Following a discussion of Trump’s selections for agency appointments and the recent spate of new union organizing in Wisconsin, we dive into a discussion with two guests on immediate climate organizing opportunities progressives should be engaged in now. Former Citizen Action organizer, Kevin Kane, now with Green Homeowners United, joins us to highlight where we are in Wisconsin with the Inflation Reduction Act and ARPA implementation and what opportunities exist for organizing in Wisconsin. Kevin also strongly encourages homeowners to immediately take advantage of available federal resources. We close the show welcoming Citizen Action member and former Wausau alderman, Tom Killian, to discuss two Open Records workshops this Saturday, November 23rd in Wausau that are open to the public. One workshop, led by Bill Lueters, will provide residents and grassroots groups with insights into obtaining records from the government. The second session features Stephan Lester, who will provide information from public records about dioxin and pentachlorophenol contamination in the Thomas Street neighborhood on Wausau’s southwest side that were acquired through years of citizen research.

Senator Chris Larson joins us to commemorate the life of a major figure in Democratic politics who passed this week, former State Representative and Judge Fred Kessler. Fred was one of the great political organizers of his generation, and left behind a legacy of young progressive leaders he mentored and helped elect to office. We next turn to a deep dive into rural organizing with leaders of Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin (GROWW). Joining us are Executive Director Jenelle Ludwig Krauss and Organizing Director Bill Hogseth. We discuss a deeper organizing approach to reaching rural voters, and the crisis in affordable housing in rural Wisconsin. What are the implications for the path forward from the 2024 election?

With heavy hearts, we remember Milwaukee leader Jonathan Brostoff, who tragically passed away this week. We debrief the 2024 Election, looking at the results from the presidential, U.S. Senate and State Legislative elections. What does it all mean and where do we go from here? We discuss the reality that rural Wisconsin and most of rural America is continuing its realignment with the Republican Party. We are joined by People’s Action Rural Strategist, Kellon Patey, who lives in southeast Ohio, to discuss the pressing need for progressive organizations and donors to seriously invest in long term, permanent organizing and community building in rural places.

We discuss the final stretch of the voting phase of the 2024 election. It all comes down to people like our listeners talking to other voters and helping them make meaning of this election. Sign up to volunteer from home on phones or join us on the doors. We discuss yet another healthcare merger as minnows, Black River Memorial Hospital and the Krohn Clinic, merge in an effort to survive all the bigger fish in the pond. Marge Rogenbuck from Lincoln County, Wisconsin joins us to discuss conservative Board Members efforts to privatize the public county nursing home. Marge is a lifelong Lincoln County resident and had both her parents stay at Pine Crest. She tells us why she joined “People For Pine Crest” and is fighting back to protect a vital and excellent public institution in her community. We close with a very special guest, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. He is jointed by Milwaukee County Sustainability Director Grant Helle, and Citizen Action Climate Coordinator Kat Klawes, to discuss the incredible new federal investments making it possible for cities, counties, and school districts to address the climate change emergency. As you will see, climate change is on the ballot on November 5th!

Early voting is now underway, as Trump/Vance and Harris/Walz crisscross Wisconsin and the other battleground states. The first day of Wisconsin early voting saw record turnout of over 100,000 voters this Tuesday. What does it mean for the same day vote? We encourage our listeners to volunteer in Citizen Action’s final voter contact activities on phones and doors talking directly to targeted voters we need to win. Are you with us? In spite of two “thousand year event” hurricanes less than two weeks apart, and the warmest September on record, the climate change issue is the worst casualty of the 2024 election season. Are voters not interested, or are politicians refusing to talk about it? The second most ignored issue in the 2024 election is the current hospital and health system crisis ripping a hole in our health care safety net. We discuss how the hospital closure crisis in Eau Claire is also shocking the Madison hospital system, and the latest mega hospital chain merger of Marshfield Clinic Health System & Sanford Health. We close by welcoming Milwaukee Area Technical College educator Luz Sosa to discuss the discrimination Latinos are experiencing at MATC and how it connects to Act 10 and the gerrymandered Legislature’s chronic under funding of public education.

With less than 3 weekends left before this historic election, the presidential and U.S. senate race in Wisconsin is tied. What does it all mean? Early voting starts next Tuesday and we continue to encourage our listeners to get out and talk to voters on the doors and by phone to close the deal and overcome the toxic ads demonizing our immigrant and trans neighbors and friends. We also give our unsolicited advice on what Kamala Harris and Tammy Baldwin need to do to win in Wisconsin. We follow up on a recent Public Service Commission (PSC) public hearing where the PSC tried to ban the media from covering the hearing and the lousy representation of PSC members even attending the public hearing reveals utility capture and their utter failure to represent the public interest. We continue to sound the alarm bells about the need for hospital and health system regulation, as Ascension continues its downward spiral. The latest news is that Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers in Milwaukee has switched maternity hospitals from Ascension’s premier Milwaukee hospital to an Aurora hospital. Robert closes with hope that the Biden Administration will follow through the President’s threat this week to cut off Israeli military aid in 30 days if Gaza aid flow does not radically improve. Is Biden finally going to have some backbone?

