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casino games free sign up bonus Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio StateOpinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• As a lifelong moderate conservative, I often find myself stranded in the political no-man’s-land of today’s hyperpartisan climate. Our nation is divided, with every issue becoming a battleground for competing extremes. While most agree this toxicity is fracturing society, solutions remain elusive. I propose we start with a simple yet radical idea: compromise. To move forward, we must recognize that we have all the necessary voices in the room. We just need to engage with one another. Often, opposing camps share similar goals but diverge on how to achieve them. By focusing on these shared outcomes, and having empathy for one another, we can find common ground. Here I will fly through nine complex and controversial issues. I have no illusion that the task will be easy or that my specific suggestion ought to be the final destination. I do hope to plant seeds for engagement that might lead our policymakers and our people “back to the table.” Immigration: Addressing root causes Immigration reform must begin with empathy. Many fleeing their homelands face unimaginable hardship. While maintaining the rule of law, we could work to address the root causes of migration — poverty, violence and corruption — while crafting fair and enforceable policies. Education: Accountability over dogma The failures of our education system, particularly in underserved urban areas, are undeniable. Instead of throwing money at the problem or fighting over vouchers, why not just emphasize accountability? Transparent performance metrics for teachers and schools could reward excellence and address underperformance, benefiting students above all. There seems to be a tribalized battle over what is taught so why not just let parents make the decision for their children? Gun control: Balancing rights with responsibility The debate over guns often devolves into shouting matches, yet a potential compromise exists. We can protect recreational firearms while restricting military-grade weapons. Universal gun registration should be a nonnegotiable baseline — both a constitutional safeguard and a public safety measure. Gender and tolerance The debate over gender issues highlights our divided values. Here’s a proposal: Tolerate others’ identities and orientations without demanding universal celebration. This balance respects individual freedoms without mandating ideological conformity. Race: Listening over labeling Discussions of race often degenerate into personal accusations of “racist,” or focused oversimplifications that obscure the nuances of systemic issues. We must find a way to both recognize historical harms and envision a path forward to a shared future. Instead of adopting polarizing slogans, we could unite behind the principle that all lives matter equally and listen to diverse perspectives. Only then can we design solutions that work for everyone. The Middle East: Shared humanity The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a powder-keg, and partisanship often blinds us to shared values. While Israel must defend itself, we must also advocate against the collateral suffering of innocent civilians. Uniting against Hamas, a universally recognized evil, could pave the way for a more nuanced discussion of peace and security might be a good start. Abortion: Revisiting reasonable limits Abortion remains among the most divisive issues. Following Roe v. Wade’s repeal, states have implemented extreme laws on both sides. Why not settle on reasonable limits, such as a defined time frame for elective procedures with exceptions for rape and incest — an approach that once reflected national consensus? Health care: Basic coverage for all Our health care system is broken, with costs spiraling out of control. A universal basic care model, offering essential services while allowing supplemental private insurance, could mirror successful systems in other nations. This approach defines just how much health care expense every American is entitled to (as is done in most countries in the West), but allows everyone access to care without dismantling innovation. Restoring civility and responsibility Our society has drifted from virtues like modesty, humility and service. Instead, we’ve become a nation of victims, fixated on entitlements. Fiscal irresponsibility has deepened this crisis, with our national debt threatening future generations. As John F. Kennedy so powerfully urged, we must shift our focus from what the country can do for us to what we can do for the country. A final plea: Compromise over ideology In my decades of political engagement, I’ve seen statesmanship replaced by self-serving partisanship. Leaders now prioritize power over progress, enforcing rigid ideological purity. What lesson does this teach future generations? Tribalism is a destructive force. Let’s look for the values that can unite us. These values are not a sign of weakness, but the foundation of a functioning democracy – and are most likely to a robust shared future. It’s time to step back from the brink. Let’s stop screaming past one another and embrace the timeless principles of tolerance, cooperation and compromise. I’m not necessarily advocating for blanket centrism, but rather believe that only by bringing the best ideas from each side into constructive collaboration can we heal our fractured nation. I know that compromise is not easy and takes commitment, courage and requires seeking to understand before being understood. It also requires trusted relationships. A few years ago, I was in a prayer meeting with eight U.S. Senators in the Capitol. Half were Republicans and half Democrats. I floated the idea of passing a law that would mandate that each member would have to vote against their party lines at least 10% of the time. They loved it, as it would provide political cover for voting their conscience when in disagreement with the party line. It would also be a big incentive for the compromise needed in politics. That might be a great start. Ward Brehm lives in Minneapolis.

