Read chapter 19 here
Photo by Retiring Guy
Immediately after the 2018 gubernatorial election that stopped two-term Scott Walker in his tracks, Wisconsin legislative leaders – Scott Fitzgerald and Robin Vos – called a ‘lame-duck’ session to pass a series of bills limiting the powers of the Governor and Attorney General, both offices having just been flipped by the Democrats. Not content with this power grab, they also placed limits on early voting. The League of Women Voters, among other groups, challenged the laws in court. In June 2019, the case was heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, who, of course, sided with the Republicans.
Now Fitzgerald and Vos are taking their despotism to the next level. Included in Wisconsin coronavirus relief bill is language that give the Joint Committee on Finance exclusive control of any budget cuts that need to be made as a result of anticipated revenue shortfalls. Joint Finance has 12 members, the appointments determined by who is
is in the majority of each house of government. Thanks to gerrymandering after the 2010 census, Republicans have a 19-14 edge in the Senate and a gaping 63-36 margin in the Assembly. In other words, Fitzgerald and Vos each make 4 appointment to the committee, giving them an 8-4 advantage.
Evers has said he will veto any such legislation. Fortunately, the GOP majorities aren’t large enough for them to overrule the governor without help from the Democrats. And that sure as hell isn’t going to happen.
As far as government is concerned, Wisconsin is increasingly taking on the appearance of a banana republic.
Doubly scary times.
The weekend before last, “CBS Sunday Monday”, regular viewing for JoAnna, featured a segment on the popularity of jigsaw puzzles during the pandemic. "
"Do we still have any puzzles around?” she asked.
She took up this leisure activity a few years ago. Whatever the reason, I can’t recall, although it might have happened during her first short stretch of retirement two years ago. Somehow it seems longer ago than that.
“I think I might have donated them to the friends of the library book sale,” I replied.
At some point, the half dozen or so boxes were stored away somewhere out of sight, at least until the next closet or garage decluttering.
“It might be a challenge to find one in any store right now,” I added. “Especially with CBS promoting the activity.”
We ran some errands the following day, one of our stops being Target, where JoAnna found a sparse selection of 1000-piece puzzles available. She limited her purchase to two, finishing the first one in about a week’s time. She’s taking a more leisurely approach to the second one.
“CBS Sunday Morning” reported that jigsaw puzzles became hugely popular during the Great Depression. I imagine that’s when they became a common item in the Luthgren family household. As I recall from my 2012 visit to Warren, Mom accumulated a large number of jigsaw puzzles, most of them ending up in storage in the front hall closet. All those hours she spent putting them together was likely accompanied by occasionally childhood reminiscing.
This photo of Mom (holding the cat) and her sisters predates the Great Depression by a few years. Probably taken in 1927 or 1928, I’d guess.)
Curious to learn more about this pastime, I learned that jigsaw puzzles became a fad of the well-to-do during the early years of the 20th century. No one else could afford to buy them, due to the costly and time-communing manufacturing process, i.e., hand-cutting. In 1908, a 500-piece puzzle cost $5, which translates to about $144 today, using an
online inflation calculator. Most puzzles back then were made of wood.
In 1930, the Tuck Company developed a process for die cutting cardboard puzzles, greatly reducing their cost. Just in time to meet a demand for cheap entertainment as a result of most everyone’s reduced circumstance.
Here we are again, it seems.
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