MADISON - This week Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes discusses our winter weather and offers helpful advice.

Audio File of Radio Address

Hello, this is Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, here to offer the weekly Democratic Radio Address.

Over the last week we’ve endured record low temperatures and heavy snowfall across the State of Wisconsin.

As we continue to monitor developing weather conditions, Governor Evers and I want to extend a thank you to those working at state agencies, as well as our first responders, law enforcement officers, and snow plow drivers for their around-the-clock efforts to make sure we keep the public safe.

We would also like to thank the cities and organizations who have opened their doors to folks in need, ensuring that every person has a warm place to stay in this bitter cold.

It is our top concern that every Wisconsinite stay safe and warm right now.

To find a warming shelter near you, dial 2-1-1 or visit www.211wisconsin.org.

Also remember to avoid traffic if at all possible. If you must travel, please check www.511wi.gov to monitor road conditions and incidents before departing.

Don’t forget to check on a loved one and neighbors as we all seek to stay safe and warm.

As always, it is my honor to serve the people of Wisconsin as your Lieutenant Governor.

Thank you.

Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee) says Citizens of Wisconsin support Governor Evers’ proposals.

MILWAUKEE - Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement regarding the recent Marquette University Law Poll that shows bi-partisan support for Governor Evers' agenda: “Just days after Governor Evers’ first State of the State address, a new Marquette University poll shows just how enthusiastic the people of Wisconsin are for the change that Governor Evers promised.

“This poll shows wide voter support for raising the minimum wage, funding public schools, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, non-partisan redistricting, and releasing prisoners early once they have served two-thirds of their sentence and are no longer a threat to society.

“I agree with Speaker Vos that ‘when voters chose divided government, they didn’t choose inaction’. I hope Speaker Vos and Republicans live up to their words and choose to act on the policies that Wisconsinites care about. Only with bi-partisan support can we prove to our constituents that unlike in Washington, where the unpopular government shutdown shows no signs of ending, we in Madison can get things done.”

Medicaid Expansion, Non-partisan Redistricting, and Public School Funding Highlighted

MADISON – Assembly Democratic Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement after the latest Marquette poll confirmed that the majority of Wisconsinites support the agenda put forward by Governor Evers and legislative Democrats.

“The issues that Democrats have championed for years are the issues the people of Wisconsin care about. This poll confirms that the people we represent want us take the Medicaid expansion, fully fund our public schools, and pass non-partisan redistricting reform. The reason Governor Evers won in November is pretty simple: he listened to the people of our state. Republicans would be wise to join legislative Democrats in governing based on the priorities of the public rather than hiding behind gerrymandered maps to undermine the will of the people.”

Podcast commentary on Gov. Evers, Walker, dark money and the Los Angeles teachers’ strike.

STATEWIDE - We review Gov. Tony Evers’ first State of the State address this week, and the GOP lock step propaganda message in response. We discuss new reporting revealing the Walker campaign and its dark money allies spent an astounding $58 million in 2018 election, and its implications for democracy. We also check in on the latest GOP legislator attack on the Wisconsin Idea. Finally, we welcome Angelina Cruz, president of the Racine Education Association, to discuss the recently settled Los Angeles educators’ strike and the implications for Wisconsin.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #376
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Press Clips

MADISON, WI – Senator Patty Schachtner (D-Sommerset) offered the Democratic weekly radio address highlighting Governor Evers’ State of the State Address.

“In his first State of the State address, Governor Tony Evers laid out an agenda to expand access to health care, fully fund our schools, and provide income tax relief for working families. Governor Evers spoke about the need to connect the dots between the issues facing our communities.” – Senator Patty Schachtner

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here:

http://media2.legis.wisconsin.gov/multimedia/Sen16/SenSchachtnerRadio012419.mp3

A written transcript of the address is below: 

“Hello, I am State Senator Patty Schachtner with this week’s Democratic radio address.

“In his first State of the State address, Governor Tony Evers laid out an agenda to expand access to health care, fully fund our schools, and provide income tax relief for working families. Governor Evers spoke about the need to connect the dots between the issues facing our communities.

“When we invest in small business startups and broadband expansion, we grow our Main Streets. When we preserve health care protections provided under the Affordable Care Act, we empower families. When we do what’s best for our kids, we do what’s best for our state.

“Governor Evers is committed to finding common ground. And, when it comes to health care, schools, and roads, we need to come together to find solutions. Thank you”

Gov. Evers supports legalization of marijuana, what's next? Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s new legal effort to strike down some abortion damaging restrictions.

STATEWIDE - We welcome Eric Marsch, Citizen Action of Wisconsin co-op leader and executive director of Southeastern WI NORML, to discuss news that Tony Evers supports legalization of marijuana. Evers announced this week that as a first step to full legalization he will include medical marijuana in his state budget.

We discuss the junk GOP pre-existing conditions bill that is moving with lightening speed through the legislature, which is much worse than doing nothing.

The panel also reviews Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s new legal effort to strike down some abortion damaging restrictions on women's reproductive health, and looks at the growing negative impact on Wisconsin of Donald Trump's government shutdown fiasco.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #375
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Press Clips

MADISON - This week Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes presents himself to the people of Wisconsin.

Audio File of Radio Address

Hi, I’m Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes.

