Battleground Wisconsin

Dave Zirin, the sports editor of The Nation Magazine and an award winning journalist, joins the show to discuss the current effort by the owner of the Brewers to get half a billion dollars in public money for stadium repairs with nothing in return other than the privilege to have the team stay in Wisconsin. Zirin explains how what is happening here is part of an orchestrated effort by Major League Baseball and other major professional sports leagues to extract significant public dollars with few or no concessions. Dave notes that the leagues and teams have stopped even trying to seriously argue that the huge investments are good for states and municipalities. Instead, teams try to cut sweetheart deals with politicians and move quickly with little public debate. Zirin lays out how community organizing is the secret to cutting a much better deal with teams that protect the public’s interest.

We welcome economist Dr. Michael Rosen to discuss ReThinking Brewers ownership and demanding public equity in the team in exchange for public tax revenue. Another climate change-induced category 4 hurricane hits Florida and yet another week of tragic shootings on college campuses. We talk about the response from the University of North Carolina student newspaper. In Wisconsin, Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Dallet writes an excellent letter to Justice Ziegler exposing her scheme to create a media firestorm and overturn another democratic election.

We welcome Milwaukee Teachers Education Association President Amy Mizialko back to the show to talk about the devastating news about a huge expansion of a private religious voucher school the former Cardinal Stritch University campus. The school’s owner said the expansion is the direct result of the historic increase in voucher school funding from the terrible shared revenue deal negotiated by Governor Evers. Is this the beginning of a massive expansion of unaccountable and discriminatory voucher schools? We debrief the circus-like Republican Presidential debate which hit Milwaukee Wednesday. What does the “debate” say about the current state of the party and who stood out? Next, we assess the news that Republicans filed motions in an attempt to force recently elected Supreme Court justice Justice Protasiewicz to recuse from the gerrymandering case. Does this latest power grab have a chance to succeed? Following last week’s appearance by Wausau Pilot and Review publisher & editor Shereen Siewert on the Ba

We start with a major threat to the 1st Amendment in the Northwoods that has made national news. Shereen Siewert, the editor and publisher of the Wausau Pilot and Review, joins us to discuss how her newspaper is being bullied through a bogus lawsuit by state senator Cory Tomczyk. The paper broke a story on a public incident where the Senator shouted an anti-gay slur at a young person who was testifying in favor of equity and inclusion at a public hearing. The lawsuit, which is costing the small newspaper hundreds of thousands of dollars, is clearly an effort to suppress free and independent media. President Biden visited Milwaukee on Tuesday on the one year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. We discuss what the historic legislation means for Wisconsin and the country, and what remains to be done. We update the hostage taking by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the billionaire Brewers owner. It was revealed this week that owner Mark Attanasio spent more than half a million the last 6 months, more than

In this week’s episode we welcome new In These Times magazine executive director Alex Han to discuss the vital role of independent progressive media, and the cutting edge journalism the historic magazine provides. We encourage our listeners to read and support In These Times. Priscilla Bort joins us from the Wisconsin Public Education Network Summer Conference to announce the 2nd Movement Politics Academy, which trains tomorrow’s movement leaders to run for office. We dive into the hypocrisy of Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Ziegler’s media tour the past week, where she whined about changes to the court that will bring more transparency and accountability. Apparently the end of the lawless reign of right-wing politicians in robes acting as a super-legislature is too much for the disgraced Chief Justice to endure. Resident economist, Dr. Micheal Rosen, returns to the show to talk about the state of the American economy, public perception of the economy, and who benefits when the Federal Reser

We discuss the Wisconsin flavor to the historic Trump indictment this week where the role of fake electors is central. We talk about the decades-long work that military sexual trauma survivors have done and what it all means in terms of President Biden's new Executive Order updating the Military Justice Code. We welcome State Representative Kristina Shelton to discuss the introduction of her BadgerCare Public Option bill expanding access to affordable healthcare for Wisconsinites and her attendance at the ALEC convention last week. We are also joined by Teamsters Local 662 Business Agent, Dan Boley to discuss the strike at Leinenkugels, how it is part of a broader national anti-union effort by Molson Coors, and how the Teamsters Local 662 will be calling for a boycott of Molson Coors products. Janet Protasiewicz is sworn in this week! We discuss whether it will be a new era of a progressive Wisconsin Supreme Court, as Law Forward immediately files a critically important gerrymandering case. Minnesota marij

