We welcome State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde to discuss his co-sponsorship of the BadgerCare Public Option and groundbreaking new climate legislation he is working on that will help set the agenda for the 2024 state legislative elections. With the prospect of new legislative maps, Rep. Moore’s climate agenda helps provide an unparalleled opportunity for new ideas to be in play in the next Legislature. We discuss a new lawsuit brought by state employee unions seeking to overturn Act 10, on the heels of new data revealing Wisconsin teacher pay has lagged inflation for 15 years according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report. As the Supreme Court starts a historic redistricting case, the 2025 election has begun as former AG Brad Schimel enters the race. We invite our listeners from Western Wisconsin to RSVP and attend Citizen Action’s 3rd Congressional District Candidate Virtual Forum on Sunday, December 17th, 6pm.

We welcome Mark Rice, Wisconsin Transformational Justice Campaign Coordinator at WISDOM, to discuss WISDOM’s organizing and legislative agenda on criminal justice reform in Wisconsin. Wisconsin continues to trail the nation and surrounding states in lowering our incarceration rates while state facilities are grossly understaffed resulting in inhumane conditions for people in the facilities.

This week we have a special report where Robert interviews two Wisconsin elected officials who are demonstrating the courage to lead. First, we have an interview with Congressman Mark Pocan to discuss his thoughtful and nuanced stance on the Gaza War that defends the humanity and rights of both Israelis and Palestinians, opposes collective punishment, and recognizes the magnitude of the crimes committed by Hamas on October 7. Robert talks with Mark about the situation on the ground, what is needed to preserve human life and to finally land a permanent political settlement of the conflict. Second, we interview State Senator Chris Larson, who has fought for months to get a better deal for the public from the Milwaukee Brewers. The one sided half billion dollar subsidy passed the Senate after a massive full court lobbying campaign, but not without a fight.

Robert gives us the latest on the BadgerCare Public Option bill, the only comprehensive bill this session to address the health care cost and access crisis. Priscilla discuses the importance of calling state legislators and urging them to co-sponsor. Listeners are encouraged to join us every Monday, 5-7pm, making calls to Wisconsin voters and getting them to call their state legislators in support. Attend upcoming media events in Eau Claire on 11/17, 11am, at the Chippewa Valley Free Clinic and in La Crosse on 11/20, 9:30am, at St. Clare Health Mission. On the union front, we talk about the significance of UW Health nurses’ union's latest action to improve patient safety and why their organizing fight is critical to reforming the healthcare system. We also celebrate the end of the actors' strike this week. We welcome Mark Rice, Wisconsin Transformational Justice Campaign Coordinator at WISDOM, to discuss WISDOM’s organizing and legislative agenda on criminal justice reform in Wisconsin. Wisconsin continues to trail the nation and surrounding states in lowering our incarceration rates while state facilities are grossly understaffed resulting in inhumane conditions for people in the facilities. Robert gives us the latest on the effort to get a better deal in the Brewers’ effort to get a public subsidy. Finally, we debrief the implications from Tuesday’s national election results as we are now one year away from a huge presidential election. We look at the latest polling, including a new MU Law poll that clearly shows the gerrymandered state legislature is very unpopular and vulnerable in the 2024 election. We encourage you to donate to our voter contact effort to win state legislative seats in 2024.

We discuss the passing of healthcare activist Ady Barkan, who turned his fight against ALS into a crusade to break the monopoly power of the corporate insurance giants that are failing millions of Americans. We explain the importance of the introduction of the BadgerCare Public Option bill in the state legislature, and discuss our news conference at the Green Bay Labor Council with lead legislative author Representative Kristina Shelton. The bill is the only one dealing with the skyrocketing cost of health care in this Legislative Session, as the GOP continues to introduce culture war issues that do nothing to improve the lives of average Wisconsinites. In a related development, a new national report finds that nearly 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they receive medical bills they cannot afford and many are skipping needed medical care. The huge Brewers stadium subsidy bill is pulled from the floor, delaying action on the bill. What does it mean that even with a full court press by the unified corporate elite, Governor Evers, and Robin Vos, there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass it. While too many state politicians have been busy trying to ram through $546 million to a billionaire, the City of Waupun takes a rare step to invest public funds in child care after the GOP blocks all state action to address the access crisis. We close by reviewing news the Public Service Commission will be announcing electric rate increases this week, as We Energies says it will accelerate plans to stop burning coal and reaffirms an Oak Creek plant shutdown.

We open with a somber discussion of yet another mass shooting in America where 18 people died and over 13 were wounded, bringing America’s mass shooting total to a staggering 558 this year. Robert updates us on this week’s state Senate hearing the $546 million public subsidy for the Brewers’ owner. Currently there are NOT the votes to pass the Assembly bill in the Senate, unless enough Democrats change their votes. Switching to allies who are showing how to use their power, we celebrate the UAW’s tentative agreement with Ford and wish more Wisconsin Democrats would be as strategic and willing to fight for what is right, even when others tell them it is not possible. We invite our listeners to join us for next Tuesday’s BadgerCare Public Option media event at the Greater Green Bay Labor Council, at Noon, with the lead sponsor State Representative Kristina Shelton. Priscilla educates us about volunteer phone calls we started making to voters this week in support of the bill and urging people to call their state legislators and tell them to co-sponsor the legislation. Finally, Robert also updates our listeners on local climate action planning in Wisconsin and why it is so important to advancing climate justice.

