Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, August 6th
Friday, August 6th
Take Action: Support the Build Back Better Plan
Can you imagine what our neighborhoods would look like if we had all that we need? Together we can rewrite the rules so that everyone contributes to make our schools, hospitals, parks and programs all that our families deserve.
The Build Back Better plan will create good-paying green jobs, grow our economy, and give American workers, businesses, and families the opportunity to succeed in the 21st century.
Build Back Better will build an economy that rewards work, not wealth by lowering costs for working people and easing the burden on the middle class — all paid for by making the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share.
Citizen Action North Central Organizing Co-op Holds Membership Meeting
On Thursday, July 29th members and friends of the North Central Organizing Co-op gathered at the home of one of their members, for a potluck and an update on the work that our members and your Organizer have been involved in.
One thing that Citizen Action has been actively involved in is Movement Politics. In very simple terms, this is the act of seeking candidates to run for office that embody the values important to our organization. These are often people who have been actively involved in movements that help to change things in a way that benefits the majority of us. We invited some elected leaders to share the reasons that they decided to run for office.
We were lucky to be joined by Wausau School Board member Jane Rusch, Marathon County Board Supervisor Bill Conway, Wausau Alder Tom Kilian, Marathon County Board Supervisor Jeff Johnson, and Schofield City Alder Kristin Conway, who all shared some perspective on why they ran for office and even offered some pointers on running a campaign. As a result of this meeting, a person who has been an integral part of the Community for All movement (just to mention the most recent efforts) signed up for the Citizen Action of Wisconsin Movement Politics Academy, and intends to run for a seat on the County Board!
We also discussed the issue teams that our Co-op is currently in the process of forming. Those issue teams are for Healthcare, Climate & Equity, and Movement Politics (candidates and elections). We still have a few spots open on each team, so please reach out to your Organizer if you would like to participate in this way. We also had two friends of the Co-op step up and become sustaining members, as well as several membership renewals. This is what makes these Co-ops possible. We exist because of the support of our members.
Reach out to Organizer Joel Lewis at 715-551-2525 or via email at [email protected] if you would like to learn more about becoming a member or if you’re interested in serving on one of the issue teams. Lastly, we are in the process of updating our candidate platform that is used as a benchmark in our endorsement process. We want our members to have a voice in this process. You can fill in the platform survey here.
Emergency HealthCare Action! HealthCare for All Co-Op.
In the biggest healthcare move since the Affordable Care Act, Democrats are negotiating what a Medicare expansion would look like right now. Our POWER MAP leads to a key Democrat in New Jersey. We will be calling constituents in his district and asking them to contact him to make sure the expansion is a robust one. This can pass through the reconciliation process which is a lower vote threshold.
So join Citizen Action healthcare organizer Karen Kirsch and Doctor Mark Neumann for some calls.
After our detailed training, we will then stay on Zoom with you in order to answer any questions you have in real time while we all make calls!
Sign up here for our phone bank every Tuesday night or even one Tuesday if you can’t make them all.
- Join us Tuesday evenings in August for phone banking with other members of our Health Care for All team from around the country.We will connect with folks in New Jersey to drive calls to Senator Menendez and make sure he gets the message that his constituents cannot wait any longer for him to expand Medicare.
- Don’t worry if you haven’t phonebanked before! We will run through a brief phone bank training at the beginning of each session where we’ll talk about the issue, the script, and how to use the tech.
Dreaming out loud: Housing for all
RENTERS: What issues are you facing with your current housing situation? Have you ever felt manipulated, abused or taken advantage of by a bad landlord? What would it look like for America to guarantee housing as a basic human right?
Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless Co-op and People’s Action are currently working on a Housing For All campaign to push the federal government to get to work on protecting renters. We want to hear from you!
