MADISON - The articles of impeachment that were being prepared against Richard Nixon before he resigned included obstruction of justice. Obstruction of justice was also the key charge in the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

On Thursday, the Trump Administration -- and even the president himself -- bragged that the firing of James Comey was intended to end the investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russian intelligence operations in the 2016 U.S. election.

Does Trump’s admission amount to impeachable obstruction of justice? We must have a special prosecutor leading an independent investigation to find out.

If you haven’t signed the LegitAction petition calling for a special prosecutor yet, please do it now. This situation is developing rapidly.

On Thursday, Trump told NBC’s Lester Holt that he fired James Comey in part because “this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story.”

Also on Thursday, Trump’s spokesperson said, “We think that we've actually, by removing Director Comey, taken steps to [make the Russia story come to its conclusion].”

Then, on Friday, Trump publicly threatened now-former FBI Director Comey with the prospect of releasing tapes of their conversations.

This is one of the most serious crises in presidential legitimacy our nation has ever faced. We cannot trust the investigation into this matter to anyone else that Trump can fire.

Join the call for a special prosecutor today. Sign the LegitAction petition now.

There are so many questions about Trump’s behavior and the legitimacy of the 2016 election that, in a sense, it’s not surprising to see an illegitimately elected president behaving without legitimacy. But we can’t lose sight of the bigger fight here.

Thanks for standing up today,

Russ Feingold

Veterans, especially combat veterans, need to talk about the real costs of war. The veterans’ silence results in enabling power hungry politicians and greedy business persons to push war as the solution instead of creating a more peaceful world.

TUCSON, AZ - We approach Memorial Day honoring the ultimate sacrifices made by 1.4 million American military men and women who died in America’s wars since 1775. We must discuss the horrific impact of war on surviving soldiers and civilians. For only they can teach us working for peace is a better option than fighting wars.

Each death in war brings everlasting tragedy to a family. Each death damages the hope of loved ones.

Humans are brutal. We have many wonderful traits. But we must admit to a brutal streak. And we must hope that we do not exhibit that trait ourselves and are not forced into situations where we too become brutal.

Historians view history as a long string of wars. The most destructive war thus far was World War II. Between 45 million and 85 million men, women and children perished in combat, destruction and resulting disease and famine.

Historians estimate 400 million to 670 million soldiers and civilians died in the largest 35 wars. Wars always kill far more civilians than soldiers.

This drawing and caption of children at the graveside of a Civil War relative killed at Gettysburg depicts our basic problem.

Because a relative served in a long ago war, many children especially boys are socialized into thinking being a soldier is the good thing to do.

Society (families, media, schools, movies, religions) encourage this, many times glorifying war. Recruiters prey on these emotions.

As a future infantry officer, I spent a year of my life being taught how to kill people (fortunately I was sent to S. Korea rather than S. Vietnam in 1969).

"You bet I'm goin' to be a soldier, too,
like my Uncle David, when I grow up.”
"On Decoration Day" Political cartoon c 1900 by John T. McCutcheon.

The military does an excellent job of training men and women to kill. But our generals have no idea of how to train/educate people to “unkill.” Many of our 22 million veterans who were in combat and had to participate in, or were near, the killing, deaths and maimings have memories and emotions they try to control all their lives. Most don’t discuss these memories at all or very much with family and friends. Such discussions are extremely difficult to have.

The veterans’ silence results in enabling power hungry politicians and greedy business persons to use the military industrial complex to push war as the “solution” to problems/challenges nations face.

The result of silence is that millions of veterans are not teaching their children, friends and community that war is not the answer. Killing does not solve problems. It just makes problems more difficult to resolve. You can’t kill a religious idea or political idea with a bullet.

The military teaches team work and being in the military and combat encourages camaraderie. But each vet is on his/her own when it comes to controlling or squashing the bad memories and thoughts.

America spends over $600 billion per year on wars, weapons and designing more weapons.  We spend only $50 billion on the U.S. State Department and the United Nations.

