Gov. Tony Evers
Op Ed

The Crisis of Our Democracy

Walker and Republicans have rigged the system to serve themselves, not the people.

By - Apr 3rd, 2018 01:41 pm
Citizen Koch

Citizen Koch

As I travel across this state, meeting Wisconsinites of all ages and from all walks of life, I have never been more optimistic for our future.

From researchers at UW-Madison who are one step closer to finding a cure for cancer to family farmers who are using innovation, creativity and technology to change the course of small-scale agriculture in Wisconsin – I continue to be amazed by the strength, ingenuity and determination of our people.

We have a growing problem though, one that threatens the very opportunities and unlimited potential we hold as a state. The foundation of our democracy is in crisis.

Those in power seek to wield more power, rather than use the power they have to do the most good.  While they benefit, the rest of us don’t.

Our system has been rigged by those in power. Scott Walker and legislative Republicans have changed our laws so millionaires and billionaires, with their deep pockets, have even more influence. We have more money being spent on our elections than ever before. But it doesn’t end there. During redistricting, they gerrymandered our legislative districts so badly and so lop-sided, the US Supreme Court is now contemplating intervening to restore balance. We even have a candidate for our State Supreme court, supported by Scott Walker, that is refusing to recuse himself from cases involving major campaign donors.

Unlike the rest of us who are expected to follow the rules, if Scott Walker and the majority party don’t like the law, they just change it. They’ve exempted themselves from political corruption investigations.  They’re on the cusp of changing our special elections laws after leaving two legislative districts without representation for months, silencing 200,000 Wisconsinites, simply because they’re afraid of losing seats to Democrats. Speaking of rule changes, let’s not forget when Scott Walker attempted to destroy Wisconsin’s open records laws during his campaign for President!

Folks, this isn’t ok. The majority party has lost touch with the values of public service – it’s about serving the public, not serving ourselves. Too many of our politicians in Madison and Washington DC are tone-deaf. They’re not listening and frankly, they don’t want to. We’ve reached such a tipping point that our kids, who are not even old enough to vote, are stepping up and leading a national conversation on gun safety. It’s extraordinary.

Our country was founded on a system of checks and balances, commonsense, and on principles of fairness and equality. We cannot grow and thrive as a state, if the foundation of our government is crumbling around us.

As Governor, I will restore this much-needed balance and I’ll do it immediately. I’ll make it easier to vote, not harder. I won’t hide from open records requests and public inquiries. My priorities include non-partisan redistricting and overturning Citizen’s United. I’ll restore integrity to our elections – protecting us against Russian aggression and ensuring decisions around our elections are based on what’s right not what’s politically advantageous. It’s time we return power to the people.

Tony Evers is the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin and a Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate.

Categories: Op-Ed, Politics

10 thoughts on “Op Ed: The Crisis of Our Democracy”

  1. Terry says:

    Well said Mr. Evers! You would make a much, much, much better Governor than the greasy, lying, corrupt fraud Scott Walker.

    Dump Walker!

  2. WashCoRepub says:

    I’m incredibly optimistic for our future in Wisconsin as well, Tony. Thanks to Governor Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature, we’ve reversed years and years of public-sector extortion and Democrat enabling, driving taxes higher and higher for hard-working Wisconsinites (especially those retirees on fixed incomes) while the favored members of the ‘public-sector class’ were showered with unsustainably rich benefits.

    MTEA, WEAC and the other guilty parties in this extortion scheme have been dealt a serious blow, and the citizens of this state are all the stronger for it. Jobs, lower taxes, good schools and a great quality of life make me VERY optimistic about this state going forward. Just ask our friends to the south in Illinois what failing to deal with these issues leads to. Soaring taxes and piles of unpaid bills.

    Thanks to Governor Walker and his policies, we’ll be able to continue on this great path after November as well!

  3. Terry says:

    @WashCoRepug, wrong, just look to Minnesota or my beautiful home state of Washington to see what truly progressive policies create…They are thiving, cosmopolitan economic powerhouses when compared to Career Politician Scott Walker’s high tax, low wage Wississippi style FAILURE. Sorry,handing billions to a foreign company in corporate welfare won’t cut it! Nor will Walker’s attack on democracy and voting rights, nor gerrymandering, nor selling out the state to corporate special interests, nor eviscerating our environment or trampling on our basic civil rights every single day. Career Politician Walker and republicans days of cirruption, lying, stealing, cheating and destroying are coming to an end in November! A BIG BLUE WAVE is building!!

    Dump Walker

  4. Tom says:

    Anyone but Walker. Anyone but another far right-wing nut job that wants to “divide and conquer” aka destroy and rape Wisconsin like asshead Walker and Republicans did.

  5. Jake currently of the MKE says:

    I think WashwhiteThug is going to do a lot of crying this year.

  6. Crazy Chester says:

    WashCoRepub’s comment above is a perfect example of how effective right-wing propaganda can be. He’s easily conditioned to look at people like teachers as an “enemy” engaged in “extortion” rather than normal professionals who are part of every community. If he had lived in Soviet Russia, he would have eaten up every word in Pravda and state-run tv. He’d have Lenin’s poster on every wall of his tiny Moscow apartment. That’s what the right in America has become – laissez-faire lemmings easily taken in by cheap fanaticism and charlatanry.

  7. The Burger says:

    Any body but Walker is the way to go. Let’s make him get a job!

  8. MONICA SANCHEZ says:

    Tony Evers, you are awesome. WELL SAID!!!!

  9. Mandi says:

    Logically, since when is having an educated citizenry and solid education for ALL kids (not just those attending private school) not good for our state? And the UW System has been proven to bring innovation, employment, and money into our State! I know it’s naive, but I still can’t see why supporting universities and schools isn’t a state-wide, nonpartisan value! Any governor whose administration attacks education doesn’t just attack Democrats; he fails us all.

  10. Terry says:

    Well said Chester, Burger, Monica and Mandi! I agree wholeheartedly with all your comments. We whooped these corrupt republican thugs and corporate special interest groups yesterday by electing Dallet, let’s keep it up by DUMPING career politician Scott Walker in November!!

    Dump Walker 2018!!

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