http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/clergy-sexual-abuse-s440.jpgAppointment of Archbishop Filippo Iannone is a reversal on progress toward zero tolerance.

MILWAUKEE - We start with the on-going invasion of many Wisconsin communities by energy and water sucking data centers. While profiting Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and Big Utilities these projects threaten to accelerate runaway climate change and spike already unaffordable utility prices. While state and local economic development boosters, including the Evers Administration, throw public money at data centers without considering the massive environmental costs and limited economic impact, a few brave communities are standing up in places such as Menomonie and Caledonia. We need to refocus public policy on addressing the climate crisis, not economical development boondogles that light the planet on fire. We encourage people to attend this Sunday’s Climate March at the Capitol in Madison at Noon.

Meanwhile Trump, Vance, and their minions rush to politicize the violent attack on ICE office in Dallas before the facts are in, blaming Democratic and left wing truth-telling about the abuses of Trump’s immigration crackdown. There is a problem with political incendiary language, that it comes from the President, Vice President, and MAGA, not elected progressives and mainline Democrats. We talk about the potential of a government shutdown, and the Trump Regime impact in Wisconsin this week, including Derrick Van Ordin’s demand to cut off federal dollars to the City of Eau Claire, Ellsworth, and Mayo Clinic in retaliation for social media posts.

Citizen Action Board member and former state Representative Sandy Pasch joins us to warn our listeners about a terrible new bill in Madison that restricts free speech in the name of fighting antisemitism by making legitimate and First Amendment protected criticism of Israel into hate speech. The bill is yet another authoritarian attempt to empower government crackdowns against civil society groups and free speech. Sandy calls for our listeners to reach out to their state representatives and senators to oppose AB 446, and support alternative legislation that meaningfully addresses antisemitism.

Finally, we welcome Chris Gooding, Theology professor and union leader at Marquette University, to update our listeners on the Jesuit university’s union busting in the name of God. We discussed how this anti-union strategy spread this month to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where the university walked away from negotiations with their workers, prompting outrage on campus and a strike vote.

Listen to the show.

Contact your state legislators weekday, 8am – 5pm at 1-800-362-9472.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers this week visited University of Wisconsin (UW) System campuses statewide to welcome educators, students, and staff back to campus for the 2025-26 school year. During the visits, the governor highlighted his work to secure over $250 million for the UW System over the next two years, the largest increase for the UW System in nearly 20 years. Gov. Evers also fought to secure over $1.2 billion in the 2025-27 Capital Budget for critical infrastructure projects on UW campuses statewide, including projects at UW-Madison, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Stout, Milwaukee, Platteville, and Stevens Point.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/jimmy-kimmel-talks-2025-s441.pngFree speech dies when leaders get to decide what’s “acceptable,” and America is one tantrum away from making that mistake.

MILWAUKEE - On this week's show Robert Kraig is joined by special guest co-host State Senator Chris Larson. Robert & Chris discuss the shameful effort of the Trump Regime to use the brutal murder of Charlie Kirk as a pretext to unleash the full force of the federal government to crack down on progressive groups, celebrities such as Jimmy Kimmel,  and millions of everyday Americans exercising their First Amendment rights on social media. Next, we preview the 2026 elections in WIsconsin where governing power is in play. Does this consolidation of authoritarian power call for different kinds of candidates and a new politics in the Democratic Party? Finally, Chris & Robert dig in on the latest state news, including the Evers Administration's efforts to protect access to COVID vaccines, and the decline of an alternative to predatory corporate health insurance.

Listen to the show.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/trump-jan6-attack2.pngRepublicans can’t condemn political violence while excusing the January 6 insurrection, worshiping Trump, and pardoning insurrectionists. Hypocrisy this deep isn’t just ugly, it’s dangerous.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address, celebrating National Clean Energy Week in Wisconsin. Gov. Evers proclaimed September 15-19, 2025, as “National Clean Energy Week” across the state, highlighting the importance of building a robust 21st-century clean energy economy in Wisconsin that supports green jobs, bolsters the health of our state, and ensures the clean, sustainable future Wisconsinites deserve. A copy of the governor’s proclamation is available here.

GREEN BAY, WI — State Representative Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D–Green Bay) is urging colleagues in Madison to choose action over symbolism by fully funding Wisconsin’s homeless veteran shelters and supporting long-term services through the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP).

MILWAUKEE - We discuss the murder of Charlie Kirk this week and how despite the shooter still being at large (as of our tapping of the show), many in the MAGA movement rush to make political hay, including Wisconsin’s Derrick Van Orden, with some even calling for retribution against progressives and the news media when the killers motives are still unknown. This is both dangerous, and distracts attention from lack of gun laws and mental health interventions to make the public safer.

Turning to much better news, we focus on the organized fight back against factory farm pollution in Western Wisconsin by local residents with the support of (GROWW) Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin. We talk about the critical role this authentic brand of community organizing can play in rebuilding our democratic institutions.

We announce Citizen Action’s involvement in a Climate March at the State Capitol, Sunday, September 28th @ 12 Noon, which is to national climate actions around the country. Robert updates us on Caledonia residents pushing back against another data center and the politics behind it. We also discuss a federal court blocking enforcement of EPA Ozone Standards in Southeast Wisconsin. Why is a Democratic AG siding with the business lobby?

We take an early sneak peek at the 2026 elections, where more Democratic candidates have entered in the last month. Finally, the controversy continues on charges that Senate Democrats are picking primary candidates and trying to squelch competitive primaries.

Listen to the show.

RSVP for the Climate March, Sunday, September 28th, Noon.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address welcoming students, educators, and staff back to school for the 2025-26 school year. This week, Gov. Evers kicked off his annual statewide back-to-school tour, meeting with students, families, educators, and staff as they begin the school year and highlighting his administration’s work to secure increased investments for Wisconsin’s kids and K-12 schools in the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget.