In an economy of disposable workers, the time is coming for something like a universal basic income. But none of that talk is happening in the halls of government.

ALTOONA, WI - An economy has grown around us where just about everything is made to be thrown away. There are disposable eating utensils, cups and plates. Disposable towels and disposable diapers. Disposable razors. Disposable gloves. Disposable cameras and disposable batteries. The list goes on and on.

When so much of what is made and sold in this country is designed to be discarded after a single use, it was probably only a matter of time before the workers who do the making are seen as disposable too, especially since those doing the selling are increasingly located half a state or half a country or half a world away.

With industry leaders less rooted in the communities where their companies do business, they don’t think twice about relocating countless factories to far flung places in search of cheaper labor. In the few factories that remain, workers surrender their jobs to robots. Driverless vehicles are on their way. When they arrive, the jobs of truck drivers and bus drivers and taxi drivers will be surrendered too.

Those in power in our government at the moment are proving remarkably insensitive to the uncertainty and anxiety and feelings of betrayal and abandonment that always accompany major economic transitions and dislocations. When the country was going through an industrial revolution more than a century ago and large numbers of people left the land and went to work in factories and offices, the political system responded by providing vocational training, workers compensation for those injured in the workplace, unemployment insurance, retirement security and much more. With a global, technology-driven, increasingly jobless economy now emerging that is leaving so many working people exposed and vulnerable, the government so far is doing next to nothing to cushion the blow.

Those presently in charge of government watch passively as economic markets grow increasingly monopolized and more and more workers get discarded, causing inequality to expand rapidly. They give the monopolists free rein, which is no surprise considering how they’ve joined forces with those economic monopolists to engineer monopolies on political power. They add injury to insecurity in places like Wisconsin, a state once known far and wide for its pristine environment, by looking the other way when industry actions lay waste to natural resources and even inviting industries to write their own pollution permits. Health and safety protections are being stripped away, and the state seizes power from local communities that want to do better by their residents. It’s as if the powers-that-be figure that since people are disposable, there’s no reason to worry too much about them being poisoned.

Working Americans are rightly wondering if there’s a place for us all in this emerging economy, or if a bunch of us are just going to be thrown away. As we all try to gain our footing with the ground shifting beneath us, adjusting to new economic realities that can be cruel and capricious would be so much easier if we had government on our side.

One of these realities is that workers now have to change jobs much more frequently than in the past. Guaranteeing access to medical care with health insurance coverage that follows workers wherever they are employed would create much-needed stability and security while also freeing people to leave dead-end jobs to start new businesses, but the political system has so far failed to meet this glaring need.

With the clear and present danger of a jobless economy and disposable workers, there’s a lot of talk about whether the time is coming for something like a universal basic income. But none of that talk is happening in the halls of government in America. That fact alone speaks volumes about the current disconnect between the government and the governed.

— Mike McCabe

GREEN BAY - Mike McCabe of Blue Jean Nation and Democracy Checkup talks about the current political theme of “Be Afraid” espoused by both political parties in the country in an effort to gain and hold supporters. McCabe instead suggests that people should find a common ground and focus on democracy, freedom, and service to all.

Hear Mike on WORT 89.9 Talk Radio HERE.

MADISON – Today, Rep. Terese Berceau (D-Madison) offered the Democratic Weekly Radio Address on the Assembly bill that represses free speech on Wisconsin's university campuses:

"Your legislature should not be setting itself up as big government policing free expression on campus," Rep. Berceau said. "This is bill is about chilling protests – sending a message to students and faculty to be careful not to offend conservatives. This is a dangerous encroachment on free speech principles that have been in place since 1791."

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here, and the video can be found here.

A written transcript of the address is below:

"Hello, I’m Representative Terese Berceau with this week’s Democratic Radio Address

"Last night, Assembly Republicans passed a gag rule on free speech on college campuses. Citing incidents with speakers in other states, not Wisconsin, Republicans want to suspend and even expel students who are alleged to have interfered with someone’s right to speak.

"The University has disciplinary rules on the books already. There are campus and city police to deal with major disruptions. Your legislature should not be setting itself up as big government policing free expression on campus.

"This is bill is about chilling protests – sending a message to students and faculty to be careful not to offend conservatives. This is a dangerous encroachment on free speech principles that have been in place since 1791. Liberal and conservative speakers have been, and still are, challenged when they speak on campuses because colleges are places of clashing ideas that are the catalyst for intellectual growth. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. Democrats will defend the rights of everyone to speak on campus."

Update on SCOTUS and Wisconsin redistricting, Walker, big corporate money, and more...

