Battleground Wisconsin

We welcome back former Battleground WI panelist Jorna Taylor to dig into breaking political news. We discuss the huge opportunity for progressives to elect a state senator in the District 1 special election on June 12th now that the unpopular Rep. Andre Jacque has come through the GOP primary despite establishment opposition. We also discuss Peter Barca’s decision not to run in Congressional District 1, news that Republican Ed Brooks will resign in Assembly District 50, and get Jorna’s thoughts on the governor’s race. Finally we bat around Governor Walker’s order to state agencies for 0% growth in their 2019-2020 budgets; the latest Foxconn scandal, $100 political baby bribes, net neutrality, and more.

We discuss the courageous new Tammy Baldwin TV ad exposing her mother’s battle with drug addiction and its impact on her family. The ad and tone of Tammy’s campaign stands in sharp contrast to the sewer war between Nicholson and Vukmir that escalated this week with Vukmir saying Baldwin was a member of “Team Terrorism” and close with 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. We review a bad week for some Democratic governor candidates and the Illinois Attorney General sues the EPA over Foxconn’s air exemption. We welcome Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) David Cooper to discuss his new report demonstrating how Minnesota buries Wisconsin in economic performance on all measures.

This week's show starts with an analysis of Scott Walker's first reelection ad, doubtless the beginning of a record dirty money air blitz on Wisconsin voters. Next we look at the latest mean spirited attack on people living in poverty: a U.S. House bill supported by the Trump Administration which would cut over 70,000 Wisconsinites off food assistance, including 23,000 children. We discuss the latest on Foxconn, and preview the upcoming Governors's candidate forum on education issues, at the Mirimar Theater in Milwaukee on Saturday May 12 (12 Noon to 3 PM) and live on WRDD Radio 1510

We welcome Citizen Action North central WI organizer Joel Lewis to discuss a new multi-year rural organizing project we launched this week with our national network, People’s Action, in 10 states targeting 72 counties. The project aims to counter Trump’s fraudulent right-wing populism with a progressive populist movement built from the bottom up in rural and small towns. We also review Walker’s DNR rubber stamping both the diversion of Lake Michigan water for Foxconn and their approval to become a major smog producer in southeastern Wisconsin. We close the show talking about the millions being spent by a few wealthy conservatives to defeat Sen. Tammy Baldwin, including running racist ads.

We discuss the current very open state of the Democratic gubernatorial primary race and the news that Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and and progressive talk radio celebrity Mike Crute may enter the crowded field. Marina Dimitrijevic from the Wisconsin Working Families Party joins us to discuss the Wisconsin Choice campaign to focus the primary on bold progressive issues, and to give activists the opportunity to vote in a straw poll on the candidates. Finally we welcome members of the savestjoes.org coalition (Arkesia Jackson from BLOC and Nate Gilliam from WI Federation of Nurses & Health Professional and Katie Dunn from Citizen Action Healthcare for All Organizing Co-op) to discuss the news that Ascension will pause its plans to close much of the critical safety net hospital. The coalition is hosting a community meeting on April 24th, 6pm at Parklawn Assembly, 3725 N. Sherman Ave. in Milwaukee.

We return from our week off to news that Paul Ryan will not seek re-election. We discuss the implications nationally for Republicans and explore its impact on CD 1 candidates. We review last week’s spring election results, including 49 Citizen Action members winning their races. We welcome Andy Buck from the Painters Union to discuss the epidemic of wage theft in the construction trades and promote their Day of Action next Friday 4/20, 11-1pm in Milwaukee and Madison. Citizen Action co-op member Sue Anderson closes the show by telling us about a fundraiser the co-op and other groups are holding for Voces de la Frontera next Friday, 4/20, 5pm in Milwaukee.

We discuss how Scott Walker has finally been forced to call special elections in two state legislative seats after being slapped down by an appeals court judge. The special election will be on June 12th, with any primary set for May 15th. We also preview next week’s Spring Election on Tuesday, April 3rd. We dissect the WMC’s sleazy child sex predator ad that has greatly upset the family of the victim. Next we welcome Citizen Action Co-op member Sarah Godlewski to discuss why it so important to save our fiscal watchdog and Vote No on eliminating the State Treasurer. We bat around the latest Foxconn news and raise up the inspirational efforts of the Wisconsin student marchers who used their spring vacation this week to walk 50 miles to Paul Ryan’s house urging greater gun restrictions.

We welcome State Representative Amanda Stuck to discuss her effort to invest in Wisconsin’s paper industry in a smart and progressive fashion, in stark contrast to Scott Walker's Foxconn boondoggle. We also discuss breaking news in week’s special legislative session, Sen. Kathleen Vinehout’s surprising vote on gun safety, and we recap Saturday’s governor candidate forum in Wausau. Finally, we assess the failure of Leah Vukmir’s bill to expand prison spending and dramatically increase incarceration rates in Wisconsin.

With our regulars Matt Brusky and Rebecca Lynch on furlough, we welcome State Senator Chris Larson and State Rep. Evan Goyke to discuss the tumultuous end of the Legislative Session. We dig into some of the most dangerous eleventh hour proposals being considered by the radical conservative majority, and their panic over the impending blue wave that is swamping conservative candidates around the country. We close this week's program with an exclusive interview of Supreme Court candidate Judge Rebecca Dallet.

We discuss the evolving political debate on guns following the Florida school shooting, including the split between Gov. Walker's and Attorney General Brad Schimel on arming teachers. We talk about a new lawsuit, led by Eric Holder, which challenges Scott Walker's refusal to hold special elections in two open legislative districts. The panel also discusses: Wisconsin shifting of up to $90 million in local road funding to a Foxconn-related projects; advertising experts pan WEDC’s ads targeting young Chicagoans; and Election Commission administrator Michael Haas steps down in face of GOP witchunt. We close the show by welcoming Citizen Action co-op member Kris Lennon to preview a Fair Maps Town Hall in Racine on Saturday (March 10).