FOR MORE STATE FUNDING.
DESPITE THE CURRENT COLD,
WINTERS IN THE STATE BECOME THE
FASTEST WARMING IN THE COUNTRY
AND FOR SOME AID IN UKRAINE
REMAINS THE MOST IN THE COUNTRY.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG AND WE
HAVE CORY MASON ON THE DIRE NEED
FOR MORE LOCAL FUNDING AND SPEAK
ABOUT AID FOR UKRAINE AND THE
NEXT IN SERIES OF INTERVIEWS
WITH STATE SUPREME COURT
INTERVIEWS WITH JUDGE MITCHELL.
IT'S "HERE & NOW" FOR FEBRUARY
3.
CITY MAYORS ARE IMPLORING
LEADERS TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING
FOR MUNICIPALITIES KNOWN AS
SHARED REVENUE.
RAI
RAISIN -- THE RACINE MAYOR SAID
NOW THE TIME TO FUND POLICE AND
ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
THE MAYOR JOINS US NOW.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE, THANKS FOR
HAVING ME.
>> WE EXPECT WHEN HE ROLLS OUT
HIS TWO-YEAR BUDGET
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS WILL
PROPOSE SENDING 20-PERCENT OF
THE STATE'S SALES TAX BACK TO
LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN
SHARED REVENUE. WHEN YOU HEARD
HIM ANNOUNCE THAT -- WHAT WAS
YOUR REACTION?
HAVE YOU DONE THE MATH? WHAT
WOULD THAT MEAN FOR RACINE?
THE GOVERNOR'S SHOWN REAL
LEADERSHIP.
WE HAD FUNDS TO LOCAL SERVICES
FROZEN MORE THAN A DECADE.
FOR THE CITY OF RACINE WE GET
LESS THAN A DECADE AGO AND THAT
MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN
SERVICES WHEN COSTS CONTINUE TO
RISE.
THE GOVERNOR COMMITTING THAT
KIND OF A FUNDING SOURCE IN
TERMS OF INCREASE AND ALSO ITS
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN THE FUTURE
OBVIOUSLY MYSELF AND MAYORS ARE
EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
>> HAVE YOU DONE THE MATH ON
THAT AND WHAT THE NUMBERS MIGHT
MEAN OR COULD MEAN?
>> THAT'S WHERE THE DETAILS WILL
COME OUT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY
THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS
HOW THE INCREASE WOULD BE BUT AN
ADDITIONAL HALF BILLION BACK TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
HOW THAT'S DISTRIBUTED THROUGH
CITIES, VILLAGES AND TOWNS AND
COUNTRIES IS A DIFFERENT
CONVERSATION.
A GENERATION AGO HALF WENT TO
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND KNEW WE
GET 5% WITH NEED INVESTMENT.
>> Frederica: WHAT THAT HAS
MEANT IN TERMS OF LOCAL
SERVICES?
>> THERE'S REAL STRESS ON LOCAL
SERVIC
SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE COSTS
GROUP 10%, 15% A YEAR IF
REVENUES REMAIN FLAT IT'S A
MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE'S
REAL TENSION BETWEEN GIVING
WORKERS THE RAISES THEY DESERVE
TO MAINTAIN THEM AND MAINTAIN
SERVICES IF YOU HAVE BUDGETS
FROM 10, 12, 15 YEARS AGO.
>> THERE'S THE LEVY LIMITS AND
THE ONLY WAY UNDER THE
LEGISLATIVELY IMPOSED LIMITS IS
TO GO TO A REFERENDUM FOR TAX
DOLLARS.
RACINE PROPOSED THIS BUT ARE YOU
READY TO SUPPORT THAT.
>> WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS BUT THE
RAISES ON THE TABLE EXCEED OUR
ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THOSE FUNDS
IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE TO PUT REAL OFFERS ON
THE TABLE THOUGH BECAUSE WE NEED
TO MAINTAIN A POLICE FORCE AND
EMS AND FIRE FIGHTING FORCE.
