UW-Madison Political Expert Explains Governor's Recent Executive Order

Thursday, November 12th, 2020 -- 12:45 PM

(WMTV) -A UW-Madison political expert said Gov. Tony Evers' statewide address was simply a reinforcement of existing recommendations.

Ryan Owens is a UW-Madison professor of political science. He’s also the director of the Tommy G. Thompson Center on public leadership.  “There’s an expression in politics that you don’t say something unless there’s something to say and surprisingly there was nothing to say here,” Owens said. “This is his first major public address on the issue so I think this in fact had a place in the spotlight.”  Owens said the pressure is coming from the top. Projected President-elect Joe Biden recently urged state lawmakers to do more to address the threat of covid. Owens said executive order #94 was Gov. Evers' response.  “It doesn’t do anything new. There’s no requirements. There is a reminder for people to please be careful,” Owens said.

In March the state’s “safer at home” order carried different language. The order used words like “must,” “ordered to” and “required.” It also listed penalties if people did not comply.  Owens said executive order #94 is different. The governor used language like “recommends” and “encourages.” He said it’s a reinforcement that was worded carefully.  “I think the governor’s executive order today is trying to skirt the issue to do everything he possibly can to persuade people to do what he wants without coming out and saying you have to,” Owens said. “If he did it that way, he would provoke another lawsuit.”

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