Nine nations have 15,000 nuclear weapons.  Scientists say if just 1% of those weapons are exploded in a nuclear war, tens of millions would die in the first hour.  Millions would die later from the radiation effects and fire storms.  Firestorms, sweeping large areas creating dark dust clouds, would cause an extended winter of possibly 10 years with drastically shortened food growing cycles.  Two billion would be threatened with famine.  Life on earth, as we know it, would be gone.

Khatyn Memorial commemorating the loss of life in Belarus during World War II.

For decades we have had politicians creating more wars instead of creating a more peaceful world via diplomacy, cooperation, helping other nations improve safe water supplies, educational systems, infrastructure, health, food production and strengthening the United Nations to help improve the lives of peoples across this world.

Small steps for America are:  Veterans, especially combat veterans, need to discuss with their families some of what they did in “their” war.  Or skip their personal experiences, if they cannot talk about it, and talk about the horrendous cost in lost lives.  Vets can write letters to the editor of their local papers saying War Is Not the Answer and tell the readers what needs to be done.

Today our nation is controlled by Republican war mongers and meek Democratic followers.  We must all think ahead to November 2018.  We will have an opportunity to vote out of office those who foolishly advocate war.  But right now we must talk about why we must fight harder for Peace than we do for War!

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Buzz Davis, formerly of Stoughton, WI now of Tucson, is a long time progressive activist, a member of Veterans for Peace and a former VISTA Volunteer, Army officer, elected official, union organizer, impeachment organizer, VP of WI Alliance for Retired Americans and a retired state government planner.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For many, it’s hard to find work that enables you to make ends meet. Change is possible, but it will require us to understand growth and prosperity gush up, they do not trickle down.

ALTOONA, WI - When it comes to Wisconsin’s economy, those in power go to great lengths to direct everyone’s gaze at moderating unemployment in the state. They don’t want to acknowledge or discuss that while it’s possible to find work, for many it’s extremely hard to find work that enables you to make ends meet and stay in the middle class. Persistent stagnation and rising inequality are big parts of the full story of Wisconsin’s economy.

For years now, Wisconsin has depended on an economic development strategy devoted to empowering a few thousand of the wealthiest among us in hopes that some of what they have will trickle down to everyone else. Not much has trickled. At the heart of these feed-the-rich policies are tax breaks targeted to the wealthy and taxpayer-funded subsidies for businesses with few strings attached.

Wisconsin needs to do an about-face. Instead of seeking to empower a few thousand people and then pray they work some magic for the rest of the population, the state should focus on empowering all of the more than 5 million people who live here. This turnabout can be accomplished in four steps.

The first step is to substantially boost wages. That means raising the wage floor and turning the minimum wage into a living wage. The federal minimum wage has been boosted more than 20 different times, and every increase was greeted by claims it would be a jobs killer. Jobs didn’t disappear. In fact, new ones materialized. The national economy grew steadily through every minimum wage increase. And states that increased their own minimum wages have seen faster job growth than those that didn’t. Makes perfect sense, actually. Put more money in workers’ pockets and they don’t pad their net worth with it or stash it in tax havens in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands, they spend it. And that stimulates the economy.

Step two is to restructure Wisconsin’s tax system. When you add up all  the state and local taxes we pay, the wealthiest 1% pay the lowest overall tax rate. That’s gotta change. There’s no need for new taxes, but there is a pressing need to make sure everyone pays the ones we already have. Requiring those in the top 1% to pay their fair share is key to doing something about economic inequality and empowering 5 million people who currently pay a bigger portion of their incomes in taxes.

The third step is to make education and job training as affordable for our kids and grandkids as it was for their parents and grandparents. Debt-free education and training has to be the state’s goal. A high school diploma alone is no longer a sure pathway to the American Dream. Wisconsin needs to clear a path that does not leave young people buried under a mountain of debt.

