Senator Bob Welch picked up the senate rule book and quoted rule 8.x.x,
which really is nothing more than the dress code for senators when on the
floor, and a rule governing the presence of food and beverages when on the
floor. Risser said he'd take Senator Welch's concerns "under advisement."
Senator Schultz asked that Chvala's "point of order" be clarified, since it
wasn't any kind of point other than a cheap shot at professor John Lott.
Risser said he'd "take it under advisement." Schultz asked if this
"advisement" would happen before or after the senate adjourned, and Risser
said that Schultz could ask Chvala that question after the issue of
concealed carry was over. Meanwhile, Chvala was snickering at the back of
the chamber.
At some point in all this, the rabid anti-gun senator Jauch got up and
addressed all of us peons in the gallery, essentially saying that "you can't
always get what you want, so stop acting like children." One of our group
shouted back at him, and Risser threatened to have the sergeant-at-arms
remove him from the gallery. If there had been a length of rope available,
at least two senators would now be swinging in the wind.
Then Chvala pulled his last stunt. He made a motion to move to the next
order of business. Republican minority leader Mary Panzer objected, but
Risser pretended not to hear her. She reminded him that she had objected to
the motion to move on, but Risser was unmoveable. He said he'd take her
objection "under advisement." To go back to the previous order of business
would require a roll call of the senate, and the Democrats had all
mysteriously disappeared.
Finally, Chuck Chvala got what he wanted: the senate adjourned without a
single vote on concealed carry, or even a discussion of concealed carry.
If all this sounds confusing, that's because it is. So here's the synopsis:
Zien was promised a hearing on the bill, but never got it; Rissser cited
senate rules that Bob Welch proved had nothing to do with the process at
hand; and Mary Panzer's legitimate objections over the motion to move on
were ignored. Chvala and Risser made sure that there was no debate, no
opposing views, no votes, no proper procedural moves--in other words, your
opinions as a citizen are worth jack ****.
Make no mistake, we've had a string of victories this year. We got further
than most of us ever thought we would, and we have momentum to build on
these victories and get concealed carry passed in the next session.
The question is whether gun owners will be demoralized and walk away, or
whether they'll channel their anger into doing what needs to be done:
working on campaigns statewide to elect pro-gun Republicans and remove Chuck
Chvala from his throne.
So, you can whimper like a kicked dog, or you can get a taste for some
Chvala blood.
What'cha gonna do?
The Wisconsin Concealed Carry Association
http://www.wisconsinconcealedcarry.com