Citizen Action Weekend; Friday, July 29th – Sunday, July 31st
Friday, July 29th – Sunday, July 31st
Citizen Action is hiring an organizer for the Driftless Organizing Cooperative.
A Big Week for Citizen Action Electoral and Reform Priorities
This was one of the best weeks for Citizen Action’s top priorities in recent memory!
First, Citizen Action endorsed candidate Mandela Barnes took a huge step towards securing the nomination in the critical Wisconsin U.S. Senate primary that could determine the balance of power in Congress and the prospects for progressive reform. Three top contenders (Tom Nelson, Alex Lasry, and reportedly on Friday Sarah Godlweski) departed the race, greatly improving the odds Mandela will be the candidate to take on insurrectionist incumbent Ron Johnson. But the race is far from over and Citizen Action members across the state are mobilizing to Get-Out-The-Vote for Mandela on August 9th. (see Citizen Action volunteer opportunities below).
Second, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) reached a shocking deal with Conservative Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) on bold climate, health care, and tax fairness legislation. During the first two years of the Biden Administration, Citizen Action has focused more attention on federal policy than we have in over a decade, with a special focus on climate, health care, and tax fairness. If enacted in early August, the compromise proposal, appropriately titled the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, will be the most far reaching climate legislation in American history, putting us on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40%! It will also lower skyrocketing prescription drug prices and extend critical subsidies that make health care premiums more affordable under the Affordable Care Act.
Third, after 14 months of planning and intense policy development with progressve champions, Citizen Action leaders and two key Milwaukee Public School (MPS) School Board members (Marva Herndon and Bob Peterson) announced a bold Climate and Economic Equity Resolution that would transform Milwaukee’s aging public school infrastructure and connect MPS students to good jobs in the fast growing green economy. Our press conference Tuesday received great local and state media coverage, and on Thursday evening the resolution passed 7-0 (see article below).
Also listen to this week’s Citizen Action Battleground Wisconsin, which discusses all three advances in detail. [add link here]
Get Out The Vote Door Canvass for Mandela Barnes
Green Bay information and RSVP; contact: [email protected]
Eau Claire information and RSVP; contact: [email protected]
Wausau information and RSVP; contact: [email protected]
Milwaukee contact: [email protected]
Get Out The Vote Phone Calls for Mandela Barnes,
Wednesday, August 3rd, 5-8pm
Citizen Action North Side Rising leaders join Milwaukee Public Schools Board Directors in support of NEW Climate & Economic Equity Resolution
This Tuesday Milwaukee Public School Board Directors, Citizen Action North Side Rising leaders unveiled a bold new Climate & Economic Equity resolution for Milwaukee Public Schools. The resolution, co-sponsored by MPS School Board Directors Bob Peterson and Marva Herndon, commits MPS to meeting global greenhouse reduction targets, and joining with the the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to work on communit-wride climate transition.
The resolution also commits MPS to working to create a green transition where MPS graduates have the opportunity to land fast growing living wage jobs in the green economy.
North Side Rising members Irva A Corbett, a retired MPS Teacher and William Prichard, MPS Graduate & Green General Contractor spoke at the event. You can watch the entire event here.
The event received great local and state media coverage. See especially WTMJ 4 Milwaukee and Wisconsin Public Radio.
The Resolution passed 7-0 Thursday evening, and Citizen Action North Side Rising Co-op member Rachel Marken testified at the school board meeting.
Read the entire Resolution (MPS Resolution 2223R-007).
Meet North Side Rising Member, Irva Corbett
Have you ever heard the expression that people don’t change?
NSR member and retired MPS educator Irva A. Corbett has been committed to the education of children for decades. She shared an insightful and passionate speech at the Milwaukee Public Schools Climate & Economic Equity Resolution Press Conference. And then she asked for the money.
“In my experience, in order for a program and a project to be taken seriously and be sustained, it must become a line item in the budget. It is only when dollars are secured that real change can occur,” Corbett said.
