Representative Melissa Sargent and Senator Jon Erpenbach explain how important it is to override Governor Walker’s veto of Wisconsin Election Commission staff.

MADISON - To make our elections run securely and accurately, we need to repair the damage to the Wisconsin Elections Commission caused by Governor Walker’s veto last month, which removed five necessary staff from the Commission.

The simple reality is when government staff positions are eliminated, the services provided by those staff are also eliminated. Whether it is a snowplow driver, daycare license compliance officer, professor, veterans home nurse assistant, or an elections specialist, cuts to staffing or funding cause services to suffer. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has been at the receiving end of many staffing cuts, and with Governor Walker’s veto of five additional staff provided by the Legislature in the budget, our election system will simply not function as we need it to.

Our Elections Commission staff investigate complaints of fraud and misconduct in elections, but they are also in charge of the integrity and security of our elections systems. Among their many responsibilities, the Elections Commission is charged with communicating with and training our local election officials. We have a unique system for elections in Wisconsin: they are run from the local level with 1,853 municipal election clerks and 72 county clerks, and even though we have a statewide voter list, it is the partnership between our local and state election officials that truly makes sure our elections are secure and accurate. The Elections Commission provides all of these local officials need to know every change to the law that impacts elections, and trains these local officials on the process, laws, technology, court decisions and security of our elections.

Governor Walker issued his veto of the staff and told the Wisconsin Elections Commission to hire limited-term employees and contract employees. The Elections Commission will undoubtedly do everything in their power to “make it work” and come back to Legislature to request funding for staff in the next budget, but that doesn’t do much to ensure the integrity or security of our elections in the meantime. The Wisconsin Elections Commission should have the minimum staff they say they need to effectively and securely run elections in Wisconsin.

That is why we are co-authoring a bill restoring five full-time staff members to the Elections Commission—back to where the Commission was before Governor Walker’s veto—a provision that Republicans voted for in committee and on the floor of the Legislature. Yet, most Republicans did not sign onto this legislation despite supporting it mere months ago. We should at least restore the Elections Commission staff to the level provided for in the Legislature’s budget, which ensures election integrity and security in Wisconsin.

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Written by Senator Jon Erpenbach, 27th Senate District, and Representative Sargent, 48th Assembly District

MILWAUKEE - The FoxConn deal just gets worse and worse.

This week, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) delayed voting on the deal because they found a problem. They won't tell us what was wrong, but one member of the board described the problem as a "nuclear bomb."

Wow.

Earlier this year, Andy Gronik said that if he were a board member, and Governor Scott Walker brought him the Foxconn deal as a CEO, he'd fire him -- and the WEDC is proving that he would have made the right decision.

We don't know how bad the mistake in the contract is, because the WEDC is keeping it private, and the voting will happen in a closed session. That's not how it should be. With a deal this controversial and this critical to Wisconsin's future, we all should get a chance to see what we're signing up for.

Andy Gronik is calling on the WEDC to publicly release the FoxConn contract, and hold a public session for feedback on the deal. Join him and add your name to the petition.

In the effort to ram the Foxconn deal through, lawmakers almost signed a contract that "would not have protected taxpayers whatsoever."

You read that right -- lawmakers were more focused on another big corporation coming to Wisconsin than the hardworking folks who already live here.

As a successful progressive businessman, Andy Gronik has walked factory floors with workers and has appraised hundreds of manufacturing businesses. If Governor Walker had taken the same approach and listened to the workers of Wisconsin, he'd know that this deal isn't right.

That's why the WEDC should seize the opportunity to listen to hardworking Wisconsinites for feedback by publicly releasing the deal and holding a hearing to listen to workers.

Add your name now to demand a chance to see the deal that will impact Wisconsin for years to come. Join Andy Gronik.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/healthcare2-s5.jpgCandidate for Governor Mike McCabe talks about getting everyone in Wisconsin access to high-quality and affordable medical insurance.

This week, Trump and Walker's sneak attacks on health care, the $3 billion Foxconn giveaway, the Governor and the NFL, and more...

STATEWIDE - This week the panel digs into Donald Trump and Scott Walker's reckless sneak attacks on health care, before turning to potentially explosive developments in the $3 billion Foxconn giveaway.

We then discuss Scott Walker's soft announcement for re-election through a misleading video, the Governor's bizarre attempted intervention into the NFL national anthem protests, and finally Cory Mason's victory in the Racine Mayor's race.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #316

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Citizen Action Press Clips

MADISON - This afternoon, perhaps even while you’re reading this, I’ll be testifying at the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety hearing on the so-called “riot” bills. Here’s my prepared statement:

WDC testimony in opposition to ‘riot’ bills

These bills are such dangerous assaults on our freedoms of speech, assembly, and association that I urge you to contact your legislators and tell them to vote no on the bills.

You can contact them by calling the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-362-9472 (266-9960 in Madison). The riot bills in the Assembly are AB395, AB396, and AB397, and their Senate companions are respectively SB303, SB304, and SB305.

