Supreme Court

Tomorrow is the day. It's often said that if you don't vote you've not bought the right to complain.  More importantly, if you don't vote you have given up all opportunity of participation in the democratic process. There are many important elections up for grabs this time around.   School board and other local elections are of enormous importance, and can affect you most of all right where you live. Likewise city government elections.

It's also a vitally important election for the State Surpreme Court.  I won't tell people who to vote for, but personally I am voting for Ed Fallone because I think he stands the best chance of making the Surpreme Court system more functional, and less swayed by big money (Let's get the big money out, but that's an argument for another day).

Also state-wide we have a choice for Superintendent of Schools - pitting someone with a long-term record of working for better schools in the state against someone who frankly seems to have a plan to destroy the public school system. Your choice. Again, I won't tell you who to vote for, but I'm voting for Evers.

But most importantly - go out and vote. It's your right, and a lot of people in the state are trying to make it harder for you to exercise your right. Take it seriously, make it count.

Scott Walker's big health care gamble failed, so now he'll double-down on that bad bet, as is his usual custom.

When the US Supreme Court today affirmed the constitutional validity of the ACA or Affordable Care Act  ("Obamacare," to reactionary cretins), Walker's gambit of stalling on reform mandates while risking the health of tens of thousands of Wisconsin residents turned out to be the wrong choice.

ScalesThe state Supreme Court has overturned the Dane County judge's decision that overturned the collective bargaining changes in the state Budget Repair Bill.

A quick read indicates that the ruling is based on a decision that the closing of the capitol doors did not violate the constitutional mandate that the capitol be open during hours when the legislature is in session. The court did not get into the issue of whether the open meetings law was violeated, since the decision allows that the legislature would have to interpret its own rules. 

"In the posting of notice that was done, the Legislature relied on its interpretation of its own rules of proceeding," the court wrote. "The court declines to review the validity of the procedure used to give notice of the joint committee on conference."

This is a very difficult decision for those hoping for a judicial intervention in the Walker/Conservative juggernaught rolling over Wisconsin.

More soon - the ruling itself is available at http://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.html?content=html&seq...

Gov. Walker Press Release:

Gov. Walker: Statement on Supreme Court ruling
6/14/2011

Contact: Cullen Werwie, 608-267-7303

Madison – Today Governor Walker released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court ruling:

The Supreme Court’s ruling provides our state the opportunity to move forward together and focus on getting Wisconsin working again.

The GAB has reported that the vote canvass is completed, and that Prosser has won by 7,316 votes, a margin of .488%.  This means that Kloppenburg may file for a free recount until April 20 at 5 PM.  If she does not, the vote will be certified as it stands.

You can read all of the vote tallies from the canvass at  http://gab.wi.gov/April5SupremeCourt

This is our Internet Radio show from this morning, where we interviewed a former co-worker of Kathy Nickolaus about her past work, ethics, work habits, and political viewpoint.