State Rep. Chris Taylor comes to the aid of east and north side Madison communities near the airport to block F-35 site selection at Common Council meeting.

MADISON - After years of attending the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, I have seen firsthand how big corporate special interests, through their wealth and power, often dominate policy making, to the great detriment of actual people. In the ALEC universe, maximizing corporate profits always comes before people.

I have seen how that perverse priority has driven Republican policy makers in our state over the last 8 years, and the devastation this has caused. And I have fought against it every step of the way.

I am currently seeing a similar power structure right here at home trying to force F-35 military jets on the east and northside communities I represent in the legislature. Based on the constituent contact I have received, the people I have talked with, and the listening I have done, the vast majority of my constituents do not support this proposal. It will not only lead to a peak of almost 3,000 more military flights, but significantly more noise, rendering a larger piece of our city uninhabitable, unless you want to live in a home where you can't open a window or go outside. Individuals of color, kids and low-income families will be most impacted, and many, many neighborhoods are going to be forever altered.

A group called Badger Air Community Council is pushing the F-35s. Most of their board members are executive businessmen who do not live in Madison, none live in the neighborhoods impacted, and none are people of color. Yet they think they know what is best for our community! They are placing opinion pieces in the local paper (the Wisconsin State Journal has run two in the last week), paying for fancy brochures and producing hats and T-shirts. And now they are organizing to defeat a Tuesday Madison Common Council Resolution to oppose the F-35s.

All we have is our voices. Together, we are strong. I am urging you to contact your Madison alders here and ask them to support the resolution to oppose the F-35 fighter jets. The resolution will be taken up this Tuesday, September 17 at the 6:30 PM Common Council meeting. Now more than ever, people need their elected representatives at all levels to stand up for them! The political response of a community makes a difference in F-35 site selection. If you can, please attend the meeting and testify in support of this resolution at the public hearing. The meeting will take place in Room 201 of the City-County Building at 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd this Tuesday at 6:30 PM.

And remember, you still have time to submit your comments to the Air National Guard on this proposal, until Friday, September 27th. On-line comments can be submitted here. Comments can also be directed to Ramon Ortiz by email, by mail at NGB/A4AM, 3501 Fetchet Avenue, Joint Base Andrews, MD  20762-5157 or by phone 240-612-7042.

Please contact my office if you need any more information.

Thank you for taking action. I believe that the best way to successfully stand up to powerful interests is to raise our voices together!

More actions are coming soon!

Thanks,

Rep. Chris Taylor
76th Assembly District

MILWAUKEE - We talk about the continued lame duck session fallout, including Wisconsin not being among the two dozen states reaching a tentative settlement agreement against opioid seller Purdue Pharma.

We also discuss the party of Trump’s alignment behind right-winger Tom Tiffany in the CD 7 special election, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel slamming Speaker Vos and Rep. Nygren for charging open records requesters exorbitant fees, and the Foxconing of UW-Madison. We review new NPR/Marist presidential primary polling and preview Thursday’s debate. We welcome Citizen Action co-op member State Representative Jodi Emerson to discuss her first year as a state legislator.

Listen Now – Episode #408
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http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/school-kids-s5.jpgSenator Jon Erpenbach is hopeful that Republicans will join Democrats and work to restore what they have cut from education.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/voter-us-elections-s5.jpgLeague of Women Voters continues the fight for nonpartisan redistricting legislation.

MADISON - This week Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) talks about our state’s tradition of developing our workforce and honoring those who live and work here.

Audio File of Radio Address

Hello, this is Representative Jill Billings with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.

Earlier this month, Governor Tony Evers proclaimed September as Workforce Development Month in Wisconsin.

Wisconsinites have never been afraid to roll up our sleeves, put in the hours, and get the job done.

And, our state has a tradition of developing our workforce and honoring those who live and work here.

In 1911, Wisconsin established the first modern apprenticeship law.

That same year, Wisconsin created the nation’s first Worker’s Compensation program, which guaranteed injury compensation as a legal right.

And in 1945, Wisconsin prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of creed, color, national origin, or ancestry.

Democrats are committed to continuing this tradition of workforce development, and we will be forward-thinking in our efforts to build a Wisconsin that we are all proud of.

This means focusing on workers – but also on the things that make a state an attractive place to live like strong public schools, pristine natural resources, and affordable health care.

I thank Governor Evers and Secretary Caleb Frostman for their efforts to support our workers this month and every month.

So this September, let’s celebrate the advances we’ve made over the years while understanding there is much more work to be done.

And together we can build a Wisconsin that works for all of us.

Thank you.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/electrical-workers-s5.jpgSen. Smith talks about his upbringing in Eau Claire and the impact of organized labor in the community. Leaders before us worked to put protections in place for workers, but there’s still more to do.

STATEWIDE - We review the big news that Rep. Sean Duffy is resigning from Congress, sparking widespread speculation about the election to replace him. Guest panelist Claire Zautke and Robert discuss comments by Congressman Pocan about healthcare in the 2020 election.

We also talk about the fallout of the GOP’s lame duck power grab from Attorney General Josh Kaul and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s unfair slamming of the new progressive newspaper, Wisconsin Examiner. Finally we welcome Citizen Action co-op member Tricia Zunker, president of the Wausau School Board, to discuss her work to retire Native mascot imagery from Wisconsin public schools.

Listen Now – Episode #406
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MADISON - Rep. Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) pays tribute to the achievements and contributions of the American worker.

Audio File of Radio Address

Hi, I’m State Representative Christine Sinicki.

Labor Day is the day when we pay tribute to the achievements and contributions of the American workforce. It was created by the American workforce and named a federal holiday in 1894 by President Cleveland.

As we celebrate the unofficial end of summer with friends and family over a brat or burger, let’s take a moment to reflect on Wisconsin stories of labor history and give thanks to those who fought and sometimes died to give us the benefits we all now enjoy as workers.

Wisconsin was at the forefront of early union organizing. In fact it was in Bay view where I grew up where, in 1886, where seven immigrant workers were shot and killed on orders by Governor Rusk. They were shot while walking peacefully in the campaign for the eight hour work day.

It was Wisconsin that brought us the first Workers Compensation law and the first Unemployment Insurance laws.

As Democrats we believe that strong workers equal a strong America. We will always believe in the right for all workers to organize unions in their workplace.

As you celebrate, remember, who brought you this three-day weekend – and every weekend: organized labor and a strong, talented workforce.

https://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/farm-family-s5.jpgFrom his tax bill that only benefits the wealthy, to his reckless tariffs that are just a tax on working families, many feel he is ignoring our pain.

MADISON - Here’s a toolkit we put together for you and other activists who want to ban gerrymandering in Wisconsin.

It gives you talking points you can use with your neighbors -- or your legislators.

It gives you sample letters to the editor you can modify and then send on to your local newspaper.

It provides a pledge card for you, as a voter, and it offers a pledge card for candidates that you might run into.

It shows you how you can get your county, city, town, or village to pass a resolution or a referendum to ban gerrymandering, if they haven’t already.

And it tells you how to get your very own “Fair Maps” yard sign.

The mass movement in Wisconsin to demand nonpartisan redistricting is gaining steam, and we’re hoping that this toolkit will push it along even faster. Look for the printable file linked at top of toolkit and check back regularly for updates.

I hope you like it!

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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P.S. As you can imagine, this toolkit took a lot of staff time to put together, so if you’d like to send us tax-deductible gift to defray some of those costs we incurred, we’d really appreciate it. To donate, just click here. Thanks!