Wisconsin Politics & News
The Daily Signal examines Wisconsin state politics, voting law battles, fiscal policy, education debates, and the Badger State’s crucial role in national elections.
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- Opinion
Wisconsin Judge Halts Schools’ Policy Keeping Parents in Dark on Kids’ Gender Identity Issues
A state court in Wisconsin last week issued an order prohibiting a school district from intentionally deceiving parents about what their children are doing at school—especially if a child is struggling with his or her gender identity. Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington intervened and issued an injunction Sept. 28 against the Madison Metropolitan School…Nicole Russell -
- Opinion
What’s Really Going on in Wisconsin
Riots have erupted in the state of Wisconsin following the shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake, by police on Sunday night. What happened? The Racine County Eye reported that rioters have taken over Kenosha, Wisconsin, and that the area has turned into a war zone. Is that a fair assessment of what is happening?…Rachel del Guidice -
- News
Wisconsin Vandals Tear Down Statue of Civil War Hero Who Fought to End Slavery, Assault Senator
Protesters toppled two statues and physically attacked a state senator outside the Wisconsin Capitol building Tuesday night, the state’s governor said. Demonstrators began assembling throughout the day near the Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin. However, they became agitated following the arrest of a black man who brought a baseball bat and megaphone into a nearby restaurant, according to The…Thomas Catenacci -
- Opinion
Despite Win in Wisconsin, Religious Discrimination Remains During Lockdown
As our nation finds it way forward after weeks of pandemic-related lockdowns, governments have unfortunately treated churches and religious gatherings differently—and often less favorably—than comparable secular gatherings. This means the actions taken by some states are discriminatory. Fortunately, defenders of the First Amendment successfully restored their right to worship in-person (albeit in a limited capacity)…Zack Smith -
- Opinion
Wisconsin vs. Illinois: Don’t Ask Responsible States to Bail Out the Reckless
Wisconsin’s neighbor to the south is at it again. This time, Illinois is using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse for seeking a federal bailout to extricate itself from its own long-standing—and self-created—fiscal mess. What does one have to do with the other? Nothing. Yet, the House recently passed a new $3 trillion coronavirus relief package that includes…Jay Miller -
- News
In Wisconsin, School Choice Has Unexpected Benefits
Elisha Doerr would not have had an opportunity to attend Wisconsin Lutheran High School, a Milwaukee-based private boarding school, if it weren’t for a school choice program. The school’s excellent curricula and the religious community were valuable to Doerr, 18, who now attends Harvard University and is deciding between majoring in government or computer science….Joshua Q. Nelson -
- Opinion
The Scott Walker Years: Taxpayer-Centered Reforms in Wisconsin
MADISON, Wisconsin—As crowds swelled inside and outside the state Capitol and protesters sprayed Republicans with spit, insults, and hatred, Gov. Scott Walker could be forgiven for having a moment of pause, for asking himself if it was all worth it. Wisconsin’s public-sector unions were calling for Walker’s political head. Some wanted more. They threatened his…M.D. Kittle -
- Opinion
Left’s War on Gov. Walker in Wisconsin Was a Dry Run for Its ‘Resistance’ Against Trump
Good morning America. You are now entering Wisconsin, circa 2011. The left’s #Resistance movement today against all things Trump is what big labor brought the Badger State seven years ago when “progressives” stomped all over civility in a campaign to topple Republican Gov. Scott Walker. “What happened in Wisconsin … is being writ large across the country,”…M.D. Kittle -
- Opinion
Wisconsin Forges Ahead on Welfare Reform
Wisconsin is taking the lead on welfare reform. In February, the state Legislature passed nine bills, which Gov. Scott Walker is expected to sign. The state government is taking advantage of record-low unemployment and strong job creation numbers to help all of its able citizens enter the workforce. Among other measures, Wisconsin’s bold plan implements…Mimi Teixeira -
- Opinion
University of Wisconsin-Madison Students Protest Abraham Lincoln Statue Because ‘He Owned Slaves’
