>> THE DEMOCRATS DECRIED
STRIKING DOWN THE MASK MANDATE
IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT THEN
THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOOD FROM
PEOPLE IN NEED, THAT RAISED THE
ROOF.
THE ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CALLED OFF
THE VOTE TO STUDY HOW TO MAKE IT
WORK WITHOUT LOSING THAT MONEY.
TONIGHT WE ARE JOINED BY THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, WITH
DEMOCRATIC LEADER THE ASSEMBLY,
GMENT
GORDON HINTZ.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THE
ORDER ALMOST BEING TURNED OVER?
>> THE IDEA THE FIRST ACT TO
PASS THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY WAS
SOMETHING THAT MADE OUR COVID
PROBLEM WORST AT THE MOST
CRITICAL TIME WHERE WE'RE OVER
80% IN TERMS OF ICU BEDS FILLED,
HOSPITALIZATION RATE OVER 80%
AND WHERE WE KNOW THE VACCINE IS
GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE
GOING TO GO AGAINST THE WISHES
OF EVERY MAJOR HEALTH
ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE IS
CONTRARY TO WHAT OUR ROLE IN
GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE.
AND SO HAVING IT SCHEDULED AS
THE FIRST ACT WAS DISAPPOINTING.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU CERTAINLY
THERE ARE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS THE LOSS
OF FOODSHARE DOLLARS.
BUT THE REALITY IS THOUSANDS OF
WISCONSINITES CONTACTED US.
GROUPS WERE REGISTERING AGAINST.
I THINK THERE WASN'T 100%
SUPPORT IN THAT REPUBLICAN
CAUCUS OVER WHETHER THIS WAS A
GOOD IDEA OR NOT.
WE NEED TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON
AND HOPEFULLY GET THEM TO NOT
REPEAL THE MANDATE.
>> SO WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON
THE SENATE AMENDMENT THAT WOULD
PREVENT THE LOSS OF FEDERAL
FUNDS BY ALLOWING THE GOVERNOR
TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY JUST FOR
THE PURPOSE OF GETTING THAT
FEDERAL MONEY WITHOUT THE MASK
PART OF THE ORDER?
>> WELL, LOOK.
IF THEY ARE REALLY GOING TO GO
THROUGH WITH DOING SOMETHING
THAT IS GOING TO INFECT MORE
PEOPLE, PROBABLY RESULT IN MORE
LIVES LOST IN WISCONSIN, MAKE
OUR RECOVERY SLOWER, I'M HOPEFUL
THAT WE CAN AT LEAST FIND A WAY
TO KEEP THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING
THAT WE GET FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IN FOODSHARE.
THAT'S A SECONDARY WORRY TO THE
FACT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING
TO DO SOMETHING AGAIN THAT MAKES
COVID WORSE IN OUR STATE.
>> BUT SPEAKER VOS REGARDS, HE
SAYS, WEARING A MASK AS A SOCIAL
CONTRACT THAT SHOULD NOT IN FACT
BE A MANDATE.
HE EVEN CUT THAT PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT ENCOURAGING IT.
WHAT ABOUT THE IDEA OF SIMPLY
APPEALING TO PEOPLE'S KIND OF
CIVIC DUTY TO WEAR A MASK AS
OPPOSED TO AN ORDER?
>> WELL, I THINK THE SUCCESS OF
IT IS GOING TO BE GETTING PEOPLE
TO UNDERSTAND THAT WEARING A
MASK IS ABOUT LOOKING OUT FOR
OTHERS.
IT'S ABOUT LOOKING OUT FOR EACH
OTHER.
AND WE REALLY NEED THAT
COLLECTIVE RALLY.
THAT WAS CERTAINLY A LOST
OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR PRESIDENT
SENDING THE OPPOSITE MESSAGE TO
PEOPLE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, MASK
MANDATES WORK.
THERE'S ENOUGH EVIDENCE BETWEEN
COUNTIES THAT HAVE DONE IT AND
COUNTIES THAT HAVEN'T.
39 OTHER STATES IN THE COUNTRY
HAVE A MASK MANDATE, INCLUDING
REPUBLICAN STATES.
SO THEY DO IT BECAUSE IT WORKS.
THIS IS A POLITICAL OR
IDEOLOGICAL STANCE THAT IS
CONTRARY TO THE HEALTH OR
WELL-BEING OF OUR STATE.
>> AS TO OTHER CHANGES TO THE
COVID RELIEF BILL THAT THE
GOVERNOR HAD AGREED ON BEFORE
ASSEMBLY REVISIONS, HOW DO YOU
THINK THE GOVERNOR WOULD REGARD
THE PART OF IT THAT REQUIRES A
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW OF ANY
FEDERAL CORONAVIRUS FUNDING?
>> I THINK HE'LL VETO IT
IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S NONSTARTER.
SINCE NEEFERS GOVERNOR EVERS WAS
ELECTED, THE SPEAKER AND THE
LEGISLATURE SEEM TO WANT TO BE
GOVERNOR, TOOK AWAY HIS POWER,
SUED HIM.
THERE IS AN EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND
THEY ARE CHARGED WITH THIS EXACT
TASK OF MANAGING SOMETHING LIKE
THE PANDEMIC.
THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD GIVE
PEOPLE THAT CAN'T EVEN CATCH $50
MILLION MONTHLY LOSS IN
FOODSHARE OR $25 MILLION LOSS BY
DELAYING UNEMPLOYMENT ONE WEEK
REPEAL IN CHARGE OF MANAGING
FEDERAL AID IS RIDICULOUS.
THIS IS THESE GUYS TRYING TO
MICROMANAGE AND CONTINUE TO TRY
TO DO GOVERNOR EVERS' JOB FOR
HIM AND THAT'S A NONSTARTER.
>> SO IT GETS A VETO IN YOUR
EXPECTATION FROM THE GOVERNOR.
WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE STATE
THEN WITH ANY KIND OF COVID
RELIEF LEGISLATION?
>> NOWHERE.
I MEAN, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THE DECISION MADE BY THE
ASSEMBLY THE OTHER DAY WAS
ESSENTIALLY TO KEEP DOING
NOTHING.
THEY PASSED SOMETHING THAT THEY
KNEW WAS GOING TO DELAY OR
DISRUPT THE AID THAT DEMOCRATS
HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR SINCE LAST
SUMMER.
IT'S BEEN OVER 290 DAYS NOW
SINCE WE'VE ACTED.
AND THE DECISION THE OTHER DAY
WAS TO DELAY.
BETWEEN THAT AND THE MASK
MANDATE, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT
OUR HEALTH, WELL-BEING, ECONOMIC
HEALTH, IN-PERSON SCHOOL FOR OUR
KIDS IS SIMPLY NOT A PRIORITY
RIGHT NOW FOR REPUBLICANS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
REPRESENTATIVE