STATEWIDE - The GOP health care zombie bill is back and worse than ever! We discuss the latest conservative effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and welcome Healthcare for All Cooperative organizer Katie Dunn to discuss next Monday’s 1:30pm rally in opposition to the GOP repeal plan at Sen. Ron Johnson’s Milwaukee office.

We also welcome Cooperative organizers, Jeff Smith and Joel Lewis, to discuss the Western and North Central Wisconsin Organizing Cooperatives, including member-led organizing on health care, CAFOs and green energy jobs.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #312

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Citizen Action Press Clips

In budget after budget, Republicans in control of our state have failed our children by denying them adequate funding for their education.

MADISON - Today, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Evers, reminded all of Wisconsin of the importance our public schools have in our communities. This annual address comes just days after the passage of the largest budget in our state’s history. Despite spending a record of $76 billion, our kids were not a priority.

Superintendent Evers reminded us that budget after budget, Republicans in control of our state have failed our children and put their future in jeopardy by intentionally denying them adequate and equitable funding for their education.

Under Walker and the GOP, our state’s commitment to our neighborhood schools has plummeted. The state budget signed by the governor today marks the second-lowest percentage of state general spending on education of the last 12 state budgets. With the passage of the 2017-2019 state budget Wisconsin has dropped below the national average in per-child funding.

In his speech, Superintendent Evers recognized the vital role our schools play in ensuring access to the most basic needs: food, reliable transportation, health care, and a supportive environment. If Wisconsin finally accepted our share of the Medicaid expansion, our community schools would be able to offer our children critical services to reduce roadblocks to learning. I applaud his leadership and offer my full support to the effort to provide safe, supportive learning environments for our kids.

As noted by Superintendent Evers, Wisconsin has a long way to go to restore our schools to the pre-Walker era; however, the citizens of our great state have stepped up along the way.

Faced with years of budget cuts to our local schools, over a million of our neighbors have voted through referendums to invest more in their local neighborhood schools to offer their children, community, and state the brightest possible future. We are truly stronger together. It is time those in power hear the call of the people and finally realize there is nothing more important than our children.

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This statement was made by Senator Chris Larson regarding the State of Education speech given by State Superintendent Tony Evers on Thursday.

GOP approach to run up credit card debt and pay 21% of every dollar just to pay interest shortsighted. Sen. Tim Carpenter calls for Special Session this October to fix oversights.

MADISON - State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) today released the following statement regarding Governor Walker's abysmal failure to address Wisconsin's DOT Budget fiscal crisis.

“Governor Walker ignored his fiscal responsibility in eliminating JFC oversight on the $252 million dollar I-94 North/south freeway expansion.

Unfortunately, Republicans proved their political priorities by supporting $28.3 million in pork projects and earmarks, like the $4 million taxpayer dollars for a Wisconsin Rapids golf course airport expansion that caters to corporate republican campaign donors, over of increasing urgent local road aids by 51%.

It's not the fiscally responsible conservative approach to run up credit card debt and now pay 21% of every dollar just to pay interest.

I request Governor Walker call a Special Session this October to finally address Wisconsin's DOT burgeoning Budget Crisis. Our transportation system is simply too important to fail our tourism, agriculture and manufacturing jobs industries. Wisconsin drivers don't deserve third world road conditions because of Governor Walker's political games.”

Senate Republicans force Wisconsin taxpayers to spend a record $76 billion, but fail to address problems with local schools, roads, and student loans.

MADISON - Senate Republicans continued to pick winners and losers this week forcing Wisconsin taxpayers to pay up to $3 billion in cash payments over the next 15 years to a Chinese corporation with a less than stellar record when it comes to the way in which it treats its workers and the environment.

Nowhere was this better reflected than in the state budget where they spent a record $76 billion but failed to adequately address any of the serious issues facing working families and the middle class.

