09 6th Dist. Resolution

2009 Caucus Resolutions

March 28, 2009

Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin

2009-1 Appreciation for President George W. Bush Resolution

WHEREAS, President George W. Bush has displayed strength and determination as our commander-in-chief, and

WHEREAS, President George W. Bush has reclaimed American pride in the presidency and the principles our country was founded upon, and

WHEREAS, President Bush was reelected in 2004 because of his commitment and perseverance in defending our country, and

WHEREAS, President Bush continued on despite fierce criticism from those who would undermine the effort for political reasons:

WHEREAS, President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney provided strong, unwavering leadership on many issues but should be recognized first and foremost for their efforts to keep our nation safe from enemy attack over the past seven years. This is the top responsibility of our national leadership, and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled thanks President George W. Bush and his advisors in their actions against any parties who commit terrorist acts against the United States of America.

2009-2 National Defense Resolution

WHEREAS, the principal duties of the government of the United States are the defense of our nation, promotion of our national interests and protection of the security of our citizens from those whose objectives or purposes run counter to those of the United States of America, including terrorists, individual tyrants and governments, and

WHEREAS, the priorities of our federal government under non-Republican administrations have tipped from defense to social programs, and

WHEREAS, among those in today’s world with designs of evil and ill intent toward the people and government of the United States are terrorists such as those of the al Qaeda network, and othertyrants and rogue states, and

WHEREAS, nuclear, chemical, and biological weaponry has been produced, procured or is sought by these enemies of America and liberty, and

WHEREAS, these facts of today’s world demonstrate unequivocally the importance of a strong and ready military force, not to be weakened by social pressures, backed by an intelligence capability unparalleled, with the full support of the American people it defends and protects:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled:

Supports a strong national defense, achieved in part by increasing the size of the United States Military and by diligent and continued development of weapons systems and technologies, and increasing the training and compensation of the American fighting forces, the finest military personnel in all the world, as may be necessary for the United States to defend itself against all enemies andto honor our commitment to our allies, and

Encourages and supports a heightened awareness for and action to provide a solid and ready national defense against conventional, nuclear, chemical, biological or cyber-attack, or means not yet contemplated or demonstrated, and

Supports the continued development and deployment of the Missile Defense System to safeguard our nation against missile attack, and

Supports the wisdom, knowledge, and experience of our military’s leadership to develop and implement personnel decisions consistent with the development and deployment of a military force that is disciplined, orderly and effective, such that it remains the preeminent force without equal or threat, and

Opposes the sale or transfer of technology or weapons or information that offer the potential compromise of our nation’s defense to unfriendly parties or unreliable nations, and

Supports an improved development and procurement effort to enhance the ability of our nation to defend itself in a cost-effective manner that is consistent with accomplishing the objectives as noted in this resolution.

Supports the use of domestic surveillance to monitor contacts between foreign terrorists and their accomplices in the United States.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled calls upon the President and members of Congress to do all that is necessary, including but not limited to using military force, preemptively, if necessary, to protect the citizens of the United States and those other country’s citizens that are threatened by terrorists, terrorist organizations or countries that harbor, fund, or give any aid and comfort, whatsoever, to terrorists.

2009-3 Supporting our Armed Forces

WHEREAS, our military is comprised of hundreds of thousands of dedicated volunteers that uphold our freedom and way of life, and

WHEREAS, many men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice in the war on terror and many have been wounded while defending our freedom and to keep us safe, and

WHEREAS, the families of our service men and women do bravely endure separation from their loved ones, and

WHEREAS, the valiant service of our military resulted in fair and historic democratic elections in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and

WHEREAS, elections in Iraq proved that we can achieve success by limiting the abilities of the enemies of freedom to terrorize the Iraqi people and our soldiers:

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, extends our heartfelt gratitude to the men and women who serve in our armed forces and vows to forever remember you and your families in our hearts and prayers, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, supports a military policy that allows our service men and women to defend themselves without fear of reprisal and regardless of where the terrorists are found, even if they are hiding in mosques, schools, or other places presumed to be off limits, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, humbly asks God to bless and protect our troops and bring them home to us as soon as their job is done.

