Wisconsin

‘Motor voter’ system would happen if Wisconsin dumps same day voter registration

Wisconsin is one of only eight states where people can register to vote on Election Day, and it will be 10 after new laws take effect in California and Connecticut. But if the Badger State trashes it – as Governor Scott Walker is talking about – the state must adopt a “motor voter” registration system, […] [WHBL]

Walker Calls for Changes to Same Day Voter Registration Rules

Gov. Scott Walker has joined one of the Legislature’s most powerful Republicans in saying he’s considering ending the state’s same-day voter registration law, drawing quick criticism from leading Democrats, including Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Wisconsin is one of nine states that allow voters to register at their polling place on the day of the election, […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Analysis: Years of GOP domination coming for Wisconsin

Democrats in the state certainly had reason to rejoice last week as they watched President Obama and Tammy Baldwin coast to victory. Not only did their party win on the national level, but Obama’s re-election seriously hinders the ability of Gov. Scott Walker to turn Wisconsin into a conservative paradise. The governor can no longer, […] [Capital Times]

Walker Defers Health Exchange Formation to Federal Government

As expected, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker announced today that he will not attempt to create a state health care insurance exchange for Wisconsin residents and will instead defer that chore to the federal government. To comply with the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, the governors of the states must inform the Obama administration […] [Biz Times]

Top GOPer cries voter fraud, we say prove it

During a recent television appearance, Republican State Senator Alberta Darling claimed a lack of voter identification law caused Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to lose Wisconsin, we sent a letter to Darling asking her to provide the list of documented cases of improper votes cast in recent elections. Since 2006, over 14 million votes have […]

One Wisconsin Now Letter Asks Darling to Document Cases of Voter Impropriety

MADISON, Wis. — Following her television appearance Sunday in which leading Republican State Senator Alberta Darling claimed a lack of voter identification law caused Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to lose Wisconsin, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross today sent a letter to Darling asking her to provide the list of documented cases of […]

Leading Republican Defends Auctioning Off Public Policy to Benefit Out-of-State Campaign Contributors

MADISON, Wis. — Since 2008 the Aycox family of Georgia, owners of auto-title loan businesses that prey on low-income consumers, have contributed $38,000 to Republican Assembly candidates and incumbent representatives. According to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, their investment paid off big time when powerful Republican Rep. Robin Vos quietly inserted a provision […]

Title-loan officials donated $24,000 to GOP Assembly candidates

Wisconsin is open for business – the sketchy title-loan business. Officials with LoanMax, a Georgia-based firm with branches throughout Wisconsin, poured $24,000 into the campaign coffers of more than a dozen Republican Assembly candidates in targeted districts during the past year. More than three-quarters of the campaign cash came in the final weeks before Tuesday’s election. […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

GOP Tries to Keep Candidates Non-Tax Paying Past From Public

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now has learned that Republicans are attempting to keep information about GOP candidates not paying taxes from being made available to the public prior to Tuesday’s election. Scot Ross, Executive Director of One Wisconsin Now, commented, “Instead of paying taxes, and paying them on time, like other hard working Wisconsinites, […]

Walker promotes public land accessibility

Wisconsin private landowners have registered more than a million acres in an open-managed forest program for recreational public use in exchange for tax subsidies. The report from a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation indicated that in certain areas public use has been denied. Monday, legislators promised legislation to remove the legal loopholes in the hope of preventing […] [Badger Herald]

Obama and Romney to visit Wisconsin again

Neither of the two leading presidential candidates are through with Wisconsin quite yet as both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama announced upcoming visits to Wisconsin this week. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will speak in West Allis on Monday evening while Obama is set to visit Green Bay Tuesday evening. This is not the first […] [Badger Herald]

Tommy! Busted.

MADISON, Wis. — In his run for United States Senate, Tommy Thompson has made numerous outlandish claims, and among the claims he’s been most vociferous about is, “I’ve lived my whole life here”. But according to research gathered by One Wisconsin Now and released today in a video, that claim is simply not accurate. One […]

John Macco On Equal Pay for Women: Doesn’t Get It or Doesn’t Care?