We discuss another climate charged hurricane hitting Florida. We question whether this epic month of hurricanes will lead to a climate reckoning in America, as climate change conspiracy theories and their politicians seem to be successfully altering the debate by shifting attention from systemic causes to convenient scapegoats that play well on social media and play into established conspiracy theories and MAGA ideology. We reflect on how this directly impacts everyone in Wisconsin. Robert tells more about the details and significance of Kamala Harris’ new Medicare plan to provide long-term care in the home, plus vision and dental coverage. What else should she do to capitalize on the public’s desire for accessible and affordable care – whether that is health care, home care , or child care. We debrief last week’s We Energies PSC public hearings where Citizen Action members testified against outrageous rate increases and supported ZERO rate increases until there is a 2% of income rate cap for utilities. Wausau mayor Diny goes national for his removal of voter drop boxes, as the public descended upon this week’s city council meeting protesting the drop box removal. Billionaire Elon Musk drops millions into trashy ads for Trump in Wisconsin. Fight back, talk to voters with Citizen Action every Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm and knock doors with us. Contact [email protected]

Hurricane Helene was worse than anyone thought. We discuss the damage in North Carolina and encourage support for their relief organizing in rural North Carolina devastated by the climate change fueled storm. We talk about this week’s Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) hearings on We Energies’ outrageous rate hikes. We review their failure to make the green renewable energy transition and and their latest fossil fuel scheme to bilk ratepayers and the public at large. We urge freezing rates until the PSC imposed a 2% of income rate cap in the state for all utilities. Learn more about the 2% rate cap and sign our petition in support. We discuss the latest MU Law Poll showing the presidential horserace unchanged. However, Tammy Baldwin’s U.S. Senate lead is growing, continuing her history of out performing the top of the ticket. We review new research showing Wisconsin would gain $1.7 billion in federal funds if the Legislature accepted available federal funds that could be used to provide health insurance coverage to tens of thousands of families through Medicaid—and to improve reimbursement rates for hospitals, clinics, doctors, and other providers. We welcome Tim Hennigan, a staff attorney at ABC For Health, to discuss an upcoming Medical Debt Symposium, the morning of Thursday, October 17th in Milwaukee. We discuss how medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy and how Wisconsin’s hospitals are destroying the financial lives of their own patients for profit.

We discuss the significance of another modest hurricane intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico into a monster storm imperiling 5 southern states. What is the role of climate change? We take a deep dive into the polling paradox of presidential elections. Polls consume the media and voters attention, along with junk ads that pollute discourse, yet they reveal little and fail repeatedly to capture reality. The Wausau mayor removes ballot drop box and charges are filed against him as two northern Wisconsin towns are sued by the DOJ for voting rights violations. What are the consequences of the GOP big lie on voter fraud? Healthcare and BadgerCare become a big issue in Legislative races and we remind our listeners it is now 6 months since devastating hospital and clinic closures and NO help has been offered for the Eau Claire/Chippewa area, leaving the region reeling and public health badly damaged. We are joined by Milwaukee County Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez to discuss a new plan for Milwaukee’s iconic Mitchell Park Domes and how their critical connection to the improved health and safety of a community and neighborhood.

We discuss the Organizing Revival, launched by Citizen Action with our national partners earlier this year, which is investing in improving permanent organizing capacity in every corner of the country. Leaders from 9 Midwestern states converged in Milwaukee last week to strategize on this critical power building initiative. Next, Robert encourages your attendance at next Wednesday’s statewide virtual Healthcare Action Meeting, where the group is engaged in a deep strategic analysis of the health care industry. We laud the effort of state and national advocates who urged Congress this week to raise the corporate tax rate and ensure those who make over $400,000 annually “pay their fair share” to fund critical investments such as child care, and care for the elderly and those with disabilities. On the other end we call out the International President of the Teamsters who used the crutch of internal polling to sit out this historic presidential election. The Teamsters’ Black Caucus and Teamsters Wisconsin Council took a more proactive stance, supporting pro-labor candidate Kamala Harris. In other news, RFK Jr is trying to get off Wisconsin ballots days before they begin to be mailed. Why is he spending so much money on this? Robert also highlights two Issues (immigration and abortion) where the politics have dramatically shifted over the past two decades. Which will have the biggest impact in the 2024 Election?

Who won the Presidential debate and why? How epic was Trump’s failure on healthcare? And does any of it matter? It may but not for the reasons many pundits think. The biggest impact may be exciting the volunteer base that will get out the vote and win over swing voters. Where you jazzed up by the debate? If so, help make it happen! Sign up to volunteer with Citizen Action today. Wisconsin now has 136 school referendums in 2024, an indictment of the state funding formula and last state budget deal. We talk about how it has become a defining issue in the state Legislative elections. Robert previews upcoming PSC hearings to get public input on We Energies’ proposed rate increases in Racine on October 1st and Milwaukee on October 3rd. We preview our new statewide campaign to cap utility bills at 2% of the rate payer’s income. Congressional Democrats, civil rights leaders call for changes in the Senate filibuster. Trump wants to put Sen. Ron Johnson in charge of education policy in Wisconsin and again threatens political opponents with retribution, including jail.

We are two months away from the November 5th election and campaigns are charging full speed ahead. Robert debriefs Tim Walz’s speech at LaborFest in Milwaukee this Monday and we discuss how Walz’s governing record in Minnesota can be a blueprint for Wisconsin Democrats, including a BadgerCare Public Option, paid family leave, a child tax credit, and affordable child care. We encourage our listeners to make next Tuesday a Day of Democracy by joining us for a 5pm – 7:45pm phone bank for Vinnie Miresse, a progressive state legislative candidate in Stevens Point and watch the Presidential debate after the phone bank We review the fallout from a disgusting Republican ad that falsely blames Senator Tammy Baldwin for the killing of 6 Waukesha parade goers in 2021, re-traumatizing Waukesha residents. The ad was condemned by the Waukesha mayor. President Biden announced almost $600M for Dairyland Power Cooperative clean energy projects. It’s one of 16 rural electric cooperatives receiving a total of $7.3 billion for renewable energy projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. We talk about how the battle for the State Legislature this November is about taking on powerful private interests like CAFO operators and school privatizers.