We unpack the bipartisan Assembly vote to rubber stamp a $565 million giveaway to the ultrarich owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. Given the unpopularity of the massive private subsidy, what does this say about the state of democracy in Wisconsin. A new statewide poll from Public Policy Polling shows 55% voters oppose the stadium deal. Citizen Action and other major advocacy organizations released a letter to state legislators and Governor Evers in opposition to the current stadium plan. Improvements can be made in the state senate if they hear from you (800) 362-9472. Next we discuss the imploding impeachment of the WEC’s Meagan Wolfe by Legislative Republicans. While continuing to defame Wolfe, Republicans conceded in legal filings they lack grounds to oust her from her position. Also this week, the Senate Republican leader proposed scrapping Gov. Evers’ child care plan and replacing it with a shocking $2 billion tax cut and child care credit that mostly helps wealthier households. Priscilla reports on her attendance at the media release of a new report from BLOC chronicling how Wisconsin’s criminal legal system, including over-policing and mass incarceration, is robbing people of their right to participate in democracy. We close with a preview of the new BadgerCare Public Option bill set to be released in the state legislature, and circulating for co-sponsors. Priscilla tells us about volunteer phone calls to voters in support of the BadgerCare Public Option next Monday, October 23rd, 5-7pm. We need you! Sign up here! Take action and sign a petition urging your state legislators to co-sponsor the BadgerCare Public Option bill. Attend our BadgerCare Public Option media conference, Tuesday, October 31, Greater Green Bay Labor Council, at Noon (more regional events will be announced in the future). And, call your state legislators at (800) 362-9472 and ask them to co-sponsor the bill.

After reflecting on the tragic and horrifying war in Gaza and Israel, we dig into the latest news on the GOP threat to impeach Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz before she rules on a single case. Will the opposition of two former GOP State Supreme Court Justices who were advising Assembly Speaker Robin Vos deter him from pursuing an illegal impeachment? Next, we turn to the on-going drama over the massive public subsidy sought by the ultra-rich owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. State Senator Chris Larson joins us to tell us about pressure Gov. Evers’ office is applying to Legislative Democrats to support Robin Vos’ stadium plan. We welcome State Representative Francesca Hong to hear about her experience at the Assembly “public hearing” on the GOP stadium plan last week in West Allis. We also have an in depth conversation about Representative Hong’s new legislation directing school boards to provide instruction on Hmong Americans and Asian Americans in our public schools. Representative Hong talks passionately about her personal experience growing up in a state where many people she encounters don’t know her history and culture, showing the critical importance of the bi-partisan legislation.

We dive into how the Speaker McCarthy crash and burn this week was part of a 50 year road built by corporate America and the Republican Party. We also turn our attention to Wisconsin and the public hearing on the shameful Assembly Brewer Stadium financing plan that leaves the public footing the bill. We review the continuing threat to democracy surrounding the Legislative Republican’s effort to impeach the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s administrator Megan Wolfe and not confirming Evers’ appointee Joseph Czarneski to the commission. Robert educates us and encourages turnout to an important We Energies public hearing in Milwaukee next week to tackle the unfair energy burden many Wisconsin residents face. Priscilla reviews the news from California that the late U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein will be replaced by Laphonza Butler. We put the appointment in historical context and discuss its implications.

We welcome Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski to discuss the functions of the SOS office and the MAGA Republican attacks on her appointment and the office. Are their smears another example of the fraying of democratic norms? We review Boss Vos’ continued disingenuous and deceptive push for an Iowa-style redistricting scheme. What does this say about his threat to impeach Justice Janet? We discuss the historic UAW strike which came to Wisconsin this week as President Joe Biden took Priscilla’s advice from last week’s show, becoming the first President to join a union picket line. Is this fight a landmark in the fight to restore the right to form unions and the tattered American middle class?

The gerrymandered GOP Legislature continued to force its extreme and unpopular agenda down the throats of Wisconsinites. This week the groundless impeachment drive continued with a cynical embrace of a fake nonpartisan redistricting plan, yet another refusal to address the growing child care crisis, and an escalation of attacks on the UW System’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. To top it all off, Speaker Vos announced the worst possible Brewer stadium public funding plan, which once again sticks it to Milwaukee. We close with a discussion of the UAW strike and the false tension between good union jobs and fighting runaway climate change, Chicago’s breakthrough on the minimum wage, and President Biden’s executive order creating the Climate Corps that was stripped from his legislative plans by wannabe third party presidential candidate Sen. Joe Manchin.

Huge news from Planned Parenthood on Thursday morning, they are announcing the resumption of abortions in the state. We welcome national baseball stadium expert Neil deMause, from Field of Schemes, to discuss the on-going conspiracy of billionaire baseball owners to grab public money they don’t need. We discuss lessons for Wisconsin political leaders about the critical role they play in fighting and supporting the public interest instead of well connected ultra rich owners. Robert updates the political situation in Madison, and we discusses the important role teachers unions are playing in opposing a Nevada plan to give away public money for Las Vegas MLB stadium. House leader McCarthy formally pursues a quixotic impeachment of President Biden as the MAGA wing threatens to shut down the government and overthrow McCarthy. All of Wisconsin’s Republican members of Congress supported the impeachment scheme. Meanwhile Senator Tammy Baldwin was busy actually leading, visiting rural Wisconsin talking to voters about the issues they care about. Wisconsin Republicans continue to struggle to find an opponent for Baldwin other than arsonist David Clarke who this week is busy setting the national Republican Party on metaphorical fire. The Republicans in Wisconsin continue to work to funnel more money to the rich, while Donal Trump proposed a huge new corporate tax cut on top of the largest corporate tax giveaway in American history contained in the first Trump tax package.

