Battleground Wisconsin

Happy 420 Day (the annual day of action for Marijuana legalization). Unfortunately, in Wisconsin this freedom remains elusive and is costing the state $165 million in revenue. We recap Tax Day this Tuesday where Citizen Action released a new report from Americans for Tax Fairness which shows that when billionaires and corporations dodge taxes, American families pay the price in threats to critical social supports such as Medicare, Medicaid, and food assistance. Congress needs to pass President Biden’s wealth tax and reject the House GOP’s push for making permanent the Trump tax cut. We welcome Joe Evica, the chief steward of the union at CUNA Mutual in Madison (OPEIU Local 39), to discuss a strike vote their members took on Wednesday and the media event they will have on Monday, April 24th at 6pm at the South Central Federation of Labor in Madison. If you live in Dane County, the union urges you to attend the event to show community support. The Milwaukee Common Council unanimously voted this week to demand

We continue to debrief the historic Supreme Court election, including Ron Johnson urging the Republican Party to reduce its reliance on advertising and invest in a ground game and college students voting. We welcome Attorney Matt O’Neill, who represented the Janet Protasiewicz campaign, to discuss the campaign’s successful effort to remove from broadcast a false and trashy ad by the WMC. Matt provides his perspective on the ads and the challenges judicial elections face in the current campaign environment. We discuss Judge Kacsmaryk’s ruling on mifepristone and how Big Pharma enabled these judges. In Wisconsin, Legislative Republicans want to arm school staff and scheme up new barriers and requirements designed to kick people off needed benefits like health care and unemployment insurance.

We debrief the smashing victory for democracy in the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the most important election in the U.S. of 2023. The resulting shift in the Supreme Court presents progressives in Wisconsin with significant organizing opportunities, including recruiting, training, and electing a new generation of reform leaders. Robert updates us on Congressman Bryan Steil’s attempted intervention into the prosecution of Donald Trump by the New York City District Attorney. Has Steil joined the MAGA wing of the GOP? Robert tells us about a new study finding 40% of Milwaukeans work in low paying jobs that fail to meet their basic needs. And finally, what does the back and forth over Senator-elect Dan Knodl’s statement of openness during the campaign to impeach Janet Protasiewicz say about the norms of the new GOP super-majority in the State Senate. Is any state official safe from retribution at the hands of the anti-Democratic super-majority?

We preview the home stretch of the critical Supreme Court race heading into the final weekend. It’s time for progressive leaders and activists to volunteer and Get Out The Vote for Janet Protasiewicz! SIGN UP NOW >> https://bit.ly/CAWGOTV2023 We review the closing week of the campaign, including an ugly and false Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) smear against Judge Protasiewicz which is further traumatizing a rape victim. Is there any ethical limit that the Wisconsin corporate lobby will not transgress in its relentless pursuit of a Supreme Court that will always rule in their favor? We discuss the opportunity mayor candidate Brandon Johnson presents the City of Chicago for a new direction of leadership, including public safety. We close the show talking about Bernie Sanders and Democratic U.S. Senators confronting founder and billionaire former CEO Howard Schultz on union busting in a headline grabbing Senate Hearing. Will the heroic sacrifices of Starbucks workers turn the tide for labor, or is t

We discuss the economic “double talk” in D.C. that rationalizes bailing out the banks (and ultra-wealthy) and not the people. Just this week, the Fed tempered their projected interest rate hikes, which were resisted by banks and their allies because of the threat to banks who have placed risky bets on low interest rates. The Fed and the banks show no such concern for unemployment, the real victims of rate hikes. We review Sen. Tammy Baldwin epic cross examination of Moderna’s CEO for their outrageous COVID vaccine price hike. Will this give Senator Baldwin a great re-election issue? We also raise the alarm bills on 300,000 low income Wisconsinites who will be kicked off BadgerCare as COVID public health emergency ends April 1. Meanwhile, Congressman Bryan Steil focuses on Donald Trump’s legal defense in an outrageous letter to the NYC DA which shows that Trump still commands the GOP. At the other side of the Capital, The TikTok sideshow continues in D.C. Is there any limit to the bipartisan China-bating? Mean

