We know that Social Security, the Civil Rights Act, Medicare, Medicaid, the
Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan and many other pieces of
legislation are all part of the Democratic Party’s ongoing commitment to
families and small businesses. In years past, these kinds of initiatives were
large bi-partisan efforts to address the needs our country and state. But
lately, these kinds of efforts are made only by the Democrats.
Most of the leaders of the GOP are working hard on dismantling the machinery
of American Democracy by promulgating the “Big Lie” that the last Presidential
election was stolen. And in Wisconsin and in other states with
Republican-dominated legislatures, Republican leaders are busy with legislation
to make voting more difficult, to lock-in Gerrymandered voting districts, and
stripping whatever state-wide elected Democratic officials of the usual powers
of their offices.
To understand why economic opportunities in Northern Wisconsin continue to
decline one need only to look at the decisions coming out of Madison over the
past 10 years. Cutting K-12 educational funding, allowing roads and communication
infrastructure to deteriorate, and insulating lawmakers who choose to favor the
folks who fund their campaigns over the needs of the folks they represent.
And what are the leaders of the Democratic Party doing? In Wisconsin they
are trying to expand Badger Care, fix the roads, improve broadband, address
mental health issues, improve education, and protect water supplies. While
Democrats continue the work of governing, the leadership of the Wisconsin GOP
toils at partisan gridlock and blocking efforts to address real problems facing
Wisconsin families. And it’s not just in Madison that we see this situation. In
Washington there is not one Republican vote to improve gun safety, no help from
Republican legislators to control medical costs, and not one vote to address
climate change.
Wisconsin’s Republican Senator has
recently proposed fundamental changes to the funding for social security in yet
another attempt to hand profits to large corporations and tax savings to billionaires
at the expense of people who have contributed to Social Security and are entitled
to be paid for their life-long contributions. And while Tony Evers has proposed
increasing funding for police in Wisconsin, Republican leadership is now
calling to defund the FBI. And our own Representative to Congress is a proud member
of the “sedition caucus” and a major promoter of the “big lie.”
Here in Rhinelander, the Oneida County
Democrats work to support Democratic candidates even though we know the game is
stacked against us by gerrymandered districts and a thoroughly politicized Wisconsin
Supreme Court. We know the game is rigged by the Republican legislature, and
yet the Republican leadership is trying to persuade electors that we stole the
election from Donald Trump.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
