Hello, all. The action of the Democrats in the senate yesterday on the
concealed carry bill is hard to describe in one paragraph. It's even harder
to describe without using vulgar language.

On Monday, the plan was to get the concealed carry bill "pulled" to the
senate floor for a vote. To do so would require a simple majority vote of 17
of the 33 senators. All of the concerned parties believed that there were at
least 18 votes to accomplish this. The "pulling motion" was going to be done
either Tuesday or on Wednesday, since the senate was scheduled to adjourn on
Thursday.

At the end of the day Monday, Democrat senate majority leader Chuck Chvala
pulled a hat trick. He put the entire three days of senate business into
Tuesday's session. He waited until the absolute last minute permissible
(4:00 pm) when most of the staffers would be gone. Thus, most senate offices
didn't know about this until late Tuesday morning.

This change in the senate calendar changed the rules on the number of votes
required to approve a pulling motion on the bill. Instead of requiring 17
votes, a pulling  motion on the last day of session would require 22 votes
(two-thirds majority). There was little possibility of getting 22 votes,
although the pressure would be on the "I'm  all for the rights of hunters
and sportsmen" politicians to live up to their promises. The fear among
these so-called defenders of gun rights was almost palpable. They didn't
want a vote.

So, Chuck Chvala and his lapdog, senate president Fred Risser, pulled some
stunts like nobody has seen before. Early in the session, Risser promised
Senator Zien that Zien would be able to bring up the concealed carry bill in
the fourteenth order of business, which was the second-last order of
business of the day.

When Senator Zien got his chance to speak, Chuck Chvala made a "point of
order," which was nothing more than reading an HCI press release. Senate
president (and Chvala lackey) Risser attempted to make that the last point
of discussion on the bill. When Senator Zien attempted to respond, Risser
wouldn't even acknowledge him or let him speak. At every point, Risser said
he'd take comments "under advisement." When challenged by Senator Mike Ellis
and others, Risser cited some senate rule 8.x.x. on the process.

CONT.

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

Thanks for the post.

This all seems like a childish way to run a government.

Thanks for the post.  I almost got the picture[:(!]

This is nothing new in Wisconsin Politics.  Remember the staduim......

No I don't remember the stadium I just moved here about 9 months ago. What was the deal? I do know I get pissed off every time I see a 2 cent "stadium tax" on my phone bill. All that damn thing does for me is plug up traffic during the summer. I hate baseball. (football is so much more entertaining)

I am willing to bet that the major media in the state will leave this story alone...  the only way the antis will get dislodged is if the papers and TV go on a tirade over the imbecilic way the current anti legislators are ignoring their civic responsibilities.

THEN people might get the idea that they need to be voted out...  good luck, though!  If EVERY state surrounding Illinois gets CCW, then we might have a chance to get a legitimate law in place.

Technically, we have concealed carry now... just has to be unloaded and in a case, with a valid FOID card.  A standard, LOADED carry law would be better.