All Politics Are Local

All Politics Are Local

Change Starts Here

Election season is upon us once again.

Wisconsin Democrats are putting up more quality candidates than we have seen for many years. Women, veterans, business leaders and union workers are running strong campaigns across the state, including traditionally GOP voting districts like ours.

Dennis Degenhardt, the recently retired CEO of West Bend’s Glacier Hills Credit Union, has been knocking on doors and meeting voters across the 58^th Assembly District all Summer. Building on his special election run for the same seat last winter when he won the City of West Bend over Rep. Rick Gundrum, Dennis is making his case directly to the voters on the issues that matter. 

Degenhardt’s campaign is focused on support for affordable universal healthcare, stronger support for public education, creation of family sustaining jobs, fiscal responsibility for state spending, protection of Wisconsin’s natural resources and ensuring fair elections. His website is found at https://www.degenhardtforassembly.com

Chris Ralf, a Navy veteran and businesswoman, is running strong against Rep. Rob Brooks in the 60^th Assembly district. She was recently the beneficiary of a gift from Gov. Scott Walker when Walker called on Brooks should resign from the Assembly after making offensive racial and sexual comments about several GOP women assembly members while intoxicated. Brooks stepped down as Assistant Assembly Majority Leader, but refused to resign. 

Rahlf’s campaign is focused on sustainable economic growth, increased protection for the environment, stronger support for public education, fair elections and affordable universal healthcare. Her website is found at http://chrisrahlfforassembly.com

Emily Siegrist, an Army veteran and nurse, is running in the 24^th Assembly District against Rep. Dan Knodl. She promotes universal healthcare, increased support for public education, renewing Wisconsin’s infrastructure, support for veterans and protection of the environment. Emily’s website is found at https://www.emilysiegristforwi.com

All of these candidates for Washington County assembly seats share something else in common. All of their Republican opponents have refused every opportunity to debate or share public events with them. The non-partisan Ozaukee County Chapter of the League of Women Voters proposed debates in each of the districts where the incumbents and challengers could describe their visions and take questions form their constituents. All the GOP incumbents refused this time-honored format, but suggested one forum for all of the candidates. When that demand was agreed to, they demanded more conditions such as choice of moderators and influence over the questions to be asked. The League wisely backed away.  Rep. Gundrum refused to debate Degenhardt during the special election campaign and has, so far, failed to respond to an invitation from groups at UWM-WC to a candidate forum on their campus next week. Brooks has already declined to attend. All the invited Democrats agreed to attend.

These GOP representatives seem to be acting in concert with other GOP Assembly members who have also refused to meet face to face with Democratic challengers in front of their constituents. One has to wonder what they are afraid might happen should they meet with voters in something other than a friendly forum with scripted questions followed by buzz word answers. 

Perhaps they might be asked to explain how they might respond to Gov. Walker’s about face on issues like education, healthcare and transportation. Once hallowed GOP ground, Walker has sullied the party line by recently adopting very democratic sounding ideas like full 2/3 state support for cost of public education, required coverage for pre-existing conditions and increased funding for Wisconsin’s crumbling roadways. Walker’s new promises ring hollow when we recognize that he does not have the support from his colleagues in the Legislature for any of these measures. He knows he can promise the moon in order to gain another term when he also knows that his cronies will never allow him to deliver. 

The pre-existing condition coverage promise is all the more hypocritical after Walker unleased Attorney General Brad Schimel to join other Republican governors in suing the federal government to overturn the Affordable Care Act which provides the very coverage he now claims to support.

Walker even tried to outdo State Superintendent of Schools Tony Evers by claiming the mantle of “Education Governor.” While it is true that Walker proposes to significantly increase “education” funding in the next budget, he forgets to mention that most of the increase would  go into the failed voucher/school choice pot, not the “public education” pot he and the Legislature have slashed to the marrow of the bone. GOP restrictions on local control and funding through referenda remain untouched.

Voters indeed have a choice next month. We can restore Wisconsin to its great traditions of strong. Locally controlled public education, a pristine protected environment, fair taxes spread equitably and elections free from gerrymandered chicanery or re-elect those afraid to meet their challengers to debate the issues of the day in front of their constituents and a governor who is willing to say and do anything to get re-elected. 