IT'S AT A CRISIS POINT FOR
COMMUNITIES LIKE RACINE.
WE KNOW THERE WERE DOZENS OF
PUBLIC REFERENDUMS.
80% PASSED UNFORTUNATELY OURS
WAS ONE THAT DIDN'T.
THOSE ARE TWO OPTIONS GOING TO
REFERENDUM OR GETTING THE STATE
TO REINVEST IN ITS COMMITMENT TO
FUNDING LOCAL SERVICES.
EVERYBODY AGREED FUNDING A
POLICE WAS A PRIORITY.
EVERYBODY AGREED ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR TO MAKE
GOOD ON THE COMMITMENT THE
GOVERNOR LAID OUT BEFORE US.
>> Frederica: HAVING SERVED IN
THE LEGISLATURE YOURSELF WHAT IS
YOUR EXPECTATION HOW THE
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY TO REACT.
>> IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY PASS
IT IN THE BIANNUAL BUDGET AND I
DO KNOW IN CONVERSATIONS THE
LEGISLATURE IS HAVING
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE MODEL
ABOUT THE 20% SALES TAX GOING.
SO IF THE GOVERNOR AND
LEGISLATURE AGREE ROUGHLY ON THE
FRAMEWORK AND WHAT THEY NEED TO
DO IS NEGOTIATE WHAT THE DETAILS
ARE I FEEL MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT
SHARING REVENUE THIS YEAR THAN I
HAVE IN A LONG TIME.
>> Frederica: WHAT IS YOUR
MESSAGE NOW TO BUDGET WRITERS AT
THE STATE CAPITAL?
>> IF YOU WANT SAFE AND HEALTHY
COMMUNITIES YOU HAVE TO INVEST
IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC
SAFETY.
THEY KNOW THAT.
THE CITY OF RACINE AND
COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE STATE
NEED THE RESOURCES AND NEED THE
STATE TO MAKE GOOD ON ITS
COMMITMENT TO FULFILL IT'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO FUND LOCAL
SERVICES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY EVERYBODY
AGREES TO THAT AND I'M HOPING
WITH THE NEW FRAMEWORK LAID OUT
BY THE GOVERNOR UNDER HIS
LEADERSHIP THE LEGISLATURE WILL
FIND A MODEL WE CAN AGREE ON BUT
THEY CAN'T KICK THE CAN DOWN THE
ROAD FURTHER.
IT'S GETTING TO PROVIDING BASIC
SERVICES IS BECOMING HARDER AND
HARDER FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE
AND MANY OTHERS ALL OVER THE
STATE.
>> Frederica: MAYOR CORY MASON.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU CAN WATCH THE GOVERNOR'S
UPCOMING STATE BUDGET ADDRESS
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 15 AT 7:00
P.M. LIVE FROM THE STATE CAPITAL
ON PBS WISCONSIN AND ON
WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO.
ALSO ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE
STATE, TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE
MIGHT BE FREEZING BUT FOR TWO
WISCONSIN CITIES THE AVERAGE
WINTER TEMPERATURE HAS INCREASED
MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
NATHAN MORE.
>> WILL WILL AND GREEN BAY HAVE
SEEN AVERAGE WINTER TEMPERATURES
INCREASE BY 6.1 DEGREES AND 5.7
DEGREES SINCE 1970.
THAT MAKES MILWAUKEE THE SECOND
FASTEST WARMING CITY AND GREEN
BAY THE FIFTH.
PART OF THE CLIMBING TEMPERATURE
COMES FROM LAKE MICHIGAN WHICH
IS SEEING A DECLINE IN ICE
COVERAGE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS.
HOWEVER, WISCONSIN'S COAST ISN'T
THE ONLY AREA WITH QUICKLY
RISING THERMOMETERS.
THE NORTHWEST HAS SEEN WARMER
WINTER DAYS THAN SOUTHERN
WISCONSIN A TREND EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE FOR DECADES.