2009-4 Election Reform Resolution

WHEREAS, Wisconsin has a long tradition of fair and reliable elections, it has become increasingly clear that recent elections conducted in the state have been seriously flawed by inappropriate and illegalbehavior and inadequate procedures, and

WHEREAS, irregularities ranging from the improper handling of marked ballots, voter deception, multiple ballots cast by the same voter, and improper voter registration procedures have allowed some voters to vote multiple times in different locations while other voters have been disenfranchised by deceptive and intimidating poll workers, and

WHEREAS, deliberate destruction of property and intimidation tactics have been used to disrupt the voting process, and

WHEREAS, such cases may represent only a portion of the problems encountered statewide, and

WHEREAS, Wisconsin is one of only a few that permit same-day voter registration at the polls, and

WHEREAS, many school districts schedule referendums on odd days hoping to get a smaller turnout, and

WHEREAS, informed voting is a responsibility of every eligible citizen inour democracy:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled:

Urges that Republicans and Democrats alike be called upon to preserve our state’s history of clean and fair elections and to see that every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast a ballot that counts equally with any other vote cast.

Urges that our state legislators act quickly and fairly to reform Wisconsin’s election laws in order to avoid the above noted irregularities in future elections.

Urges that the Wisconsin Legislature make changes in Wisconsin’s election laws to make voting fair and more secure by enacting laws that would ensure a picture ID (current Wisconsin Driver’s License or official Wisconsin identification Card); which provides a current residential address of the prospective voter at the time of voting on Election Day.

That any prospective voters are registered at least (30) days in advance of any election day.

That all efforts be taken to make sure voter fraud is eliminated.

No special election can be held if it falls within 90 days of a regularly scheduled election.

A referendum can only be held on a regularly scheduled election day.

That a statewide voter database be established and maintained for the purpose of ensuring the integrity of the system.

That the option of voting a straight ticket on the ballot be removed.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if an investigation finds that election laws have been broken, those lawbreakers be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

2009-5 Paycheck Protection/Right to Work Resolution

WHEREAS, millions of dollars spent on elections and political issues are derived from compulsory dues paid by labor union members who do not universally support the union’s political philosophy, and

WHEREAS, mandating the joining or not joining of a labor union as a condition of employment violates the individual’s liberty to seek gainful employment and may force the individual, through dues payments, to support political activities with which the individual disagrees:

WHEREAS, the Republican Party does not support the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), as it eliminates the right to a secret ballot:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled urges passage of Right-to-Work legislation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled calls for the State legislature to pass a Paycheck Protection Act that will require written consent by individual union members before their union can levy dues for political purposes and which forbids employers from deducting non-voluntary political monies from employees’ paychecks.

2009-6 Education Resolution

WHEREAS, quality public and private education is at the heart of economic development, prosperity, and happiness, and

WHEREAS, parental authority over the educational experiences of their children is being slowly eroded and the direction of publiceducation should be a cooperative effort among the educational systems, the parents, and directed by the taxpayers of the community, and

WHEREAS, parents’ rightful moral authority have been undermined and marginalized, and

WHEREAS, many schools now emphasize social behaviors at the expense of academics, and

WHEREAS, the public schools, since the 1963 court ban on school prayer, have severely deteriorated in safety, conduct, academics, and morality:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled urges Department of Public Instruction and local school boards to reinstate discipline, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled urges that a greater emphasis be placed on a back to basic approach with curricular changes toward the sciences, social science, civic, geography, history, mathematics, reading, systematic intensive phonics and technical subjects, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled urges that libraries in all publicly-funded schools have a balance of reading materials that reflect conservative values as well as liberal values, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled calls upon the Governor and the state legislature to examine changes in our education process, including virtual schools and the use of parental choice in choosing the schools their children attend regardless of where they live, and vouchers and tax credits for those who select private or home schooling over government schools, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, supports adoption of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to allow and guarantee voluntary student-led prayer or private prayer in public schools.

2009-07 Protect Nation’s Borders Resolution

WHEREAS, our nation’s boundary is overwhelmed on a daily basis with the illegal entry of individuals from other countries, and

WHEREAS, the illegal alien population in the United States has increased from an estimated five million in 1994 and continues to increase with each passing day, and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USIS) has been exposed as being grossly ineffective in performing its established mission, and

WHEREAS, an amnesty program which has been advanced will reward the very people who have violated America’s laws at the expense of those who are patiently waiting in line for legal entry, and

WHEREAS, public resources or taxpayer expenses have been extended to reward the illegal alien population for said violations, and

WHEREAS, Middle Eastern terrorists have recently been captured crossing into our borders, and

WHEREAS, illegal immigration not only creates social, economic, and educational problems, but also threatens our national security:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled seeks a thorough overhaul of our nation’s immigration policy to include:

A. An emphasis on furthering the cultural, social and economic interests of the United States.

B. The strengthening and enforcement of current immigration laws.

C. The establishment of an adequate force to secure the borders as a policy goal of our government.

D. The imposition of severe penalties on individuals, industries, and government bodies that are found knowingly employing illegal aliens.

