Today ACORN and allied groups held a press conference to officially launch their voter registration drive for 2008. Joining ACORN at the event were representatives of Campaign Against Violence, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Urban Underground and Voces de la Frontera. The general goal is to greatly increase the participation of low-income and minority residents in […]
One Wisconsin Now has launched a statewide online petition drive calling for Wisconsin legislators to fill a projected $300 million budget shortfall not by slashing critical programs to the poor, elderly and disabled, but by reinstating the estate tax for the heirs and heiresses of Wisconsin’s wealthiest which expired January 1. This $300 million brand new […]
One would think that after constant Wisconsin bashing from WMC and others on the right that residents would rank “taxes” higher on the items that they care about. According to a new Wispolitics/Checkpoint poll, taxes are listed as one of the lowest factors that respondents will use in picking a presidential candidate. Concern about taxes […]
Wisconsin Republicans brought former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich to Milwaukee yesterday apparently to both cheerlead and pontificate. He was also there to promote his new book, “Real Change” which is a strange title for a political has been yapping about making English the official American language. That hardly sounds like change, it sounds […]
Earlier this week Congressman F. Jim Sensenbrenner endorsed Michael Gableman in his quest for the states high court. Given the two men’s partisanship, the endorsement is certainly no surprise. It does, however, make one wonder if Gableman shares the same extreme Sensenbrenner positions on the law, civil rights and issues in general. Here is a […]
After the governor delivered his State of the State address, he was followed by a pre-recorded response by Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch. The most fitting moment of the night, however, came when Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald tried to deliver his response. While the Governor delivered a speech with a clear attempt at cooperation, Fitzgerald’s […]
Only a matter of weeks ago Michael Gableman made the decision to take the race for State Supreme Court into the gutter. He and members of his operation made outrageous remarks about the incumbent Supreme Court Justice, prompting a rebuke from the newly formed Judicial Campaign Integrity Committee (JCIC). Now he seems to be resorting […]
Forty years ago, on the morning of April 5, I sat in a hotel coffee shop in Decatur, Ill., reading the morning Decatur Herald-Review with the headline proclaiming the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A grizzled longtime representative of our union walked by, saw the headline, and said, “They finally got the bastard,” […]
John Torinus writes a regular column for the The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s business page. He is a reliable WMCheerleader who regularly fills the pages of the state’s largest paper with all of the latest Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) talking points. Although he feeds this steady diet to readers he rarely discloses his deep involvement […]
Today is the 35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision guaranteeing a women’s right to make her own decisions regarding her reproductive health. How appropriate that today Representative Terese Berceau (D-Madison) and Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona) have introduced the Women’s Health and Safety Act. The legislation will remove a 158-year-old Wisconsin law that […]
Friday was the fifth time that people all over Wisconsin took action to stop the war in Iraq. People took action both big and small, both as individuals and collectively. The effort is part of the growing Iraq Moratorium, which encourages everyone to do something to help end the war in Iraq. Friday there were […]
Beware the warm, engaging smile! It can lure so many of us into taking actions that go against our own best interests. As we approach the 2008 elections, we must look behind the appealing demeanor and pretty phrases of some of the candidates to see just what their political priorities are. It’s just such benevolent […]
“I don’t care what literature you send me, but I just think they went too far.” This was the reaction of just one Racine resident who opened an unwelcome package from that county’s affiliate of Wisconsin Right to Life – a two-inch plastic fetus. But looking at their agenda, sending plastic shock toys (which this […]
Today the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel focused on State Senator John Lehman’s (D-Racine) plan regarding virtual schools in Wisconsin. A major piece of his plan focuses on bringing some real accountability to virtual schools. The proposal would require school districts that offer online instruction to make their contracts with for-profit companies public. This is a common […]
A dozen events calling for an end to the war in Iraq are planned across Wisconsin in connection with Iraq Moratorium #5, a national grassroots movement, on Friday, January 18. The Iraq Moratorium calls for people to take some action, individually or in a group, on the third Friday of every month to show that […]
As expected, Assembly Republicans continued their war on voting today. In their crosshairs is the decades-old practice allowing same day voter registration. In many ways this tradition has helped to produce voter participation numbers that are the envy of most other states. Republicans on the Elections and Constitutional Law committee are ignoring the Constitution. Sacred rights […]