We start with the GOP threat to lawlessly impeach Justice Janet Protasiewicz in a desperate attempt to hold on to gerrymandered maps. Will the latest Republican attack on democracy succeed? We dig into the latest GOP attempt to secure massive tax cuts for the wealthy, and freeze them in place with a constitutional amendment. Meanwhile, new GOP child care bills show their inability to address major social problems due to their anti-government absolutism. We review the latest MAGA Republican power play in Georgia, the RICCO indictments by the State Attorney General of social justice advocates opposing the building of the giant Cop City police training complex. Finally, we have a news maker interview with award-winning sportswriter Dave Zirin, the sports editor of The Nation Magazine. Dave discusses the public shakedown by the Brewers to get over half a billion dollars in public money for stadium repairs, without anything in return for the public benefit. Zirin explains how what is happening here is part of an orchestrated effort by Major League Baseball and other major professional sports leagues to extract significant public dollars with few or no concessions. Ziren reminds us that community organizing is the secret to cutting a much better deal with teams that center on protecting the public’s interest, not the windfall profits of billionaire owners.

Dave Zirin, the sports editor of The Nation Magazine and an award winning journalist, joins the show to discuss the current effort by the owner of the Brewers to get half a billion dollars in public money for stadium repairs with nothing in return other than the privilege to have the team stay in Wisconsin. Zirin explains how what is happening here is part of an orchestrated effort by Major League Baseball and other major professional sports leagues to extract significant public dollars with few or no concessions. Dave notes that the leagues and teams have stopped even trying to seriously argue that the huge investments are good for states and municipalities. Instead, teams try to cut sweetheart deals with politicians and move quickly with little public debate. Zirin lays out how community organizing is the secret to cutting a much better deal with teams that protect the public’s interest.

We welcome economist Dr. Michael Rosen to discuss ReThinking Brewers ownership and demanding public equity in the team in exchange for public tax revenue. Another climate change-induced category 4 hurricane hits Florida and yet another week of tragic shootings on college campuses. We talk about the response from the University of North Carolina student newspaper. In Wisconsin, Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Dallet writes an excellent letter to Justice Ziegler exposing her scheme to create a media firestorm and overturn another democratic election.

We welcome Milwaukee Teachers Education Association President Amy Mizialko back to the show to talk about the devastating news about a huge expansion of a private religious voucher school the former Cardinal Stritch University campus. The school’s owner said the expansion is the direct result of the historic increase in voucher school funding from the terrible shared revenue deal negotiated by Governor Evers. Is this the beginning of a massive expansion of unaccountable and discriminatory voucher schools? We debrief the circus-like Republican Presidential debate which hit Milwaukee Wednesday. What does the “debate” say about the current state of the party and who stood out? Next, we assess the news that Republicans filed motions in an attempt to force recently elected Supreme Court justice Justice Protasiewicz to recuse from the gerrymandering case. Does this latest power grab have a chance to succeed? Following last week’s appearance by Wausau Pilot and Review publisher & editor Shereen Siewert on the Battleground Wisconsin Podcast, Legislative Democrats proposed anti-SLAPP lawsuit legislation on Wednesday. Priscilla reminds us that this week was the 3 year anniversary of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, only a month following the wrongful arrest of an innocent black man by Kenosha Police with his family at an Applebees.

We start with a major threat to the 1st Amendment in the Northwoods that has made national news. Shereen Siewert, the editor and publisher of the Wausau Pilot and Review, joins us to discuss how her newspaper is being bullied through a bogus lawsuit by state senator Cory Tomczyk. The paper broke a story on a public incident where the Senator shouted an anti-gay slur at a young person who was testifying in favor of equity and inclusion at a public hearing. The lawsuit, which is costing the small newspaper hundreds of thousands of dollars, is clearly an effort to suppress free and independent media. President Biden visited Milwaukee on Tuesday on the one year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. We discuss what the historic legislation means for Wisconsin and the country, and what remains to be done. We update the hostage taking by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the billionaire Brewers owner. It was revealed this week that owner Mark Attanasio spent more than half a million the last 6 months, more than any other group lobbying the state legislature. We evaluate the latest threat by Boss Vos and Republican leaders to threaten the impeachment of Janet Protasiewicz if she doesn’t recuse from redistricting cases. Who is really abusing power? Finally, Robert asks if the huge Biden investment in rural broadband will be handled well by the Evers Administration, or will it be yet another unaccountable infusion of money into the telecom industry?

In this week’s episode we welcome new In These Times magazine executive director Alex Han to discuss the vital role of independent progressive media, and the cutting edge journalism the historic magazine provides. We encourage our listeners to read and support In These Times. Priscilla Bort joins us from the Wisconsin Public Education Network Summer Conference to announce the 2nd Movement Politics Academy, which trains tomorrow’s movement leaders to run for office. We dive into the hypocrisy of Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Ziegler’s media tour the past week, where she whined about changes to the court that will bring more transparency and accountability. Apparently the end of the lawless reign of right-wing politicians in robes acting as a super-legislature is too much for the disgraced Chief Justice to endure. Resident economist, Dr. Micheal Rosen, returns to the show to talk about the state of the American economy, public perception of the economy, and who benefits when the Federal Reserve increases interest rates.