Step four is equipping every last person living in Wisconsin with indispensable 21st Century tools such as high-speed Internet and access to mobile phone service. Fully participating in the global economy and 21st Century American life is not possible without these tools. Wisconsin is lagging badly in this regard, and failing to catch up is a recipe for further economic stagnation and greater inequality.

An about-face is possible, and it can be done in four steps. But it will require a fundamental change of economic philosophy. Sustainable growth and prosperity gush up, they do not trickle down.

— Mike McCabe

LEGIT PAC standing up to demand a new Voting Rights Act for the 21st century.

MADISON - Without the right to vote, a democracy has no legitimacy and cannot exist.

Across the United States right now, this vital right is under attack. And it’s undermining our government’s legitimacy as we speak.

When millions of people are denied the right to vote, it means elections don’t reflect the true will of the people. And that means the candidates that win don’t have legitimate authority to govern.

That’s a big problem for all of us. To combat this legitimacy crisis, today we’re standing up to demand a new Voting Rights Act for the 21st century. Will you lend your name?

Sign on today. Demand a new 21st Century Voting Rights Act to combat the legitimacy crisis in our government.

It’s crucially important that we fight for the rights of those who are being denied the ability to vote. It is unfair and unjust.

But we aren’t just fighting for their sake. This is a matter of preserving and restoring the legitimacy of our entire government.

Just as the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 addressed many of the worst voter suppression tactics of its day, like poll taxes and literacy tests, so must the new 21st Century Voting Rights Act address modern abuses like gerrymandering and racially motivated voter ID laws and felon disenfranchisement.

Show your support for a new 21st Century Voting Rights Act today. Add your name.

Legitimate democracy comes from the people. For every citizen prevented from casting a ballot, our democracy takes a hit. But just as with all good things in a democracy, this one won’t change unless the people demand it.

Thank you for showing your support today,

Russ Feingold

People from all over Wisconsin are joining with Citizen Action to kill this disastrous bill in the Senate.

MILWAUKEE - Thursday Donald Trump and Paul Ryan forced through the House by the thinnest of margins their morally reprehensible health care bill.

But as long as we keep fighting the battle is far from over. The solution, as it always is in America, is more democracy.

The House would have passed this bill months ago if it was not for the unprecedented outpouring of democratic engagement from citizens like you. If we keep it up, we can kill this disastrous bill in the Senate.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is leading the fight. We had 4 major rallies across the state during the vote on Thursday and had a big rapid response rally Friday in front of Senator Ron Johnson’s Milwaukee office.

People from all over Wisconsin are joining with Citizen Action in unprecedented numbers.

We need to keep on fighting until we have established health care as a fundamental right in America.

We can continue to organize a powerful opposition if we have the resources.

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Make an express donation to fund this effort by clicking here.

LA CROSSE, WI - Congressional Republicans voted Thursday to increase health care premiums, limit coverage and enact an age tax on older Americans.

Republican efforts to shift costs onto vulnerable families while giving massive tax breaks to the wealthy demonstrates a clear moral divide. The AHCA is a boon for insurance executives, drug companies and the wealthy at the expense of Wisconsin families and seniors.

I am shocked that Gov. Scott Walker and Legislative Republicans would support this dangerous plan that will impact thousands of families and seniors in our state. Wisconsin families suffering from serious illnesses, individuals with preexisting conditions and older adults living on a fixed income will lose coverage through no fault of their own. The human cost of this bill is tragic.

I want to thank Congressman Ron Kind (WI-3) for his steadfast opposition to the AHCA and his vote against this dangerous proposal. I encourage individuals who want to express their opposition to the AHCA to call Sen. Ron Johnson at (202) 224-5323 and Sen. Tammy Baldwin at (202) 224-5653.

In scoring the AHCA, the Congressional Budget Office reported 24 million Americans will lose their health care coverage by 2026. It is estimated that at least 311,000 Wisconsin residents will lose their health care coverage under the Republican plan. Thousands more will face increased costs and reduced coverage of vital health services.

