State Senators bring civility tour to Milwaukee

State Sens. Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) and Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) have served together in the legislature for years. Though Cullen went to Illinois with the Wisconsin 14, he and Schultz met for lunch in April to discuss their similarities and not their differences. Out of that lunch, Cullen and Schultz agreed to accompany each other on meetings within their respective districts.

They learned a lot about each other and that their constituents had a lot in common, whether they were Democrats or Republicans.

Tuesday, the duo came to Milwaukee for a luncheon presented by the Rotary Club of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Press Club. They discussed the state of political discourse, the recall and the difficult task of maintaining civility in what has become one of the most uncivil places in the state – the Capitol building.

Both agreed they will never see eye-to-eye on every policy measure or bill, but they have reignited the idea of “legislators by day, friends by night.” They hearkened back to a time when senators and representatives argued the issues on the chamber floors but met over dinner and drinks in the evening, where socializing was the rule.

“We all have to remember that the other side is made up of people with families, stories and lives outside of the Capitol,” Cullen said.

“We’ve discovered this common-ground tour is more popular outside of Madison then it is under the big-top,” he added. “But we are starting to see some breaks (among other legislators) as constituents are saying they are tired of this war.”

Both Cullen and Schultz see the end of sniping and the beginning of reaching across the aisle as necessary to advance two monumental bills facing the Senate – changes to the mining regulations and venture capital laws. Cullen said he has been seeing members on both sides talking to one another, asking questions and sharing opinions, not just conjecture.

Schultz said it has gone even further, as Sen. Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn) chairman of the Select Committee on Mining Jobs, has actively reached out to Democratic and Republican senators, and brought in representatives of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians to discuss proposed mining legislation related to Assembly Bill 426.

While the two men have seen some movement by the Republicans and Democrats towards each other, Cullen believes the large amounts of money on both sides have made legislators less likely to stand up and be an independent voice for their constituents.

“There is no middle-ground PAC,” Cullen said. “The demands of those who give a lot take over. There has been a collapse of the political center in both parties. There used to be conservative Democrats and progressive Republicans. You seldom see that now.”

Schultz was not surprised by the animosity. He recalled the old, old days when a state senator shot an assembly representative in the Capitol. In fact, Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) admitted he has been carrying a concealed weapon on the floor in recent months for protection.

“We need to get back to where we listen to our constituents, express our opinions, listen to our colleagues and report back to our district,” Schultz said. “We seemed to have lost the consensus and communication skills.”

Both agree consensus is necessary to have public acceptance of legislation pointing to the one-sided votes for national health care and the state’s restrictions on public bargaining rights. Health care passed on a partisan Democratic vote and has become “Obamacare,” while the bargaining battle had only Republican support, which has led to the discord of the past year.

Schultz was the one Republican who voted against the measure in the Senate. He said he was shocked when he learned of the Governor’s intentions to limit bargaining rights.

“Glenn (State Sen. Glenn Grothman) said the outcry would last a week at the most, but I knew better,” Schultz said. “Wisconsin has a long history of labor relations and I remember the strikes in Hortonville, at Kohler and Allis-Chalmers. Some of those wounds are still not healed.”

Of course, while the two senators understand the importance of being civil, they don’t always agree. Case in point – the recall. Cullen, who considered a recall run at the governor’s seat, said Scott Walker’s actions have earned him the recall.

“His approach of “my way or the highway” is not what Wisconsinites like. It’s not what I like,” he said. “He met his political goal by knocking out the unions.”

Schultz said the whole idea of recall shocked the legislature, especially the realization that the action can be taken for actions other than malfeasance.

“I understand the passion, but believe this will become a permanent fixture in politics,” Schultz said. “This is not good for the healing the broken heart of democracy.”

Even though they have vastly different opinions about Gov. Walker, Schultz and Cullen are still friends.