Battleground Wisconsin

We review Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s 40th anniversary events in Milwaukee and La Crosse this week and preview the third event in Green Bay next Thursday evening. President Biden’s new budget was released and includes increased taxes on the wealthy and corporations to fund our nation’s vital priorities and a historic investment in reducing child poverty. We encourage Governor Tony Evers and Legislative Democrats to follow the President’s lead and introduce their own visionary progressive tax plan to properly fund public education, health care and child care. We call out the latest China bashing with an effort to go after TikTok for sin being committed by American tech corporations and right-wing billionaires. In Wisconsin, the state Senate ends its session by firing Evers appointees, approving terrible constitutional amendments, and failing to fix the counting of absentee ballots, creating fertile grounds for conspiracy theories to flourish. We encourage our listeners to help us talk to the 2 remaining Democrats in the State Legislature to co-sponsor the BadgerCare Public Option bill. We mention the Republican state senator who joined Democrats in voting against a toxic transgender sports bill after listening and hearing the deep harm the bill would do to the kids. We hope this kind of listening and being open to change or persuasion will return to state government. We also reveal big businesses’ lobbying effort to block the DNR’s ability to permit factory farms in Wisconsin.

We reflect on the 13 year history of the Battleground Wisconsin Podcast and how it is an important piece of Citizen Action’s history that is at the heart of our 40th Anniversary events that start next week. We are celebrating on Monday, March 11th, 6pm in Milwaukee and Wednesday, March 13th, 5:30pm in LaCrosse. We thank State Representative Kristina Shelton for her years of public service in the state legislature. She is a unique progressive voice and we need more like her. We remind our listeners that the next 2 months will determine who is running for the many new seats in the Legislature, a generational opportunity for progressives to reshape governance in the state. It is up to all of us if we will seize it! Following Super Tuesday and with Thursday night’s State of the State, the general election has commenced this week. Biden vs. Trump II is upon us.

On a special edition of Battleground Wisconsin, Matt is away on a field trip to North Carolina, and our producer, Brian, has a speaking role for the first time in our 13 year history. Robert and Brian dig into the latest Trump-McConnell packed U.S. Supreme Court political intervention on the presidential immunity case. Will it replace America's founding axiom that nobody is above the law with a 21st Century version of the Divine Right of Kings? We also look deeply at the results of the Michigan Presidential Primary across the freshwater pond. Does it mean that Biden is losing the election on the thorns of the Gaza dilemma? Turning to state news, Governor Evers unveils a rapid response plan for the rash of hospital and clinic closures in the Chippewa Valley. Does it get to the heart of the problem with commodified and profit-centric healthcare, or is it putting bandages on an infected wound?

New polling from a very trusted source finds the top public economic concern is the high cost of health care and crippling medical bills. What does this mean for the 2024 elections? We also urge the Governor to call a special session on accepting federal Medicaid money and expanding access to healthcare for small businesses and more workers through the BadgerCare Public Option bill already supported by most Democrats. We review the controversy and the implications of the new state legislative maps signed by Governor Evers earlier this week. What should progressives be focusing on? In other legislative developments, the much discussed regressive tax cut package to disproportionately benefit higher income people is on the Governor’s desk. Will he veto? We renew our call for progressive tax package from the Governor and Democrats that forces greedy corporations and the rich to pay their fair share. California banker and billionaire Eric Hovde is set to challenge U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and a Wisconsin fake elector and GOP leader tells ‘60 Minutes’ he was afraid of Trump supporters. We discuss the implications of each.

