Paint It Black What Spencer's Ascension Means for Assembly Democrats — and the State of Wisconsin

PAINT IT BLACK WHAT SPENCER'S ASCENSION MEANS FOR ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS — AND THE STATE OF WISCONSIN BILL LUEDERS ne of Spencer Majority Leader Black's first Chuck Chvala — to Oacts as minori- the detriment of the ty leader of the rest of the state. Jim Wisconsin State Pugh, spokesperson Assembly was to put a for the business small conference table lobby Wisconsin in his office, situated Manufacturers and between a portrait of Commerce (WMC), "Fighting Bob" notes that Black, LaFollette and one he's along with two other ordered of Gaylord Madison Democrats, Nelson. The office's scored lowest among previous occupant, the legislature's 132 Shirley Krug, simply members on WMC’s had chairs arrayed list of key votes last against the wall facing session. "In Spencer her desk. Black's sub- Black, you have the tle change in decor, an personification of the invitation to dialogue, tax-and-spend, understates the profound change in thinking beads-and-sandals Democrats of the 1970s," he that led to his ascension this May to the says. "By and large, you have one of the most Assembly Democrats' top leadership post. For anti-business members of the Assembly lead- while the coup that ousted Krug was bloodless, ing the Democratic caucus." it was not gutless. In picking Black, one of the Pugh predicts the move will backfire, that Legislature's most left-leaning members, as voters and even other Democrats will reject their leader, the Dems, who have languished in Black's brand of liberalism. "Already," he says, the Assembly's minority since 1994, are "individual Democrats are supporting a policy embracing a bold and perhaps risky strategy to agenda that's being developed by Assembly reconnect with their traditional bases of sup- Republicans" — referring to the five port and ignite enthusiasm for their candidates. Democrats who this summer broke ranks and Not surprisingly, Black's ascension has joined Republicans in passing the Assembly been greeted sourly in some quarters. version of the state budget. To Pugh, that Republicans howled about "a lurch to the left" means the real power in the Assembly, thank that, they said, would consolidate the heavens, resides firmly with the Republicans, Democrats' leadership in the hands of two Madison liberals — Black and state Senate Bill Lueders is news editor of Isthmus, the weekly news- paper of Madison. Wisconsin Interest 7 under the leadership of Speaker Scott Jensen. ical advances and can also spawn an entire And that makes Black's top-dog role within his new industry which Wisconsin is ideally suit- own caucus of little consequence. ed to be home to." And rather than embrace it, he clucks, Republicans like Representative "He's the leader of the minority caucus," Sheryl Albers are wringing their hands about, says Pugh. "He's a liberal Madison Democrat. as she put it, "life sitting there in a petri dish." As long as Black's not the Speaker of the Assembly, he's not at all relevant to the policy As Assembly minority leader, Blacks says debate in the state. And the reason is, his own his goal is "to reinvigorate the grassroots, per- members don't support his liberal agenda." son-to-person style of politics which has seemed to go out of style." He thinks the key to But Black cannot be as easily pigeonholed reversing the Democrats' fortunes is getting as his opponents would like, nor can his poten- involved in issues that make a difference in tial to rejuvenate Assembly Democrats be so people's lives: affordable medication for easily dismissed. He's a smart, savvy team seniors, affordable college tuition for the mid- player who has already demonstrated his abili- dle class, quality education for public school ty to marshal supporters and outfox foes. Take students, a clean environment for all. To this Pugh, for example. end, he's organized statewide rallies that have "It's not surprising that WMC would not brought together teachers in support of lower like a Democrat who has a record of winning class sizes and students backing a bill that tough fights," says Black, citing his successful would require student aid to increase at the effort to pass a mining moratorium bill with same rate as tuition. "We're out there fighting grassroots support, despite a massive, indus- very aggressively, and taking the issues to the try-led campaign against it. "If Pugh had said people," says Black. "Not just in the state it was great that I was in power, the Democrats Capitol but in the church basements, the union should worry." halls and town squares." While conceding that Wisconsin Who does this guy think he is, Woody Democrats need to be