Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, July 30th


Friday, July 30th

Citizen Action member featured in a NEW documentary video on fighting CAFOs from In These Times Magazine.

As part of the Wisconsin Idea media project that Citizen Action is participating in with In These Times magazine, journalists traveled to Wisconsin’s Crawford, Polk, and Burnett counties to speak with residents about their concerns and about their struggles to defend themselves against Big Agriculture and the factory farming industry. They have produced an outstanding video documentary telling the story. 

Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Co-op member, Forest Janke, is featured in the documentary!

Watch the NEW documentary. 

Citizens impacted by our Healthcare System Join Sen. Baldwin, Rep. Kristina Shelton, Citizen Action, and Protect Our Care for Healthcare Roundtable

On Friday, July 23rd, Wisconsin residents Lisa Schwetschenau and Peggy McDowell shared their healthcare stories at a roundtable discussion with Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Kristina Shelton. The roundtable was organized by Protect Our Care Wisconsin and Citizen Action Organizing Co-ops in Northcentral and Northeast Wisconsin. Senator Tammy Baldwin joined to hear these stories and to discuss the Medicaid Saves Lives Act — historic legislation introduced by Senators Baldwin, Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) to create a federal program to extend coverage to millions of people in states that have refused Medicaid expansion. Over 90,000 Wisconsinites would benefit from this legislation, and it would bring much needed revenue to our state. You can see the roundtable discussion here.

Welcome North Side Rising Organizer, Deon Young!

Deon Young, North Side Rising Co-op Organizer. Deon was born in a mountain state (Colorado) and raised in the great city of Milwaukee since 1987 and a proud Warhawk (UW-Whitewater class of 2004) with a BA in Political Science and minor in Geography. He is a seasoned organizer with his first organizing job in 2004 working to fight against discriminatory ballot referendums that denied civil and equal rights to LGBTQ+ Wisconsinites with the Fair Wisconsin Campaign. 

Get to know Deon and connect with him to learn how you can get involved in our North Side Rising Co-op!

 

Your INPUT is needed to update Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s 8-year agenda platform.

Please click here to take an in-depth survey about the issues and policies Citizen Action of Wisconsin works on and how we will work to change the world over the next 8 years!

Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s platform has 6 main issue areas: Criminal Justice Reform, Climate and Equity, Healthcare, Education, Democracy, and Immigrant and Refugee Rights. 

We will share each overarching issue statement and then ask for your feedback to submit to the Board of Directors to guide organizational priorities regarding time and resources spent on each platform area. In the next section of the survey, you have the option to provide feedback on the goals of each overarching policy area. The Boards of Directors will review the feedback from all of you in September, and finalize the platform heading into 2022.

Thanks for all that you do and for being a member of Citizen Action of Wisconsin! 

Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless co-op hosts its annual meeting

Last Sunday the Driftless co-op hosted its in-person, annual meeting in Coon Valley.  Our own members spoke about our accomplishments and set the tone for next year!  We had a great turnout of 37 people and we even gained two new members!  

One of the highlights of the day was a full report about our fight against factory farms.  Wed also heard about our 2020 election work, the fact that all but one of our 2021 endorsed local candidates won their election, our work to pass Wisconsin’s first Medicare for All resolution, our work to help La Crosse develop a climate action plan and our rural issue team.  We even began signing members up for our climate, healthcare and social media teams!

This meet was a huge success thanks to our members!  We had a full potluck filled with great food.  I special thanks goes to Wisco Pop, Viroqua Food Co-op and Kvarnstrom Bakery for their generous donations to the potluck.  We even had a quick hike!

This event helped to set us up to create real change, fight factory farming and elect some amazing leaders in 2022!

Southeastern Wisconsin Co-Op Members Came Together!

                               

We wrapped up the week of annual membership meetings in Glendale, WI with the Southeastern, Health Care for All, and North Side Rising annual co-op membership meeting! Citizen Action of Wisconsin is a statewide organizing cooperative and we encourage you to learn about the campaigns each region is involved in and get involved!! Thank you to everyone who joined us, we look forward to seeing you soon!

New Episode of “Let’s talk about Health Care” Now Streaming!

We were able to catch up with Randy Bryce to discuss America’s healthcare system. Hear what we have to say about the upcoming Bernie/Biden initiative to expand current Medicare benefits, find out what he has been working on since his 2018 breakout Congressional campaign, and get an update on his mom who was featured in his first ad! Watch now!

Watch Now! Join the team in the greenroom next week, register here!

 

Citizen Action in the News

Citizen Action’s Executive Director Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram Radio Show for the full hour to discuss the state of play on protecting voting rights, the infrastructure bills, and more. Listen here.

Robert Kraig was also on the Jeff Santos Show for for the full hour to discuss whether U.S. Senate Democrats are blowing it on democracy, infrastructure, the rest of the progressive agenda. Listen here.

