Soc Social, Cu Cultural, and Political Implic licatio ions o of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Soc Social, Cu Cultural, and Political Implic licatio ions o of Partis isan Gerrym ymandering: Wisconsin as a Ca Case St Study Ryan Weichelt University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire Department of Geography and Anthropology weicherd@uwec.edu or (715) 836-4426

Republican Wisconsin • 2010 a Critical Election (V.O. Keys) • Scott Walker, Renice Priebus, and Paul Ryan used Wisconsin as the laboratory for the Republican Party from 2010 to 2016 • Playbook straight from ALEC and Koch Brothers (i.e. tax cuts, union busting, education cuts, Voter ID, school vouchers, environmental deregulation, etc.) • Democratic Party ignored key constituents throughout Wisconsin, lacked any agenda, and based on Gerrymandering, were left virtually powerless/stunned

Imp mpacts • Jacob Eslier suggests Partisan Gerrymandering has two effects on voters • 1. Creates strong attachment to one party • Play to the base • 2. Voters fall into antagonistic groups based on issues • “Partisan Gerrymandering and the Illusion of Unfairness” https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2993876

Act 10 Passed Limiting Union Power and Collective Bargaining 2/2011 “Wisconsin's Walker refuses to defend gay rights law” *Reuters May 18, 2011 “Senate passes bill requiring sex ed to promote marriage, abstinence” *Journal Sentinel November 2, 2011 “Wisconsin concealed carry 4-hour training rule suspended” *Green Bay Press Gazette November 7, 2011 “Wisconsin Senate passes ‘Castle Doctrine’” *WEAU.com November 3, 2011 Assembly OKs abortion restrictions on last day of session Journal Sentinel March 15, 2012 Wisconsin: Walker signs Republicans' contentious mining bill Pioneer Press 3/11/2013 Walker wants gun issue keyed on mental health Appleton Post Crescent 1/16/2013

Social, C Cultu tural, and Politi tical Implicati tions • Deflated Electorate (seen in boring elections) • Maintain power at all costs (primary elections and general elections) • “Scott Walker said budget strategy in Wisconsin was ‘divide and conquer’” (May 11, 2012) Washington Post • Create antagonistic groups (friends and family at odds) • Make drastic changes to laws “Awe shucks, you lose” • Play to base, but also use issues to distract from misery • Education funding and dairy farming • In the end, this leads to changes in the voting culture

The Primary • Gerrymandering creates a system that the only “true” check on a candidates is in the primary • Candidates must adhere to current status quo or face retribution • Many rural candidates become simple “Yes Men” not give any top tier committee assignments • Vote against when you are not suppose to or let to, face a primary challenger that will • Can be checked through analysis of voting records on key pieces of legislation

https://www.wiscontext.org/ryan-weichelt

https://www.wiscontext.org/ryan-weichelt

https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2012-jun-05-la-pn-in-wisconsin-recall-voters-ready-for-bitter-politics-to-end- 20120605-story.html

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/blogs /wisconsin-voter/2018/11/02/anxious-and- angry-wisconsin-voters-decry-political- culture/1844445002/

Source: Marquette Law School Poll, Oct. 24-28, 2018

JS Online CNN Business

https://www.educationnext.org/after-janus-new-era-teachers- union-activism-agency-fees/

Wool Over the Eyes of Wisconsin's Voters? Taxes, Referendums, and Schools Ryan Weichelt - The Electorate