Recently ousted Senate Majority leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit, has claimed that sexism played a role in her ouster last week.
This is a dangerous and unfounded claim. She failed at her two most basic responsibilities. First, she failed to pass the constitutionally mandated biennial budget until a week ago. Second, from the view of her Democratic colleagues, she compromised too much with Republicans and therefore failed to accomplish Democratic priorities, namely Healthy Wisconsin.
Republican leaders deserve blame for the budget debacle as well. To that end, it is time for Assembly Republicans to remove Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, from his position of leadership.
Robson and Huebsch both played irresponsible partisan politics with billions of Wisconsin taxpayers' dollars.
While many argued that the Senate Democrats' budget was too costly and would scare away businesses, at times it appeared that Huebsch and Assembly Republicans simply did not care.
In October, the Wisconsin State Journal quoted Huebsch saying that across the state, Wisconsin residents do not care if lawmakers have failed to pass a budget. This position was confirmed by sporadic and often meaningless budget meetings between Huebsch and Robson.
Assembly Republicans seemed satisfied with passing a stop-gap budget at current funding levels, which would have ignored critical areas where state costs have recently increased, such as heating bills, education and road maintenance, among others. Moreover, they downplayed the real risk of a partial government shutdown if the budget failed to pass.
Wisconsin state lawmakers should rejoice that 2007 is not an election year.
Democrats attempted to redeem themselves by voting Robson out of her leadership role, though it appears they will forgo compromise (Robson) for obstinacy (Russ Decker, D-Weston).
Republicans need a new leader who will not leave Wisconsin residents waiting four long months for a budget. If Huebsch remains in power, Wisconsin voters should send Republicans a strong message next November.
