Citizen Action Weekend Newsletter, February 28th
Join/Donate Citizen Action of Wisconsin Today!
Climate Accountability Act introduced in Milwaukee this week!
This Monday, Citizen Action members, leading social justice and environmental groups, joined with state Legislators – including co-sponsors State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde and State Senator Chris Larson – to introduce the Climate Accountability Act in Milwaukee at the Urban Ecology Center.
The bill requires Wisconsin for the first time in its history to adopt an accountable climate action plan. The plan requires cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, in accordance with the Paris Climate Accords and the global consensus of climate scientists, a 52% reduction is carbon emissions in 5 years and 100% carbon-neutral emissions by 2050.
These standards are based on Governor Tony Evers’ Climate Task Force.
As President Trump and the federal government is abdicating their responsibility to lead the fight against the climate crisis, it is critical that states like Wisconsin take point on solutions.
Call the Legislative Hotline, toll-free, at 1-800-362-9472 and urge your state legislators to co-sponsor the Climate Accountability Act (LRB-2137)
Read more about Climate Accountability Act.
Take Action in support of Climate Accountability Act.
Take Action in support of Climate Accountability Act.
RSVP for Citizen Action’s Crawford/Underly virtual phone bank, Wednesday, March 5th, 5pm.
RSVP for Hands off Medicaid Town Halls
You may have heard the news already: last night, the federal House of Representatives voted to pass a budget resolution directing massive $2 trillion cuts across the government. These cuts are planned to compensate for major tax breaks President Trump and Elon Musk want to extend to their billionaire allies.
It’s important to note that Medicaid has not yet been cut. The fight continues and it’s time for all of us to get involved. The budget resolution directs the budget outlines for various finance committees, which now will deliberate about how to proceed. The Energy & Commerce committee, which oversees Medicaid, was tasked with an $880 billion cut over the next ten years—approximately 10% of Medicaid’s cost over that time. It is expected that these cuts will come from the program.
Make no mistake: these budget cuts will cost lives. One million Wisconsinites depend on Medicaid (or BadgerCare, its largest program). One in three births in our state and one in three children are covered by the program. One in three people with disabilities and over half of people in nursing homes use it for long-term care. Without Medicaid, people will lose their coverage, lose their homes, and some people will die.
However, there’s room for action. This was a very close vote, and there are months of deliberations ahead. Tensions between ultra-right-wing Republicans who want to slash all government spending and moderates who understand the serious consequences of cutting Medicaid in their districts will need to be managed. Meanwhile, our Democratic representatives need to understand clearly that there is no room for compromise on this issue. Citizen Action of Wisconsin, in collaboration with coalitions across the state, has a plan for jumping into the fight. We need your help.
This is a hands-on fight, not one we can wage solely behind our computer screens. Citizen Action is planning a series of town halls across Wisconsin in March to talk about our plan. We’ll meet, learn about Medicaid and the proposals, hear from local elected officials, listen to people directly affected by the cuts, and answer any questions you have. Then we’ll tell you how we’re getting involved in your local community and how you can join thousands of Wisconsinites at home and across the state.
Here are the events so far:
- Northern WI: Wausau during the weekend of March 22-23. Click here to register.
- Driftless Area: La Crosse on Monday, March 24. Click here to register.
- Northwest WI: Eau Claire on Tuesday, March 25. Click here to register.
Take action today in support of Medicaid!
We will update you with future events across the state or online as we plan them.
Listening Session with U.S. Representative Derrick Van Orden cancelled.
In Western Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District, staffer for Rep. Van Orden, Brian Westrate, cancelled his appearance for a Listening Session organized by Chippewa Valley Indivisible at the public library in Eau Claire on the morning of February 27.
But organizers held a listening session of their own, so folks could share their frustrations with Van Orden and the Trump agenda, and to figure out next steps to resist. Many Citizen Action members were there, along with Northwestern Co-op Organizer Jeremy Gragert, who helped folks advocate against cuts to Medicaid.
Join our Medicaid organizing, contact: [email protected]
Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Coop Update
Nearly 30 people gathered at Ginny’s Cupboard in Sparta last Friday for our HOPE in ACTION – Solidarity in the Driftless event. Top issues included potential cuts to Medicaid and other crucial programs and losing our democracy. Rep. Jill Billings and Sen. Brad Pfaff joined us to answer questions and let us know what they are doing at the state level. There was a lot of excitement to organize and get involved. Thanks to all who attended!
We also discussed our Hands Off Medicaid event coming up in La Crosse on March 24th. More information on that event to come early next week or see the link below!
On March 4th, Driftless members will be traveling to Madison to lobby our legislators on affordable healthcare and climate issues. We are excited and will update you in next week’s Weekend.
Upcoming Events:
- Statewide Phonebank for Susan Crawford – Wednesday, March 5th – Sign Up Here.
- Hands Off Medicaid Town Hall – more information coming soon but early sign up available here.
