So What Do They Want?

As you may know, the Republicans in the Wisconsin State Legislature, who outnumber Democrats because of unfair gerrymandering, want a slice of the decision-making pie.

Or, not. Maybe they want the whole deal. Maybe they want to control the process. You have to wonder.

The Republicans sued Governor Tony Evers the other day because they think that his May 26 expiration date of Safe at Home is too far off. They are worried, as are most Republicans, that the economy won't recover sufficiently.

I have news: That's not going to happen anyhow. People know that going outside is still taking risks. They're going to limit their excursions to the least possible interactions. The president, a Republican, is providing no leadership in getting testing and a vaccine. He just wants to make money again as soon as possible.

Has it occurred to any of them that the longer you wait, the surer the exit plan will be, the better the economy will be, too? Has it occurred to any of them that, the more confident people will be, the quicker and more robust the economy?

Opening stores won't make people rush into them. Safety will. People who want to spend money aren't as crazy to do so as the people who want to make it. When things are safe, the economy will purr like a kitten and it will quickly look like nothing has happened.

But that time's a long way off now. Social distancing is paying off, but not right away. It is a slow, tiring slog. You can't pretend that people are sure if they're not. If you set the table, you must still wait for people to be seated. If I'm not sure, I won't do it. Whenever the economy is allowed to come back, it will limp along for some time.

There is no security. Nobody knows who is infected and who isn't. It's now common knowledge that lots of people are asymptomatic carriers. Social distancing is still necessary. There's no vaccine; that apparently won't happen for at least another year. Testing is not common. Who are we kidding here?

So you have to wonder what the deal is with Republicans. Is their brand, making money, being sullied to an embarrassing degree? Will people forget that they passed a tax cut to help mainly the very wealthy, to the cost of most of the rest of us?

Or is it that in Wisconsin, there's a fear of embarrassment because other states are slowly opening things back up and they will look, well, wimpy? And a Republican cannot look wimpy, especially now that it has a party leader who will guard against that no matter what.

Do they just want a seat at the decision-making table? But the Wisconsin constitution gives the governor powers to cut back on commerce in case of an epidemic. Those powers are unilateral; the governor has the power to make emergency decisions for "persons and property," but he's also limited to 60 days without legislative approval. So could say that he's just taking the time he's been given.

A change in the Wisconsin state constitution takes a majority vote by both houses of two consecutive legislatures; in other words, it has to wait until an election intervenes and then try again. Then the voters must approve in a separate election. Heavy lift, and moot in terms of this situation.

Haven't legislative Republicans lost their street credibility after getting people sick--as has been proven--by bullying the state into voting in the last election, without delay? The state Supreme Court, also dominated by Republicans, backed that decision, nullifying Evers' attempt to delay the election until June. So you might say that they're utilizing their advantage while they have it, even though it backfired and 54% of the electorate voted against the guy they wanted on the state Supreme Court.  The high court's balance of Republicans has been cut to 4-3 now, so they'd better hurry while there are no more elections on the horizon and with time, maybe voters' memories won't be fresh.

That's cynical, and there's no greater cynicism than having the voters outside during an epidemic. So I'm sure the Wisconsin legislative Republicans are figuring that as long as they got away with that, why not try to rein in Evers' powers some more?

Either that, or they just want a seat at the negotiating table. I wonder if Evers will agree to do that, but if he's smart, that decision will be driven primarily by science, as his Safe at Home decision has already been.

As it is, Evers' order allows the following businesses to stay open: Healthcare providers; groceries; bakeries; pharmacies; family caregivers; convenience stores; gas stations; pet supply stores; liquor stores; businesses providing food and beverage manufacturing, processing and distribution; animal shelters; banks; insurance offices; hardware stores; carpenters, electricians and plumbers; laundromats; post offices; office supply and IT equipment; transportation services like busses, taxis, Uber and Lyft; and hotels and motels but no workout rooms, hot tubs or pools.

Starting April 24, curbside book exchanges can take place at the library. And you can play golf though clubhouses are closed.

Sounds like a thorough list, though you can't get a haircut. We're all going to look pretty shaggy by May 26. Otherwise, unemployment has soared in Wisconsin as it has elsewhere. I heard on NPR the other day that unemployment will probably hit 16% later this year. That's devastating.

So I get why Republicans are worried, and why they want a say in what constitutes a "necessary" business. But it's better to be too tough at the start than having to get tough later. People are edgy and angry enough the way it is. But the virus is still out there, still raising havoc, still taking lives. If you were the governor, what would you do? How could you look yourself in the mirror?

Tony Evers, despite his calm manner, is being something the president says he is but actually isn't: Strong and decisive. The state has not yet been overrun by this virus, though it's suffered plenty. I would use those numbers as evidence in the hearing to come. I would put forth this simple concept: Steady as it goes. And I would definitely bring in the sickness that the election, and the decision that the court made earlier, brought.

Technically, Evers' second order goes past the 60 days that the state constitution says he can control things: His first order went into effect on March 25, and the end of the second order takes place on May 26, 62 days later. So Republicans can quibble with that if they want and take back Memorial Day weekend. But it looks like they want limitations to end May 1, to keep up with states with Republican governors, and that's too soon. We can dodge a major bullet if we just hang in there, as annoying and uncomfortable as it is. Let's hope the Wisconsin Supreme Court steps aside from its primarily partisan stance and agrees.

Be well. Be careful. With some luck, I'll see you down the road.


Mister Mark