We have a special interview with U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan to discuss his fight against the Big Health Insurance take over Medicare. These profit hungry corporate behemoths are running multi-million dollar campaign falsely promoting Medicare Advantage programs as Medicare, duping seniors into inferior coverage and bilking the federal government. In reality, these programs are rife with abuse, and threaten the long term existence of Medicare. We review the historic bailout of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the role of incomplete financial reform following the Great Recession, dangerous bank deregulation in the Trump years supported by Republicans and conservative Democrats. Should wealthy Tech Industry players who claim to be Libertarians get a bailout from the government? We review Tuesday’s bankruptcy of Diamond Sports/Bally Sports Network and its potential impact on the Milwaukee Brewers’ financial stability. We make the obvious connection to the sudden demand of the Brewer’s owner for a massive state tax giveawa

We welcome Sarah Godlewski to the show to discuss the “Rally for Our Rights” events across Wisconsin she is organizing with PPAWI, Citizen Action and other progressive allies to highlight the critical importance of abortion rights in the Supreme Court election. This week the WMC dropped $3.2 million into a disgusting crime ad targeting Janet Protasiewicz that was topped by another shameful attack ad attempting to terrify voters that Janet will “take away parental rights and impose trans ideology on our kids.” We review Legislative news that Speaker Vos will kill Governor Evers’ bad idea to subsidize stadium improvements for the Milwaukee Brewers and an outrageous effort by Republicans to weaken our vaccine requirements for children in Wisconsin. We also continue to sound the alarm bell on the brewing cold war with China. We discuss Fahreed Zakaria’s comments on CNN declaring that this Tuesday’s Congressional committee hearing of the new House select committee on China was like being transported back to the 19

We welcome Michelle Mackey, the Executive Director of Kids Forward, to discuss their transition to an anti-racist policy center. We ask her what parts of Governor Evers’ state budget can make the biggest impact for equity. We also review the supreme hypocrisy of Dan Kelly refusal to commit to recusing himself from cases involving his wealthy campaign donors. Finally, we have a full serving of Robin Vos' hypocrisy, including his assertion that there is no money available for the state’s most pressing budget priorities when at the same time he proposes giving away more state revenue in the form of massive new tax cuts for the wealthy.

We debrief the Spring Primary Election, which saw historic voter turnout and a decisive victory by Judge Janet Protasiewicz. We take a deep dive into this first phase of the critical Supreme Court race, including the big money expended on scorched earth TV ads on behalf of three of the four candidates. Despite its short term success, did the messages set Democrats up for failure by reinforcing right-wing values on public safety, and damaging the multiracial progressive coalition needed to address mass incarceration and structural racism in the criminal justice system? We also call attention to the important reelection race of Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, and call on progressives to get off the sidelines and volunteer in the general election.  Next, we discuss Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s call for the Biden Administration to rein in dangerous short-term health plans that are permitted by Trump era policies to violate the minimum standards for health coverage set by the Affordable Care Act. Robert tells us about a sle

It’s Get Out The Vote weekend for next Tuesday’s critical Spring Primary Election. Governor Evers delivered his budget speech on Wednesday evening, launching the legislative phase of the budget battle. We discuss the highlights and shortcomings of the governor’s plan. We welcome back our in-house economist, Dr. Micheal Rosen, to discuss the misguided decision to include $290 million for the owners of the Milwaukee Brewers in the governor’s budget. We close the show with Citizen Action Northeast Co-op Organizer Natalie Hoffman discussing our door canvass this Saturday at Noon in Green Bay for Mayor Eric Genrich and our endorsed Supreme Court candidates. Please join the hundreds of small donors who have contributed to Citizen Action’s Supreme Court Action Fund supporting our deep canvas field program talking directly to voters. https://bit.ly/3YYidjd Natalie also previews upcoming budget meetings Citizen Action's Northeast Co-op is hosting with State Representatives Lee Snodgrass and Kristina Shelton.