Happy Labor Day Weekend. We discuss the significance of Labor Day, the surging support for unions, particularly among young people, and the critical need to restore democracy at work by passing the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. We encourage all our listeners to attend an organized labor event near you, including Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz at Milwaukee’s Labor Fest this Monday. We update the developing crisis in Wisconsin’s monopolistic hospital and health systems. A new Eau Claire Leader Telegram article where a local doctor declares: “I don’t think it’s an understatement to say the HSHS closure and Prevea closure caused a medical crisis in the Chippewa Valley. I certainly see that when it comes to behavioral health each week.” We decry the failure of leaders to step up and address the brewing crisis that will surely engulf the rest of the state, starting with the increasingly troubled Ascension hospitals in southeast Wisconsin, HSHS hospitals in Green Bay, and down the road Marshfield Clinics if their latest merger does not work out. We welcome newly Citizen Action endorsed state legislative candidate Angelina Cruz to the show to discuss her campaign for a Racine-area State Assembly District 62 and how her background as an educator and union leader have prepared her for the Legislature

Citizen Action unveils more state legislative candidate endorsements and welcomes two of the newly endorsed candidates to the show, State Representative Jodi Emerson, who is running for reelection in a new more competitive district in the Chippewa Valley and Karen Kirsch who is running in Assembly District 7, a suburban Milwaukee district. We encourage our listeners to volunteer for a statewide phone bank for Yee Leng Xiong,next Tuesday, 8/27 at 5pm. We rip this week’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s coverage of the appointment of a new CEO of a merged Froedtert ThedaCare Health and his un-fact checked claims that the merger will reduce costs. We comment on Tony Evers’ “jazzed as hell”’ DNC roll call speech, Trump outspending Harris on TV in swing states, and why Democrats are worlds apart from the GOP on addressing climate change.

We debrief big progressive wins in important and highly watched state legislative primary elections and with the overwhelming victory by Vote NO. We welcome Citizen Action endorsed candidates, Tara Johnson and Christian Phelps, who won important primary victories on Tuesday, to the show to discuss the significance of their primary wins and why they won. Inflation is now under 3%, what is the significance and when will “the Fed” lower interest rates. As the presidential campaign heads into the Democratic Convention next week, Robert tells us what he likes about the initial ads being run by Kamala Harris’ campaign , including embracing a federal ban on price gouging.

Before turning to the big political news, we challenge our listeners to get active talking to voters this weekend. This primary is critical to electing movement progressives to the state legislature and defeating the 2 damaging constitutional amendment questions on the primary ballot next Tuesday, August 13th. We have 6 phone banks the final 4 days of the election where you can call from home and door canvass opportunities in areas we have organizers. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was selected this week by Kamala Harris as her Vice Presidential running mate. We analyze the pick and discuss the choice of Eau Claire to stage an early rally for the pair. As the new Democratic ticket takes off, Trump is caught red handed with fingerprints all over Project 2025, We close with a dissection of latest MU Law Poll, where the presidential race in Wisconsin is tied, Senator Baldwin is still up 5 points, and the Republican State Legislature remains wildly unpopular, with an approval rating at an abysmal 33%!

We discuss Donald Trump’s racist and false claim that Vice President Kamala Harris only recently identified as Black. Will the ex-president’s race-politics backfire or play to his advantage with his angry MAGA base? Why would the Trump campaign put him in front of a conference of Black journalists, who were bound to ask him insightful and challenging questions? In more substantive developments, President Biden ratchets up his calls for Supreme Court reform, and Kamala Harris takes up the issue on the campaign trail. Is the Executive Branch finally ready to perform its Constitutional role of checking and balancing a runaway court? As Biden/Harris administration officials descend upon Battleground Wisconsin, Green Homeowners United’s Kevin Kane joins us to educate us on why Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is visiting Milwaukee on Friday and how it relates to fighting climate change and creating good union jobs. We discuss why Kamala Harris will campaign with her new running mate in Eau Claire next week and how the Harris bump in Wisconsin provides greater optimism for Democrats in the state legislature this November. We shout out the great organizers at the Wisconsin Progressive Education Network (WPEN) conference this week highlighting the failed public school funding formula and the need to organize the power to win a much better state budget.

In a sudden reset, President Biden steps aside and Vice President Kamala Harris immediately consolidates overwhelming support. We discuss the implications for Election 2024 and the possible policy agenda of the new Democratic standard bearer; including, medical debt, rent inflation caps, climate change, and the War in Gaza. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu throws gasoline on the situation in a speech to a joint session of Congress. We discuss the critical August 13th State Legislative primary elections and strongly encourage progressives to get off the sidelines and talk to voters with Citizen Action. Next Tuesday, at 5pm we will be making calls for Tara Johnson in Assembly District 96, a chance to flip a GOP seat to a progressive champion. Robert tells us about a media event we organized this week in Green Bay with State Representative Kristina Shelton in support of developing state legislation addressing the consolidation of the hospital industry, skyrocketing consumer costs, and the closures of important hospitals and clinics in Wisconsin. We close by acknowledging the avalanche of local school funding referendums that are being scheduled to make up for the state’s failure to properly fund public education. The same state budget lavished private voucher schools with their largest increase in 30 years

Robert joins us while on vacation and tells us about his adventures hiking the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin this week. We review the disastrous RNC in Milwaukee that has seen a Milwaukee man shot by out of state police who were outside of the RNC’s security perimeter. In addition, there is a brewing economic backlash as many area businesses say the event was oversold as locals flee downtown and the city for the week and convention goers mostly stay in confined area and attend selected venues. We talk about President Biden’s announcement that he will introduce legislation to cap rent increases to 5% per year, cancel medical debt, and rein in the U.S. Supreme Court. While mostly done out of political desperation, the elevation of these three significant issues is an important step for progressive organizers and our movement. We review news this week from the dangerous, cutthroat and largely unregulated world of hospital and health system competition that UW Health is starting a $900 million expansion of its hospital and clinic footprint in pursuit of profits and market control. Attend our Hospital cost and closure training on Thursday, July 25th, 6pm to hear about efforts to fight back. Citizen Action Southeast Coop Organizer, Brandon Williford, and Milwaukee County Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez join us to discuss a wellness workshop that they are hosting at Mitchell Park with many other organizations next Tuesday, July 23rd, 3-7pm.