DETROIT — In the end, the amount and way the Red Wings were losing lately was simply too much to ignore. And with that, the Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde and replaced him with former San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan on Thursday. In a release just after noon, the Wings announced that Steve Yzerman, the Wings’ executive vice-president and general manager, named McLellan the team’s 29th head coach in franchise history and signed McLellan to a multi-year contract. The Wings also hired Trent Yawney as an assistant coach, replacing Bob Boughner, another former Sharks head coach who oversaw the defense and penalty-kill. McLellan will be behind the bench Friday, as the Wings return from the three-day NHL holiday break to host Toronto. Yzerman and McLellan will address the media on Friday. McLellan is San Jose’s all-time winningest coach, compiling a 311-155-63 mark over seven full seasons from 2008-15. He won three Pacific Division titles and had a 30-32 record in the postseason, reaching the conference finals in 2010 and 2011. McLellan’s Sharks teams finished with more than 100 points four times, winning the President’s Trophy in the 2008-09 season that also saw McLellan named a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year. The Wings have struggled to a 13-17-4 record, good for 30 points, just two points above Buffalo for last place in the Eastern Conference. They trail Ottawa by eight points (38-30) for the final of two Eastern Conference wild-card positions. After just missing the playoffs last spring on the final night of the season on a tiebreaker, the Wings struggled from the start this season. They lost three of their first four games and have struggled mightily to get to, or above, the .500 mark ever since. The Wings have lost their last three games, and the way they did likely pushed Yzerman to replace Lalonde. The Wings let a third-period lead slip away at Little Caesars on Dec. 20 to Montreal and lost, 4-3, then lost the next night in Montreal, 5-1, watching the Canadiens score the last five goals consecutively with not a ton of pushback. Monday, the Wings were shut, 4-0, at LCA, looking listless, at times. The Wings were serenaded with a loud chorus of boos after each period, culminating with a lot of pent-up frustration at the end of the game. Lalonde, 52, ended his Wings career with an 89-86-23 record. This was his first NHL head-coaching job, and he was in his third season guiding the Wings. After last season’s exciting finish and near-playoff miss, there was plenty of optimism heading into this Wings season. The team’s overall defense needed to improve, and scoring was expected to be an issue because of the personnel losses the Wings had, but the roster appeared to be competitive. But Lalonde wasn’t able to appreciably fix any of the problem areas. The Wings rank 25th in goals-against (3.26), only slightly better than last season’s final average (3.35). Scoring goals has been a larger-than-expected issue. With the departures of Jake Walman, Shayne Gostisbehere, David Perron, Robby Fabbri and Daniel Sprong, the Wings were hoping for internal improvement, but it hasn’t happened. They currently rank 29th, at 2.56 goals scored per game (the Wings were 13th last season, scoring 3.12 goals per game). Add to that, a dismal penalty kill that ranks 31st (68.8%), and it’s made for a frustrating season. In steps McLellan, 57, who was an assistant coach under Mike Babcock from 2005-08. Yzerman, incidentally, was the captain in his final playing season and first season for McLellan in Detroit under Babcock. McLellan has 16 seasons of NHL head-coaching experience, posting a 598-412-134 regular-season record and a 42-46 postseason mark with the Los Angeles Kings (2019-24), Edmonton Oilers (2015-19) and Sharks (2008-15). His 598 regular-season wins are ranked 24th in NHL history and sixth-most among active coaches behind Paul Maurice (891), Lindy Ruff (876), Peter Laviolette (823), John Tortorella (757) and Peter DeBoer (632). Teams coached by McLellan have reached the 50-win mark three times and the 100-point plateau six times. McLellan’s teams have also advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs nine times, including six consecutive postseason appearances with the Sharks. Known as an upbeat coach with strong communication skills, McLellan is regarded as an effective coach of young players dating back to a successful junior hockey coaching career. McLellan, along with Yzerman, will be under increasing pressure to end a Wings’ streak of not making the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons. Only Buffalo, at 13 seasons, has a longer current streak.

