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November 3, 2014
Wisconsin: Union Cab giving free rides to and from the polls in greater Madison area
November 3, 2014
On edit: dirty details here http://www.progressive.org/news/2014/10/187904/republicans-smear-mary-burke-sneer-minimum-wage
Wisconsin: Anatomy of a Right-Wing Smear Campaign
On edit: dirty details here http://www.progressive.org/news/2014/10/187904/republicans-smear-mary-burke-sneer-minimum-wage
October 31, 2014
Nuns Roll through Wisconsin!
from my email ....
NETWORK is happy to announce that the Nuns will be Wisconsin tomorrow (Saturday).
With 3 days left before the election, the Nuns wants to make sure you have a voting plan and you follow through. Whether you are mailing in your ballot, voting early, or going to the polls on Election Day, the Nuns support you and challenge you to get others to vote, too. Remember: Early Voting ends today at the close of business at your City Clerk's office. You can still send your absentee ballots. Your completed absentee ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by the municipal clerk no later than 4pm on Friday, November 7.
RSVP to join us on the final stop of our Nuns on the Bus 2014 'We the People, We the Voters" tour. Please alsoforward this update to friends and family.
Nuns on the Bus Wisconsin -- Tour Schedule
November 1
2:00pm Phone Banking and Canvassing at the IBEW Local 14 Office
3460 Losey Boulevard South, La Crosse, WI 54601
November 2
8:30am Mass
Location TBA Green Bay, WI
2:00pm Get Out the Vote Cookout and Rally at Wisconsin Education Association
1136 N. Military Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54303
6:00pm Fond du Lac Voter Engagement
Location TBA Fond du Lac, WI
7:00pm Town Hall for the 100% at First Unitarian Society of Madison
Atrium Auditorium 900 University Bay Drive, Madison, WI 53705
November 3
8:30am Get Out the Vote Canvassing Pep Rally at Madison Labor Temple
1602 South Park Street, Madison, WI 53715
12:00pm Get Out the Vote Rally at the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Student Service Center ("S" Building) Atrium
700 W State St. Milwaukee, WI 53233
Afternoon Canvassing
Location TBA Milwaukee, WI
November 4
All day Ride to the Polls
Around Town Milwaukee, WI
To join in the get-out-the-vote conversation on social media, follow NETWORK on Twitter at @NETWORKLobby and @sr_simone as well as using the hashtags #IAmaVoter and #nunsonthebus.
October 30, 2014
I'd Rather Go Blind | Playing For Change
October 30, 2014
Boy has Walker's WEDC ever led to problems. Millions of dollars missing, millions of dollars given to corporations that are shipping Wisconsin jobs overseas.
CREW's Worst Governors In America (pdf)
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)has released the second version of their Worst Governors in America report.
http://www.citizensforethics.org/page/-/PDFs/Reports/CREW_Worst_Governors_in_America_fullreport.pdf?nocdn=1
CREW’s second report on the nation’s worst governors includes 18 — six of whom are the worst of the lot, six others whose conduct raises serious questions about their leadership, and six others who engaged in some action suspect enough to suggest their decisions merit close scrutiny. Some governors on the list essentially turned their authority and regulatory agendas over to special interests. Others abused their office in return for gifts and campaign contributions. Many appointed donors to key positions and gutted transparency measures. All failed to live up to the public trust.
...
While conducting the research for this report, we noticed some disturbing trends. For example, governors around the country have pushed to create economic development agencies or funds that rely on public money but are exempt from public audit or transparency requirements. These situations make it harder for the public to ensure accountability, and create conditions ideal for corruption and abuse. This practice has already led to problems in, for instance, Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin.
...
While conducting the research for this report, we noticed some disturbing trends. For example, governors around the country have pushed to create economic development agencies or funds that rely on public money but are exempt from public audit or transparency requirements. These situations make it harder for the public to ensure accountability, and create conditions ideal for corruption and abuse. This practice has already led to problems in, for instance, Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Boy has Walker's WEDC ever led to problems. Millions of dollars missing, millions of dollars given to corporations that are shipping Wisconsin jobs overseas.
October 30, 2014
The map, which I couldn't paste into this post, is highly illustrative. My state, Wisconsin, appears to be among the worst-served in the nation. Thanks Governer (sic) Walker.
Love the part about how the ACA reduces inequality. The law isn't perfect, but perfection is the enemy of progress. We've made substantial progress under this law.
Obama’s Health Law: Who Was Helped Most
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/29/upshot/obamacare-who-was-helped-most.html?rref=upshot&abt=0002&abg=1&_r=2We know that about 10 million more people have insurance coverage this year as a result of the Affordable Care Act. But until now it has been difficult to say much about who was getting that coverage — where they live, their age, their income and other such details.
