Here & Now

2013: A Year In Review

Frederica Freyberg:

2013 has come and gone, but what a year it has been in Wisconsin. It was another year of hard-fought campaigns, budget battles and controversy at the Capitol. Sometimes with all the political posturing it’s hard to remember exactly what happened and the battles still to come. Here’s a look back at 2013, at least the highlights from the year that was in Wisconsin politics.

Scott Walker:

Our budget is built on a plan to reform a broken system and transition people from government dependence to true independence. [applause]

Robin Vos:

It’s good for Wisconsin families. It stands up for middle class families. And it also fulfills the goals that we sat out as a caucus when we ran for election and began to govern.

Peter Barca:

Your budget will double down again and have the same approach, the same failed approach that has put our economy in the ditch.

Dale Schultz:

To me it looks like the state trying to fund two public education systems. We can’t afford one. Why on earth would we ever try to fund two?

Scott Suder:

We’ve I think reached a balance that will both protect the environment in the area and statewide, and also create those jobs which I think is everyone’s goal.

Fred Clark:

What this bill does is something no bill in Wisconsin has ever done before and that’s allow the destruction of natural resources, and presume that it’s necessary to destroy wetlands and streams and lakes in order to allow an industrial activity to occur.

Robin Vos:

I cannot see a time when we would say, we trust you, because the trust has been broken.

Kevin Reilly:

We need to come forward with a policy on what an appropriate reserve is. That’s one of the basic questions, how much money should you have in these reserves, and which reserves should you have it in.

Mary Lazich:

What this bill will do is fully inform them of the baby they’re carrying and then they make that decision whether to terminate or not to terminate, and they hopefully don’t have the abortion trauma and the regret that exists today with many women.

Tasha Wetterneck:

The government is inserting itself in between the patient and the physician in the exam room, and we oppose this interference in health care.

Kathleen Falk:

For those millions of people who have had trouble buying affordable health care in the past, the future should be brighter.

Woman:

See, it always gives me this, your account couldn’t be created at this time.

Tasha Hagberg:

It is absolutely improved. However, it is not good to go yet. We are still running into a lot of the same issues and flaws that we had originally.

Scott Walker:

I’m telling people whether you like me, or dislike me, or somewhere in between, everyone, at least who is being honest should agree, that if I make bold promises, those are the things I follow through on.

Mary Burke:

I would make sure that I negotiated firmly but fairly for the changes that were needed. But Act 10 left our state divided and weakened. You know, I think our public sector employees do have the right to collectively bargain.