Rachel Maddow Nails How Utterly Nutty Wis GOP Has Become (Now With Even More Voter Suppression)
Must see video (H/T to BruinKid for his comment/tip on how to embed this since the "new" MSNBC video no longer embeds):
She nailed it from the extremism to the petty bullying that has infested our State Legislature since the Red Tide election of 2010.
After taking even more extremist anti-abortion legislation off the table as I diaried here, saying they were going to end the legislative session on a lighter note, Republicans in the State Assembly pulled out a brand new shiny Voter Suppression Bill and resurrected a bill to allow state-issued anti-abortion license plates.
They did this because they got into a snit about Assembly Democrats calling for a vote on an already approved bill to honor the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre which passed the State Senate unanimously. Republicans in the Assembly refused to even consider that bill. Why? Nobody seems to know. So, in retaliation, they brought out more extremist bills including a brand new one to further restrict voting in Wisconsin. Yes, it's gotten that petty.
She nailed it from the extremism to the petty bullying that has infested our State Legislature since the Red Tide election of 2010.
After taking even more extremist anti-abortion legislation off the table as I diaried here, saying they were going to end the legislative session on a lighter note, Republicans in the State Assembly pulled out a brand new shiny Voter Suppression Bill and resurrected a bill to allow state-issued anti-abortion license plates.
They did this because they got into a snit about Assembly Democrats calling for a vote on an already approved bill to honor the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre which passed the State Senate unanimously. Republicans in the Assembly refused to even consider that bill. Why? Nobody seems to know. So, in retaliation, they brought out more extremist bills including a brand new one to further restrict voting in Wisconsin. Yes, it's gotten that petty.
The most severe of the voter suppression measures Republicans passed
in 2011, including the presentation of a state-issued ID, are on hold by
the courts. Left in place, however, are measures that restrict early
voting and absentee ballots, as well as a requirement that all voters
must sign the poll book. These measures increase the amount voters who
must vote in person as well as increase the actual amount of time poll
workers need to spend with each voter. Of course, this increases the
lines of people who vote, further discouraging those with busy schedules
or in crowded voting precincts. And that's the intent of those laws -
to suppress the vote in Democratic areas.
That wasn't enough for Republicans, though. Their brand new shiny voter suppression bill removes ALL weekend voting (their limitation to 1 weekend from 3 in 2011 wasn't restrictive enough to prevent electoral wins by Tammy Baldwin and Barack Obama in 2012) and restricts early voting to ONE WEEK and ONLY during the hours of 7:30 AM - 5 PM (that'll show those folks who try to vote before or after work).
Not only that, but anyone without that ID needs to sign an affidavit that they're indigent and their "vote" is not guaranteed to be counted. A person who doesn't have the time to go during work hours to get that ID, has no transportation to a DMV for that ID, or who can't obtain the documents necessary for the ID will have to declare their indigent and possibly get their vote tossed if they aren't.
So, here we go again.
On top of all of this, they want to make the Chief Justice position based on the election of the fellow justices (currently it's the most senior Justice and has been done that way for more than 100 years). Naturally, they want to impose the will of the RW 4 of 7 justices who have bought their seats instead of having moderate Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson as the Chief based on her long history of service on the State Supreme Court.
And they've also succeeded in changing the reasons for recall to the reasons Scott Walker cited during his own recall. There has been no reason necessary other than the will of the voters. Now the recalled official must be charged and/or convicted of a felony or ethics violation. This would make it impossible for Walker to have politically profited from the voter anger that made him Milwaukee County Executive had it been in effect 15 years ago. It would also make it impossible for us to recall anyone for malfeasance in office or anything outside of criminal behavior.
I think we be "safe" from them for the next year. They're done with their extremism until after the next election because they can't count on the poor memories of Wisconsinites or the power of their massive money to ensure their re-election.
They know no bottom and know no shame.
.
That wasn't enough for Republicans, though. Their brand new shiny voter suppression bill removes ALL weekend voting (their limitation to 1 weekend from 3 in 2011 wasn't restrictive enough to prevent electoral wins by Tammy Baldwin and Barack Obama in 2012) and restricts early voting to ONE WEEK and ONLY during the hours of 7:30 AM - 5 PM (that'll show those folks who try to vote before or after work).
Not only that, but anyone without that ID needs to sign an affidavit that they're indigent and their "vote" is not guaranteed to be counted. A person who doesn't have the time to go during work hours to get that ID, has no transportation to a DMV for that ID, or who can't obtain the documents necessary for the ID will have to declare their indigent and possibly get their vote tossed if they aren't.
So, here we go again.
On top of all of this, they want to make the Chief Justice position based on the election of the fellow justices (currently it's the most senior Justice and has been done that way for more than 100 years). Naturally, they want to impose the will of the RW 4 of 7 justices who have bought their seats instead of having moderate Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson as the Chief based on her long history of service on the State Supreme Court.
And they've also succeeded in changing the reasons for recall to the reasons Scott Walker cited during his own recall. There has been no reason necessary other than the will of the voters. Now the recalled official must be charged and/or convicted of a felony or ethics violation. This would make it impossible for Walker to have politically profited from the voter anger that made him Milwaukee County Executive had it been in effect 15 years ago. It would also make it impossible for us to recall anyone for malfeasance in office or anything outside of criminal behavior.
I think we be "safe" from them for the next year. They're done with their extremism until after the next election because they can't count on the poor memories of Wisconsinites or the power of their massive money to ensure their re-election.
They know no bottom and know no shame.
.
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