“All ways here are my ways” – WI GOP ignores science, blocks rules to protect our health

“During today’s Senate session, Wisconsin Republicans ignored science, public health guidance, and professional best practices in an egregious abuse of power. By refusing to act on several veto-exempt bills designed specifically to undermine the actions of state agencies, they did the following:

• Stopped a ban on “Conversion Therapy” (a.k.a. torture) from taking effect, allowing this dangerous practice to continue under the guise of treatment in our state
• Blocked regulation of hazardous chemicals (PFAs), despite strong bipartisan support last session for legislation designed to do just that
• Prevented new vaccine requirements for schools from taking effect, putting our kids at risk

“Even worse than simply blocking these common-sense rules from taking effect, they did it without taking testimony from the public, and without having to take an up-or-down vote on the actual legislation. In other words, they were able to appease the far-right fringe of their constituency without having to take an unpopular position they’d need to defend later to their neighbors.

“Wisconsin’s legacy is tarnished as a state that is known for our safe, protected waterways.

“Worse, these shenanigans aimed at subverting public oversight were done during “Sunshine Week.”

“Governor Evers has proposed accepting the federal Medicaid expansion, which will net the state $1.6 billion over the next two years while providing healthcare to almost 91,000 more adults than the program currently serves. This would significantly improve the health of our neighbors. Sadly, Republican leaders have already pronounced this proposal dead on arrival.

“To recap – Republicans want to block proven environmental and public health interventions without going on record, while denying healthcare to tens of thousands of people and stopping hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid for no particular reason other than to stick it to the Governor. Like the Queen of Hearts from the Disney classic “Alice in Wonderland,” the new motto for Republicans in Wisconsin might as well be “All ways here are my ways!” In this game of legislative croquet where Republicans make all the rules, it’s polluters and extremists who win.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.