EDITOR
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Colby cheese bill update
To the editor: Greetings. Since my last visit to the capital people have been asking me “What happens next with the cheese bill; Is Colby the state cheese yet?”
I interviewed Senator Kathy Bernier shortly after the hearing, and you can watch that interview on The Hornet’s Nest on Facebook.
In case you do not have Facebook this is the brief of the situation: The first hearing was in July, when the committee on Local Government held a hearing for the bill. Todd Novak (Democrat) is chairman of the committee. He doesn’t like the bill, and has been quoted saying he will do all that he can to make sure it never reaches the Assembly for a general vote.
Though committee members stated their support for the bill, Novak has declined it a chance to be voted out of committee. And there it sat, until recently. Last week a senate committee hearing was held. The hearing was a surprising one because we all thought the bill had lost interest.
Duey Strobel (Republican) is chairman of the Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection committee, and several of those committee members are co-sponsors of the bill.
The hearing was a massive success. The senators asked follow up questions, commented on their appreciation for the testimony, and some gave outright support for the bill. This is not a typical sight because many senate committee hearings can last all day, sometimes exceeding 10 hours. So asking a few questions or giving comments is a huge time investment on one bill.
In a week or so we will find out if there was a vote. There is a 99 percent chance that it will be voted in favor, and moved out of committee. That is where the good news ends, and the not-so-good news begins Once out of committee the bill goes to the Committee on Organization. They are responsible for scheduling bills for floor debate. If they feel the bill isn’t worth the time of the senate to vote on it, or if there are more pressing issues, those bills are bounced back, and out of committee. (Think of it has asking your kid to write up a grocery list to pick up. Before leave you are going to look at the list to make sure it is stuff you need.)
The “org” is the mom checking the list of things to buy at the store. If the “org” doesn’t think the Senate has time to do it, Strobel could ask to reconsider the decision. There is about a 25-35 percent of the bill getting to the Senate floor.
Once on the Senate floor it is debated by all senators. If they vote “Yes”, it goes on to the Assembly for a vote. If they vote “No”, the bill goes back to Bernier’s offi ce. The bill has had a hearing in an Assembly committee already, which is great, however the chairperson (Todd Novak) of the committee can make a lot of damage, and stop the progress of the bill. Considering Novak does not like this bill, the chances of it reaching the Assembly, right now, I’d say are about 3 percent.
Long story short: The bill is still a bill, and at-best will be voted out of committee and be stopped after that. Next year the bill will be relaunched in another attempt to move it out of committee onto the legislative floor or a vote.
This all may sound depressing, if not outright impossible for Colby to be a state symbol. But this is the political process, and it takes time for all the right things to align. And also this bill is very, very popular (I would dare say that over 80 percent state lawmakers would say “yes” if given the chance to vote), and at the end of the day it is a non-controversial bill (it’s not tied to a political allegiance, and not affecting anyone’s liberty or daily life.).
In 2019, this bill was shellacked; the excuses to not support Colby were endless, and so were the adversaries (majority of the Senate and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (including some members). But now the excuses are down to 1: Wisconsin makes so many cheeses and it isn’t fair to pick one as the state cheese, and the roadblocks are fewer.
And when this is brought up next year we can say that this was voted by a committee, that will give it more weight of importance. It’s kinda like a football team goes to the playoffs for the first time and wins the Wild Card round but loses in the Divisional round. Yes, they lost, but at least they made it that far.
This is why it becomes very, very important, crucial in fact, for people to contact legislators, especially people from outside of Colby, WI.
Lawmakers are always looking for ways to support their voting base, and there isn’t a better way to do that then to e-mail/call giving support for a bill. And if people not from Colby are supporting a bill about Colby cheese, it speaks even louder.
Matt Oehmichen
Colby
A request to choose the jab over the politician
To the editor: Congressman Tiffany is a purveyor of fear, hate and anger. In his letter to constituents last Friday, he bemoans the Biden Administration for vaccine mandates in the military. He cites that 468 members of the military have been “kicked out” for not getting the “jab.”
When I was in the Navy in the mid ‘80’s, one thing that stands out in my memories was all the shots. All the shots that were required so I could go to school didn’t count, you got them again and then some more. Every time I boarded a ship for overseas, more shots. These were orders. You follow orders or you face the consequences.
In the ‘80s there was a different deadly disease going around known then as AIDS. The military wanted to know what the health status of its members was and there by issued orders that every one be tested. At the time HIV was being wrongfully blamed on the gay community and you couldn’t be gay and in the military.
In my squadron one man refused to be tested, citing his Constitutional rights. He was given a courts martial and received a bad conduct discharge.
Tiffany expresses his concern “how this purge of our nation’s service members will affect our military’s readiness” and goes on to talk about proposed legislation that would eliminate discharges and/or disciplinary action.
This is all designed to instill fear and anger and ultimately get him re-elected. What he isn’t telling us is that there are 1.4 million members in the military and that 468 is an insignificant number and that this will have no effect on military readiness.
But Republicans won’t let insignificant numbers stand in the way of legislation, just like when they cry “voter fraud” and rush to limit voter access and rights. Out of a billion (yes, that’s a B) ballots cast, only 31 cases of voter impersonation. Voter fraud is completely inconsequential.
What he also isn’t telling you is that the military is providing education and counseling for these service members. That many are very junior members. That 22 out 23 Navy sailors were still in boot camp. And that all service members are being given honorable discharges.
You see, these service members aren’t actually being “kicked out” or get the “jab” as the Congressman wants you to believe. Instead, they are given a rather attractive offer to leave the military. Furthermore, I have no doubt anyone showing up at the recruiting office is being told, in no uncertain terms, that the covid vaccination will be just one of many that will be required, rendering Tiffany’s bogus legislation moot.
No one in this country is being forced to get vaccinated. If it is mandated at your employment then you have a choice to get vaccinated or get a job that doesn’t require vaccination. I understand that there are 10 million job openings, surely you can find a job that doesn’t require vaccination. If it is mandated that you have to wear a mask on an airplane, then you have a choice to wear a mask or find another way to get to your destination.
This Republican anti-vax, anti-mask, and science denial is costing this country dearly. Not just lives lost, but also the economy. Every time a new wave of covid hits, the economy takes a hit as well.
Of covid deaths, most are unvaccinated, most of the unvaccinated are Republican voters. You can choose to be unvaccinated, ignore safety measures to protect the vulnerable, be a covid denier and vote for these Republicans. But doing so makes you part of the problem and the cycle of disease and economic collapse will continue. It’s your choice.
Ron Gutenberger
Colby
