WMC unveils model for re-opeining Wisconsin businesses

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the state’s chamber of commerce, unveiled a plan today that would allow businesses to open while providing consumers with information that would help them gauge the risk of visiting individual establishments. WMC officials said the goal is to start the process of re-opening the state while giving hope to Wisconsin businesses on the brink of failure and employees struggling to make ends meet.

Gov. Tony Evers’ decision last week to extend the state “Safer at Home” shutdown until May 26 raised concerns that the one-size-fits-all approach could prove ruinous for Wisconsin employees, businesses and the state economy. Under Evers’ extension, the same restrictions apply to Milwaukee and Madison as they do to Wausau and Iron River, even though the virus appears to be having little impact in many northern and rural communities.

Outside government: compassion, innovation, flexibility

Judith Valentino is a clinical lab tech by trade, a crafter by passion. She’s converted part of the basement in her Hales Corners home into a 700-square-foot room where she works on craft projects, mostly quilts. She donates many of her works to patients at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

After the coronavirus hit Wisconsin, Valentino became part of a small army of volunteers doing what they can to help.

“Children’s Hospital came up with a pattern for high-quality masks that they needed,” Valentino says. “If Children’s puts out a statement that they need something, man, they need it, and I’m happy to do what I can.”

Read more here.

Now is not the time for widespread 'compassionate release'

A Wisconsin prisoner advocacy group recently asked Gov. Tony Evers to take action to prevent inmate deaths from COVID-19. One recommendation was to use “compassionate release” to free all inmates over the age of 65 and all inmates over the age of 50 who are at risk due to underlying health conditions.

Although the concerns motivating this request are legitimate and compassionate release should almost certainly be more widely used after we have moved past the pandemic, now is not the time.

Wisconsin statutes governing compassionate release will not allow the Department of Corrections (DOC) to free inmates en masse. Nor would doing so be in the best interests of offenders or the public.

Read more here.

EVENT: America Lost: Virtual Discussion

What does poverty in America look like at a personal level? What does it mean when a city faces both an economic and social crisis? What can we do to help lift our neighbors in Milwaukee out of poverty? What role should the government play?

Join AFF-Milwaukee and the Badger Institute for a virtual discussion on these issues and others on Wednesday, April 29 at 5pm. Our discussion will be framed around a new documentary on this topic, America Lost, which will soon broadcast nationally on PBS.

We'll hear from the filmmaker, Christopher F. Rufo, on his experience making the documentary and AEI Scholar and Badger Institute contributor, Angela Rachidi, on what government can do to address these problems.

Sign up here.

We believe competitive free markets, limited government, private initiative and personal responsibility are essential to our democratic way of life. The Badger Institute is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and does not receive government funding. Our work is funded solely through tax-deductible gifts from foundations, companies and individuals. We appreciate your support.

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