MADISON - In Wisconsin’s recent elections, we saw the ugly results of gerrymandering.

Gov. Evers won by 90,000 votes but still the Republicans gained more seats in the Legislature, coming within a whisker of a veto-proof majority.

And it’s not just because Democrats congregate in Milwaukee and Dane County, like Republicans like to claim.

Take a look at the Evers victory map. He won up in the northwest, taking Douglas, Bayfield, and Ashland counties by about 57 percent each.

And guess what? Those Democratic voters of Douglas, Bayfield, and Ashland counties now have zero representation in the State Legislature.

No State Senator, no Assembly person.

Why?

Because Robin Vos drew the maps not to abide by the county lines but to distort the districts by bringing in Republican voters from nearby red counties.

When he testified about the maps last fall, Vos admitted he “used partisanship” in drawing them. Basically, he confessed to the crime of gerrymandering.

But he bragged that it was legal, so we got to make it illegal.

There’s a huge grassroots effort in Wisconsin to ban gerrymandering. Already, 56 of our 72 counties have passed resolutions and referendums urging the Legislature to outlaw it.

And there’s a huge Wisconsin Supreme Court race coming up in April that will determine the ideological balance of the court. If a justice is elected who believes that gerrymandering undermines the will of the people, as guaranteed in our Wisconsin Constitution, then it’s possible that the Court could ban it.

Please go to fairmapswi.com to follow this issue and to see how you can help.

MADISON - I’m still exhausted from the elections here in Wisconsin, but I’ve tried to make some sense of them, especially in the context of the ludicrous campaign spending and the outrageous racism of the ads against Mandela Barnes.

Here’s the text of a talk I gave last night to the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, where I address those issues, along with gerrymandering and the broader battle for democracy, justice, and freedom ahead:

Campaign Finance Reform and the Work Ahead for Justice

I hope this resonates with you, and I hope you find time to relax and rejuvenate this weekend.

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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MADISON - Obscene amounts of money have been flooding into the race for governor here in Wisconsin.

This money has shattered the old record, with more than a staggering $100 million being spent here on this race. Here’s our post on it:

Spending in Wisconsin Gov Race Smashes Record

For the details on the biggest donors to the campaigns of Gov. Evers and Tim Michels, see these items:

See Evers’s Largest Contributors
See Michels’s Largest Contributors

And for a glimpse at the biggest spenders by the outside “independent expenditure” groups, see this posting:

Outside Spending Hits Horrifying New High

Enough already! We need to put a limit on all this spending because it’s not only splattering our screens with mud, it’s drowning out our voices.

Here at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, we’ll press forward on this crucial issue of campaign finance reform.

You can count on that!

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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MILWAUKEE - We discuss the razor tight Wisconsin election, and ask listeners to challenge themselves to do at least one phone or door shift by November 8th. See our list of GOTV opportunities this weekend (below). We dig into new polling showing combining climate change and the rising cost of living is a great electoral argument. Why are the Democrats not talking about renewable energy and energy efficiency as solutions to inflation? We welcome Antonio Butts, the Executive Director of Walnut Way, for an interview on the new ME Energies coalition against We Energies’ massive rate hike request, and his organization’s intervention in the rate case now pending before the Public Service Commission (PSC). We close the show with our in-house economist Dr. Michael Rosen to review newly released Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau data showing Tim Michels’ flat tax only benefits the richest 3% of Wisconsin residents, while actually raising taxes on everyone else.

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MILWAUKEE - We discuss how self-interested billionaires are dominating the critical U.S. Senate contest, reflecting on the news that Diane Hendricks has so far given $16 million and Richard Uihlein $20 million to pro-Johnson Super PAC. The dark money group is running trashy and racist ads against Mandela Barnes. Similar ads by the WI GOP and other dark money groups have prompted the NAACP to file an FCC complaint over the racist ads and call on Broadcast corporations to refuse to air them. With billionaires setting agenda for voters, does Wisconsin still really have one person one vote?.

