Dr. Christine Blasey Ford that is. Then Rep Rob Brooks and racist, sexually abusive comments to 3 female GOP state legislators, and more...

STATEWIDE - We discuss the shamefully rushed Brett Kavanaugh confirmation process that played out this week and what does it mean for the progress of gender equity in America?

We then welcome Citizen Action co-op member and candidate for State Assembly candidate Chris Rahlf to discuss breaking news this week that her opponent, Rep Rob Brooks, made racist and sexually abusive comments to 3 female GOP state legislators.

We welcome State Senate candidate Jeff Smith to discuss his campaign and fundraiser next Thursday, October 4th, at Big Head Brewing Co. in Wauwatosa. We close with Citizen Action co-op member Kris Lennon to tell us about a Fair Maps Town Hall on Saturday, October 6th, 12:45 pm in Wauwatosa.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #361
Download MP3
Press Clips

Brett Kavanaugh himself and Republican senators did more to demonstrate his unfitness for the job than anything Democrats said.

All of us who value democracy and equality and an end to sexual violence and basic human decency owe a huge debt to Dr. Ford.

MADISON - It’s been hard, over the past 24 hours, to focus on anything other than Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and her extremely courageous, credible, and powerful testimony.

All of us who value democracy and equality and an end to sexual violence and basic human decency owe a huge debt to Dr. Ford.

When I wasn’t watching the testimony yesterday, I was trying to draw attention to some of the newsworthy postings we put up this week.

One had to do with our own state supreme court, and the way in which the conservative justices on it are in hock to the business groups that spent tons of money to help them get elected. One business group even bragged that it was getting a lot back in return:

Business group hails Wisconsin’s conservative justices

We also noted that the Koch Brothers’ group, Americans for Prosperity, and other conservative express advocacy groups are spending a lot more than such groups on the Democratic side:

GOP express advocacy groups outspending Dems almost 5 to 1 in Wisconsin

And then we examined who was funding the leading candidates for governor.

Here’s what we posted on Tony Evers:

Evers raised $1.9M in August

And here’s what we posted on Scott Walker:

Walker's fundraising gets $1M boost from lt. gov's campaign

This donating by the candidates for lieutenant governor to the candidates for governor should not be allowed! It’s a major loophole we need to plug.

And just yesterday, we posted the most recently filed summary campaign finance data for all candidates on the November ballot for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer.

Campaign finances updated for constitutional office candidates on the Nov. ballot

I hope this information is useful to you.

Best,

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

P.S. Instead of asking you to support the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, as I usually do here, I’m going to ask that you support any nonprofit in Wisconsin that is combating sexual violence. For instance, you can support the Rape Crisis Center of Dane County or a crisis center closer to you.

Make sure you’re registered to vote – as Election Day on November 6th is right around the corner. Here's some information to help you.

Panel discusses the latest MU Law poll, dirty campaign tactics, Senator Chris Larson, and the State Senate.

STATEWIDE - Our panel analyzes the latest MU Law poll. We review how healthcare is becoming a dominant issue in the election, particularly Walker’s support for allowing discrimination against people with pre-existing health conditions. We also discuss the sleazy effort to divide the Bryce family by featuring Randy’s brother in an ugly negative ad that drew a heartfelt angry response from Randy’s mother.

We welcome State Senator Chris Larson to discuss the huge opportunities for Democrats in the State Senate this November. Sen. Larson reviews all the important Senate races and promotes our important fundraiser on Thursday, October 4th for Citizen Action organizer Jeff Smith who is running for State Senate in the Eau Claire area in a must win race. Fundraiser is at Big Head Brewing Co., 6204 W. State St. Wauwatosa.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #360
Download MP3
Press Clips

The Governor’s claim to be the defender of pre-existing conditions is false.

MADISON, WI – Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona) offered the weekly Democratic radio address today.

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

A written transcript of the address is below:

“Hello, this is Senator Mark Miller with this week’s democratic radio address.

