Battleground Wisconsin

Special Report - Eau Claire city council member Kate Beaton discusses a California company’s effort to grab access to Eau Claire City water. Has the looting of Wisconsin’s water resources begun, or can an engaged public push back?

We welcome State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde as a guest panelist for a serious discussion of the proliferation of guns and lack of political courage to do anything real about it. With our government ground to a standstill on everything that matters to voters, can democracy survive? We break some news, as Rep. Moore Omokunde gives us a preview of a a game changing Climate and Jobs package to be released next month. Can it get Wisconsin on a course to meet the climate crisis and finally begin to address the twin evils of income inequality and racial inequality? Next, we talk about the surprising resignation of Republican Dean Knudson’s from the Wisconsin Election Commission for lack of GOP support for free and fair elections. Will it lead to MAGA control of Wisconsin election apparatus? We close with Eau Claire city council member Kate Beaton to discuss a California company’s effort to grab access to Eau Claire City water. Has the looting of Wisconsin’s water resources begun, or can an engaged public push back?

What is the potential impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law after 6 months? Can it, as Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich proposed on a media call hosted by Citizen Action this week, fund an expansion of Amtrak to the City of Champions? What do this week's Pennsylvania primaries portend for WI? Are the insurrectionists and the progressive populists on the rise? We talk about the latest COVID spike and new data showing Pro Trump counties continue to suffer double the COVID death rates of pro-Biden counties, while President Biden continues to be quiet on the continued failure to obtain the COVID vaccine patent waiver needed to vaccinate the global south. New NPR polling finds 2/3rds of Americans oppose overturning Roe v. Wade, but does it mean anything politically? Why are Milwaukee leaders shifting blame for the shootings after the Bucks game last week by demonizing youth for the decision of adults to allow an unprecedented proliferation of guns. Also this week, who is behind the baby formula shortage? (Hint, it's not Joe Biden).

We take stock on this week's horrific milestone of 1 million U.S. COVID deaths, so far. What does it say about the country and what does it portend for the future? Primary elections have started across the country and we look at the role of Donald Trump in the elections. What does it mean for the prospects for American democracy? Robert discusses lessons for Wisconsin learned from Lt. Governor John Fetterman’s U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania. Does Fetterman offer a blueprint for WI Senate candidates, or not? We discuss the strange role of health care in the 2022 elections. In addition to the now life and death abortion issue, Ron Johnson keeps flip flopping on ACA repeal, and passing a death sentence for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. What is going on, and does health care offer a pathway for Democratic victory in November? We close with a teaser on exciting new climate and structural racism legislation that will be introduced in early June in Wisconsin.

We discuss the latest shock to American democracy, the SCOTUS leak of a draft majority opinion overturning Roe V Wade, with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin’s Courtney Hayward. We explore the politics andthe implications for Wisconsin. Are there ways we can fight back effectively? Yet another judge orders Assembly Republicans to prevent the destruction of records in ex Supreme Court Justice Gableman's sham election review. Next we talk about the policy implication of a new Wisconsin poll showing that public opinion of policing remains largely unchanged over the last decade, despite the largest protest movement in American history. Where do we go from here? Finally, Citizen Action organizer Barbara Cerda joins us to invite listeners to a Southeast Wisconsin Organizing Coop 2022 Election party celebrating Spring election victories and planning for the Fall elections on Wednesday, May 11th, 5:30pm in Milwaukee.

We have a fantastic conversation with Justice is Global’s Tobita Chow to discuss an American Prospect article denying that anti-China ads tap into anti-Asian sentiments in the American public. Are there Democratic arguments that can inadvertently spread hate and aid the Republicans?

We have a fantastic conversation with Justice is Global’s Tobita Chow to discuss an American Prospect article denying that anti-China ads tap into anti-Asian sentiments in the American public. Are there Democratic party arguments that can inadvertently spread hate and aid the Republicans? We discuss the new Marquette Law poll. Is there any shakeup in Wisconsin politics in this critical election year? Meanwhile, the Trumpification of the Wisconsin Republican Party continues. In These Times Magazine's Hannah Faris joins us to discuss the historic union organizing at Starbucks in Wisconsin and throughout the country. Is the labor movement making a comeback?

We assess the damage of the State Supreme Court redistricting bombshell, imposing a radical gerrymander for WI Assembly and Senate districts for at least 2022, and perhaps until 2032. What are the implications for democracy, racial equity, and the progressive movement? Robert educates us on Governor Evers’ newly unveiled clean energy plan, the first serious move on climate in Wisconsin history. A Tax Day report on Wisconsin’s billionaires finds that their wealth grew by 50% or $19.7 billion in the two short years since the COVID pandemic began. Is the politics finally aligned for making Billionaires pay their fair share in taxes, through President Biden's proposed Billionaires tax or other means? We welcome award winning Wisconsin Examiner journalist Isiah Holmes to talk about a new report quantifying that shocking percentages of Wisconsin’s Black and Hispanic renters are behind in their rent payment and at risk of eviction. Why is this happening, and what can be done?

We say goodbye to panelist Claire Zautke who is leaving Citizen Action to join Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s new administration in a senior policy position. The panel discusses the GOP effort to stop Governor Evers Administration from using the state’s energy efficiency program to lower carbon emissions, showing yet again how dangerous conservative ideology is for the future of humanity. The public wants to respond to the climate crisis, but will Democrats finally be effective at holding them accountable at the ballot box? We take a deep dive into Wisconsin’s new Congressional maps and compare their competitiveness over the last two decades and the role the urban/rural divide plays in the expansion of “safe seats.” Citizen Action Driftless Cooperative organizer Ben Wilson joins us to promote a La Crosse Earth Day event next Friday. We close by welcoming Justice Global’s Tobita Chow to discuss his In These Times Magazine editorial on the war in Ukraine. We also dig into U.S. Senate Candidate Alex Lasry’s anti-China ad. Are Democratic politicos urging China-bashing as a political strategy in 2022?

We debrief the Spring Election, including the right wing’s effort to take over local schools boards on shameful culture war conspiracies and the watershed election of Milwaukee's first Black mayor. The panel takes stock in the historic U.S. Senate vote confirming the first Black woman, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the Supreme Court. Disgraced former judge Michael Gableman shamefully speaks at Trump's Florida resort and is praised by the insurrectionist ex-president. How can Republicans continue the pretense that Gableman is leading an impartial and objective investigation? Claire educates us on the important health care policy behind the big Barack Obama/Joe Biden media event at the White House this week. A Citizen Action member from our North Central Wisconsin Organizing Co-op directly impacted by unaffordable health insurance costs gets a trip to the White House to see the Obama-Biden event. We discuss critical Biden agenda items that still need to be addressed before November 2022. Finally, the panel discusses the implications of new reports tying COVID-19 deaths to poverty, plus the latest Ron Johnson follies.