Meanwhile in the equally toxic Governor’s race, Tim Michels flip flops on abortion as he schemes to break up DNR and Milwaukee Public Schools. We discuss a proposed merger in the grocery industry that will only make higher food prices worse and Robert debriefs a rally last week against a proposed We Energies rate increase and the energy burden it places on low income families, especially communities of color. We close with progressive economist, Dr. Michael Rosen, to discuss a likely Federal Reserve rate increase. Will the move spark a recession on the backs of the most vulnerable workers, particularly African- Americans? We dig into other potential other options available to President Biden, at a time when Congress has abdicated its responsibility to make economic policy.

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MADISON - Even though there’s more than two weeks before the election, the outside spending has already broken a record, as you probably guessed by all the mud that’s been hitting your screens.

Here’s what we posted on it:

Express Advocacy Groups Break Spending Record Weeks Before the Election

And if you’re interested in how much each candidate has raised or has on hand, just click here:

Campaign 2022: Campaign finance activity in the 2022 fall elections

I also wanted to let you know that my colleague Carlene Bechen, the organizing director for the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, is helping to organize a press conference for National Vote Early Day, next Friday, Oct. 28.

You’re invited to attend to help celebrate. It’s at 9:00 a.m. at the Madison Municipal Building, 215 MLK Blvd, in Madison. The emcee is Earnestine Moss from the League of Women Voters and the NAACP. Speakers include Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway; the Rev. Greg Lewis, president of Souls to the Polls; Debra Cronmiller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin; Greg Jones, president, NAACP of Dane County; Brandi Grayson, executive director, Urban Triage; and Nicholas Ramos, Wisconsin Voter ID Coalition Coordinator for Vote Riders.

And afterwards, if you are an eligible voter that lives in Madison, you are encouraged to vote early.

If you’re in town, I hope to see you there!

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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MILWAUKEE - We debrief Thursday night’s final U.S. Senate debate with Robert who attended in person. Next, we bat around the latest MU Law Poll. Does it show a pathway to victory for Mandela within the control of grassroots activists and volunteers? We discuss the significance of the expected Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Is slowing down the economy and spurring layoffs the way to heal the economy? Robert educates us on the We Energies’ rate hike and how their corporate power is hurting low income people of color and sabotaging the transition to clean renewable energy. We encourage listeners to attend a Milwaukee rally against the WE Energies rate hike this Saturday, 10/15, at Noon. We close with a special interview with Citizen Action’s endorsed State Treasurer candidate, Aaron Richardson, to talk about his campaign.

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MADISON - This week, we started airing a radio ad in Madison, Milwaukee, and Waukesha featuring two Milwaukee Bucks stars – Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez – who are urging people to register to vote, go out and vote, and defend our freedom to vote. Here’s the text of the ad and links:

Two Bucks Stars Urge Citizens to Vote

And here’s a direct link to a 35-second video of the ad.

Please feel free to share both of these widely, especially to any Bucks fans!

Next Thursday, Oct. 13, is likely the last hearing of the U.S. House Jan. 6th Committee before they release an interim report, and we’re co-hosting a watch party. You’re invited!

It’s at Hawk’s Bar and Grill, 425 State St. in Madison, from noon to 2:00 p.m. Here's also a Facebook event page to share.

I hope to see you there!

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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We can begin to right the wrongs of our nation's outdated and inequitable marijuana policy, says Madison Senator.

MILWAUKEE - We discuss Trump-backed millionaire Tim Michels’ self-dealing flat tax scheme that would further undermine the revenue needed for education, health are, and a climate transition, and force working and middle class folks to pay more while the super rich get yet another tax giveaway. Ron Johnson continues to deny Jan. 6th was an armed insurrection, as Wisconsin Democrats work to make the November Election a referendum on the right to an abortion. Robert tells us the deep history and structural causes of for-profit utility foot dragging on climate change, and a new Sierra Club Report gives Wisconsin utilities D and F grades on clean energy. We close with an interview of Citizen Action North Central Organizing Coop member Don Dunphy, who has been working for two and a half years for our “deep canvass” program following his retirement as the Lincoln County District Attorney. Don tells us why talking to important voters this year is “the most important job of his life” and why it is important our listeners should donate to expand the canvass and volunteer with Citizen Action talking to voters who will decide the election.

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