Progressive Thinking

The worst are funded by political action committees like Restoration PAC and Americas PAC, along with out-of-state special interest Koch brothers groups. We need to support campaign finance regulations that ensure truth.

GREEN BAY, WI - Once again, we are being bombarded with negative political ads, often filled with half-truths and outright lies. I am disgusted by the attack ads being levied this year against gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers and Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin.

The most egregious ads are funded by political action committees like Restoration PAC and Americas PAC, along with out-of-state special interest Koch brothers groups. They have spent millions on negative false advertisements designed to promote their conservative agendas. Their philosophy that "the end justifies the means" continues to threaten, and possibly destroy, our democracy.

Unfortunately, Wisconsin allows a candidate to petition donors asking them to contribute unlimited money to a third-party group that can then spend anonymously on the candidate’s behalf. This allows the candidates like Scott Walker and Leah Vukmir to trash their opponents without being held personally responsible for the content of the ad.

We need to overturn Citizens United and be smart about what we see and hear, be vigilant in researching outrageous claims in these ads and demand candidates promote themselves and their values and only compare themselves to opponents with fairness and facts.

Media outlets need to be more concerned about content and truth than their profit and apply the same rules and regulations requiring honesty and factual proof of claims to political ads that is required for brand advertising.

Finally, elected officials need to clean this mess up. Wisconsinites need to support campaign finance regulations that ensure truth, transparency and integrity in all advertising.

Every Wisconsin citizen needs to know what steps they must take to vote and their voting location, so Sen. Vinehout writes about the process of voter registrations and voter ID to help people prepare for the November 6th election.

MADISON, WI - “I talked with a group of women in Galesville,” my friend Mary Lee told me. “They were full of questions about the election, like when is it, where do I vote, how do I find out if I’m registered?” Mary is one of many folks helping to make sure people know and when to vote.

She told the women the election is November 6th. She also told them to check their registration and voting location at www.MyVote.wi.gov.

Wisconsin laws regarding elections have changed. For example, changes were made to absentee voting. Our state also has some of the strictest voter identification laws in the country. However, court decisions did require some changes to that law. To make sure you are up to date on requirements, visit the Wisconsin Election Commission at www.elections.wi.gov.

The Wisconsin Election Commission has a wealth of information about voting. If you don’t use the Internet, you can reach the Election Commission by phone at 1-866-Vote-Wis. You can also reach out to your municipal or county clerk.

Mark Koehler, a student at UW-Madison, is helping new voters register on campus. “The endless questions I’ve been asked about registering show how difficult the process of voting has become in Wisconsin,” he shared with me.

You can register in-person at your municipal clerk’s office up until Friday, November 2nd. You can also register at the polls on Election Day. When registering you must bring a Proof of Residence documentation that includes your current name and current address, such as a lease or electric bill. Wisconsin law requires you to reside at your current address for at least 10 days prior to the election. Temporary absence from your current address does not affect residency as long as you intend to return.

When you vote, you must bring an approved photo ID. Acceptable photo IDs include a driver’s license or state-issued ID card. You can use a driver license or state ID card receipt for those whose license is revoked or suspended. A valid Veterans Affairs ID, U.S. Passport, Military ID, Tribal ID, Certificate of Naturalization are all acceptable.

If you don’t have a photo ID, you can get one for free at a Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office. The Elections Commission website outlines what documents you need to bring such as a birth certificate and proof of current residence. Under the ID Petition Process, the DMV will provide a document with your photo which can be used for voting. If the election is soon, the DMV will send your photo ID by overnight delivery.

Students can use a student ID for voting, but you must also have enrollment verification. A student ID is only valid for voting if the expiration date is not more than 2 years from the date the card was issued. Different colleges approach ID cards in different ways which makes it difficult for student to know exactly what IDs are acceptable.

I unfortunately hear from some folks who believe their vote doesn’t matter.

Many races in Wisconsin are very close. For example, in 2010, I won my State Senate race by one vote per ward. Without my presence in the State Senate, there would not have been 14 Senators who left Wisconsin to slow down the passage of Act 10. Just a vote per ward in western Wisconsin changed our history.

As a result of Act 10, and the budget that followed, public schools suffered historic cuts. According to a study by the non-partisan Wisconsin Budget Project, legislative leaders still haven’t fully restored state aid to public schools.