E. The establishment of an enforceable physical and virtual barrier along the entire

      Mexican-American border.

F. The prohibition of all forms of amnesty for illegal aliens in this country.

G. The adoption of a Constitutional amendment that would prevent the automatic granting of “anchor baby” citizenship to children born in the United States whose parents are illegally in this country.

H. The prohibition of any “path to citizenship” for illegal aliens currently in this country.

I. The prohibition of “sanctuary cities.”

J. The establishment of “secure the borders” as the first priority of our overall policy.

K. The creation of a reasonable process of legal immigration and implementation of a workable and controlled guest worker program.

2009-8 Taxes Resolution

WHEREAS, high and punitive tax rates hamper economic growth, discourage entrepreneurial efforts and innovation, and diminish an individual’s or family’s ability to realize the American Dream, and yield a greater reliance on the government for support, and

WHEREAS, our young people leave Wisconsin for careers with businesses that thrive in states with a lower tax rate, and

WHEREAS, married couples unfairly pay higher taxes at both the state and federal level, and

WHEREAS, we believe that government has neither money nor power not derived from the consent of the people, and

WHEREAS, we believe that people have the right to keep the fruits of their labor:

WHEREAS, the taxation of dividends is nothing more than the taxation of the same money twice, and

WHEREAS, the taxing of Social Security benefits is nothing more than a fee collected by the government to cover the expense of mismanaging moneys it has taken by threat of force from working Americans, and

WHEREAS, the money collected by the state in the form of taxes and fees are property of the individual citizens of Wisconsin:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled endorses the following principles:

The elimination of the “marriage penalty”.

The elimination of the estate tax.

The elimination of the gift tax.

The elimination of the tax on capital gains, interest, and dividends.

The elimination of income tax on Social Security benefits.

The elimination of the Personal Property Tax in Wisconsin.

The elimination of the alcohol tax.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED There should be a national debate discussing various alternative means of taxation including but not limited to a single flat income tax, repealing the income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax, and reducing spending to the point where the income tax can be repealed without the need to replace it with a national sales tax or any other form of taxation. The new tax system should be implemented promptly.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled opposes any and all efforts to increase the sales tax or increase or create new fees, and

BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled demands the reduction of Wisconsin state taxes with the goal of removing Wisconsin from the list of highest tax states in America, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, supports’ making the Bush tax cuts permanent.

2009-9 2nd Amendment Resolutions

WHEREAS, the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of all law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, and

WHEREAS, this fundamental right is in extreme jeopardy under the current state executive branch, and

WHEREAS, Wisconsin does not allow law-abiding citizens to obtain permits allowing them to carry concealed weapons for self-defense, and

WHEREAS, most states have adopted legislation allowing their citizens to obtain permits to carry concealed weapons for self-defense, and

WHEREAS, in those states which have such legislation there was a significant drop in crime as criminals realized they could no longer count on finding easy (unarmed) prey, and

WHEREAS, in those states which have adopted such legislation the number of incidents of misuse of concealed weapons has been negligible, and

WHEREAS, reforms to the criminal justice system, not gun control, are the keys to reducing violent crime in our society, and

WHEREAS, lawsuits have resulted from damages caused by illegal acts and have damaged legitimate businesses:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled urges the Wisconsin State Legislature and the United States Congress to pass legislation to prohibit individuals or organizations from suing manufacturers of guns and ammunition for damages caused by illegal acts committed by armed individuals or gangs, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled urges the Wisconsin State Legislature and the governor to immediately pass and sign into law legislation permitting law-abiding citizens without felony records or serious mental health problems to obtain permits to carry concealed weapons, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled recommends that individual rights to keep and bear firearms by law-abiding citizens be upheld and strengthened to include:

Prohibiting all attempts to confiscate firearms, and

Reinforcing individual rights to protect themselves, their home, their families, and property from criminal intrusion, invasion, during times of a natural disaster or harmful attack, and

Enforcing existing laws that make the commission of crimes with the aid of firearms subject to severe penalties.

