MADISON - It’s been a busy start to the new year for us.

Last Wednesday, right after the holiday, we posted something on the NRA’s spending on Scott Walker in the last election, and the media jumped all over it. If you didn’t see the coverage, here’s the original item:

Influence Peddler of the Month: The NRA

Then earlier this week, we posted an article on the controversial powerline in the Driftless Area that American Transmission Co. and Dairyland Power are behind, and we noted that they’d been shoveling money on both sides of the fence:

ATC throws money around in Madison

And on Wednesday, I testified at the State Capitol against “Marsy’s Law,” an effort to amend our state constitution to protect victims’ rights, which sounds like a good idea. But the resolution contains a huge defect, as I pointed out here:

Why Marsy’s Law Is Flawed

I hope you like these postings.

Best,

Matt Rothschild
Executive Director
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MADISON - This week State Representative Shelia Stubbs (D - Madison) expresses hope in the new administration of Governor Tony Evers.

Audio File of Radio Address

Hello. I am State Representative Shelia Stubbs from the beautiful 77th Assembly District in the South and West sections of Madison, with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.

January 7th, 2019 marked the dawning of a new era for our state as Tony Evers took the oath of office and became the 46th governor of Wisconsin.

Assembly Democrats have full confidence in Governor Evers dedication to restoring Wisconsin’s values.

Under his leadership, our rich traditions of academic excellence, environmentalism, and opportunity will once again be honored in our great state.

We look forward to working side by side to achieve our shared goals of fully funding public schools, rebuilding our roads and bridges, and making healthcare affordable and accessible for every Wisconsinite.

2019 has presented Wisconsin with the opportunity to start fresh.

Governor Evers conveyed this best when he stated, and I quote, “We must dare greatly to go forward in the face of adversity and uncertainty.  We must dare to make space for hope here once again.”

Let’s get together.  Let’s go to work in the state of Wisconsin.

God bless you.  God bless the state of Wisconsin.  And God bless the United States of America.

Thank you so much.

Her greatest disillusionment isn’t Trump, it's that too many people are largely fine with all of the vicious, toxic filth and are not outraged or uncomfortable enough to take action or speak out.

GREEN BAY - Happy New Year to every person who didn’t vote for Donald Trump or who no longer supports him. Although I’m trying to look forward to the coming year with some optimism, the truth is I’ve become overwhelmed with disillusionment. I no longer think of the country in which I live, or many of the people who live in it, in the same way.

The greatest disillusionment to me isn’t Trump himself. I expected he’d be a horrible president because he’s a horrible person. He lacks a single kind or empathetic impulse, is impervious to compassion, and morally incapable of leading the country. Since his election, Trump has clearly caused the ugliness that exists among us to be elevated to a level not seen for over half a century.

My disillusionment comes with the reality that too many people I cared about and respected, people I thought were good people with admirable values, many of whom I considered to be friends, are largely fine with all of the vicious, toxic filth we’ve been infected with and are not outraged or uncomfortable enough to take action or speak out against the rising hatred and those who perpetuate it.

America will not return to the greatness and decency it once had until we all join together to hold our leaders to a higher standard of honesty and integrity. It’s the least we deserve as a nation.

MADISON, WI – Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) 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:

“Hi, this is State Senator Chris Larson with the Democratic Radio Address. It’s hard to believe that 2018 is already at a close. Hopefully, you were able to finish your last minute shopping and knock out all your resolutions before the start of the New Year.

“In this rush around the holidays, time never seems to slow down the way I want it to. Still, I hope that each of you got a break to spend more time with your friends, family, and neighbors.

“I am looking forward to 2019 which I hope will usher in a new opportunity to move Wisconsin forward.

“There are big issues that we must tackle, and to do that, we must find common ground. In this next session, I am hopeful that the appetite is finally there to change our drunk driving laws. With nearly 26% of Wisconsin adults admitting to driving while intoxicated, Wisconsin continues to top the national charts with the highest rate of drunk driving.

