A bizarre scene has unfolded in Wisconsin over the past week. Just as Democratic legislators left the state for the convention, a top Republican decided she would try to amend the state’s Constitution. Democrats, realizing that Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer (who is facing a primary challenge from a far-right candidate) was serious, had to scramble home from Boston to fight her proposal, which would cap state spending to the rate of economic growth. A similar measure failed earlier this year.

Here’s a great column from John Nichols of the Cap Times in Madison, Wis. about the situation. There are some interesting observations, including the state’s lieutenant governor pointing out that the Republicans will eat their own if they show even a glimpse of moderate behavior.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton described herself as “furious” with Panzer. But she reserved some of her most stinging criticism for the Republicans who are attacking Panzer for adopting moderate stances in the past.

“Look what the Republicans are doing to the most prominent woman in the Legislature,” Lawton said. “They are attacking their women whenever they step out of line. They are saying that a woman can’t go off script or they will punish her.”

And this zinger:

State Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said, “I don’t think we would do this during the week of their convention. I think we’d have more decency - and dignity.”

Reflecting on the ideological fights within the Republican Party, and on the uncertainty about exactly how a special session would be organized and what exactly legislators would be asked to vote on, Shilling said, “I don’t think the right hand knows what the extreme right hand is doing.”