Citizen Action Weekend E Newsletter; Memorial Weekend
Memorial Weekend
Help Us Win a Green New Deal
By: Robert Kraig, executive director
Green New Deal Resolution Reintroduced in Congress: We Must Fight for It
A revised version of the Green New Deal Resolution was recently introduced in Congress, the only federal legislation that both requires Congress to do what is necessary to prevent runaway climate change and to do it in a way that dramatically improves economic and racial equity. This resolution is not radical, it is common sense. I am proud to report to you that Citizen Action of Wisconsin is one of the 35 lead organizational sponsors.
This is a fight we must win! As progressives, we understand that the world is on a short deadline to dramatically cut carbon emissions, or face genocidal consequences. That means cutting emissions nearly in half by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
But the crisis is even bigger than this. Because it is rigged to benefit the ultrarich, the fossil fuel centered economy is generating a double crisis, risking the stability of human civilization while producing rampant economic inequality and outrageous racial disparities.
Given this double crisis of climate change in rampant inequality, you would think elected officials would be competing to offer serious solutions, but our political system has not caught up. While Republicans are the only conservative party in the developed world still denying the threat of climate change, too many Democrats, afraid of the power of big special interests or political attacks, offer at best piecemeal solutions and fuzzy plans not remotely up to the scale of the challenge. Many either do not talk about the climate crisis or soft peddle it.
President Biden has taken the first major step in American history by passing the historic Inflation Reduction Act, but as the President himself acknowledges, we need much more. Representative Alexandria Ocacio-Cortez rightly points out that the Inflation Reduction Act is based on Green New Deal Resolution principles.
The time for politics as usual is over. How can we hope to meet the gravest threat in human history if most of our leaders do not propose immediate action on the scale of the crisis? How are we going to address massive economic and racial inequality without a bold restructuring of our economy made necessary by the climate crisis?
That’s Why We need you to show you agree by donating TODAY to our Green New Deal Fund.
VOLUNTEER with Citizen Action making calls to voters about expanding BadgerCare in the State Budget!
EVERY MONDAY, 3pm – 5pm.
Citizen Action Healthcare For All Organizing Cooperative State Budget Meeting with State Rep. Darrin Madison
Thursday evening Citizen Action of WI Healthcare for All co-op hosted a budget listening session at Riverworks MKE. Residents from the Riverwest neighborhood came out to speak with State Rep. Darrin Madison on a number of key issues concerning the budget.
One key point that State Rep. Madison touched on was how the Governor’s proposed budget contained provisions for making healthcare more accessible. However, it has been removed along with 545 items from the legislature’s version of the budget.
Now is the time to show the governor that he has your support. Join us Mondays for our Lives on the Line phonebank. This will be an opportunity for you to make calls to your fellow Wisconsinites to encourage them to make calls to the Governor.
We are also hosting our Day of Action Canvas on June 17th at 12pm. Do you want to share your personal stake in healthcare? If so, please contact me at [email protected] or 414-687-4300.
Citizen Action walks the picket line with striking CUNA Mutual (TruStage) OPEIU Local 39 union members.
This week union members overwhelmingly voted to authorize an extension of their strike against TruStage in Madison. Support for the union’s strike is growing among the membership and in the Dane County community.
We encourage all members in the Madison area to visit and walk the picket line with your neighbors who need your strong support RIGHT NOW!
We discuss the picket line and the role outsourcing of jobs plays in dispute on this week’s Battleground Wisconsin Podcast. Listen here.
Watch the Instagram video of picket line this Wednesday.
Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Co-Op Update
The Driftless Co-Op had great attendance at our State Budget Event in Holmen, WI with Rep. Steve Doyle. Members and non-members joined us to talk about the state budget and more specifically the failure of Republicans in Madison to accept the Federal Medicaid expansion dollars.
Rep. Doyle explained the budget process and discussed both Ever’s budget proposal and the gutted Republican version. Citizen Action of WI Executive Director Robert Kraig further dove into how Badgercare expansion will cover nearly 90,000 more Wisconsinites and save the state billions of dollars. Great discussion with attendees included clarification on the medicaid gap, medical debt and claim denials.
Tena Quackenbush of Black River Falls was in attendance. She reviewed the event later on social media saying, “What a great event. I attended this event to listen to Steve Doyle and I walked away meeting some really amazing people. Rep. Doyle was absolutely amazing and I got to ask some really great questions. Then I met Robert Kraig. He is highly intellectual and really knows his stuff!” She also stated “I also became a member of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, which I think is a small stepping stone to being more involved with my community.”
We ended the event with a call to action. Asking members to call Gov. Evers and ask him to veto any budget that doesn’t include BadgerCare expansion.
CAW welcomes Tena! The Driftless Co-Op thanks Rep. Steve Doyle and Robert Kraig for taking time to have this important conversation. If you would like to find out more or get more involved in the Driftless Co-Op, please give me a call.