Citizen Action just launched our volunteer field campaign in support of our progressive candidates and “no votes” on damaging state constitutional amendments. We discuss the pivotal State Legislative primary races and the influence activists can have on electoral outcomes. Our week of calls demonstrated a real thirst among voters we talked to for progressive candidates. JOIN US on the phones next Tuesday, July 16th, 5pm, for our next primary candidate, Amillia Heredia (Assembly District 11; City of Milwaukee). We discuss news this week that the Marshfield Clinic Health System intends to combine with South Dakota-based Sanford Health. We discuss how this further consolidation of monopolistic health systems will drive up costs and lead to more closures. We critique Milwaukee Journal Sentinel coverage that reported Marshfield Clinic PR as news coverage. We also review the Eau Claire area community assessment released this week that found a serious lack of access to health care, particularly mental health services. Robert also educates us on how Medicare’s crazy payment system is helping create monopolies in health care.

On this special 4th of July edition of Battleground Wisconsin, Robert Kraig has a bracing interview with former federal prosecutor Dennis Aftergut on the Supreme Court's judicial coup against American democracy. Aftergut, who has argued cases before the California and U.S. Supreme Court, digs into the shocking immunity decision, the gutting of federal regulatory authority built up since the New Deal, and the decisions on abortion and guns. He concludes that democracy and basic freedom is on the ballot because of the excesses of a right-wing authoritarian Supreme Court.

With the launch of the presidential debates this week, the fall election is in full gear nationally and in Wisconsin! We discuss Citizen Action’s newly announced state legislative candidate endorsements. We focus on some key Democratic Primary elections we think our listeners should know about and get involved in helping progressive Democrats win! We review the new MU Law Poll where much is unchanged in the swing state.

Senator Chris Larson joins us to discuss the current financial reporting crisis at Milwaukee Public Schools and the direct link to nearly two decades of under-funding from the state and the lack of serious investment in democracy's most important priority, educating all of Wisconsin’s children. We discuss how the opponents of public education are cynically using the situation to gut public education and democratically elected school boards. We review new research showing a majority of Americans want to forgive medical debt. We look at the connection between escalating medical costs and the current monopolistic health systems running roughshod over local communities. We talk about the shameful scheme by the Mayo monopoly to get $1 million more from the city of Eau Claire, as they suffer through an epic healthcare crisis Mayo helped create. Ascension healthcare workers are speaking out about the serious health risks posed by the data meltdown. We discuss why it speaks to the need for real regulation of hospitals and health systems in Wisconsin.

We continue our look at the deeper systemic issues afflicting Wisconsin government and politics. We discuss the financial reporting problems with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). Why did the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) not inform the elected school board of the reporting issues? The ACLU WI says Wisconsin prisons and Department of Corrections (DOC) are breaking the law and are asking a court to order them to set up a program for women in prison to keep physical custody of their children. Wisconsin Supreme Court suspends fake elector co-conspirator Jim Troupis from the Judicial Commission. We close with a look at the stark difference between Trump and Biden on “law and order” and weaponizing the Justice Department. Does it even matter with voters yet to decide who to vote for or whether to vote at all? Finally, what are the prospects for Biden’s latest Gaza gambit?

We welcome David Liners, executive director of WISDOM, to discuss the stunning news that the Waupun prison warden and eight other staff were charged this week with crimes over multiple inmate deaths. Our discussion focuses on how this isn’t just a story about a bad warden and staff, this is a bad system that needs to be overhauled. We look at the role of Governor Evers and the Department of Corrections in addressing both the current charges at Waupun and the systemic crisis of failing to address mass incarceration in the state, despite a commitment from Governor Evers to cut the prison population in half when he initially ran for office. We discuss immediate solutions the Governor could do today to help and state legislative solutions you need to discuss with candidates running for office. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul finally filed charges this week against 3 Republican leaders who masterminded the 2020 election fake electors scheme. We close with a discussion of how Ascension’s medical records crisis, the ending of the HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force in Eau Claire and a new Hospital workforce shortage are more strong reasons why our state legislative hospital regulation bills are desperately needed.

Robert joins us from New Mexico where he was at a People’s Action leadership retreat and a well deserved vacation to hike and bike in New Mexico. Yet another Walker-appointee refuses to leave office when their term expires, this time a Green Bay area bank CEO on the UW Board of Regents. What does this say about the GOP attitude towards democracy and power, and how progressives must respond? A blockbuster federal report reveals Medicare Advantage’s $64 billion in supplemental benefits slush fund for the big insurance industry, without democratic accountability. What are the broader implications of the increasingly monopolistic system in search of profits and market share at all costs? Turning to Wisconsin, Robert and Matt layout why news the for-profit OakLeaf is planning to staff a new Eau Claire area hospital is further evidence the system is not healthy and needs state regulation that protects the health of communities against the abuses of the healthcare industry money grab. The announcement of a new public transit Rideshare program to try to fill unplanned transportation gaps in people accessing healthcare in between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire further reveals the complete failure of our system and the need for our new hospital accountability legislation we announced with State Senator Jeff Smith earlier this month. Next week is Bike Week! Citizen Action Northwest Coop Organizer, Jeremy Gragert, joins us to discuss the Week’s growth, importance and connection to sustainable and reliable public mass transit and fighting climate change.