MADISON, Wis. — At a public forum this week, State Senate candidate John Macco supported the repeal of Wisconsin ‘s equal pay law. Despite reports that full-time working women lose over $9 million annually in Wisconsin as a result of a gender pay gap and a new, national study finding women were paid only 82% […]

WEDC loses track of $8M in past due loans

“Gov. Walker’s WEDC has proven to be as unaccountable and unsuccessful at getting the job done for Wisconsin as critics said it would be,” said One Wisconsin Now. [Wisconsin State Journal]

Mary Czaja: No Help on Health Insurance for Thousands of Uninsured Wisconsinites, No State Income Taxes Paid by Her Four Times in Recent Years

MADISON, Wis. — State Assembly candidate Mary Czaja, who touts her involvement with an association that lobbied against bipartisan legislation that could have made comprehensive health insurance available to an estimated 156,000 uninsured individuals and 35,000 farmers, paid no state income taxes in 2010, 2008, 2007 or 2004 according to state Department of Revenue records. […]

New Audio: What Did Tommy Mean, Now?

MADISON, Wis. — In advance of the second debate between U.S. Senate candidates Tommy Thompson and U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross wondered whom the subject of the Thompson campaign’s next offensive comment will be. New audio obtained by One Wisconsin Now raises even more questions about Thompson’s values. Ross […]

Czaja on Health Care: ‘If I Can’t Sell It, You Can’t Have It’

Assembly candidate Mary Czaja touts her experience lobbying on health insurance issues. But according to state lobbying reports, the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin with which Czaja is associated, formally opposed and worked to kill bills that could have helped tens of thousands of farmers, small business owners and self-employed get comprehensive health insurance coverage […]

Czaja on Health Care: ‘If I Can’t Sell It, You Can’t Have It’

MADISON, Wis. — Assembly candidate Mary Czaja touts her experience lobbying on health insurance issues. But according to state lobbying reports, the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin with which Czaja is associated, formally opposed and worked to kill bills that could have helped tens of thousands of farmers, small business owners and self-employed get comprehensive […]

What Else Does Republican John Macco’s Spouse Have to Say?

It’s no surprise the wife of state Senate candidate John Macco (R-Green Bay) endorses his campaign. But according to One Wisconsin Now, she has, much like U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Thompson’s son Jason, shared and advocated racially charged, discredited right-wing attacks regarding President Obama.

One Wisconsin Now Statements on Top Walker Aide Pleading Guilty to Felony Misconduct in Office

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements related to the announcement that Kelly Rindfleisch will plead guilty to one count of felony misconduct in public office for her actions as Deputy Chief of Staff to Scott Walker while he was Milwaukee County Executive: “You cannot understate the seriousness […]

One Wisconsin Now Files Federal Elections Commission Complaint Against Rep. Paul Ryan

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now today filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission alleging U.S. Representative and GOP Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan is improperly using Congressional campaign funds to boost the Republican Presidential ticket. Ryan, who has claimed he has a 25-point lead in the U.S. House race according to a poll […]

Rindfleisch may plead guilty

One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said Rindfleisch agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in their ongoing John Doe investigation, which has been focused on Walker’s county executive office. Ross emphasized Rindfleisch was one of Walker’s top aides, which may reflect badly on him. “We’ll have to see what the plea deal was and what […] [Badger Herald]

He Said What?

It is almost unbelievable that a single elected official could make so many wrongheaded, ill-informed and outright offensive public statements in such a short time.

Walker’s petition initiative undermines Supreme Court

In response, an activist group known as One Wisconsin Now has started its own petition initiative to match Walker’s fundraising efforts. The organization asks signers to “Stand with the Constitution,” referring to the ruling made by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas, who believed Walker’s law violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. […] [Badger Herald]

One Wisconsin Now Statements on Confirmation on Total Lack of Voter Fraud

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements related to national and state media analysis showing a complete lack of widespread voter irregularity, despite a near-decade long claim by voter suppression organizations and conservative elected officials. “We have final, irrefutable confirmation: voter fraud is a fantasy. The only real […]

Rep. Tiffany AWOL in Effort to Extend Waiver for SeniorCare Prescription Drug Program

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s SeniorCare program has helped state seniors save an estimated $100 million on the cost of their prescription drugs. Yet Rep. Tom Tiffany was conspicuously absent as a number of his Assembly Republican colleagues signed a letter urging federal officials to extend the waiver that allows the program to continue to operate. […]

Right-Wing Irony Parade Adds Another Act

The ironic cavalcade of right-wing politicians rallying for unaccountable privatization in a publicly run building just upped the ante with the addition of Lt. Gov. Kleefisch to the roster of speakers.