“We can and must do more to save lives and make our shared roads safe. Exactly 20 years ago I lost a classmate to a repeat drunk driver. Since then, families have continued to needlessly lose loved ones year after year. In fact, in 2017 we lost 179 more of our friends and neighbors due to drunk driving.

“We cannot rest until we change our culture around drinking and driving. In the meantime, I encourage you to please drive safe wherever you are going in the New Year and, if you're going out drinking, have a plan to get home safely.”

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/jeff-smith-s5.jpgSenator-elect Jeff Smith, who will take office January 7th to replace outgoing Democratic Sen. Kathleen Vinehout in the 31st District, shares his goal to help heal the political divisions in Wisconsin state government.

During the holidays, take the time to make a contribution to the fastest growing statewide progressive organization in Wisconsin, Citizen Action.

MILWAUKEE - As you make your end of the year donations, I urge you to consider a tax deductible contribution to the fastest growing statewide progressive organization in Wisconsin, Citizen Action.

People across the state are flocking to Citizen Action of Wisconsin because we have a real member-driven strategy for winning progressive victories in 2019 and beyond.

Health care is the most promising area for progress. We have a huge popular mandate to work with Governor Evers to expand Medicaid, open up BadgerCare as a public option, regulate outlandish prescription drug prices, and more.

If the GOP Legislature continues to block Medicaid Expansion, they will reap the whirlwind of public outrage. As I told the Associated Press last week: “The politics of Medicaid Expansion are very bad for anyone who wants to stand in the way right now. Evers understands the public is with us.”

If you agree with me that we have a huge opportunity to take the next big steps forward on healthcare, than please make a make a tax deductible end-of the-year donation to Citizen Action.

You probably saw all the headlines. Only 2 days after Scott Walker enacted new restrictions on early voting, Citizen Action and our partners went to federal court to block him. As I told Fox 6 News: "I think folks knew that this would be the first major lawsuit coming out of the lame-duck session."

We all know why Scott Walker and the GOP Legislature are again taking aim against voting rights. As I told The Guardian newspaper: “We have a political party in the United States that has decided it’s completely OK to hold on to power by reducing the number of people who are voting.”

That’s why it is so important that you make a tax deductible end-of-the-year donation to Citizen Action. Now more than ever we need smart and effective grassroots organizing to back up our new Governor as we fight to take back Wisconsin democracy!

There are many great reasons to to make a tax deductible end-of-the year donation to Citizen Action:

Cutting-Edge Local Organizing Statewide: Citizen Action’s Organizing Co-ops are spreading across Wisconsin in the places that we need to shift the balance of power, and creating the conditions we need to bridge the urban/suburban/rural divide.

Everyone Means Everyone: Citizen Action has hired a talented multiracial team of organizers which positions us to build a progressive base in every Wisconsin community. We are organizing deeper than ever before in Wisconsin’s rural areas, which are desperately in need of new investment, and in communities of color where economic opportunity is denied.

Bold Vision on Climate Change & Racial Justice: We launched a campaign earlier this year to create a Wisconsin economy where everyone who wants a living wage job can get one, racial inequality is eliminated, and carbon pollution is reduced to the level necessary to prevent a climate genocide.

Cutting-Edge Communication: Citizen Action is a leader in developing new message frames and narratives that are needed to pull the state in a progressive direction. We are very good at generating positive media coverage and deploying new media. Our popular Battleground Wisconsin podcast and radio show has over 35,000 documented listens per year.

The donations you make at the end-of-the-year will have even greater impact because they allow us to make even more ambitious plans for 2019. We need your to help today if we are going to make 2019 the first year of the great progressive revival in Wisconsin.

In Peace & Solidarity,

Robert Kraig
Executive Director
Citizen Action of Wisconsin/Citizen Action of Wisconsin Fund

MADISON - Rep. Chris Taylor of Madison represents Wisconsin Assembly Democrats with a holiday address.