We do a deep dive on the redistricting drama, where Robin Vos has adopted Governor Evers’ position and Democrats are divided. Is Governor Evers falling into a trap that could provide a pretext for intervention by Trump appointed Federal Judges, as Mark Pocan warns? Why do many believe Evers will sign maps most Democrats in the Legislature oppose? Why are some good government groups urging Evers to side with Vos? Robert and Matt break some inside news on what may be really going on in this consequential Capital intrigue. We pan the latest regressive Legislative Republican tax cut. Is a tax cut skewed to wealthier Wisconsinites worth further defunding public education, healthcare, child care, and other vital public priorities. In better news, we celebrate news that President Biden’s policy to help the IRS collect revenue has resulted in $851 billion in back taxes from the ultra-wealthy. Back home, we discuss next Tuesday’s Spring Primary Election and encourage our listeners to get educated and vote. We highlight especially pivotal elections for Green Bay City Council. Speaking of Titletown, Green Bay area Congressman Mike Gallagher is not running for re-election. What does this say about him and more importantly what does it tell us about the Party of Trump? Finally, we offer hardy congratulations to the workers at Planned Parenthood Wisconsin who successfully organized with the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals with an overwhelming victory.

We debrief the new MU Law Poll which has Biden and Trump locked in a statistical dead heat in the battle for Wisconsin's all important Presidential Electors. What does the poll's finding that there are very few undecided voters 10 months ahead of the election mean for the outcome? What are the implications of the historically strong public interest in 3rd Party candidates? Also, in the more immediate term, early voting in 2024 Spring Primary has started and Citizen Action just announced are pre-primary endorsements. Meanwhile the never ending drama continues on the national scene. As Trump implodes, the GOP opposes its own draconian board security bill, the House tries but fails to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, while Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher takes heat for voting against the bogus articles of impeachment. We discuss the Supreme Court oral arguments on 14th Amendment bar on Trump’s candidacy which has removed him from the ballot in CO and ME. Will the Trump Supreme Court renig on claimed commitment to strict construction of the Constitution to save Trump? Dr. Michael Rosen joins us to talk about the predatory for-profit Arizona College of Nursing's effort to locate in Milwaukee and an organized effort to stop it. Listeners are encouraged to attend a public hearing in Milwaukee next Monday at 1pm.

The national media is touting a Child Care Tax Credit that passed the House of Representatives Wednesday, but long time child poverty advocate Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan voted no. Why were the champions of President Biden’s Child Tax Credit against this bill? What does the bill have to do with more big tax breaks for self-dealing corporations? Next we dissect the details of the latest state Legislative GOP tax cut for the wealthy, where taxpayers with incomes under $100,000 (59.6% of all fillers) would receive only 26.4% of the cut and taxpayers with incomes of $100,000 or more (40.4% of filers) would receive 73.6% of the cut! Gov. Evers rightly vetoes the latest GOP Legislative maps, as Republicans press Janet Protasiewicz to recuse herself from the challenge to the state’s Congressional maps. Robert tells us more about a Calumet Co. Judge ruling that factory farms may not avoid DNR permits and the GOP pushing constitutional amendment to ban preferences for historically marginalized groups. We look at Wisconsin Republican efforts to support TX Governor Greg Abbott’s nullification of federal immigration law. Finally we discuss some real solutions to the sudden and dangerous closure of major hospitals and clinics in Chippewa Valley.

We discuss the end of the traditional Republican Party and the reality of the new Party of Trump. Exhibit one is that every Wisconsin Republican House of Representative member voted to shut down the federal government rather than full their constitutional duties to maintain the full faith and credit of the U.S. Also, we are witnessing the inevitable end of the GOP presidential primary with Nicky Haley’s campaign beaten again in New Hampshire and on fumes while Trump promises retribution to all his opponents and threatens to blacklist any supporters of Haley. Vice President Kamala Harris was in Waukesha and President Biden in Superior this week. Democrats clearly see Wisconsin as central to Biden’s re-election, so expect to see the President and other top administration officials here often. We dissect the sudden and unplanned closure of a large hospital and clinic system in the Chippewa Valley and Governor Evers’ immediate call for Medicaid expansion to stabilize rural hospitals and clinics. Robert debriefs Governor Evers’ State of the State speech, and assesses the major policy proposals he advanced heading into a critical election year. We discuss Speaker Vos’ failed attempt to bate Governor Evers and Legislative Democrats into a bad deal on new legislative maps. Meanwhile, Assembly Republicans again block the impeachment of Election head Meagan Wolf by their even crazier faction. Question, would one sentence of support from their strong man leader Donald Trump change their position? We talk about the new world in Wisconsin politics with the impending Legislative maps, where we likely have the first fair election for control of the Legislature in over a decade. How does this new democratic world shape what the Governor and Legislative Democrats should be supporting for the remainder of the legislative session? We also take a deeper dive into the Congressional maps lawsuit. A Stanford University expert advising the plaintiffs says Wisconsin Congressional maps are the most partisan slanted in the U.S.