“In this week’s necessary fact check, we look at the Governor’s claim to be the defender of pre-existing conditions.

“Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are prohibited from denying health insurance to persons with pre-existing conditions. The Governor is falsely claiming that he is the protector of this provision that allows our neighbors who have had the misfortune to have been sick in the past to purchase health insurance today at reasonable cost. This claim by the Governor is blatantly not true.

“Instead of protecting the ability of Wisconsinites to get health insurance without regard to pre-existing conditions, the Governor, together with his Lt. Governor and his Republican Attorney General and with the support from the Republican majority in the legislature, joined a lawsuit seeking to overturn the very protections that many in Wisconsin depend on.

“We rate his claim: false.”

Actions speak louder than empty political promises and real people’s lives are at stake.

MADISON - For eight years, Scott Walker has worked to sabotage the Affordable Care Act and undermine its protections for the estimated 2.4 million people in Wisconsin with a pre-existing condition.

As someone who has beat cancer, I have a pre-existing condition.

In a shocking failure to display leadership or any empathy for people suffering, Walker is currently part of a lawsuit to eliminate the Affordable Care Act (including protections for people with pre-existing conditions).

Click here to sign my petition to demand Scott Walker drop Wisconsin from this dangerous anti-health care lawsuit.

If Scott Walker wants to protect the millions of Wisconsinites with a pre-existing condition, he will take immediate action to drop Wisconsin from this lawsuit today.

Actions speak louder than empty political promises and real people’s lives are at stake here. Let’s see if Walker is willing to save lives, or if he’s more concerned with playing politics and pleasing his right-wing donors.

Insist Walker drop Wisconsin from the lawsuit to end the Affordable Care Act.

TAKE ACTION: https://tonyevers.com/lawsuit-challenge/

Onward, Tony

Veterans report many are falling for the Washington politician lies that the VA is not being privatized.

TUCSON, AZ - Do you know that approximately 40% of the of the 104 million VA outpatient appointments are now being conducted in the private sector via the Choice & Community Care programs? That’s right! Only 60% of all the veterans served are being cared for in VA hospitals & clinics. Before Congress passed the Choice Act in 2014 about 22% of outpatient appointments were done in the private sector

The VA “Completed Appointments” vs Private Sector
Appts. (Community Care+Choice) Rates Are:
Percent of Outpatient Appts by Fiscal Year (FY)

FY14 70.8 m total appts. 22% in pvt. sector & 78% in VA

FY15 79.7 m appts. 30% in pvt. sec. & 70% in VA

FY16 89.2 m 35% in pvt. sec. & 65% in VA

FY17 103.7 m 40% in pvt. sec. & 60% in VA

You see the trends, right? How soon will they begin closing hospitals & clinics due to not enough patients?

Well, some Veterans Service Organizations have fallen for the lies that the VA is not being privatized we are just helping veterans get better care faster.

VSO's in New Mexico have not fallen for the lies.

Below is a report from Veterans for Peace member Charles R. Powell on the New Mexico resolution.

On Thursday September 13, the United Veterans Council of New Mexico passed a resolution against the privatization of the Veterans Administration medical services.

The UVC is a non-profit coalition of more than 30 chartered and federally recognized veterans service organizations and affiliates established in 2007. They strive to provide a forum for the free exchange of information between veterans organizations, state agencies and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The council President is Ken O'Keefe, the website is <uvcnm.org>.

The resolution was introduced by the delegate from The Donald & Sally-Alice Thompson Chapter 63 of Veterans For Peace of Albuquerque and was approved without opposition.

