Citizen Action Weekly
Citizen Action Weekly; Friday, January 21st

Citizen Action Weekly; Friday, January 21st

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Friday, January 21st 

1st Year of Biden Administration has Benefited Wisconsin

This week is the 1 year anniversary of the Biden Administration. While there is real upset among progressives over the stalled voting rights and Build Back Better legislation, one full year of an administration focused on investing in working people has helped Wisconsinites weather the economic disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan, signed in March of 2021, is a historic investment that provided a vital lifeline to Wisconsin working families helping them weather the economic storm unleashed by the global pandemic. Under president Biden:

  • Over 2.9 million Wisconsinites received direct payments of up to $1400 to help pay rent, keep food on the table, and meet other necessities of life
  • Over 46,000 jobs have been created in Wisconsin
  • Over 1 million Wisconsin children benefited from the Child Tax Credit, which cut child poverty by 40%, the most ever achieved in American history.
  • Wisconsin workers received a much needed pay raise. Wages in Wisconsin have increased by $0.52 per hour.
  • Health insurance premiums for a family of 4 under the Affordable Care Act were reduced by $611 per month, freeing up family resources for other necessities.

In addition, President Biden is still working to pass major elements of the Build Back Better plan that would have a transformative impact in Wisconsin. Although this is now unlikely to pass in one package, large pieces of the agenda are still expected to become law.

  • Build Back Better would vault Wisconsin into the growing green economy while responding forcefully to the climate crisis. Nearly 75,000 new jobs would be created in Wisconsin by the proposed climate investments making homes and businesses more energy efficient. This would especially benefit low income communities in Milwaukee, especially communities of color, who disproportionately live in energy older energy inefficient homes. (This would provide the resources to enact major elements of the plan being developed by the Milwaukee City-County Task Force on Climate & Economic Equity).
  • The Child Tax Credit would be extended, maintaining the historic 40% reduction in poverty.
  • BadgerCare Expansion would be achieved by federal legislation, filling a long standing coverage gap for working Wisconsinites.
  • Extra subsidies to lower premiums under the Affordable Care Act would be extended.
  • Creating good jobs for underpaid caregivers. Home care, which is delivered predominantly by women, many of whom are women of color, is historically underpaid, creating a dangerous shortage in Wisconsin of caregivers for seniors and people with disabilities. Build Back Better would create 24,000 jobs in Wisconsin, and make these for the first time living wage jobs.
  • Wisconsin parents with 2 children would save nearly $8,000 per year in child care costs.
  • Every 3 and 4 year-old in Wisconsin would receive high quality pre-K.

TAKE ACTION 2022 ELECTION:
Tuesday, January 25th, 6pm to call critical 2022 WI voters

Citizen Action’s Professional Deep Canvass Field Team is running volunteer deep canvass call parties on Tuesday evenings.

JOIN us next Tuesday, January 25th at 6pm to call important 2022 voters.

Learn more about our revolutionary Deep Canvass model and make calls to important voters in key legislative districts about healthcare, climate, education, and other issues. Share your stories and connect with voters to help expand the progressive voting base for 2022–one deep canvass call at a time. Each session starts with a short deep canvass training to build participant skills. Consider this your invitation to Party With the Pro’s!

Sign up!

Citizen Action attends Fair Maps Rallies in Wisconsin Friday, January 21st

Driftless Co-op leadership teams are looking to bring more voices to the table!

The Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Co-op has an exciting variety of campaigns planned for 2022. We will be focused on growing our membership so we can fight for clean water, make sure our schools take action on climate, activate climate activists from UWL, protect small farms, fight for social justice and win elections!

If you want a seat at the table join the co-op and join one of our co-op issue teams!

Our rural issue team meets the second Tuesday of the month, at 6:00 PM, via Zoom. Our first meeting of 2022 is TONIGHT! These are our leaders working to protect our clean water, expanding broadband coverage, protecting small farms, and giving voice to rural progressives!

Our co-op leadership team meets the fourth Sunday of each month at 6:00 PM via Zoom. This team is the backbone of our co-op. These are the super volunteers and the planners. This team helps to design our local issue campaigns, help plan our events, and so much more.

If you would like to join the Driftless Organizing Co-op or join an issue team please contact Ben Wilson at [email protected]. If you live in Southwest Wisconsin and you are not a member of the Driftless Co-op you can join here. Your membership helps make our progressive policies a reality in the Driftless Region!

Invited candidates announced for Citizen Action’s Milwaukee Mayoral Candidate Forum, Saturday, Jan. 29, 9am, virtual through Zoom. 

The next City of Milwaukee Mayor must be someone who works with the people of Milwaukee to make progress on racial justice, to address climate change and the energy burden put on communities of color, to ensure that everyone has access to a well paying job and the transportation to get to that job.

Join us and the top candidates to hear their vision for the future of Milwaukee. We have invited Earnell Lucas, Marina Dimitrijevic, Lena Taylor, and Chevy Johnson to participate. This event is part of our endorsement process.

RSVP today!

Appleton Task Force Releases Final Report on Climate Recommendations 

On Wednesday, the Appleton ​​Task Force on Resiliency, Climate Mitigation and Adaptation with the Appleton City Council. Here a just a few of  their top recommendations

  • Create a Climate Resiliency staff position to assist in city planning with an eye on mitigating climate impact and coordinating efforts with neighboring counties;
  • Establish a Climate Change advisory commission, made up of community members, to continue the work started by the task force;
  • Pass a resolution committing to renewable energy goals and transitioning to 100% renewable energy sources by 2040;

The City of Appleton has already taken a critical step in creating that future. Thanks to the work of the City Task Force on Resilience, Climate Mitigation, and Adaptation, the community has a strong list of recommendations to follow that will reduce Appleton’s Carbon Footprint. Now is our time to act and let our elected officials know that now is the time to act and do their part to combat climate change!

If you live in the City of Appleton and want to show your support, you can sign our petition by clicking here and contact your alder by clicking here! Make sure to click how you would like to take action when you see submit your petition!

Check out the full story by clicking here!

Citizen Action in the News

Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on a news radio station in Indiana to debate voting rights and the filibuster in response to this week’s events in the U.S. Senate. Listen Here.

Listen to “Rigged Games” This is NOT that podcast

Our panel features journalist Isiah Holmes from the Wisconsin Examiner and Rafael Smith and JoAnna Bautch from Citizen Action. It’s a New Year, a new mayor, and old voting district maps. In this episode we go over some of the news as 2022 gets going. With an upcoming mayoral election, we take a look at the current playing field of candidates. From there, we ask the question of whether electoral politics are worth the work organizers put in, given that victories can sometimes be few and far between.

Listen now

Listen to “The Cause of Democracy: 1 year into the Biden Administration” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

Our panel reflects on the 1 year anniversary of the Biden Administration, taking stock of his governing successes and failures trying to manage a global pandemic, economic disruption, and an on-going right-wing insurrection. We review the record COVID case rates in Wisconsin last week, as the City of Milwaukee passes a new mask ordinance and Ron Johnson holds a Washington, DC event packed with medical quacks and other vaccine deniers. We welcome Shawn Phetteplace from Wisconsin’s Main Street Alliance to discuss the latest effort by Legislative Republicans to cut worker unemployment Insurance, access to healthcare, and food stamps in the name of putting people back to work. Shawn tells us what policy changes would actually help small businesses and workers in Wisconsin.

Listen now!

Social Media post of the week

 

 

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