We discuss the latest state Senate Republicans power grab, their firing of Evers appointee and solar power advocate Tyler Huebner from the Public Service Commission, the state agency that regulates utilities. Was the sacking of Huebner motivated by his support for easing the energy burden on low income homeowners and renters? Were the big for-profit utilities behind it? Less than a week after the worst-in-the nation medical marijuana bill was introduced by Republican leaders, it was killed by GOP leaders. Does this mean they have given up on this as a way to protect vulnerable incumbents from fair maps? Meanwhile the Wisconsin Supreme Court received 7 maps last Friday and the Elias Law Group asked the justices to reconsider the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2024 election. Matt gives his assessment of which versions he likes best. Robert reviews the Iowa Caucuses, where that former reality show and wannabe dictator Donald Trump demolished his competition. While the national media gave its audience a heavy dose of horse race analysis, treating politics like a sporting event, they all but ignored the plucky climate protesters effectively disrupting events of all the major candidates. What is the civic responsibility of corporate media further undermining democracy? We also look at Trump’s on-going fomenting of violence against his opponents and intimidating opposition in his own party. Is this part of the fascist playbook?We encourage listeners to attend a public hearing next Monday at 1:30pm on the predatory for-profit Arizona nursing school and our Healthcare Action Meeting, next Wednesday, January 24th, 7pm. The virtual health care meeting will develop plans to talk with state legislators about the need to schedule a public hearing for the BadgerCare Public Option bill. RSVP for our healthcare meeting. Kate Felton joins us to discuss a shameful GOP bill that would require local hearings and resolutions on proposed refugee resettlement plans. We unpack the racist appeals to bigots that Republicans are willing to do in their ceaseless pursuit of power.

We discuss a new report finding lower-income Wisconsinites pay a much higher proportion of their incomes in taxes than the wealthy. What does it say about the current priorities of Republicans and Democrats, and the latest state budget? We urge Governor Evers and Legislative Democrats to fight for progressive taxation in the next state budget both to fund vital services and boost the real earnings of working class Wisconsinites. We talk about the weaknesses of the past state budget coming home to roost, as Milwaukee Public Schools announce they are headed to a referendum to raise property taxes just to cover basic operations. Meanwhile, this week Legislative Republicans introduced the nation’s worst medical marijuana bill and pushed legislation criminalizing homelessness. Sen. Tammy Baldwin joins other U.S. Senators challenging Amazon’s abusive labor practices. In global headlines, we learned this week that 2023 was the warmest year in over 100,000 years. However, there was some progress in the United States. We discuss where we are and what needs to happen soon on the biggest issue in human history. Dr. Michael Rosen joins us to discuss the predatory, for-profit Arizona College of Nursing’s pursuit of a location in Milwaukee. Nurses and educators are organizing to stop Arizona College of Nursing before it starts.

Welcome to 2024 where our pivotal battleground state elections will again take center stage. We jump in and dissect this week’s news the GOP Legislative leadership asks the Wisconsin Supreme Court to reconsider their redistricting decision; a new court ruling allows clerks to correct minor errors on absentee ballots; and a brewery owner sues to remove Trump from the Wisconsin ballot under the 14th Amendment. In a revealing and shameless display of voter suppression and encouragement of drain brain, the GOP leaders introduce a bill encouraging UW students to not vote in Wisconsin. Legislative Republicans to potential long term residents, “We don’t want you here. Go home!” Robert does his best to fill in details on the policy positions of Senator Tammy Baldwin’s likely opponent, multimillionaire businessman and perennial candidate Eric Hovde. In climate news Wisconsin trails badly on solar adoption. Will Governor Evers use the huge investments offered by the Biden Administration to close the gap with neighboring states? Also, Insulin prices plunge for Wisconsinites due to a little known provision of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. We close with a discussion of a new labor organizing drive by over 100 workers at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and encourage the organization’s board of directors to recognize the union and move forward with a more powerful organization prepared to deliver on its critical mission.