Please join us August 12th at 6:00 PM for our “Imagination Session” over Zoom so you can help shape the future of housing rights in America! Register below to receive Zoom information to join this meeting.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin at the Adams County Fair
If you will be in Adams County this weekend stop by the fair and chat with Citizen Action of Wisconsin members. We have a booth at the fair. We will be talking about the work we do, building our list of progressive activists and hopefully sign up new members. Come join us and learn about the work the Driftless Co-op has done. You can even sign up for a meeting with local organizer Ben Wlson.
“Existence is not silence” This is NOT that Podcast
The city-wide morale-boost built by the Bucks championship win is still palatable in Milwaukee. But very quickly, it’s becoming obvious that there are those which see that morale-boost as Milwaukee overcoming systemic oppression and the effects of segregation. Building off that theme, this week we discuss the experiences of Milwaukee’s minority and immigrant communities which may often occur in silence. We’re also welcoming Voces de la Frontera organizer Tommy Molina, who witnessed first hand an ICE arrest in 2019 which grew into a months-long battle to return a father to his family. Get involved with Voces de la Frontera by calling their office at 414-643-1620.
Healthcare for All Show
WATCH this week’s Healthcare for All Show! Stephanie Sue Stein, from the League of Progressive Seniors, joins Citizen Action’s Healthcare for All Cooperative organizer Karen Kirsch and Dr. Mark Neumann to discuss America’s healthcare system.
RSVP to join the next show >>> https://bit.ly/3ym6SwT If you join via the zoom webinar after the show we will have the opportunity to enter the Green Room with Karen and Dr. Mark to talk more, ask questions or share your healthcare stories if you feel compelled to share. See you in the green room!
Citizen Action in the News
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did a major feature story on a proposed Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) in Crawford County (along the Mississippi River). Citizen Action’s Driftless Area Organizing Co-op is the leader in the fight to stop it, and the article quotes our organizer Ben Wilson near the top of the lengthy story. Read it here
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram radio show for 60 minutes to discuss the state of Wisconsin politics, and the reasons Wisconsin Democrats are now less progressive than their national counterparts. Listen here.
Citizen Action and the WI Alliance for Retired Americans held a roundtable discussion with Congresswoman Gwen Moore on the 56th Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. The Milwaukee Courier covered the event.
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Jeff Santos radio show for the full hour to discuss everything going on in national politics and legislation, with a particular focus on the infrastructure bills. Listen to the whole interview here.
Bet On Us! Submit your application today
In partnership with Wisconsin Working Families Party, Citizen Action is actively recruiting applicants for “Bet on Us WI” an eight week program that centers on building inclusive campaigns, stronger campaign environments, & growing movements together. Bet on Us WI, seeks to build and train a statewide base of Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) women, transgender, and non-binary activists who can provide campaign services to progressive candidates and campaigns.
Call to Action in Wausau
The Sustainability, Energy and Environment Committee for the City of Wausau, has drafted and passed an Environmental Justice Resolution, and it would have no negative fiscal impact on the City. Yet, it is being opposed by the local Chamber of Commerce, and therefore we, and Citizens for a Clean Wausau are calling on our members and friends to call and email their Alder asking them to support the Environmental Justice resolution. We are also encouraging vaccinated people to consider attending the Common Council meeting on August 10th, at 6:30 pm at City Hall, to speak in support. If you do not know who your Alder is, you can find out here.
“U.S. Senate Candidate Interview with Sarah Godlewski” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
This week we welcome yet another U.S. Senate candidate, State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, to discuss her primary campaign. This is our second in a series of interviews with the crowded field of Democratic candidates vying to face off against incumbent Senator and Trump sycophant Ron Johnson. Our panel also talks about the explosion of COVID and the return of masking for some businesses and local governments, while the Legislative Republicans move this week to bar the UW System from enacting COVID safety rules, endangering young people, university staff, and the communities in which they live. We also look at the eviction crisis, the important role of movement leaders like U.S. Rep. Cori Bush cutting through traditional political gridlock, and the hard path ahead to real structural reform.
Sarah Godlewski for U.S. Senate
Facebook post of the week
