http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/jimmy-kimmel-talks-2025-s441.pngFree speech dies when leaders get to decide what’s “acceptable,” and America is one tantrum away from making that mistake.

MILWAUKEE - On this week's show Robert Kraig is joined by special guest co-host State Senator Chris Larson. Robert & Chris discuss the shameful effort of the Trump Regime to use the brutal murder of Charlie Kirk as a pretext to unleash the full force of the federal government to crack down on progressive groups, celebrities such as Jimmy Kimmel,  and millions of everyday Americans exercising their First Amendment rights on social media. Next, we preview the 2026 elections in WIsconsin where governing power is in play. Does this consolidation of authoritarian power call for different kinds of candidates and a new politics in the Democratic Party? Finally, Chris & Robert dig in on the latest state news, including the Evers Administration's efforts to protect access to COVID vaccines, and the decline of an alternative to predatory corporate health insurance.

Listen to the show.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/trump-jan6-attack2.pngRepublicans can’t condemn political violence while excusing the January 6 insurrection, worshiping Trump, and pardoning insurrectionists. Hypocrisy this deep isn’t just ugly, it’s dangerous.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address, celebrating National Clean Energy Week in Wisconsin. Gov. Evers proclaimed September 15-19, 2025, as “National Clean Energy Week” across the state, highlighting the importance of building a robust 21st-century clean energy economy in Wisconsin that supports green jobs, bolsters the health of our state, and ensures the clean, sustainable future Wisconsinites deserve. A copy of the governor’s proclamation is available here.

GREEN BAY, WI — State Representative Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D–Green Bay) is urging colleagues in Madison to choose action over symbolism by fully funding Wisconsin’s homeless veteran shelters and supporting long-term services through the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP).

MILWAUKEE - We discuss the murder of Charlie Kirk this week and how despite the shooter still being at large (as of our tapping of the show), many in the MAGA movement rush to make political hay, including Wisconsin’s Derrick Van Orden, with some even calling for retribution against progressives and the news media when the killers motives are still unknown. This is both dangerous, and distracts attention from lack of gun laws and mental health interventions to make the public safer.

Turning to much better news, we focus on the organized fight back against factory farm pollution in Western Wisconsin by local residents with the support of (GROWW) Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin. We talk about the critical role this authentic brand of community organizing can play in rebuilding our democratic institutions.

We announce Citizen Action’s involvement in a Climate March at the State Capitol, Sunday, September 28th @ 12 Noon, which is to national climate actions around the country. Robert updates us on Caledonia residents pushing back against another data center and the politics behind it. We also discuss a federal court blocking enforcement of EPA Ozone Standards in Southeast Wisconsin. Why is a Democratic AG siding with the business lobby?

We take an early sneak peek at the 2026 elections, where more Democratic candidates have entered in the last month. Finally, the controversy continues on charges that Senate Democrats are picking primary candidates and trying to squelch competitive primaries.

Listen to the show.

RSVP for the Climate March, Sunday, September 28th, Noon.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address welcoming students, educators, and staff back to school for the 2025-26 school year. This week, Gov. Evers kicked off his annual statewide back-to-school tour, meeting with students, families, educators, and staff as they begin the school year and highlighting his administration’s work to secure increased investments for Wisconsin’s kids and K-12 schools in the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget.

MILWAUKEE - We welcome Laura Dresser from the High Road Strategy Center, a think-and-do tank, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Laura is the lead author of the 2025 State of Working Wisconsin report which presents the Wisconsin workers’ perspective on the economy including, what’s going on with work and jobs, who is winning in this economy, and who is being left behind. We discuss the report’s key findings, including the role a $20/hour minimum wage in Wisconsin could play in improving the lives of Wisconsin working families.

We also debrief Labor Day 2025, and take a deep dive into Wisconsin’s brewing AI Data Center Scandal that could threaten the Great Lakes water supply and accelerate the state’s carbon emissions at a time they must be dramatically slashed to head off runaway climate change. In addition to the environmental impact, they are a terrible economic development investment on a par with the Foxconn boondoggle.

We also review the scandalous last couple weeks at Ascension Wisconsin which wants to charges such high prices that even United Healthcare is threatening to cut them off. The ongoing implosion of Ascension continues to highlight the need for the Hospital Accountability Act we are developing with state Senator Jeff Smith.

Listen to the show.

Read the 2025 State of Working Wisconsin report

In his weekly radio address, Governor announces projects improving or repairing local roads, drainage systems, water and sewer systems, sidewalks, and other public facilities.

Green Bay– Today, Rep. Amaad Rivera-Wagner released the following statement in response to recent coverage in the Green Bay Press-Gazette regarding the closures impacting veterans in Green Bay and Chippewa Falls:

“It was disappointing, though sadly not surprising, to read more finger-pointing than solutions in today’s paper. Let’s be clear: Governor Evers placed funding for homeless veterans directly into the state budget. That funding was stripped out by the Joint Finance Committee — a committee Senator Wimberger sits on. When both Democrats and Republicans attempted to restore this funding, the majority rejected it.