We debrief President Biden’s State of the Union speech. Does Biden progressive economic agenda represent a break with recent Democratic Presidents? We preview Governor Tony Evers’ plan to increase state shared revenue in his state budget he will release next week. We encourage him to follow Biden's lead, and include forcing the ultrarich to pay their fair share. We welcome Citizen Action Northcentral Co-op organizer Joel Lewis to discuss thedoor canvass in Wausau this Sunday from 10am - 2pm at the Labor Temple. We also discuss the City of Wausau Climate Action planning process. We close the show by welcoming back Tobita Chow from Justice is Global to talk about the balloon kerfuffle and how too many American politicians are fixin’ for a dangerous Cold War with China that will unleash more anti-Asian hate.

Robert is away from the show this week so we are joined by long time show producer, Brian Wooldridge, to get his perspective on producing over a decade of Battleground Wisconsin Podcasts. We discuss Citizen Action’s release of state survey data this week that found 59% of Wisconsinites experienced at least one health care affordability burden over the last year and 39% struggled to pay the resulting bills. This survey data makes clear the intense need to expand BadgerCare in the next State Budget. We welcome new Citizen Action Driftless Co-op organizer Kristie Tweed to introduce herself and invite listeners to the Driftless Co-op Meet and Greet on Feb. 15th at 5:30pm in La Crosse. We also speak with Pio from Delta Beer Lab in Madison to thank them for a major donation to our election work and to promote Delta Beer Lab’s monthly fundraising for groups, including the Wisconsin Conservation Voters in February.

We discuss Citizen Action’s duel endorsement of Judge Janet Protasiewicz and Judge Everett Mitchell as we head towards the critical February 21st Supreme Court Primary Election. After debriefing Governor Evers’ State of the State speech and the Republicans' cynical response, we welcome back our in-house economist Dr. Micheal Rosen to discuss Republicans' scheme to create a phony “debt crisis” and what President Biden and Democrats need to do to win the fight. We also talk with Dr. Rosen about Legislative Republican’s shameful and destructive pursuit of large state tax cuts for the wealthy and expose Speaker Vos’ bad idea to increase the sales tax 1% to pay for shared revenue to state municipalities.

We are joined by State Senator Jeff Smith to discuss the first week of the gerrymandered State Legislature. Seeking to influence the State Supreme Court race, the session opened by Republicans placing on the Spring ballot a cynical political referendum asking voter opinion on a BadgerCare work requirement and a constitutional amendment on cash bail. The top priority of this illegitimate Legislature appears to be more tax giveaways for the ultra rich. Sen. Smith tells us why he is leading the charge to oppose the Republican attack on Wisconsin's progressive income tax. We also talk about state budget strategy,rural broadband, and the deepening bi-partisan public concern over PFAS in our water. Eau Claire City Council member and Citizen Action Organizing Director Kate Felton joins us to discuss her effort to organize local leaders in Western Wisconsin to fight for desperately needed increases in state shared revenue to municipalities during the upcoming state budget fight.

We are joined by Tobita Chow, the director of Justice is Global to discuss the new House committee aimed at the Chinese government and has Republicans warning of a “New Cold War”. We discuss why a cold war is disastrous to progressive governing and unnecessarily stokes anti-Chinese hate in America. We debrief Citizen Action’s excellent State Supreme Court progressive candidate forum Wednesday night. We encourage you to watch and vote on what Citizen Action should do in the election. We talk about the newly unveiled Republican agenda in Congress and the State Legislature to provide tax cuts and tax avoidance for the wealthy while declaring no legislative pathway on very popular issues like legalized marijuana. We also review disgraced Wisconsin Election Commissioner Robert Spindell bragging about suppressing voters.

