election – Page 4 – Madison Catholic Herald Archive (2001-2025)

It is difficult to think of a scandal as a good thing. But the scandal triggered by violations of election and lobby laws 10 years ago, that led to reforming state regulation of both activities, had a positive effect.

One such reform merged the State Elections Board and the State Ethics Board into a new Government Accountability Board (GAB) with different membership. This has proven to be a very good thing.

Most members of the former Elections Board were designees of partisan leadership in the legislature. Board members did their best, but they had limited powers and were often expected to represent the interests of partisan leaders who appointed them.

It’s not just an issue in Pakistan and China

Thirty-some years ago, I spent a fair amount of time on religious freedom issues: which meant, in those simpler days, trying to pry Lithuanian priests and nuns out of Perm Camp 36 and other GULAG islands.

Had you told me in 1982 that one of my “clients,” the Jesuit Sigitas Tamkevicius, would be archbishop of Kaunas in a free Lithuania in 2012, I would have thought you a bit optimistic.

If you had also told me, back then, that there would eventually be serious religious freedom problems in the United States, I would have thought you a bit mad.

Around the Diocese

On February 15, 2012

Dr. Patrick Gorman, For the Catholic Herald

Rite of Election to be held Feb. 26

WAUNAKEE — The Rite of Election of Catechumens and Call to Continuing Conversion for Candidates for Full Communion in the Catholic Church will be celebrated by the parishes of the Diocese of Madison on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 3 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 209 South St., Waunakee.

Eye on the Capitol

On January 11, 2012

John Huebscher

Recall season overlays final legislative sessions

A year ago, the first thing the newly elected Legislature did was to adopt its scheduling resolution for the 2011-12 legislative session.

This resolution defined the floor periods during which the Legislature would meet to debate and pass legislation. In so doing, the legislators determined that they would convene for three “general business” floor periods between January 17 and March 15 in 2012, the last day of regular business for the year.

Complicates legislative schedules

When they adopted that resolution, our lawmakers had no way of knowing that their session schedule would mesh with Wisconsin’s first ever recall of a governor and recalls of several state senators. But that is what appears will happen and it will affect what lawmaking takes place in these final floor periods.

Eye on the Capitol

On June 23, 2011March 2, 2023

John Huebscher

Recall-loaded summer unlike any other

The summer of the odd-numbered year is usually quiet on the political scene. By early July the Legislature has completed its work on the state budget and goes home until autumn. Other than an occasional special election, the campaign season is more than a year away.

Eye on the Capitol

On November 29, 2010

John Huebscher

New governors must hit the ground running

Our state Constitution provides that officials elected in November take office on the first Monday of the following January. That gives them eight weeks to prepare for their new duties.

Two months may seem like a long time to get ready for most jobs, but if you are governor-elect, that time will go by all too quickly.

During this eight-week period, the governor-elect must do the following:

Letters to the editor

On October 23, 2008August 31, 2023

Jill Yanke

Difference between lives lost in abortion and war

To the editor:

In Mr. Lins letter (Mailbag, October 9, 2008), he stated that “Respecting life should include lives lost in wars.” No one, liberal or conservative, wants to see any human life lost, but comparing lives lost in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the 4,000 lives ended by abortion every single day in our country alone is ridiculous!

Letters to the editor

On October 9, 2008August 31, 2023

Ron Lins

‘Respecting Life’ should include lives lost in wars

To the editor:

Nowhere in the “Respect Life” issue of September 25 did I find any mention of the thousands of innocent lives that have been, and will still be, lost in the ongoing wars taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan. Don’t these lives deserve prayerful recognition as well?