WITH RISING TEMPERATURES COMES
CONCERNS.
WINTER WAVES ARE MORE LIKELY TO
CRASH TO SHORELINES SPEEDING UP
EROSION AND DAMAGING
INFRASTRUCTURE AND WARMER
WEATHER WILL EVENTUALLY MEAN
LESS SNOW HARMING WILDLIFE.
WITHOUT DRASTIC CHANGE WISCONSIN
WILL WARM UP TO 8 DEGREES THIS
CENTURY.
FOR "HERE & NOW", I'M NATHAN
DENZEN.
>> Frederica: "HERE & NOW"
THOUGH UKRAINE IS NO LONGER
FRONT OF MIND THE WAR FROM
RUSSIA'S INVASION NEARLY ONE
YEAR AGO CONTINUES TO RAVAGE THE
COUNTRY'S PEOPLE.
SOME WISCONSIN ITS REFUSE TO LET
UP IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SEND AID
OVERSEAS INCLUDING OUR NEXT
GUEST WHO SENT MORE THAN $25
MILLION WORTH OF GOODS TO THE
UKRAINIAN PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Frederica: DO YOU FIND THE
WAR IS NO LONGER TOP OF MIND FOR
AMERICANS.
>> THE DEATH IS NO LONGER A NEWS
TO SO MANY PEOPLE.
WE'RE USED TO HEARING ABOUT
DYING AND CHILDREN ARE DYING
BORN AND UNBORN AND IT'S NOT IN
THE NEWS ANYMORE.
HOWEVER, I SEE THERE'S BIG AW
AWAKENING IN THE PEOPLE AND
WHAT'S HAPPENING IS TOUCHING THE
QUESTION WHICH WORLD DO WE WANT
TO SEE WHERE DO WE GO WITH ALL
THAT IS IN FRONT OF US?
WHAT WILL BE THE FUTURE.
IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS SHOCK
AND HUMANITARIAN EFFORT GIVEN TO
UKRAINE JUST FROM LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND BIGGER
ORGANIZATIONS AND GENERALLY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE
HELPED SO MUCH.
IT'S TRUE AT THIS POINT A LITTLE
BIT WE ARE SHIFTING TO THE --
THERE'S A CONTRAST, RIGHT.
PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE DONE AND
FINISHED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND
YET IT GOES ON AND RIGHT NOW WE
ALL FEEL IN UKRAINE WE FEEL DEEP
LET'S SAY FOCUS.
WE'LL GO ON UNTIL THE WAR IS
GOING TO BE OVER AND THERE'LL BE
A VICTORY.
>> Frederica: WHAT YOUR HEARING
FROM PEOPLE IN UKRAINE ABOUT THE
CONDITIONS NOW.
>> CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW ARE
QUITE SEVERE.
IT'S WINTER AND OUR COUNTRY'S
LIVING ON 30% ENERGY SUPPLY.
SOME PARTS OF KYIV ARE
STRUGGLING, OUR CAPITAL, RIGHT
NOW ARE STRUGGLING WITH HEAT AND
ELECTRICITY.
EVERY CITY HAS A PARTICULAR
SCHEDULE WHEN THEY CAN HAVE
ELECTRICITY WHICH MEANS YOU'RE
ONLY LIMITED TO A CERTAIN TIME
TO PREPARE YOUR FOOD AND IMAGINE
IF YOU HAVE ELDER PEOPLE OR
CHILDREN THERE'S SMALL YOUNG
BABIES, THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT.
VERY DIFFICULT, VERY HARD RIGHT
NOW.
>> Frederica: YOUR ORGANIZATION
SENDS MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF
DONATED GOODS EVERYTHING FROM
CLOTHES AND FOOD TO BLANKETS BUT
IT SEEMS IMPORTANTLY MEDICAL
SUPPLIES AND THESE ARE IN THE
TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
WORTH OF GOODS AS WE POINTED OUT
YOUR SENDING.
HOW ARE THESE MEDICAL SUPPLIES
BEING USED?
