Citizen Action Weekend ’26 Newsletter, Friday, March 13th
Vote in 2026 Spring Election by Tuesday, April 7th
See list of Citizen Action of Wisconsin endorsed candidates.
For more information about voting early, registering to vote, finding your polling location.
The Two Threats to Democracy & What We Must Do
By: Robert Kraig, Executive Director, Citizen Action of Wisconsin
I am sharing a new commentary I wrote for the Wisconsin Examiner. In it I make the case that there are two critical fronts in the fight to save democracy.
In addition to the frontal assault by a would-be dictator in the White House, democracy is on the ropes because it has been rigged by monopolies and billionaires against working and middle class people.
Public discontent over the failure of democratic government to deliver has opened millions to the scapegoating rhetoric of authoritarian demagogues while demoralizing and disengaging still more who have come to believe, through embittering experience, they have no stake in democracy
Read the full article here.
The only solution to both threats to democracy is more organized people taking concerted action together. This is already happening in the first front of the fight. Democratic leadership in Congress is fighting harder and using the power they have to more assertively check Trump’s lawless usurpations only because of immense pressure from organized people and everyday Americans.
We must now apply this same pressure to demand that candidates and electeds fight to transform the rigged economy and ossified governing structures stacked against effective action.
Because of Wisconsin’s enormous influence in presidential elections, we have a special obligation to light a fire under Democratic candidates for the Legislature and governor in a crowded primary field.
We need more people to push the candidates, and more to join with organizing groups that are working to impel them to fight for bold and impactful reforms that a beleaguered and disillusioned people will feel in their daily lives.
That is why I am asking you to attend Citizen Action’s Wisconsin Governor’s forum on April 14th to help push all the candidates to take meaningful positions on the most important issues facing Wisconsin.
The event is virtual. If you live near La Crosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, Green Bay, or Milwaukee, there will be in-person watch parties hosted by Citizen Action’s local organizing co-ops.
Please RSVP here for Citizen Action’s Wisconsin Governor’s Forum on April 14th.
P.S. Please also support Citizen Action’s work to build grassroots power in Wisconsin here.
Citizen Action members lead Eau Claire BadgerCare Public Option media event.
Members of Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s Northwestern Organizing Cooperative held a media event in Eau Claire on Friday, March 6th at The Community Table, to show support for the BadgerCare Public Option Bill, featuring co-author of the bill State Representative Christian Phelps (Democrat – Eau Claire), and member stories from Kate Felton, Dawn Briskey, and Rita Simon.
Kate Felton, a small business owner in Eau Claire and Citizen Action member, discussed her family’s challenge with healthcare costs that hit her two days before her new business was set to open. She said she was fortunate to have her husband‘s insurance plan to help at the time, but when that plan went away, they had to find another insurance plan and incurred healthcare debt
“Despite my due diligence, I still have claims denied that I have to sort out,” said Felton. “This is all to say the system is not working. It’s not working for small business owners. It’s not working for anyone.”
‘The BadgerCare public option would be the biggest step that Wisconsin has ever taken toward treating healthcare like a human right instead,’ said State Rep. Christian Phelps. ‘It would provide stability, it would make sure that people’s ability to go to the doctor is the main determinant in whether they go to the doctor, and not their ability to afford it.’”
The legislation would allow individuals and small business owners to buy into BadgerCare on a sliding scale based on their income. Chippewa Valley small business owners in particular have expressed concerns over the rising cost of health insurance. They’re also struggling with the rising cost of housing and child care as well as the impact of tariffs on their businesses, sometimes forcing them to layoff staff or consider closing entirely.”
Read media stories from: WQOW TV; WEAU TV; Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
- Call your legislators and tell them to co-Sponsor the bill. Toll free Hotline: 1 (800) 362-9472.
- Send email to your legislators in support.
- Learn more about the bill.
To join our organizing in support of the bill, contact: Kristie.Tweed@citizenactionwi.org
Photo credits: Soul Shine Photography
Appleton Healthcare Town Hall Postponed Due to Bad Weather
Unfortunately, we are postponing the event for everyone’s safety on Sunday, as up to 12 inches of snow are forecasted.
Please contact, g.degrave@citizenactionwi.org to get involved in our healthcare organizing in northeast Wisconsin.