We review the launch of a new statewide campaign for Hospital and Health system accountability. Big hospital chains have used their lobbying and political clout to excuse themselves from public oversight, with disastrous results for patients and communities. In their ceaseless quest for revenue, thy have made health care unaffordable, and created an unstable system which is leading to closures and the elimination of critical services across the state. We will discuss new legislation being drafted by State Senator Jeff Smith to reassert public oversight over the hospital industry.

We take a dive into the deepening crisis in the Wisconsin hospital system. Neither political party is talking about the fundamental cause, the insatiable appetite by the hospital industry for windfall profits? Will state leaders step up to the challenge? So far, the indications are not positive, as the Governor and the Legislature are in gridlock, and the Department of Health Services refuses to launch an investigation into the sudden and unplanned closure of 2 major hospitals and 90 clinics in Western Wisconsin. We make the direct connection between sky high hospital prices in Wisconsin and the deregulation of hospitals. A new Rand report makes our case, as it finds health plans pay an astounding 318% more than Medicare for the same services in Wisconsin. We discuss the poor leadership, and the terrible example set for students by top officials in the UW system on the student Gaza War protests, and their failure to nurture free speech and deeper dialogue that challenges us to think deeper about the crisis. Instead, leaders put students safety at risk by unleashing the police on Madison encampment. In case you forgot about Donald, this week Trump took timeout from his hush money trial to shake down oil barons for $1 billion to win his election and kill Biden’s climate breakthroughs. Will Big Oil ante up and bankroll Trump's election and his legal defense?

We discuss President Biden’s visit to Wisconsin for the 4th time this year on Wednesday and his highlighting the difference of his successful economic policies which passed Congress including Infrastructure, CHIPS and Inflation Reduction Acts. Wisconsin is clearly ground zero for the presidential election and important U.S. Senate seat held by Tammy Baldwin. Wisconsin Democrats announced this week that they will commit $7 million to TV ads in 5 key state Senate races. We talk about why. Wisconsin still remains the only state where no criminal charges have been filed of the five states where fake electors signed papers fraudulently asserting they were the duly qualified electors. Why? We unpack the racist House Republican scheme this week to determine immigrants are not people in scam to not count them in the next census. We laud Law Forward for calling on the US Attorney to investigate GOP operatives for racist voter suppression texts to Souls to the Polls. We continue to call for Wisconsin lawmakers to get serious about the developing healthcare system crisis, as another for-profit company announces new cancer clinics Western Wisconsin to take advantage of some of the profitable parts of the collapsed Hospital Sister Health System in the region.

In Mt. Horeb this week guns, death, and middle school kids in lockdown. We reflect. We recap Tuesday’s 40th Anniversary event in Eau Claire. Thanks to everyone who attended one of the 5 celebrations of our proud history. As always, we are inspired by our members around Wisconsin and their commitment to building a just multiracial democracy. Please consider joining Citizen Action Today! You are needed. We update state legislative candidate announcements and remind you to reach out to people you think should run. We dissect the systemic implications of Marshfield Medical Center in Rice Lake, which paused its labor and delivery services this week. In other hospital monopoly news, Bellin and Gundersen Healthcare merge into the soulless profit seeking Emplify Health, further disconnecting it from its primary mission of meeting community healthcare needs. A Dane County court overturns the PSC decision that allowed people to lease their solar energy system. Will the big fossil fuel utilities be permitted to block the renewable energy revolution? We praise the organizing by voting rights advocates who continue their push for removing fraudulent fake elector Bob Spindell from Wisconsin’s elections commission. We take a deeper dive into the Gaza Protests that hit the UW system and campuses across the country. What do they reveal about the power of organizing and the reality of who runs the modern UW System and other major American universities?

We preview the final 40th Anniversary event next Tuesday, April 30th, 6pm, in Eau Claire. Robert reminds connects our 40th birthday to the abuses of the large hospital monopolies who recently ripped a huge hole in the health care safety net in their craven pursuit of profit. We talk about the new report showing among the fastest rising in the nation rents in Wisconsin and Milwaukee. We look at the racist plan to “wreak havoc” on voting rights group Souls to the Polls by the new executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party. Wisconsin’s sleepy environmental regulators abandon rules on nitrates pollution and a Republican state legislator on the powerful Joint Finance Committee anonymously blocks opioid treatment money. What does this say about the anti-democracy state Legislature’s failure to lead on these and other critical issues. We continue to encourage progressive candidates to see the generational opportunity the fairer maps provide the progressive movement. Trump is headed back to Wisconsin next week between trial dates as the Arizona AG indicts Trump’s fake electors and Trump campaign co-conspirators. That is now 4 states who have taken action, why is Wisconsin letting the election subverters get off scott free?. Robert and Matt have a bull session on the Chicago Bears’ unveiling of a $4.2 billion public shakedown on top of White Sox demand for $2 billion. What Wisconsin can teach Illinois about subsidizing billionaires?

In a potential preview of November, MAGAite Steven Campbell refuses to step down following losing his Green Bay City Council election, even after losing the recount he paid for. Trump has been encouraging his acolytes to seek fraud claims everywhere, laying the groundwork for his future claims of a stolen election in the fall. We talk about the decision of Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley to step down, setting up another epic Supreme Court election next April that will determine the balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the future of abortion rights and democracy in the Badger State. Also as nomination papers drop, we urge movement progressives to run in state legislative races. Meanwhile, the bitter fruits of right-rule continued in Wisconsin. We discuss the staggering implications of a new report revealing that nearly 40% of Wisconsin teachers left the profession after 6 years, a direct result of Act 10 and the GOP assault on public education. Meanwhile on the energy front, renewable energy laggard We Energies proposes another outrageous 15% rate hike as Southeast Wisconsin residents protest the increase. Finally a new MU Law Poll has U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin over 50% and leading Eric Hovde.