We discuss the Wisconsin flavor to the historic Trump indictment this week where the role of fake electors is central. We talk about the decades-long work that military sexual trauma survivors have done and what it all means in terms of President Biden's new Executive Order updating the Military Justice Code. We welcome State Representative Kristina Shelton to discuss the introduction of her BadgerCare Public Option bill expanding access to affordable healthcare for Wisconsinites and her attendance at the ALEC convention last week. We are also joined by Teamsters Local 662 Business Agent, Dan Boley to discuss the strike at Leinenkugels, how it is part of a broader national anti-union effort by Molson Coors, and how the Teamsters Local 662 will be calling for a boycott of Molson Coors products. Janet Protasiewicz is sworn in this week! We discuss whether it will be a new era of a progressive Wisconsin Supreme Court, as Law Forward immediately files a critically important gerrymandering case. Minnesota marijuana legalization has begun, leaving Wisconsin a weed revenue island. MAGA Rep. Van Orden bullies kids at the Capitol and Sen. Tammy Baldwin still has no serious GOP opponent.

The hot union summer continued this week with the historic and game changing Teamsters victory over UPS (and their Wall Street backers). The breakthrough is part of an upsurge in labor activism across the nation. What does it mean and where will it lead? We dig in with a great Wisconsin example, an in-depth interview with Will Roberts from the TruStage workers union to discuss their intense battle for a fair contract. They have a major rally and march this Saturday, July 29th starting at 9 AM in Madison. During this hot week, we ask what’s up with the climate justice agenda in Wisconsin? Following a state budget that saw the removal of Governor Evers’ top climate items by Legislative Republicans and a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story this week detailing how a year after its creation, the state’s Office of Environmental Justice remains largely dormant. What’s next in the fight to head off a climate cataclysm and create family supporting jobs? The Federal Reserve Bank increases rates again this week and shortly following the largest increase in voucher funding a conservative Christian foundation buys the Cardinal Stritch University campus where a new voucher school seems likely.

We welcome Wisconsin Public Education Network’s Heather DuBois Bourenan to discuss public education in Wisconsin following a state budget that saw the largest expansion of private voucher schools as part of a “deal” that blindsided supporters of public education. Former President Trump revealed this eek he is a target of the special counsel’s Jan. 6 investigation, as multiple Wisconsin election officials are interviewed by federal investigators. Meanwhile, MAGA Republican lawmakers introduce another sham bill to add watermarks to absentee ballots that drives right-wing conspiracies about stolen elections. We speculate whether the Michigan AG’s prosecution of fake electors in their state will get Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul off the fence and reconsider prosecuting the Wisconsin fake electors who tried to steal our votes in 2020. We also review the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s new report trumpeting over $1 Billion in tax cuts in the state budget, however we highlight its failure to point out the only large BIPOC majority city in Wisconsin gets a huge tax increase with a regressive sales tax increase.

This week we discuss the ongoing fallout of the disastrous State Budget and the GOP immediate shift to a renewed culture war offensive. We are joined by State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde for the entire show and in the final segment by Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad. We start with the painful vote Milwaukee Common Council was forced to take this week to raise a regressive sales tax (without control over how it is spent) and the fallout from the GOP refusal to adequately fund special education. Next we discuss a series of new culture war attacks launched this week in Wisconsin, all warning signs of the rising tide of right-wing authoritarianism. First, the Waukesha School Board fired 1st Grade teacher Melissa Temple Wednesday evening for trying to include Dolly Parton's popular song on inclusion Rainbowland and then speaking out against the principal's censorship. Next we look at a new bill introduced in the Legislature to ban Trans Women from participating in women's high school and college sports. Finally, we bring Kirk Bandsad into the program to discuss an attempt to close his popular Minocqua Brewing Company because local officials disagree with his political views.

In this week’s episode we assess the budget debacle and offer an inspiring model for a brighter political future. In the first half of the show, we assess the damages from the GOP State Budget, signed into law Wednesday by Governor Evers with a series of partial vetoes. Did Evers use the magic of his veto pen to fix a deeply irresponsible and damaging budget? Or did the Governor lose the budget battle by not mobilizing public opinion against the gerrymandered Legislature’s most unpopular and damaging decisions, and acceding to closed door concessionary bargaining? In the second half of the show we turn to an emerging model in neighboring Illinois on how to build a bolder and more progressive cadre of Democratic elected officials. Robert interviews one of the prime orchestrators of the leftward turn in Illinois politics, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago). They sat down for an in-depth discussion of what Wisconsin can learn from Illinois during the People’s Action National Convention in Washington, DC.

The Canadian Wildfires have wafted back into Wisconsin this week making climate change up close and personal. It also reinforces our recent success in helping the Milwaukee Common Council to pass the groundbreaking Milwaukee Climate and Economic plan to fight climate change! The new MU Law Poll dropped yesterday and it predictably sets up the battleground status of Wisconsin for the 2024 election. It also demonstrates the increased political leverage Governor Tony Evers has with a strong approval rating and how it demands he implement it in the current state budget fight with the authoritarian and gerrymandered Legislature. The budget is at a critical juncture this week as it passed the State Senate on Wednesday and included an obscene tax cut for the wealthy. Robert previews his op-ed in the Wisconsin Examiner on Governor Evers’ need to deploy his vast veto powers to force the Legislature to negotiate over BadgerCare Expansion. We welcome Dan Shafer from The Recombobulation Area (recombobulationarea.substack.com) to discuss the importance of independent media and its vital role in exposing billionaire Mark Antansio’s effort to get $300 million in taxpayer dollars for his team that is worth over $1.2 billion. We look at the monopolistic structure of MLB which results in accounting rules and tax laws that enable billionaire owners to mislead the public about their finances and then pressure cities like Milwaukee to subsidize their significant profits.

