Judy Robson pumps her fist after today's fine showing by Democrats in conference committee proceedings.
Well, whatever ground the Republicans gained yesterday they coughed right back up today. Wisely, the Democrats brought Jon Erpenbach in to pinch-hit for Bob Jauch in discussing Healthy Wisconsin. Republicans countered by circulating a health care lobbyist's wish list of provisions that's masquerading as a health care plan, none of which will really reduce your costs any or make health care affordable if you don't have it just yet. But hey, it's 15 items long, and the Senate Democrats only have one item on their plan, so this one must be 15 times better.
Sen. Fitzgerald, in a bizarre moment that again made everyone wonder why anyone's letting him talk, suggested that perhaps the committee should consider whether to reduce or eliminate health care for legislators, pretending as though that's something he could get a majority of his own caucus behind. Yeah, right. Perhaps with the exception of Dan Kapanke, all Fitz has in his caucus are lifers. For most of them, this is their only job. And now he wants it to come without health insurance? Fitz, why don't you give me the names of everyone in your caucus who would be willing to do that and I'll post it here on my blog?
But the real action came later in the day, when Mike Huebsch's reprised the role of Major Major in Catch-22, throwing a total hissy fit after pinch-hitter Jon Richards pressed him on the Assembly's proposed changes to shared revenue. Now, logically, you'd think there'd be an answer to those questions, since one would ordinarily expect a budget proposal to be logical. But as we all know, the Assembly budget turned into a total grab bag of BS just to meet the oft-stated goal of no tax increases. So it's not really surprising that Huebsch's answer was that he'd have an answer next week. Nice. Who can blame Jon Richards for finding that answer unacceptable?
Huebsch also matched the Democrats' level of silly factor from yesterday when he couldn't bring himself to agree to accept an 80-item offer from the Democrats that included only items that were approved unanimously by the Joint Finance Committee. C'mon Mike. You appoint six members of that committee, they all voted for these measures, and now you're saying that their work isn't good enough for your caucus? Why don't you just stand up and say that your caucus thinks Kitty Rhoades and your other five appointees did a terrible job upstairs with the JFC budget process? You all but implied it today. "C'mon guys, can we give you 14?" Pathetic. Stop whining, show some faith in your own appointees to JFC, and just do the deal. Whatever you gained you lost and then some today. The Dems looked befuddled yesterday, but at least they didn't act like a juvenile brat. Yesterday I thought that maybe, just maybe, you had turned the corner. Boy was I ever wrong.
In short, a lot of talk, not a lot of action, timely cameos by Jon Erpenbach and Jon Richards, a hissy fit by Mike Huebsch, some more weirdness from Sen. Fitz, and Team Chvala finds its groove again. More fun next week.
Sen. Fitzgerald, in a bizarre moment that again made everyone wonder why anyone's letting him talk, suggested that perhaps the committee should consider whether to reduce or eliminate health care for legislators, pretending as though that's something he could get a majority of his own caucus behind. Yeah, right. Perhaps with the exception of Dan Kapanke, all Fitz has in his caucus are lifers. For most of them, this is their only job. And now he wants it to come without health insurance? Fitz, why don't you give me the names of everyone in your caucus who would be willing to do that and I'll post it here on my blog?
But the real action came later in the day, when Mike Huebsch's reprised the role of Major Major in Catch-22, throwing a total hissy fit after pinch-hitter Jon Richards pressed him on the Assembly's proposed changes to shared revenue. Now, logically, you'd think there'd be an answer to those questions, since one would ordinarily expect a budget proposal to be logical. But as we all know, the Assembly budget turned into a total grab bag of BS just to meet the oft-stated goal of no tax increases. So it's not really surprising that Huebsch's answer was that he'd have an answer next week. Nice. Who can blame Jon Richards for finding that answer unacceptable?
Huebsch also matched the Democrats' level of silly factor from yesterday when he couldn't bring himself to agree to accept an 80-item offer from the Democrats that included only items that were approved unanimously by the Joint Finance Committee. C'mon Mike. You appoint six members of that committee, they all voted for these measures, and now you're saying that their work isn't good enough for your caucus? Why don't you just stand up and say that your caucus thinks Kitty Rhoades and your other five appointees did a terrible job upstairs with the JFC budget process? You all but implied it today. "C'mon guys, can we give you 14?" Pathetic. Stop whining, show some faith in your own appointees to JFC, and just do the deal. Whatever you gained you lost and then some today. The Dems looked befuddled yesterday, but at least they didn't act like a juvenile brat. Yesterday I thought that maybe, just maybe, you had turned the corner. Boy was I ever wrong.
In short, a lot of talk, not a lot of action, timely cameos by Jon Erpenbach and Jon Richards, a hissy fit by Mike Huebsch, some more weirdness from Sen. Fitz, and Team Chvala finds its groove again. More fun next week.
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