Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

The revolution will be supervised.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Wisconsin: We Need You To Vote on Tuesday April 4 (if you haven’t already)

Wisconsin: We Need You To Vote on Tuesday April 4 (if you haven’t already)

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The future of reproductive freedom in Wisconsin is already in the courts. The state Supreme Court will have the final say. But before it does, the voters of Wisconsin will have the final say on who gets to serve on the state Supreme Court.

If you care about the future of freedom in Wisconsin, vote for Judge Janet Protasiewicz. The alternative is a return to the darkest realities of 1849.

Ben Wikler’s Op Ed from April 1

After the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Wisconsin entered a legal limbo: Was the 1849 law back in effect, or not? No hospital or clinic could take the chance of guessing wrong. So all providers in Wisconsin stopped providing abortion care. OB-GYN programs started sending students out of state to complete their training. The existing shortage of OB-GYN clinicians will grow worse; in some places, labor and delivery services are already shutting down.

Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul sued to stop this archaic law from going into effect. Their argument is legally straightforward: The more recent laws about abortion clearly supersede the 1849 law, meaning the 1849 law should be tossed out.

That case is now moving its way through lower courts, but sooner or later, it’s likely to wind up in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. And when it does, we already know what the vote will be: 4-3. The question that will be determined on April 4 is which side in the case will have three votes, and which side will have four.

If Wisconsin’s Supreme Court takes the law and constitution seriously, as we know Judge Janet Protasiewicz would do, then experts believe that there’s a clear-cut legal case for voiding the 1849 ban. But if the Supreme Court continues its pattern of far-right judicial activism, inventing legal excuses to advance the ultra-MAGA agenda, then it’s a near-certainty that the Supreme Court would declare the 1849 criminal abortion ban to be enforceable, more recent laws be damned.

That’s exactly why far-right groups are going to the mat to put Dan Kelly back on the Supreme Court. Wisconsin Right to Life, one of the state’s leading anti-abortion groups, summed it up on the very web page where Dan Kelly’s endorsement appears: Wisconsin Right to Life only endorse candidates “who have pledged to champion pro-life values and stand with Wisconsin Right to Life’s legislative strategy.”

Judge Janet will give all litigants a fair shake — something that Dan Kelly has proven he is unable to do. On this case, and on every other case that will come before the court in the next 10 years, fairness is just what we need.

The future of reproductive freedom in Wisconsin is already in the courts. The state Supreme Court will have the final say. But before it does, the voters of Wisconsin will have the final say on who gets to serve on the state Supreme Court.

If you care about the future of freedom in Wisconsin, vote for Judge Janet Protasiewicz. The alternative is a return to the darkest realities of 1849.

Link to the full article is in the tweet below.

Reader Interactions

97Comments

  1. 1.

    WaterGirl

    Republicans have put up $2 million in the final two weeks of this race.

    So I added the thermometer to the post.  Can we show Wis*Dems some love to help get them over the finish line?

  2. 2.

    Alison Rose

    I don’t know anyone in Wisconsin but I’ve shared stuff about this election on FB in case anyone I know does. Keeping all my fingers crossed.

  3. 3.

    WaterGirl

    @Alison Rose: Yeah, if everyone on social media could share the link to this post, or share Ben Wikler’s tweet, or put up something of your own to share how important this election is.

  4. 4.

    Joy in FL

    I donated a bit just now on our thermometer. Thanks for the prompt to do that.

    Also I retweeted Ben Wikler’s tweet.

  5. 5.

    Bill K

    I’m in Wisconsin and all the momentum so far has been for the Dems.  I’ve seen TV ads, texts and gotten visits from Dems, but the only thing I see from the Repubs are mail flyers and Twitter falsehoods.

  6. 6.

    scribbler

    Already voted for Judge Janet.  I hope we’ve all done enough to get her get through!

    ETA: I’m also crossing my fingers for Jodi Habush Sinykin to win her state Senate race.  The guy she’s running against is just another terrible RWNJ.

  12. 12.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Tick tock, tick tock…

    FOX News is told multiple U.S. Secret Service agents connected to Former President Donald Trump have been subpoenaed & are expected to testify before the D.C. grand jury likely on Friday. The grand jury appearances are related to the Special Counsel Jack Smith probe into the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

  13. 13.

