Today’s news from Wisconsin:
- Today, Gov. Walker’s law taking away collective bargaining for public service workers goes into effect, making this a bad day for us all- including Walker, who, increasingly faced with the reality of the bill’s unpopularity, admitted on Monday to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he didn’t build enough of a case for the plan. This hugely entertaining protest at his event this Saturday probably helped him understand this, too. Even the business community recognizes Walker’s in trouble: Corporate Report Wisconsin has a great piece on the politically ‘counterproductive’ collective bargaining bill and the symbolic importance of the recall elections. Interestingly, today happens to also be the day that opponents of Ohio’s collective bargaining restrictions deliver nearly 1.3 million signatures in favor of a referendum on the issue this November.
- The controversy surrounding Justice Prosser’s alleged assault on Justice Bradley this weekend continues to grow. Yesterday it emerged that Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, who had been investigating the case, had endorsed Bradley in the elections this spring. Today, though, Mahoney has turned over the investigation to his deputy, hopefully nixing any accusations of bias from the right… Yeah, I don’t think it will either. It also emerged that Bradley asked Prosser to seek help for anger management, and, in a bizarre twist, it turns out the Wisconsin Supreme Court could be ultimate arbiter of the whole chokehold controversy. I’m thinking maybe we should call in WWE and settle this with an old-fashioned cage match instead; it’s probably no more ridiculous.
- In election news, Daily Kos/PPP just came out with a poll that shows the Democrats with a pretty solid lead in the 32nd, a very slight lead in the 10th and in a statistical dead-heat in the 18th. It’s close, but the Democrats can definitely pull it off. PolitiScoop has two enjoyable articles: one on the 12th District’s Kim Simac, who seemingly doesn’t like to pay taxes on time, and a nice round-up of hypocrisy on school vouchers from several Republicans. Sandy Pasch (D), running against incumbent Alberta Darling in the 8th District, has challenged her to a debate; so far nothing from Darling’s campaign in response. And, John Nygren continues to fight the ruling against his candidacy, while the rest of us enjoy the benefits of living in the real world.