Confirming Kavanaugh

Confirming Kavanaugh Sends the Wrong Message

The confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh quickly morphed from a dispassionate examination of his credentials and judicial record into another sordid chapter in the divisive partisan politics that have consumed our body politic ever since Newt Gingrich decided to adopt a scorched earth approach to achieve a one-sided political landscape. The partisan divide aside, the hearings also brought sexual assault and violence towards women face to face with angry white male privilege and entitlement. We are none the better for either.

Whether you believe Dr. Ford’s allegations or Kavanaugh’s denials, the televised hearings made one thing very clear. Judge Kavanaugh did not display anything that comes close to approaching the temperament we expect from judges. Having practiced law in State and Federal trial courts, State and Federal Courts of Appeal and the Wisconsin Supreme Court, I have run across all manner of judicial behavior. There have been partisans and umpires, those with open biases and closed minds, prosecutors who never left their world view, scholars and political hacks at all levels of the judiciary. Fortunately, many of those ill-suited for the bench don’t last long in the robes. They either chaffed at the constraints or failed to earn the trust of their colleagues. 

The standards for judicial conduct are set out in the ABA Standards of Judicial Conduct and State level equivalents based upon them. Federal Judges, including Judge Kavanaugh who sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, are bound by the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges. That Code has five Canons which state the broad rules. They are:

Canon 1: A Judge Should Uphold the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary
Canon 2: A Judge Should Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in All Activities
Canon 3: A Judge Should Perform the Duties of the Office Fairly, Impartially and Diligently
Canon 4: A Judge May Engage in Extrajudicial Activities That are Consistent With the Obligations of Judicial Office
Canon 5: A Judge Should Refrain From Political Activity

Each Canon has detailed explanations of their meanings and the broad sweep of their coverage. 

Judge Kavanaugh’s angry outburst during his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee after Dr. Ford’s testimony and many of his responses to questions put to him by the Senators clearly demonstrated a lack of judicial temperament and violated Canons 2, 3 and 5. Any one of these violations should disqualify him from confirmation to the United States Supreme Court. The most egregious came when he accused Democrats, including the Clintons, of engaging in a calculated conspiracy involving Dr. Ford and his other accusers to deny him his seat on the Court. Kavanaugh’s lack of judicial demeanor caused over 1,700 law professors and the largest group of protestant Christian churches to call for his nomination to be withdrawn or rejected. I cannot imagine ever appearing in his court and expecting a fair hearing while representing a cause even loosely tied to an issue espoused by Democrats or involving sexual violence against women. His mind will be made up before the case is even called.

Kavanaugh’s disqualifying demeanor should have caused those responsible for his nomination to withdraw it or for the GOP Senators to reject it. Neither course was taken. 

President Trump, after weeks of restraint, finally caved back into his baser instincts. He recently tweeted and spoke demeaning Dr. Ford and her unholy alliance with Democrats. He heaped praise on Kavanaugh and bemoaned the damage done to his reputation and family. Most telling was Trump’s rallying cry that young men must now fear being guilty of similar false accusations, especially for youthful indiscretions. Trump and Kavanaugh both expressed their clear entitlement to do what they will as part of their privileged stations in life. No mention was made by either of a need to listen to and address violence and sexual assault against women by men, even young men. 

We are left with a restricted FBI investigation into some of the allegations raised by Dr. Ford and Deborah Ramirez. So far, this appears to be but a sham to cover loose ends, not the thorough examination of the facts and any corroborating evidence Senators Flake and Coons wrested from Senate leadership before they would vote Kavanaugh’s nomination out of committee. Few now anticipate anything new being added to the confirmation process, especially since Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated the FBI report would not be released to the public before the full Senate votes. 

The saddest part of all these machinations is the message being sent to young girls. They still will not hear, “we believe you” if they are assaulted. They will continue to be told that rape is not the fault of the rapist, but their own because they did not keep themselves safe. Kavanaugh’s confirmation will embolden another generation of privileged white men and silence another generation of those abused and violated by them.