MADISON - Here’s our take on the big redistricting case that the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take. The short answer: I still think the good guys can win this:

U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear Wisconsin redistricting case

Speaking of Supreme Courts, the Wisconsin Supreme Court just embarrassed itself again when the conservative justices voted to slam the doors on the public and no longer discuss administrative rules out in the open:

Wisconsin Supreme Court shuts public out

On the corporate front, Scott Walker continues to hobnob with people who cut him the big checks:

Walker visits Ashley Furniture and big donors

And the people of Wisconsin are not benefiting from all the money being tossed his way. Take a look at Anthem. It’s a big funder of Republicans in Wisconsin, and still it’s bolting:

Anthem is Wisconsin GOP booster

Meanwhile, I’ve given three speeches recently that I wanted to share with you in hopes that at least one of them appeals to you:

Walker’s assault on clean and open government

March for Truth speech

Why the disability rights movement and the democracy movement need each other

I’m eager to speak in your community, too, so if you’d like me to come out, please send me an email at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I hope you have a nice weekend.

Best,

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

The Senate healthcare bill, Green Bay's State Rep. Eric Genrich on his visionary legislation to provide BadgerCare for all, Wisconsin's historic gerrymandering case, UW free speech, and more...

MILWAUKEE - We discuss the long-awaited, secretive Senate healthcare bill that includes larger cuts to Medicaid but differs little from the “mean” House bill that cuts healthcare from million Americans to provide a large tax break to the wealthy.

State Rep. Eric Genrich joins us to talk about his visionary legislation to provide BadgerCare for all through a public option.

We welcome Sachin Chheda, director of the Fair elections Project, to update us on the legal developments this week in the historic gerrymandering case the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear this fall.

We also review new developments on Republican efforts to restrict free speech at the UW System and how Gov. Walker’s plan to drug test Medicaid recipients received over 1000 public comments in opposition while only 5 comments in support.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/jailed-s5.jpgMonopolized political speech, mass incarceration and voter suppression together pack an enormous discriminatory wallop. Overcoming the new Jim Crow starts with recognizing it and seeing through the false justifications.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wisc-dairy-farm-s5.jpgThis week Sen. Kathleen Vinehout writes about celebrating Wisconsin’s Dairyland as part of June Dairy Month. She shares some reminiscences about being a dairy farmer.

Trump’s shockingly unkind words about the health care plan he forced on Paul Ryan, the difficulty Republicans face in passing it, Matt Rothschild, and more.

STATEWIDE - We discuss the secrecy surrounding the Senate healthcare legislation and President Trump’s shockingly unkind words about the health care plan he forced Paul Ryan to jam through the House of Representatives.”

Robert reveals interesting details of meeting between Citizen Action Organizing Cooperative members and Sen. Ron Johnson’s legislative aide regarding the difficulty Republicans face in passing a healthcare bill.

We welcome Matthew Rothschild, executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, to discuss the the Assembly passage of a bill that could spark a constitutional convention and the dangers it poses our democracy.

We close the show with a discussion of innovative approaches to creating good jobs and economic opportunity in Los Angeles with Roxana Tynan, the executive director of LAANE (Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy).

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #298

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Citizen Action Press Clips

Veterans deserve more than hand shakes and lip service, it's time they got a day off for Veteran's Day.

MADISON - Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) offered the weekly Democratic radio address today.

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here.

A written transcript of the address is below:

“Hello, this is State Senator Dave Hansen with this week’s Democratic Radio address.

“This week, Senate Bill 113 (SB-113) creating the state holiday of Veterans Day on November 11th was taken up in the State Senate. Its passage will result in the closing of state offices and state workers taking the day off. Those veterans who need to contact a state office for assistance will have to wait a day.

“Supporters of the bill said it was important to pass the bill because Wisconsin is the only state that does not officially recognize Veterans Day by closing state government in observance of the day and those who served our nation. We can all agree that that is a mighty short list that we should not be on.

“Unfortunately when Senate Democrats brought up an amendment to require that all working veterans in the private sector be given the day off, Republicans voted against it.

“It is difficult to imagine any patriotic employer objecting to such a change in the law.

“After all, we are talking about the people who sacrificed so much to protect us. They deserve to have the time on Veterans Day to spend it as they see fit as a reflection of our undying gratitude for their service.

“Unfortunately, when it came time to choose between profits for business or a day off for veterans Senate Republicans chose to side with business. “

****

Legislative writer Jay Wadd contributed to this article.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/mdsn-protest-singers-s5.jpgThe pro-life, pro-choice issue is a political football that both major party's use to whip up their base. What if we stopped taking the bait, and focused instead on solving this incredibly sensitive issue that the ruling elite clearly do not want to see resolved?