Looking for a progressive source for timely, digestible Wisconsin-only news? Subscribe to the daily newsletter from our friends at UpNorthNews for the latest reporting on policy, politics, and great storytelling from around the state.”

“Infrastructure politics” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

We discuss this week’s apparent breakthrough in the U.S. Senate on a $1 trillion bi-partisan infrastructure bill. What’s in it, and is it really on track? We then evaluate the progressives’ two track strategy on infrastructure, and the threat from moderate Senator Kyrsten Sinema to derail the entire Biden Build Back Better agenda. In the state Legislature the Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce reveals their hand behind this week’s failed GOP effort to cut UI for workers with a veto override vote. Q Anon caucus member and Election Committee chair Rep. Janel Brandtjen embraces conspiracy theories and the “Big Lie” as she launches an Arizona-style fishing expedition of the 2020 election in Wisconsin. We review the CDC’s new recommendation for indoor masking where infection rates remain high and Sen. Johnson’s incorrect statement calling it a mandate and saying the CDC should stop making recommendations to end the spread of COVID.  Finally, we celebrate Medicare and Medicaid’s 56th birthdays on Friday and Sen. Baldwin calls for rejecting Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy plan.

Listen Now!

 

Facebook post of the week

Now Streaming!

 

“Infrastructure politics” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

“Infrastructure politics” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

We discuss this week’s apparent breakthrough in the U.S. Senate on a $1 trillion bi-partisan infrastructure bill. What’s in it, and is it really on track? We then evaluate the progressives’ two track strategy on infrastructure, and the threat from moderate Senator Kyrsten Sinema to derail the entire Biden Build Back Better agenda. In the state Legislature the Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce reveals their hand behind this week’s failed GOP effort to cut UI for workers with a veto override vote. Q Anon caucus member and Election Committee chair Rep. Janel Brandtjen embraces conspiracy theories and the “Big Lie” as she launches an Arizona-style fishing expedition of the 2020 election in Wisconsin. We review the CDC’s new recommendation for indoor masking where infection rates remain high and Sen. Johnson’s incorrect statement calling it a mandate and saying the CDC should stop making recommendations to end the spread of COVID.  Finally, we celebrate Medicare and Medicaid’s 56th birthdays on Friday and Sen. Baldwin calls for rejecting Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy plan.

Listen Now!

Links:

Citizen Action Weekly; Friday, July 23rd

Citizen Action Weekly; Friday, July 23rd


Friday, July 23rd

Happening this weekend! Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless Co-op Annual Meeting

Join us! Come enjoy a day in the park and help shape the future of Southwestern Wisconsin. The Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless Co-op is hosting its annual membership meeting on Sunday, July 25th at Coon Valley Memorial Park (just off Highway 14). We want to see each of you there and hear from all of you as we plan out the coming months and years. RSVP NOW! 

We will be:

  • Hosting a keynote speaker (TBD)
  • Recapping the work we have done over the past 12 months
  • Conducting a survey to help build the official Citizen Action of Wisconsin platform
  • Planning how we can build our power locally and across Southwest Wisconsin
  • Collecting stories related to healthcare and climate change
  • Potluck style snack table
  • Going on an optional group hike with a photo opportunity at Coon Valley’s own “selfie wall”
  • There is even a playground for the kids

RSVP to the event so we know how many people to expect.  Also if you know a progressive activist we are not connected with BRING THEM ALONG.

A CARPOOL FROM LA CROSSE IS AVAILABLE SIGN UP HERE

Watch this week’s episode of the Healthcare for All Show

Watch this week’s Health Care for All Show‘s special guest, Racine Alderman John Tate II right now.

Karen Kirsch and Dr. Mark Neumann discuss America’s healthcare system, featuring Medicare for All with Alderman Tate II.

RSVP for the next show. We will welcome you into the green room with us after the show for a chat.

Watch this week’s show Now!

LISTEN to This is NOT that Podcast Episode #5: Don’t Fall for the “Okie- Doke”

The Milwaukee Bucks are the NBA Championship and that is worthy of celebration, however, they have not put an end to the staggering economic disparities and racial segregation that we face in Milwaukee. 

During this week’s show, we discuss not being fooled into believing symbols equal solutions. We also take a look at where The City of Milwaukee plans to allocate the approximately $394.2 million in direct American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act assistance and dive into the hurdles of trying to reach our elected officials to say where we would like to see that money spent.

JoAnna introduces the Movement Politics Academy launching this October for folks interested in running for office who want to see structural change in their community and our state.

LISTEN NOW

Attend a Citizen Action Mappy Hour and “Deep Canvass” Training

Rice Lake: Sunday, July 26th, 5-8 pm
Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 230 W Messenger St.
RSVP

Viroqua: Thursday, July 29th, 3-7 pm
Rooted Spoon 219 S Main St, Viroqua.
RSVP

Come together with Citizen Action for a Summer Potluck on Thursday, July 29th!

