Wisconsin governor, lawmakers, meet for brats next week

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Governor Walker says he’s confident his brat summit next Tuesday will pave the way for bipartisan cooperation in the legislature. The governor predicts he will get Senate Democrats to work with him to pass new mining legislation.

At an appearance at a Wausau area steel manufacturing plant, the Governor said he thinks at least two or three Democrats will side with him on a new mining bill, even though they now control the State Senate, “One of the biggest barriers was the recall itself. I think there are probably two to three or more Senate Democrats who are interested in trying to find a reasonable way to streamline the process of safe and environmentally sound mining. I think the pressure they got from Washington prevented them from acting on that, and I think now that we’re past that, we’ll get something done.”

The effort to open a big iron mine south of Lake Superior failed when all of the Senate Democrats and one Republican blocked the Governor’s proposal. Walker said with the recall passed, he’ll now be able to get some Democrats to support his initiatives. He said he will begin reaching out next Tuesday, “It won’t all happen overnight, but I think my wife had a good idea. She said, everybody over for some brats and some burgers. I said, well, let’s throw in a little Wisconsin brew, and I think it’ll be a good start.

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The governor made his remarks at Merrill Iron and Steel in Schofield.