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☆ Just when he needed it, Biden's polling is improving
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden's support and approval polls have improved in recent weeks. AdvertisementDemocratic President Joe Biden's performance in polls is improving, and just in time for the struggling incumbent. Decision Desk HQ, a leading elections data organization, said Monday morning that Biden's approval rating is at the "highest point" in its average of polls over the last five months, with 44% average approval based on 1,150 separate polls. Related storiesBiden's current average approval rating isn't his peak over the last year, DDHQ's data shows. Biden's average approval rating is rising DDHQ/The HillA close inspection of The Hill/DDHQ's chart shows Biden's approval reached its lowest point with 38.5% average approval on March 2, a little less than a month after then-US Special Counsel Robert Hur released a report that said the president had a "poor memory."

Persons: Joe Biden's, He's, —, Donald Trump, Robert Hur, Hur, Biden Organizations: Trump, Service, Democratic, Biden, Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, Republican, Representatives Locations: New York, — Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin voters are set to decide next month whether to make it unconstitutional to accept private grant money to help administer state elections, one of two Republican-backed ballot measures that Democrats say are meant to make it harder to conduct elections in the presidential battleground state. The Wisconsin measures are supported by Republicans and conservative groups and opposed by an array of government watchdog and liberal groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause Wisconsin, Wisconsin Conservation Voters and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. Three courts and the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission rejected complaints challenging the legality of the grant money. It’s unclear how adoption of the amendment would change current practice, other than place requirements currently in state law into the constitution. Federal law already requires U.S. citizenship to vote in national elections and no state constitutions explicitly allow noncitizens to vote in state or local elections.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Sen, Eric Wimberger, ”, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, Biden, Zuckerbucks ”, ” Kyle Koenen, Zuckerberg, Chan, Tony Evers, Evers, noncitizens Organizations: —, Republicans, American Civil Liberties Union, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters of, Democratic, Center for Tech, Facebook, “, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, Democratic Gov, Wisconsin, Bureau Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin

But it wasn’t until control of the state Supreme Court flipped in August after the election of liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz that Democrats found a winning formula. The court accepted maps from the governor, Democratic and Republican lawmakers, as well as three other parties to the redistricting lawsuit. Facing a mid-March deadline from the state elections commission for new maps to be in place, the Legislature on Tuesday passed the Evers maps. “Republicans were not stuck between a rock and hard place,” Republican state Sen. Van Wanggaard said in a statement. The Wisconsin Supreme Court also has been asked by Democrats to take up a challenge to the state’s congressional district lines.

Persons: Tony Evers, Janet Protasiewicz, Protasiewicz, Evers, ”, Robin Vos, Sen, Van Wanggaard Organizations: — Wisconsin Democratic Gov, Republicans, Democrats, Republican, GOP, Democratic, Consultants, Legislature, Gov, Senate, . House, Wisconsin Supreme Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

The first is a bipartisan measure to require political candidates and groups to include disclaimers in ads that use AI technology. The surge of commercial investment in generative AI tools has generated public fascination and concerns about their ability to trick people and spread disinformation. Sophisticated generative AI tools, from voice-cloning software to image generators, already are in use in elections in the U.S. and around the world. Last year, as the U.S. presidential race got underway, several campaign advertisements used AI-generated audio or imagery, and some candidates experimented with using AI chatbots to communicate with voters. The Biden administration issued guidelines for using AI technology in 2022 but they include mostly far-reaching goals and aren't binding.

Persons: doesn't, —, Joe Biden’s, Biden Organizations: Assembly, League of Women Voters, Republican, Netflix, District of Columbia, Federal Communications Commission, New, U.S Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, Texas , North Dakota, West Virginia, Louisiana, U.S

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's Republican-controlled Senate is taking another shot Tuesday at passing a new legislative map before the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court does it. When asked last week if he would sign his own maps, Evers responded “Why not?” while also voicing skepticism that the Legislature would actually approve them. Consultants hired by the Wisconsin Supreme Court last week said that maps submitted by the Republican Legislature and a conservative law firm were gerrymandered. The Wisconsin Supreme Court also has been asked by Democrats to take up a challenge to the state’s congressional district lines. The lawsuit argues that the court’s decision to order new state legislative maps opens the door to challenging the congressional map.

