Weekend ’24 February 2nd
Become a member of Citizen Action today.
Join the Citizen Action Northeast Organizing Co-op’s Healthcare Action Team Meeting, Monday, February 5th, 5pm!
Next week the Northeast Co-op will be starting up its monthly healthcare action team meeting and we want you to join us! We will be meeting on Monday, February 5th from 5:00pm – 6:00pm over Zoom and will be discussing our push for a hearing on BadgerCare Public Option, as well as strategies for collecting healthcare stories. Sign up below to attend and get involved with our local healthcare advocacy work!
Citizen Action hires Kat Klawes as new Milwaukee Climate Coordinator.
Kat Klawes is the new Milwaukee Climate Coordinator. Kat has been with Citizen Action since June of 2023 as the Southeast Wisconsin Co-op Organizer. Kat has over a decade of experience in grassroots organizing and policy.
Kat will be working on a new campaign for Citizen Action related to climate change and decarbonization.
Want to connect with Kat to learn more about her work? Email [email protected].
Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Co-Op Members Join Media Round Table on Social Security
On January 31, 1940 the first social security check for $24.75 was dispersed to Ida M. Fuller. 84 years later Wisconsinites must join together to demand that Congress protect social security, medicare and other critical programs.
Hosted by Opportunity Wisconsin organizer Wyatt Elliott, we gathered to discuss the current state of social security, current efforts to make cuts to the program and how we can protect Social Security benefits for future generations. Also in attendance was La Crosse County Board Supervisor and Citizen Action Member Peg Isola, Citizen Action Organizer Kristie Tweed, For Our Future Organizer Bess Werner and Driftless members Deb Cromer and Penny Fassler.
While 3rd CD Congressman Derrick Van Orden publicly promises his constituents that he won’t cut benefits, behind closed doors he has supported bills that would raise the eligibility age. That cuts benefits, unfairly targets low income workers and is completely unnecessary.
The social security tax cap currently stands at $160,200 so a person making less than that is paying 6% of their income while millionaires are paying nothing on income over that cap amount. The Congressional Budget Office called it “regressive” saying it unfairly burdens low to middle income workers. Eliminating this cap is the easiest way to keep the program solvent for generations to come.
Just last week the Biden administration made their plan public to change the cap, leaving incomes from the current cap up to $400,000 untaxed but then implementing the tax on any income over $400,000 a year. The also propose a raise to both the primary insurance amount and the special minimum benefit for lifetime lower-wage workers,
Call or email your congressperson and tell them no cuts to social security and no to raising the age. We should be expanding, not cutting benefits. Find your representative here!
To find out more about the Driftless Co-Op or become a member, please call or email me; Kristie Tweed, Driftless Co-Op Organizer, 608-317-1331, or [email protected].
Attend Black History Month Trivia, Thursday, February 29th, 7pm
Join Citizen Action members, led by the Southeast Wisconsin Co-Op for Black History Month Trivia on February 29th, 7pm.
This event is co-sponsored by Citizen Action, For Our Future WI, and Citizen Action. Tune in for trivia and talks from black elected officials on celebrating black history month.
Attend Citizen Action’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, Monday, March 11, 6pm
Join us for a joyous celebration of 40 years of powerful organizing at Citizen Action of Wisconsin! We will break bread and toast the proud (and often hidden history) of Citizen Action, and consider our critical role in the fight to save and restore multiracial democracy.
Citizen Action executive director Robert Kraig is researching our history (much of it preserved at the Wisconsin Historical Society) and will present his findings on our history.
Monday, March 11th, 6:00 PM
Enlightened Brewing, 2020 S Allis St, Milwaukee
We will also be celebrating in La Crosse, Wednesday, March 13th, 5:30pm at Big Al’s Pizza; Wausau, Thursday, March 14th, 5:30pm at the Labor Temple; Green Bay, Thursday, March 21st, 5:30pm at the Greater Green Bay Labor Council; and Eau Claire, Tuesday, April 30th, 6:00pm at The Coven.
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on The Earl Ingram Show for the full hour to discuss the state of play in the redistricting fight, voter suppression, and other breaking political news.
The Earl Ingram Show airs on the growing Civic Media radio network from 8 AM to 10 AM weekdays. Robert is the regular guest every Wednesday 9 AM to 10 AM.
Listen to “Reviving our sick democracy will improve our health” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
The national media is touting a Child Care Tax Credit that passed the House of Representatives Wednesday, but long time child poverty advocate Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan voted no. Why were the champions of President Biden’s Child Tax Credit against this bill? What does the bill have to do with more big tax breaks for self-dealing corporations? Next we dissect the details of the latest state Legislative GOP tax cut for the wealthy, where taxpayers with incomes under $100,000 (59.6% of all fillers) would receive only 26.4% of the cut and taxpayers with incomes of $100,000 or more (40.4% of filers) would receive 73.6% of the cut!
Gov. Evers rightly vetoes the latest GOP Legislative maps, as Republicans press Janet Protasiewicz to recuse herself from the challenge to the state’s Congressional maps. Robert tells us more about a Calumet Co. Judge ruling that factory farms may not avoid DNR permits and the GOP pushing constitutional amendment to ban preferences for historically marginalized groups.
We look at Wisconsin Republican efforts to support TX Governor Greg Abbott’s nullification of federal immigration law. Finally we discuss some real solutions to the sudden and dangerous closure of major hospitals and clinics in Chippewa Valley.
Listen to the show!
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