Proposals from Republicans are a distraction from the work they are refusing to do to address the fact of Wisconsin’s racial disparities says Agard.
MADISON- Yesterday, several bills were circulated for legislative consideration that would prohibit the teaching of critical race theory in schools. The proposals would affect the University of Wisconsin System schools as well as our K-12 schools.
Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement regarding the proposals:
“These are not reasonable proposals - they are a white washing of our history.
“We must face and address our past wrongs in order to move forward and be a more just and equitable state. We must acknowledge the history and experiences of all Americans in order to create a better society for everyone. To ignore and blatant disregard our nation's history of oppression, and continued oppression, especially of communities of color only sets us farther back.
“These proposals from my Republican colleagues are a distraction from the work they are refusing to do to address the fact that Wisconsin’s racial disparities are pervasive.
“Enough with the theatrics - let’s start doing work that will truly help all Wisconsinites, not further drive people apart.”
Written by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Matt Rothschild
Friday, 04 June 2021 09:52
MADISON - I hope you’re having a good week.
Here are two actions I’d like you to take:
1. Tell your legislators to oppose Assembly Bill 369 relating to the timeline for local redistricting in Wisconsin following the 2020 federal decennial census.
This is a bill whose draft we were notified about last Friday as Memorial Day weekend was starting. It was formally introduced on Tuesday, the Assembly committee public hearing held yesterday, and it is on the agenda for a vote without a hearing in the Senate committee tomorrow morning! That’s far from adequate process. On substance, the bill would postpone the redistricting of local political districts until 2023. It would unconstitutionally disadvantage local communities, such as Madison, that have grown in population, and it would also let the State Legislature impose boundaries on local communities after that, which goes against the traditional way of Wisconsin, which starts the redistricting process from the local level on up, as I noted in my testimony here:
As part of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, we’re encouraging all of our members to sign this petition demanding that our legislators pass nonpartisan redistricting legislation:
Written by Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Matt Brusky
Friday, 04 June 2021 07:29
MILWAUKEE - We discuss Legislative Republican’s scheming with their corporate patrons such as Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce (WMC) to gin up a fake “worker shortage” to punish the unemployed. Does Robin Vos really believe Wisconsinites are lazy and irresponsible or is he just trying to exploit the working class? In a clear effort to mobilize a 2022 off-year election base of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists, Legislative Republicans are supporting bills to make anti-vaxxers a protected category and pumping life into the “Big Lie” with bogus “Arizona style” voter fraud investigations into the 2020 election. Meanwhile new data from the Wisconsin Election Commission demonstrates minuscule voter fraud in Wisconsin elections, most of it generated by Jim-Crow still disenfranchisement of released prisoners. We close with a discussion on the centrality of the Senate filibuster in the success of the Biden agenda, addressing the nation’s major challenges and needs, and the survival of democracy itself.
Written by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Matt Rothschild
Friday, 28 May 2021 10:26
MADISON - This morning, our colleague Iuscely Flores represented the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign at a press conference called by BLOC (Black Leaders Organizing in Community) to condemn the pitiful proposals by the Legislature on policing. Here’s the statement that she read:
Here’s the talk I gave at the rally to ban gerrymandering on May 17:
We Deserve Fair Maps. (click the photo for a video highlight. Go here for the full 45-minute rally video).
And by the way, we had a fun annual gathering last week, by Zoom.
State Rep. Francesca Hong gave us an inside look on what it’s like for her to work in the Legislature. She was characteristically outspoken: “It’s a frustrating and incredibly racist” place, she said, but she hasn’t lost faith in “people power.”
Urban Milwaukee Editor Bruce Murphy thanked us for being of such assistance to reporters with our invaluable database.
You can also view the entire 90-minute program of the gathering by clicking here.
I hope you have a nice long holiday weekend!
Best,
Matt Rothschild Executive Director
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P.S. If you like the work we’re doing, please send us a tax-deductible gift by clicking here or by mailing it the old-fashioned way to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, 203 S. Paterson St, Suite 100, Madison WI 53703. Thanks!
We are bouncing back and better from this pandemic, says Gov. Evers. It’s time to drop the politics and get to work.
Proposals from Republicans are a distraction from the work they are refusing to do to address the fact of Wisconsin’s racial disparities says Agard.
“These are not reasonable proposals - they are a white washing of our history.
MADISON - I hope you’re having a good week.
Thanks for taking these two actions to keep the heat on the Legislature!
MILWAUKEE - We discuss Legislative Republican’s scheming with their corporate patrons such as Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce (WMC) to gin up a fake “worker shortage” to punish the unemployed. Does Robin Vos really believe Wisconsinites are lazy and irresponsible or is he just trying to exploit the working class? In a clear effort to mobilize a 2022 off-year election base of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists, Legislative Republicans are supporting bills to make anti-vaxxers a protected category and pumping life into the “Big Lie” with bogus “Arizona style” voter fraud investigations into the 2020 election. Meanwhile new data from the Wisconsin Election Commission demonstrates minuscule voter fraud in Wisconsin elections, most of it generated by Jim-Crow still disenfranchisement of released prisoners. We close with a discussion on the centrality of the Senate filibuster in the success of the Biden agenda, addressing the nation’s major challenges and needs, and the survival of democracy itself.