Persons: — Wisconsin's, Tony Evers, Evers, “ Organizations: — Wisconsin's Republican, Democratic Gov, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Republican Legislature, Democratic, Senate, . House, Wisconsin Supreme Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans urged the state Supreme Court on Thursday to ignore a report from redistricting consultants that determined GOP-proposed legislative maps were unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders. The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in December that the current Republican-drawn legislative maps were unconstitutional because not all the districts were contiguous. The court ordered the parties involved in the lawsuit to submit new maps that a pair of consultants then reviewed. While those talks continue, the Supreme Court accepted responses Thursday from Republicans and Democrats to the consultants report. Attorneys for the Legislature argued in their court filing Thursday that the consultants' report was about finding a political remedy to redistricting, not addressing the continuity issue.

Persons: Tony Evers, Evers, Tyler August, Janet Protasiewicz, “, ” Organizations: — Wisconsin Republicans, GOP, Republicans, Assembly, Republican, Democratic Gov, Democrats, U.S, Supreme, Democratic, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiwiecz's campaign consultant inserted images of horses in ads as a vulgar joke about her opponent, her campaign manager told a liberal podcast last month. Protasiewicz's media consultant, Ben Nuckels, inserted hidden images of horses in television ads attacking Kelly as an inside joke. A review of Protasiewicz's ads on her You Tube site turned up horses in the background in at least three ads. That ad also was part of the joke, Verdin said. “This goes a long way towards explaining why Janet Protasiewicz’s campaign was so dishonest, undignified and lacking in respect for the office of Supreme Court justice," Kelly told the newspaper.

Persons: Janet Protasiwiecz's, Alejandro Verdin, Dan Kelly, Ben Nuckels, Kelly, Nuckels, Dan ”, Verdin, ” Verdin, Kelly didn't, Janet Protasiewicz’s, Nuckels didn't, Protasiewicz, Wade, Dane, —, Robin Vos Organizations: —, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Associated Press, Journal Sentinel, U.S Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin, U.S .

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democrats are inching closer to overturning Republican-drawn legislative maps that the GOP has used over the past 13 years to grow their majorities and advance their agenda. Republican maps adopted in 2022 by the conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court used the 2011 map as a template and kept largely the same lines in place. The Wisconsin Supreme Court in December agreed and ordered new maps to be drawn in time for the November election. Her vote was the difference maker in the 4-3 December ruling tossing the Republican maps. The Wisconsin Supreme Court also has been asked by Democrats to take up a challenge to the state’s congressional district lines.

Persons: Janet Protasiewicz, Protasiewicz shouldn't, Tony Evers, It's Organizations: —, — Wisconsin Democrats, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Wisconsin Supreme, Democrats, Senate, U.S, Supreme, Republican Legislature, Democratic, Democratic Gov, . House Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin

Tony Evers signed a package of bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding access to dental care and addressing dental workforce shortages across the state into law Wednesday. U.S. Health Resources Administration data released this month found shortages of dental care in 160 areas of Wisconsin, defined as geographic areas, facilities or populations experiencing a shortage of care providers. The package Evers signed includes five bills, including one that authorizes licenses for dental therapists who practice in areas experiencing shortages in care. Dental therapists are positions between a dentist and a hygienist — they can fill cavities but can't perform more complex operations like root canals. Evers signed the bills at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau.

