Contentiousness – a theme in Wisconsin government – has been the word of the day as people have acted on polarized planes after the state Supreme Court struck down Governor Evers’ “Safer at Home” directives to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic.
While Democratic Governor Tony Evers has accused Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and fellow Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of being “very comfortable” without any state policies on COVID-19 safety responses after their meeting Thursday, Vos told WTMJ’s John Mercure that they have begun a process of working together on it.
“It was a good initial discussion,” said Vos.
“This is what probably should have happened months ago.”
Instead, both Evers and Republican leaders extended offers to meet and create a shared plan throughout March, April and early May – but rarely did so.
Now, the plan involves a much longer process due to the rules outlines in state law – and that begins with creating common ground for goals of new policy, as Vos said.
“The process under the law is not all that speedy. It takes time to put together a broad statement of our goals (before) specifics.”
In the wake of the ruling, current local policies are the only things in place to help in stopping the spread of the deadly virus. Yet Vos believes that most people and businesses won’t act hastily to return to otherwise-normal activity that could put people in danger of contracting the virus by not social distancing.
“The vast majority of Wisconsin is going to move slow and steady,” claimed Vos.
“There is not going to be this mad rush in most circumstances to do things that are not safe.”