Annette Ziegler is upset. The Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is unhappy about changes to her power that the new, progressive majority of the Court has apparently foisted upon her because, after all, they're now in the majority. That has to tell you a couple of things:
- That whatever restrictions the progressive justices had upon them were intolerable; and
- That they are very aware that their majority may not last forever. In other words, once you have power, you'd better use it.
So, too, is the decisive and sudden effort of the state's Attorney General, Josh Kaul, to move the legal machinery to get a decision on abortion in front of the Court. Expect the same thing to start happening in the consideration of how electoral districts are determined.
In its totality, Wisconsin remains a slightly blue state. By their collective dominance over legislative elections, Republicans have fooled themselves into believing that their political machinations over legislative districting would last forever. Uh-uh. Now they reap the whirlwind.
They made it a point not to play fair for over a decade, coming ever so close to providing themselves with a veto-proof majority in both houses. And Annette Ziegler is upset because her side can't benefit from not playing fair anymore? Too bad. So sad.
Thing is, redistricting can only provide the state with more competitive districts. Republicans are undeniably in control in vast rural areas of the state, and Democrats can only hope to cut into some of them. But the oppressive, blatantly unbalanced nature of the present districting was meant only to perpetuate power, not to ever test it in any meaningful way.
Congressional races are proving to be the litmus test. In the last election campaign, two of the eight districts had no Democratic challengers. As noted here before, the Republican gerrymandered districts had guaranteed a 60-40 split between Republican and Democrats. 20 points is an impossible hurdle. It has rendered those districts uncompetitive, as it has rendered the two Democratic districts uncompetitive as well.
That's not democracy. That's a phony system without decent choices. What's emerging is what elsewhere was called the Solid South, except Democrats dominated those states. With no competition to test political thinking, it led to entrenched racism. Here, it's led to entrenched MAGA.
Beyond that, with the number of 'safe' districts increasing, the primary races become distorted. With one party guaranteed to win, the competing thinking becomes tilted toward radicalization--who can become crazier than the other person. So, to hang onto a position, a legislator must come out early with positions they wouldn't otherwise take. So, too, it stays that way while they serve in office, compromising with no one for fear that a primary opponent will emerge. It isn't the only explanation behind the polarization of our politics, but it ranks near the top.
If the present majority on the state Supreme Court can head that off at least somewhat, it will do our state a world of good. It might tone down the kind of political ads that we're now used to seeing, filled with hyperbole and smearing. It might get people to talk to each other again.
Normally, that wouldn't sound like a high bar over which to leap. There was the day in which that bar wasn't even necessary. But with an unconquerably dominant, nearly super-majority, one side has lorded it over the rest of us, pressing down with their thumbs to crush any opposition.
That's going to stop, at least for a few years. Tony Evers' presence in the governor's mansion shouldn't be the only thing stopping the Republicans from imposing absolute rule over Wisconsin. Now, the second of the three branches have people in them who seek to balance the scales.
That Annette Ziegler has sour grapes about that is to be expected. Compare that, though, with the discomfort that progressives have felt since Mr. F. Gow (Most Recent Former Governor of Wisconsin) was able to manipulate the entire system to favor not only Republicans, but anyone against unions that dismayed him. Maybe someone will do something about that, too. We can only hope.
Be well. Be careful. With some luck, I'll see you down the road.
Mister Mark
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