Persons: Tony Evers, Evers Organizations: —, — Wisconsin Gov, Health Resources Administration, Marquette University, Northcentral Technical College Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Wausau

Biden is making his pitch in a critical swing state that's part of the “blue wall” trio of states — Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — where he defeated Republican President Donald Trump in 2020. More than 33,000 vehicles travel on the Blatnik Bridge every day, but heavy trucks are barred from it because of its decaying condition. The money comes from a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that Biden signed into law more than two years ago. The Democratic moves have been able to help offset Republican gains made in rural areas during the Trump era. ... Biden can come to Wisconsin a thousand times, and I don’t think it’s going to change his position.”___Bauer reported from Madison, Wis.

Persons: Joe Biden, John, Biden, Donald Trump, Natalie Quillian, Democrat Hillary Clinton, “, Tony Evers, Mark Pocan, ” Pocan, ” It's, Kamala Harris, Janet Yellen, He's, Evers, Janet Protasiewicz, Sen, Ron Johnson, governor's, Trump, Brandon Scholz, Scholz, ” ___ Bauer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Republican, House, Trump, Democrat, Biden, Marquette Law School, ” Democratic Gov, Associated Press, Democratic U.S . Rep, Wisconsin Supreme, Republicans, reelecting U.S, GOP, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Longtime, Longtime Wisconsin Republican, New, “ Republicans Locations: Superior , Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Lake Superior, — Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Duluth , Minnesota, Superior, Duluth, Milwaukee, Dane County, Madison, Chicago, Longtime Wisconsin, Iowa, New Hampshire, Wis

The ruling comes in a lawsuit by Democrats that originally sought $2.4 million in damages from all 10 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring Trump as the 2020 election winner in Wisconsin. But Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington said they can be questioned, although he put limitations on the Evers interview. The fake elector plan hatched in seven battleground states was central to the federal indictment filed against Trump earlier in August that alleged he tried to overturn results of the 2020 election. Trump's attorney Chesebro, who is a defendant in the Wisconsin lawsuit, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit filing false documents after being charged with participating in efforts to overturn Trump’s loss in Georgia. Trump has continued to spread falsehoods about the 2020 election.

Persons: Tony Evers, Donald Trump's, Trump, Jim Troupis, Kenneth Chesebro, Joe Biden’s, Troupis, Evers, Barnes, “, ”, Matthew Fernholz, that’s, ” Fernholz, Frank Remington, Remington, “ I’m, ” Remington, it’s, ” Evers, Biden, Josh Kaul, hasn't, Chesebro Organizations: —, — Wisconsin Gov, Democratic, Democrats, Republicans, Gov, The Wisconsin Department of Justice, U.S, Senate, Trump, Government, Biden Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Dane, Georgia

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans made a last-ditch effort Tuesday to avoid having the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court put in place new legislative district boundaries for the November election. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe Wisconsin Supreme Court last month tossed the current Republican-drawn district boundaries as unconstitutional and ordered new maps. This is their last-ditch, disingenuous attempt to hold on to power.”All maps under consideration by the Wisconsin Supreme Court are expected to shrink Republican majorities. LeMahieu said the changes Republicans were proposing to Evers' maps would not affect the partisan breakdown of each district. It was that bill that Senate Republicans proposed amending before passing it Tuesday.

Persons: Devin LeMahieu, Tony Evers, LeMahieu, Evers, ” Evers, Britt Cudaback, ” Cudaback, “, “ It’s, Republican gerrymander, Dianne Hesselbein, John D, Johnson, he’s Organizations: — Wisconsin Republicans, Senate, Republican, Associated Press, Democratic Gov, Assembly, Wisconsin Supreme, Republicans, Democratic, Marquette University Law School Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

Some Republicans have been trying to oust state elections administrator Meagan Wolfe, who was in her position during the 2020 election narrowly lost by Trump in Wisconsin. The Senate voted last month to fire Wolfe but later admitted the vote was symbolic and had no legal effect. The Republican president of the Senate has also called on Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to proceed with impeachment. The Assembly can only vote to impeach state officials for corrupt conduct in office or for committing a crime or misdemeanor. “We need to move forward and talk about the issues that matter to most Wisconsinites and that is not, for most Wisconsinites, obsessing about Meagan Wolfe,” Vos said.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Meagan Wolfe, Wolfe, Robin Vos, Vos, Trump, Janel Brandtjen, ” Vos, Joe Biden Organizations: Republican, Republicans, Trump, Five, GOP lawmaker's Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