The hot union summer continued this week with the historic and game changing Teamsters victory over UPS (and their Wall Street backers). The breakthrough is part of an upsurge in labor activism across the nation. What does it mean and where will it lead? We dig in with a great Wisconsin example, an in-depth interview with Will Roberts from the TruStage workers union to discuss their intense battle for a fair contract. They have a major rally and march this Saturday, July 29th starting at 9 AM in Madison. During this hot week, we ask what’s up with the climate justice agenda in Wisconsin? Following a state budget that saw the removal of Governor Evers’ top climate items by Legislative Republicans and a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story this week detailing how a year after its creation, the state’s Office of Environmental Justice remains largely dormant. What’s next in the fight to head off a climate cataclysm and create family supporting jobs? The Federal Reserve Bank increases rates again this week and shortl

We welcome Wisconsin Public Education Network’s Heather DuBois Bourenan to discuss public education in Wisconsin following a state budget that saw the largest expansion of private voucher schools as part of a “deal” that blindsided supporters of public education. Former President Trump revealed this eek he is a target of the special counsel’s Jan. 6 investigation, as multiple Wisconsin election officials are interviewed by federal investigators. Meanwhile, MAGA Republican lawmakers introduce another sham bill to add watermarks to absentee ballots that drives right-wing conspiracies about stolen elections. We speculate whether the Michigan AG’s prosecution of fake electors in their state will get Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul off the fence and reconsider prosecuting the Wisconsin fake electors who tried to steal our votes in 2020. We also review the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s new report trumpeting over $1 Billion in tax cuts in the state budget, however we highlight its failure to point out the only larg

This week we discuss the ongoing fallout of the disastrous State Budget and the GOP immediate shift to a renewed culture war offensive. We are joined by State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde for the entire show and in the final segment by Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad. We start with the painful vote Milwaukee Common Council was forced to take this week to raise a regressive sales tax (without control over how it is spent) and the fallout from the GOP refusal to adequately fund special education. Next we discuss a series of new culture war attacks launched this week in Wisconsin, all warning signs of the rising tide of right-wing authoritarianism. First, the Waukesha School Board fired 1st Grade teacher Melissa Temple Wednesday evening for trying to include Dolly Parton's popular song on inclusion Rainbowland and then speaking out against the principal's censorship. Next we look at a new bill introduced in the Legislature to ban Trans Women from participating in women's high school and coll

In this week’s episode we assess the budget debacle and offer an inspiring model for a brighter political future. In the first half of the show, we assess the damages from the GOP State Budget, signed into law Wednesday by Governor Evers with a series of partial vetoes. Did Evers use the magic of his veto pen to fix a deeply irresponsible and damaging budget? Or did the Governor lose the budget battle by not mobilizing public opinion against the gerrymandered Legislature’s most unpopular and damaging decisions, and acceding to closed door concessionary bargaining? In the second half of the show we turn to an emerging model in neighboring Illinois on how to build a bolder and more progressive cadre of Democratic elected officials. Robert interviews one of the prime orchestrators of the leftward turn in Illinois politics, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago). They sat down for an in-depth discussion of what Wisconsin can learn from Illinois during the People’s Action National Convention in Washington, DC.