>> SO ONCE WE SHIP EVERYTHING TO
UKRAINE AND WE WORK OUT OF THE
WAREHOUSE IN THE TWIN CITIES.
I HAVE A BIG GROUP OF
VOLUNTEERS, UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO
ARE IMMIGRANTS A LONG TIME AGO
OR THOSE THAT CAME THROUGH THE
PROGRAM FOR YOU AND THEY HAVE A
VERY GREAT DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE
IN ANY WAY TO GIVE THEM
OPPORTUNITY.
ONCE EVERYTHING IS STACK IN BIG
PALLETS, WE SEND THOSE TO NEW
JERSEY TO A GREAT COMPANY WE
WORK WITH AND IT'S SHIPPED TO
WARSAW AND TRANSFERRED TO THE
CITY I'M FROM I'M A CITIZEN OF
THE UNITED STATES BUT I WAS
IMMIGRATED 21 YEARS AGO AND
CHALICE OF MERCY EXISTED FOR 15
YEARS OF MY AMERICAN LIFE.
ONCE IT REACHES THE DESTINATION
WE HAVE TEAMS FROM HOSPITAL AND
MOBILE CLINICS THAT SAVE LIVES
ON THE SPOT RIGHT THERE AND
WOUNDED PEOPLE AND SOLDIERS ARE
SO VAST TIMES JUST A SMALL
CLINIC RECEIVES ABOUT 100
WOUNDED SOLDIERS A DAY AND IT'S
GOING TO BE A SEVERE SURGERY,
SERIOUS MATTERS.
WE COLLECT EVERYTHING REQUESTED
AND WE GO TO THE FRONT LINES AND
BRING THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES OR
THEY GET IT FROM THE WAREHOUSE
WE DISTRIBUTE FROM.
>>
>> Frederica: WHY DO YOU WORK SO
HARD TO DO THIS?
>> IT'S MY COUNTRY AND MY HEART
IS SUFFERING WITH THE PEOPLE.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO SEE WHAT
UKRAINE IS GOING THROUGH.
IT'S A HAPPY COUNTRY AND HAPPY
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE THAT ARE HARD WORKING
WHICH JUST DESIRE TO HAVE OUR
OWN -- TO CONTINUE OUR FUTURE
WITHOUT HAVING THIS COMMUNISTIC
SOCIALISTIC IDEOLOGIES AND IT'S
SO MUCH IN MY HEART BECAUSE I
GREW UP IN THE TIME WHEN THE
SOVIET UNION FELL AND IT WAS
STILL IN THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE.
IT'S A GOOD THING.
AND NOW THERE'S NO DOUBT ANY
MORE BECAUSE UKRAINE AND LET ME
PUT IT THIS WAY, UKRAINE ALWAYS
HAS BEEN SUBJECT OF WAR AND VERY
SOON WILL BE THE ANNIVERSARY AND
PARTIAL INVASION HAPPENED NINE
YEARS BUT BEFORE THAT WAS 100
YEARS WHICH STARTED FROM THE MAN
MADE FAMINE AND THE REVOLUTION
AND THE 10 MILLION PEOPLE DIED
BECAUSE OF STARVATION.
WE WOULDN'T SUBMIT TO THE
RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM AND SO MUCH
WITHIN ME AND TOUCHES ME TO HAVE
MY COUNTRY TO BREAKTHROUGH FROM
THAT SILK THREAD WHICH WE HAVE
BEEN TIED TO THE RED DRAGON'S
TAIL.
>> Frederica: WE LEAVE IT THERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK,
VALENTYNA PAVSYUKOVA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Frederica: IT'S FEBRUARY AND
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THE STATE
AND COUNTRY ARE REALIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF WISCONSIN'S
SUPREME COURT RACE THIS SPRING.
THERE ARE FOUR CANDIDATES
RUNNING AND THE PRIMARY ELECTION
FEBRUARY 21 WILL DETERMINE WHICH
TWO ADVANCE TO THE GENERAL
ELECTION IN APRIL.
