Shannon Zimmerman won his recent assembly race, and the lines had been drawn on the dozens of different flyers, laying out in plastic and paper, or maybe sand if not stone, the muddled and mired Republican stance used to defeat Alison Page — and not turn the page.
These are positions that appeared to resonate in this often plush and red Wisconsin district. (In the 30th state assembly, Zimmerman won 20,308 to 17,116). Some musings on this, little tidbits, lie below. They are not a complete assessment of the victor, or the vanquished.
But do Zimmerman’s supporters know that aside from a voting percentage that quite easily placed him back in office, where he’s been since 2017, there’s another stat where he’s seen by at least some as at the 51 percent level.
— Candidate LuAnn, and I’ll call her by her first name, looks like everyone’s grandma. Who can vote against that? Don’t diss (grand)ma. But people did and she lost legislatively down in and around Milwaukee. Going against big money.
Still, she was painted as a somewhat transient flower-power liberal. Such as one you might find in ol’ town San Francisco, and she has been said to be better suited for there. But she is striving for cleaner drinking water, and should that be a super controversial issue? It is promoted on her behalf by the group Wisconsin Conservation (not conservative) Voters IEC.
Granted, she has district hopped, all across southeastern Wisconsin, at least as far as her status of residence and from where she was running, but still the message … It’s not just in San Fran.
By the way, her last name is Bird, like an old friend of mine by that name, who died way too soon. So the message simply resounds. And in her district is another Bird by the name of Shelly, a hairdresser not a rich person, so apropo. —
Back beyond the Bird, here (as an example?), is one voter’s own assembly story.
It’s approaching the weekend at Buffalo Wild Wings, a local haunt where families often gather after youth sporting events, in the late afternoon, and three people are seated at the far end. One then cast a vote not for a favorite sauce, but on touting her fave assembly pick.
The woman said, “yeah I didn’t know who they are, so I just voted for her.” Referring to Zimmerman.
She was quickly informed by the others that Shannon is a he, not a she, and then was chastised about being part of an ill-informed electorate. And how in this race super-hyped with flyers with photos of them, (and unfemale-like receding hairline), in your mailbox or inbox, could someone not know? As I’ve often said, this is like someone not having heard of the Beatles.
Unless the woman with the wings knows something we don’t. Maybe Shannon is transgender??
Based on that, granted very isolated, instance of voter apathy, in whom we elect, is it any wonder that this country is in this kind of shape? For whom the bell tolls? (Page it seems, it was for thee. Now like same-name guitarist Jimmy of Led Zeppelin, you are basically retired, for now at least from politics.)
A resident of my building even got a get-to-the-polls-postcard from Oakland, California, urging her to vote Republican with a brief notation that’s handwritten, and info typed on a sticker. Uhm, the sponsoring agency, based on its domain name, is from Wisconsin.
Zimmeran is pictured, (Shannon is shown), on an early flyer making a point to, or taking up the time of, a St. Croix County deputy, with a squad car behind them and his arms flailing beside. He did vote for a resolution to send state resources to provide help at the southern border — and not of the Badger State — that include the Wisconsin National Guard, but I don’t think it’s more such troops that are the workers needed there.
Then, the following photo dissected, is unlike most you see in political ads, this time for Page, also from college town River Falls. It shows a mom in the middle and four kids gathered around a stone monolith of sorts, although flat, that simply says “Imagine.” I think John Lennon would approve, with not props positioned but those people around a circular, (Perfect Circle?), emblem or you could call it an insignia.
Zimmerman gets kudos from me, if his typically-outside-the-GOP claim is true, that he is fighting against policies that would increase rising energy bills. But does that gut green energy, in the process? I’m not sure. Utility companies are notorious for their frequent price hikes — like you might say rental properties, which becomes a double-whammy — and when was the last time you heard the requests of one of these companies turned down by a regulatory agency? To which, who are the people who appoint its also often well-heeled members??
But he has voted against middle class tax cuts, so if you’re in a Modern Family you will save money on your utility bill, but it’s likely cancelled out by the need to fund the tax monies that are not paid by the rich. Like the handing over of $1.5 trillion in tax breaks that reportedly would be given to big corporations and billionaires, via Trump’s plans. And Trump would likely try to end overtime pay, another hit taken by the working class, as the ultra-rich don’t need that extra money — so do triage in your touting of Trump? — again largely cancelling out his proposal that tips such as those gained by servers not be taxed. So think twice about pulling a double to gain any possible time-and-a-half.
Back to Zimmerman, he blocked paid family leave. As with many Republican candidate stances, I can see fiscal reasons for taking that side. But he mixed grievances and alleged that such a plan supports people “who don’t really want to work.” Hey, do so from home?
Page has worked in a hospital setting — good experience for a rare change if you’re going to be a government official and oversee such situations — although she’s coy about it being for the most part as a CEO. But hello Hovde, that’s business experience brought to the table, which is what the GOP is prizing.
An anti-Zimmerman ad points out that the abortion ban law enacted in 1849 and upheld is very outdated, as it was before women could legally own property or vote, and it likely would be decades before there even was any type of humane or reliable pregnancy test. Another flyer unscored the point, to say that back in 1849 it was the time of the Gold Rush, most doctors recommend opioids like heroin to combat diarrhea and cough, and cocaine was used to relieve toothaches.
So Page says, I’m through with Zimmerman, now that he’s elected, apologies to alt rock lyrics of Jane’s Addiction. She is not asking for a recount. Not GOP-type money to fund it, for starters.
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