Republican legislators and business owners discuss opening up Wisconsin

This morning Rep. Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer) was joined by Rep. Treig Pronschinske (R-Mondovi), Rep. Jesse James (R-Altoona), Sen. Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls) and business leaders Loopy Kleich, owner of Loopy's; Sara Nelson, owner of Shear Style in Bloomer and Bruce Mlsna, CEO of River Country Coop. There is a link below to the Facebook Live event as recorded by WQOW television. Our thanks to WQOW for attending the event.

The legislators and business owners discussed their viewpoint on opening up Wisconsin at a quicker pace than has been proposed by the Governor and DHS.  

We hear a lot of sympathy for opening up the state, and sympathize with the business owners who are suffering through the current environment. My concern is that there are many conflicting ideas about how and when the Safer at Home restrictions should be lifted. Much of this discussion seems to believe that the crisis has passed since the curve has been flattened, but the numbers give very little indication that we are past any sort of crisis level. The Governor and Secretary Palm have provided a scientific set of benchmarks for slowly opening up the state, and it's difficult to see that an opening plan that is based on the calendar is a better plan than one that is based on an actual decline of cases. 

The plan for opening up the state will depend largely on the outcome of the case currently before the state Supreme Court. I have no objection to a plan that is based on collaboration between the legislature and the Governor's office. but currently there are many different plans proposed - some of which I find to be irresponsible and based solely on economics, and I don't find it at all convincing that opening on a regional basis is safe - people move throughout the state, and it is really difficult to believe that in this state people will not travel between regions to have an old-fashioned fish fry, to hang out in  a bar, or indeed, to get their hair cut. It serves nobody to open up in a way that will casuse outbreaks thorughout the state and slow progress by doing so.