Tony Evers on Tuesday sued the Republican-controlled Legislature, arguing that it is obstructing basic government functions, including signing off on pay raises for university employees that were previously approved. Republican legislative leaders, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, did not immediately return emails seeking comment. In addition to not approving the pay raises for about 35,000 University of Wisconsin employees, Evers argues that the Legislature is blocking state conservation programs, updates to the state's commercial building standards and ethics standards for licensed professionals. But pay raises also must then be approved by a committee of legislative leaders. Evers and the GOP-controlled Legislature have had a contentious relationship from the moment Evers was elected in November 2018.

Persons: Tony Evers, Evers, Devin LeMahieu, Robin Vos, ” Evers Organizations: — Wisconsin Democratic Gov, Tuesday, Republican, University of Wisconsin, UW, GOP, Natural Resources Board Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Alaska , Kentucky, Michigan , Missouri , New Jersey, West Virginia

“No, absolutely not,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said when asked at a news conference if impeachment of Justice Janet Protasiewicz was off the table. Impeachment has drawn bipartisan opposition and two former conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justices, asked by Vos to investigate the possibility, told him in the past week it was not warranted. Protasiewicz refused to recuse from the redistricting lawsuit last week and sided with the liberal majority in accepting the lawsuit. Protasiewicz last week rejected those arguments, noting that other justices have accepted campaign cash and not recused from cases. Oral arguments before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the redistricting challenge are set for Nov. 21.

Persons: —, Robin Vos, Janet Protasiewicz, ” Vos, Protasiewicz, Vos, haven’t Organizations: Republican, U.S, Supreme, Wisconsin Supreme, Wisconsin Democratic Party, Senate, Republicans, Associated Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s, Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans want to make it a crime to be naked in public for any reason and for a child to attend any event, like a naked bike ride, where people don’t have clothes on. “This is a pretty serious, especially in today’s society.”The World Naked Bike Ride has been happening in cities across the world for more than 20 years. Political Cartoons View All 1199 ImagesA photo from the Madison event posted on Facebook showed that a girl under age 18 participated. Under current law, being naked is only a crime if the public exposure is indecent. Jeff Weigand, a Dane County Board supervisor who complained to police about the naked bike ride, testified in favor of the proposals Thursday.

Persons: Tom Tiffany, Merrick Garland, it’s, Chris Kapenga, shouldn’t, ” Kapenga, Democratic Sen, LaTonya Johnson, Kapenga, Beyoncé, ”, Tony Evers, Evers, Britt Cudaback, Jeff Weigand, “, ” Weigand Organizations: —, — Wisconsin Republicans, U.S . Rep, Republican, Capitol, Madison, Facebook, Madison police, Democratic, Assembly, Republicans, Democratic Gov Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, Madison's

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans have enjoyed outsize control of the Legislature in one of the most closely divided states for a dozen years. Maintaining that power is now at the heart of a drama involving the state Supreme Court that has national political implications. “Impeachment is an act of pure power politics,” said Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. In 2020, the state Supreme Court, then controlled 4-3 by conservatives, came within one vote of overturning Democrat Joe Biden's nearly 21,000 vote victory over then-President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court has yet to decide whether it will take either case.

