Tony Evers. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – One of Governor Tony Evers’ biggest failures is his total inability to work with the state legislature. He’s a democrat. They’re republicans. He never meets with legislative leaders. There’s no give and take on the issues of the day. The governor is reduced to tramping around the state to hand out what’s left of the Biden bucks from the COVID pandemic.
The governor calls special sessions that are certain to gavel-in and gavel-out as a way of scoring political points. The latest Evers scheme is to allow voters to propose direct legislation – where citizens could gather petition signatures and put specific legislation on the ballot. It is probably illegal; the state Constitution says the laws originate in the legislature.
That Evers would propose such a scheme only shows how ineffective he is. If there were direct legislation, perhaps there would be a majority of state voters to re-start abortion in Wisconsin. Marijuana also might also be legalized.
But conservatives would also be busy gathering signatures, and they’d have the popular vote to dismantle many liberal touchstones. Affirmative action for college admissions? Voters consistently favor merit based college admissions. Voters might strike down all affirmative action in Wisconsin. Bans on low-bail or no-bail? Voters would overwhelmingly approve that. Requiring police to turn illegal immigrants over to ICE? That would pass. Bans on teaching critical race theory? A Florida-style ‘don’t say gay’ bill? A ban on boys competing on girls athletic teams? All of that would become law in Wisconsin. Who knows? Voters might even go for a flat tax, or proposals that reign in out-of-control state spending. Plans that automatically refund a state surplus to the taxpayers might be okay’ed by the voters too.
Tony Evers is desperate to do anything to re-start the abortion industry in Wisconsin. And that’s a shame. But direct voting on laws? Remember Mr. Governor, a lot of your liberal policies are unpopular. And conservatives could vote for the changes they want too.
Chris Conley.
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