Please leave the acting to equity professionals...

The Wisconsin Assembly's Committee on Campaigns and Elections is made up of Representatives Freese, chairperson, Gundrum, vice chairperson and Representatives J. Wood, Vos, Travis, and Kessler.

Chairman Freese put on quite a show battling for a higher standard of ethics. Let's call him the good cop, fighting for much needed campaign reform and stronger powers of enforcement. He even went so far as to threaten bad cop, John Gard and his minions with resigning from his leadership position in the Assembly if his committee's campaign reform bill, SB 1, was not brought up for a vote.

Yesterday this keystone cop-out performance came to a close. Many of these wooden actors took their bows and left the stage, left the theater, knowing their checks will remain safely in the mail. No fear! With a tough election ahead most Republican Assembly legislators can count on having all of that Illinois cash and other special interest contributions continue to flow into their campaigns - with no questions asked.

Only these seven Republicans had the courage to stand along side ALL of the Democrats in the Assembly yesterday to vote "Aye" in hopes of a move toward ethical campaign reform: Albers, Davis, Hines, Lasee, McCormick, Ott and Pettis. The motion to bring SB1 to a floor vote failed 51-45. Where were those four missing Republican votes that would have given Wisconsin citizens a means to investigate all of the dirty money that is ruining our democracy?

Look to the Wisconsin Assembly's Committee on Campaigns and Elections - the ones who fought so hard to bring SB1 to the floor for a vote. The nay voting committee members included Freese, Gundrum, Wood and Vos - the four Republicans. The aye votes included members Travis and Kessler - the two Democrats.

In the final fight scene Freeze froze... a shabby actor with a bad script. Broadway investors with fists full of money may keep this show running for a few more months, but with a hot summer ahead, people will be raising an abundance of tomatoes in preparation for November.

Natives are restless...

"It's clear that the legislature has the votes to pass ethics reform, but the leadership is afraid to bring it to the floor," says Ed Garvey. Hear him introducing Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's Mike McCabe at the Capitol this morning, who then speaks to protesters, followed by Nino Amato and Rep. Mark Pocan - all demanding an Assembly vote on the campaign reform bills passed by the Senate. SB1 combines the State Ethics and Elections Boards as originally envisioned by the People's Legislature in their first assembly more than a year ago. Click to read highlights on the protest posted by Dave Callender in the Cap Times.

While Rep. Steve Freese (R) continues to wring his hands in frustration, I can't help but note that he was also responsible for altering the original bill as approved by the Senate. Endorsed 28 - 5 and then blessed by Gov. Doyle, Freese and his committee members then added in additional capacity to investigate local elected officials instead of keeping the powers of the new agency limited to monitoring only state legislators. IMHO the wave of indignation that followed became a means to effectively stall out the clock...

While Freese says the amendments for locals could be removed, he also says, wiping away those pesky crocodile tears, that he thinks the bill is dead for this session. Whew! That was close... Pocan threatens a filibuster!

Support Wisconsin Citizens' Right to Breathe Clean Air

Big Tobacco, the Wisconsin Tavern League, and their allies in the State Senate are making a last ditch effort to pass legislation that will take away your right to breathe clean air.

Assembly Bill 414/Senate Bill 202 would overturn 26 local smoke-free ordinances and prevent communities from protecting their citizens from secondhand smoke in the future. This legislation would expose Wisconsin's citizens to more secondhand smoke. This bill will be voted on Wednesday - please take action today. Fill out this on-line form to e-mail your State Senator. Urge him or her to oppose AB 414/SB 202.

Learn more about SmokeFree Wisconsin - a single issue organization whose mission is to promote effective tobacco control policies that will protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke; prevent the initiation of smoking, especially among children; and ensure that there is a well-funded, comprehensive and effective statewide tobacco prevention program.

I just sent this letter to legislators using the form above...

Dear [Lawmaker]:

I am writing to strongly urge you to oppose AB 414/SB 202 or any attempt to limit the ability of local governments to protect us from the dangers of secondhand smoke. AB 414/SB 202 would put smoke back on the menu in many parts of the state.

When do you stop trying to take local control away from citizens and their elected officials? There is a pretty bad record accumulating in this regard. Voters will be informed in November and hold you accountable.

Voters in the City of Appleton just voted to keep their 100% smoke-free ordinance by an overwhelming 57%. Three weeks later, some in the legislature want to pass a state law that overturns this vote, along with 25 other local policies around the\nstate.

Your constituents are keenly aware of the health harms caused by secondhand smoke. The 4,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke, including ammonia, arsenic, and carbon monoxide are especially dangerous for our children, the elderly, and people exposed\nto secondhand smoke every day at work.

I urge you to reject this last minute attempt to undermine public health in Wisconsin by exposing more residents and workers to secondhand smoke. The legislature should enact a law that protects all workers and patrons from secondhand smoke - not less. State government certainly should not hamstring local leaders who are willing to enact meaningful protections.

Please vote no on AB 414 and SB 202.

Sincerely,
Steve Kastner,
Editor and Publisher...
Door County Compass
The Wisconsin Progressive

Hail to the Chief

Charlie Savage, Boston Globe Staff reports on April 30, 2006...
Bush challenges hundreds of laws
President cites powers of his office

WASHINGTON - President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.

Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ''whistle-blower" protections for nuclear regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in federally funded research. More...

In case you missed it...
'The March for Peace, Justice, and Democracy'
Organizers say over 300,000 people demonstrated in New York City on Saturday, marching for 30 city blocks demanding an end to the Iraq war. Since the media blinked past it with, at best a mention of the "tens of thousands," you may wish to read a full report by Tom Engelhardt that paints a larger picture of the, "20 packed blocks of demonstrators - bands, puppets, signs by the thousands, vets by the hundreds (if not the thousands), huge contingents of military families, congeries of the young, labor, women, the clergy, university and high school students, raging grannies, radical cheerleaders, and who knows who else - an enormous mass of humanity as far as the eye can see and probably another 10 to 15 blocks beyond that."

Our own Donna is having making trouble in Florida...
Students at the University of Miami are hunger striking to demand that Miami President, and former Clinton cabinet member Donna Shalala honor the right of campus janitors to form a union. This hunger strike is ongoing and follows on the heels of a two-week hunger strike by janitors at the university. They need your support.
Send a letter to Shalala.