Steven Helmer Publications

I'm not going to discuss who I will or will not vote for during the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 1. I will, however, discuss the election itself. To give a brief recap. Wisconsin Supreme Court judges serve a 10-year term with no more than one judge running for office in any election. While judges are supposed to be non-partisan, the court currently has a liberal majority but with Justice Ann Walsh Bradley retiring, the outcome of this election can either keep it liberal with Susan Crawford winning or tilt it to the right if Brad Schimel wins. This in turn could determine the outcome of a number of state-related things ranging from abortion rights to election districts. The main problem is it has stopped being just a race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court and has become a de facto measuring stick for President Donald Trump and his agenda, with nearly $100 million being spent, including a large portion from groups and individuals (like Elon Musk) from outside the state. Pe...

I’ve mentioned in the past how my wife and I will occasionally spend our date night performing karaoke. And, not to brag, I have occasionally ended a song (usually Poison’s “Every Rose Has its Thorn”) to thunderous applause from the drunk people at the bar. However, even on those good nights, I have never once been under the delusion I could sell out a stadium like Bon Jovi or Taylor Swift. In fact, I am convinced it would be very similar to Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency – an embarrassing failure. OK, I am going to take the high road a bit and say, while I’ve never been a personal fan of Musk, I do respect the success he has had in the private sector, making him the wealthiest person in the world by a large margin. In fact, I’ll take the even higher road and pay President Donald Trump a similar compliment as far as his business successes are concerned. Here’s the thing with that though. Much like how karaoke doesn’t guarantee a singing career, success in t...

I haven't quite crossed into the Libertarian category (though that is my party of choice when I don't like either of the main candidates) but do believe less is more when it comes to government. As a result of this, I am in full agreement an occasional audit is needed to make sure we aren't spending tax dollars unnecessarily. While this may lead many to think I'm a fan of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), they would be surprised to learn I am both not a fan and think Americans, regardless of who they voted for in November, should be concerned. The United States' system of government was founded on one very clear fundamental belief - the checks and balances of power. The President of the United States is arguably the most powerful leader in the world, but Congress is supposed to be there to keep him/her on a leash with the judicial system in place to be the tie breaker. And this is why DOGE is such a dangerous concept. The Department of Go...