"HERE & NOW" SENIOR POLITICAL
REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ CONTINUES
THE INTERVIEWS THIS WEEK WITH
EVERETT MITCHELL A CIRCUIT COURT
JUDGE.
GIVE ME A SENSE OF YOUR
JUDICIARY PHILOSOPHY.
>> FOR THE MOST PART IT'S ROOTED
IN TWO PIECES.
ONE IT'S UNDERSTANDING OF A
LIVING DOCUMENT SO THE WAY WE
VIEW THE CONSTITUTION IS LOOKING
AT IT TO EXPAND AND COVER THE
CURRENT ISSUES WE DO AND THE
CURRENT ISSUES WE'LL ENCOUNTER
AS A FUTURE GENERATION AND I
THINK THE CONSTITUTION WAS
WRITTEN FOR THE FLEXIBILITY TO
BE EXPAND THAT AND THERE'S TIME
WHERE WE HAVE TO HAVE A BIFOCAL
APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND THE
ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE
CONSTITUTION BUT DON'T LET IT
STOP YOU FROM EXPAND FROM THE
THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR
OUR STATE MOVING FORWARD.
AS A LIVING CONSTITUTION
PERSPECTIVE AS A JUDGE THAT
ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY WHEN
MAKING DECISION IMPACT EVERY DAY
WISCONSI
WISCONSINITES.
>> WHEN A STRICT
CONSTITUTIONALIST WILL SAY THAT
ALLOWS TO YOU INTERPRET HOW YOU
RESPOND.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND?
>> WE HAVE A BUNCH OF AMENDMENTS
THAT ALLOWED FOR THEM TO EXPAND
THE KIND OF THINGS WOMEN VOTING
OR ENSLAVED PEOPLE BEING FREE OR
VOTING RIGHTS.
IT DIDN'T ENVISION THAT.
IF WE ONLY REFLECTED ON STRAIGHT
CONSTITUTIONALISM YOU DON'T
ALLOW THOSE THINGS THAT EVOLVED
AND MEET THE NEEDS.
IT'S NOT DISREGARDING IT'S
EMBRACING WHAT THE SPIRIT OF THE
CONSTITUTION MET AND WERE ABLE
TO HAVE THE AMENDMENTS TO GIVE
ACCESS TO THINGS THE ORIGINAL
INTENT AND ORIGINAL FRAMERS DID
NOT GIVE ACCESS TO.
>> JUSTICE LOUIS BUTLER WAS THE
FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN TO BE
ELECTED TO THE COURT.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM HIM
AND WHAT PREPARED YOU FOR THIS
RACE FOR YOU?
>> I SPENT TIME THINKING --
FIRST, HE'S ENDORSED ME AND I
LISTEN TO HIM AND LEARNED FROM
HIM AND TALKED TO HIM WHAT
THINGS HE WOULD HAVE DONE
DIFFERENTLY AND AS A JUDICIAL
CAREER I SPENT TIME IN THINGS
INVESTING MAKING HEARTS MATTER
AND LISTENING TO YOUNG PEOPLE
AND FOCUSSED ON THE RIGHT
MESSAGING IN COMMUNITIES AND
BEING TRANSPARENT WITH PEOPLE
BECAUSE HAVING CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT RACE, HAVING CONVERSATION
THE THINGS THAT EN --
INCARCERATES MINDS AND CULTURES
ALLOWS ME TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATION.
JUSTICE BUTLER WAS DEALING WITH
THE DARKENED SKINS AND TONES.
I'VE HELPED MANY MEMBERS FOR
YEARS UNDERSTANDING ALL HAVE
BEEN PROGRAMMED WITH THIS.
ANY TIME THEY WANT TO SCARE
MAJORITY WHITE INDIVIDUALS IN
THE COMMUNITY DARKER SKIN AND IT
SENDS PEOPLE BACK TO THE '80s
AND '90'S WHEN THEY WERE
PROGRAMMED TO THINK OF YOUNG
BLACK MEN AS DANGEROUS.