John Macco’s Vision: Less Math & Science In Our Schools?

MADISON, Wis. — John Macco recently invited the public to share a “fresh vision for Northeast Wisconsin”. But according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, Macco’s “vision” could mean children are less prepared for careers and get less instruction in critical subjects like math and science. Ross commented, “It’s hard to imagine parents […]

Does Non-Taxpaying Tom Tiffany Reject Mitt Romney’s ‘Freeloading 47%’ Comments?

MADISON, Wis. — A national controversy has erupted over a recently released video clip in which Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney tells a roomful of campaign donors that 47% of American voters believe that they are “… entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it … These are people who pay no income […]

Irony on Parade in Waukesha

From the location to the keynote address, irony will be on parade this weekend in Waukesha according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross as a cavalcade of right-wing organizations promote unaccountable privatization.

Support for Private School Vouchers in Milwaukee, Cuts to K-12 Public Schools Pays Off for Gudex’s Campaign

MADISON, Wis. — Spending more state taxpayer dollars on private school vouchers in Milwaukee while hitting K-12 public schools with record budget cuts isn’t paying off for public school children. But, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, supporting these policies is paying off for Rick Gudex’s political campaign. “Rick Gudex has publicly […]

Thompson is Sorry Alright! “

“Those who remember Mike Gableman’s campaign that included a roundly-criticized, race-baiting television ad will have to see about the tone the Thompson campaign may take in the final months,” said Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a Madison-based liberal organization. The controversy didn’t bother only Democrats. Some Republican operatives contacted by the State […] [Cognitive Dissidence]

Meet the Wisconsin Karl Rove

If former Gov. Tommy Thompson defeats U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin in this year’s U.S. Senate race, it will mark not only an impressive coda to his long political career, it will represent yet another victory for the political mind behind his campaign. “Those who remember Mike Gableman’s campaign that included a roundly-criticized, race-baiting television ad […] [Wisconsin State Journal]

Let’s Be Honest: Rep. Ryan’s Wisconsin Visit Perfect Time to Release His Tax Records

MADISON, Wis. — A mid-week campaign visit to De Pere is the perfect opportunity for Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan to come clean and release his tax records for the last ten years, as has virtually every major party presidential ticket candidate in recent elections, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross. […]

Romney-Ryan Jobs Pledge: ‘Ours Is Smaller’

Following the age-old political adage that setting the bar low enough helps one achieve success, the Republican presidential campaign of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is promising in a new television ad to create fewer jobs over an unspecified time span than the 250,000 jobs over four year vow on which Governor Scott Walker is […]

Romney-Ryan Jobs Pledge: ‘Ours Is Smaller’

MADISON, Wis. — Following the age-old political adage that setting the bar low enough helps one achieve success, the Republican presidential campaign of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is promising in a new television ad to create fewer jobs over an unspecified time span than the 250,000 jobs over four year vow on which Governor […]

Abrahamson asks Appeals to take Prosser case

Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Clerk Diane Fremgen declined to comment on the issue and could only confirm the letter was filed, though she did say it is unclear when Abrahamson would make a decision.One Wisconsin Now spokesperson Mike Browne said Prosser’s alleged behavior has not reflected well on the court as a whole.“Justice Prosser’s [alleged] behavior […] [Badger Herald]

Wisconsin to allow electronic documents for election day voter registration

Wisconsin students and young voters got a big boost on Tuesday when the state board overseeing elections adopted a policy allowing people registering to vote on Election Day in November to present identifying documents from a laptop or portable digital device. he advocacy group, One Wisconsin Now, said in a press release that they believe the GAB’s board’s action […] [AlterNet]

The Bane of the Middle Class

Laura Baxley of Examiner.com recently highlighted the glaring parallels between conservative politics and one of this summer’s box office hits, “The Dark Knight Rises”. Although Baxley’s article ends on a positive note, her interpretation of the film is hinged on the ubiquitous theme of class warfare that is overt even to the untrained average moviegoer’s […]

It’s Not What Paul Ryan Said, It’s What He Didn’t Say

The fact checkers have been working overtime to catalog the distortions and dissembling of Republican Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s speech at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. Ryan’s fact-challenged polemic was even too much for reliable Republican mouthpiece Fox News, which said of his primetime remarks, “to anyone paying the slightest bit of attention […]