Fitzgerald, speaking to reporters after Senate Republicans met privately Tuesday, acknowledged there are political ramifications to the debate on moving the state’s upcoming presidential primary, now slated for April 7, 2020. That’s also when Justice Daniel Kelly, a Walker appointee, could stand for election to a 10-year term on the high court...That's DemocratIC primary to you, fat man.
Moving the presidential vote could help Kelly because Democrats are expected to have a wide-open fight for their party’s presidential nomination — and high turnout among their supporters — in 2020, while Republicans would have a quiet primary if President Donald Trump is renominated without serious challenge.
“Certainly there’s many people that think that Justice Kelly would have a better chance if there’s not really this competitive Democrat primary for president,” Fitzgerald said.
At least you're an honest sleazeball
And does the lame-duck bill have any money that will help local communities pay for such a move? OF COURSE NOT. This adds yet another burden to local Wisconsin governments that are so broke that they've added numerous wheel taxes in recent years, and many held referenda this November to maintain police, fire and social services. So now each community has to come up with enough money in 2020 to hold FIVE statewide elections (3 in Spring, August primary, and November presidential election) because of this GOP BS?
In addition, the GOP wants to lessen the ability of Wisconsinites to vote early, after Madison and Milwaukee had several weeks and sites for early voting in this November's election, which assisted in the high turnout that helped beat Scott Walker and Brad Schimel. Even the Legislative Fiscal Bureau admits that this GOP plan is likely to be found illegal...again.
2. In-Person Application Dates for Absentee Ballots. Modify the dates during which a qualified elector may apply for an absentee ballot in-person such that applications may be made no earlier than the third Saturday preceding the election and no later than the Friday preceding the election. Modify the days during which an application may be received such that an application may only be received Monday to Saturday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Under current law, a qualified elector may apply for an absentee ballot in-person no earlier than the third Monday preceding the election and no later than the Friday preceding the election. Currently under statute, applications may be received Monday to Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. However, it should be noted that in One Wisconsin Institute v. Thomsen, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ruled that the state-imposed limits on days and times for in-person absentee voting are unconstitutional, with the exception of the prohibition applicable to the Monday before Election Day.At the same time, the WisGOP plan removes burdens on military voters, and gives them a benefit of the doubt that other Wisconsinites don't get.
3. Voting Procedures for Military and Overseas Electors. Modify current law to specify that an individual signing the witness certification for an absentee ballot cast by a military elector or overseas elector need not be a United States citizen. Provide that all overseas electors may receive absentee ballots electronically, regardless of whether such electors are considered permanently or temporarily overseas. The bill would modify current law so that it complies with the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. This provision is identical to 2017 Assembly Bill 947, as introduced.By the way, I think this is a good provision, but I can't help but ask why WisGOP doesn't think it isn't good enough for the rest of us.
As Craig Gilbert noted yesterday in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, it's the higher-population, higher-educated areas in Wisconsin that have turned away from the GOP in the last 2 elections.
This map compares the election results by county in Wisconsin with the 2000 and 2004 presidential races, then,compared it to the votes in the 2016 presidential race and 2018 governor's race. All of these races were decided by less than 30,000 votes, but Gilbert notes there was a major difference in how many places in Wisconsin voted in the late 2010s vs the early 2000s,
This doesnt seem like a sustainable situation for WISGOP, because the areas that are turning bluer are higher-educated areas with growing populations, while the reddest areas are generally places where people are leaving and dying.
It's so telling to me that WisGOP's reaction to being defeated in all 5 statewide races this November isn't to question why people chose Democrats instead of them, and possibly change their policies or approach. Instead, they double down on the scummy tactics that have turned so many educated people away from them in the first place, and this type of Thunderdome BS is something that decent people are not going to forget.
Especially because it reiterates that there ARE NO DECENT REPUBLICANS. Not if they shove through this garbage in a post-election lame-duck session.
All it would take is two Republican senators to turn this whole thing down. If we had more competitive districts, more might be worried. As it stands, there were only two Republican Senators in the past two election cycles who were even close.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to see when the redistricting reform provision gets added to remove the Governor from the process . . . I wouldn't be shocked to see that slipped in in the dark of night.