2009-10 Family Values Resolution

WHEREAS, personal responsibility and traditional family values are to be encouraged, and

WHEREAS, a marriage based on a two-parent, heterosexual family is the best opportunity for parents to instill personal responsibility, morals, and family values in children, and

WHEREAS, the nuclear family is the foundational structure of any society, and

WHEREAS, married couples need to be empowered with the means to have healthy, lifelong marriages, and to raise the standard for two parent families in our communities, and

WHEREAS, governments need to foster an environment that ensures the well-being of the people, especially our children, and

WHEREAS, governmental policies have often become adversarial to the family, and

WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Constitution has been amended to recognize marriage in Wisconsin as being between a man and a woman only:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, urges:

That legislation be enacted to recognize “family” as people related by blood, marriage, or adoption and to not recognize heterosexual cohabitants or homosexual partners as “family” entitled to family privilegesor to have the ability to adopt, and

That we oppose any existing or proposed law or any official government practice that provides special privilege, financial support, or forfeiture of religious beliefs to meet the demands of homosexualsand heterosexual cohabitants, and

That there should be no extension of government paid family plan health insurance benefits to persons not meeting the definition of “family” (above) and that the private sector be urged to pursue the same policy.

2009-11 Crime & Punishment Resolution

WHEREAS, justice, the protection of law-abiding citizens, and the maintenance of civil order is primary duty of government, and

WHEREAS, certainty, swiftness and severity of punishment are very important in deterring crime, and

WHEREAS, the value society places on the sanctity of human life is reflected in the severity of punishment imposed for wrongfully taking human life, and

WHEREAS, those incarcerated for life for capital crimes can pose danger to guards and fellow prisoners, and

WHEREAS, a true “change of heart” in criminals is needed to lower the recidivism rate, and

WHEREAS, there should be more concern for the victims of crime and for the rights of law-abiding citizens to be safe in their communities than for the rights of law breakers to be free on bail, and

WHEREAS, the governor has proposed to weaken “Truth in Sentencing” and release some prisoners before their sentence is fully served to make more room in our prisons, and

WHEREAS, there is an ongoing effort to deter crime with enhanced investigation and changes in punishment (truth in sentencing) that have caused a need for more prisons, and

WHEREAS, the referendum in favor of the death penalty during the 2006 election was overwhelmingly passed:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled:

That we stay the course in this effort and use DNA and othertesting where appropriate, and

That the death penalty be reinstated for first-degree intentional homicide, and

That the legal system be revised to limit the number of appeals, restrict judge substitutions, and restrict the filing of frivolous lawsuits by prisoners, and

That existing prisons owned by the state be fully utilized, and

That alternative forms of punishment be explored for our nonviolent criminals, and

That Truth in Sentencing continue to be enforced, and

That all crime should be punished equally and not some to be designated as special hate crimes, and

That faith-based programs that reduce the recidivism rate be supported, and

That criminals be barred from suing their victim if said criminal was injured while committing a crime.

2009-12 Freedom of Religion Resolution

WHEREAS, our founding fathers, in an effort to encourage and guarantee freedom for religion, incorporated this right into our Constitution, and                                     WHEREAS, as an example for future generations, they freely expressed their religious views in their writings, government laws, government functions, and government property; yet, did not force religious actions upon others with differing views, and

WHEREAS, the term “separation of church and state” does not reside in the U.S. Constitution, but rather says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled encourages elected Republican officials to allow and encourage citizens, including elected and appointed government officials, employers, and school district personnel to freely express and discuss their religious convictions, providing only that they do not force actions on others or misuse their office to discriminate against other persons with differing religious beliefs, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled encourages the courts to apply the principle of religious freedom within the state as originally intended, and not to encourage government-sponsored exclusion of religion from public discourse.

2009-13 Pro-life Resolution (Sanctity of Human Life)

WHEREAS, our founding fathers held as self-evident truth that we are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and

WHEREAS, our founding fathers recognized life as an inalienable, divine right which the Republican Party has reaffirmed in declaring abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia as violations of this sacred and basic human right, and

WHEREAS, the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution guarantee that no person shall be deprived of life without due process of the law, and

WHEREAS, abortions violate the first and most basic of human rights:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in convention assembled, insists that our federal and state legislators reaffirm the sanctity of all human life and reestablish legal protection of human life from conception to natural death through legislation and a human life amendment to both the state and federal constitutions, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in convention assembled:

Demands our State Legislators to support and pass legislation allowing those in the health care field including pharmacist and other ancillary providers to exempt themselves from supporting and or performing abortion procedures, and

Demands the United States Congress to support and pass legislation banning research on fetal tissue and human cloning, while recognizing the potential of adult stem cell research, and

Demands that the selling of baby body parts and/or fetal tissue be prohibited with the exception of blood and blood products.