While 47 millionaires get yet another tax cut, Governor Walker and the Republicans failed to fully fund our public schools and continue to give even more taxpayer money to unaccountable private schools.

Despite Wisconsin having some of the worst roads and highways of any state in the nation, the Governor and Republicans decided yet again to kick the can down the road meaning drivers will face longer delays and drive on increasingly worse roads.

The nearly 1 million Wisconsin residents struggling to pay their student loans will have to wait even longer for relief as Republicans continue to oppose a low-cost plan to help them refinance their student loans at lower interest rates.

After voting for the largest taxpayer giveaway to a foreign corporation in our nation’s history, today’s action by Senate Republicans clearly shows whose side they are on. And it’s not the side of working families or the middle class.

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State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) released this statement after the passage of the State Budget Friday.

$79 billion worth of decisions leave transportation funding crisis, education inequalities, rural broadband, health care needs, and desperate local governments unaddressed.

MADISON - In one week, Majority Party members in the Senate made $79 billion worth of decisions for the Foxconn deal and state budget. But our transportation funding crisis, education funding inequalities, rural broadband, health care needs, and desperate local governments remain unaddressed and disregarded.

Sadly, it feels like we just robbed Peter to pay Judas.

There was no attempt to shore up our finances in this budget for the $3 billion approved for Foxconn. It begs the question; what cuts are in store for schools, health care and property tax increases in future budgets?

Majority Party members have been tripping over each other for months to pass a budget. I cannot vote for this budget that fails to fix our broken school funding formula and doesn’t come close to acknowledging the seriousness of our transportation debt crisis.

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State Senator Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) released this statement regarding State Senate action on the 2017-19 State Budget bill.

The negative effects shown by this continued ‘values deficit’ in education go counter to Wisconsin’s proud heritage.

MADISON – How we choose to invest in our children is one of the most important and critical parts of our state budget. I strongly believe one of core pillars of what makes Wisconsin a great state is our dedication to a great education system, where every child has access to a quality education.

It's such a part of who we are that it's actually in our state Constitution. Wisconsin must renew this value of supporting our local public schools, as it is crucial to strengthening our communities and state.

The budget, crafted by the Republican majority, continues to shortchange our children. After nearly $1 billion in historic cuts to the K-12 system, the Republican majority has chosen to continue their attack on our public schools by failing to make them whole. Wisconsin families count on us to do our job so that all of our children have the best education possible. At $76 billion, the largest budget in state history, this anemic K-12 budget shortchanges the future of our kids and grandkids.

The negative effects shown by this continued ‘values deficit’ in education go counter to Wisconsin’s proud heritage. For the first time in modern history, Wisconsin has dropped below the national average for per-child funding. Rejecting our responsibility and constitutional commitment as a state to adequately fund our local schools to allow them to provide a quality education is a dangerous betrayal of a generational promise that has brought the opportunity for prosperity to our state. To make it worse, this budget also allows for a massive expansion of the unaccountable voucher program.

We can and must do better for our kids. Under an amendment offered by Senate Democrats, every single one of our Wisconsin school districts would see a stronger investment, allowing them to ensure our kids reach their full potential and have a shot at the American Dream. Republican’s ignored our neighbors and reject this amendment. I hope they will come to their senses later during the budget debate and support our amendment that would provide real accountability and transparency in the private voucher program.

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This statement from Senator Chris Larson was released regarding the Republican rejection of a brighter future for our kids through an amendment offered by Democrats in the 2017-19 state budget.

Conservative candidate thinks government-run health care is foolish.

BROOKFIELD, WI — Nurse, state senator and U.S. Senate candidate Leah Vukmir issued the following statement Tuesday about Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s support for Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” health care bill:

“It’s no surprise to me that Sen. Baldwin supports socialized, government-run health care along with Bernie Sanders. Rather than working to identify the problems with our health care system, she’d rather raise taxes and throw more money at it. We cannot afford $1.4 trillion in new spending when our national debt is already more than $20 trillion.

