I’m Dan Shafer. Let’s recombobulate.

The biggest thing that happens in Wisconsin's state government every two years is the state budget, and last week at the state capitol, Republican lawmakers took a step forward in the process, by voting out more than 600 measures from Governor Tony Evers’ proposal. This is now the fourth budget proposal that Evers has put forward, and each one has been met with a similar familiar fate. 

Even as this has become the custom, it doesn’t have to be this way. Republicans could honestly engage with this budget and debate it on its merits. There are good, smart proposals here on everything from health care to education to child care to environmental protection. And if there are items here they disagree on, make the case! Have the debate! 

By voting everything out and starting from scratch, they are letting down the people of Wisconsin they are elected to represent by refusing to have this debate on a very basic level. We should expect better. 

By voting everything out and starting from scratch on their own, they are doing themselves a political disservice by continuing to adopt these stubborn, obstructionist tactics, and more importantly, they are letting down the people of Wisconsin they are elected to represent by refusing to have this conversation on a very basic level. We should expect better.

Find all of Dan's work at The Recombobulation Area. Subscribe to The Recombobulation Area's podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, and see more the Civic Media website.