Urges our state and national legislators to impose reasonable limits on abortion, such as spousal notification, counseling, waiting requirements, a prohibition on crossing state lines, and parental notification requirements in cases of minors seeking abortions, and

Urges our state and national legislators to be sensitive to the difficult circumstances surrounding unplanned pregnancies, and supports programs which provide guidance, in a compassionate manner, to help mothers who face an unplanned pregnancy to understand the options available to them, in particular the option of saving the life of each mother's unborn child through adoption.

Opposes the use of embryonic stem cells and recognizes the contribution of and ongoing research using adult stem cells.

Urge our legislators to mandate that abortion providers inform their patients seeking a 2^nd or 3^rd trimester abortion that their baby will feel extreme pain.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in convention assembled, supports the enactment of a ban on partial birth abortion and calls upon the Republican Party at all levels to refuse support to any candidate who does not oppose partial birth abortion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled:

Urges Federal and State Legislators to support alternatives to elective abortions, including adoption laws which make adoption a positive and viable option for birth parents, adoptive parents, and the children, and

Urges our Federal and State Legislators to reaffirm the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death through legislation and a human life amendment, and

Urges our Federal and State Governments not to directly or indirectly fund elective abortions, and

By direct aid to persons seeking elective abortions, and

By allowing elective abortions to be performed at tax supported facilities, and

By including elective abortions as a standard “benefit” in government health plans (abortion riders, if included, should be the financial responsibility of the individual insured), and

By providing support to agencies or organizations, which perform or counsel for abortions; and by school-based clinics that make abortion referrals (reducing risks of abortion complications).

2009-14 Conservative Direction for the GOP Resolution

WHEREAS, the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin has passed numerous resolutions of a conservative nature: favoring a smaller, less intrusive government, a right to bear arms, and a directive to secure our borders, and

WHEREAS, these resolutions are the direction that the people of the party want their representatives to adhere to, and

WHEREAS, the people of the party recognize that while they cannot compel their representatives to vote in this manner, they can and do expect them to:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, urges Republicans to withhold all promotional and financial support of those candidates that do not consistently subscribe to this overall conservative agenda, be they incumbent or new candidate, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin will actively and vigorously seek candidates that will go in this conservative direction and respect the wishes of party members.

2009-15 Reduced Government Spending Resolution

WHEREAS, the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, favors a smaller, less intrusive government, and

WHEREAS, while the preservation of core government services is of undisputed importance, and

WHEREAS, government at all levels has continued to expand its scope and spending beyond areas of core government services, and

WHEREAS, this expansion of government spending has been funded by expanded tax revenues and expanded borrowing, and

WHEREAS, it is morally wrong and fiscally unsound to require future generations to pay for the spending obligations of today, and

WHEREAS, individual taxpayers are in a better position to decide how to spend their money than the government is, and

WHEREAS, less government spending means more money in the hands of individual taxpayers:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, calls for elected officials at all levels to reduce government spending.

2009-16 Benefit Equity Proposal

WHEREAS, 99% of public sector employers (state taxpayers) pick up most, if not all, of employee retirement contributions to the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRA), and

WHEREAS, in 2010 the contributions from these same taxpayers are expected to increase due to 2008 investment losses, and

WHEREAS, the people who fund these benefits have been responsible for funding the overwhelming majority of their own retirement contributions, and

WHEREAS, these same taxpayers have seen their own retirement plans decimated and will have to work well past their planned retirement dates, working longer and living on substantially less, and

WHEREAS, the private sector shoulders much more of the risk of economy fluctuations and the demands of competitive productivity than the public sector could even dream of, and

WHEREAS, elected officials, regrettably on both sides of the aisle, pander to the public sector unions by sweetening contracts in the hopes of votes:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Republican Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin, in caucus assembled, calls for our legislators to bring public sector benefits in line with the private sector through a plan similar to NEWCC’s “Benefit Equity” proposal which would provide new employees in the public sector with lower pension contributions, less expensive health coverage and more reasonable leave practices, and to work to provide relief within current law allowing local units of government the flexibility to bargain for lower cost benefits by expanding what the arbitrator may consider to include local economic factors and conditions.