Join us for our first big event of the summer in southeast Wisconsin. Catch up with like-minded community members while sharing your specialty dish. We will have brief speeches at 5:30 pm to talk about what we need to do to make sure Trump 2020 is firmly behind us. We can’t let up. So bring a chair and bring a friend! We will have dessert, drinks, and serving wear. Because we will be in a public park, no glass or carry-in alcoholic beverages are permitted. There will be restrooms nearby.

Learn more and RSVP 

 

Citizen Action Northeastern Wisconsin Co-op Leadership Meeting July 28th, 6 pm

Members from the Citizen Action of Wisconsin Northeastern Wisconsin Organizing Co-op will come together to regroup and plan for the rest of 2021, and start thinking forward to 2022! We want you to come too! Not a member, no problem. Come see what we are about. Wednesday, July 28th, 6-8 pm. The location is still TBD, expect a call from Noah soon if you haven’t heard from her already.

RSVP Here!

Citizen Action North Central Wisconsin Co-op Leadership Meeting, Thursday, July 29st, 6 pm

On Thursday, July 29th, at 6 pm, members, leaders, and friends of the North Central Organizing Co-op will be gathering for a potluck-style meeting at the homes of one of their members. This is the first time we are having a meeting like this since the pandemic began! We will be outside if the weather permits, but there is room in the home to accommodate us if the weather does not cooperate. We will be respecting people by encouraging masks if we need to move indoors.

Children and families are welcome, and there is a neighborhood park adjacent to the property. This event will take place at the Pagoria home, in Wausau’s Riverview neighborhood.

Local Organizer, Joel Lewis, will be reaching out to you to personally invite you, coordinate food and review the agenda, or you can RSVP here! We plan to do a year in review, have a survey on our new movement politics candidate platform that is currently in the creation phase, and give some updates on membership and current issue campaigns and leadership opportunities. We hope to see you there!  This is a membership meeting, so we ask that you are a current member, a sponsored member, or an active participant in the work that we do. You can become a member or renew your membership here.

Looking for a progressive source for timely, digestible Wisconsin-only news?


Subscribe to the daily newsletter from our friends at UpNorthNews for the latest reporting on policy, politics, and great storytelling from around the state.

 

 

 

Your INPUT is needed to update Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s 8-year agenda platform.

Please click here to take an in-depth survey about the issues and policies Citizen Action of Wisconsin works on and how we will work to change the world over the next 8 years!

Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s platform has 6 main issue areas: Criminal Justice Reform, Climate and Equity, Healthcare, Education, Democracy, and Immigrant and Refugee Rights. 

We will share each overarching issue statement and then ask for your feedback to submit to the Board of Directors to guide organizational priorities regarding time and resources spent on each platform area. In the next section of the survey, you have the option to provide feedback on the goals of each overarching policy area. The Boards of Directors will review the feedback from all of you in September, and finalize the platform heading into 2022.

We use this platform in our candidate endorsement process as well as while we are working with you to conduct short and long-term strategic planning, and implement campaigns at the statewide and local levels, so your input is vitally important!

Thanks for all that you do and for being a member of Citizen Action of Wisconsin! 

Looking for a progressive source for timely, digestible Wisconsin-only news? Subscribe to the daily newsletter from our friends at UpNorthNews for the latest reporting on policy, politics, and great storytelling from around the state.”

Citizen Action in the News

Citizen Action’s Robert Kriag was on the Jeff Santos show for the full hour to discuss all of the major latest news on the Biden infrastructure plan and voting rights legislation. Listen Here.

“Infrastructure Endgames, Filibusters & U.S. Senate candidate Chris Larson” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

We welcome U.S. Senate candidate Chris Larson to the show to discuss his campaign in the crowded Democratic field. This is the first in our series of interviews of the major Democratic candidates to unseat Sen. Ron Johnson. How will Senator Larson differentiate himself from the other candidates? The panel updates listeners on the status of the important bipartisan Infrastructure bill, the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, and the filibusterer. The White House and many communities are considering a return to mask guidelines and mandates for the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike as the delta variant rampages through the unvaxed population.