Citizen Action Statewide Healthcare Action Update
Thank you to everyone who joined our All Teams–Healthcare Action Team meeting on Tuesday, March 10. We were excited to welcome Rep. Tara Johnson, lead author of the BadgerCare Public Option bill, who spoke about how important this proposal is for expanding affordable healthcare to tens of thousands of Wisconsinites. CAW Executive Director, Robert Kraig also joined the discussion and shared his deep expertise on healthcare policy and Deputy Director, Matt Brusky shared his passion for this campaign and social media strategies.
After reviewing our strategic campaign plan, Citizen Action of Wisconsin staff and member leaders led a training and role-play session focused on how to effectively talk about the BadgerCare Public Option with friends, family, and community members. Building confidence in these conversations will be key to the success of our campaign.
We look forward to hosting additional trainings and planning sessions in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on your email and this space for updates.
Some of the action steps discussed include circulating written and online petitions to legislators, sharing social media pic-and-quotes, collecting healthcare stories, and organizing direct lobby visits. You can take action right now by emailing your local legislators and asking them to co-sponsor the BadgerCare Public Option bill. You can also attend your local Co-Op team meeting or contact Kristie Tweed to learn more about how to get involved in this strategic campaign.
Another great way to help is by attending one of our upcoming BadgerCare Public Option media events or town halls. Over the next six weeks we’ll be visiting Green Bay, Appleton, Wausau, Milwaukee, Ashland, and Superior. Dates will be announced soon.
Finally, we unfortunately had to postpone our Healthcare Town Hall in Appleton that was scheduled for Sunday due to the forecast of severe weather. The safety of our members and the community is always our top priority. Thank you for your understanding, and please watch your email and upcoming updates for information about the rescheduled event.
For more information about joining our healthcare organizing work, contact:
Kristie Tweed, Healthcare Action Coordinator; 📞 608-317-1331; ✉️ kristie.tweed@citizenactionwi.org
Let’s build the healthcare system Wisconsin families and small businesses deserve.
Attend Virtual Wisconsin Town Hall: Data Centers and Utility Rates, April 1st, 6pm
Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin and state elected officials for a virtual town hall about the growing impact of large technology data centers in our state. Companies are proposing massive data centers across Wisconsin to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing. These facilities require enormous amounts of electricity and water, and utilities are already proposing new power plants and grid upgrades to meet that demand. Without clear protections in place, families and small businesses could end up paying the cost through higher utility bills.
At this town hall, we will break down what data centers are, how they could affect electricity costs, water use, climate goals, and what policy solutions can protect Wisconsin communities. State Representatives will join the conversation to hear directly from residents and answer questions.
Wednesday, April 1st, 6:00 PM; Virtual (Zoom) Register to join us
Citizen Action North Central Organizing Cooperative Update
Attend the next North Central Climate Action Team, Thursday, March 12th, 6pm. Our local climate action team once worked to get the City of Wausau to commit to a Climate Action Plan (to get to 100% renewable energy by 2050). They did so unanimously. Now, we need to work to get the City to implement it.
We also are organizing our communities about the threat of data centers and the rising cost of utilities. We are also supporting a Climate Accountability Act at the State level that could help to address all of these issues.
Our next meeting is Thursday, March 12th at 6pm on Zoom. Please contact Organizer Joel Lewis at 715-551-2525 or joel.lewis@citizenactionwi.org if you’re interested in joining.
Attend No Kings Wausau
Saturday, March 28
12:00pm – 2:00pm
Rib Mountain Drive Sidewalk
226601 Rib Mountain Dr. Wausau
On March 28th, say it loud: no thrones, no crowns, no kings. We’re not watching history happen—we’re making it. Join us. Please join us and bring your friends.
Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Cooperative Update –The Next Few Weeks: GOTV, Earth Day, and the Fight for Healthcare
Protesting is necessary, and it can even be fun. But do you ever feel like there’s more you could do to actually effect change?
We’re heading into a critical stretch, and we need you with us.
First up: Get Out The Vote. The Driftless Region’s political leadership team decided to endorse 7 local candidates, and we need help door-knocking for them. Election Day is April 7th, and we’re hitting the doors hard to make sure they win. We’ll be canvassing March 27-29 and April 3, 4, 6, and 7. If you can spare a few hours to knock doors, make calls, or help with logistics, we need you. Every conversation matters, and this is how we win.