“Sen. Baldwin has been running around the state saying that ‘health care is personal.’ Well, it is personal, that’s why government-run health care is foolish. It’s so irresponsible even Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, refuses to endorse the plan. I want health care that focuses on patients, allows for customized plans, provides choices and drives costs down through competition.

“Wisconsin has been a leader and an innovator in these kinds of solutions. It’s time for the federal government to get out of health care so states like ours can once again make it personal for patients.”

Baldwin’s support for new Medicare for All legislation, the budget, Foxconn, and the change in leadership among Assembly Democrats.

STATEWIDE - We discuss Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s support for new Medicare for All legislation introduced this week in the U.S, Senate. Baldwin's forward looking vision is in sharp contrast with Sen. Ron Johnson and his conservative colleagues who introduced yet another effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The panel talks about the long delayed special interest laden state budget that passed the assembly on Tuesday and now heads to the Senate for final rubber stamping. We also review the latest on Foxconn, including Kenosha’s clear minded decision to pass on the boondoggle.

Finally we discuss the change in leadership among Assembly Democrats and Paul Ryan’s confession over the debt consequences of his own tax plan.

MADISON – Today, Rep. Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska) offered the Democratic Weekly Radio Address on the Republican budget that passed the Assembly:

"It’s frustrating that after so many delays, we ended up with a budget that gives away hard-earned taxpayer dollars to a select few while raising taxes on hardworking families.This isn’t fair and it doesn’t make economic sense," Rep. Doyle said. "If the Republicans would just sit down and work with the Democrats, we could do great things for Wisconsin."

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here, and the video can be found here. 

A written transcript of the address is below:"Hi, I’m Representative Steve Doyle with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.

"On Wednesday, the Majority Party in the Assembly passed a budget that was nearly three months late. This new budget doesn’t fill the funding hole created in our public schools over the past six years. It doesn’t contain a long-term funding solution to fix our crumbling roads. It doesn’t help Wisconsinites access affordable, quality health care and it doesn’t help students who are burdened by their college debt. And instead of strengthening our economy, this budget will actually slow down wage growth for Wisconsin workers.

"It’s frustrating that after so many delays, we ended up with a budget that gives away hard-earned taxpayer dollars to a select few while raising taxes on hardworking families.This isn’t fair and it doesn’t make economic sense.

"Democrats worked hard to make this budget better. We really wanted a bipartisan budget that works for everyone. We offered amendments to lower taxes for middle class working families. We wanted to invest in infrastructure, like our roads, bridges and broadband. We advocated for our public schools that educate 86 percent of our children. We promoted BadgerCare and wanted to make health care affordable and accessible for all. We supported plans to do more for our communities by protecting clean drinking water and investing in the tools to keep our communities healthy and safe for our families and our children. 

"If the Republicans would just sit down and work with the Democrats, we could do great things for Wisconsin. They chose not to and that is really unfortunate. We missed the opportunity to do something really meaningful for our state and that is truly unfortunate. 

"I’m Representative Steve Doyle."

MADISON – State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) today released the following statement regarding the absurdly overdue republican state budget.

“Now that they have the great Foxconn distraction out of the way it is time for Republicans to actually focus on the funding of our state. With complete control of state government the dysfunctional Republicans are now 77 days late on delivering their budget and Wisconsin is one of only two states to not pass a budget on time as required by law. I will be on the floor of the Senate bright and early Friday morning ready to debate the misguided priorities in their budget. The question remains, will they? According to Majority Leader Fitzgerald the answer is apparently anyone’s guess. If the controlling party can find it within themselves to actually pass this budget, I would be particularly eager to hear them justify the pork for campaign contributors, earmarks, and special interest favors they’ve included. Alternatively, if the Majority Party continues to refuse to govern, maybe it’s time for them to try something novel. Maybe it’s time for them to reach out to Democrats, work with us, include our ideas and priorities in this budget, and get something done for the people of Wisconsin.”