Citizen Action Weekend; Friday, August 12th – Sunday, August 14th
Citizen Action is hiring a Healthcare organizer. Are you passionate about making a difference and want to help build power to fight for a better healthcare system? Come work for us.
Citizen Action Applauds Senate Passage of Historic Climate Change, Health Care, and Tax Fairness Legislation
Citizen Action applauded the passage in the U.S. Senate of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 on Sunday afternoon by a 50-50 vote (with VP Kamala Harris casting the deciding vote).
We are also expecting the passage of the Act in the House of Representative today (Friday, August 12th) and eventual signing by President Biden.
The legislation is the first climate change bill in American history actually up to the scale of the problem. With the deadline of 2030 to reduce greenhouse emissions by 45%, the legislation puts the U.S. on track for the first time to meet its vital climate commitment. The legislation invests $369 Billion in preventing runaway climate change, reducing greenhouse emissions by an estimated 40% by 2030.
The legislation also makes necessities such as health care and energy more affordable, helping to address rising prices for working and middle class families. The legislation prevents a large price increase scheduled for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for 2022, and for the first time authorizes Medicare to negotiate with big drug companies over prices.
Its large-scale climate investments will also reduce energy prices by replacing fossil fuels which can be manipulated by Big Oil and by foreign dictators with much more affordable clean energy. It invests in the necessary conversion to Electric Vehicles (EVs) which cost consumers 80% less than gasoline for conventional automobiles.
Finally, the legislation forces billionaires and multinational corporations to pay more of the fair share in taxes, by implementing a 15% minimum tax on all booked profits for large companies.
“Taken together, the breakthroughs on climate, health care, and tax fairness in the Inflation Reduction Act are one of the greatest legislative breakthroughs of the last half century,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “While this is a great accomplishment in an evenly divided U.S. Senate, it also gives voters a down payment of even greater advances than can be made in 2023 if we can elect more progressives to Congress and create a true governing majority.”
Huge Victory for Mandela Barnes in Democratic Senate Primary
Citizen Action heralds the U.S. Senate Primary victory of Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes this week as a major step towards electing a truly representative Congress that can advance work in the interest of working and middle class Wisconsinites.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin, after a robust endorsement process, endorsed Mandela Barnes as the best candidate both to inspire the voter turnout needed to unseat incumbent Ron Johnson in November, and once elected to bring a breath of fresh air to the U.S. Senate.
“We stand behind Mandela Barnes because he has proven again and again that he’ll fight to guarantee health care for everyone in Wisconsin that can never be taken away, address the threat of climate change in a way that creates a more equitable economy that lifts all boats, and stand up to anyone who threatens our Democratic institutions and the right to vote,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin.
The election of Mandela Barnes in November would also be a major advance for racial inclusion. Barnes would be the 12th African American ever seated in the U.S. Senate, and Wisconsin would become only the 8th state to be represented by an African American senator.
Citizen Action applauds primary victory of Lt. Governor candidate Sara Rodriguez
Citizen Action endorsed Sara Rodriguez as the best candidate to fill the void that will be left by the departure of Mandela Barnes to run for U.S. Senate. Citizen Action pointed especially to Rodriguez’s background in health care as a huge asset to the working people of Wisconsin.
“We believe that Sara Rodriguez, because of her passion for assuring that every one in Wisconsin has access to high quality affordable health care, will be a valuable partner for Governor Evers in his second term,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Just as current Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes spearheaded the climate agenda advocated by Governor Evers, we believe Sara Rodriguez can play a similar role in advancing health care reforms that address the access and cost crisis facing working and middle class Wisconsinites.”
North Side Rising and Citizen Action is excited about Darrin Madison’s Assembly District 10 primary win!
Thanks to all who turned out to canvas in 95+ degree weather on Saturday to knock hundreds of doors for Mandela and Darrin Madison.
Now we need to prepare to turn up the heat for the November 8th General Election. Mandela Barnes will need our help to win the U.S. Senate and so will other candidates.To join our community effort contact: Valerie Ricks: 414-416-3348 [email protected]
Citizen Action Gets Out The Vote for the Primary
The Choice is Clear: Vote Mandela Barnes by Tuesday, November 8th
Citizen Action in the news
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram Radio Show for the full hour to debrief the Wisconsin primary results, and look ahead to the big battle for control of Wisconsin state government and Congress. Listen here.
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Stan Milam Radio Show to discuss the huge breakthrough on prescription drug reform in DC. Listen here.
Listen to the “Historic primary election and Congress finally goes big” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
We debrief the seismic shifts in Wisconsin politics reflected in this week’s primary election, which saw a 40 year turnout high, and perhaps a permanent shift in the balance of power in the Wisconsin GOP. On the Democratic side, progressives continued to gain ground in primaries (including democratic socialists, and U.S. Senate nominee Mandela Barnes became a great hope for staving off a red wave in Wisconsin and nationally in 2022. Does Wisconsin hold the key to saving American democracy? At the same time, the Inflation Reduction Act, the historically bold climate, health care, and tax reform bill expected cleared the Senate Sunday and is expected to pass the House on Friday. It reflects Democrats making the most progress in 50 years possible given the current composition of Congress (with some very unfortunate but necessary concessions to Senators Manchin and Sinema).
Listen to the show.
Social media post of the week
