The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
I called former Wisconsin Democratic Representative Dave Obey the morning after Susan Crawford’s spectacular win in the state Supreme Court election. We talked about Musk’s outsize spending, $25 million, to defeat Crawford. Obey quipped, “Musk is now the second richest person in the world.” A huge loss for Musk and Trump, despite disclaimers from Musk and Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson. Politico’s headline was spot-on: “Trump Tells Inner Circle That Musk Will Leave Soon” (and) “the tech mogul increasingly looks like a political liability.”
The other big loser was the out of touch old guard of the Wisconsin GOP, including former Governor Scott Walker and the aforementioned Johnson. They were prominent at Musk’s Green Bay rally, after which Musk hysterically posted: “This Wisconsin Supreme Court race might decide the future of America and Western Civilization!” Later on election night, Crawford cut to the chase: “Today, Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy, our fair elections and our Supreme Court. … Our courts are not for sale.”
Wisconsin voters agreed. Crawford beat Brad Schimel 55 percent to 45 percent, winning 23 counties, many rural, and flipped 10 counties that Trump won in 2024. Hope for Americans appalled, dispirited and enraged by the impact of mass firings of federal workers and evisceration of federal programs by Musk and Trump.
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But what is desperately needed is leadership from congressional Democrats who seem to have been caught flatfooted by the Musk-Trump blitzkrieg. They need to lead and show us a plan. No more excuses or distractions. Wisconsin Democratic Representative Mark Pocan’s feud with Wisconsin GOP Representative Derrick Van Orden is an example of distraction. Yes, Van Orden has judgment, personality and temperament problems, but Pocan’s getting in the gutter with him shows a lack of common sense and perspective. Enough.
Meanwhile Wisconsin is getting shafted. The mass firings at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) threaten the safety of food and drugs, preventing substance abuse, preserving Medicare and Medicaid, guarding against the spread of disease and finding cures. Doctor Georges Benjamin, leader of the American Public Health Association said: “Wrong diagnosis, wrong therapy.”
The HHS mass firings included the entire staff at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps 6.2 million Americans, including 136,000 Wisconsin households, pay for heating and cooling. Cruelty amid climate change. Americans will die needlessly this summer. How will low-income Americans get LIHEAP funding already appropriated by Congress? What to do?
We need lawful, peaceful mass demonstrations in Wisconsin and across the nation. I would suggest a focus on stagflation – high inflation and rising unemployment, likely recession (Trump’s escalating trade wars), and the evisceration of beloved federal programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, help for farmers and other working people and veterans’ employment, health care and benefits. In fact, have veterans with American flags lead the protests. We need a big tent and a strategy to win over most Americans. Voting is important. However, protest is needed to push politicians to act. Vote and protest.
– Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009.
