Democratic Radio "Could-be Lame Ducks call lame session" Print
Commentary
Written by Wisconsin Senate, Bridget Esser   
Thursday, 11 October 2018 09:11

kc-layoff-wbayRepublican plan for a extraordinary session to pass a bailout for Kimberly Clark AFTER the election a political ploy to prop up Senate President Roger Roth (R-Appleton).


MADISON, WI – Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona) offered the weekly Democratic radio address today.

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here.

A written transcript of the address is below:

mark-miller“Hello, this is Senator Mark Miller with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.

“Last week, the Governor and Senate Republicans pathetically called for an extraordinary session to pass a bailout for Kimberly Clark AFTER the election this fall.

“If Republicans were serious about passing a bill, they would do what they usually do…pass a bill in the dead of night with minimal public hearing or public notice. They could do this right now, not wait until after the election. This is an obvious political stunt to say one thing, but do another in order to protect Republican senators.

“The Republican-controlled Senate already failed to pass this bill. Now, weeks away from the election, Republicans boldly call for an extraordinary session AFTER the election as a way to prop up Senate President Roger Roth. Senator Roth mentioned in a statement that he “will never stop fighting for family-supporting jobs in our state” and he “looks forward to the legislature convening in November to take up the legislation.” Except that in spite of his position on the powerful Senate Organization Committee which schedules legislation, he failed to pass this bill earlier this session. So as it turns out, he did stop fighting. He also stopped fighting when Appleton Coated closed, laying off 620 employees, or when Appvion in Appleton filed for bankruptcy and when Graphic Packaging International in Menasha closed.

“We cannot afford to pay Foxconn-level ransoms to every corporation in the state that threatens to lay-off workers and close down factories. I guess Republicans can…when they’re up for re-election.”