We are joined by State Representative Kristina Shelton to discuss the state budget battle in Madison and why she voted in “radical solidarity” against the structurally racist Shared Revenue-Education deal. In more positive news, we look beyond the state budget and discuss Rep. Shelton’s vitally important BadgerCare Public Option bill that will be reintroduced in the Legislature later this year and should be the centerpiece of the Democratic Party’s 2024 election agenda. In a major breakthrough for climate change and racial economic equity, the Milwaukee Climate and Economic Equity Plan passed the City Council this week and will be signed by the mayor on Friday. We discuss the potential to spread the transformational planning to other Wisconsin cities. We close with a discussion of the growing rift within the Wisconsin Supreme Court's conservative wing and the opportunity it presents the new Court for a more democratic and transparent Supreme Court.

We discuss the Shared Revenue “compromise” between Governor Evers and the leaders of the Gerrymandered Legislature and dissect how it is more of a capitulation than an agreement between co-equal branches of government. We are joined by Sen. Chris Larson who voted against the bill and Amy Mizialko the president of Milwaukee Teachers Education Association to talk about why the deal is terrible for public education. We call on Gov. Evers’ to listen to the people and reconsider this historic growth of scarce public funding for unaccountable private voucher schools which can discriminate and cherry pick their students. President Mizialko urges our listeners on behalf of educators and parents across the state to call Gov. Evers at 608-266-1212 to ask him to reconsider. We close with a review of the historic Milwaukee Climate and Economic Equity plan public hearing at Milwaukee Common Council Wednesday as the city charts a course to cut greenhouse emissions almost in half by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050 in a way that dramatically reduces race-based economic inequality

We comment on the wildfires choking skies across Canada and America and their direct connection to climate change. The dangerous air should teach us all about what it really feels like every day for billions on the planet. We update the state budget drama and encourage you to join Citizen Action organizers and members making calls in support of expanding BadgerCare in the state budget (every Monday, 3-5pm). Also this week, State Senate Republicans voted to put hurdles in front of unemployment benefits while the MAGA wing forced GOP state legislators to block the meningitis vaccine requirement for students. Wednesday June 14th is a BIG day in Milwaukee for advancing climate justice and an equitable economy. Robert tells us about a City Council Finance Committee public hearing for the Milwaukee City/County Climate Equity Task Force Recommendations, a bold proposal to meet the climate crisis in a way that dramatically improves racial economic equity. Finally, Citizen Action North Side Rising organizer Keviea Guiden joins us to talk about two (2) PSC public hearings in Milwaukee on Wednesday, June 14th to support creating a progressive payment plan for low income households that would cap utility costs at 6% of household income.

We discuss the federal “debt deal” that passed the House on Wednesday, setting up its passage by the Senate just ahead of the June 5th default deadline. Did President Biden effectively diffuse a figurative terrorist bomb, or did he get taking to the cleaners? Did Speaker McCarthy and the MAGA Republicans get their way, or lose their nerve, and release their figurative hostage (the American economy)? We dig into some of the most notable details, including SNAP work requirements and the resumption of student loan payments, and discuss the Republican Party’s full embrace of “minority rule” in America and its parallel in Wisconsin politics. Robert tells us about an exciting new broad coalition calling for Gov. Evers to use his strong veto power to block GOP attacks on BadgerCare and Unemployment Insurance. Will this extend to using his Budget Veto as leverage to achieve finally achieve BadgerCare Expansion? We celebrate the start of Pride Month in June and reflect on why the month and celebrations like Milwaukee PrideFest are so important at this moment right-wing billionaires and MAGA politicians are fueling a new wave of anti LGBTQIA+ hate. We discuss an outstanding article in In These Times that reminds us “you can’t organize alone.” We encourage you to get active in democracy and join a Citizen Action Organizing Co-op in June!

We dive into the precarious “Debt Crisis” drama in Washington. How did the GOP and the media turn it into a debate on “spending,”when Republican Presidents are the ones that ran up the national debt with tax breaks for the ultra wealthy benefactors? Why doesn’t President Biden inject the billionaires tax into the debate? Is the President being outmaneuvered or does he hold the top cards? We analyze the role of outsourcing in the closure of Master Lock in Milwaukee and loss of 330 good union jobs from Milwaukee's African American community. We then discuss the strike by CUNA Mutual (TruStage) workers over the outsourcing of 1200 union jobs in Madison over the years. The panel autopsies the latest in the state shared revenue debate. Is avoiding a referendum the bottom line for Milwaukee City and County Officials? Do Democrats, local leaders, and GOP Senators really have to accept Vos’ demands or the shared revenue bill will be killed? We reflect on the three year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police and call for a re-commitment investing in what makes us safe. Finally we perform an after action review of Ron DeSantis’ disastrous announcement for President.

We discuss the shared revenue plan rammed through the State Assembly late on Wednesday by Speaker Vos. The plan harms Milwaukee by providing less shared revenue than other cities and towns, and contains poison pills opposed by Milwaukee voters and leaders. Now that Vos has called the Governor's bluff, we call on Gov. Evers to wield his veto power if the Senate does not dramatically improve the bill. We are joined by freshman State Representative Darrin Madison, a rising star in progressive politics, to give us a report from the trenches and discuss Speaker Vos’ “hostage taking” of Milwaukee. We also return to the looming unwinding of Medicaid in Wisconsin. 309,000 Wisconsinites will likely lose healthcare coverage and 49,000 will end up uninsured and the gerrymandered Legislature says nothing about it and continues to block BadgerCare Expansion. Finally, we ask why the hell is a Waukesha 1st grade teacher who spoke out when the school district banned 'Rainbowland' being terminated by their superintendent, James Sebert, and why are 4 GOP State Legislators defending his authoritarian conduct?