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Wisconsin Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) released this statement Thursday following the vote.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/hicap-residents1-s5.jpgElected officials are sworn to uphold the Wisconsin state constitution. Voting in favor of SB 76 that endangers the Public Trust Doctrine is in direct violation of their oath of office.

Workers’ Memorial Day is a day to remember workers who have been killed by incidents or illnesses caused by their work.

MADISON - Across the state and nation, services were held to honor workers who lost their lives or were seriously injured due to a workplace incident and to stand in solidarity with Wisconsin workers.

Wisconsin’s tradition of fighting for fair treatment and safe working conditions run deep in our history. From our factory workers, nurses, and firefighters to construction workers and teachers, these are the everyday heroes who help shape our future, keep us safe, and drive our economy.

All of our neighbors deserve to go to work each day knowing they have security and protection from preventable tragedies. Unfortunately, the GOP has continually betrayed these values. For instance, despite the facts from other states that show repealing prevailing wage protections drives down wages, promotes the outsourcing of workers, lowers productivity levels, decreases workplace safety, and limits access to health care, Republican still chose to gut this worker protection in the last state budget. Now, they have gone so far as to introduce a bill to complete their repeal of prevailing wage laws, further harming Wisconsin workers.

The right to organize, receive fair treatment, and work in safe conditions are fundamental values that we, as Americans, hold. We must recommit to these core principles if we want America to be a place of opportunity, fairness, and freedom. We must keep working together to improve and enforce workplace safety standards in order to ensure safe and secure communities. I hope my Republican colleagues take this Workers’ Memorial Day as an opportunity to stand with Democrats in supporting hardworking Wisconsinites from every corner of the state.

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Senator Chris Larson issued this statement regarding Friday’s recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day. Workers’ Memorial Day is a day to remember workers who have been killed by incidents or illnesses caused by their work and is also the day the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was established in 1971. This day also serves as a reminder that there is much more to be done to ensure everyone has a safe work environment.

MADISON - A huge Texas-based think tank, funded by the Koch Brothers, just set up shop in Wisconsin, as Mike Buelow, our ace researcher, found out this week:

Koch-backed Texas group lobbying in Wisconsin

Meanwhile, legislators in Madison have been up to their same old tricks this week:

GOP bill goes after local control on wheel taxes

Authors of bill coddling polluters get $ from manufacturers

As for me, I went back up to the State Capitol this week to testify in favor of a good, sensible bill that would require lawyers to disclose any donation to a judge or justice while that judge or justice is hearing their case. Here’s what I said:

WDC supports bill requiring more judicial donor transparency

Really, who could be against such a bill? Well, for one, Representative Samantha Kerkman seemed hostile to it. I’ll try to let you know who else when the final votes are cast.

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

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Check out the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign at www.wisdc.org

MADISON – The reasonable expectation of privacy and the right to protect our sensitive personal information is a right important to all Wisconsinites. With the federal government recently reversing course on implementing common sense FCC Internet privacy rules designed to address the capture and use of a customer’s personal information by an internet provider, state governments have an urgent responsibility to step in to protect the privacy rights of our neighbors.

If enacted, the Internet Privacy Act would protect consumers by prohibiting an internet service provider from using, disclosing, or permitting access to a customer’s proprietary information unless the customer approves of the data usage. Additionally, this bill would offer stronger protections for sensitive personal information, such as financial or health information or information pertaining to a child. For non-sensitive information, the customer must object to the provider’s request to use, disclose, or permit access to that information. The bill also prohibits providers from refusing to provide coverage to a customer because they do not grant approval to use information.

The Internet Privacy Act would allow those wishing to protect their privacy the opportunity to do so. Making sure our neighbors can protect their privacy should be a bipartisan priority, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to recognize and safeguard that right for each of our neighbors.

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Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) issued this statement regarding the circulation of LRB 3273, the Internet Privacy Act, for co-sponsorship. The deadline for legislators to sign on to the bill is Friday, April 28.