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Dear Editor:
Wisconsin is definitely making a name for itself on the national political scene - but it's not a reputation we should be proud of. Words like gerrymandering and power grab aren't ones that honor our great state..
It's easy to throw up our hands and say, "What can I do about it?" But we can and must do something - by continually letting our state representatives know what we think about the important issues. We also can let our voices be heard through the letters to the editor pages of our local newspapers. These newspapers did a fine job during the recent election, allowing people to speak their mind. Let's continue this vital conversation. I hope that people with other points of view will weigh in, too.
The citizens of SW Wisconsin chose Governor Tony Evers with the expectation he will bring sense and stability back to Wisconsin government. But, in last week's lame duck session, the Republicans usurped the voters' power. I always thought Wisconsinites played fair.
At least State Rep. Todd Novak heard the clamor from his constituents. But his vote would have been much more noteworthy if it had been a decisive vote. It's easy to say "no" when your vote doesn't matter.
State Sen. Howard Marklein; on the other hand, turned a deaf ear, claiming that the power grab was just a way to balance the influence between the executive and legislative branches. That's mumbo jumbo. Does anyone believe the Republicans would have tried this power grab if their man Scott Walker had been reelected?
Shirley Barnes
Dodgeville