WESTERN WISCONSIN REPUBLICAN PARTIES SUPPORT GOV. SCOTT WALKER

~Valerie Pierzina, Vice Chair- Republican Party of Trempealeau County

The Republican Party of Trempealeau County's Executive Committee, along with neighboring Republican parties of Buffalo, Pepin, Jackson, Clark and Pierce counties find the actions of the 14 Democrat state senators, including Sen. Kathleen Vinehout of the 31st District, cowardly and disrespectful to the democratic process, as well as to the constituents they represent. These 14 elected officials fled the state, rather than do their constitutional duty and vote.

The Republican leadership of western Wisconsin, and, a majority of Americans, support Gov. Scott Walker’s “Budget Repair Bill.” This bill is a necessary action to balance the budget of Wisconsin’s current 3.6 billion-dollar deficit, and to lessen the burden on taxpayers during this economic crisis. The bill also reasserts the power of local governance in collective bargaining.

When an overwhelming majority of Republicans in Congress (as well as American citizens) opposed nationalizing health care, Republican representatives and senators still did their constitutional duty and showed up to debate and vote on the bill. With its unpopular passage, Americans were merely told that “elections have consequences.” Indeed they do. The citizens of Wisconsin overwhelmingly voted for a Republican majority last November and they deserve to be represented. The Republican governor and legislature should be allowed to govern as the citizens of Wisconsin have duly elected them to do, without impedance through political desertion. We support the disciplinary remedies as voted on and discussed by the legislature to reprimand the wayward representatives. We call for the 14 Democrat senators to respect the representative process and return to the Capitol immediately to debate the issues and to cast their votes.