February 4, 2021
by Matthew Rothschild, Executive Director
As Wisconsin was arriving at the dreadful landmark of 6,000 COVID fatalities, Republicans in the State Legislature were not only still dragging their feet, they were actually trying to make matters worse.
They’ve gummed up the COVID relief package, and now they want to overturn Gov. Evers’s mask mandate.
The reprehensible inaction on COVID relief and lethal recklessness on the mask mandate, both in the face of what the public wants, reflect the crisis of representation that we have in Wisconsin.
This crisis of representation stems from two huge problems: a corrupt campaign finance system and gerrymandering.
Some of the most powerful business lobbies and biggest political spenders in Wisconsin for months opposed any COVID relief bill that didn’t shield businesses from liability from anyone who got COVID at work, even if that business wasn’t abiding by prudent and mandated public health measures. These groups include Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity, and a host of others.
Republican legislators are acting like their donors are their constituents, not the actual citizens in their districts.
Plus, they face little accountability for their shameful COVID response because their party rigged the maps back in 2011 to ensure themselves “safe” districts and an iron-clad hold on power. This gerrymandering allows legislators to disregard the views of huge chunks of their constituency because they’re virtually guaranteed to get reelected under the crooked maps no matter what.
“The Wisconsin Legislature is about to repeal a mask mandate that is supported by more than 72 percent of Wisconsin Voters and every major public health organization,” says Rep. Deb Andraca. “This is gerrymandering at its worst -- a minority party working on behalf of its base of supporters, rather than the will of the people. If Wisconsin had fair maps, we would have many more competitive districts where elected officials had to listen to their constituents -- or else be voted out of office. Now it's not just our democracy that's at risk from gerrymandering, but our health too.”
Sen. Jeff Smith, a longtime leader in the fight to ban gerrymandering, also cites gerrymandering as a reason why the Republicans are backsliding on COVID. In a statement denouncing Republicans for refusing to compromise on this crucial issue, Smith said: “I f you truly believe in political compromise, then you must support non-partisan redistricting reform.”
More than ever, we desperately need to ban gerrymandering and to get a grip on the big money. Combined, they are distorting our democracy and jeopardizing our health.