Donald Trump has told 37 people on death row who had their sentences commuted by Joe Biden to “go to hell” in a lacerating Christmas Day social media post. The president-elect – long a vocal advocate of capital punishment – lashed out at Biden’s decision on his Truth Social platform, after wishing a merry Christmas to political opponents he addressed as “Radical Left Lunatics”. He then turned to those shown clemency by Biden in a decision announced on Monday: “ ... to the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden . I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky ‘souls’ but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL!” Biden’s move reduced the death sentences of 37 out of 40 prisoners on federal death row to life imprisonment without parole and followed pressure from campaigners who warned that they were likely to be executed on Trump’s return to the White House. The exceptions applied to three men who had been convicted of offences regarded as terrorism or hate crimes, including Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was found guilty of carrying out the 2013 Boston marathon bombing attack. Biden – a one-time adherent of capital punishment – said in a statement that “guided by my conscience ... I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.” During his first presidency, Trump restarted federal executions after a 17-year gap, eventually presiding over more than the previous 10 presidents combined. Biden’s commutation order won the praise of campaigners, including Martin Luther King III, the son of the murdered civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The majority of those whose sentences were commuted are people of colour, and 38% are Black, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. One of Trump’s earliest forays into the political arena was a full-page advert calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty after the rape of a jogger in New York City’s Central Park in 1989 and the subsequent arrests of five Black and Latino teenagers, who were charged and eventually convicted of the crime. All five, who denied involvement, were ultimately exonerated and released from prison after another man belatedly made a confession that was confirmed by DNA evidence. The men, now in their 50s, sued Trump for defamation after he falsely said during a presidential debate with Kamala Harris in Philadelphia in September that they had admitted guilt and that the victim had been killed. In another segment of his Christmas Day post , Trump sarcastically offered season’s greetings to Chinese troops serving in the Panama Canal, which he has publicly mused be returned to the US, and to the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, whom he taunted with the title “governor” in the latest of several demeaning provocations since winning November’s presidential election. “Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything’,” he wrote. “Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World.” Christmas wishes were also extended to the residents of Greenland , “which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the US to be there, and we will”. This was a reference to his call, initially made during his first presidency, that Denmark – which has sovereignty over the territory – sell it to the US. Both Denmark and Greenland’s autonomous administration have said that it is not for sale. In a later unrelated post , Trump wrote that he had met the retired Canadian ice hockey star Wayne Gretzky and asked him to run for the prime minister’s office, “soon to be known as the Governor of Canada”. “He had no interest, but I think the people of Canada should start a DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY Movement,” Trump wrote. “It would be so much fun to watch!”Elway: Remorse over passing on Allen mitigated by play of Nix

Chelsea’s surprise defeat at home to Fulham earlier in the day had been an unexpected gift for Arne Slot’s side and they drove home their advantage by outclassing the struggling Foxes. Having overcome the early setback of conceding to Jordan Ayew, with even the travelling fans expressing their surprise they were winning away after taking just five points on the road this season, the home team had too much quality. That was personified by the excellent Cody Gakpo, whose eighth goal in his last 14 appearances produced the equaliser in first-half added time with the Netherlands international unlucky to have a second ruled out for offside by VAR. Further goals from Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah, with his 19th of the season, stretched Liverpool’s unbeaten run to 22 matches. For Leicester, who had slipped into the bottom three after Wolves’ win over Manchester United, it is now one win from the last 10 in the league and Ruud van Nistelrooy has plenty of work to do, although he was not helped here by the absence of leading scorer Jamie Vardy through injury. It looked liked Liverpool meant business from the off with Salah’s volley from Gakpo’s far-post cross just being kept out by Jakub Stolarczyk, making his league debut after former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward was omitted from the squad having struggled in the defeat to Wolves. But if the hosts thought that had set the tone they were badly mistaken after being opened up with such simplicity in only the sixth minute. Stephy Mavididi broke down the left and his low cross picked out Ayew, who turned Andy Robertson far too easily, with his shot deflecting off Virgil van Dijk to take it just out of Alisson Becker’s reach. With a surprise lead to cling to Leicester knew they had to quell the storm heading their way and they began