We discuss the WIsconsin Voters approval of 60% of Spring 2024 Election school referendums and the analysis done by the Wisconsin Policy Forum of referendum performance over the last couple of decades. Robert reviews the latest MAGA efforts to recall Robin Vos and its implications for the Republican Party and the institutions that support it. We talk about the Arizona Supreme Court’s stunning abortion decision. What are the implications for healthcare and Trump’s and Hovde’s abortion election season tap dance? Inflation is higher than expected, what does it mean for the economy and election? We welcome Laura Dresser, Associate Director, of the High Road Strategy Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Peter Rickman, president, Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Union to discuss the findings and key policy and organizing implications of a new High Road Center report, “From Community Benefits, to Collective Bargaining, and Back.”

We debrief this week’s Spring General Election. We look at the implications of the high ‘Uninstructed Vote” in the Democratic Presidential primary. Will it put additional pressure on President Biden to change course on the unfolding humanitarian travesty in Gaza? We also dig into the central role that strong voter support for public education played in local elections throughout the state, local election success stories and disappointments. With the Spring Elections now behind us, we turn to the critical task of recruiting progressive candidates for state legislative elections. We remind our listeners that our 40th Anniversary event in Wausau is next Thursday, April 11th, 5:30pm and encourage listeners to join Robert and Matt in celebrating 40 years of powerful organizing. We welcome Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski to discuss the continued attacks on her office and the structures that support our democracy. Secretary of State Godlewski also talks about the importance of public education and why she barnstormed the state supporting many of the 90 public school referendums on the ballot this Spring. Citizen Action Climate Coordinator Kat Klawes joins us to discuss an opportunity for our listeners to take action in support of a FREE weatherization program being considered by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission to implement important climate components of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act passed by Democrats in Congress in 2022. Sign petition in support of FREE weatherization of Wisconsin homes. https://www.greenhomeownersunited.com/ira2024en

On this special edition of the podcast, Robert Kraig interviews Anne Nelson, the author of the critically-acclaimed Shadow Network and one of the top experts on the right-wing movement to end democracy. During the conversation, Nelson explains the origins of the powerful right-wing infrastructure backing Donald Trump. She also provides listernes with a review of Project 2025, the 900 page blueprint for the next GOP president which would guarantee runaway climate change, and end American democracy as we know it.

We preview our 40th Anniversary celebration in Green Bay this Thursday evening at the Greater Green Bay Labor Council. If you live in the Northeast, our Battleground Wisconsin panel will be there. We would love to see you. We next dig into the seemingly sleepy Spring elections, which feature many great candidates who can be the future progressive leaders of Wisconsin if all of us get them over the finish line. We encourage you to volunteer with us in these critical local races where a few extra phone calls or door knocks can make the difference. We discuss the human made disaster in the Eau Claire healthcare crisis and how our leaders are not offering any real solutions that get to the root of the problem. Is the sudden closure of two major hospitals and 90 clinics a proverbial canary in the coal mine for the rest of Wisconsin? We talk about how five Brewers executives gave maximum donations to Robin Vos just two weeks after passing half a billion in public funding for the team’s wealthy west coast owner. We dive into how our obsession with “means testing” of safety net programs amounts to a social service version of voter suppression, denying needy people basic services and supports. We help shed light on a new survey of 2022 candidates that shows how economic populism helped candidates win in rural and small town America. Robert also comments on a new In These Times Magazine article by friend of the podcast Alex Han on how our institutions have failed to protect democracy. Can unions and movement organizations can take up the fight?

We review Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s 40th anniversary events in Milwaukee and La Crosse this week and preview the third event in Green Bay next Thursday evening. President Biden’s new budget was released and includes increased taxes on the wealthy and corporations to fund our nation’s vital priorities and a historic investment in reducing child poverty. We encourage Governor Tony Evers and Legislative Democrats to follow the President’s lead and introduce their own visionary progressive tax plan to properly fund public education, health care and child care. We call out the latest China bashing with an effort to go after TikTok for sin being committed by American tech corporations and right-wing billionaires. In Wisconsin, the state Senate ends its session by firing Evers appointees, approving terrible constitutional amendments, and failing to fix the counting of absentee ballots, creating fertile grounds for conspiracy theories to flourish. We encourage our listeners to help us talk to the 2 remaining Democrats in the State Legislature to co-sponsor the BadgerCare Public Option bill. We mention the Republican state senator who joined Democrats in voting against a toxic transgender sports bill after listening and hearing the deep harm the bill would do to the kids. We hope this kind of listening and being open to change or persuasion will return to state government. We also reveal big businesses’ lobbying effort to block the DNR’s ability to permit factory farms in Wisconsin.

We reflect on the 13 year history of the Battleground Wisconsin Podcast and how it is an important piece of Citizen Action’s history that is at the heart of our 40th Anniversary events that start next week. We are celebrating on Monday, March 11th, 6pm in Milwaukee and Wednesday, March 13th, 5:30pm in LaCrosse. We thank State Representative Kristina Shelton for her years of public service in the state legislature. She is a unique progressive voice and we need more like her. We remind our listeners that the next 2 months will determine who is running for the many new seats in the Legislature, a generational opportunity for progressives to reshape governance in the state. It is up to all of us if we will seize it! Following Super Tuesday and with Thursday night’s State of the State, the general election has commenced this week. Biden vs. Trump II is upon us.