Listen Now – Episode #502
Download Mp3
Media Clips

 

 

 

An interview with U.S. Senate candidate Chris Larson” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

An interview with U.S. Senate candidate Chris Larson” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

We welcome U.S. Senate candidate Chris Larson to the show to discuss his campaign in the crowded Democratic field. This is the first in our series of interviews of the major Democratic candidates to unseat Sen. Ron Johnson. How will Senator Larson differentiate himself from the other candidates? The panel updates listeners on the status of the important bipartisan Infrastructure bill, the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, and the filibusterer. The White House and many communities are considering a return to mask guidelines and mandates for the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike as the delta variant rampages through the unvaxed population.
Listen Now – Episode #502
Download Mp3
News Clips

Show links:

“Don’t Fall for the “Okie- Doke” This is NOT that Podcast

“Don’t Fall for the “Okie- Doke” This is NOT that Podcast

LISTEN to Episode #5: Don’t Fall for the “Okie- Doke”

The Milwaukee Bucks are one game away from winning the NBA Championship and that is worthy of celebration, however, they have not put an end to staggering economic disparities and racial segregation that we face in Milwaukee. During this week’s show, we discuss not being fooled into believing symbols equal solutions. We also take a look at where The City of Milwaukee plans to allocate the approximately $394.2 million in direct American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act assistance and dive into the hurdles of trying to reach our elected officials to say where we would like to see that money spent. JoAnna introduces the Movement Politics Academy launching this October for folks interested in running for office who want to see structural change in their community and our state.

LISTEN NOW

Learn more about the Movement Politics Academy

Listen to previous episodes:

Episode #4
Episode #3
Episode #2
Episode #1

Meet the “This is NOT that” Panel, Milwaukee Grown.

Rafael Smith leads civic engagement for Citizen Action of Wisconsin with a focus on climate and health equity in Milwaukee’s North Side, through his recent launch of North Side Rising Organizing Co-Op. Rafael Smith has led the early conversations around climate equity in Milwaukee and the priority to launch a Green New Deal at both a state and national level!

JoAnna Bautch is a leading voice in Wisconsin Movement Politics. From supporting emerging leaders who have shown the desire and values of being movement leaders in the political sector to launching her own campaign for the Wisconsin State Assembly. JoAnna values a political system that is people-centered and focuses on changing structures of inequity.

Isiah Holmes, an investigative reporter with the Wisconsin Examiner, is committed to bringing you FACTS. Isaiah has led the documentation around policing in Wauwatosa and is a part of the bigger conversation of police brutality on both a local and national level.

Bill Kaplan: Bipartisan infrastructure plan gains momentum

Bill Kaplan: Bipartisan infrastructure plan gains momentum

Senator Ron Johnson refuses to support bi-partisan plan.

The bipartisan infrastructure plan has gained momentum: The House Democratic-GOP Problem Solvers Caucus, which includes Wisconsin GOP Representatives Mike Gallagher and Bryan Steil, “strongly supports the Senate infrastructure framework … .” The group also touted a business-labor coalition that endorsed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan: “A broad coalition of organizations across the political spectrum have come together to support this framework to grow our small businesses, create American jobs, advance economic growth and improve the quality of life for every American.”

The business-labor coalition implored: “We urge Congress to turn this framework into legislation that will be signed into law, and … are committed to helping see this cross the finish line. … Don’t let partisan differences get in the way of action – pass significant, meaningful infrastructure legislation now.” Its members include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, National Retail Federation, American Society of Civil Engineers, AFL-CIO and Building Trades Unions. A huge deal.

Photo by: Gage Skidmore (cc-by-sa-2.0)
Photo by: Gage Skidmore (cc-by-sa-2.0)

Moreover, Ohio GOP Senator Rob Portman, an architect of the infrastructure plan, said: “I think it’s a compelling framework … . People want to see our infrastructure improved. They’re tired of waiting in traffic during their rush hour commute. They’re tired of the bridges … well beyond their usefulness … . People are tired of worrying about lead pipes.” However, Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson will not follow Portman’s lead. Johnson is an adamant obstructionist who has absolutely no interest in working with GOP moderates, let alone Democrats.

In sharp contrast, Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin has wholeheartedly endorsed the “blue-collar blueprint” for infrastructure. In an op-ed for the Wisconsin State Journal, Baldwin wrote: “More than 1,949 miles of Wisconsin highways and 979 bridges are in poor condition and in need of rebuilding. … Over 100 cities, towns and villages in the state still have lead laterals that need to be replaced. From Bloomer to Baraboo, and from Ripon to Racine, … their work at the local level needs federal funding and support. (Moreover), too many families, small businesses and farmers across rural Wisconsin do not have affordable access to reliable, high-speed broadband service.”

Baldwin is all in on getting the bipartisan infrastructure plan passed this year. She will push for “buy America” requirements. That means jobs for Wisconsin workers and support for Wisconsin manufacturers. And, Baldwin strongly supports a “more climate resilient infrastructure.” Finally, the White House said: “In addition to being the largest long-term investment in nearly a century … (it) is a generational investment in rural America.”

It is long past time to end the rural-suburban-urban divide in Wisconsin. The bipartisan infrastructure plan will help all of Wisconsin. Rural areas and inner-cities will get high-speed Internet. Everyone will have access to clean, safe drinking water. Repair of crumbling roads and bridges will help urban commuters get to work and farmers to sell their products. And, expansion of rail will facilitate travel for all.

We are all Americans. We can do this. Time to put America before political party.

– Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009

Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, July 16th

Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, July 16th

Friday, July 16th

YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED to update Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s 8 year agenda platform.

Please click here to take an in depth survey about the issues and policies Citizen Action of Wisconsin works on and how we will work to change the world over the next decade!

Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s platform has 6 main issue areas: Criminal Justice Reform, Climate and Equity, Healthcare, Education, Democracy, and Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

We will share each overarching issue statement and then ask for your feedback to submit to the Board of Directors to guide organizational priorities regarding time and resources spent on each platform area.

In the next section of the survey, you have the option to provide feedback on the goals of each overarching policy area.  The Boards of Directors will review the feedback from all of you in September, and finalize the platform headed into 2022.

We use this platform in our candidate endorsement process as well as while we are working with you to conduct short and long term strategic planning, and implement campaigns at the statewide and local levels, so your input is vitally important!

Thanks for all that you do and for being a member of Citizen Action of Wisconsin!

Citizen Action of Wisconsin members attend Pfizer protest in New York City with other People’s Action affiliates to end vaccine apartheid.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin members joined People’s Action and Justice Is Global this Wednesday to SHUT DOWN traffic by the German Consulate and Pfizer World Headquarters to demand COVID Vaccines For All: THE WORLD CAN’T WAIT!

A HUGE shout out goes out to local Citizen Action members K.C. Cayo, Rita Simon, Gabby Gamble, and Lewis Kuhlman who traveled (along with Citizen Action of WI Northwest Cooperative organizer Breana Stanley) to New York City this week.

They joined with hundreds of other protesters from across the country to demand that Pfizer make the Covid vaccine available throughout the world.

Citizen Action launches NEW 2021 Movement Politics Academy

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is working to build a new kind of politics. A politics that is deeply rooted in changing structures of inequity and community engagement. That is why we are creating a robust leadership development program that recruits, runs, and elects movement leaders at all levels of government across our state.

Our Movement Politics Academy develops, prepares, and supports emerging leaders who have shown the desire and values of being movement leaders in the political sector. Our focus is on electing people of color, women, LGBTQ+ folks, and low-income people who want to build our progressive movement alongside our member organization in co-governing relationships.

Our platform is currently in revision, please view our most up-to-date platform here.

Where: All sessions will be occurring via ZOOM.
When: 9-week program- October 6 through December 8, 2021
Schedule: Every Wednesday, 6-7:30 PM and every other Saturday, 9:30 – 11:00 AM

Submit your application before September 3rd to be considered for the Fall 2021 Movement Politics Academy!

Contact our Movement Politics Director, JoAnna Bautch, at [email protected] with any questions.

If you are thinking of running for office we also encourage you to attend Wisconsin Progress one day training this summer that they are offering if you are considering running for office Attend a training near you or a virtual training.

Appleton: Saturday, August 7th
Virtual: Wednesday, August 10th
Eau Claire: Saturday, August 14th
Virtual: Monday, August 23rd
Racine: Thursday, August 26th
Janesville: Saturday, September 11th

Attend a Citizen Action Mappy Hour and “Deep Canvass” Training

Join us to create and submit a community map to the People’s Map Commission, and get trained to help us make “Deep Canvass” phone calls asking voters to advocate a Fair Drawing Process!

Milwaukee: Monday, July 19th, 5-8 pm
Citizen Action of Wisconsin Office, 221 S 2nd S, Suite 300, MKE.
RSVP

Wausau: Thursday, July 22nd, 5-8pm
First Universalist Unitarian Church 504 Grant St, Wausau.
RSVP

Rice Lake: Sunday, July 26th, 5-8 pm
Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 230 W Messenger St.
RSVP

Viroqua: Thursday, July 29th, 3-7 pm
Rooted Spoon 219 S Main St, Viroqua.
RSVP

Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless Co-op Annual Meeting

Sunday, July 25, 2021 1:00 PM –  3:00 PM
Coon Valley Veterans Memorial Park,
93 Roosevelt St, Coon Valley, WI 54623
RSVP to event

Join us! Come enjoy a day in the park and help shape the future of Southwestern Wisconsin. The Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless Co-op is hosting its annual membership meeting on Sunday, July 25th at Coon Valley Memorial Park (just off Highway 14). We want to see each of you there and hear from all of you as we plan out the coming months and years.

We will be

  • Hosting a keynote speaker (TBD)
  • Recapping the work we have done over the past 12 months
  • Conducting a survey to help build the official Citizen Action of Wisconsin platform
  • Planning how we can build our power locally and across Southwest Wisconsin
  • Collecting stories related to healthcare and climate change
  • Potluck style snack table
  • Going on an optional group hike with a photo opportunity at Coon Valley’s own “selfie wall”
  • There is even a playground for the kids

RSVP to the event so we know how many people to expect.  Also if you know a progressive activist we are not connected with BRING THEM ALONG.