RESOLUTION AGAINST PRIVATIZATION OF THE VETERANS ADMINSTRATION

Whereas, the Congressional Budget Office estimated the VA cost for private care would be 10% higher than the payment rates for Medicare and the Physicians for a National Health Program states the medical costs at the VA are 20% lower than Medicare rates, therefore costs for private care might be 30% higher than the same care provided by the VA, and

Whereas, the RAND Corporation's decade of research found that VA provided care is equal to or better quality than private sector care in all forty-seven quality-of-care measurements comparing VA outpatient care with comparable civilian facilities, and

Whereas, the Department of Veterans Affairs is better equipped than most community providers to coordinate complex physical and mental healthcare for combat veterans, and

Whereas, a bipartisan survey by Lake Research and Chesapeake Beach Consulting 80 percent of veterans polled oppose turning VA health care into a system of private sector vouchers inadequate to cover costs;

Therefore Be It Resolved that United Veterans Council of New Mexico…

1.   Supports policies that provide necessary resources to serve veterans by maintaining a robust Federal Government Veterans Health Administration;

2.   Supports policies that would create integrated health care networks for veterans with the Veterans Health Administration, serving as the coordinator and primary provider of care when and where needed as determined by the VA medical staff to ensure timely and convenient access for all enrolled veterans.

3.   Opposes privatization of medical and psychological care for our Veterans.

-- Charles R. Powell

Wisconsin families are facing a huge crisis with child care costs, that’s why Democrats are proud to support legislation to provide a child care tax credit.

MADISON – Today, Senator LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) offered the following weekly Democratic radio address on Supporting Families through a Child Care Tax Credit.

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

A written transcript of the address is below:

“Hello. I’m State Senator LaTonya Johnson.

“Wisconsin has many great child care providers who offer exceptional services to families in our community. As a former child care provider myself, I have seen first-hand the positive impact having a safe, quality place for children to thrive can have on a child’s life and on a parent’s ability to work.

“But Wisconsin families are facing a huge crisis with child care costs soring. In fact, only about one in five families are able to afford infant care in our state with an average cost of over $11,000 per year. That’s more than one year of tuition at a UW system school.

“For too many families, quality child care isn’t just unaffordable, it’s nearly impossible. Families with an infant and a four-year-old spend nearly a third of their income on child care alone.

“That’s why Wisconsin Democrats are proud to support legislation to provide Wisconsin families with a child care tax credit. Under our proposal, a family with one child would be given an income tax credit of up to $1,050 and a family of four or more would see a tax credit of up to $2,100.

“Through targeted tax relief, we can help support hardworking families while also ensuring our child care providers are able to retain workers dedicated to the development and safety of our children.”

MADISON - Last week, Governor Scott Walker took to Twitter and criticized NFL players and those who support them for their decision to peacefully protest against police brutality.

Following the event, Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) made the following statement:

“So Governor Walker didn’t have time to defend Harley-Davidson, but he has time to blow dog whistles. While draping himself in the ignorance of Donald Trump’s themes of racial division, bigotry and disregard for the rights of others to peacefully protest, Walker’s calls to be honorable and stand up ring hollow. Because when police officers have made egregious decisions, like those that led to the death of Derek Williams in the back of a Milwaukee squad car, Walker didn’t speak about respect or honor, and he definitely didn’t stand up.

Clearly he missed the memo, so I will give it to him again. Kneeling has nothing to do with the military, never has and never did. In fact, it was Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer who asked Colin Kaepernick to "take a knee," rather than sit, during the national anthem. STOP trying to co-opt the message! The kneeling was to protest police killings of unarmed African Americans. I don’t know, like Botham Shem Jean, who was shot and killed by a Dallas police officer who mistakenly entered his apartment. Other bullets on the memo include, prior to 2009 NFL players being on the field for the national anthem wasn’t even a required practice. Also there are some lyrics in the song, that some African-Americans have found to be objectionable. Like, the reference to former slaves being killed on the battlefield.

Everyone else may not hear it, but Walker’s decision to weigh in deeper on this issue is coming through loud and clear. I would appreciate it, if both the Governor and Lt. Governor Kleefisch would not use this issue as political fodder to stir up racial division and angst in our state. Wisconsin already does a pretty good job at segregation. With racial disparities in everything from education to incarceration, we need leadership, not a Twitter fight.”