Battleground Wisconsin

We welcome Darrin Madison, Citizen Action's endorsed candidate for State Assembly District 10, to discuss his important primary election on August 9th and his vision for structural change in Wisconsin. Our panel reviews Ron Johnson’s odd week. He floated the idea of making Social Security and Medicare vulnerable to cuts or cancellation if not passed by Congress annually and flip-flopped twice on marriage equality. Is this good politics, or is Johnson now completely out of touch with Wisconsin voters? We update progress on President Biden's domestic agenda, major advances on climate, health care costs, and tax fairness. The bill, which is called the Inflation Reduction Act, faces one remaining conservative Democratic hurdle, now that Manchin is on board, Kyrsten Sinema demands protecting a particularly sleazy tax break for the rich in return for her support. Since our last show, Sarah Godlewski dropped out of the U.S. Senate primary election, clearing the path for Mandela Barnes’ primary election victory. We also discuss what the overwhelming defeat of anti-Abortion forces in Kansas portend for the midterms?

We welcome Citizen Action’s endorsed candidate for State Treasurer, Angelito Tenorio, to talk about his grassroots campaign to win the primary election on August 9th. We discuss the huge news this week that Tom Nelson and Alex Lasry ended their campaigns for Senate and endorsed Mandela Barnes, leaving two viable candidates and a new dynamic to the race. In other huge news, is there really a Manchin deal on climate, health care, and corporate taxes which brings President Biden's domestic agenda back from the dead? The new Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 may pass as early as next week. But is the national media right it is a done deal or is the other obstructionist Sen. Kirsten Sinema waiting in the wings. Robert educates us on the significance of the Climate and Equity Resolution for the Milwaukee Public Schools.

We interview State Representative Sara Rodriguez, Citizen Action’s endorsed candidate for Lt. Governor in the fast approaching August 9th primary election. Sara tells us about her background in healthcare as a nurse and administrator and why she is the best running mate for Tony Evers. We also welcome new Citizen Action Movement Politics Director, Priscilla Bort, who shares her vision for electing a new generation of diverse movement leaders in Wisconsin. Our panel discusses Donald Trump’s call to Speaker Robin Vos pressuring him to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin in light of the WI Supreme Court’s outrageous ban on ballot drop boxes. Is Trump still trying to win the 2020 election, or is this really about his rumored run in 2024? A new national MU Law poll finds voter support plummeting for the U.S. Supreme Court, but the Hobbs decision has not closed the enthusiasm gap between Republican and Democratic voters. How can Democrats excite our disengaged and demoralized base? In other election news, Bernie Sanders endorses Mandela Barnes while Tim Michels doubles down on hypocrisy with his new criticism of the Fox con deal which netted his firm hundreds of millions of public dollars that could have been used to provide opportunities for working class Wisconsinites.

We discuss the implications of a new Billionaires Report Citizen Action released this week with Americans for Tax Fairness. The report shows how the nation’s billionaires are pumping tens of millions of dollars into the 2022 midterm elections, mostly backing Republican candidates for Congress who will cut taxes for the ultra-rich and the corporations they own. The panel talks about the unelected Federal Reserve’s policies to tamp down inflation. Is this Wall Street-dominated body using class warfare to address the economic issues caused by the ultra rich and our dysfunctional Congress? In yet another bombshell from the January 6th Committee, evidence mounts that that Trump personally orchestrated the attack on the Capitol. Does this mean our timid Attorney General will bring charges? We also review a horrendous Wisconsin Supreme Court session, and announce Citizen Action’s endorsement of Sara Rodriguez for Lt. Governor and Angelito Tenorio for State Treasurer.

We discuss the corrosive election coverage by corporate media giant Gannett and its paper the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which punishes candidates for being honest and authentic about controversial issues, such as the role of structural racism in American history. Will the endless media thirst for click bait, and the shameless racial division fomented by GOP candidates and campaign operatives, harm the electoral prospects of the U.S. Senate Democratic Primary front runner Mandela Barnes?

Is there a chance Congress could finally pass a Budget Reconciliation bill this summer which contains elements of President Biden’s stalled domestic agenda? We talk about the apparent deal Senate Democrats made this week on prescription drug price negotiations that could mean a final bill is just around the corner. We discuss the anticipation for this Friday’s historic January 6th Investigation testimony from former White House Counsel Patrick Cipollone. Will it be Donald Trump’s John Dean moment? In Wisconsin, the Supreme Court deals a significant blow to open records and one of the Republicans running for Governor debate going after legal emergency contraception.