This week host Matt Brusky is on vacation, and we have as a special guest panelist State Senator Chris Larson. Chris and Robert Kraig dig into the latest revelations from the January 6th Committee documents which putt more of Senator Ron Johnson's fingerprints on the insurrection; the constitutional impasse in the House over the next Speaker, Trump's obsession with overturning the results in Wisconsin, and the Big Lie views of the two conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates. We then take a deep dive into weather governing in the public interest is possible with a hopelessly gerrymandered Legislature, including the prospects for BadgerCare Expansion, adequate revenue for schools and local government, and whether we can fend off a flat tax which raises taxes for most, slashes them from the ultra wealthy, and would create a permanent revenue hole that will defund our schools and other core public services. Can such a damaging tax policy be averted?

We welcome Connie Smith, president of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals and Jaime Lucas, executive director, to discuss Ascension’s profit-maximizing closure of St. Francis Hospital’s Labor and Delivery unit, creating a new healthcare desert for women and their families on Milwaukee’s south side. We discuss the economic forces driving Ascension’s decision, and the leverage public mobilization and protest, and elected officials willing to speak out, can create to back them down. We also evaluated the effectiveness of Democrats in the recent Congressional “Lame Duck” session; Was it irresponsible to not deal with the debt limit through reconciliation and other filibuster proof progressive priorities or did Democratic leaders do the best that was possible with a bad hand? We talk about a new article Robert wrote for Barn Raiser debriefing Wisconsin’s 2022 election. Robert urges us to spend less time on punditry and more on deeper conversations with voters. We look ahead to the huge opport

We start by reflecting on some rare good news from Washington, the historic signing this week by President Biden of the Baldwin-Collins marriage equality bill, the Respect for Marriage Act. We then turn to the storm clouds looming over the next two years, the Party of Trump’s dysfunction on a spending bill needed to keep the Federal Government open. Is this a harbinger of things once the GOP takes control of the House of Representatives? Next, we welcome Dr. Micheal Rosen to discuss the Federal Reserve Board’s decision to raise interest rates, likely imperiling economic gains made by workers the last few years. Is there a better way to reduce inflation? Michael also predicts the winner of Sunday’s World Cup Final, debriefs the tournament, and says goodbye to a “greatest generation” of players likely appearing in their last World Cup.

We discuss the political implications of Sen. Raphael Warnock’s win in Georgia. What are the new opportunities that a larger Senate majority present? We talk about President Biden’s push to move the first Democratic Presidential primary to South Carolina in 2024. Does it create a more equitable process? What does it say about whether Biden will run for a second term? SCOTUS takes up the Independent Legislature theory and it’s unclear where a majority of the court will land on this controversial case that would put another dagger into democracy. In Wisconsin, the special election for Senate District 8 now has 4 Republicans and 1 Democrat in the race. Is the seat vacated by Alberta Darling in play? We discuss the news this week that Milwaukee and Dane County are being subpoenaed in the DOJ’s false electors investigation against Trump. Robert has some reflections on President Biden’s support for organized labor and we congratulate Citizen Action president Mark Thomsen for winning the Wisconsin Trial Lawyer of th

We discuss growing tensions within the illegitimate Republican Legislature between the old Scott Walker and Trumpist factions. Speaker Vos finally testifies on Trump’s efforts to overturn the Wisconsin 2020 election, becoming the last witness to be interviewed by the historic January 6th Committee. Meanwhile the Wisconsin Election Commission deadlocks and blocks (for now) MAGA Republican Representative Janel Brandtjen’s scheme to acquire personal data of every Wisconsin voter. We talk about the entry of conservative celebrity judge Jennifer Dorow into the 2023 WI Supreme Court election – who surprisingly agrees with Mandela Barnes that Wisconsin’s cash bail system is broken and not keeping us safe. Senator Baldwin successfully passes historic marriage equality legislation, achieving a huge progressive bipartisan win. We close by discussing the proposed Albertsons-Kroger grocery mega merger and the Biden Administration’s intervention into a rail workers strike.