    WaterGirl

    @scribbler: And that if the Republican candidate for SD-8 wins, that gives the Rs a 2/3 majority in both houses in the state, so they could impeach the governor, the secretary of state, judges they don’t like, etc.

  14. 14.

    Wolvesvalley

    @scribbler: Yes to Jodi Habush Sinykin for Wisconsin State Senate. I sent her $100 last week and this weekend the DLCC sent an email mentioning her specifically so I sent them another $75. Here is her campaign website, in case last-minute money will help.

    ETA I hadn’t seen that the BJ thermometer mentions SD-8, but I think a direct link to Jody’s campaign deserves to be available.

  15. 15.

    Dangerman

    4/4 is my Father’s Birthday. Well, woulda been his Birthday.

    Since I’m a proven psychic (Oujia Board), I know my Father has blown out the Candles up there and says:

    1) Happy Indictment Day

    2) Vote Blue for Wisconsin Supreme Court (seriously, I’m on my phone and have no chance of spelling that name right), which I’m quite sure is because my Mother is right beside him (my Mother did not talk politics, ever, but she let it slip once, very clearly with a few words I wasn’t allowed to use as a Child, on Abortion Rights)

    3) Baud 2024

  16. 16.

    WaterGirl

    @Wolvesvalley: I’m sure Wis*Dems is working to get out the vote for both candidates, but Judge Janet is state-wide and Jodi is just SD-8, so I’m sure that Jodi could use donations to her campaign.

  18. 18.

    Jay

    for those still on the Twitter, the Twitter Bird has been replaced when you load, with a NAFO dog.

  22. 22.

    Trivia Man

    Looks like some rain tomorrow, likely later in the day. Reaching out to remind your friends to think about their potential Wisconsin contacts could help.

    Reminder: the last time a republican won a state Supreme Court seat here it was by LESS THAN an average of 1 vote per precinct.

  23. 23.

    Roger Moore

    @Jay:

    for those still on the Twitter, the Twitter Bird has been replaced when you load, with a NAFO dog.

    Sadly, that isn’t there because of its association with NAFO.  The same image is used by Dogecoin, Elon Musk’s cryptocurrency of choice.  As far as I know, both NAFO and Dogecoin got the image from a popular internet meme.

    Dogecoin should be seen as proof of how ridiculous the whole cryptocurrency thing is.  It was first created as a joke, making fun of the idea anyone could create a new cryptocurrency and people would start investing in it.  Now it’s one of the biggest cryptocurrencies out there.

  29. 29.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    speaking of twitter, I am told there that all three major cable networks have been giving live coverage of trump’s journey from FL to NYC, the motorcades, the plane, the drive into Manhattan….

    Aaron Rupar @atrupar 30m
    Well i for one am watching Biden’s speech in Minnesota. Enjoy the footage of Trump’s plane on the tarmac.

    this is just about the only mention I’ve seen of what the actual POTUS is doing today

  31. 31.

    cain

    @WaterGirl:

    They should use that for campaign ads – everyone hates a bully. Let’s see what this guy is going to do if we elect who we want?

    Impeaching? For what – these people just use some random words. Impeaching means they had committed a crime. Being elected isn’t one although with these people they probably think it is.

  32. 32.

    Roger Moore

    @Another Scott:

    I don’t think it’s just an attempt to get eyeballs.  Musk has a history of doing stuff involving Dogecoin, like funding a payload on a moon mission through Dogecoin.  He also has a representative on the Dogecoin Foundation.  Interestingly, and probably related, he just asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit against him for attempting to pump and dump Dogecoin.

  37. 37.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @cain: We are going out to dinner and giving him presents.  The big thing for him will be getting to be pater familias and having everyone around.

  38. 38.

    Mike in NC

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Assume that Trump plans to make some grand, theatrical entrance into NYC, similar to the dog-and-pony show the media gave us every day during the OJ trial. Then tomorrow night he’ll stir up the Proud Boys in a speech to take the country back.

  40. 40.

    raven

    @Omnes Omnibus: When my dad turned 80 we had a big too-doo in Phoenix and people flew in from all over the country. He spent almost the entire party talking to a guy who he had helped get his GED at the JC my dad tutored for!

