% >> I DOUBT IT.
% I'M SORRY, THANKS VERY MUCH.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> DEMOCRATS IN THE WISCONSIN
% LEGISLTURE WILL HEAD INTO THE
% NEXT SESSION WITH EVEN SMALLER
% MINORITIES BUT THE LEADERS OF
% THE PARTY IN THE SENATE AND
% ASSEMBLY SAY THEY STILL
% REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE
% STATE.
% "HERE AND NOW" SENIOR POLITICAL
% REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ RECENTLY
% SAT DOWN WITH SENATOR MELISSA
% AGARD AND REPRESENTATIVE GRETA
% NEUBAUER AND HAS THIS STORY.
% >> SENATOR AGARD IS STILL
% GETTING USED TO HER NEW OFFICE
% AND NEW POSITION AS THE
% DEMOCRATIC MINORITY LEADER.
% >> IT FEELS A BIT LIKE DRINKING
% FROM A FIRE HOSE BUT I'M READY.
% >> WITH ONLY 11 MEMBERS THE
% DEMOCRATS ARE POWERLESS TO PASS
% LEGISATION.
% AGARD POINTS TO THE STATEWIDE
% WIN BY GOVERNOR TONY EVERS TO
% SHOW DEMOCRATS REPRESENT THE
% VALUE OF THE MAJORITY OF
% WISCONSIN.
% >> ULTIMATELY WE MAY HOLD THE
% MINORITY OF SEATS IN THE STATE
% OF WISCONSIN, BUT WE KNOW THAT
% WE HOLD THE MAJORITY OF THE
% HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN IN THE WORK
% WE'RE DOING.
% >> DEMOCRATS BLAMED
% REDISTRICTING MAPS FOR THEIR
% MINORITY STATUS.
% REPRESENTATIVE GRETA NEUBAUER IS
% THE MINORITY LEADER IN THE
% ASSEMBLY FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
% IT WAS A CHALLENGE TO FIND
% DEMOCRATS TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
% >> WE ARE IN INCREDIBLY
% POLARIZED PARTISAN TIMES AND IT
% WAS HARD TO BOTH RECRUIT PEOPLE
% TO RUN, PARTICULARLY WOMEN,
% BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THEY AND
% THEIR FAMILY MAY FACE THREATS.
% AND THAT UNFORTUNATELY DID BEAR
% OUT THIS CYCLE FOR CANDIDATES,
% FOR VOLUNTEERS.
% >> ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS WON 35
% SEATS JUST ENOUGH TO PREVENT A
% REPUBLICAN SUPER MAJORITY THAT
% WOULD ALLOW THE GOP TO OVERRIDE
% ANY OF EVERS' VETOES.
% IF TWO MEMBERS ARE MISSING THE
% GOP WOULD HAVE ENOUGH.
% >> OUR CAUCUS UNDERSTANDS ONE OF
% OUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE
% SESSION IS BEING HERE IN MADISON
% TO MAKE SURE THAT IF REPUBLICANS
% ARE TRYING TO OVERRIDE GOVERNOR
% EVERS' VETOES AND MOVE OUR STATE
% BACKWARDS WE'RE HERE TO PROTECT
% THOSE VETOES.
% >> NEUBAUER TOOK OVER AS LEADER
% PART WAY THROUGH THE LAST
% SESSION.
% THIS IS HER FIRST FULL TERM IN
% CHARGE AND SHE AND AGARD
% UNDERSTANDS DEMOCRATS IN THE
% MINORITY NEED TO BE MORE THAN
% THE PARTY OF NO.
% >> WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
% ARE FRUSTRATED WITH POLITICS
% RIGHT NOW AND I THINK OUR
% RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PASS POLICY
% IN THE CAPITOL THAT MAKES
% PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER AND SHOWS
% THAT GOVERNMENT CAN AND MUST BE
% A FORCE FOR GOOD.
% >> THEY HOPE THE BUDGET WILL
% CREATE SPACES FOR COMPROMISE ON
% THINGS LIKE INCREASING SHARED
% REVENUE.
% >> SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL
% GOVERNMENTS IS AT THE TOP OF THE
% PILE OF THINGS WE CAN AGREE ON.
% IT IS WHETHER, YOU KNOW, SO WE
% HAVE THE ENDPOINT HOW DO WE GET
% THERE AND THE PATHS WE USE TO
% MOVE FORWARD?
% THAT'S TO BE CONTINUED.
% >> AGARD HOPES TO BREAK THE
% INPASS IN THE SENATOR OF
% !ONFIRMING GOVERNOR EVERS'
% APPOINTEES.
% REPUBLICANS HAVE REFUSED TO HAVE
% VOTES.
% >> BASED ON WHAT I HEAR FROM
% COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
% THE AISLE WE'RE READY TO START
% MOVING FORWARD.
% LET'S BRING IT TO THE FLOOR AND
% DEBATE IT AND LET'S VOTE UP OR
% DOWN.
% IF THE MAJORITY PARTY DOES FEEL
% LIKE THE PERSON IS NOT THE RIGHT
% FIT, HOLDING THEM IN THIS WEIRD
% LIMBO ISN'T GOING TO HELP THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% >> THERE IS ONE AREA WHERE
% DEMOCRATS ARE NOT LOOKING FOR
% COMMON GROUND, ABORTION.
% >> THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WHERE
% THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE.
% A PERSONAL HEALTHCARE DECISION,
% NOT A PLACE WHERE POLITICIANS
% BELONG AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES
% ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
% HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WE ALSO
% INCLUDE IN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE
% NOT JUST POLITICIANS BUT POLICE
% OFFICER.
% >> REPUBLICANS TALK ABOUT
% PASSING A BILL TO MODIFIED THE
% LAW BANNING ABORTIONS TO PROVIDE
% EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE OR INCEST.
% >> AS ONE OF THE 50% OF PEOPLE
% IN WISCONSIN WHO LOST A CONCRETE
% RIGHT IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE
% HEARD FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE
% STATE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT
% WE KEEP FIGHTING FOR COME
% PREHENCEIVE ACCESS TO
% REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE.
% EXCEPTIONS ARE NOT COME
% PREHENCEIVE AND WE KNOW THAT.
% >> DEMOCRATS WANT TO KEEP THE
% CURRENT LAW IN PLACE WHILE THEY
% WAIT FOR LEGAL CHALLENGES.
% THAT LEADS TO THE OTHER
% PRIORITY, ELECTING A LIBERAL TO
% THE SUPREME COURT IN APPEAR --
% APRIL.% >> WE WANT TO ELECT
A JUSTICE
% WHO WILL PUT THE PEOPLE OF
% WISCONSIN OVER THEIR PARTY.
% >> A LIBERAL MAJORITY ON THE
% COURT COULD WRITE NEW
% LEGISLATIVE MAPS IN WISCONSIN
% GIVING DEMOCRATS A CHANCE TO WIN
% MORE SEATS AND GET MORE SWAY AT
% THE CAPITOL.
% >> ABORTION RIGHTS,
% REDISTRICTING, UNION RIGHTS, THE
% LIST GOES ON AND ON.