by trying to take as much time out of the game as they could, much to Anfield’s frustration. It took a further 18 minutes for Liverpool to threaten with Gakpo cutting in from the left to fire over, a precursor for what was to follow just before half-time. That was the prompt for the attacks to rain down on the Foxes goal, with Salah’s shot looping up off Victor Kristiansen and landing on the roof of the net and Robertson heading against a post. Gakpo’s inclination to come in off the left was proving a problem for the visitors, doing their utmost to resist the pressure, but when Salah curled a shot onto the crossbar on the stroke of half-time it appeared they had survived. However, Gakpo once again drifted in off the flank to collect an Alexis Mac Allister pass before curling what is fast becoming his trademark effort over Stolarczyk and inside the far post. Early the second half Darwin Nunez fired over Ryan Gravenberch’s cross before Jones side-footed home Mac Allister’s cross after an intricate passing move inside the penalty area involving Nunez, Salah and the Argentina international. Leicester’s ambition remained limited but Patson Daka should have done better from a two-on-one counter attack with Mavididi but completely missed his kick with the goal looming. Nunez forced a save out of the goalkeeper before Gakpo blasted home what he thought was his second only for VAR to rule Nunez was offside in the build-up. But Liverpool’s third was eventually delivered by the left foot of Salah, who curled the ball outside Kristiansen, inside Jannick Vestergaard and past Stolarczyk inside the far post.Mexico: Trump tariffs will make pickups $3,000 more expensiveThe Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”

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( MENAFN - media OutReach Newswire) BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 3 December 2024 - Romulo I. Delos Reyes, Jr., President and General Manager of Stronghold Insurance Company, Inc., has been recognised as one of the "Outstanding Leaders in Asia" at the prestigious Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability (ACES) Awards 2024. This accolade highlights Mr. Delos Reyes's extraordinary leadership and his transformative contributions to the non-life insurance sector in the Philippines. Romulo Jr. Delos Reyes, President & General Manager of Stronghold Insurance Company, Inc. (centre), is honoured with the prestigious Outstanding Leaders in Asia award at the ACES Awards 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. This momentous recognition was presented by Dr. Shanggari Balakrishnan, President of the ACES Awards (left), and Hemant Batra, Honorary Chairman of the ACES Awards (right), celebrating unparalleled leadership and excellence. With over 45 years of industry experience, Mr. Delos Reyes's journey is a testament to dedication and perseverance. Starting with Stronghold Insurance in 1979 as a working student and collector, he rose through the ranks, taking on roles such as fire inspector, underwriting supervisor, and underwriting manager. His rise to the top exemplifies his adaptability and steadfast commitment to the company's growth. Under Mr. Delos Reyes's leadership, Stronghold Insurance is on a trajectory to become the Philippines' leading non-life insurance provider by 2030. "Every role I undertook taught me invaluable lessons that continue to shape my leadership," he reflects. His strategic vision has guided the company to become a key player in the industry, ranking among the top in Net Income Performance, Paid-Up Capital, Net Premium Written, Company Assets and Premiums Earned, as per the Insurance Commission's December 2023 report. Stronghold Insurance's robust growth is reflected in its milestones, such as securing the Reinsurance of the Property and Engineering Combined Risk and Catastrophe Excess of Loss Treaty for the Government Service Insurance System, valued at PHP 13 billion-the company's largest single premium transaction. Its expansive network now includes over 150 offices nationwide and major multi-story facilities in Visayas and Mindanao, further enhancing customer access to insurance services. Mr. Delos Reyes's leadership philosophy prioritises client satisfaction and employee well-being. "Clients' satisfaction is our ultimate strategy," he emphasises. This client-centric approach, combined with a supportive organisational culture, has resulted in an exceptional employee retention rate of 92%, underscoring the company's commitment to talent development and empowerment. Beyond business success, Stronghold Insurance demonstrates a strong commitment to societal impact. Its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts include medical missions for underserved communities, disaster relief initiatives, and the establishment of the DAVID C. MERCADO Foundation, which extends charitable support across various causes. The ACES Awards, organised by MORS Group, celebrate exemplary leadership and sustainability in Asia. Mr. Delos Reyes's recognition as an Outstanding Leader in Asia underscores his remarkable contributions to advancing the insurance industry while fostering a culture of innovation, responsibility, and community impact. This award reflects not only his personal achievements but also Stronghold Insurance's steadfast commitment to shaping a brighter future for its stakeholders and society. MENAFN02122024003551001712ID1108949086 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio StateAI is a game changer for students with disabilities. Schools are still learning to harness it