Now a large set of data — from Enroll America, the group trying to sign up people for the program, and from the data firm Civis Analytics — is allowing a much clearer picture. The data shows that the law has done something rather unusual in the American economy this century: It has pushed back against inequality, essentially redistributing income — in the form of health insurance or insurance subsidies — to many of the groups that have fared poorly over the last few decades.
The biggest winners from the law include people between the ages of 18 and 34; blacks; Hispanics; and people who live in rural areas. The areas with the largest increases in the health insurance rate, for example, include rural Arkansas and Nevada; southern Texas; large swaths of New Mexico, Kentucky and West Virginia; and much of inland California and Oregon.
...
That state boundaries are so prominent in the map attests to the power of state policy in shaping health insurance conditions. The most important factor in predicting whether an American who had no insurance in 2013 signed up this year was whether the state that person lives in expanded its Medicaid program in 2014. (Just consider the contrast between Kentucky, which expanded Medicaid, and Tennessee, which did not.)
Now a large set of data — from Enroll America, the group trying to sign up people for the program, and from the data firm Civis Analytics — is allowing a much clearer picture. The data shows that the law has done something rather unusual in the American economy this century: It has pushed back against inequality, essentially redistributing income — in the form of health insurance or insurance subsidies — to many of the groups that have fared poorly over the last few decades.
The biggest winners from the law include people between the ages of 18 and 34; blacks; Hispanics; and people who live in rural areas. The areas with the largest increases in the health insurance rate, for example, include rural Arkansas and Nevada; southern Texas; large swaths of New Mexico, Kentucky and West Virginia; and much of inland California and Oregon.
...
That state boundaries are so prominent in the map attests to the power of state policy in shaping health insurance conditions. The most important factor in predicting whether an American who had no insurance in 2013 signed up this year was whether the state that person lives in expanded its Medicaid program in 2014. (Just consider the contrast between Kentucky, which expanded Medicaid, and Tennessee, which did not.)
The map, which I couldn't paste into this post, is highly illustrative. My state, Wisconsin, appears to be among the worst-served in the nation. Thanks Governer (sic) Walker.
Love the part about how the ACA reduces inequality. The law isn't perfect, but perfection is the enemy of progress. We've made substantial progress under this law.
October 30, 2014
Wisconsin: Walker Failure File #1: The Dirty Truth About Our Clean Jobs
http://conservationvoters.org/the-dirty-truth-about-our-clean-job/Solar and wind power are booming industries around most of the country. Nationwide, there was a 27% increase in solar power produced last year, with 4,300 megawatts of energy being generated. But what was Wisconsin’s share of that growth? A measly 2 megawatts. Yes, you read that right. Two megawatts. Walker’s Wisconsin simply isn’t open to solar and wind business.
It’s been clear from the beginning that Governor Walker is in the dark when it comes to clean energy and the jobs associated with it. In his very first budget, the governor eliminated Wisconsin’s Green-to-Gold program which gave money to manufacturers to offset the costs of retrofitting plants to reduce energy costs. This move undermined Wisconsin’s job creators who used the money saved in energy costs to grow their businesses.
Governor Walker gave Wisconsin workers another blow when he eliminated the Renewable Energy Grants and Loans Program, which gave money to in-state companies developing the next generation of technologies to grow our domestic renewable energy industry – and put Wisconsinites to work.
And that was just the beginning. Governor Walker and his administration are creating hurdles left and right to choke Wisconsin’s wind and solar energy industries. In 2011, Governor Walker waged an attack on wind energy that was so extreme, even his own party couldn’t get behind it. Denise Bode, executive of the American Wind Energy Association, said that the proposal was, “adding a new regulatory barrier and putting a ‘closed for business’ sign on Wisconsin for wind development.” The proposal imperiled up to $1.2 billion in renewable energy investments and more than 1,100 jobs by imposing the greatest restrictions to wind turbines in the country. Although the proposal died, the impacts have been lasting. Job creators in the wind industry understood that Walker’s Wisconsin is anti-wind, so companies left the state and took 1,000+ jobs with them.
It’s been clear from the beginning that Governor Walker is in the dark when it comes to clean energy and the jobs associated with it. In his very first budget, the governor eliminated Wisconsin’s Green-to-Gold program which gave money to manufacturers to offset the costs of retrofitting plants to reduce energy costs. This move undermined Wisconsin’s job creators who used the money saved in energy costs to grow their businesses.
Governor Walker gave Wisconsin workers another blow when he eliminated the Renewable Energy Grants and Loans Program, which gave money to in-state companies developing the next generation of technologies to grow our domestic renewable energy industry – and put Wisconsinites to work.
