MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers delivered the Democratic Radio Address on Thursday in advance of the July 4th holiday weekend urging Wisconsinites to roll up their sleeves and get the COVID-19 vaccine to help ensure the state’s continued economic recovery.

Audio file of Radio Address.

Hi, folks! Governor Tony Evers here.

The 4th of July is right around the corner. And boy, it sure looks different than it did last year!

This year, the 4th of July means we can celebrate safely—gather with loved ones, fire up the grill, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate the founding of our country and the values we share—all the traditions we missed out on last year.

And, folks, we get to do that because we’ve trusted the science and public health experts, and we’ve put in the hard work to help beat the pandemic and make sure our state and our economy can bounce back.

And this year, we have lots to celebrate—we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, Wisconsin businesses are bouncing back, and we’re a national leader in getting shots in arms.

But if we want to keep doing all the things we love and enjoy and make sure our state and economy continue to recover, we need you to roll up your sleeves and get vaccinated.

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and based on years of research and science.

More 50 percent of Wisconsinites have had at least their first dose of the vaccine. And millions across the country have gotten their shot, most with minimal side effects.

So folks, if you haven’t gotten your vaccine yet, or you know a friend or family member who hasn’t gotten theirs, now is the time to get it.

Head over to vaccines.gov to find the nearest vaccine provider to you.

We’re in this together, Wisconsin, and I know that, by continuing to work together, we can put this pandemic behind us.

Thank you.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers Thursday delivered the Democratic Radio Address highlighting new relief funding for Wisconsin’s travel and tourism, entertainment, and lodging industries. The funding, which was secured under the American Rescue Plan Act, will support local businesses across the state as Wisconsin continues to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic.

Audio file of Radio Address

Hey, folks! It’s Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.

We all know just how important the travel, tourism, and lodging industry is here in Wisconsin.

From restaurants and music venues to hotels and theaters, the travel and tourism industry — and the local businesses that make up this key industry — are the backbone of our state.

But these folks have faced significant challenges the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s why we put our CARES funds to good use and invested more than $50 million in our tourism, lodging, and entertainment industries.

But as we keep bouncing back from this pandemic, we know our work is far from done.

And as folks in Wisconsin and around the country begin vacationing and traveling again, it’s especially important we support these vital industries.

That’s why I’m proud to announce more than $140 million in new funding to support local businesses in the travel, tourism, and lodging industry.

This funding will be key in ensuring the travel, tourism, and lodging industry — and our local businesses — can get back on their feet and back in business as quickly as possible.

And it will help our state keep bouncing back better than ever.

We can’t slow down now, folks... Let’s get it done!

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/kenosha-jacob-blake-shooting-wsj-s5.jpgNew bill creates a standard use of force definition and mandates reporting and intervention if an officer violates this standard.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/schools-reopening-2020-cnn-s5.jpgHere’s what educators from across the state are saying about the success of President Biden’s pandemic response.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday delivered the Democratic Radio Address celebrating Juneteenth in Wisconsin and highlighting the state's continued efforts to address existing racial disparities and ensure a more just, equitable, and fair state for Wisconsinites.

Audio file of Radio Address.

Hi, Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers here.

For 156 years, our nation has celebrated Juneteenth: the day in 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to declare the end of slavery, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted.

This Juneteenth, as we recognize the trials Black Americans have overcome and celebrate the resilience, vibrancy, and countless contributions of Black Wisconsinites, we must also recognize our work toward equity and justice in this state is far from finished.

I don’t have to tell you that Wisconsin faces some of the most disparate outcomes for Black Wisconsinites, from inequities in housing and healthcare to education and childcare to the justice system and economic opportunity.

And the COVID-19 pandemic has only underscored and furthered these inequities, making our work that much more pressing and that much more urgent.

That's why, as we keep bouncing back from the pandemic, we’re also working to make sure that we’re putting equity front and center in our recovery efforts and addressing racial disparities in our state head-on.

Because we know that building a more just, more equitable, and more fair state means connecting the dots between issues and tackling disparities holistically.

Folks, we’ve got our work cut out for us.

But I know that, by working together, we will move forward in solidarity and build a more just, more equitable Wisconsin for everyone.

Thank you.

We are bouncing back and better from this pandemic, says Gov. Evers. It’s time to drop the politics and get to work.

Proposals from Republicans are a distraction from the work they are refusing to do to address the fact of Wisconsin’s racial disparities says Agard.