A CARPOOL FROM LA CROSSE AVAILABLE JUST SIGN UP AT THIS LINK

Listen to the new Healthcare For All Show

Join Citizen Action of WI Healthcare organizer, Karen Kirsch and Dr. Mark Neumann for the new Healthcare for All Show!

They discuss Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Raphael Warnock, and Jon Ossoff’s new bill that would create a federally run and funded Medicaid alternative for the 12 states that have not accepted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

And much more! Listen now

RSVP to join the next show on Wednesday, July 21st, 7pm.

Citizen Action Summer Potluck Community Event

Thursday, July 29, 2021
4:00 PM –  7:00 PM CT
Sprecher Brewing Outdoor Oasis
2200 W BENDER Rd, Glendale

Join us for our first big event of the summer in southeast Wisconsin. Catch up with like minded community members while sharing your specialty dish. We will have brief speeches at 5:30pm to talk about what we need to do to make sure Trump 2020 is firmly behind us. We can’t let up. So bring a chair and bring a friend! We will have dessert, drinks and serving wear. Because we will be in a public park, no glass or carry-in alcoholic beverages are permitted. There will be restrooms nearby. 

More information and RSVP 

Citizen Action Northeastern Wisconsin Co-op Leadership Meeting July 28th, 6pm

Members from the Citizen Action of Wisconsin Northeastern Wisconsin Organizing Co-op will come together to regroup and plan for the rest of 2021, and start thinking forward to 2022!

We want you to come too! Not a member, no problem. Come see what we are about.

Wednesday, July 28th, 6-8 pm. The location is still TBD, expect a call from Noah soon if you haven’t heard from her already.

RSVP Here!

Citizen Action Northwestern Wisconsin Co-op Leadership Meeting, Wednesday, July 21st, 6:30pm

The NWWI leadership team will be hosting an annual meeting on Wednesday, July 21st, 2021 at 6:30pm to strategic plan the remainder of the year as well as membership recruitment. This event is in person (if vaccinated) and also via zoom. If you are interested in getting more involved with a specific issue team, please come to this meeting!

Citizen Action Office
505 Dewey St South
STE 204
Eau Claire, WI 54701

RSVP here. A Zoom link will be sent prior to the meeting.

Citizen Action North Central Wisconsin Co-op Leadership Meeting, Thursday, July 29st, 6pm

On Thursday, July 29th, at 6 pm, members, leaders and friends of the North Central Organizing Co-op will be gathering for a potluck-style meeting at the homes of one of their members. This is the first time we are having a meeting like this since the pandemic began! We will be outside if the weather permits, but there is room in the home to accommodate us if the weather does not cooperate. We will be respecting people by encouraging mask wearing if we need to go indoors.

Children and families are welcome, and there is a neighborhood park adjacent to the property. This event will take place at the Pagoria home, in Wausau’s Riverview neighborhood. RSVP

Local Organizer, Joel Lewis, will be reaching out to you to personally invite you, and coordinate food and the agenda, or you can RSVP by Clicking here! We plan to do a year in review, have a survey on our new movement politics candidate platform that is currently in the creation phase, and give some updates on membership and current issue campaigns and leadership opportunities. We hope to see you there!  This is a membership meeting, so we ask that you are a current member, a sponsored member, or an active participant in the work that we do. You can become a member or renew your membership here.

Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin & Milwaukee Area Service Workers (MASH) in advocating for Justice for Janitors, Wednesday, July 21st, 11:45AM.

Next week downtown Milwaukee janitors go to the bargaining table to negotiate a new contract. They are rallying to show the bosses that they will fight to win $15 and a union — and we need you there.

WHAT: Justice for Janitors Contract Rally
WHEN: Wednesday, July 21 — 11:45 gather-up
WHERE: Broadway & Mason — march half a black to front of 250 E Wisconsin.

Citizen Action in the News

As one of the biggest projects Citizen Action has taken up in western Wisconsin this year is a fight against plans to build the largest hog farm in the state of Wisconsin.  The “Roth Feeder Pig II” CAFO plans threaten our waterways, our drinking water, our clean our and our way of life!  These plans would leave the Kickapoo River vulnerable to major pollution.

The campaign received national media attention appearing in In These Times Magazine this week.

Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig commented in the Wisconsin State Journal on the Republican state budget that was signed by Governor Tony Evers last week, calling attention to the fact that the Governor’s messaging and his embrace of a regressive tax giveaway to the wealthy obscures the damaging impact of the budget from voters, making it harder to pick up legislative seats next year and to mobilize the Democratic base.

In other budget related news this week Senator Tammy Baldwin joined the two U.S. Senators from Georgia by introducing a bill to provide Medicaid coverage directly in the 12 states still refusing to agree to expansion. Wisconsin again failed to expand BadgerCare in the budget signed by the Governor last week. Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was quoted by UpNorth News on the new bill, which was included in the budget passed by Bernie Sanders’ Senate Budget Committee this week.