Perhaps this is why school referenda are on the rise. According to the recent issue of the Wisconsin Taxpayer, voters will decide on more than one-billion in new taxes to pay for schools in November. If approved, 2018 could be the highest year on record for referenda to increase property taxes.

State and local races have a real impact on our lives. Who becomes our Governor, who has majority control of the Legislature determines what priorities move forward. These decisions affect our local communities.

“Despite these [voting] obstacles,” Mr. Koehler wrote, “it is as important as ever to make sure people use their voice and strongly encourage one another to register, make a plan, and get to the polls on November 6th.

The collaborative work of eight states and two Canadian provinces, members of the Great Lakes Compact, protects and enhances the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world despite the potential challenge of large water withdrawals by Foxconn and other businesses in Wisconsin.

MADISON - Our Great Lakes hold twenty-one percent of all the world’s fresh surface water. Wisconsin has over 1,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline. More than half our population lies within its watershed. The Lakes provide us with many opportunities for recreation, commerce, transportation, and immeasurable occasions to enjoy their immense beauty.

Folks are worried about protecting our Great Lakes. Particularly when the state rushed through, about a year ago, a very large corporate subsidy to a Taiwanese company. David Hon of Eau Claire was one of many who wrote, “The environmental exemptions proposed are unfair to the companies that have had to struggle through permitting for good reason. … [Environmental protections] are there to protect what little is left of natural resources in that part of the state. I’m concerned the Great Lakes Compact would be substantially violated.”

The Great Lakes Compact protects our Great Lakes. This agreement between the states and Canadian provinces that border the Great Lakes is enshrined in law.

Wisconsin recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of the signing of this law.

Across the world, citizens worry about where their water will come from and how it will be kept clean. Fear that others would look to divert the water from the Great Lakes, inspired leaders to collaborate to protect our region’s incredible water resource. Leaders of areas bordering the Great Lakes formed an agreement between eight states and two Canadian provinces

The anniversary of the Great Lakes Compact is a great opportunity to remember why this arrangement exists and how we all benefit. It also reminds us of the challenges we face while protecting our Great Lakes.

According to Bridge a publication of the Center for Michigan, the Great Lakes Compact was forged over five years. The Compact was approved by all eight states bordering the Great Lakes. The Wisconsin State Senate took up the Compact on May 15, 2008. I recall, as a rookie Senator, reading the 250-page bill. Next to the state budget, the Compact was one the most complex pieces of legislation I voted on. The Compact was signed into law by President Bush on October 3, 2008.

The Great Lakes Compact was not limited to just protecting what we have, but it was also designed to improve the Lakes. This work is accomplished through Wisconsin’s Great Lakes Strategy and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. According to the Great Lakes Commission, more than $330 million was invested for more than 400 protection and restoration projects in Wisconsin.

A new report coordinated by the University of Michigan and a host of economists and others showed that every dollar invested in the Great Lakes Initiative project produced $3.35 of additional economic activity.

The benefits come back to us in many ways, including recreation, tourism, and commercial navigation. Study authors pointed to an “emergence of a new type of tourism focused on kayaking, kitesurfing and paddle-boarding; improved quality of life, as indicated by a willingness to pay more for housing in coastal areas; and increases in the number of young people who are choosing to stay in or relocate to Great Lakes communities.”

Among many parts of that 250-page bill, the Compact stops new or increased diversions of water from outside of the Great Lakes watershed. One exception is for communities where part of the community is inside the Great Lakes basin. These communities are known to “straddle” the watershed border.

The Foxconn deal challenges this agreement.

Almost ten years to the day of Compact’s passage in Wisconsin, environmental groups filed a formal legal challenge that Wisconsin violated the requirements of the Compact with the Foxconn deal. In addition to this challenge, both New York and Illinois raised questions about the nearly 6 million gallons a day that Foxconn is expected to withdraw from Lake Michigan.

Our Great Lakes Compact is “regarded as one of the most significant public water policy achievements in the world,” author Peter Annin recently told Bridge. “You wouldn’t even be grappling with these questions [of Foxconn] if you didn’t have the Compact.”

Congratulations to all those who worked on the Compact in 2008, including the DNR, advocacy groups, lawmakers, and Governor Doyle. Join me in learning more by reading Mr. Annin’s book, “The Great Water Wars.”

Avoid Gov. Scott Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel's sleight-of-hand politics. Gabriel Gomez, Shyla Deacon, Julie Henszey, Kriss Marion, Dan Kohl and Erica Flynn want to get back to representing YOU.