MADISON- Yesterday, several bills were circulated for legislative consideration that would prohibit the teaching of critical race theory in schools. The proposals would affect the University of Wisconsin System schools as well as our K-12 schools.

Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement regarding the proposals:

“These are not reasonable proposals - they are a white washing of our history.

“We must face and address our past wrongs in order to move forward and be a more just and equitable state. We must acknowledge the history and experiences of all Americans in order to create a better society for everyone. To ignore and blatant disregard our nation's history of oppression, and continued oppression, especially of communities of color only sets us farther back.

“These proposals from my Republican colleagues are a distraction from the work they are refusing  to do to address the fact that Wisconsin’s racial disparities are pervasive.

“Enough with the theatrics - let’s start doing work that will truly help all Wisconsinites, not further drive people apart.”

MADISON - I hope you’re having a good week.

Here are two actions I’d like you to take:

1.     Tell your legislators to oppose Assembly Bill 369 relating to the timeline for local redistricting in Wisconsin following the 2020 federal decennial census.

This is a bill whose draft we were notified about last Friday as Memorial Day weekend was starting. It was formally introduced on Tuesday, the Assembly committee public hearing held yesterday, and it is on the agenda for a vote without a hearing in the Senate committee tomorrow morning! That’s far from adequate process. On substance, the bill would postpone the redistricting of local political districts until 2023. It would unconstitutionally disadvantage local communities, such as Madison, that have grown in population, and it would also let the State Legislature impose boundaries on local communities after that, which goes against the traditional way of Wisconsin, which starts the redistricting process from the local level on up, as I noted in my testimony here:

Don't Extend the Gerrymander

>>>Contact Assembly committee members and your legislators and strongly urge they oppose AB369.

2.     Sign the Fair Maps petition.

As part of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, we’re encouraging all of our members to sign this petition demanding that our legislators pass nonpartisan redistricting legislation:

>>>Tell Your Legislators to Pass Fair Maps

Thanks for taking these two actions to keep the heat on the Legislature!

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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MILWAUKEE - We discuss Legislative Republican’s scheming with their corporate patrons such as Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce (WMC) to gin up a fake “worker shortage” to punish the unemployed. Does Robin Vos really believe Wisconsinites are lazy and irresponsible or is he just trying to exploit the working class? In a clear effort to mobilize a 2022 off-year election base of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists, Legislative Republicans are supporting bills to make anti-vaxxers a protected category and pumping life into the “Big Lie” with bogus “Arizona style” voter fraud investigations into the 2020 election. Meanwhile new data from the Wisconsin Election Commission demonstrates minuscule voter fraud in Wisconsin elections, most of it generated by Jim-Crow still disenfranchisement of released prisoners. We close with a discussion on the centrality of the Senate filibuster in the success of the Biden agenda, addressing the nation’s major challenges and needs, and the survival of democracy itself.

Listen Now – Episode #495
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Press Clips

MADISON - This morning, our colleague Iuscely Flores represented the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign at a press conference called by BLOC (Black Leaders Organizing in Community) to condemn the pitiful proposals by the Legislature on policing. Here’s the statement that she read:

Wisconsin Legislature Fails on Police Overhaul

Flores also wrote a strong piece denouncing the new onerous requirements for people to receive unemployment compensation:

Republicans’ 21st Century Attack on the Poor

Our research team tracked down the top 10 contributors to the outside spending groups called 527s:

Wisconsin Contributors Gave $4.4M+ to Outside Smear Groups in 2020

Here’s the talk I gave at the rally to ban gerrymandering on May 17:

We Deserve Fair Maps.
(click the photo for a video highlight. Go here for the full 45-minute rally video).

And by the way, we had a fun annual gathering last week, by Zoom.

State Rep. Francesca Hong gave us an inside look on what it’s like for her to work in the Legislature. She was characteristically outspoken: “It’s a frustrating and incredibly racist” place, she said, but she hasn’t lost faith in “people power.”

Urban Milwaukee Editor Bruce Murphy thanked us for being of such assistance to reporters with our invaluable database.

And I offered my reflections, which you can read here: A Year to Forget, and to Remember.

You can also view the entire 90-minute program of the gathering by clicking here.

I hope you have a nice long holiday weekend!

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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P.S. If you like the work we’re doing, please send us a tax-deductible gift by clicking here or by mailing it the old-fashioned way to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, 203 S. Paterson St, Suite 100, Madison WI 53703. Thanks!