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin public worker and teachers unions scored a major legal victory Monday with a ruling that restores collective bargaining rights they lost under a 2011 state law that sparked weeks of protests and made the state the center of the national battle over union rights. That law, known as Act 10, effectively ended the ability of most public employees to bargain for wage increases and other issues, and forced them to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. Under the ruling by Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, all public sector workers who lost their collective bargaining power would have it restored to what was in place prior to 2011. They would be treated the same as the police, firefighter and other public safety unions that were exempted under the law. Republicans vowed to immediately appeal the ruling, which ultimately is likely to go before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. That only amplifies the importance of the April election that will determine whether the court remains controlled 4-3 by liberal justices. Former Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed the law that catapulted him onto the national political stage, decried the ruling in a post on the social media platform X as “brazen political activism.” He said it makes the state Supreme Court election “that much more important.” Supporters of the law have said it provided local governments more control over workers and the powers they needed to cut costs. Repealing the law, which allowed schools and local governments to raise money through higher employee contributions for benefits, would bankrupt those entities, backers of Act 10 have argued. Democratic opponents argue that the law has hurt schools and other government agencies by taking away the ability of employees to collectively bargain for their pay and working conditions. Union leaders were overjoyed with the ruling, which affects tens of thousands of public employees. “We realize there may still be a fight ahead of us in the courts, but make no mistake, we’re ready to keep fighting until we all have a seat at the table again,” said Ben Gruber, a conservation warden and president of AFSCME Local 1215. The law was proposed by Walker and enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature in spite of massive protests that went on for weeks and drew as many as 100,000 people to the Capitol. The law has withstood numerous legal challenges over the years, but this was the first brought since the Wisconsin Supreme Court flipped to liberal control in 2023. The seven unions and three union leaders that brought the lawsuit argued that the law should be struck down because it creates unconstitutional exemptions for firefighters and other public safety workers. Attorneys for the Legislature and state agencies countered that the exemptions are legal, have already been upheld by other courts, and that the case should be dismissed. But Frost sided with the unions in July, saying the law violates equal protection guarantees in the Wisconsin Constitution by dividing public employees into “general” and “public safety” employees. He ruled that general employee unions, like those representing teachers, can not be treated differently from public safety unions that were exempt from the law. His ruling Monday delineated the dozens of specific provisions in the law that must be struck. Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he looked forward to appealing the ruling. “This lawsuit came more than a decade after Act 10 became law and after many courts rejected the same meritless legal challenges,” Vos said in a statement. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's largest business lobbying organization, also decried the ruling. WMC President Kurt Bauer called Act 10 “a critical tool for policymakers and elected officials to balance budgets and find taxpayer savings." The Legislature said in court filings that arguments made in the current case were rejected in 2014 by the state Supreme Court. The only change since that ruling is the makeup of Wisconsin Supreme Court, attorneys for the Legislature argued. The Act 10 law effectively ended collective bargaining for most public unions by allowing them to bargain solely over base wage increases no greater than inflation. It also disallowed the automatic withdrawal of union dues, required annual recertification votes for unions, and forced public workers to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. The law was the signature legislative achievement of Walker, who was targeted for a recall election he won. Walker used his fights with unions to mount an unsuccessful presidential run in 2016. Frost, the judge who issued Monday's ruling, appeared to have signed the petition to recall Walker from office. None of the attorneys sought his removal from the case and he did not step down. Frost was appointed to the bench by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who signed the Walker recall petition. The law has also led to a dramatic decrease in union membership across the state. The nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum said in a 2022 analysis that since 2000, Wisconsin had the largest decline in the proportion of its workforce that is unionized. In 2015, the GOP-controlled Wisconsin Legislature approved a right-to-work law that limited the power of private-sector unions. Public sector unions that brought the lawsuit are the Abbotsford Education Association; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Locals 47 and 1215; the Beaver Dam Education Association; SEIU Wisconsin; the Teaching Assistants’ Association Local 3220 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 695.

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