Public Policy Forum
Voter ID Bill Advances
by Joe Murray
The Republican-controlled state Assembly has already passed Assembly Bill 111, which would require Wisconsin voters to show photo identification before voting. The state Senate, also controlled by Republicans, is expected to take up and pass an identical bill sometime this year.
Most Republicans support the bill while most Democrats oppose it.
The primary sponsors of the photo ID bills are Representative Jeff Stone (R-Greenfield) and State Senator Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis).
Opponents of the proposal blast the photo ID requirement as "anti-democratic" and a thinly veiled attempt to disenfranchise the poor, elderly and minorities from exercising their right to vote.
Proponents argue that Democrats oppose the photo ID requirement because their political activists have been caught-up in voting scams. Milwaukee County has been front and center, Republicans claim, in several recent voting scams including one national Democratic Party official from New York who was bribing street people with cigarettes in exchange for votes for Al Gore in November 2000.
Democratic opponents have charged Republican supporters of the photo ID bill of attempting to fix a problem that doesn't exist.
Democratic Governor Jim Doyle is expected to veto the bill when it reaches his desk.
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Gary George Recall
by Joe Murray
State Senator Gary George (D-Milwaukee) will likely face a recall election in the 6th district later this year. George, a 22-year veteran of the Legislature's upper house, is embroiled in a recall fight after opposing Governor Jim Doyle's renegotiated and expanded gambling compact with the Potawatomi tribe in Milwaukee.
Doyle vetoed a bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature that would have allowed for legislative input on the gaming compacts. George joined Republicans in a failed attempt to override the governor's veto.
Insiders expect enough valid signatures to be collected and certified to force the recall election. Those same insiders are split on Senator George's chances for surviving the bruising political fight to come.
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Wisconsin Presidential Primary Date
by Joe Murray
Governor Jim Doyle has signed a bill that will shift the Wisconsin presidential primary from April 2004 to February 17, 2004.
By moving-up the date of the presidential primary to coincide with the February primaries for local nonpartisan offices, Doyle and the Legislature hope to give Wisconsin voters a voice in next years Democratic nomination fight for president. Republican George W. Bush is not expected to draw opposition for the Republican nomination.
Advocates of the February primary point to the April 2000 presidential primary experience when both Republicans and Democrats had largely settled in on the two candidates by the end of March. By the time of the April 2000 Wisconsin primary, Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George Bush had already locked up their party's nomination long before the Wisconsin primary.
Dave Canon, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says shifting the primary date will not necessarily mean a larger role for Wisconsin voters in the presidential primary because several other states will hold their primaries on the same date. What it will mean is many more visits to the Badger State by all Democratic candidates running for president.
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Milwaukee Alderman Resigns
by Joe Murray
City of Milwaukee Alderman Jeff Pawlinski has resigned his aldermatic seat after pleading guilty to federal charges of illegal use of campaign funds. Pawlinski admitted he defrauded supporters of about $40,000 for personal use.
As a result of his resignation, a special election will be held July 22 to replace Pawlinski. Candidates have until May 27 to submit nomination papers to qualify for the primary. As many as six candidates may run for the thirteenth aldermatic seat.
Pawlinski's resignation amid charges of personal use of campaign funds is yet another black eye for the Milwaukee political scene. Several Milwaukee County Supervisors have been successfully recalled over the last two years in connection with the County pension scandal. And Former County Executive Tom Amendt was forced into retirement before he could be recalled due to his involvement with the same pension scam in early 2002.
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