Persons: ”, Ben Wikler, “ It’s, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump, Greta Neubauer, Mark Pocan, Robin Vos, “, ” Vos, Wisconsin Legislature “, Nick Seabrook, Janet Protasiewicz, Protasiewicz, Vos, Tyler August, ” ___ Lieb Organizations: — Wisconsin Republicans, Republicans, Democratic, Wisconsin Democratic Party, Wisconsin Supreme, Donald Trump . Wisconsin Republicans, Republican, Michigan House, Democrat, U.S . Senate, Associated, Democratic U.S . Rep, U.S, Supreme, Wisconsin Legislature, University of North, Wisconsin Democrats, GOP, Legislative Republicans, Democratic Party, GOP . Wisconsin Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Neighboring Michigan, Unlike Wisconsin , Michigan, Wisconsin’s, West Virginia, ” Wisconsin, University of North Florida, Jefferson City , Missouri

The state Democratic Party has given liberal Justice Jill Karofsky's campaign more than $1.3 million. In Wisconsin, there is no requirement that justices step down from hearing cases involving campaign donors. Those threats were denounced by Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler as “political extortion." She also cited Democratic Party campaign donations and the campaign comments. The Democratic Party did not bring either of the pending redistricting cases, even though Democrats would benefit from new maps being drawn.

Persons: she's, Ann Walsh Bradley —, Brian Hagedorn, Rebecca Bradley, Jill Karofsky's, ”, Jay Heck, “, Heck, Brennan, Janet Protasiewicz, Dan Kelly, Joe Biden, Tony Evers, Protasiewicz, Robin Vos, Protasiewicz doesn't, Vos, Ben Wikler, Annette Ziegler, Ziegler, Michael Gableman, recusing, Bradley, ” Protasiewicz Organizations: —, — Wisconsin Republicans, Democratic Party, Wisconsin Democracy, Republican Party, Wisconsin Supreme, Brennan Center for Justice, Wisconsin Democratic Party, Republican, Republicans, Gov, Democratic, GOP, Wisconsin Judicial Commission, Wisconsin Democratic, Wisconsin Manufacturers, Commerce, Conservative, United, Constitution Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin, In Wisconsin

☆ Why Faulty Streetlights Are Turning Cities Purple — and Why It's Worrisome
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

LED streetlights are supposed to shine for the better part of a decade. Every city with purple lights that responded to my queries or has public records on the matter bought its LED lights from Acuity. The blue LED, with its narrow wavelength, enabled all sorts of modern tech, from the compact disc to flat-screen monitors. Acuity and the purple cities haven't been entirely transparent on that matter. "The purple streetlights are a result of the phosphor coating delaminating from the LEDs," says Fiona Hughes, a representative for the city of Vancouver.

In an NBC News poll of registered voters last month, economic concerns beat out every other issue. Recent data from three swing states — Wisconsin, Arizona and Pennsylvania — sheds light on the varying economic pressures that might influence choices at the ballot box. Tony Evers faces Republican challenger Tim Michels, the job market is hot. Gas prices in the state have recently come down to an average of $3.60 a gallon, compared to $3.76 nationally, after this summer’s nationwide surge. Wisconsin’s metro areas aren’t big enough to be broken out in federal data, but food prices in the Midwest have risen by 12.7% over the last year, compared to 11.2% nationally.

Tim Michels, the Republican nominee in Wisconsin’s race for governor, can’t keep his messaging straight on abortion rights — a top issue in the state and nationally. But in recent days, he has done just that — offering support for policies less hard-line than the 1849 law, while continuing to insist his position hadn't changed. The remark stands in stark contrast to comments Michels made during the primary, too, when he called the law an “exact mirror" of his own personal position on abortion rights. While Michels’ latest comment appears to further soften his position on abortion, the governor doesn’t actually have the power to arrest or charge anyone under the 1849 or any other law. In September, just days after pledging to not soften his position, Michels said he would support an abortion ban that includes exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

While Friday night’s debate was entirely civil, the two candidates displayed the clear differences between them on major issues. Michels claimed “illegal voting did happen in the last election” despite no evidence widespread fraud occurred. Throughout the Republican primary race, Michels repeatedly said there was fraud in the 2020 election, echoing Trump’s disproven claims. Evers and Michels are locked in a tight race. The latest Marquette Law School poll, released Wednesday, showed Evers slightly leading Michels among likely voters, 47% to 46% — within the margin of error.

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