It’s a new day in Wisconsin with the inauguration of Governor Evers last week, and I’m honored to serve our great state by his side as Lieutenant Governor.

As your Lieutenant Governor, I intend to focus the work of my office on promoting equity and sustainability across Wisconsin.

We have a responsibility to make sure that opportunity exists in every community across our state, because a person’s zip code should not determine their destiny.

I’m excited to work with Governor Evers to improve great access to healthcare, provide great schools in our neighborhoods, invest in our crumbling roads and infrastructure, and ensure sure that clean and safe drinking water is available in all of our homes.

So right out the gate, we’ve been traveling across the state, meeting with community members and talking about how we can come together to address the critical issues that impact every one of us.

What we’ve heard is that people are ready for their elected leaders to set aside political differences, in order to make Wisconsin work together to solve problems- which is exactly what we’re doing.

It’s truly an honor to serve as Lieutenant Governor of our great state.

I look forward to visiting you in your community soon.

Thank you.

ALTOONA, WI - Wisconsin Democrats entered a euchre player in a high-stakes poker game.

We’ll see how that goes. Early signs are worrying, though.

I don’t know much about euchre. Played it a couple of times as a kid. Seemed like a nice, friendly game. But I couldn’t wait to get back outside to play ball.

When I was willing to sit long enough to play cards, it was usually poker. It took no time to learn it’s generally a good idea to hold on to aces. The euchre player just discarded one, making an early concession to legislative Republicans by backing off his plan to eliminate the state’s failed economic development agency in his budget.

Bad opening play.

Bad because it violates the first rule of deal-making: Never make a unilateral concession, never negotiate with yourself. Only give up something when you get something in return.

Even worse, an invaluable trump card is lost and bargaining leverage is surrendered.

The state budget process starts with the governor’s proposal, which will be coming sometime next month. The legislature tears it apart and puts it back together, amending it to lawmakers’ liking before returning it to the governor’s desk. The governor signs it into law, but not before being able to substantially alter the legislature’s preferences with partial vetoes.

The first hand that’s dealt should be played with the final hand in mind. The governor should ask for the moon and the stars. Budgets are first and foremost declarations of priorities. What’s important to spend money on and what’s not. By setting spending priorities, budgets are also vision statements. Proposing a budget is the governor’s opportunity to put dollar signs next to his aspirations for the state.

He won’t get everything he wants, so he should ask for more than he wants. And trump cards need to be held for the final stages of horse trading. I can think of at least two. Both are state subsidy programs beloved by Republicans. Both have been colossal wastes of taxpayer money. Both have been around for years and have failed to produce the promised results.

One is taxpayer-subsidized private schooling, otherwise known as school vouchers. The other is the state’s corporate welfare office, officially called the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Both are miserable failures. Yet Republicans remain deeply invested in them. The governor can single-handedly make them vanish. He can propose eliminating funding for both. Republicans who control the legislature can and will vote to restore funding. The governor can then use his partial veto authority to zero out the funding again, and two-thirds majorities in both houses are required to override those vetoes. Republicans don’t have two-thirds majorities.

This gives the governor considerable bargaining leverage, if he chooses to keep it and use it. If Republicans don’t grant him more than a few of his budget wishes, he makes two of their most cherished pet programs go away. The governor holds some good cards. How he’s able to play his hand depends on which cards he keeps and which ones he throws away, of course.

As the Irish used to say, politics ain’t beanbag. And crafting state budgets ain’t euchre, either.

Visit highlights the contrast with leadership of the past.

MILWAUKEE - Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement on Friday’s announcement that Governor Evers toured the Lincoln Hills & Copper Lake juvenile prison:

Governor Evers and Lt. Governor Barnes conducted a tour on Friday of the troubled Lincoln Hills juvenile prison with Secretary Carr of the state Department of Corrections. Bowen stated, “This stands in stark contrast to the actions of former Governor Walker who neglected to visit once during his tenure, even as the situation deteriorated to the point that an investigation was opened by the FBI.

“No matter what side of the aisle you’re on, we can be thankful for Governor Evers making this trip one of his top priorities in office and showing these youth, advocates, and workers that they finally have a governor who is willing to lead.

“As Ranking Member of the Assembly Committee on Corrections, I look forward to working with the Evers Administration and the other members of this committee to bring bi-partisan transparency to our juvenile correctional institutions. It’s time to further restoration and dignity-based reforms that put an end to the horrors that have been allowed to happen at Lincoln Hills & Copper Lake for far too long,” Bowen concluded.

A repair bill to last session’s legislation is forthcoming and being worked on currently.

MADISON - It’s been a busy start to the new year for us.

Last Wednesday, right after the holiday, we posted something on the NRA’s spending on Scott Walker in the last election, and the media jumped all over it. If you didn’t see the coverage, here’s the original item:

Influence Peddler of the Month: The NRA

Then earlier this week, we posted an article on the controversial powerline in the Driftless Area that American Transmission Co. and Dairyland Power are behind, and we noted that they’d been shoveling money on both sides of the fence:

ATC throws money around in Madison

And on Wednesday, I testified at the State Capitol against “Marsy’s Law,” an effort to amend our state constitution to protect victims’ rights, which sounds like a good idea. But the resolution contains a huge defect, as I pointed out here:

Why Marsy’s Law Is Flawed

I hope you like these postings.

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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