The media refuses to analyze or even discuss the issues that concern Wisconsinites the most – inflation, crime, or education
Here is a look at the media bias and how it is impacting the debates
A new Marquette Law School Poll is out this week and again shows that crime and inflation again rank at the top of concerns for Wisconsin voters cutting across party lines.
The September Marquette poll determined that inflation and public education rank within the top 5 issues that voters share concerns about across party lines. But Independents and Republicans share 4 of their top 5 concerns, with crime being in the top 3 for both, while that issue didn’t even make the top 5 for Democrats. Climate change was the top issue of concern for Democrats in September, tied with gun violence, but the poll dropped this issue in October. We look at the issues that rank among the top concerns of voters broadly, not just the ones they say they are ‘very’ concerned about; the level of concern (very, somewhat) measures intensity of concern, not if it is an issue of concern.
Note: climate change was not polled on in October
Why do these issue rankings matter in relation to debate questions? If debates are to address issues that help voters decide which candidate will best represent their concerns, the top issues of the day have to figure in.
That’s not what happened in the WBA debate.
There were 17 questions asked by members of the mainstream media. As you can see, not a single question on inflation and the public policy decisions that have produced historic inflation. Not a single question on rising violent crime and murder rates and the policy decisions that have resulted in this mayhem. Not a single question on the decline in education or the damage Covid virtual learning did to our kids. In fact, looking at the top issues of concern in the tables above, they covered all 5 of the Democrats’ top issues but only 3 for Independents and Republicans. When the reporters did turn to the top concerns of the public in general, the question was couched in such a way as to shift focus away from the root cause of the problem, i.e., scold and release sentencing has led to a dramatic increase in violent crime, and, instead, force the conversation to liberal-friendly talking points – guns are the problem. This inherent bias in how the questions were posed further skewed the debate left of center.
Here are the questions that the mainstream media asked and the obvious problems with the questions or the premise behind the question. Obvious to everyone but the mainstream media, apparently.
The questions on the issue of crime focused on the unfairness of criminals being subject to cash bail and Milwaukee spending more money on their police than any other item.
No mention of how the far left is pushing largely Democrats to adopt criminal justice reform all over the country that:
Student loan forgiveness represented 12% of the total number of debate questions, and they focused on fairness and the racial wealth gap.
Lifetime return on investment for a master’s degree is 434% making this group the most able to repay debt.
One reporter asked about abortion, a driving issue in this election cycle. Yet when Barnes refused to answer when he believes life begins, he was not pushed to answer.
The question on gun control was focused on the need for more laws, like an assault rifle ban and mandatory background checks (already law in Wisconsin for every retail/dealer purchase.) But the reporter didn’t address the problem of DA’s who won’t prosecute the gun control laws on the books, or the ineffectiveness of red flag laws across the nation. New York state has some of the strictest gun control laws and yet the Buffalo grocery story mass shooting occurred there.
Immigration was addressed only as it relates to the workforce. While that is one important component of the immigration debate, the fundamental concern is obviously about having control of the border to assure a legal immigration process for public safety, but also because while we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws. According to the way the issue was framed, an open border is not a crime issue, national security issue, human trafficking issue, or illegal drug issue; it is a workforce issue. As crime is uppermost in the minds of voters, the crime of illegal immigration has to be discussed in that context as well.
One question on gas prices and OPEC’s recent decision to cut production.
The goal of the Barnes Climate Change task force was to make the state carbon-free by 2050, which comes with huge costs, not only in higher prices to heat our homes and fuel our cars, but in higher taxes to finance new “incentives” and larger government to enforce the many new regulations. Wisconsin already has the second-highest residential and commercial electric rates in the Midwest, and even one of the task force members expressed concern about the “trillions” in new state and federal spending being proposed.
Miscellaneous questions about the Electoral College, PFAs, Respect for Marriage Act, broadband, and the unpopularity of the Supreme Court made up over a quarter of the questions and took time away from the opportunity to have candidates address, in some detail and not a 30-second spin, their positions on the issues that are foremost in voters’ minds.
In the debates to come this week, we believe the following questions deserve to be asked of both the gubernatorial and senate candidates:
Inflation
What do you think are the 3 drivers of the generationally high inflation voters are suffering under?
What specific actions can be taken from the position you’re seeking to address those three issues, and how, specifically, do you plan to make those actions happen if elected.
Do you agree with President Biden’s handling of the economy, and what would you do differently, if anything?
Education
What do you believe the purpose of public schools is?
Do you find the hypersexualization of school classrooms, discussions, and readings appropriate for education?
Do you believe school districts and teachers should pass and advance children who have not met basic proficiency requirements for their grade level (end social promotion)?
Crime
What are three specific causes you believe are driving the spike in violent crime, and what are your solutions to reverse the trend?
Where do you stand on expungement – hiding from the public record evidence that a person has committed certain crimes?
Gun Control
Would you support legislation that would require prosecutors and judges to prosecute those who violate the gun control laws already on the books to the fullest extent of the law? If not, what solution do you see to the problem of so many laws on the books being ignored by the justice system?
Red flag laws have failed to prevent gun crimes in states with such laws. Can you explain why their laws have failed?
Taxes/Spending
Do you support tougher program integrity efforts to prevent provider fraud and overcharging? A recent public example is the millions defrauded from a program meant to improve birth outcomes for Black mothers and babies, but there are many hidden ways providers take advantage of the program. Give 3 specific examples of how you approach this expensive problem.
Election Integrity
It is an existential problem for democracy if electors cannot trust that their vote counts and that every voting precinct follows the law in the same way. What do you think needs to be done to restore faith in elections?
In the past several years, we have seen municipalities implementing state election law differently, resulting in votes that would be rejected in one municipality being counted in another, something that affords more weight to votes from some areas and strips weight from votes in others. Should every vote be cast and counted under the exact same rules, no matter where the voter lives?
Public Health Emergencies
Coercive Tactics of the Federal Government and Bureaucracy
Do you believe every disparate outcome is racism or a civil rights violation?
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