Robert Kraig was also quoted in the Eau Claire Leader Telegram on the new Child Tax Credit, which began hitting mailboxes this week. While Senator Ron Johnson called it a “special deal” Robert called it “the greatest progress made against the scourge of child poverty in over half a century.” The tax credit cuts child poverty by 45% in Wisconsin, but expires in one year. The budget that passed the Senate Budget Committee this week makes it permanent.

Robert Kraig spent the full hour on the Jeff Santos radio show discussing whether Democrats will ever get to Yes on predicting democracy in America from the GOP voter suppression onslaught in every state under full Republican control. Listen here.

“Building the political movement we need” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

We debrief our disappointment with the state budget and the Democrats embrace of regressive and permanent state tax cuts. We look at the role we all play in creating the progressive political future we want to see in Wisconsin and that Governor Evers is only one (admittedly important) player in the Democratic Party universe we seek to change. Citizen Action’s Movement Politics Director, JoAnna Bauch, joins us to discuss the new Movement Politics Academy she is launching this October for people who are considering running for office to pursue structural change in their community and our state. We review major federal news that Senate Democrats have agreed to a $3.5 trillion budget package that includes significant climate, child poverty, healthcare, and education investments. Claire also provides the details of Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s new legislation to expand Medicaid in the 12 states currently refusing to accept federal money.

LISTEN now!

Facebook post of the week

“Building the political movement we need” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

“Building the political movement we need” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

We debrief our disappointment with the state budget and the Democrats embrace of regressive and permanent state tax cuts. We look at the role we all play in creating the progressive political future we want to see in Wisconsin. Citizen Action’s Movement Politics Director, JoAnna Bautch, joins us to discuss the new Movement Politics Academy she is launching this October for people who are considering running for office to pursue structural change in their community and our state. We review major federal news that Senate Democrats have agreed to a $3.5 trillion budget package that includes significant climate, child poverty, healthcare, and education investments. Claire also provides the details of Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s new legislation to expand Medicaid in the 12 states currently refusing to accept federal money.

Listen Now – Episode #501
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Learn more about Citizen Action’s NEW Movement Politics Academy.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is working to build a new kind of politics. A politics that is deeply rooted in changing structures of inequity and community engagement. That is why we are creating a robust leadership development program that recruits, runs, and elects movement leaders at all levels of government across our state.

Attend a Citizen Action Mappy Hour event near you!

Join us to create and submit a community map to the People’s Map Commission, and get trained to help us make “Deep Canvass” phone calls asking voters to advocate a Fair Drawing Process!

Milwaukee: Monday, July 19th; 5-8 pm
Citizen Action of Wisconsin Office, 221 S 2nd S, Suite 300, MKE.
RSVP

Wausau: Thursday, July 22nd; 5-8pm
First Universalist Unitarian Church 504 Grant St, Wausau.
RSVP

Rice Lake: Monday, July 26th, 5-8 pm
Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 230 W Messenger St.

Viroqua: Thursday, July 29th; 3-7 pm
Rooted Spoon 219 S Main St, Viroqua.
RSVP

Show links:

Bill Kaplan: U.S. veterans support Biden’s ending Afghan War.

Bill Kaplan: U.S. veterans support Biden’s ending Afghan War.

Photo by: Rylan Albright (CC BY 2.0)

America’s longest war is finally ending. President Biden said: “Our military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31st. The drawdown is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritizing the safety of our troops as they depart. Our military commanders advised me that once I made the decision to end the war, we needed to move swiftly to conduct the main elements of the drawdown. … Nearly 20 years of experience has shown us that the current security situation only confirms that ‘just one more year’ of fighting in Afghanistan is not a solution but a recipe for being there indefinitely.”

Although polls show most Americans back the U.S. pullout, it may surprise many that nearly a dozen U.S. veterans groups support Biden’s ending the Afghan War. The conservative American Legion earlier said: “Our servicemembers accomplished their original objectives in Afghanistan long ago at great cost … . We understand the value of alliances and certainly favor the elimination of imminent threats. But imminent is not the same as permanent.” Moreover, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America wholeheartedly support Biden, as does the conservative Concerned Veterans for America (founded by the Koch brothers). Why?

Biden explained – “We went (to Afghanistan) for two reasons: one, to bring Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell, as I said at the time. The second reason was to eliminate al-Qaeda’s capacity to deal with more attacks on the United States from that territory. We accomplished both of those objectives – period.” Biden emphasized: “We did not go to Afghanistan to nation-build. … no nation has ever unified Afghanistan. No nation. Empires (British and Soviets) have gone there and not done it.”