MILWAUKEE, WI - The political season is in full on misdirection with Governor Scott Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel competing to be the next sleight-of-hand winner on America’s Got Talent.  Walker’s trick is convincing Wisconsinites he cares about preexisting conditions while suing to declare Obamacare unconstitutional, while Schimel’s trick is convincing women he cares about sexual assault while thousands of rape kits sat on the shelf untested until Josh Kaul forced the issue.  Let's get back to being Wisconsin by voting for Tony Evers for Governor and Josh Kaul for Attorney General on November 6th.

We have lots of other great candidates on the ballot that I hope you will take a few minutes to get to know, including: 1) Gabriel Gomez, 2) Shyla Deacon, 3) Julie Henszey, 4) Kriss Marion, 5) Dan Kohl and 6) Erica Flynn.  These people want to get back to representing YOU.

Gabriel Gomez for Wisconsin State Assembly District 21

I first met Gabriel to brainstorm about a process to assist Milwaukee residents in preparing for successful job interviews.  Gabriel’s life experience includes his family fleeing the military dictatorship in Argentina when he was a child; living in Israel and working on a kubutz; being issued a gas mask to protect against the possible deployment of chemical weapons; moving with his parents to Texas; and enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve.  Gabriel and his family moved to Milwaukee for a job opportunity with Badger Meter.  A graduate of the UW-Milwaukee Executive MBA program, Gabriel was motivated to run for office because he recognizes the need for real economic development that will help families working 2 and 3 jobs and still struggling to get by.  He will advocate for common-sense gun laws that reduce gun violence and for public education that gives all children the tools to succeed.  Please join me in supporting Gabriel Gomez by donating to his campaign, voting for him on November 6th, and asking all your friends to do the same.

Shyla Deacon for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors, District 1

With four beautiful children of her own, Shyla is dialed into the educational needs of all children attending MPS, but especially tuned into the unique challenges faced by children of color.  Shyla is currently a Wisconsin Impact Partner for Children’s Mental Health, Board Member and Policy Council Chair for Next Door Foundation, and a member of the Early Education Task Force for the City of Milwaukee. With a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Policy & Community Studies and a Master’s degree in Cultural Foundations of Education, Shyla is an informed and activated leader who understands the importance of early childhood education, the unique social and emotional needs of children attending MPS, and the necessity to strengthen the academic performance of neighborhood schools.  Shyla is uniquely qualified to serve and will be an informed seat at the table. Please join me in supporting Shyla Deacon for MPS Board of Directors by donating to her campaign, voting for her on November 6th, and asking all your friends to do the same.

Julie Henszey for Wisconsin State Senate District 5

Julie is an endurance athlete with the strength of conviction to push her way up the mountain to help so many Wisconsin residents faced with adversity.  She entered this race to fight for every voice in Wisconsin and to embrace the diversity that strengthens our state.  Julie is a Fulbright Scholar who has mopped floors, tended soybean fields, worked on a factory assembly line and run her own small business.  When we first met, I was impressed with Julie’s passion and crystal-clear brand of candor.  She’s a smart and inclusive leader who recognizes what healthy and growing small businesses mean to Wisconsin’s economy.  She stands for a strong system of public education and a clean environment.  Please join me in supporting Julie Henszey for State Senate by donating to her campaign, voting for her on November 6th, and asking all your friends to do the same.

Kriss Marion for Wisconsin State Senate District 17

If you want to experience “dynamic,” just attend any event where Kriss is in the room – her passion for everything is inescapable.  She’s passionate about small towns (she’s from one), family farms (she farms one), main streets (she’s an entrepreneur) and Wisconsin’s natural resources (she wants everyone to enjoy them).  A member of the Lafayette County Board, Kriss is committed to reducing suicide among farmers and boosting local economies.  She co-sponsored the “Cookie Bill” which (finally) allows home bakers and budding entrepreneurs, to make some money to help make ends meet.  When I met Kriss I instantly wanted to support her passion to make living in Wisconsin better for everyone, and you will too. Please join me in supporting Kriss Marion for State Senate by donating to her campaign, voting for her on November 6th, and asking all your friends to do the same.