Following President Biden’s visit to Milwaukee this week we discuss if he can turn around his 2024 chances? We talk about the politics and the stakes, how the President’s reelection prospects are impacted by the war in Gaza, a possible bad deal on immigration, and this week’s 14th Amendment decision in Colorado. We debrief Citizen Action’s 3rd CD Candidate Forum this week and encourage people to listen to the replay and fill out our survey. Big union news this week with the TruStage workers union settling their contract after a long dispute and we review the Amazon case before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which has major implications for misclassified independent contractors and corporate skirting of employment responsibilities. Finally, we discuss State Senator Brad Pfaff signing on as a co-sponsor of the BadgerCare Public Option, the health care cost impact of a ThedaCare and Froedtert merger.

We welcome Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski to discuss her call for Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu to remove Wisconsin Election Commissioner and disgraced Trump fake elector Robert Spindell from his position of authority over our election process. She encourages our listeners to call LeMahieu and their state legislators and urge them to replace Spindell. The Secretary also tells us why she opposes Robin Vos’ scheme to replace the Wisconsin Election Commission with a process where the Secretary of State runs elections under the full control of the gerrymandered legislature. We also review the latest culture war battle initiatives by the Wisconsin GOP, the drive by Speaker Vos to eliminate the UW System’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions Programs. At first the UW Board of Regents held firm against Vos’s threats, but then caved. We discuss how this effort by Republicans and the Biden impeachment in the U.S. House reveals that our democracy remains in a grave state of peril heading into the pivotal 2024 elections. We also remind listeners to attend our 3rd Congressional District Candidate Forum this Sunday, December 17th, at 6pm. RSVP here. We close with Citizen Action Northeast Co-op organizer Natalie Hoffman to tell us about a climate victory in Green Bay last week and a holiday social the Coop is hosting next Tuesday evening in Green Bay.

We debrief a new judicial ruling this week finding abortion legal again in Wisconsin. To the surprise of few, Wisconsin GOP Legislative leaders propose another scheme to abolish the Wisconsin Elections Commission, giving election administration oversight to Republican Legislative leaders hellbent on power and total control in the name of financial elites. Meanwhile, the Wisconsin fake electors acknowledged their actions were unlawful and were used in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election. We discuss the importance of membership in Citizen Action, as we are preparing to win in 2024 by talking directly to voters all over the state. Republicans struggle to find a serious challenger to Sen Tammy Baldwin in 2024, as California millionaire banker Eric Hovde announces his campaign this week. Gov. Evers rightly vetoes a GOP bill that would ban gender affirming medical care for minors. We discuss Citizen Action’s upcoming 3rd Congressional District Candidate Forum on Sunday, December 17th, at 6pm. We encourage our listeners in the district to RSVP today!

We welcome State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde to discuss his co-sponsorship of the BadgerCare Public Option and groundbreaking new climate legislation he is working on that will help set the agenda for the 2024 state legislative elections. With the prospect of new legislative maps, Rep. Moore’s climate agenda helps provide an unparalleled opportunity for new ideas to be in play in the next Legislature. We discuss a new lawsuit brought by state employee unions seeking to overturn Act 10, on the heels of new data revealing Wisconsin teacher pay has lagged inflation for 15 years according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report. As the Supreme Court starts a historic redistricting case, the 2025 election has begun as former AG Brad Schimel enters the race. We invite our listeners from Western Wisconsin to RSVP and attend Citizen Action’s 3rd Congressional District Candidate Virtual Forum on Sunday, December 17th, 6pm.