Ron Johnson and LBJ; GOP push to cut unemployment benefits; Milwaukee's aldermanic map

Ron Johnson and LBJ

Columnist Daniel Bice gets right to the point:

"If U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson made a New Year's resolution to take a more measured approach when discussing public policy, it didn't take him long to break it.

"Because the state's most polarizing politician is already back to offering his often wild and controversial take on things in 2022.

"Johnson — who last year advised using mouthwash to combat COVID-19 and labeled Social Security a Ponzi scheme — has already roped God into his bizarre take on vaccines and again questioned the seriousness of last year's Capitol riot.

"Now he's taking on a new topic: out-of-wedlock births.

"And who's to blame for the rate of unmarried childbearing in the U.S.? Former President Lyndon Baines Johnson, the architect of the Great Society.

"LBJ, of course, died nearly 50 years ago."

You can read the article here.

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GOP push to cut unemployment benefits

Patrick Marley has a piece on a Republican legislative plan "that in the short term would nearly halve the amount of time people could receive unemployment benefits."

Marley writes: "Other bills they plan to pass would put in place more drug testing and work requirements for unemployment benefits and food stamps, cut off unemployment benefits for those who don’t show up for job interviews and suspend people’s access to public health insurance if they turn down job offers.

"Republicans said their efforts were aimed at getting more people off of public benefits and into the workforce just as businesses are clamoring for workers."

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers could veto the plan.

You can read the article here.

Milwaukee's aldermanic map

After the Milwaukee Common Council approved new district lines, acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed the measure but a lot of people were left unhappy.

And there was plenty of finger-pointing, too.

Vanessa Swales has all the details of the contentious process that included intense opposition from the city's growing Latino community.

Johnson applauded the work of the Common Council and Ald. Ashanti Hamilton, but was unhappy with the input from the City's Attorney's Office.

"I am disappointed that legal direction from the City Attorney has limited our ability to align our aldermanic districts in a way that fully and equitably addresses Milwaukee's growing Hispanic population," Johnson wrote.

Due to the statutory deadline to sign off on the map, Johnson said the city was "left without options," but looks forward to "continued dialogue to ensure everyone is fully represented in our city's decision-making going forward."

You can read the article here.

GOP bill on student vaccine status

Molly Beck reports on Republican lawmakers who are "advancing legislation that could set up legal battles for school districts in their enforcement of longstanding vaccine requirements for Wisconsin school children, including immunizations against polio, Hepatitis B, measles and other diseases.

"The proposal is part of a slate of bills seeking to prevent discrimination on the basis of vaccination status drafted in response to COVID-19 vaccine requirements implemented by businesses and organizations to curb the spread of the coronavirus."

You can read the article here.

Around the horn

Billionaire GOP benefactor Liz Uihlein spends $220K on Rebecca Kleefisch in governor's race.

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke of Kaukauna won't run for reelection after 12 years in office.

Ron Johnson panel on COVID-19 to bring together vaccine skeptics and promoters of unproven early treatments.

Wisconsin clerks rush to rewrite voting instructions after judge rules absentee ballot drop boxes are illegal.

Milwaukee Common Council approves making elected, appointed officials subject to anti-harassment policy.

Milwaukee mayoral special election ballot set.

Tweet of the week

This one is from Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center on Politics: "The #ProfilesinCourageAward is an honor of great significance. Nominate someone in politics who has shown true courage. Personally, I’m submitting the names of @RepLizCheney and @AdamKinzinger for obvious and (in my view) compelling reasons."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson and LBJ; GOP push to cut unemployment benefits