Committee considers lawmakers' secret successors
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A legislative committee is set to consider a bill that would allow state lawmakers to create secret lists of emergency successors.
The measure calls for every legislator to secretly make a list of three to seven people who would succeed them. Lawmakers would have to make the list every two years. It would not be subject to Wisconsin's open records law.
If an enemy attack results in more than nine vacancies in the Senate or more than 25 openings in the Assembly the presiding officer in each house would appoint the successors to the open seats.
The Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Homeland Security is scheduled to vote on the bill Thursday.
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:11 a.m.
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What a stupid idea -- we have a method of replacing lawmakers -- it is call special election -- this is just another indication that the liberal lawmakers in the majority in Madison right now arrogantly believe they are smarter than their constituents --
Jul 15, 2009 at 11:55 p.m.
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This is a case where I would like to buy the legislators for what they are worth....and sell them for what they think they are worth....that would be my ticket out of the recession for sure.
Jul 15, 2009 at 6:51 p.m.
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Apparently this is a bill that the Legislative Council deemed necessary. It raises a lot of questions – In what scenario would an enemy target the Wisconsin Legislature? If it was wiped out, would our first priority be to find replacements? What kind of people on that list would be willing to step up and take their place after a bunch of representatives and senators just got wiped out? Our state could get by just fine without a legislature for a while, but in a case like this wouldn't you think the feds might step in and start running things?
It would be interesting to see the people on some of the lists. Family, friends, staff, people they owe a favor....
Jul 15, 2009 at 2:03 p.m.
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TERM LIMITS; plain and simple. Our legislatures are not so special that they could not be easily replaced, it seems they have no special qualifications or insights and they surely don't seem to represent our best interests. Just my humble opinion, of course.
Jul 15, 2009 at 1:58 p.m.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuity_...
Jul 15, 2009 at 12:28 p.m.
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I see our State & Federal Government are working hard again at, not doing "Important" legislation. Man, They're getting good at it!
We're getting more & more of this kind of crap! Open Records laws were created to keep Governments HONEST. OH wait..Government + Honest hasn't equated now for several years now..
So why does this surprise us?
Jul 15, 2009 at 11:37 a.m.
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We elect them, we should be able to appoint their "secret" successors! It's the government run amok, just like the our new president with his open transparent administration!! HA!
Jul 15, 2009 at 11:03 a.m.
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Where is the emergency plan when spending outpaces revenue ?????????
Jul 15, 2009 at 10:58 a.m.
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This sounds like another wack-job bill from State Rep. 'Snarlin' Marlin Schneider. Will be interesting to see if Speaker Sheridan lets this come to the Assembly floor.
Jul 15, 2009 at 9:28 a.m.
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Enemy attack? Oh no, are we going to war with Canada?
Jul 15, 2009 at 9:25 a.m.
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How will they know if they have anyone on their list if it is a secret? Wouldn't it make more sense to not tell everyone if it is a secret? Will the people supposedly on the lists know if their names are on them? If they do, does this qualify anymore as a secret? If a secret falls in a forest where no one can hear it, does it exist?
Jul 15, 2009 at 8:24 a.m.
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How about if the voters keep a secret list of potential replacements in the event of an emergency, such as the legislature creating another wacky law.
Jul 15, 2009 at 8:17 a.m.
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I didn't know we had become a oligarchy. Plan for replacements: voting.
Jul 15, 2009 at 7:49 a.m.
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I'm concerned about the logistics in this. If the successor list is secret whats to say the presiding officer doesn't create his own list while everyone is in a state of panic?
Jul 15, 2009 at 7:38 a.m.
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Next on the agenda: Emergency plans to deal with aliens when they land and try to take the children.
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