attentive to the needs of Guthrie? And how did he get to be minority business, Black says the WMC is not an leader of the state Assembly? authentic representative of the state's business Black, 51, has served in the Assembly since community. Rather, he asserts, the group takes 1984. His area of special interest is the environ- "a very hard-line, very short-sighted view," as ment, and he chaired the Assembly Natural do the Republican lawmakers who score high Resources Committee from 1987 to 1994. He's on its key-votes tally. led the legislature's efforts toward recycling The future health of the Wisconsin econo- and against a proposed mine in Crandon. And my, says Black, depends on three things: "a he's been an outspoken advocate of campaign well-educated workforce, a top-notch universi- finance reform, which some would say is easy ty system, and a high quality of life." But for someone like him, whose seat in liberal rather than support these goals, Black charges, Madison is probably more secure than the Republicans and some members of the busi- codes needed to launch a nuclear war. ness community are under-funding higher Black's current rise to power owes to a education and the public school system, pro- confluence of factors. First and foremost was moting the heedless exploitation of natural the Assembly Democratic caucus' dissatisfac- resources and backing "medieval-style bans on tion with Krug, who took over the reins in medical research." By this, he means the efforts June of 1998. The first woman ever to hold the of Jensen and other Republicans to outlaw position, Krug was billed as a centrist who stem-cell research using human embryos. would bring a pragmatic approach to the job's "Here's an area where Wisconsin is a leader, main tasks: advancing a legislative agenda and which can lead to almost unimaginable med- helping restore the party's majority status. As 8 Fall 2001 to the first, let's let the fact that you draw a Assembly Dems have separate legal counsel in complete blank when asked, "What did the redistricting process. Krug argued that the Assembly Democrats accomplish in the last interests of Assembly Dems were not the same legislation session?" speak for itself. As to the as those of their colleagues in the Senate. second, despite Krug's expressions of confi- Chvala was not pleased and supported the dence, the Dems lost two seats on the 99-mem- groundswell that led to Krug's ouster. Black ber body last November, continuing a slide downplays the significance of this support, that dates back to 1990. saying that due to age-old rivalries it is "very difficult for a leader in one house to influence a "In ten years under Wally Kunicki and decision in the other." But certainly, some cau- Krug," says Black, "we went from 58 seats to cus members did feel it was counterproductive 43, from a strong majority to a weak minority." for Krug to be at odds with Chvala. And Black, And redistricting will erode that margin by at soon after he became minority leader, dropped least one more seat, to 42, before the next elec- this request for separate council. As he tion. "There was a desire for a different leader- explains it, "My feeling is that we have to work ship style, one that was more issue-based, together." more based on a grassroots approach to politics, a leadership style When Krug became that was more inclusive, minority leader, she that brings more promptly replaced Democrats into the Representative Spencer process." Coggs on the powerful Joint Finance Committee In mid-November Black's ability to play with another Milwaukee 2000, just after the elec- well with others raised Democrat, Antonio Riley, tions, Black was named who was seen as more assistant minority leader, his standing within the amenable to business replacing Representative interests. Indeed, Riley Marlin Schneider, who caucus. developed a reputation as had vied with Krug for the "9th Republican" on the top post in 1998. Black the evenly divided 16- used the post to demon- person committee. More strate his ability to be a than once he broke ranks team player, delegating to side with Republicans responsibility and credit on issues like wet- on issues of concern to business, including his lands preservation to other Democrats. support for delivering a strategic tax break to "One of the things I like to do is get more Midwest Express, a measure some of his people involved in a leadership role or to be in Democratic colleagues dismissed as "corporate the public eye," says Black. "So on a number of welfare." issues I turned to other legislators who have a Riley also scared the bejesus out of his fel- strong interest and the expertise to be out low Democrats by announcing, in late April, front.

Load more