Democrat says he'll appeal to Walker to veto GOP power play

People protest the legislature's extraordinary session during the official Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Capitol in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. Demonstrators booed outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday during the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, at times drowning out a high school choir with their own songs in protest of a Republican effort to gut the powers of his Democratic successor. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP)

 Mark Hoffman

TODAY, December 7, we’re observing the 77th anniversary of Pearl Harbor attack by Japan. On this December, we’re shocked by the attack on our WI democracy by the GOP controlled legislature. This day will live in infamy!

I’m still SHOCKED by the astounding undermining of the choice of WE THE PEOPLE of WI to change the policies of our state. Despite MORE votes cast for Democrat candidates for our legislature, the GOP kept control because of their unconstitutional gerrymandering! START contrast with our WISCONSIN tradition of PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRACY! Where’s Fighting Bob LaFollette?!

Right now, Governor Scott Walker must make a very challenging ethical decision! VETO these anti-democratic LAME DUCK session bills OR undermine our WI democracy. I wrote to Governor Walker yesterday expressing my audacity of hope that he will make the ethical decisions to underscore democracy in WI. Here’s my email to the Governor:

“I am totally embarrassed by the legislation passed by the Lame Duck Session of our legislature, Gov. Walker. What reasonable motivation caused shortening of early voting?! I KNOW YOU were disappointed that WE THE PEOPLE of WI elected TONY EVERS to be our governor, but we made a significant choice. YOU know that MORE votes were cast for DEMOCRAT candidates for our legislature than GOP candidates, but gerrymandering distorted the results! PLEASE - maintaining a healthy democracy in WI requires that you VETO these bills. Gratefully & Hopefully, John.”

The behavior of our GOP controlled legislature this week has put WI into the national spotlight! The Washington Post headlined, "Wisconsin lawmakers vote to strip power from the incoming Democratic governor, attorney general."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on the humor which the national political satire publication, The Onion (which started in Madison, WI in 1996 and became national) with the headline, "GOP-Controlled Wisconsin Legislature Votes to Dissolve State Rather Than Let Democrats Have It."

Will WE THE PEOPLE of WI save democracy in our state?! I’ll be reading your comments.

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