There’s a common quote, frequently attributed to G.K. Chesterton: “Don’t ever take a fence down until you know the reason why it was put up.” In our modern context, this should be rephrased a bit: “Don’t try to pull down a statue if you have no idea who or what the statue was really about.”…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
Scott Walker Deals Another Blow to Big Labor in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation that prevents local governments from requiring contractors to hire union labor for publicly funded construction projects. Walker signed the legislation, which passed along party lines in February, at a local distributor of construction materials in De Pere, Wisconsin, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The governor and Wisconsin Republicans…Ted Goodman -
- News
Scott Walker Points to Wisconsin Model for Why Republicans Should Follow Through on Promises
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker asked his fellow conservatives to follow through on the promises made to Americans, and used his state as evidence that this can be both successful and popular. “Do what you said you were going to do; to go big, to go bold, and to actually follow through on the promises you…Caleb Ecarma -
- News
How a Law Designed to Promote Fairness Is Hiking Gas Prices in Wisconsin
New Deal-era legislation is causing major headaches for Wisconsin’s consumers and businesses. A law that has been on the books in Wisconsin since 1939 forces consumers to pay an extra 9 percent on fuel, in the name of fairness. A report by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute examined the law and its impact on consumers…Maria Servold -
- Opinion
Judges Put Election Reforms in Wisconsin on Hold, Except for Voter ID
On Monday, a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused without comment to stay a Wisconsin district court opinion in One Wisconsin Institute v. Thomsen that threw out changes the state legislature had made in early voting rules as well as other changes such as the residency requirement for new voters….Hans von Spakovsky -
- News
Five Years Later, How Much Gov. Walker’s Union Legislation Saved Wisconsin
Residents of one state continue to reap the benefits of a budget bill passed five years ago that has saved taxpayers over $5 billion, researchers say. As a $3.6 billion deficit threatened to hit his state, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, championed the legislation in February 2011. Walker and the Republican-held legislature successfully balanced the budget, primarily through curbs…Natalie Johnson -
- News
Wisconsin Farmers Seek End to Ban on Sales of Home-Baked Goods
Three Wisconsin farmers have filed a lawsuit against their state’s agriculture agency to overturn a ban on the sale of homemade baked goods. Erica Smith, a lawyer with the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm representing the farmers, told The Daily Signal that she sees the lawsuit as a way to “raise awareness in…Mariana Barillas -
- News
New Food Stamp Bills in Wisconsin Aim to Curtail Welfare Fraud and Abuse
As part of continued efforts by Gov. Scott Walker and legislators, welfare fraud and abuse legislation will be put to a vote on Tuesday in Wisconsin. A series of four bills, three of which target abuse of Wisconsin’s food stamp program, are expected to pass. The legislation (Wisconsin Assembly Bills 222, 200, and 188) would require…Leah Jessen -
- Opinion
One Lawmaker Fights Wisconsin’s Practice of Letting Lawmakers Charge Taxpayers For Unused Sick Days
It’s enough to make any Wisconsin taxpayer sick. For 40 years, state legislators have enjoyed a special benefit that not only grants them sick leave, but also allows them to bank all unused sick days and use the cash value of those days to pay for health insurance after they retire from the legislature. “It’s a…Paul Brennan -
- News
Paul Ryan Questions Ex-Im Bank’s Role in Wisconsin GE Plant Closing
ELKHORN, Wis.—General Electric last week announced it was closing its Waukesha, Wis., plant and moving to Canada because Congress did not reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., addressed the issue Monday, explaining why he’s personally opposed to the bank and what really prompted GE’s move. Ryan, who chairs the House Ways and Means…Bill Osmulski -
- Opinion
Government Persecution of Wisconsin Conservatives Finally Comes to an End
In a lengthy decision issued on July 16, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has finally put an end to the secret, unconstitutional, “John Doe” investigation of conservative nonprofits in Wisconsin, such as Wisconsin Club for Growth. This legal harassment was engineered by a Democratic local prosecutor, John Chisholm, and the head of the state’s “Government Accountability…Hans von Spakovsky