Dan Kohl for U.S. Congress in Wisconsin’s 6^thDistrict

Dan Kohl is a strong and smart leader who believes country comes before party and the needs of people come before politics.  Dan’s not a politician; he is not accepting PAC money; he’s pledged to term limits if elected; and he will fight for mandatory term limits to end the trend of career politicians.  Dan will work across the aisle to find essential solutions to the healthcare crisis that has put people throughout Wisconsin at risk of losing their lives or life savings. He’ll be an independent voice fighting for people and not lobbyists.  Please join me in supporting Dan Kohl for U.S. Congress by donating to his campaign, voting for him on November 6th, and asking all your friends to do the same.

Erica Flynn is running for Wisconsin State Assembly District 84

Erica Flynn is as real and genuine as people get.  A first-time candidate, Erica was compelled to run for office because she is determined to help put an end to today’s destructive politics.  Her compassion for people is informed by the sacrifice of her single father who worked nights so his adopted daughter had what she needed to thrive.  Having been diagnosed with pneumonia 50 times, Erica knows the importance of having a healthcare system that works for everyone and brings the experience of having worked in the health insurance and financial technologies industries.  Erica has her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies, has lived in China and still studies Mandarin.   Please join me in supporting Erica Flynn for State Assembly by donating to her campaign, voting for her on November 6th, and asking all your friends to do the same.

It's time to get back to a Wisconsin That Works for everyone!  Together, we'll make that happen.

Let's get it started,

Andy Gronik, Former Candidate for Wisconsin Governor

We acknowledge the exceptional work of the award-winning Legislative Audit Bureau, which is critical to oversight of state government.

MADISON - “As Governor, I would get rid of the programs that don’t work and fund the ones that do,” said a candidate at a forum last summer. I am sure people thought just how would you know that?

Many folks think someone is paying attention to details of state government, but they don’t really know. The way we can know is to study the work of the state auditors. The Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) helps answer questions about the effectiveness and efficiencies of state government.

Recently, the work of the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau was given the highest possible rating by the National State Auditors Association. An independent, external review team, which included auditors from other states and the federal government, traveled to Wisconsin and spent a week reviewing the work of the LAB.

For fifty-three years, the LAB has assisted legislators, agency directors and the people of Wisconsin in answering questions about how money is spent and how programs are managed. The auditors’ work provides answers to questions such as, did the program meet its goals, did the program follow state law, and how was the money spent?

Long before I became a Senator, I assumed that someone was paying attention to all the different functions of state government. As a Senator and member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, I understand the critical role of the LAB in assisting the Legislature with oversight. With a state government of dozens of agencies, hundreds of funds and thousands of programs, the 86 authorized employees of the Audit Bureau have a massive task.

Audits of state government, conducted by the LAB, are approved by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee which is made up of legislators from both sides of the aisle and both houses. The Co-chairs are always of the Majority Party and they determine which audits come to the committee for approval. Auditors depend on lawmakers to attend the hearings, read the audits ahead of time and ask questions. They also depend on lawmakers to share the findings with the public and involve the public and their colleagues in a discussion about solutions to the findings in the audit. To maintain the integrity of the LAB and its work, state law forbids lawmakers from interfering in the audit process.

The LAB also maintains a state hotline on waste, mismanagement and abuse that has some of the strongest whistle-blower protections in state law. That protection provides confidence for those who come forward to help the LAB know where to find problems that need to be remedied.

Audit findings are always accompanied by recommendations to address the problems found during the audit process. Frequently these findings are related to compliance with state law. It is up to the Joint Audit Committee to make sure the agencies follow the LAB recommendations. This work can be much harder than you might think.

For example, the law requires the state’s economic development organization validate that any company receiving money for creating jobs actually creates the jobs. A series of audits detailed that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) was not following the law. When lawmakers insisted WEDC follow the law, the agency director pompously retorted, “We are not in the business of validating jobs.”

A few years ago, after the release of an economic development audit that detailed continued problems, two lawmakers called for the elimination of the LAB. These lawmakers, who called for the demise of the LAB, showed staggering ignorance in the vital functions auditors perform.

Without the LAB’s work, our state would not be able to conduct business with the federal government due to requirements for a review. Nearly thirty percent of Wisconsin’s $76 billion-dollar budget is federal money. Without the work of the Audit Bureau our state could not borrow money or, in state terms, issue bonds. Our state has about $14 billion dollars in bonds (debt).

The LAB staff are the sentinels of state government. They point the way to problems, offer recommendations to solve those problems, and give the “all-clear” that everything is working well.

The staff at the LAB is doing a very difficult job in a way that absolutely deserves recognition. For their exceptional work, we all offer heart-felt congratulations and appreciation.