Thank you and please feel free to reach out to me! Kristie Tweed, Driftless Region Co-Op Organizer, 608-317-1331 or [email protected]
Appleton Starbucks Workers On Strike This Week
About a dozen Starbucks workers and supporters were out picketing at the Northland Ave Starbucks this past Wednesday and Thursday. The specific location is the only unionized store in Appleton and has been unionized for about a year. They have been severely understaffed, and that stress is pushing partners to their breaking points.
One partner, Jessica, says she has been scheduled 45-50 hour weeks for a month straight because they don’t have enough employees. She also says the staffing shortages have an impact on health and safety standards, but management will not hire more employees.
Jessica feels that Starbucks is no longer embodying the attitude of “partners first”, and are instead prioritizing profits. This sentiment was a key driver in the partners’ move to strike. “At the end of the day, we have the most power. The store needs everyone, and that means [management] needs to treat us with the respect we deserve.”
Citizen Action stands in solidarity with the striking Starbucks partners.
Attend Citizen Action North Side Rising meeting on safer streets and a greener MKE, June 10th, Noon.
Join Citizen Action North Side Rising, AMANI UNITED, the DOMINICAN CTR, and the Wisconsin Bike Federation for an educational community meeting on how to make our streets safer and community greener through safer street design. Come get educated about the curb bump outs we see all over the city and what that means for “Complete Streets” and our neighborhoods.
Let’s ride, educate ourselves, and eat!!
Join us June 10th, Noon
NSR MKE Bike Week Complete Streets Event
Dominican Center, 2470 W Locust St
Kids & Wheels Invited. Food & Drink available.
Join North Side Rising organizer Maletha Jones for a “Meet & Greet” session this Saturday, May 27th, 10am, at Grace Fellowship, 3879 N. Port Washington Dr., MKE to discuss community issues and solutions. Contact Maletha Jones at [email protected]
Volunteer to knock doors with Citizen Action North Side Rising organizers.
Contact Val at: [email protected]
We are talking to Milwaukee voters about We Energies’ outrageous rate hike, “Complete Streets” to stop reckless driving and green our communities, and expanding access to healthcare in the state budget by accepting federal money for BadgerCare.
Join us in Green Bay to canvass about BadgerCare Expansion!
It’s all hands on deck to get Tony Evers to veto a budget that doesn’t include BadgerCare, and we need your help to get folks to take action! Join us in Green Bay to knock doors and talk with voters about BadgerCare expansion. We will be canvassing on Saturday, June 3rd from 10am-1pm and Thursday, June 8th from 4-7pm.
If none of these dates work but you would still like to canvas, contact Northeast Organizer Natalie Hoffman at (414) 216-1316 or [email protected] for more information.
RSVP for Writing for Advocacy Workshop, BadgerCare Expansion
Bring your pen. Leave with a feeling of accomplishment. During this 60-minute Zoom Workshop, you will write and send a letter to the editor about the need to expand BadgerCare to include thousands of Wisconsinites whose lives are on the line. Childcare providers, home health aides, retail and other low-wage workers often earn too much for BadgerCare–but too little to afford health coverage. Some workers are afraid to get a raise because it means they will lose their healthcare.
When you sign up, we will e-mail you a zoom link. We look forward to writing with you!
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action’s Executive Director Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram Show to discuss the Republican brinkmanship on the State Budget, Shared Revenue, and the National Debt crisis.
Robert appears weekly at 10 AM on the popular show, which is broadcast weekday mornings from 8 AM to 11 AM on Civic Media, a statewide and growing progressive radio network. You can listen on one of these stations, on-line, or if you have a smart speaker “Play WMDX.”
Listen to “Fighting Outsourcing” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
We dive into the precarious “Debt Crisis” drama in Washington. How did the GOP and the media turn it into a debate on “spending,”when Republican Presidents are the ones that ran up the national debt with tax breaks for the ultra wealthy benefactors? Why doesn’t President Biden inject the billionaires tax into the debate? Is the President being outmaneuvered or does he hold the top cards?
We analyze the role of outsourcing in the closure of Master Lock in Milwaukee and the loss of 330 good union jobs from Milwaukee’s African American community. We then discuss the strike by CUNA Mutual (TruStage) workers over the outsourcing of 1200 union jobs in Madison over the years.
The panel autopsies the latest in the state shared revenue debate. Is avoiding a referendum the bottom line for Milwaukee City and County Officials? Do Democrats, local leaders, and GOP Senators really have to accept Vos’ demands or the shared revenue bill will be killed?
We reflect on the three year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police and call for a recommitment investing in what makes us safe. Finally we perform an after action review of Ron DeSantis’ disastrous announcement for President.
LISTEN to the show!
Join the picket line in Madison in support of striking CUNA Mutual workers.
Donate to the OPEIU Local 39 worker strike fund.
Social media post of the week
