Thread: End Senate's Secret Votes (Editiorial) Must Read!

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/edit ... ntid=67210

Editorial: End Senate's secret votes

A Cap Times editorial
January 2, 2006

An estimated 1,000 demonstrators in the Capitol rotunda Tuesday protested a bill that would require people to present documentary proof of citizenship or legal residence to get a driver's license. Some of the protesters carried Mexican and U.S. flags. (Photo by David Sandell/The Capital Times)

When the state Senate's Natural Resources and Transportation Committee voted on whether to advance AB 69, a proposal to require people applying for a Wisconsin driver's license to prove they are in the country legally, the chairman of the committee, Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, knew the measure was controversial.

The bill, promoted by anti-immigrant groups, has been condemned by law enforcement specialists who argue that - because people who lack proof that they are in the country legally will continue to drive - adopting this rule would make the roads less safe. When people obtain a license, they are required to familiarize themselves with the rules of the road, and to pass a driver's test. Whether a driver is in the country legally or not, the argument goes, it simply makes sense to ensure that he or she is aware of basic safety standards.

Unfortunately, in their rush to beat up on newcomers to the state, the anti-immigrant groups and their legislative allies have chosen to neglect public safety.

Kedzie, an able if overly ambitious politician, knew this. In fact, as a representative from Walworth County, a county with a high immigrant population, he was probably better informed about the dangers of this misguided bill than all but a few legislators.

But Kedzie, who wanted to promote the bill for consideration by the full Senate in order to score points with right-wing elements in the Republican Party, was not going to let reality get in the way of immigrant-bashing.

The challenge for Kedzie was that the bill had drawn widespread opposition and the committee vote on it was going to draw unwelcome attention to the chairman and committee members. What to do?

Kedzie resolved his challenge by advancing the legislation without a formal, public vote.

Committee members, who favored the measure by a 4-1 margin, did not hold an open session to vote. They did not even set foot in the Capitol, where activists have gathered to decry AB 69.

Instead, Kedzie employed a so-called "polling ballot" scheme that allows senators to mail in their votes on controversial issues from their offices or homes - effectively eliminating from public scrutiny the public committee votes that have traditionally represented one of the most critical steps in the legislative process.

If it were just Kedzie who was subverting the democratic process in this manner, it would be easy to call for his sanctioning and removal from office. Unfortunately, Kedzie was taking advantage of a sleazy Senate rule that allows legislators to do the public's business without having to face the public.

According to a review of Senate actions compiled at the request of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the practice is widespread. More than 125 times in the past year, Senate committees did not hold public votes before advancing major pieces of legislation - including the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions, legislation to allow Wisconsinites to carry concealed weapons, and a highly controversial measure establishing limits on scientific research at the UW and other institutions.

The practice has begun to draw criticism. Citizens are complaining, and so too are jurists. This month, Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess, ruling in a case involving the use of "polling ballots" by the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, argued that such secret votes make "the work of government all but invisible." In the particular case he decided, Niess ruled that the procedure violated the state open meetings law.

Niess' ruling sends an important signal to the Legislature. Actions on key bills could, at worst, be illegal. At the least, they are completely inappropriate in a democracy.

The Senate should cease to use the "polling ballot" scheme, and measures that have been approved during the current session of the Legislature should be reconsidered in public sessions of the relevant committees - including Sen. Kedzie's Natural Resources and Transportation Committee.


Published: 8:40 AM 1/2/06

An estimated 1,000 demonstrators in the Capitol rotunda Tuesday protested a bill that would require people to present documentary proof of citizenship or legal residence to get a driver's license. Some of the protesters carried Mexican and U.S. flags

Carried Mexican flags....to protest a vote in the US Senate. How interesting. Protesting b/c their needs and wants do not supercede the needs of citizens. How usual.

RR

Originally Posted by RoadRunner

An estimated 1,000 demonstrators in the Capitol rotunda Tuesday protested a bill that would require people to present documentary proof of citizenship or legal residence to get a driver's license. Some of the protesters carried Mexican and U.S. flags

Carried Mexican flags....to protest a vote in the US Senate. How interesting. Protesting b/c their needs and wants do not supercede the needs of citizens. How usual.

RR

ITS ALL SO ABSURD! Every country in the world has the right to know who you are, where you are from, and why are you here. So what makes America the exception? And to have the nerve to demonstrate at the US Senate carrying Mexican flags is just plain bizzare!

The bill, promoted by anti-immigrant groups, has been condemned by law enforcement specialists who argue that - because people who lack proof that they are in the country legally will continue to drive - adopting this rule would make the roads less safe. When people obtain a license, they are required to familiarize themselves with the rules of the road, and to pass a driver's test. Whether a driver is in the country legally or not, the argument goes, it simply makes sense to ensure that he or she is aware of basic safety standards.

..the argument goes..it simply makes sense to find any illegal and deport them. That way, the problem is solved at the root of the problem. No racism about it, no matter what nationality they are, if they can' prove of being here legally, they get deported. NOW YOU LIBERALS, HOW IS THAT RACIST, YA BUNCH OF NUCKLEHEADS!

It doesn't matter who gets hurt. We must do this to preserve our culture. We should not have to be giving ours up because they are trying to expand theirs. This is nothing short of an invasion, ALLOWED BY OUR PRESIDENT!!! WHEN IS THIS COUNTRY GOING TO WAKE UP??

They keep thinking of ways to deal with the problem like they don't have a choice in the matter. Spineless

By the way, does anyone know if Cheny will run for President?

Our congress and many others in this country behave as if the only thing to consider is the comfort of our southern neighbor. They are recieving at least fifteen billion per year in foreign aid ( the sixth largest economy in the world is getting US taxdollars ) and also some 25-30 billion in remittances from their expatriates.

Yet the hue and cry is 'these poor people just come here to make a better life'....does anyone see something wrong with this statement? This attitude?

This is OUR country and we should not be asking 'please can we run this our way'? Our congress is nothing but a buncha bought off wimps.

RR