  42. 42.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Baud: he was promoting the clean energy aspects of the IRA at a factory in Minneapolis, which FTR I think is very good politics. Catapult the filter into local media, as somebody said a while back.

  43. 43.

    Trivia Man

    @Mike in NC: my hope: gag order, he’s not allowed to discuss any pending cases. Any chance at all he could refrain? Contempt charges!

  44. 44.

    Another Scott

    @raven:

    Something like 100M people watched the OJ “chase”. I’m sure DJ is hoping for similar ratings.

    Bigly!!

    I kinda wonder if his loving wife and children will be with him at the arrangement.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  47. 47.

    Another Scott

    @Trivia Man: Nah.  We, as Popehat says, don’t want to turn this into some 1st Amendment case.

    Let him run his yap, let him make threats. Anyone who threatens violence, or acts out, can join him in the slammer.

    Eyes on the prizes.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  51. 51.

    Dangerman

    @Omnes Omnibus: My Father would have been 95.

    Interesting how common birthdays pop up. I share birthday with Tiger Woods (he’s more consistent on the course), LeBron James (better hops, but since my vertical is measured in millimeters, that goes without saying) …

    … but the one that blew me was a Dude I met totally at random. I mean, totally. Same birthday.

    ETA : Just missed it. My Parents loved cards. My Mother was a quiet assassin with a cribbage board (and I’ve thought about tournaments for myself someday). Anyway, I was hoping for 52

    ETA2: WG, a little help? Someone in BJ prison that gets me to 52?

  59. 59.

    Another Scott

    @WaterGirl:

    NASA.gov:

    NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis. The agencies revealed the crew members Monday during an event at Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

    “The Artemis II crew represents thousands of people working tirelessly to bring us to the stars. This is their crew, this is our crew, this is humanity’s crew,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, each has their own story, but, together, they represent our creed: E pluribus unum – out of many, one. Together, we are ushering in a new era of exploration for a new generation of star sailors and dreamers – the Artemis Generation.”

    The crew assignments are as follows: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen. They will work as a team to execute an ambitious set of demonstrations during the flight test.

    The approximately 10-day Artemis II flight test will launch on the agency’s powerful Space Launch System rocket, prove the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems, and validate the capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in deep space.

    […]

    (More at the link.)

    IOW, they won’t be landing on the Moon that mission, but it’s still very important!

    HTH!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  60. 60.

    misterpuff

    @Dangerman: Dangerman, you share a birthday with me!

    Bet I spot you some years, Mr. December 30th. But maybe not if your Dad would have been 95.

    1956 is the year and the year is 1956. (for me)

  65. 65.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    This is unbelievable, then I remember this is the state that sent Marsha Blackburn to the Senate

    Olivia Julianna @0liviajulianna

    From @brotherjones_ on the ground in Nashville— the Tennessee legislator is planning to expel lawmakers who stood with gun control advocates today. They have been stripped from committee assignments and their member ID’s have been shut off. THIS IS NOT DEMOCRACY.

  67. 67.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Parents and children held signs and shouted chants during a large protest at the Tennessee capitol last week following a deadly school shooting. And while no one was arrested or injured, Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton is comparing the demonstration to the Jan. 6 insurrection. 

    During the House Floor session on Thursday — days after the Covenant School shooting — Reps. Gloria Johnson, D-Knox, Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, and Justin Jones, D-Nashville, stood up and chanted with protestors in the gallery. […]

    House Speaker Cameron Sexton said their actions were more than a breach of decorum, comparing it to the January 6th insurrection in remarks to outlets. 

    “Two of the members; Representative Jones and Representative Johnson, have been very vocal about Jan. 6 and Washington, D.C., about what that was,” said Sexton. “What they did today was equivalent, at least equivalent, maybe worse depending on how you look at it, to doing an insurrection in the State Capitol.”

    they joined in a chant

  68. 68.

    Roger Moore

    @Matt McIrvin:

    On Twitter they’re speculating he did it to try to contaminate search results about the lawsuit.

    It doesn’t seem to be helping that much.  If you search “Elon Musk Dogecoin”, you get lots of results about the lawsuit.