There’s another dangerous proposal that is circulating: It would allow property owners and developers to fill in one million acres of our wetlands! Fortunately, a promising coalition of outdoors groups has come together to blow the whistle on this one:

Hunting, trapping, and wildlife groups oppose wetlands bill

And in an amusing and unusual development, two of the biggest business lobbies in the state are in a little spat:

The big boys fight in Wisconsin over ‘Dairyland’ name

Finally, I want to share with you the remarks I made last Friday night in Gays Mills, when I spoke to a great crowd of 50 people at an event sponsored by the Crawford Stewardship Project:

The assault on science and democracy

It’s long, but I hope you can plow your way through it, since I address the grave threats to our democracy, right here in Wisconsin, and nationally.

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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P.S. We depend on your financial support to do this urgent work of exposing the problem of money in Wisconsin politics, defending our First Freedoms, and standing up for democracy. So please send us a tax-deductible gift by clicking here. Thanks!

Sen. Janis Ringhand talks about Senate Bill 215, to expand and improve our current Family Medical Leave Law and create a Family Medical Leave Insurance Program.

MADISON, WI – Senator Janis Ringhand (D-Evansville) 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 Janis Ringhand with this week’s Democratic radio address.

“Senate Democrats are committed to supporting ideas and policies that increase the economic well-being of all Wisconsin families.

“Democrats have authored a plan, Senate Bill 215, to expand and improve our current Family Medical Leave Law and create a Family Medical Leave Insurance Program.

“Expanding our Family Medical Leave Law to allow employees to take time off time to care for not only themselves, a spouse, child, parent, domestic partner, in-law but also grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings makes sense and reflects the make-up of modern day families.

“Our bill allows workers to take up 12 weeks off if they become seriously ill or need to care for a sick family member without facing the threat of losing their job.

“Furthermore, Senate Bill 215 creates a Family Medical Leave Insurance Fund so employees can set aside money to use when they are forced to take time off because of a serious illness or to take care of a loved one.

“Not enough workers have access to paid Family and Medical Leave through their employer. Senate Bill 215 creates a new benefit for workers in every part of Wisconsin by enabling them to care for their families and keep their jobs in the event of a medical emergency.

“Creating a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program will save businesses money and provide economic security for workers. This common sense solution does the right thing for Wisconsin businesses, workers and families.”

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/walker-terry-gou-foxconn-flag-s5.jpg$3 billion deal continues to be negotiated in secret.

We discuss Trump's latest attempt to sabotage ObamaCare, charter schools in Wisconsin, and Scott Walker panning an industrial hemp bill by GOP legislators.

STATEWIDE - This week we dig into Donald Trump's latest illegal attempt to sabotage ObamaCare, and a new initiative by Legislative Democrats to reign in price gouging by prescription drug corporations.

We evaluate a shocking move to expand charter schools in Wisconsin coming from a surprising source.

We also bat around a bizarre statement by Scott Walker panning an industrial hemp bill being moved by GOP legislators, Trump's arrogant response to the climate disaster in Puerto Rico, the latest Foxconn follies, and the right wing attempt to punish cities which respect the basic human rights of immigrants.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #315
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Citizen Action Press Clips

Madison – Today, State Representative Jill Billings (D – La Crosse) offered the following Democratic Weekly Radio Address regarding legislative Democrats’ “Wisconsin Way Forward” agenda.

The audio file can be found here.

The video file can be found here or viewed below:

A written transcript of the address is below:

Hello. I’m State Representative Jill Billings with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.

Now that the state budget has been signed into law, my Democratic colleagues and I are looking forward to digging back into the issues that affect Wisconsinites’ daily lives, and there are a number of bills we are eager to review and pass.

The Democrats’ “Wisconsin Way Forward” legislative agenda is built around fairness, opportunity and community, and the bills we have proposed back these values. A number of these bills have been on stand-by for months, and, with three available session days this week, I was disappointed that the majority party did not call us into session.

One of Democrats’ main goals this session is to promote fairness by building an economy that works for everyone. To address this issue, we have introduced legislation that would restore tax fairness by cutting taxes for the middle class, working families and seniors. Similarly, we believe Wisconsinites should have greater workplace flexibilities which is why we have put forth a bill that would expand paid family leave.

Our economy depends on creating opportunities for our young people to succeed and keeping them in Wisconsin after graduating. This is why we prioritize fair funding for our public schools and legislation like our “Higher Ed, Lower Debt” bill, which aims to relieve the financial burden of students who chose to pursue university and technical college degrees.

We know our communities are stronger when everyone is allowed fair opportunities, which is why the Democrats’ main objective is to get back to work on passing legislation to help Wisconsinites in every corner of our state. The decision not to call session this week is a missed opportunity that prevents us from getting back to the work our constituents elected us to do. Democrats are ready to work, and we are calling upon our Republican colleagues to join us.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/mining-openpit-wi-s5.jpgNative Americans, originating from the Great Law of the Iroquois, have approached conservation decisions made today as ones that should benefit the people seven generations from now. Today, we seem to be rushing towards a new era, one where promises of the past are cast aside in the name of eliminating obstacles for business.