We discuss our state budget veto campaign that went on a statewide media tour this week in La Crosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, and Green Bay to support Gov. Evers using his strongest in the nation veto pen to drag the Speaker Vos and GOP leadership to the negotiating table. Our panel reviews the latest on the “debt ceiling” debate in Washington, D.C. where House MAGA Republicans attempt to hold the country hostage, threatening default which would result in catastrophic cuts to critical programs and services. This Thursday, Title 42 is lifted. We discuss the challenges and what’s next for refugees coming to America. We are disgusted by the verdict in the Wauwatosa “protestor list” trial, where a federal jury cleared the WPD of all charges. We salute activists who immediately protested the flawed decision and call for legislation addressing the situation. FDA advisers voted unanimously this week in support of over-the-counter birth-control pills. We close by welcoming Kyle Johnson & Keisha Robinson from Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC) to discuss their community organizing and the new podcast they are about to launch.

We discuss Speaker Vos and the gerrymandered Legislature’s removal of 545 items from Governor Tony Evers’ budget. Citizen Action is calling for Evers to use his powerful veto for leverage against Vos and the Republican leadership to force them to negotiate. We expose the outrageous Republican shared revenue ransom note from GOP leadership that attacks local democracy and forces a tough on crime budgeting stance in exchange for allowing Milwaukee to tax itself. During the recording of the show it was announced that Gov. Evers will veto the authoritarian plan. We welcome Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT) co-executive director Cendi Tena to discuss how the Republican’s shared revenue plan forces Milwaukee Public Schools to put police officers in MPS schools, in direct opposition to a local Board decision a few years ago to remove police officers from schools after a long and well organized community effort. We close with a series of racist incidents across the state that demand discussion: including; Dane County Board Supervisors threatened with racist verbal attacks; a racist video from a UW-Madison student the same week Vos calls for defunding Diversity offices in the UW System; and a Wausau band teacher uses racial slurs against a Hmong student. So much for the post-racial society claimed by Republicans.

We welcome new regular panelist Priscilla Bort, Citizen Action’s Movement Politics Director. Priscilla shares more about herself with our listeners. The panel dives into the state budget battle brewing that will consume the Capital for the next few months. Robert reports back on the final Joint Finance Committee (JFC) public hearing held in Minocqua where Republicans again pretended to listen to the public. Now the real action begins as JFC takes votes on the budget. Priscilla tells us about Governor Evers’ plan in the budget to ensure all Wisconsin students eat for free while in our schools. We highlight Rep. Kristina Shelton’s relentless support for the proposal and her leadership in the Assembly and beyond. We call out the latest GOP bills targeting social safety net programs that passed the Assembly early this week. Robert highlights AB 148 which would impose costly and antiquated barriers on access to health care. The panel discusses the dangerous debt limit fiasco and Rep. Van Orden’s decision to back Speaker McCarthy’s scheme to make Trump tax cuts for the rich permanent, make draconian cuts to critical programs, and reverse climate change and health care affordability advances. Priscilla updates us on the Republican effort to legally harass former Racine alderman John Tate II, in wake of the quick dismissal of the bogus partisan charges. We expose the Milwaukee Police Association’s effort to fight legally over the new City of Milwaukee video release policy which improves transparency for victims’ families and the public to which the police are supposed to be accountable.

Happy 420 Day (the annual day of action for Marijuana legalization). Unfortunately, in Wisconsin this freedom remains elusive and is costing the state $165 million in revenue. We recap Tax Day this Tuesday where Citizen Action released a new report from Americans for Tax Fairness which shows that when billionaires and corporations dodge taxes, American families pay the price in threats to critical social supports such as Medicare, Medicaid, and food assistance. Congress needs to pass President Biden’s wealth tax and reject the House GOP’s push for making permanent the Trump tax cut. We welcome Joe Evica, the chief steward of the union at CUNA Mutual in Madison (OPEIU Local 39), to discuss a strike vote their members took on Wednesday and the media event they will have on Monday, April 24th at 6pm at the South Central Federation of Labor in Madison. If you live in Dane County, the union urges you to attend the event to show community support. The Milwaukee Common Council unanimously voted this week to demand the giant hospital chain Ascension re-open the birthing and delivery unit at St Francis Hospital in Milwaukee and called on them to stop disinvesting from the City. We discuss a Green New Deal Resolution to be reintroduced in Congress and its critical importance to dealing with the climate crisis and creating family supporting union jobs for everyone across Wisconsin. Robert also attended an event with mayors and Governor Evers to tout the opportunity of federal money for climate change from Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Law. We also received more news this week exposing the increasing Mississipification of Wisconsin by the GOP, as new data revealed the state is now in bottom 10 for public college funding. Finally, craven Republicans continue their ugly smear campaign against long time Racine criminal justice and police reformer John Tate II

We continue to debrief the historic Supreme Court election, including Ron Johnson urging the Republican Party to reduce its reliance on advertising and invest in a ground game and college students voting. We welcome Attorney Matt O’Neill, who represented the Janet Protasiewicz campaign, to discuss the campaign’s successful effort to remove from broadcast a false and trashy ad by the WMC. Matt provides his perspective on the ads and the challenges judicial elections face in the current campaign environment. We discuss Judge Kacsmaryk’s ruling on mifepristone and how Big Pharma enabled these judges. In Wisconsin, Legislative Republicans want to arm school staff and scheme up new barriers and requirements designed to kick people off needed benefits like health care and unemployment insurance.

