http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/women-3gen-s5.jpgTrump likes to talk like he supports women, but does he walk the talk? Here are nine ways he hurts them everyday.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/sexual-assault4-s5.jpgWhether or not we protect survivors of sexual assault should not be a decision left to one person.

Report on the impact of the Citizens United decision on politics in Wisconsin shows that independent expenditures have leaped five-fold.

MADISON - The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign just released a report on the impact of the Citizens United decision on politics in Wisconsin. It’s called “Citizens United in Wisconsin: A Decade of Disaster.”

The report shows that independent expenditures have leaped five-fold.

And in races for governor they’ve leaped 17-fold, and that doesn’t even include the Walker recall.

The tenth anniversary of the Citizen United decision is Tuesday, Jan. 21, and we’re having a press conference about it in the Assembly Parlor at 10:00 a.m. that day.

Speakers include:
Reps. Lisa Subeck, Melissa Sargent, and Chris Taylor, and Sens. Dave Hansen and Chris Larson. Also speaking is Matt Rothschild, the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

“The Citizens United decision has made our politics more than ever the plaything of the super-rich and outside groups,” says Rothschild. “We need to amend the U.S. Constitution to proclaim, once and for all, that corporations aren’t persons and money isn’t speech so that we all can have an equal say in who gets elected and in what laws are passed.”

There will also be an “Unhappy Anniversary” event on Sunday, Jan. 26, at the James Reeb Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Madison from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. It is open to the public, and it is sponsored by Wisconsin United to Amend, the grassroots group that has helped pass referendums or resolutions in 146 communities around the state calling for this amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Speakers include U.S. Representative Mark Pocan, State Assembly Rep. Lisa Subeck, and Matt Rothschild.

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/door-county-people-s5.jpgSen. Smith writes about measures we can take for fair maps in Wisconsin, including the passage of Senate Bill 288/Assembly Bill 303 and the constitutional amendment he recently introduced.

MADISON - Wisconsin Conservation Voters urges you to support LRB 3915, which is currently circulating for co-sponsorship.

County conservation staff are the boots on the ground for water quality protections. LRB 3915 will increase funding for county conservation staff by $2,960,900 in fiscal year 2020-21, bringing the total of $12.4 million for county conservation staff in fiscal year 2020-21.

Trump is coming to Milwaukee, and here are some key questions that he needs to answer per Priorities Wisconsin.

MADISON - As you plan your coverage of Trump's rally in Milwaukee tomorrow, I wanted to share some key questions that he needs to answer. If you’re interested in speaking to a Wisconsinite who has been personally hurt by Trump’s policies, please let me know.

1. What will Trump say to the 153,000 Wisconsinites who would lose coverage if his effort to overturn the ACA is successful, unleashing “chaos” in our health care system?

2. Who will protect Wisconsin’s seniors who depend on Medicare when his proposed budget cuts $845 billion from the program, and his policy agenda could jeopardize their access to free preventative care?

1. Wisconsin leads the nation in farm bankruptcies and we’ve lost more than 1,800 dairy farms since Trump took office. Will the president allow this farm crisis to continue into his final year in office?

1. Trump promised 13,000 jobs when he struck a deal to pay Foxconn more than $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies to build a plant, even saying Foxconn would be the “eighth wonder of the world.” To date, however, this largely hasn’t happened. Will Trump admit he let Wisconsin down, leaving many communities high and dry?

1. Trump's tax law raised working Wisconsinites’ annual health care premiums by an estimated $2,270 in 2019. Will he keep increasing health care costs for working families in order to give tax cuts to his billionaire friends?

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to know more about how Trump’s policies are causing working families in Wisconsin to struggle.

Cassidy

MADISON, WI – Senator Jon Erpenbach (D – West Point) offered the Democratic weekly radio highlighting legislative efforts to legalize medical cannabis.

“Late last year, we introduced a bipartisan bill that would legalize physician-supervised access to medical cannabis. This bill was a product of over 10 years of working with advocates and learning best practices from other states. Legalizing medical cannabis will provide safe, legal and regulated options to help patients suffering from chronic pain and other debilitating medical conditions.” – Senator Jon Erpenbach

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here.

A written transcript of the address is below:

“Hi, this is State Senator Jon Erpenbach.

“On January 1, Illinois became the 11th state to legalize recreational cannabis, joining our neighboring states of Minnesota and Michigan. Whereas our neighbors have taken action to expand off the success of medical cannabis reforms – once again, Wisconsin is lagging behind, and preventing sick people from getting access to the comprehensive medical care that they need.

“Late last year, we introduced a bipartisan bill that would legalize physician-supervised access to medical marijuana. This bill was a product of over 10 years of working with advocates and learning best practices from other states. Legalizing medical marijuana will provide safe, legal and regulated options to help patients suffering from chronic pain and other debilitating medical conditions.

“Close to one million Wisconsin voters in 16 different counties and two cities, spoke loudly and clearly in support of medical marijuana. With 83% of Wisconsinites in support, I am hopeful that 2020 will be the year that we can take the politics out of this process, move forward with this issue and put the people of Wisconsin first.”

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/capitol-crowd-wi.jpgSen. Smith writes about issues to prioritize going forward, including Medicaid expansion and gun safety reform. In 2019, we saw a glimpse of what compromise looks like and he's hopeful we can all come to the table to finish what we started.

https://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/sand-mining-wi-man-s5.jpgThis week’s column describes how the discussions in western Wisconsin help Sen. Smith craft new legislation to help all of the state. This is the second of three columns detailing reflections from 2019 and what the Senator is looking forward to in 2020.

MADISON, WI – Senator Jennifer Shilling (D – La Crosse) offered the Democratic weekly radio address with the Democratic vision for 2020.

“Democrats want to tackle the tough issues, strengthen communities, and create a level playing field where everyone who works hard can get ahead. With 2019 behind us, I hope that we can set aside political differences, work together and focus on a brighter and better tomorrow.”

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here.

A written transcript of the address is below:

“Hi, this is State Senator Jennifer Shilling.

“Going into 2020, Wisconsin Democrats remain focused on values that put families, workers and communities first. We believe in prioritizing the people of Wisconsin and addressing the issues they face every single day: lowering health care costs, ensuring our schools are properly funded, and expanding economic security for families and seniors.

“Democrats want to tackle the tough issues, strengthen communities, and create a level playing field where everyone who works hard can get ahead.

“With 2019 behind us, I hope that we can set aside political differences, work together and focus on a brighter and better tomorrow. “From myself and all of the Wisconsin Democrats, we want to wish you and your family a safe and happy New Year!”