- Driftless Healthcare Action Team Meeting – TBD (Early April)
Finally, The Driftless Co-Op has gotten so busy and seen so much interest that we will be developing a Driftless Leadership Team. Member Sally Safranski has agreed to be the coordinator and we will begin developing the team after the spring election.. We will be meeting monthly and our goals include organizing training, outreach to potential new members and setting issue campaign goals for the Co-Op. We will also use that time to get updates from our Statewide Team Members. We are looking for members who are already leading efforts in the Co-Op or want to become Co-Op leaders. If you are interested, please reach out to me – Kristie Tweed, Driftless Co-Op Organizer.
In solidarity, Kristie Tweed; Driftless Co-Op Organizer, 608-317-1331 or [email protected]
We Energies Wants Another Costly Gas Plant in Southeast Wisconsin—Take Action!
We Energies, Wisconsin’s most profitable utility, is pushing a new 1,200 MW methane gas plant in Oak Creek—locking us into fossil fuels for decades and making customers pay the $1.2 billion price tag. This comes while we’re still paying off their $2.3 billion coal plant from 2011, which raked in profits for shareholders.
Citizen Action is a proud member of the Power Wisconsin Forward coalition, fighting to stop new gas infrastructure in Wisconsin.
Join the webinar on March 20th at 6 PM to learn more and take action.
The public hearings on the Oak Creek Gas plant will take place on March 25th at 1 PM & 6 PM (virtual and in person).
Email [email protected] to get involved.
Organizing Meetings on “No New Gas” in Southeast Wisconsin
Citizen Action Southeast Co-op Organizer Ruben Aquino and Climate Action Policy Coordinator Kat Klawes have been meeting with community members to discuss proposed gas plants in Southeast Wisconsin.
In Southeast Wisconsin, 5 new gas plants have been proposed in 2024-2025. Gas plants are more expensive than renewable energy sources, are bad for the environment, and cause increases in air pollution that increase rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. The average life of a gas plant is 30-40 years, meaning Wisconsin could be locked into decades of high utility bills and pollution.
Interested in getting connected to our “No New Gas” work? Contact Southeast Co-op Organize Ruben Aquino at [email protected].
Child care funding in state budget focus on panel discussion in Eau Claire
On February 21st, advocates of childcare funding in the state budget got together in Eau Claire for a panel discussion: Julie Betchkal of the Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health, State Senator Jeff Smith, State Representative Jodi Emerson, Chris Hambuch-Boyle from the Wisconsin Public Education Network, and Julia Bennker of the in-home child care center Ms. Julia’s Schoolia. Corrine Hendrickson of Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed (WECAN) moderated the discussion about the importance of funding childcare, explained the current landscape, the devastating reality if the state does not invest, and what will be possible once the funding is provided.
Funding child care is important because our brains are 90% developed by age five. Children need knowledgeable and nurturing caregivers in their lives so they can grow the healthy brains they will rely on the rest of their lives. These knowledgeable and nurturing caregivers who are trained as professionals deserve a professional wage instead of the average $13.26/hour it is right now.
While Wisconsin does not, there are even twelve “red” states that invest in child care, four of which address teachers’ wages (marked with “*”): Alabama, Alaska*, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska*, North Dakota, North Carolina*, Ohio, Tennessee*, West Virginia.
Contact Jeremy Gragert, Northwestern Co-op Organizer, if you want to get involved in Citizen Action’s efforts to advance $500 million in child care funding in the Wisconsin State Budget: [email protected]
Citizen Action in the News
We finally released the Climate Accountability Act with our allies Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde and Senator Chris Larson, the lead sponsors. Citizen Action Northside Rising Co-op Member Keyvette Watkins did a wonderful job connecting climate change to the experience of the African American community in Milwaukee.
See coverage from CBS 58 here.
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig discussed the latest outrages of the Trump/Musk Regime, including the assault on Medicaid, in his weekly interview on the Earl Ingram Show.
Robert is on Earl’s show every Wednesday from 9 AM to 10 AM on the statewide Civic Media Network.
Station list here.
Listen to “Plundering Medicaid for the wealthy” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
This week the plundering of Medicaid commenced, as Trump, Musk, and their dutiful Republican Party “leaders” in Congress and the Wisconsin Legislature started their assault – all to fund more outrageous tax cuts for the wealthy. Citizen Action Healthcare Action Coordinator Timothy Faust joins us to give us the details on what passed in Congress this week, how it is just the beginning of the fight, and how we are going on the offensive.
Not wanting to be outdone by Trump, Boss Vos declared this week that BadgerCare expansion won’t happen under his iron fisted domination of the Assembly GOP Caucus. We renew our call for the Governor to wield his powerful threat of a budget veto of any Legislative state budget that fails to expand BadgerCare.
In addition to the threat to health care, we made big news this week on the climate front. We discuss the news event in Milwaukee this week unveiling new state legislation to require the Legislature to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. The bill is gaining momentum and co-sponsors. We talk about why the legislation is critically important.
Listen to the show.
Social media post of the week
