CHARLOTTESVILLE AND MR. LINCOLN

The events of the week in Charlottesville have shocked and saddened us all.  We mourn the law enforcement officers and the young woman killed.  Our hearts break for so many of our brothers and sisters who feel hurt and attacked by the hate we've seen manifested this week.  Hate, neo-nazis, white supremacists, all of this is evil -- these ideas and their advocates deny the fundamental American creed that we were all created equal and endowed by our Creator with our inherent rights. 

I've seen this news through the lens of Lincoln, whose library and museum in Springfield my family visited this past weekend.  We were moved and inspired by his courage, moral clarity, and wisdom in the most difficult of days, and remembered the price our nation paid as penance for our original sin of slavery, as Lincoln said in his magnificent Second Inaugural.  The ugliness of the last week reminds us we pay this price still.... Lincoln prophetically mentions this in his speech. But in Lincoln's words, "the judgments of the Lord are altogether true and righteous"--and we trust God's justice now to help us right the wrongs seen in Charlottesville and to His mercy to bring our nation together so the ties that bind are stronger still.

We Love Walleye 

I made my way back to Marinette this week to celebrate the opening of the Cabela's National Walleye Tour tournament.  We in the Kleefisch house love Cabela's and we love all outdoor activities, a Wisconsin tradition that I was proud to share with all the anglers and attendees.  In fact, the same day, my husband Joel was in Waukesha County sponsoring a bipartisan fishing day with the legislature's sportsmen’s caucus and inner city youth! 

Jobs All Over

You all have all read before about our huge win for Wisconsin with Foxconn--13,000 jobs at the facility and 22,000 more indirect and induced jobs.  But that's just one of several examples this week of our state's ongoing success.  Dynamic Recycling outside La Crosse is adding 150 new jobs, and Generac in Waukesha is hiring for 400 more people.  I've been to both of these companies before, met current executives and employees, and I couldn't be more excited for my friends as they make these major new investments in our state.  This good economic news contributes to our other big win this week--an upgrade to our state's credit rating for the first time in decades. Three cheers for being Aa1! 

Forward,

Rebecca Kleefisch
Lt. Governor