Next: Earth Day in La Crosse. On April 28th from 11 AM to 4 PM, we’ll be tabling at La Crosse’s Earth Day event. This is a chance to connect with people who care about climate action, recruit new members, and build momentum for our climate campaigns. We need volunteers to staff the table, talk to people, and help us grow our base. (And if you’re in another community and want to help us expand Earth Day tabling in the future, reach out, we’d love to make that happen.)
And looking ahead: BadgerCare Public Option. The BPO campaign is ramping up, and the next few weeks are critical. We’re collecting petition signatures and asking people to email their state representatives encouraging them to sign on as sponsors. If you’ve been thinking about getting more involved, now’s the time.
This is what organizing looks like: showing up, doing the work, and building power one conversation at a time. I can’t do it without you.
Ready to get involved? Email me at aron.newberry@citizenactionwi.org and let me know how you want to help — GOTV, Earth Day tabling, or the BPO campaign.
And one more thing: Forward this newsletter to a friend who cares about this work and ask them to read it. The more people we reach, the stronger we get.
Join the Milwaukee Housing Resources Team, always organizing action!
Citizen Action North Side Rising‘s Milwaukee Housing Action Team met Thursday night. Thanks to everyone who attended and is on the team.
The team is helping area residents access resources to make energy efficiency upgrades to their homes and organizing support for 2% of Income Utility rate cap legislation.
Sign and send a message to your state legislators urging them to support legislation (1) calling for a Data Center Pause and (2) capping Utility Rates, or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-362-9472.
For more information about getting involved with the Housing Action Team, contact: Keviea.Guiden@citizenactionwi.org
Join Citizen Action North Side Rising at No Kings MKE at Washington Park, Saturday, March 28th, Noon.
For more information about joining us, contact: Maletha.Jones@citizenactionwi.org
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action’s Northwest Wisconsin Organizing Co-op held a successful news conference on the BadgerCare Public Option bill. Citizen Action is planning more BadgerCare Public Option media events in the next month in Milwaukee, Wausau and, Appleton; to get involved, contact: Kristie.Tweed@citizenactionwi.org
See coverage from ABC TV 18 Eau Claire; NBC TV 13 Eau Claire; and Eau Claire Leader Telegram.
As reported at the top of the newsletter, Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig wrote an article for the Wisconsin Examiner: “The Affordability Trap and the Fight to Save Democracy.” He also discussed the article on the Jeff Santos Show, a nationally syndicated program which airs in Wisconsin 2 PM to 5 PM weekdays on the Civic Media radio network.
Watch the interview here. (@ 2 hour 6 minute mark of video)
Listen to “Public money for NIL, as public schools make cuts” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
We discuss the growing opposition to the Iran War and new data revealing the war cost $11 billion in the first week. A coalition of antiwar groups launched a national campaign on Wednesday calling for Representative Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Chuck Schumer to step down from their positions as minority leaders.
We discuss news from the judiciary this week: conservative State Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler is not to run for a new term to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2027 and Brad Schimel is blocked by Tammy Baldwin from continuing as U.S. attorney in Milwaukee.
We welcome Kristie Tweed, Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s statewide Healthcare Coordinator to discuss the BadgerCare Public Option bills’ legislative roll out last week and plans for the next month, as grassroots leaders push for more lawmakers to co-sponsor the legislation. Kristie tells us about how you can get involved in the upcoming events in Cashton, Appleton, Milwaukee, and Wausau and she provides an update on the bill’s growing co-sponsorship list.
The Legislature was sued by Law Forward over its billing of private attorney fees to the public. “Wisconsin taxpayers deserve to know their money is being spent lawfully to advance a valid public purpose.”
Milwaukee Public Schools announced they will be forced by state underfunding to slash 260 staff, as MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius stressed that MPS faces rising costs while receiving a $0 state increase in general aid due to the last disastrous state budget deal. As Wisconsin public school districts make cuts, the UW Athletic Department is coming to the Legislature with hat in hand looking for taxpayers to fund millions to support the UW’s NIL program to pay college athletes in football and basketball.
