By Kristen Wall
College Republicans
As reported on April 20, Gov. Jim Doyle's approval rating has hit an all-time low of 45 percent, with only 8 percent of respondents reporting they are very satisfied with the job the governor is doing and 38 percent of respondents reporting they are somewhat satisfied. Doyle's current approval rating of 45 percent is a 14-point drop from a poll conducted at this time last year. Although the numbers came from the St. Norbert College/Wisconsin Public Radio poll, which is notoriously unreliable, just this once they seem to have gotten it right.
Looking at two different polls conducted within the past few months, SurveyUSA found Doyle's approval rating to be 32 percent, with MacIver Institute reporting a 52 percent approval rating among likely voters. Doyle's actual approval rating is most likely an average of these two numbers, meaning that the SNC/WPR poll may have hit this nail right on the head.
The SNC/WPR poll also reported that only 28 percent of respondents approve of the 2009-'11 Wisconsin State Budget, which spends $3 billion in federal stimulus cash and includes $1.7 billion in tax and fee increases. Yet Doyle claims to not be raising any taxes.
This cycle's budget also included over 80 nonfiscal policy items, 45 of which have thankfully already been taken out by the Joint Finance Committee which started its executive sessions last week. Some of the policy issues yet to be removed include: a statewide smoking ban, the right to form collective bargaining units for the University of Wisconsin faculty, requirements for all motorists to carry a minimum level of liability insurance, granting legal status to domestic partnerships between two unmarried people by allowing county clerks to issue ""declarations of domestic partnership,"" prohibitions of the use of private aircraft for out-of-state travel, allowing judges to expunge the records of convicted criminals under the age of 25 and repealing the QEO.
It doesn't matter if you are for or against these policies; what does matter is that the governor is sliding these controversial nonfiscal policies into the budget instead of allowing them to be discussed and debated in the Legislature, denying the Assembly and Senate the right to vote on them. Slipping these policy issues in is irresponsible and will likely result in the circus-like situation that we saw last year during budget season.
Already the ""circus"" known as the Joint Finance executive sessions has begun, and Democratic members of the Joint Finance Committee have already resorted to personal attacks. Just last Tuesday Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, called Rep. Phil Montgomery, R-Ashwaubenon, ""stupid"" while debating whether or not Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton should receive funds for a new staffer. Pocan also ripped into Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, during a debate on changing WRS eligibility requirements for school aid, saying that her rhetoric had ""no basis in reality"" and then adding that ""when you come from River Hills, it's unlikely you are talking to people who are working two or three jobs."" Pocan's statement implies that because of where Sen. Darling has chosen to live, she is unable to understand the plight of the working class, which is accusatory and false.
Reflecting on the actions of the governor and the Democratic members of the legislative branch these past few months, it becomes clear why their approval ratings are dropping. The people of the state of Wisconsin are realizing that when Democrats are in charge, all they will deliver are higher taxes, a larger deficit, personal attacks and irresponsible political maneuvers.
Kristen Wall is the current first vice chair of the UW-Madison College Republicans. She is a junior majoring in political science and economics. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com