The La Crosse Tribune reported today that Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem) wants to focus on health care during the 2008 session. Given his history of inaction in this area and based on his defense of our dysfunctional status quo this is bound to be a very short discussion. Here is what the Huebsch […]
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported today that since Scott Walker has been Milwaukee County Executive, the county’s budget for administering its income assistance program has shrunk by about $1.7 million. The shrinking has not been done based on necessity because the number of people seeking food stamps has increased 10.5 percent during the same period. […]
Glenn Grothman has issued a jaw-dropping attack on efforts to protect teenagers from unwanted pregnancy. He’s making the ludicrous claim that family planning programs for teenagers are somehow encouraging sexual predators. This isn’t an interpretation. He issued a press release entitled: “Grothman Attempts to Stop State from Encouraging Sexual Predators.” Whether it’s placating the right […]
Earlier this week the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs voted to approve Senate Bill 130, which would raise the minimum wage and would index it for inflation. If passed this legislation would significantly improve the living conditions for some of our state’s most vulnerable families. Although this is excellent legislation, it surely […]
Another missile has been fired in the War On Voting. Rep. Sue Jeskewitz is once again trying to prevent Wisconsinites from exercising the most cherish right enjoyed by Americans: the right to vote. It’s not the first time she’s tried, but Jeskewitz has reintroduced a bill to end the right of Wisconsinites to register to […]
Today hearings are set on two of the latest attempts by conservatives in the state legislature to disenfranchise people that traditionally don’t vote for them. The first is an attempt to repeal election day voter registration in Wisconsin, the second to establish a voter photo ID requirement. These are just the latest two attempts by […]
One Wisconsin Now is asking Wisconsinites who their choice is in the presidential primaries as part of a multi-state online poll to give everyone the opportunity to ‘PickYourPresident.org’ There are critical issues facing America and Wisconsinites deserve to have their voices heard now. By casting your vote online at PickYourPresident.org, you can have your say, […]
Hey Milwaukee, do you remember J.B. Van Hollen’s bold promises, when he was a candidate, about fighting crime? Apparently you can forget them all because he confessed in a recent story that he has no intention of launching the big plan that he advertised before taking office. Who could forget how aggressively he criticized his predecessor […]
Today the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel completely nailed the issue of requiring voter IDs to vote. The editorial was written in the context of a voter ID case scheduled to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court today. Specifically, it is concerning an Indiana law that is among the strictest in the […]
Last week the judicial conduct panel recommended that Justice Annette Ziegler receive a public reprimand for her repeated violations of very clear ethics rules. That light tap on the wrist seemed to trigger an effort to minimize what Ziegler has done. Thankfully, not everyone is falling for the attempt to change the subject and minimize […]
The Bush Administration has constantly claimed that its policies have ushered in a picture perfect economy. The obvious question has been, for whom? If the policies of this administration have been helpful to anyone it has been the very rich and those that add to their fortunes through investment. The Bush economy has not been […]
Today the Judicial Conduct Panel that heard the conflict of interest case against Justice Annette Ziegler recommended that she receive a public reprimand. That is the punishment that Ziegler and the Wisconsin Judicial Commission agreed on and is unfortunately the very least that they could do. The ultimate decision will be up to the other […]
In October Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) revealed his “Budget Boondoggle” awards. At that time we drew attention to the hypocrisy of him preaching a message of sound budget policy. We made this case because his first eight years in Congress saw him vote in favor of every single federal budget – joining the then-Republican majority […]
While everyone is talking about New Year resolutions, it seems appropriate to suggest a few for Wisconsin progressives. Below are a few items that should make every list. Real Health Care Reform It is certainly no secret that Wisconsin pays some of the highest health care costs in the nation. These out of control costs […]
Yet another pair of studies have been released showing that the numbers of the uninsured are rising all over the country. Take a look at a report on the studies HERE.
The New York Times is reporting that Washington Democrats have drafted a broad health care agenda to lower drug costs for older Americans, provide more money for children’s health insurance and expand research using embryonic stem cells. Very interesting article, read the rest HERE…
This from the Wisconsin Radio network: Wisconsin school boards would have an easier time firing teachers if State Senator Glenn Grothman has his way. The West Bend Republican is drafting legislation to let districts get rid of what he calls “lemons” in the classroom, without going through years of legal disputes. Grothman says it’s getting […]