Fitzgerald effectively fired the administrators of the state’s Ethics Commission and Elections Commission because they once worked for the defunct Government Accountability Board, which a few years ago did what it was supposed to do and joined in an investigation to determine if Scott Walker and his collaborators had violated the state’s campaign finance laws.

Wisconsin Republicans like sneering at the name of the Democratic Party by re-engineering it to ‘Democrat,’ but now they’re deconstructing basic democracy in favor of rank arrogance and self-preserving autocracy.

The country has an authoritarian leader who demeans others racially and sexually, attacks our institutions and undermines the Constitution.

The Democratic Party would be wise to distance themselves from the Status Quo caucus. They are intellectually dishonest in their policy arguments and bash popular programs used by more than 74,000 students – a number which will continue to grow.

Rural schools, students and families were left behind in the GOP’s rush to adopt the largest giveaway to a foreign corporation in history.

Judge Rosemarie Aquilina crossed far over the line between the proper role of a judge as an impartial arbiter of justice and into the improper role of an unabashed, inflammatory advocate for retribution and 15 minutes of fame.

This all feels predictable, but it is noteworthy that, in these toxic times, nearly half of the Gallup/Knight poll respondents — 48 percent — were in the “optimist” category, in which respondents believe there are traditional, aggressive sources of journalism they can depend on.

The state of our state is historically strong, and we are getting positive things done for the people of Wisconsin. Our Ambitious Agenda for 2018 introduces common-sense conservative reforms to address real issues.

So it seems recently that Wisconsin’s notoriously right-wing governor, facing an election for a third term in November, is suddenly not just tacking to the middle but embracing long-held Democratic progressive positions, attempting to signal to voters to forget the harm he has done in eight years and welcome the newly bending middle-aged wunderkind.

It was, first and foremost, a long, state-financed campaign ad with ‘highlights’ strategically dribbled out before the address, followed by statewide media market saturation, then day two analysis, etc.

Ron Johnson places Trump and party over principles and patriotism.

What did they do wrong? “I have no idea,” Fitzgerald admits, but demands firings.

There is a dignity in work that cannot be replaced by an entitlement. Moreover, at this moment in time, Wisconsin is flush with jobs of all skill levels and needs everyone possible to find a job and work hard.