We discuss a post Roe America and its connection to the insurrection. Governor Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul go on the offensive and file lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's 1849 law banning abortions, calling it unenforceable. We review the historic and eye-popping details of Tuesday’s January 6th hearing testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, a key staffer to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board called for the defeat of Ron Johnson following his connection to the January 6th insurrection. The State Supreme Court says a Walker appointed DNR appointee can stay indefinitely and disgraced Michael Gableman sued for the 4th time for failing to keep public records. We discuss how election coverage isw dominated by horse race and faux scandal media. Finally, we urge you to get involved and volunteer with Citizen Action to make calls for Mandela Barnes for U.S. Senate every Wednesday, 5-8pm.

We debrief Citizen Action’s Brew Fest featuring Mandela Barnes and great beverages. Thanks to everyone who attended, if you couldn’t we would love your donation in support. We review the significant news that Sen. Ron Johnson tried to transmit Wisconsin’s fake electoral votes to Vice President Mike Pence on January 6th and his pathetic response when confronted by the Capitol media which is garnering national shame. We discuss the new MU Law Poll which finds Mandela Barnes is leading the U.S. Senate democratic primary and in the general election and Democrats are surprisingly strong given the terrible national headwinds Democrats face this fall.

We take a look at what authoritarian conservative rule looks like this week as we wait for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v Wade. In Madison, Legislative Republicans gavel the rights of Wisconsin women back to 1849, Kenosha County Board has Sheriff tackle, handcuff, and arrest for speaking at a public meeting, and a MKE exurban school district rejects a book on Japanese internment as not balanced enough

We have a special interview this week with Eau Claire City Council member Andrew Wethmann about a California water company’s failed scheme to get access to city water. It was a victory for community organizing and local democracy and a cautionary note about the threat of big water companies cutting secret days to steal our water resources.

Speaking of conspiracies against democracy, we reflect on the first two public hearings by the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol: What are the revelations so far and is there any political impact? Disgraced Michael Gableman faces discipline after ‘misogynistic’ comments in court last Friday. Robert tells us if a Congressional Budget Reconciliation deal is back on life support in Washington, offering a glimmer of hope that the critical climate, health care, and tax fairness elements of the Biden domestic agenda can be enacted this summer.

We open the show with a reminder to our listeners to attend our Brew Fest Fundraiser, presented by the UAW, next Wednesday, June 22nd at 6pm in Milwaukee.

We welcome Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, Citizen Action’s newly endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate, to discuss his historic campaign and why Citizen Action endorsed in the hotly contested primary to take on Mega MAGA Senator Ron Johnson. We debrief our 3rd Congressional District Candidate Forum, which featured the 4 Democratic candidates running to replace Ron Kind in one of the nation’s most important House elections this Fall. Watch the forum for yourself and tell us if you think there is a candidate Citizen Action should endorse. Robin Vos appointed a new Wisconsin Election Commissioner (WEC), what does it mean? Will an insurrectionist lead the WEC? Meanwhile, the disgraced Michael Gabelman is forced to testify in court on Friday about his habitual shredding of public records. The Wisconsin Supreme Court finally rules against the WMC’s disturbing effort to block employer COVID outbreak data, and the shameful propaganda statement/dissent of Justice Zeigler and 2 other right wing justices. Are these actual legal arguments or Fox News propaganda masquerading as jurisprudence? We close the show discussing the liberal backlash against criminal justice reform in the San Francisco District Attorney recall earlier this week. What does it mean for BLM and the George Floyd moment when real reform seemed possible?

We welcome guest panelist Isiah Holmes, an award-winning journalist from the Wisconsin Examiner, for an extended conversation focused on recent revelations on police accountability and mounting book censorship. We discuss the news that no charges will be filed against Police Officer Joseph Mensah in the fatal shooting of Jay Anderson. This came despite a botched investigation that led Judge Yamahiro to conclude that major mistakes were made in the investigation. We also dive into Isiah’s article that looked into a coordinated and shameful witch hunt by Republican state legislators to ban supposedly "objectionable" books in school libraries. We close with a well-organized Republican National Committee scheme to recruit and train armies of poll workers to disrupt elections from inside the process and cause chaos at Democratic-leaning precincts, setting up frivolous grounds for overturning the will of the voters. The strategy is live in Battleground Michigan, is Battleground Wisconsin next?