We debrief the smashing victory for democracy in the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the most important election in the U.S. of 2023. The resulting shift in the Supreme Court presents progressives in Wisconsin with significant organizing opportunities, including recruiting, training, and electing a new generation of reform leaders. Robert updates us on Congressman Bryan Steil’s attempted intervention into the prosecution of Donald Trump by the New York City District Attorney. Has Steil joined the MAGA wing of the GOP? Robert tells us about a new study finding 40% of Milwaukeans work in low paying jobs that fail to meet their basic needs. And finally, what does the back and forth over Senator-elect Dan Knodl’s statement of openness during the campaign to impeach Janet Protasiewicz say about the norms of the new GOP super-majority in the State Senate. Is any state official safe from retribution at the hands of the anti-Democratic super-majority?

We preview the home stretch of the critical Supreme Court race heading into the final weekend. It’s time for progressive leaders and activists to volunteer and Get Out The Vote for Janet Protasiewicz! SIGN UP NOW >> https://bit.ly/CAWGOTV2023 We review the closing week of the campaign, including an ugly and false Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) smear against Judge Protasiewicz which is further traumatizing a rape victim. Is there any ethical limit that the Wisconsin corporate lobby will not transgress in its relentless pursuit of a Supreme Court that will always rule in their favor? We discuss the opportunity mayor candidate Brandon Johnson presents the City of Chicago for a new direction of leadership, including public safety. We close the show talking about Bernie Sanders and Democratic U.S. Senators confronting founder and billionaire former CEO Howard Schultz on union busting in a headline grabbing Senate Hearing. Will the heroic sacrifices of Starbucks workers turn the tide for labor, or is there more we need to do?

We discuss the economic “double talk” in D.C. that rationalizes bailing out the banks (and ultra-wealthy) and not the people. Just this week, the Fed tempered their projected interest rate hikes, which were resisted by banks and their allies because of the threat to banks who have placed risky bets on low interest rates. The Fed and the banks show no such concern for unemployment, the real victims of rate hikes. We review Sen. Tammy Baldwin epic cross examination of Moderna’s CEO for their outrageous COVID vaccine price hike. Will this give Senator Baldwin a great re-election issue? We also raise the alarm bills on 300,000 low income Wisconsinites who will be kicked off BadgerCare as COVID public health emergency ends April 1. Meanwhile, Congressman Bryan Steil focuses on Donald Trump’s legal defense in an outrageous letter to the NYC DA which shows that Trump still commands the GOP. At the other side of the Capital, The TikTok sideshow continues in D.C. Is there any limit to the bipartisan China-bating? Meanwhile in Wisconsin, we review the latest State Supreme Court Election news and talk about report that Illinois took in $36.1 million in cannabis tax revenues last year from Wisconsin residents. Robert debriefs a few GOP “tough on crime bills” that are intended to stoke the issue and look tough while doing absolutely nothing to improve public safety.

We have a special interview with U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan to discuss his fight against the Big Health Insurance take over Medicare. These profit hungry corporate behemoths are running multi-million dollar campaign falsely promoting Medicare Advantage programs as Medicare, duping seniors into inferior coverage and bilking the federal government. In reality, these programs are rife with abuse, and threaten the long term existence of Medicare. We review the historic bailout of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the role of incomplete financial reform following the Great Recession, dangerous bank deregulation in the Trump years supported by Republicans and conservative Democrats. Should wealthy Tech Industry players who claim to be Libertarians get a bailout from the government? We review Tuesday’s bankruptcy of Diamond Sports/Bally Sports Network and its potential impact on the Milwaukee Brewers’ financial stability. We make the obvious connection to the sudden demand of the Brewer’s owner for a massive state tax giveaway. China hysteria continues in the U.S. with a move to force the sale of Tik Tok to a U.S. company. But is Tik Tok data really less secure than the other big tech monopolies? Also, we reveal conservative Wisconsin Congress members Glenn Grothman and Derrick Van Orden’s shameful and hypocritical effort to force people in need of food assistance to regularly report to the government that they are working in order to receive food. Congresswoman Gwen Moore fights back on behalf of needy families.

We welcome Sarah Godlewski to the show to discuss the “Rally for Our Rights” events across Wisconsin she is organizing with PPAWI, Citizen Action and other progressive allies to highlight the critical importance of abortion rights in the Supreme Court election. This week the WMC dropped $3.2 million into a disgusting crime ad targeting Janet Protasiewicz that was topped by another shameful attack ad attempting to terrify voters that Janet will “take away parental rights and impose trans ideology on our kids.” We review Legislative news that Speaker Vos will kill Governor Evers’ bad idea to subsidize stadium improvements for the Milwaukee Brewers and an outrageous effort by Republicans to weaken our vaccine requirements for children in Wisconsin. We also continue to sound the alarm bell on the brewing cold war with China. We discuss Fahreed Zakaria’s comments on CNN declaring that this Tuesday’s Congressional committee hearing of the new House select committee on China was like being transported back to the 1950s, as members of both parties tried to outdo one another in their denunciations of China.

We welcome Michelle Mackey, the Executive Director of Kids Forward, to discuss their transition to an anti-racist policy center. We ask her what parts of Governor Evers’ state budget can make the biggest impact for equity. We also review the supreme hypocrisy of Dan Kelly refusal to commit to recusing himself from cases involving his wealthy campaign donors. Finally, we have a full serving of Robin Vos' hypocrisy, including his assertion that there is no money available for the state’s most pressing budget priorities when at the same time he proposes giving away more state revenue in the form of massive new tax cuts for the wealthy.

