STATE/NATIONAL
Gun control advocates increasingly shift focus to public health
A recent House Judiciary subcommittee hearing gathered testimony concerning gun violence and U.S. mass shootings, hearing mostly from gun-control advocates about proposals they said could help decrease gun-related deaths, and a common theme that emerged was that gun violence represents a public health crisis.
Rampant inflation shows no sign of slowing
The government-stimulated economy has ramped up prices over the past few months — they show no signs of slowing down — and a top Obama-era advisor is warning of the consequences of run-away inflation.
Supreme Court shoots down Biden administration on warrantless searches
In a high profile case, the U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously overturned lower federal court decisions that police could enter a Rhode Island home without a warrant and seize the owner’s handguns, though no crime had been committed and no immediate emergency existed.
Republicans reinstate work search requirements for unemployment benefits
Citing a growing labor shortage, the Republican-controlled joint rules committee in the state Legislature voted last week to reinstate work search requirements to qualify for unemployment benefits, which had been waived by an emergency rule in March of 2020.
A real deal: Republican rift with big business points to realignment
There was a time — pre-Trumpism — when the words ‘big business’ and ‘Republican Party’ were synonymous.
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Face masks: The science never changed, but the politics did
For years, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the science behind universal face masking was pretty much settled: Face masks didn’t do much if any good, the experts said, and themselves posed some downsides, a false sense of security chief among them.
Gun ownership, armed protests explode in 2020
To many Americans, some recent headlines and photos make America look increasingly like two armed camps of opposing racial forces: an armed militia of blacks facing off with an armed militia of whites, the quintessential snapshot of the nation’s racial polarization.
Chicago adds Wisconsin to restricted travel list
The city of Chicago has added the state of Wisconsin to its list of states under an emergency travel order, as the Badger State joins 21 other states under restrictions.
GOP lawmakers pass election integrity bills
In an effort to achieve what they say is election integrity, state legislative Republicans passed multiple bills late last week that would prevent private organizations from funding municipalities’ costs of running elections, that would restrict who can return absentee ballots for voters, and that would prohibit municipal clerks from correcting …
Evers wants $250 million more in spending reductions
The lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic are continuing to take their economic toll on Wisconsin, and, in the latest indication, this past week Gov. Tony Evers instructed state agencies in his administration to identify $250 million more in cost savings for the current fiscal year.
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State bureaucracy scores a win with guidance documents
It was hailed as a victory for Republicans over Gov. Tony Evers, and mostly it was — “it” being a recent court decision upholding most of the Legislature’s “lame duck” laws curbing Evers’ authority — but conservatives also suffered a major setback, a 4-3 ruling striking down the Legislature’s ability …
Joint Finance Committee follows through, guts Evers’ budget
The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee followed through with its threat to demolish Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal late last week, voting to jettison nearly 400 items and more than $3 billion in tax hikes and spending proposals.
Republicans set to remove nearly 300 provisions from Evers’ budget proposal
Republican lawmakers planned to remove this week nearly 300 provisions from Gov. Tony Evers’ state budget proposal, items ranging from tax increases to policy proposals that Republicans say need to pass in separate legislation on their own merits.
Labor shortage reaches crisis proportions locally, nationally
A labor shortage is crippling businesses locally and nationally and growing worse by the month, and, while a host of factors are part of the equation, government benefits that are too generous and last too long are a big part of the problem.
Swearingen stresses broadband, help for rural schools
Ask state Rep. Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander) what he is proudest of in his work as a legislator, and he won’t rattle off a long list of bills he has introduced.
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