IT'S EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE WE
HAVE A CHOICE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LET THAT
CONTINUE TO RUIN YOUR
SUBCONSCIOUS OR LISTEN TO WHO
PEOPLE ARE AND REPRESENT YOUR
PARTICULAR INTEREST.
>> YOU COMPARE WHAT JUSTICE
BUTLER WENT THROUGH AS THE LAST
SENATE RACE WITH MENDELA BARNES
AND WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM
THAT?
>> YOU GO BACK TO THE PERCEPTION
OF WHAT MAKES YOU DANGEROUS AND
AFRAID AND PEOPLE WILL MAKE THAT
UP.
IT'S UP TO WISCONSINITES AND ALL
PEOPLE TO SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO
ALLOW THESE KINDS OF IMAGES TO
DETER US FROM UNDERSTANDING WHO
PEOPLE ARE.
LISTENING TO THEIR IDEAS AND
CONCERNS AND MAKING OUR
DECISIONS BASED ON THAT.
I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM
THAT.
I THINK WATCHING THE MENDELA
RACE IS A REMINDER THESE ATTACKS
ARE STILL OUT THERE BUT I ALSO
SAY THE SAME ABOUT WISCONSIN, WE
ELECTED OBAMA TWICE.
SO THE NARRATIVE CAN BE BROKEN
BECAUSE WE BROKE IT TWICE.
AND WE BROKE IT TO ELECT OUR
FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT
AND WISCONSIN WAS THE ONES THAT
GAVE HIM THE VICTORY TWICE.
WE HAVE THE HISTORY AND WE HAVE
A HISTORY OF BEING PROGRESSIVE
ON IDEAS AND USING CHARACTER
OPPOSED TO COLOR TO DEFINE WHAT
INDIVIDUALS ARE.
>> ARE YOU RUNNING AGAINST THEM
IN THE PRIMARY OR TRYING TO
DISTINGUISH YOURSELVES AS THE
TWO LIBERALS VERSUS
CONSERVATIVES.
>> WHAT DEFINES ME IS WE'LL HAVE
VALUES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
AND FORMER PROSECUTORS ELECTED
AS JUDGE COMMITTED TO THE RULE
OF LAW AND WHAT DIFFERENTIATES
ME BETWEEN THEM IS THE
LEADERSHIP ON AND OFF THE BENCH.
RATHER USING MY VOICE AND MY
POWER OF THE BLACK ROLE TO TAKE
HANDCUFFS OFF CHILDREN TO MAKE
IT MORE FAIR OR RULES TO REMOVE
CCAP AND REMOVE PEOPLE CHARGED
AND THEN DISMISSED OR EVICTIONS
DISMISSED.
IN FACT I JUST FOUND U.W. LAW
SCHOOL HAS AN APP TO ALLOW
PEOPLE MORE EASILY GET THE
CHARGES THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND NOT
GUILTY OF OFF THEIR RECORD AND
PEOPLE HAVE EASIER ACCESS BUT
AND IF NOT WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO GIVE RELIEF TO
WISCONSINITE.
THOSE ACTIONS AND VALUES
DIFFERENTIATE ME FROM THE REST
OF THE FIELD BECAUSE I'M TRYING
TO MAKE SURE THE SYSTEM IS FAIR
AND NONE OF THIS STUFF I'M GOING
TO BE FAIR BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR
AND THERE'S INEQUALITY BUILT
INTO THE SYSTEM BUT IT'S OUR
JUDGE TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE
RECEIVE DUE RECEIVE IN A FAIR
AND BALANCED WAY AND WE'RE NOT
REPEATING A SYSTEM THAT
SOMETIMES CAN OPPRESS AND HURT
THOSE IN FRONT OF US.
>> ONE PHRASE THAT GETS TOSSED
AROUND IS JUDICIAL ACTIVISM.
WHAT'S THAT MEAN TO YOU?