You can join Irva and get active with North Side Rising. Contact Val: [email protected]
Meet and Greet with new Citizen Action Northeast Coop Organizer and Canvassing for Mandela Barnes, Saturday, August 6th, 10am
Natalie Hoffman (she/they) has j ust started in early July as the new Citizen Action Northeast Co-op Organizer! They are looking forward to building power in the region and connecting with co-op members and affiliates.
Natalie is hitting the ground running with a Meet & Greet and Barnes Canvassing Event, Saturday, August 6th.
After the meet and greet there will be an opportunity to canvass for Citizen Action-endorsed Senate candidate Mandela Barnes. There will be a brief canvass training starting at 11:00am. Please feel free to come to either the meet and greet or canvass, even if you cannot make it to both. Natalie is so excited to get the chance to meet with all of you and support a progressive champion during this critical election season!
Let us know you’re coming by RSVP’ing HERE.
Investing in our people: 3 days of honing our organizing skills
Four of Citizen Action co-op organizers and one co-op steering committee member attended a 3 day training last week by the Wild Project, a leadership development initiative that seeks to cultivate our greatest resource—people—as a source of renewal for our world.
We honed our skills around leveraging our own stories to make change, building strong teams that grow our capacity, and creating strategic campaigns that are rooted in shifting the balance of power in Wisconsin.
Our organizers are as ready as ever to get back on the ground in their regions to build community and leadership amongst Citizen Action members and beyond!
Medicare/Medicaid Turns 57! Celebrate in Madison with us on July 30th.
July 30, 2022 marks the 57th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, the two biggest government health insurance programs in the nation created by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. Together, these programs provide coverage and services to over 150 million people in the United States, including 1,200,527 Medicare enrollees and 1,347,486 Medicaid enrollees in WI.
Right now, Congress is poised to take action that makes historic improvements to lower prices and make healthcare more affordable for millions. Urge Congress to finish the job by passing Rx negotiations, extending APTC tax credits and closing the Medicaid coverage gap.
Stop by our shared table with PNHP at the Madison Farmers market to celebrate with us. We will be at the King Street point of the square. We will have a program and cupcakes at 11.
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action generated great media coverage of the launch of the Milwaukee Public Schools Climate and Economic Equity this week. The resolution passed the school board 7-0 Thursday evening. See especially a fantastic story on WTMJ 4 Milwaukee and excellent coverage from Wisconsin Public Radio.
New Citizen Action organizer Keviea Guiden was quoted in a Milwaukee Public Radio story on a protest against WeEnergy for delaying the closure of its greenhouse gas spewing coal-powered power plants. Keviea is Citizen Actions new Energy Burden organizer, and will focus her work in Citizen Action’s new African American led North Side Rising Organizing Co-op.
Citizen Action’s Executive Director Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram radio show for the full hour to discuss the big developments in the Wisconsin U.S. Senate primary, the MPS Climate and Economic Equity resolution, and other topics. Earl’s show is broadcast from 8 AM to 11 AM in the morning weekdays on the new progressive talk radio station in metro Milwaukee, WAUK 540 AM. Listen to the entire interview here.
Listen to a “Special Interview with Angelito Tenorio” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
We welcome Citizen Action’s endorsed candidate for State Treasurer, Angelito Tenorio, to talk about his grassroots campaign to win the primary election on August 9th. We discuss the huge news this week that Tom Nelson, Sarah Godlewski, and Alex Lasry ended their campaigns for Senate and endorsed Mandela Barnes, leaving two viable candidates and a new dynamic to the race. In other huge news, is there really a Manchin deal on climate, health care, and corporate taxes which brings President Biden’s domestic agenda back from the dead? The new Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 may pass as early as next week. But is the national media right it is a done deal, or is the other obstructionist Sen. Kirsten Sinema waiting in the wings. Robert educates us on the significance of the Climate and Equity Resolution for the Milwaukee Public Schools.
Listen to the show.
Learn more about Angelito Tenorio for State Treasurer.
Donate to Angelito.
Social media post of the week