On a special edition of Battleground Wisconsin, Matt is away on a field trip to North Carolina, and our producer, Brian, has a speaking role for the first time in our 13 year history. Robert and Brian dig into the latest Trump-McConnell packed U.S. Supreme Court political intervention on the presidential immunity case. Will it replace America's founding axiom that nobody is above the law with a 21st Century version of the Divine Right of Kings? We also look deeply at the results of the Michigan Presidential Primary across the freshwater pond. Does it mean that Biden is losing the election on the thorns of the Gaza dilemma? Turning to state news, Governor Evers unveils a rapid response plan for the rash of hospital and clinic closures in the Chippewa Valley. Does it get to the heart of the problem with commodified and profit-centric healthcare, or is it putting bandages on an infected wound?

New polling from a very trusted source finds the top public economic concern is the high cost of health care and crippling medical bills. What does this mean for the 2024 elections? We also urge the Governor to call a special session on accepting federal Medicaid money and expanding access to healthcare for small businesses and more workers through the BadgerCare Public Option bill already supported by most Democrats. We review the controversy and the implications of the new state legislative maps signed by Governor Evers earlier this week. What should progressives be focusing on? In other legislative developments, the much discussed regressive tax cut package to disproportionately benefit higher income people is on the Governor’s desk. Will he veto? We renew our call for progressive tax package from the Governor and Democrats that forces greedy corporations and the rich to pay their fair share. California banker and billionaire Eric Hovde is set to challenge U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and a Wisconsin fake elector and GOP leader tells ‘60 Minutes’ he was afraid of Trump supporters. We discuss the implications of each.

We do a deep dive on the redistricting drama, where Robin Vos has adopted Governor Evers’ position and Democrats are divided. Is Governor Evers falling into a trap that could provide a pretext for intervention by Trump appointed Federal Judges, as Mark Pocan warns? Why do many believe Evers will sign maps most Democrats in the Legislature oppose? Why are some good government groups urging Evers to side with Vos? Robert and Matt break some inside news on what may be really going on in this consequential Capital intrigue. We pan the latest regressive Legislative Republican tax cut. Is a tax cut skewed to wealthier Wisconsinites worth further defunding public education, healthcare, child care, and other vital public priorities. In better news, we celebrate news that President Biden’s policy to help the IRS collect revenue has resulted in $851 billion in back taxes from the ultra-wealthy. Back home, we discuss next Tuesday’s Spring Primary Election and encourage our listeners to get educated and vote. We highlight especially pivotal elections for Green Bay City Council. Speaking of Titletown, Green Bay area Congressman Mike Gallagher is not running for re-election. What does this say about him and more importantly what does it tell us about the Party of Trump? Finally, we offer hardy congratulations to the workers at Planned Parenthood Wisconsin who successfully organized with the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals with an overwhelming victory.

We debrief the new MU Law Poll which has Biden and Trump locked in a statistical dead heat in the battle for Wisconsin's all important Presidential Electors. What does the poll's finding that there are very few undecided voters 10 months ahead of the election mean for the outcome? What are the implications of the historically strong public interest in 3rd Party candidates? Also, in the more immediate term, early voting in 2024 Spring Primary has started and Citizen Action just announced are pre-primary endorsements. Meanwhile the never ending drama continues on the national scene. As Trump implodes, the GOP opposes its own draconian board security bill, the House tries but fails to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, while Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher takes heat for voting against the bogus articles of impeachment. We discuss the Supreme Court oral arguments on 14th Amendment bar on Trump’s candidacy which has removed him from the ballot in CO and ME. Will the Trump Supreme Court renig on claimed commitment to strict construction of the Constitution to save Trump? Dr. Michael Rosen joins us to talk about the predatory for-profit Arizona College of Nursing's effort to locate in Milwaukee and an organized effort to stop it. Listeners are encouraged to attend a public hearing in Milwaukee next Monday at 1pm.

The national media is touting a Child Care Tax Credit that passed the House of Representatives Wednesday, but long time child poverty advocate Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan voted no. Why were the champions of President Biden’s Child Tax Credit against this bill? What does the bill have to do with more big tax breaks for self-dealing corporations? Next we dissect the details of the latest state Legislative GOP tax cut for the wealthy, where taxpayers with incomes under $100,000 (59.6% of all fillers) would receive only 26.4% of the cut and taxpayers with incomes of $100,000 or more (40.4% of filers) would receive 73.6% of the cut! Gov. Evers rightly vetoes the latest GOP Legislative maps, as Republicans press Janet Protasiewicz to recuse herself from the challenge to the state’s Congressional maps. Robert tells us more about a Calumet Co. Judge ruling that factory farms may not avoid DNR permits and the GOP pushing constitutional amendment to ban preferences for historically marginalized groups. We look at Wisconsin Republican efforts to support TX Governor Greg Abbott’s nullification of federal immigration law. Finally we discuss some real solutions to the sudden and dangerous closure of major hospitals and clinics in Chippewa Valley.

