The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

 

The good:

On Wednesday, Gov. Tony Evers continued a time-honored tradition in Wisconsin politics: using a quirky Badger State governing tool to infuriate the opposing party.

When approving the state's biennial budget, Evers exercised Wisconsin's uniquely expansive "partial veto," which allows the governor to surgically remove words, phrases and individual numbers or letters from appropriations bills when signing them into law.

Among other changes, Evers removed a Republican-authored provision that he denounced as "cuts benefiting the wealthiest individuals in our state," noting that "roughly one-half of their proposed tax cut would go to filers with incomes above $200,000." He also struck the "0" in "$10 million" to slash a piece of funding for the upcoming Republican National Convention.

Evers also used his veto pen to lock in funding for Wisconsin's public school system for four centuries, changing the phrase "2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year" to the "2023-2425" school years. [snip]

The move seemingly achieved the predicted outcome of infuriating political opponents. Lacking a supermajority, state Republicans are likely powerless to overturn the veto by legislative means, as doing so would require a two-thirds vote, and so they have vowed to contest the move in court.  (our emphasis)

First off, congrats to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.  The Wisconsin Republican Party is one of the most authoritarian, nihilistic, and corrupt in the country (and that's saying something!).  The Wisconsin Supreme Court will have a 4-3 Democratic majority next month, so we'll see about that court challenge, Republicans. 

The bad:

Mamas are the key political force in 2024 and we need to harness that energy!” Ron DeSantis called down from the stage in the Franklin Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, where 650 “joyful warriors” had gathered for the second annual “Moms for Liberty Summit.” The Florida governor was met with raucous applause—just as when he claimed that “[the Left] has awakened the most powerful force in the country: mama bears!”  [snip]

Given that Moms for Liberty is a very young group on the conservative circuit it’s remarkable that both Trump and DeSantis, in addition to other presidential hopefuls, made the pilgrimage to Philadelphia to laud Moms for Liberty’s message—and, in Nikki Haley’s case, to portray herself as one of them. None of the candidates appears to have been at all concerned by the fact that Moms for Liberty was just designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. According to the report by the SPLC, the group’s main goals are to “fuel rightwing hysteria and to make the world a less comfortable or safe place for certain students—primarily those who are Black, LGBTQ or who come from LGBTQ families.”  [snip]

The vibe was strange, eerie, and excited—a cross between a White supremacist sorority meeting; a capitalist love-fest with deep bonding over hatred for “the Left,” the LGBTQ+ community, and anti-racism efforts (all dressed up as expressions of love for their children); and a pentecostal revival with some distinct NAR overtones. “Our children belong to the Lord, not the government,” declared Patriot Mobile spokeswoman Leigh Wambsganss. “This is not a political war, it is a spiritual war!”

The religious character of the summit was overwhelming—so many prayers, invocations, and explicit (as well as implicit) references to a spiritual war. Earlier, DeSantis had declared, in reference to a popular Bible verse amongst those who see themselves as soldiers in a spiritual war, that “there will be arrows that we have to take.” He lauded the “sacrifice” the “Moms” were making for enduring the dance party outside, essentially equating being called “fascists” by protesters to dying on Omaha beach. “We’re not being called to make sacrifices that grand,” DeSantis said—the unspoken “yet” hanging threateningly in the air...

This white supremacist/anti- LGBTQ sorority has established links to other extremist groups like the Proud Boys. You'll be seeing and hearing more about them as we approach election season.  Remember what their goals are and the tactics they'll use -- and fight back.

The ugly:

A Republican meeting in Michigan turned into fight night on Saturday when two local GOP figures got into a physical brawl over access to the event.

James Chapman, a Republican from Wayne County, told The Detroit News he was outside the meeting at the Doherty Hotel in Clare. He was hoping to get inside and jiggled the door handle.

Clare County Republican Party Chair Mark DeYoung came to the door to see what was going on.

“He kicked me in my balls as soon as I opened the door,” DeYoung told the newspaper in an interview from the emergency room. He said Chapman ran at him and slammed him into a chair.

Chapman said DeYoung threatened to kick his ass and took a swing first. DeYoung denied that, and told the news outlet he suffered a broken rib and intended to press charges.

“We’re so divided,” he was quoted as saying. “I just wish we could come together.”...

Frankly, we wish you wouldn't come together... except maybe in a cage match. Republicans in disarray!

 

"Moms for Liberty" Labeled An Extremist Group

In school board meetings across the nation, as well as in Republican-controlled state and local governments, a reactionary movement to ban books and courses, muzzle teachers and conform curricula to right-wing ideology has coalesced in a group ironically calling themselves "Moms for Liberty." The extremist group is reminiscent of the "massive resistance" segregationist past, when white organizations fought school desegregation while tailoring textbooks to reflect their racist views. 

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has prepared a thorough look at the so-called "parental rights" group, backed by right-wing money, that threatens public education in the U.S.  Some excerpts:

"Thanks in part to its grand disruptions at school board meetings, political alliances and extremist ties, Moms for Liberty has quickly become one of the most recognized names in the anti-student inclusion movement. Founded in early 2021, the organization claims to have a membership of over 100,000 in 250+ chapters in 42 states.

Like the mothers of massive resistance before them, Moms for Liberty is ready to fight tooth and nail to preserve the unseen but understood caste system existing in their public schools and communities. Coming together to fight mask mandates in schools in their own Florida counties, co-founders Tina Descovich, Tiffany Justice and Bridget Ziegler quickly led their troops to the front lines to combat inclusive curriculum, LGBTQ rights and what they see as inappropriate reading material in classrooms and libraries.

Since the group’s 2021 founding, Moms for Liberty members across the nation have been making waves for intimidating and harassing teachers and school officials. They have publicly battled teachers’ unions, labeling them as “cartels” and “terrorist organizations.” They condemn corporations, like The Walt Disney Co., that are supportive of the LGBTQ community. They lobby for parental rights bills, such as the “Don’t Say Gay” law and advocate for anti-critical race theory bills. These groups offer rewards for identifying teachers who violate newly enacted anti-critical race theory (CRT) laws and file complaints after passage of these bills."  (our emphasis)

These brownshirt moms are well financed by far-right advocates of "school choice" and have as supporters the likes of former Trump Education Secretary and billionaire Betsy DeVos, who, along with the "Moms for Liberty," has called for the elimination of the Department of Education.  Malignant Loser financier / heiress Julie Fancelli helped the group create a political action committee with an infusion of $50,000, just the tip of the iceberg in terms of billionaire right-wing support.

While this group and ones like it may have seized the early initiative, progressive pro-inclusion groups like the non-profit "Support Our Schools" are starting to fight back at the local and state level. So too are teachers' advocates and unions. Just as with the Civil Rights movement, the far right may win some early battles, but with their opposition starting to organize and push back, the war still has a good chance to be won.

(photo: Bigots demonstrating against "CRT" bogeyman. Evelyn Hockstein / Reuters)