DOES IT HAVE A MEANING MOST CAN
AGREE ON?
>> I THINK IT MEANS JUDGES ARE
INVOLVING THEMSELVES IN CREATING
LEGISLATION FROM THE BENCH.
THEY'RE NOT JUST FOLLOWING THE
RULE OF LAW BUT ACTUALLY TAKING
A MORE PROACTIVE IN THEIR
RULINGS TO IMPACT DECISIONS
BEING MADE.
AN EXAMPLE OF ACTIVISM IN SOME
WAYS IS THE ROLE OF OVERTURNING
ROE BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS THEY
WERE DOING SOMETHING AND ASKING
FOR THE WHAT THE WORLD WAS NOT
ASKING FOR.
IT WAS A CONSERVATIVE GROUP --
IT WAS CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISM SO
IT'S CREATING LEGISLATION FROM
YOUR DECISION WHICH IS KIND OF
INTERESTING.
IN MANY WAYS IF ANYBODY'S EVER
BEEN A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE
YOU'RE ALWAYS ASKED TO MAKE
DECISIONS FOR WHICH THERE'S NO
ANSWERS IN STATUTE OR CASE LOAD
SO YOU HAVE TO BE ACTIVE IN
CREATING FAIRNESS.
YOU HAVE TO BE ACTIVE IN
CREATING JUST OUTCOMES FOR
PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE TO BE ACTIVE IN THE TO
MAKE REFORMS AND TO MAKE YOU'RE
COMMUNITY BETTER.
IN MANY WAYS IT'S A POLITICAL
TERM THAT'S MEANT TO DISTRACT US
FROM THE ROLES EVERYDAY JUDGES
DO BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS
CLEARLY DEFINED WHAT YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO DO AND RULE
DECISIONS.
>> THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SUPREME COURT
DECISIONS IN THE STATE'S
HISTORY.
ARE YOU GETTING THE SENSE FROM
PEOPLE THEY UNDERSTAND THE
MAGNITUDE THERE'S A LOT OF
PEOPLE OUTSIDE WISCONSIN PAYING
ATTENTION TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
THIS RACE?
>> A LOT OF WISCONSINITES ARE
STILL STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION
AND RENT AND HOW MUCH DOES IT
COST TO GET A CARTON OF EGGS
NOW?
YOU USED TO GET THEM FOR 99
CENTS AND THOSE DAYS ARE GONE.
THE EVERYDAY STRUGGLED
WISCONSINITES ARE FACING IS WHAT
I HEARD THROUGHOUT THE FACE IS
SUCKING UP THE ENERGY.
AS WE TURN TO FEBRUARY IT WILL
GIVE MORE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO
SAY HOW DOES THIS MATTER TO ME.
IF A CAMPAIGN IS EFFECTIVE AND I
THINK WE'VE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN
MANY PLACES UNDERSTANDING COURT
SYSTEMS HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT IN
YOUR LIFE.
HOW?
YOU FELT IT IN NOVEMBER.
HOW'S IT IMPACT YOU?
YOU FEEL IT WITH INCARCERATION
AND HOW IT IMPACTS YOU AND THE
SUPREME COURT IS LOOKING AT THE
IMPACT OF INDIGENOUS AND NATIVE
COMMUNITIES.
TRANSLATING THE NEED FOR HAVING
PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD
OF ISSUES AS SO MANY
WISCONSINITES FEEL IS GOING TO
BE IMPORTANT TO GETTING PEOPLE
TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE RACE IS
IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT.
>> Frederica: NEXT WEEK ON OUR
PROGRAM WE SPEAK WITH SUPREME
COURT CANDIDATE JUDGE JENNIFER
DORREL.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE INTERVIEWS
WITH THE FOUR CANDIDATES ON OUR
NEWS PAGE AND FOR THIS AND OTHER
ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN VISIT
OUR WEBSITE AT PBS WISCONSIN.org
AND CLICK ON THE NEWS TAG.
THAT'S THE PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.