We discuss the end of the traditional Republican Party and the reality of the new Party of Trump. Exhibit one is that every Wisconsin Republican House of Representative member voted to shut down the federal government rather than full their constitutional duties to maintain the full faith and credit of the U.S. Also, we are witnessing the inevitable end of the GOP presidential primary with Nicky Haley’s campaign beaten again in New Hampshire and on fumes while Trump promises retribution to all his opponents and threatens to blacklist any supporters of Haley. Vice President Kamala Harris was in Waukesha and President Biden in Superior this week. Democrats clearly see Wisconsin as central to Biden’s re-election, so expect to see the President and other top administration officials here often. We dissect the sudden and unplanned closure of a large hospital and clinic system in the Chippewa Valley and Governor Evers’ immediate call for Medicaid expansion to stabilize rural hospitals and clinics. Robert debriefs Governor Evers’ State of the State speech, and assesses the major policy proposals he advanced heading into a critical election year. We discuss Speaker Vos’ failed attempt to bate Governor Evers and Legislative Democrats into a bad deal on new legislative maps. Meanwhile, Assembly Republicans again block the impeachment of Election head Meagan Wolf by their even crazier faction. Question, would one sentence of support from their strong man leader Donald Trump change their position? We talk about the new world in Wisconsin politics with the impending Legislative maps, where we likely have the first fair election for control of the Legislature in over a decade. How does this new democratic world shape what the Governor and Legislative Democrats should be supporting for the remainder of the legislative session? We also take a deeper dive into the Congressional maps lawsuit. A Stanford University expert advising the plaintiffs says Wisconsin Congressional maps are the most partisan slanted in the U.S.

We discuss the latest state Senate Republicans power grab, their firing of Evers appointee and solar power advocate Tyler Huebner from the Public Service Commission, the state agency that regulates utilities. Was the sacking of Huebner motivated by his support for easing the energy burden on low income homeowners and renters? Were the big for-profit utilities behind it? Less than a week after the worst-in-the nation medical marijuana bill was introduced by Republican leaders, it was killed by GOP leaders. Does this mean they have given up on this as a way to protect vulnerable incumbents from fair maps? Meanwhile the Wisconsin Supreme Court received 7 maps last Friday and the Elias Law Group asked the justices to reconsider the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2024 election. Matt gives his assessment of which versions he likes best. Robert reviews the Iowa Caucuses, where that former reality show and wannabe dictator Donald Trump demolished his competition. While the national media gave its audience a heavy dose of horse race analysis, treating politics like a sporting event, they all but ignored the plucky climate protesters effectively disrupting events of all the major candidates. What is the civic responsibility of corporate media further undermining democracy? We also look at Trump’s on-going fomenting of violence against his opponents and intimidating opposition in his own party. Is this part of the fascist playbook?We encourage listeners to attend a public hearing next Monday at 1:30pm on the predatory for-profit Arizona nursing school and our Healthcare Action Meeting, next Wednesday, January 24th, 7pm. The virtual health care meeting will develop plans to talk with state legislators about the need to schedule a public hearing for the BadgerCare Public Option bill. RSVP for our healthcare meeting. Kate Felton joins us to discuss a shameful GOP bill that would require local hearings and resolutions on proposed refugee resettlement plans. We unpack the racist appeals to bigots that Republicans are willing to do in their ceaseless pursuit of power.

We discuss a new report finding lower-income Wisconsinites pay a much higher proportion of their incomes in taxes than the wealthy. What does it say about the current priorities of Republicans and Democrats, and the latest state budget? We urge Governor Evers and Legislative Democrats to fight for progressive taxation in the next state budget both to fund vital services and boost the real earnings of working class Wisconsinites. We talk about the weaknesses of the past state budget coming home to roost, as Milwaukee Public Schools announce they are headed to a referendum to raise property taxes just to cover basic operations. Meanwhile, this week Legislative Republicans introduced the nation’s worst medical marijuana bill and pushed legislation criminalizing homelessness. Sen. Tammy Baldwin joins other U.S. Senators challenging Amazon’s abusive labor practices. In global headlines, we learned this week that 2023 was the warmest year in over 100,000 years. However, there was some progress in the United States. We discuss where we are and what needs to happen soon on the biggest issue in human history. Dr. Michael Rosen joins us to discuss the predatory, for-profit Arizona College of Nursing’s pursuit of a location in Milwaukee. Nurses and educators are organizing to stop Arizona College of Nursing before it starts.

Welcome to 2024 where our pivotal battleground state elections will again take center stage. We jump in and dissect this week’s news the GOP Legislative leadership asks the Wisconsin Supreme Court to reconsider their redistricting decision; a new court ruling allows clerks to correct minor errors on absentee ballots; and a brewery owner sues to remove Trump from the Wisconsin ballot under the 14th Amendment. In a revealing and shameless display of voter suppression and encouragement of drain brain, the GOP leaders introduce a bill encouraging UW students to not vote in Wisconsin. Legislative Republicans to potential long term residents, “We don’t want you here. Go home!” Robert does his best to fill in details on the policy positions of Senator Tammy Baldwin’s likely opponent, multimillionaire businessman and perennial candidate Eric Hovde. In climate news Wisconsin trails badly on solar adoption. Will Governor Evers use the huge investments offered by the Biden Administration to close the gap with neighboring states? Also, Insulin prices plunge for Wisconsinites due to a little known provision of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. We close with a discussion of a new labor organizing drive by over 100 workers at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and encourage the organization’s board of directors to recognize the union and move forward with a more powerful organization prepared to deliver on its critical mission.

Following President Biden’s visit to Milwaukee this week we discuss if he can turn around his 2024 chances? We talk about the politics and the stakes, how the President’s reelection prospects are impacted by the war in Gaza, a possible bad deal on immigration, and this week’s 14th Amendment decision in Colorado. We debrief Citizen Action’s 3rd CD Candidate Forum this week and encourage people to listen to the replay and fill out our survey. Big union news this week with the TruStage workers union settling their contract after a long dispute and we review the Amazon case before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which has major implications for misclassified independent contractors and corporate skirting of employment responsibilities. Finally, we discuss State Senator Brad Pfaff signing on as a co-sponsor of the BadgerCare Public Option, the health care cost impact of a ThedaCare and Froedtert merger.