Wisconsin Right to Life's Machiavellian Ploy

2/12/2007

The Machiavellian effort to reduce all political choices in Wisconsin to that of a politically correct Democratic insider or a well-connected Republican stalwart has reached the point of even further absurdity.

The Wisconsin State Journal's Sunday February 11th edition ran a piece on Wisconsin's Right to Life lawsuit pertaining to their alleged efforts to have judicial candidates permitted to discuss their stands on all of the issues. Wisconsin Right to Life (which has endorsed Annette Ziegler) legislative director Susan Armacost is quoted as saying that the current situation is "a joke" and "how are people supposed to make up their minds. You can't ask any questions of substance... If we're going to have elections, lets have elections."

If the Wisconsin Right to Life membership is not aware that there is a pro-life candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, it is only because Susan Armacost, and the Wisconsin Right to Life leadership, have withheld from them this fact. Candidate Joe Sommers and his campaign manager, Rick Winch, sat down on January 16, 2007 with Susan Armacost and Barb Lyons of Wisconsin Right to Life. A similar meeting occurred on January 8th between Joe Sommers, John Benson and Julaine Appling, the executive director of the Family Research Institute of Wisconsin.

In these meetings Joe Sommers pointed out that he is pro-life, but that a judge's role in Wisconsin is limited because Roe v. Wade would have to be overturned federally, and if that occurred, the issue would become, first, one of voters/legislators determining the law; and second, prosecutors/juries enforcing the law. Sommers spelled out that therefore the pro-life cause cannot triumph unless it convinces the hearts and the minds of the Wisconsin electorate; and this is how a Wisconsin Supreme Court judge could best play a role.

At both meetings Sommers asserted that the pro-life movement will not achieve lasting success until it overcomes the perception that it is controlled by the Republican agenda. Sommers further asserted that the pro-life movement must educate the public that the unconcern for protecting the unborn affects all aspects of society. Sommers asserted that the growing indifference to innocents being convicted is one such connection that should be made. Sommers also asserted that due to the ruling philosophy of Dane County it is not by accident that Dane County is one of the worst places for an indigent defendant who is innocent.

Wisconsin Right to Life has endorsed Annette Ziegler. Why was she endorsed? Why has the Wisconsin Right to Life withheld from its membership that Joe Sommers is pro-life? Could it possibly be that Wisconsin Right to Life's primary role is not advancing the pro-life cause or candidates, but rather ensuring that pro-life votes are channeled to Republican stalwarts?

For the record, the position of Joe Sommers on the issue is that, while there is a constitutional right to privacy grounded in the 4th and 9th Amendments, it was constitutional error to extend this right to abortion in Roe v. Wade. The best description politically for Joe Sommers is that he is a Casey Democrat with a libertarian streak, meaning that he would have been comfortable in the Democratic Party of yesterday, and finds distasteful busybody, coercive nannyism. Lastly, Sommers is in agreement with the Wisconsin Attorney General Office's position as stated in the Wisconsin State Journal article in regards to what judicial candidates can and cannot talk about.

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Contact Information

Rick G. Winch
Fitchburg Resident and Business Owner
Campaign Manager for: Joseph Sommers for Supreme Court
Phone: (608) 663-5831

Vote for Joe Sommers on February 20th and April 3rd.