The Canadian Wildfires have wafted back into Wisconsin this week making climate change up close and personal. It also reinforces our recent success in helping the Milwaukee Common Council to pass the groundbreaking Milwaukee Climate and Economic plan to fight climate change! The new MU Law Poll dropped yesterday and it predictably sets up the battleground status of Wisconsin for the 2024 election. It also demonstrates the increased political leverage Governor Tony Evers has with a strong approval rating and how it demands he implement it in the current state budget fight with the authoritarian and gerrymandered Legislature. The budget is at a critical juncture this week as it passed the State Senate on Wednesday and included an obscene tax cut for the wealthy. Robert previews his op-ed in the Wisconsin Examiner on Governor Evers’ need to deploy his vast veto powers to force the Legislature to negotiate over BadgerCare Expansion. We welcome Dan Shafer from The Recombobulation Area (recombobulationarea.substac

We are joined by State Representative Kristina Shelton to discuss the state budget battle in Madison and why she voted in “radical solidarity” against the structurally racist Shared Revenue-Education deal. In more positive news, we look beyond the state budget and discuss Rep. Shelton’s vitally important BadgerCare Public Option bill that will be reintroduced in the Legislature later this year and should be the centerpiece of the Democratic Party’s 2024 election agenda. In a major breakthrough for climate change and racial economic equity, the Milwaukee Climate and Economic Equity Plan passed the City Council this week and will be signed by the mayor on Friday. We discuss the potential to spread the transformational planning to other Wisconsin cities. We close with a discussion of the growing rift within the Wisconsin Supreme Court's conservative wing and the opportunity it presents the new Court for a more democratic and transparent Supreme Court.

We discuss the Shared Revenue “compromise” between Governor Evers and the leaders of the Gerrymandered Legislature and dissect how it is more of a capitulation than an agreement between co-equal branches of government. We are joined by Sen. Chris Larson who voted against the bill and Amy Mizialko the president of Milwaukee Teachers Education Association to talk about why the deal is terrible for public education. We call on Gov. Evers’ to listen to the people and reconsider this historic growth of scarce public funding for unaccountable private voucher schools which can discriminate and cherry pick their students. President Mizialko urges our listeners on behalf of educators and parents across the state to call Gov. Evers at 608-266-1212 to ask him to reconsider. We close with a review of the historic Milwaukee Climate and Economic Equity plan public hearing at Milwaukee Common Council Wednesday as the city charts a course to cut greenhouse emissions almost in half by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050

We comment on the wildfires choking skies across Canada and America and their direct connection to climate change. The dangerous air should teach us all about what it really feels like every day for billions on the planet. We update the state budget drama and encourage you to join Citizen Action organizers and members making calls in support of expanding BadgerCare in the state budget (every Monday, 3-5pm). Also this week, State Senate Republicans voted to put hurdles in front of unemployment benefits while the MAGA wing forced GOP state legislators to block the meningitis vaccine requirement for students. Wednesday June 14th is a BIG day in Milwaukee for advancing climate justice and an equitable economy. Robert tells us about a City Council Finance Committee public hearing for the Milwaukee City/County Climate Equity Task Force Recommendations, a bold proposal to meet the climate crisis in a way that dramatically improves racial economic equity. Finally, Citizen Action North Side Rising organizer Keviea Gui

We discuss the federal “debt deal” that passed the House on Wednesday, setting up its passage by the Senate just ahead of the June 5th default deadline. Did President Biden effectively diffuse a figurative terrorist bomb, or did he get taking to the cleaners? Did Speaker McCarthy and the MAGA Republicans get their way, or lose their nerve, and release their figurative hostage (the American economy)? We dig into some of the most notable details, including SNAP work requirements and the resumption of student loan payments, and discuss the Republican Party’s full embrace of “minority rule” in America and its parallel in Wisconsin politics. Robert tells us about an exciting new broad coalition calling for Gov. Evers to use his strong veto power to block GOP attacks on BadgerCare and Unemployment Insurance. Will this extend to using his Budget Veto as leverage to achieve finally achieve BadgerCare Expansion? We celebrate the start of Pride Month in June and reflect on why the month and celebrations like Milwau

