it sounds like yesterday, the man admitted to sending the email, and stepped down from his position: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_4b9b989a-565d-11e0-b49f-001cc4c03286.html. Poor Indiana. At this rate, they'll run out of prosecutors. 

"Starve the Poor"
The Theme Of The Day on Thursday was "Starve the Poor."  The Department of Corrections on a proposal to reduce inmate meals from three times a day, to twice a day:  http://host.madison.com/ct/blogs/article_d56cb380-5647-11e0-aa1d-001cc4c03286.htm
At least the Department of Corrections has concerns about this plan. Admittedly, their concerns are about control, while mine are more about humane treatment... This also sets up a very sweet deal for private companies, if/when our prisons are privatized. Also: making inmates pay for medication is in no way acceptable. Especially for illness/injury sustained during/as result of incarceration. This article also lists some of the things made using prison labor. Ever wondered about how the state makes hundreds of photocopies, or installs furniture? Yup, mostly prison labor. 

Continuing the "Starve the Poor" theme, part of this federal bill would prevent people who strike from going on (or getting increased benefits from) food stamps: http://thinkprogress.org/2011/03/23/buried-provision-food-stamps/. The bill also has a lot to do with checking eligibility - which is code for "We are pretty sure you people are cheating the system" - here in WI, they want to check eligibility for Medicaid more often...but eligibility for private school vouchers *less* often. It's all about the privatization! Cut back on funding social service programs so that we can divert that money to the private sector.

Capitol Access and Damage Assessment: 

The DOA continues to attempt to figure out how much damage our unruly crowd of thuggish protesters caused, and also, what access we will have to the Capitol: http://dailyreporter.com/blog/2011/03/24/doa-capitol-damage-estimate-could-take-weeks/

Apparently, legislators (all) are being asked to remove signs from windows (which, of course, means that the Dems are being asked to remove signs from windows): http://wseusepac.blogspot.com/2011/03/republicans-do-not-like-democrats.html. Wonder when DOA will notice the signs in my building...or if they'll make Grothman take down the Tea Party flag on his door (I believe decorating might be against DOA regulations as well - it certainly is in my building, though many people do decorate their cubes with pictures of family, cute magnets, and various other personalized touches).

Regarding the Biennial Budget: 
Yesterday, it was announced that the JFC will begin budget briefings starting next week. The schedule is posted: http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/110324_agency_briefings.pdf. Agencies will brief JFC on the implications of the budget on their services/programs, and then the JFC will determine what version of the Biennial Budget the houses will vote on. There is no public testimony at these briefings. Since they are technically briefings, rather than hearings, I am not sure if they will be open to the public. Given the current tone of the administration, I suspect that if it is at all legal (or could be construed as legal) to close these meetings, they will do so.


Members of the public can testify, and listen to public testimony, at a series of hearings around the state, which were announced today. The Republicans, never resisting a chance to criticize the former Democratic administration, and also never missing a chance to sound like they are making major overtures towards bipartisanship, announced these dates in a letter to the Democrats on the JFC. The dates are in the letter at http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/March11/0325/0325jfchearings.pdf. (Note to readers: I am seeking a ride to Milwaukee for the April 11th hearing, as early as possible in the morning).


For some very readable budget analysis/explanation, the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WCCF) has published their thoughts at http://thewheelerreport.com/releases/March11/0323/0323wccf.pdf. Their analysis focuses on women, children, low-income people, and the way that social service reductions will impact these folks. 


Moving Forward: I'll end this post on an optimistic note (perhaps overly optimistic) from the Isthmus, regarding what the coalition-building results of Walker's anti-union campaign have been: http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=32875

And, this evening, about 50 bicyclists rode in circles (around the Capitol) in protest of Walker's budget: http://host.madison.com/ct/blogs/article_9b3ed6fe-56f4-11e0-a76a-001cc4c002e0.html. At least one bus driver honked out "this is what democracy looks like." A frequent chant was "More Bikes Less Walker."  And after our group got separated a few times by stopping at the (very frequent) red lights, the police told us to just keep riding, to stick together, and to ignore the lights!