I’m going to post more state budget links as soon as I get a chance. Just an observation for now.
The Assembly budget is a GOP policy wish list. It is extreme. The Senate budget, with the possible exception of the Healthy Wisconsin initiative is a little left of center, but hardly a left wing document. The JFC and Gov. Doyle’s budgets were even more centrist.
Now the fun comes. As the conference committee works to reach an agreement the first and maybe only issue is where the center is, where the compromises will be. All the Democrats involved moved toward the center with their initial proposals, adopting for the most part realistic proposals. In contrast the GOP controlled Assembly swung for the fences. If the conference committee seeks a middle ground, the GOP will have won. The Dems need to adopt a stand firm and “give no quarter” stance (with the possible exception of Healthy Wisconsin). This won’t be easy and may be a tough play on the public opinion front, but anything else is a clear win for the extremists in the GOP and a clear loss for the people of Wisconsin.
Thomas J. Mertz
AMPS 