We debrief the Spring Primary Election, which saw historic voter turnout and a decisive victory by Judge Janet Protasiewicz. We take a deep dive into this first phase of the critical Supreme Court race, including the big money expended on scorched earth TV ads on behalf of three of the four candidates. Despite its short term success, did the messages set Democrats up for failure by reinforcing right-wing values on public safety, and damaging the multiracial progressive coalition needed to address mass incarceration and structural racism in the criminal justice system? We also call attention to the important reelection race of Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, and call on progressives to get off the sidelines and volunteer in the general election.  Next, we discuss Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s call for the Biden Administration to rein in dangerous short-term health plans that are permitted by Trump era policies to violate the minimum standards for health coverage set by the Affordable Care Act. Robert tells us about a sleazy campaign by big health insurance corporations to destroy Medicare by privatizing it. Finally, we sound the alarm bells over the threat to health coverage posed by the unwinding of the COVID public emergency.

It’s Get Out The Vote weekend for next Tuesday’s critical Spring Primary Election. Governor Evers delivered his budget speech on Wednesday evening, launching the legislative phase of the budget battle. We discuss the highlights and shortcomings of the governor’s plan. We welcome back our in-house economist, Dr. Micheal Rosen, to discuss the misguided decision to include $290 million for the owners of the Milwaukee Brewers in the governor’s budget. We close the show with Citizen Action Northeast Co-op Organizer Natalie Hoffman discussing our door canvass this Saturday at Noon in Green Bay for Mayor Eric Genrich and our endorsed Supreme Court candidates. Please join the hundreds of small donors who have contributed to Citizen Action’s Supreme Court Action Fund supporting our deep canvas field program talking directly to voters. https://bit.ly/3YYidjd Natalie also previews upcoming budget meetings Citizen Action's Northeast Co-op is hosting with State Representatives Lee Snodgrass and Kristina Shelton.

We debrief President Biden’s State of the Union speech. Does Biden progressive economic agenda represent a break with recent Democratic Presidents? We preview Governor Tony Evers’ plan to increase state shared revenue in his state budget he will release next week. We encourage him to follow Biden's lead, and include forcing the ultrarich to pay their fair share. We welcome Citizen Action Northcentral Co-op organizer Joel Lewis to discuss thedoor canvass in Wausau this Sunday from 10am - 2pm at the Labor Temple. We also discuss the City of Wausau Climate Action planning process. We close the show by welcoming back Tobita Chow from Justice is Global to talk about the balloon kerfuffle and how too many American politicians are fixin’ for a dangerous Cold War with China that will unleash more anti-Asian hate.

Robert is away from the show this week so we are joined by long time show producer, Brian Wooldridge, to get his perspective on producing over a decade of Battleground Wisconsin Podcasts. We discuss Citizen Action’s release of state survey data this week that found 59% of Wisconsinites experienced at least one health care affordability burden over the last year and 39% struggled to pay the resulting bills. This survey data makes clear the intense need to expand BadgerCare in the next State Budget. We welcome new Citizen Action Driftless Co-op organizer Kristie Tweed to introduce herself and invite listeners to the Driftless Co-op Meet and Greet on Feb. 15th at 5:30pm in La Crosse. We also speak with Pio from Delta Beer Lab in Madison to thank them for a major donation to our election work and to promote Delta Beer Lab’s monthly fundraising for groups, including the Wisconsin Conservation Voters in February.

We discuss Citizen Action’s duel endorsement of Judge Janet Protasiewicz and Judge Everett Mitchell as we head towards the critical February 21st Supreme Court Primary Election. After debriefing Governor Evers’ State of the State speech and the Republicans' cynical response, we welcome back our in-house economist Dr. Micheal Rosen to discuss Republicans' scheme to create a phony “debt crisis” and what President Biden and Democrats need to do to win the fight. We also talk with Dr. Rosen about Legislative Republican’s shameful and destructive pursuit of large state tax cuts for the wealthy and expose Speaker Vos’ bad idea to increase the sales tax 1% to pay for shared revenue to state municipalities.

We are joined by State Senator Jeff Smith to discuss the first week of the gerrymandered State Legislature. Seeking to influence the State Supreme Court race, the session opened by Republicans placing on the Spring ballot a cynical political referendum asking voter opinion on a BadgerCare work requirement and a constitutional amendment on cash bail. The top priority of this illegitimate Legislature appears to be more tax giveaways for the ultra rich. Sen. Smith tells us why he is leading the charge to oppose the Republican attack on Wisconsin's progressive income tax. We also talk about state budget strategy,rural broadband, and the deepening bi-partisan public concern over PFAS in our water. Eau Claire City Council member and Citizen Action Organizing Director Kate Felton joins us to discuss her effort to organize local leaders in Western Wisconsin to fight for desperately needed increases in state shared revenue to municipalities during the upcoming state budget fight.

We are joined by Tobita Chow, the director of Justice is Global to discuss the new House committee aimed at the Chinese government and has Republicans warning of a “New Cold War”. We discuss why a cold war is disastrous to progressive governing and unnecessarily stokes anti-Chinese hate in America. We debrief Citizen Action’s excellent State Supreme Court progressive candidate forum Wednesday night. We encourage you to watch and vote on what Citizen Action should do in the election. We talk about the newly unveiled Republican agenda in Congress and the State Legislature to provide tax cuts and tax avoidance for the wealthy while declaring no legislative pathway on very popular issues like legalized marijuana. We also review disgraced Wisconsin Election Commissioner Robert Spindell bragging about suppressing voters.