The Milwaukee Post

April 13, 2018 • Milwaukee County Post • 9 Belling supports delaying tactics that have kept two districts unrepresented To the editor: This is regarding Mark Belling's sup- port of Saint Scott Walker's (patron saint of meanness and all that is moronic) Soviet style of ruling. Thanks to St. Scott's delay- ing tactics we have two districts without actual representation. If it was my district, I would want duly elected representation. What if an emergency session were to be called? My district would be left out. And as far as the Democrats wasting money, the Republicans don't? What is adding $1.5 trillion to the deficit for a two- bit tax break? How is that "conservative"? Mark Belling, please answer that. Michael Bourdo Milwaukee AARP grants help to improve lives To the editor: The AARP Community Challenge "quick-action" grant program, which is now accepting applications for 2018, is aimed at sparking change and improving the quality of life for people of all ages in communities across Wisconsin and the entire nation. We know that great communities take a long time to build and sustain. But we also believe that quick actions can be the cata- lyst for long-term progress. These grants provide communities with the chance to fund innovative projects that inspire change in areas such as transporta- tion, open spaces and housing, improving the community and making our counties, cities, towns, villages, and rural areas bet- ter places to live for all Wisconsinites. Last year, the program funded 88 proj- ects across the nation, including two in Wisconsin. The city of Oconomowoc was selected after submitting a plan to create a downtown revitalization project that called for converting an alleyway into a pedestri- an corridor. The Wisconsin Bike Federation in Milwaukee was selected for its plans to create a traffic calming demonstration kit and to host a streetscape design workshop so older residents could select the types of infrastructure features they would like to see where they live. Both projects showed creativity and innovation. There are tremendous oppor- tunities for positive change in communi- ties across Wisconsin and I encourage eli- gible organizations to apply for these quick-action grants to make their commu- nities more livable for everyone. Applications for 2018 AARP Community Challenge grants are due by May 16. All projects must be completed by Nov. 5. For more information or to apply, visit AARP.org/CommunityChallenge. Sam Wilson State director AARP Wisconsin OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR By OWEN B. ROBINSON With the spate of bipartisan legislation making it to Gov. Scott Walker's desk at the sunset of this legislative session, one might have been lulled into thinking that Wisconsin's Democrats had finally moderat- ed and moved toward the center of the ideo- logical spectrum. As if to disabuse the elec- torate of any such notion, some Assembly Democrats have introduced a sweeping amendment to the Wisconsin state Constitution that reads like a Madison socialist manifesto. The amendment does not stand any chance of actually passing. In order to amend the Wisconsin Constitution, both houses in two successive legislatures must pass the same amendment and then it must pass a statewide vote. It is very difficult to amend the state Constitution, but it is par- ticularly hard for the minority party in the Legislature to do it. But that isn't the point of what the Democrats are doing. Released at the end of the legislative ses- sion on the eve of an election season where Democrats are hoping to ride a blue wave to electoral majorities, the amendment is meant to lay down an ideological marker of where the Democrats would like to take Wisconsin if the voters are foolish enough to hand them power. The lengthy amend- ment contains 18 provi- sions that address every- thing from abortion to voting rights. Let us look at a few of the more wacky ideas that Democrats would like to foist on the state: Democrats would attempt to undermine the Second Amendment by allowing local ordinances to supersede federal and state law when it comes to how citizens own, use and carry firearms. Democrats would strike the word "resident" from the definition of an eligible voter and only require a person to live in a ward for 10 days before being permitted to vote. This would open the door to allow Democrats to flood key districts with tempo- rary voters in order to win elections. Democrats would allow felons who are on probation or parole to vote. Democrats would reinstate the notorious- ly corrupt Government Accountability Board that was complicit in persecuting conservative people and groups. Not only that, but they would give the GAB even more power by putting it in control of drawing district lines. The GAB was so successful in helping Democrats before it was disbanded that they assume that it will tilt legislative maps in their favor too. Democrats would prohibit religious schools from receiving public funds. This would effectively kill school choice in Wisconsin since the majori- ty of choice schools are highly successful Catholic, Lutheran and other religious school systems. Democrats would turn back the clock in favor of unions by declaring a right to col- lective bargaining. This would negate Act 10, right-to-work legislation and reinstate the expensive prevailing wage laws. Democrats would enable the DNR to be an independent leftist attack dog by insulating it from the voters. They would do this by put- ting the superintendent of Public Instruction — historically a Democratic stronghold — representation in the DNR and by allowing a Natural Resources Board to choose the DNR secretary. Democrats believe in insulating their favorite govern- ment institutions from electoral scrutiny. Democrats would also have the superintend- ent of Public Instruction set the budget for public school funding. It is difficult to even understand how this would work since the Legislature holds the power of the purse, but Wisconsin's Democrats are unbothered by such things. The proposals go on, but the message is clear: Democrats really do think that Wisconsin would be better off if it adopted San Francisco's values. They really would mount a full-scale assault on our civil rights if they manage to regain control of the gov- ernment again. This constitutional amendment is not going to pass, but it is a clear statement of the kind of Wisconsin that Wisconsin's Democrats would create if given the chance. Many of these ideas do not need a constitu- tional amendment in order to become reali- ty. Most of them could be done with simple changes in the law. If Wisconsinites are enjoying record employment, a booming economy, budget surpluses, tax cuts and the expansion of civil rights, they are going to have to get to the polls in November and make their voices heard. (Owen B. Robinson is a West Bend resident whose column appears occasionally in The Milwaukee County Post. He can be reached at owen@bootsandsabers.com.) Wisconsin Democrats propose socialist paradise Robinson Wish list includes temporary voters to win elections and reinstating corrupt board Send your letters to: The Milwaukee Post, c/o Dan Muckelbauer, 3397 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207, or by email to: dmuck@conleynet.com. We reserve the right to edit letters for style, length and clarity. Letters should be typewritten or printed and include full name, phone number and address. Please keep your letters to no more than 400 words. Letters policy

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