There is a story in Wisconsin you need to know about. It says a lot about today’s cruel, heartless and unsympathetic GOP. First, you need to learn about disabled Wisconsin Representative Jimmy P. Anderson, who was paralyzed from the chest down when a drunken driver in California crashed into his car, killing his parents and younger brother. Despite his very serious physical disabilities, which confine him to a wheelchair, Mr. Anderson chose to serve his community by running for election to the state assembly. He is still able to think, speak and act in this capacity, putting to use his law degree.
Now you might think that such a person was worthy of considerable respect and not a little sympathy. But you would be wrong and underestimating the cold indifference which marks so much of today’s Republican Party, and especially Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who repeatedly denied Rep. Anderson’s requests for reasonable accommodations for his disabilities — for example, being allowed to participate by phone in those legislative committees where he is a member. (The Americans with Disabilities Act requires such accommodations from private employers.)
In frustration, Rep. Anderson, after months of long sufferance and seeing the intransigence of his Republican colleague, understandably decided to take his case to the public. He exposed Speaker Vos for the venal, depraved, and petty politician that he is. Numerous stories appeared in print and on TV. Was Speaker Vos cowed and ashamed? Hardly. In response, the Speaker claimed that Rep. Anderson was simply “playing politics” by taking his complaints public. But the public outcry was too strong for even Vos to do nothing.
So, did Vos agree to accommodate his disabled colleague? Well, no, not exactly. He took a pass on “the chance to do the right thing for the right reasons,” said Rep. Greya Neubauer (D-Racine). Instead Vos proposed new Assembly rules (AR 12) that tied improved accommodations for Anderson to, quoting Rep. Neubauer, “rule changes that silence the minority and undermine the governor” (by watering down his veto power). Rep. Anderson was forced to vote against the measure that was supposed to provide him with some accommodations for his disabilities.
Assembly Democratic Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) was also very critical of Speaker Vos, calling the measure (AR 12) “an unrelated power grab” and “unnecessarily cruel” and “anti-democratic.” “The fact that throughout this process none of Rep. Anderson’s GOP colleagues reached out to him to offer even their minimal support tells you everything you need to know.”
Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) was eloquent on the subject:
AR 12 ties disabilities accommodations for a member of the Assembly to other rules changes that consolidate power of the majority party , including allowing unlimited attempts to override a veto and giving sweeping new powers to the Speaker.
Accommodating individuals with disabilities serving in the Legislature is an issue of basic respect and should not be treated as a political matter up for debate. Yet, Speaker Vos has spent months denying our colleague, Rep. Jimmy Anderson, and his constituents the respect they deserve.
Speaker Vos’ petty refusal to provide the same reasonable accommodations to our colleague that we would expect and require of any employer under the Americans with Disabilities Act has been a mind-boggling embarrassment to himself and our entire institution. Now his motive is clear: He was unwilling to do the right thing unless there was something to be gained for himself and his caucus.