The Governor should announce a short time limit for the return of the missing, and after that, if they’re not back, declare that the seats are abandoned, and that he will follow the established procedure for replacing dead or incapacitated congress critters.
I absolutely agree with this. It is way past time we play hardball against these kinds of thugs. If you don't want to be in your seat and providing Representation to your constituents, then you have abandoned your position.
'Course actions like this will escalate the rhetoric against the Governor, but his only response in that case should be, "Then get your representative back to work, any representative refusing to do his duly sworn duty to represent his constituents is in dereliction of duty." Especially if they are outside their own state!
Their actions do nothing but demonstrate the "special interests" they are beholden too.
Democrats are for the people? The Tea Party needs to start running television ads explaining how these democrats have failed to represent their constituents whether their union or not. If they are not in Madison...they represent no one. A pointed and good question to be used against these fools would be, "Who Do You Represent?"
I have a question...if the governor is able to declare these seats abandoned, then does that reduce the number of Senators required to have a quorum? I'm not from Wisconsin so you'll have to excuse my ignorance on the matter.