And that was just the beginning. Governor Walker and his administration are creating hurdles left and right to choke Wisconsin’s wind and solar energy industries. In 2011, Governor Walker waged an attack on wind energy that was so extreme, even his own party couldn’t get behind it. Denise Bode, executive of the American Wind Energy Association, said that the proposal was, “adding a new regulatory barrier and putting a ‘closed for business’ sign on Wisconsin for wind development.” The proposal imperiled up to $1.2 billion in renewable energy investments and more than 1,100 jobs by imposing the greatest restrictions to wind turbines in the country. Although the proposal died, the impacts have been lasting. Job creators in the wind industry understood that Walker’s Wisconsin is anti-wind, so companies left the state and took 1,000+ jobs with them.
October 30, 2014
In 2005, Scott Walker supported creating a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. [1]
After the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriage, Scott Walker, along with J.B. Van Hollen, appealed the decision to give gay and lesbian couples equal protection under the law. [2]
Just one week after the appeal, Walker disingenuously claimed he and the Republican party weren't fighting marriage equality. [3]
When seeking the endorsement of the conservative group Wisconsin Family Action this year, Scott Walker touted his defense of the state's ban on same-sex marriage. [5]
In the same letter he wrote that he supports marriage between one man and one woman. [6]
10 Days Of Early Voting, 10 Reasons To Vote Against Scott Walker: Marriage Equality
http://wisdems.org/news/press/view/2014-10-10-days-of-early-voting-10-reasons-to-vote-against-s-9In 2005, Scott Walker supported creating a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. [1]
After the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriage, Scott Walker, along with J.B. Van Hollen, appealed the decision to give gay and lesbian couples equal protection under the law. [2]
Just one week after the appeal, Walker disingenuously claimed he and the Republican party weren't fighting marriage equality. [3]
When seeking the endorsement of the conservative group Wisconsin Family Action this year, Scott Walker touted his defense of the state's ban on same-sex marriage. [5]
In the same letter he wrote that he supports marriage between one man and one woman. [6]
October 30, 2014
10 Days Of Early Voting, 10 Reasons To Vote Against Scott Walker: War on Women
http://wisdems.org/news/press/view/2014-10-10-days-of-early-voting-10-reasons-to-vote-against-s-8Scott Walker repealed Wisconsin’s 2009 Equal Pay Enforcement Act, a law meant to deter workplace discrimination by giving workers more avenues via which to press charges. [1]
Walker’s legislation which mandates medically-unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds and the reading of a state-authored shaming script was opposed by medical professionals in organizations. Walker’s bill restricted a woman’s decision to have a safe and legal abortion in order to appeal to the most radical, far-right element of the Republican Party.[2]
Speaking at an editorial board in 2010, Walker confirmed that he opposes all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest.[3]
As a result of losing massive amounts of funding for key health centers and family planning services across the state, nine family planning and healthcare centers faced cutbacks and disrupted services - eight of those health centers were in counties without alternative family planning providers. In addition, five Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin health centers were forced to close in Fond du Lac, Shawano, Chippewa Falls, Beaver Dam, and Johnson Creek.
Walker’s legislation which mandates medically-unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds and the reading of a state-authored shaming script was opposed by medical professionals in organizations. Walker’s bill restricted a woman’s decision to have a safe and legal abortion in order to appeal to the most radical, far-right element of the Republican Party.[2]
Speaking at an editorial board in 2010, Walker confirmed that he opposes all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest.[3]
As a result of losing massive amounts of funding for key health centers and family planning services across the state, nine family planning and healthcare centers faced cutbacks and disrupted services - eight of those health centers were in counties without alternative family planning providers. In addition, five Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin health centers were forced to close in Fond du Lac, Shawano, Chippewa Falls, Beaver Dam, and Johnson Creek.
October 30, 2014
Wisconsin: American College of Physicians urges approval of referendums (Medicaid money)
http://www.jsonline.com/business/american-college-of-physicians-urges-approval-of-referendums-b99380975z1-280866892.htmlThe American College of Physicians Wisconsin Chapter, the medical society that represents internists, is encouraging its members to actively support non-binding referendums that endorse the state's accepting additional federal dollars available through the Affordable Care Act to expand its Medicaid program.
"It's supporting a policy that we think is important for the health of the state," said Ian Gilson, co-chair of the health and policy committee of the Wisconsin chapter and a staff physician at the Medical College of Wisconsin. "This is a big priority for those of us who take care of patients."
The referendum will appear on the ballot Tuesday in 19 counties, including Milwaukee.
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated in August that the state would have saved $206 million in the current budget and would save an addition $261 million to $315 million through June 2017 by accepting the federal dollars available through the Affordable Care Act.
"It's supporting a policy that we think is important for the health of the state," said Ian Gilson, co-chair of the health and policy committee of the Wisconsin chapter and a staff physician at the Medical College of Wisconsin. "This is a big priority for those of us who take care of patients."
The referendum will appear on the ballot Tuesday in 19 counties, including Milwaukee.
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated in August that the state would have saved $206 million in the current budget and would save an addition $261 million to $315 million through June 2017 by accepting the federal dollars available through the Affordable Care Act.
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