Former Wisconsin Democrats Representative Dave Obey and Senator Russ Feingold presciently made the same points. They both spoke truth to power – Presidents Bush and Obama. Moreover, Obey and Feingold courageously wanted the war “paid for.” And, Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin long ago raised similar concerns. Baldwin recently said: “I honor the service and sacrifice of the troops who served in Afghanistan, and I support President Biden’s plan to bring our service members home to their families in a safe and responsible manner. I also believe we need to recommit ourselves to doing more for our post 9-11 war veterans and their families.”

Although Trump and many Republicans support U.S. troop withdrawal and ending the Afghan War, others like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have issued partisan potshots. The conservative Washington Examiner said: “Republicans gear up to hammer Biden as Taliban advances … .” Moreover, Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson will have more loaded questions: “Are we going to sit back and just watch? Wring our hands and mourn the fact that we had made so much progress?”

However, Wisconsinite Chris Kolenda, U.S. Army Colonel Ret., Afghan War veteran, said he agreed with ending the Afghan War: “I think our presence … was doing very little good … . A war that goes on inconclusively for 20 years is not acceptable.”

– Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009.

Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, July 9th

Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, July 9th

Child Tax Credit Press Tour! #KeepFamiliesAfloat

Starting on July 15th, parents across the country will begin receiving monthly checks of up to $300 per child through the federal Child Tax Credit approved by Democrats in Congress earlier this year.

This week, Citizen Action WI and WISDOM relaunch our End Child Poverty Campaign with media events educating the public about the new Child Tax Credit in Milwaukee, Appleton, and Eau Claire.

Learn about what the new Child Tax Credit means for your family!

Thank you, Citizen Action of Wisconsin and WISDOM members, and community leaders for joining us to raise awareness of the Child Tax Credit in Wisconsin.

This is Not That Podcast: Health is Wealth

Bucks in Six! We are excited about the Milwaukee Bucks Championship appearance. Following the first two games, our Bucks in six is under stress. Go Bucks! Our panel discusses the serious shortcomings in the state budget that was signed this week by Governor Evers. 

This week we welcome Jamaal Smith from The City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention. We talk about access to resources, the challenges in organizing our community and unlearning generational trauma.

Listen Now!

The Hosts of This is NOT That Podcast sponsored by Citizen Action:

Attend a Citizen Action Mappy Hour and “Deep Canvass” Training in July

Join us to create and submit a community map to the People’s Map Commission, and get trained to help us make “Deep Canvass” phone calls asking voters to advocate a Fair Drawing Process!

Appleton: Tuesday, July 13th; 5-8pm
McFleshmans Brewing Co 115 State St, Appleton.
RSVP

Milwaukee: Monday, July 19th; 5-8 pm
Citizen Action of Wisconsin Office, 221 S 2nd S, Suite 300, MKE.
RSVP

Wausau: Thursday, July 22nd; 5-8pm
First Universalist Unitarian Church 504 Grant St, Wausau.
RSVP

Viroqua: Thursday, July 29th; 3-7 pm
Rooted Spoon 219 S Main St, Viroqua.
RSVP

Take Action: Milwaukee’s Green New Deal!

Live in Milwaukee County? If you do, please take a moment to help us make a difference by sending an email message advocating for Milwaukee’s Green New Deal to City of Milwaukee Common Council Members.

The funding provided to the City of Milwaukee by the American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA) provides us with an opportunity to both combat climate change, and create good family supporting jobs for the most economically oppressed communities in our great city.  

Let the Milwaukee Common Council know what is important to you, and that you support Milwaukee’s Green New Deal!

Take Action NOW! Send an email to all City of Milwaukee Common Council Members asking them to invest in our communities and say yes to a Milwaukee Green New Deal.

Citizen Action in the News

Citizen Action’s Health Care Director Claire Zautke was quoted extensively in an excellent article on BadgerCare Expansion in UpNorth News. Read it here.

Citizen Action’s Director Robert Kraig was on the Jeff Santos radio show for 60 minutes discussing the crisis in governing in Washington. Can the federal government act on the real issues facing the nation? Listen to the entire hour here.

We are just beginning to collect news stories from the four news conferences around the state Thursday and Friday Citizen Action led with our End Child Poverty partners on the historic Child Tax credit. Watch a good story that ran on Fox 6 News Milwaukee Thursday evening here.

“Vaccinating the pandemic” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast

We continue to discuss the fundamental failings of the Legislature’s State Budget, which at the time of recording, was awaiting Gov. Evers’ action. We look at the latest vaccination rates in Wisconsin and remind listeners that Wisconsin still has low rates of vaccination in many areas and demographics that must be addressed if we are going to put the pandemic beyond us. We educate our listeners about the new federal child tax credit and its importance in reducing poverty and stimulating the economy in every community and discuss Senator QAnon Ron Johnson calling climate change science Bull**it. We review a Wisconsin Examiner story about the Kenosha Police’s friendly attitude towards armed militias during the Jacob Blake protests and how Republicans are trying to make “law and order” the top issue in midterm elections.

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