Discussion: WI Judge Rules Walker Must Call Special Elections To Fill Two GOP-Vacated Seats

[george_spiggott]

For the Party that feels government should be run like a business, they sure like to turn away a lot of customers.

[epicurus]

“That is textbook voter disenfranchisement,” Frost said. “I can’t imagine a more clear case of disenfranchisement of the right to vote.”

It’s what l’il Scotty does. He really is a bought-and-paid-for tool of the Kochs. Hope this bench slap leaves a mark.

[sparrowhawk]

Of course they do. That’s how they’ve always run their businesses. Deny service to whomever you like for any reason you like, and raise costs through monopoly control so that the remaining customers have no alternatives.

[clemmers]

For the Party that feels government should be run like a business, they sure like to turn away a lot of customers.

A business that discriminates. And skims off the top. And works with the mob. THAT kind of business.

[george_spiggott]

But you better be certain your customer base will never have any other options. The business graveyard is littered with would be monopolists.

Same goes for political parties. I know it can seem hopeless at times, but people will only take so much.

[george_spiggott]

A business that discriminates. And skims off the top. And works with the mob. THAT kind of business.

And bust outs?

[becca656]

I heard elsewhere that one of his arguments against holding the special elections was the expense.

I guess the cost of the specials would’ve interfered with his sweetheart deal with FOXCONN that will benefit pretty much no one.

[george_spiggott]

A business that discriminates. And skims off the top. And works with the mob. THAT kind of business.

Also the type of business that feels the surest way to success is to reduce revenues and increase costs.

[greysea]

They also ignored Trump’s call to gut funding for the EPA and clean energy.

Trump wanted to slash funding for clean energy. Congress ignored him.

[sparrowhawk]

But you better be certain your customer base will never have any other options. The business graveyard is littered with would be monopolists.

Same goes for political parties. I know it can seem hopeless at times, but people will only take so much.

I didn’t say they were good businessmen. That’s just how they always run them. And it’s why they’ve moved to the legislature. It’s like welfare for failed businessmen/professionals.

[no_w_fan]

National Democratic Redistricting Committee

[ottnott]

The law states elections must be called if they occur before the second Tuesday in May in an election year. Walker argued that only covers vacancies that happen after Jan. 1 of the same year as the election, and since these happened on Dec. 29, 2017, he’s under no requirement to act.

Jesus Christ. This is an utterly ridiculous loophole he is pulling out.

Full disclosure, I think a legislator that pulls this level of intentional malfeasance deserves real world jail time.

Agreed. Walker’s best defense was a string of criminally stupid arguments, making it clear that he knowingly violated the law. He figured that, worst case, WI residents would have some of their tax dollars spent defending the indefensible. It’s not like it came out of Walker’s pocket.

Walker’s position on the special elections was that those writing the law was intended to insure special elections only for vacancies that occurred in a short window after the midpoint of a term. He’s arguing that legislators were unconcerned if a winning candidate died the day after an election and a seat went unfilled for an entire term.

Assistant Attorney General Steve Kilpatrick countered that while some voters may be harmed due to the vacancies, the damage does not rise to the legal requirement to force Walker to call special elections.

Yeah…it’s not like our revolution and the principles underlying our form of government had anything to do with people lacking representation.

The talk of damages needing to exceed some “legal requirement” for a special election to be called is utter bullshit. The law uses a calendar to determine if a special election is mandated.

[outis]

Ignoring Trump is usually the best idea.

[nemo]

Agreed. I was actually ideating a new criminal law last night: “electoral cheating/malfeasance.” It would include voter impersonation, ballot-stuffing, poll intimidation, gerrymandering, intentional disenfranchisement and every other shenanigan intended to willfully undermine the democratic and constitutional rights and wishes of voters. It would specifically criminalize legislative and executive action taken with said intention in mind. It is ridiculous that someone who ineffectually votes twice is liable to imprisonment but someone who intentionally scraps an election can do so without consequence.

[marby]

This is what Holder and Obama said they were going to do Help GOTV on local and state levels and By gum that is what they are doing

I so love this - former government officials using their time, intelligence, and experience to work for the betterment of their fellow citizens. (and for Holder to stick it to Walker makes me absolutely gleeful)

[matthew_tanner]

“Illogical” was a very nice word. I would have called it BULLSHIT!

[massie]

t’s always nice when Scott Walker gets told to fuck off. Fuck you, Walker!

I’m not entirely proud of myself for it, but I’m enjoying this opportunity to say, “Eat shit, Walker!”

[massie]

So they end up paying the costs for the special election and the court costs for the lawsuit.

hey, it’s a win for them, less money the state will have to spend on that grubby, pathetic “public” and those “services” they’re always asking for.

[hoagie]

I get the feeling none of what is in the budget will flummox him because he just doesn’t care, except for maybe no full funding of the wall. On the other hand, much of this ties the hands of his Cabinet in ways I am sure they didn’t expect.

[jootjoint]

Oh my, this day is filled with such good news! Keep it coming!!! And we haven’t gotten to Friday yet!