We dive into the precarious “Debt Crisis” drama in Washington. How did the GOP and the media turn it into a debate on “spending,”when Republican Presidents are the ones that ran up the national debt with tax breaks for the ultra wealthy benefactors? Why doesn’t President Biden inject the billionaires tax into the debate? Is the President being outmaneuvered or does he hold the top cards? We analyze the role of outsourcing in the closure of Master Lock in Milwaukee and loss of 330 good union jobs from Milwaukee's African American community. We then discuss the strike by CUNA Mutual (TruStage) workers over the outsourcing of 1200 union jobs in Madison over the years. The panel autopsies the latest in the state shared revenue debate. Is avoiding a referendum the bottom line for Milwaukee City and County Officials? Do Democrats, local leaders, and GOP Senators really have to accept Vos’ demands or the shared revenue bill will be killed? We reflect on the three year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder at the han

We discuss the shared revenue plan rammed through the State Assembly late on Wednesday by Speaker Vos. The plan harms Milwaukee by providing less shared revenue than other cities and towns, and contains poison pills opposed by Milwaukee voters and leaders. Now that Vos has called the Governor's bluff, we call on Gov. Evers to wield his veto power if the Senate does not dramatically improve the bill. We are joined by freshman State Representative Darrin Madison, a rising star in progressive politics, to give us a report from the trenches and discuss Speaker Vos’ “hostage taking” of Milwaukee. We also return to the looming unwinding of Medicaid in Wisconsin. 309,000 Wisconsinites will likely lose healthcare coverage and 49,000 will end up uninsured and the gerrymandered Legislature says nothing about it and continues to block BadgerCare Expansion. Finally, we ask why the hell is a Waukesha 1st grade teacher who spoke out when the school district banned 'Rainbowland' being terminated by their superintendent, Jam

We discuss our state budget veto campaign that went on a statewide media tour this week in La Crosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, and Green Bay to support Gov. Evers using his strongest in the nation veto pen to drag the Speaker Vos and GOP leadership to the negotiating table. Our panel reviews the latest on the “debt ceiling” debate in Washington, D.C. where House MAGA Republicans attempt to hold the country hostage, threatening default which would result in catastrophic cuts to critical programs and services. This Thursday, Title 42 is lifted. We discuss the challenges and what’s next for refugees coming to America. We are disgusted by the verdict in the Wauwatosa “protestor list” trial, where a federal jury cleared the WPD of all charges. We salute activists who immediately protested the flawed decision and call for legislation addressing the situation. FDA advisers voted unanimously this week in support of over-the-counter birth-control pills. We close by welcoming Kyle Johnson & Keisha Robinson from Black Leader

We discuss Speaker Vos and the gerrymandered Legislature’s removal of 545 items from Governor Tony Evers’ budget. Citizen Action is calling for Evers to use his powerful veto for leverage against Vos and the Republican leadership to force them to negotiate. We expose the outrageous Republican shared revenue ransom note from GOP leadership that attacks local democracy and forces a tough on crime budgeting stance in exchange for allowing Milwaukee to tax itself. During the recording of the show it was announced that Gov. Evers will veto the authoritarian plan. We welcome Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT) co-executive director Cendi Tena to discuss how the Republican’s shared revenue plan forces Milwaukee Public Schools to put police officers in MPS schools, in direct opposition to a local Board decision a few years ago to remove police officers from schools after a long and well organized community effort. We close with a series of racist incidents across the state that demand discussion: including; Dane

We welcome new regular panelist Priscilla Bort, Citizen Action’s Movement Politics Director. Priscilla shares more about herself with our listeners. The panel dives into the state budget battle brewing that will consume the Capital for the next few months. Robert reports back on the final Joint Finance Committee (JFC) public hearing held in Minocqua where Republicans again pretended to listen to the public. Now the real action begins as JFC takes votes on the budget. Priscilla tells us about Governor Evers’ plan in the budget to ensure all Wisconsin students eat for free while in our schools. We highlight Rep. Kristina Shelton’s relentless support for the proposal and her leadership in the Assembly and beyond. We call out the latest GOP bills targeting social safety net programs that passed the Assembly early this week. Robert highlights AB 148 which would impose costly and antiquated barriers on access to health care. The panel discusses the dangerous debt limit fiasco and Rep. Van Orden’s decision to back S