Nerditorial: Checking In With Wisconsin

I think a legitimate question might be asked, how can something so apparently minor – the failure
to provide timely notice prior to a meeting that led to the enactment of the 2011 Wisconsin 10 –
how can a minor failure of notice really halt this bill in its tracks?

And my answer to that is - it’s not minor. It’s not a minor detail. And bear with me for a
homely analogy. Those few of you who may have seen the Super Bowl know that there was a
much-photographed guy with a cheesehead, and it said “owner” on it. And of course, we all know
what that refers to, the fact that the Green Bay Packers are publicly owned. It’s a heartwarming
moment to see that, but in fact, it states that we in Wisconsin own our government. We own it.
And we own it in three ways. We own it by the vote. We own it by the duty to provide open and
public access to records, so that the activities of government can be monitored. And we own it in
that we are entitled by law to free and open access to governmental meetings, and especially
governmental meetings that lead to the resolution of very highly conflicted and controversial
matters.

Judge Sumi (Wisconsin)

So, in Wisconsin, as you may have heard, a judge imposed a Temporary Restraining Order enjoining the Wisconsin Secretary of State against publishing the controversial bill that affects collective bargaining rights for public workers in the Badger State. Link here.

The text quoted above is from that TRO.

I've made many a stink on this blog over the matter of procedural errors and the threat they pose to governance.

Wisconsin is a cautionary tale supporting my point.