Audio File of Radio Address

The complete text of Chris Taylor's message is presented below.

Hello. I am State Representative Chris Taylor with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.

The holidays are a time to come together with family and friends to enjoy good food and good conversation. Those conversations can provide an opportunity to discuss the issues that matter most to you.

For me, and for Wisconsin Democrats, these issues include access to quality, affordable health care, sustainably funding our public education system, protecting our precious natural resources, and investing in our state’s infrastructure for future generations to come.

The holidays are also a time to reflect on the year that has passed and to look forward to the New Year.

2018 held both successes and challenges for the people of Wisconsin.

Most notably, Wisconsin elected a new leader in Governor-elect Tony Evers.

Democrats are looking forward to 2019. We are eager and ready to get back to work, addressing the issues that are important to you, the residents of Wisconsin.

Democrats in Wisconsin have not forgotten that we were elected to be your voice in the State Capitol and nothing is more important to us, than making sure government is for you, not powerful politicians.

That is why I encourage you, now more than ever, to contact your elected officials and share your thoughts on how to move Wisconsin forward.

Whether it’s by calling your local school board members or contacting your State Representative or State Senator, we want to know which issues matter most to you.

I would like to personally thank everyone who has taken time over the last year to share their thoughts with myself and my colleagues. I want you to know your voices were heard.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a happy holidays and a wonderful and healthy New Year.

Thank you.

We discuss the lame duck session fall out, the latest on the early voting lawsuit, Tony Evers’ first cabinet appointments and a new audit revealing WEDC plans to pay for Foxconn jobs not located in Wisconsin.

MILWAUKEE - We close out 2018 by contrasting the legacies of House Speaker Paul Ryan and Gov. Scott Walker as they prepare to leave office in early January. We review the lame duck session fall out, including the latest on the motion filed in Citizen Action's early voting lawsuit with One WI Now to block voting restrictions. We also discuss Tony Evers’ first cabinet appointments and a new audit revealing WEDC plans to pay for Foxconn jobs not located in Wisconsin.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #372
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Producer's Note: Thank you for listening to the Battleground Wisconsin Podcast! This show would not be possible with out the support of listeners like you. We'd also like to thank WIDE-LP 99.1 FM Madison and WRRD 1510AM Milwaukee for broadcasting the show every week. Please continue to listen and tell your friends about the Battleground Wisconsin Podcast, word of mouth is the best way to increase our audience size. If you have any questions or thoughts about the show, or if you just want to chat, please drop me a note at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If you'd like to donate a special tax-deductible gift to help support the show please click here. Robert, Matt, Rebecca and myself wish you a happy holiday and we truly appreciate your ears and your support! See you in 2019!

Best, Brian

MADISON, WI – Senator Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) offered the Democratic weekly radio address reflecting on the past year and looking forward to 2019.

“After years of misplaced priorities, families in Wisconsin want to see solutions. With 2018 behind us, I hope that we can set aside political differences, work together and focus on a brighter and better tomorrow.” Sen. Jennifer Shilling

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

A written transcript of the address is below:

“Hi, I’m Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling.

“When I look back at the political battles that have been waged in 2018, I’m reminded that our state does better when we all work together. I remain hopeful that 2019 will be a year of growth and opportunity for our state.

“In fact, Democrats are ready to get to work with Gov.-elect Tony Evers to tackle the tough issues - like improving health care, strengthening schools and fixing our roads.

“After years of misplaced priorities, families in Wisconsin want to see solutions. With 2018 behind us, I hope that we can set aside political differences, work together and focus on a brighter and better tomorrow.

“From myself and all of the Wisconsin Democrats, we want to wish you and your family a safe and Happy Holidays!”

Wisconsin residents made it clear they are tired of divide and conquer politics, but Republican leaders chose to ignore them.