  69. 69.

    Dangerman

    @WaterGirl: Deck of cards. My Folks were serious about cards. Which was passed down to me. I’ve tried my hand at counting cards but that didn’t last long because, one, it’s fairly fucking hard and, two, I didn’t have any desire to get a free trip to Security in a Casino. Card counters are very unwelcome in Casinos for obvious reasons.

  72. 72.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Roger Moore: ​

    Sadly, that isn’t there because of its association with NAFO. The same image is used by Dogecoin, Elon Musk’s cryptocurrency of choice.

    The cool thing is, it’s driving some members of Elmo’s fan club straight up the wall, because they think it’s the NAFO dog, and are sure someone’s hacked them. Win!

  73. 73.

    louc

    I read somewhere that a Black grassroots GOTV group  is refusing to back the liberal Wisconsin judge because of she sentenced one of its organizers to a long prison sentence for a hit and run. How big of a deal is that group? Or is it mainstream media bothsiderisms?

  76. 76.

    Kay

    This is Elevated Access- it’s out of Illinois and is a A 501(c)3:

    Elevated Access launched in April 2022. We are a volunteer pilot network that flies people in private aircraft at no cost to access abortion and gender-affirming care.
    We believe in bodily autonomy and the freedom to make private health care decisions without government intervention. As not everyone can receive the care they need in their communities, we started Elevated Access to make healthcare more accessible and equitable.
    Elevated Access anonymously transports patients, providers, and support staff where they need to go. Our volunteer pilots are fully vetted and generously donate their time, skills, and aircraft. We can fly into 3000 airports around the country, and 90% of the US population lives within a thirty-minute drive of these regional airports.

    They don’t need non-pilot volunteers (they always need pilots) but they do need funds for fuel and fees if anyone wants to donate.

  80. 80.

    Jay

    @Dangerman:

    a buddies Dad was a stockbroker and card counter. He was smart about it though, both the brokering, (VSE was scam city) and the card counting. He would head down to Vegas or Reno on a partially or fully comped trip, at least once a month.

    He would head out with $10K, return with $12-$15K, often leaving $150K on the table. He just loved “the game”.

    He gave a bunch of us one of his comped trips to Vegas, airfare, rental car, 2 suites, food and drink. So 8 of us headed down, got at van at the airport, spent the long weekend in Vegas, mountain biking, rock climbing and canyoneering south, coming back filthy, raiding the buffet and bar, passing out in the room and going hard the next day. I don’t think that any of us spent a penny in that casino.

  81. 81.

    Kirk Spencer

    @louc: I thought it smelled of misogyny myself. The echo of wounded male pride; how dare SHE do that.

  87. 87.

    Roger Moore

    @lowtechcyclist:

    A group of 23 people contains 253 distinct pairs of people.  Given that there’s only 366 possible birthdays, it’s kinda weird that the number isn’t lower.

    Not that weird.  You aren’t trying to calculate the average number of pairs of people with the same birthday; you’re trying to calculate the probability there are zero such pairs.  Since there’s the possibility there are 2 or more pairs of people with the same birthday, you need to have an average of more than 0.5 birthday pairs in order to have a >50% probability.

    If you’re more mathy, you’d expect the probability there are exactly 0 such pairs to be about e^-(p/365), where p is the number of pairs.  If e^-(p/365) < 0.5, that’s -p/365 < ln(0.5), or p/365 > ln(2), or p > 252.999.

  90. 90.

    prostratedragon

    The truth bursts out:

    "Q. So if this is such a tough case for [DA Bragg] to make, then why is he bringing it?"A. I think there's no question about it, that he wants to humiliate President Fraud — er, President Trump." https://t.co/9Dup1hhxI8— George Conway🌻 (@gtconway3d) April 3, 2023

  94. 94.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Roger Moore: ​
     

    If you’re more mathy, you’d expect the probability there are exactly 0 such pairs to be about e^-(p/365), where p is the number of pairs. If e^-(p/365) < 0.5, that’s -p/365 ln(2), or p > 252.999.

    Or just say that since the chance that any given pair isn’t a match is 364/365, the odds that all 253 pairs are non-matches is (364/365)^253 = .4995, so P(at least one match) = .5005.

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