“Can you fix Syria?” a woman asked me. “No,” I said as I shook my head. “Syria is a bit above my pay-grade. My international work [as State Senator] is limited to work with our Native Tribes.”
Native Tribes are sovereign nations.
Tribes have their own government including legislatures and courts. Many federal laws and treaties govern Wisconsin Tribes. But so do our state laws.
“The length of time bills were deliberated [in the Wisconsin Legislature] dropped significantly soon after Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislators took control in 2011,” wrote investigative reporter Teodor Teofilov.
Wis.Community will be offering an opportunity to see the new PBS/POV documentary Dark Money before the national showing of the film on PBS.
Dark Money, a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, Dark Money uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold. Official Selection, 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Part of our continuing coverage of the 2018 election and candidates - this is an interview with Jodi Emerson, Democratic Candidate for the 91st Assembly DIstrict. Thanks to Wisconsin Eye for the video.
“Investing in the UW System is an investment in Wisconsin,” said University of Wisconsin President Ray Cross, calling for an investment of another $107.5 million in the next biennial budget.
Over the past several years, budget cuts and tuition freezes hampered the UW System’s ability to retain professors, continue research and deliver high quality affordable education.
I note this morning that Jesse Opoien from the Cap Times has written an article about young progressives in Eau Claire and Oshkosh. You may recognize some of them. It's a nice article and it points out a lot of the initiatives going on in the Chippewa Valley. Take a look.
“Welcome back to school,” the newsletter proclaimed. The Superintendent welcomed all with a cheery letter describing the amazing team at the school.
As students walk toward the school doors, they see from the outside that everything looks great. My local school district is proud of the new asphalt on the parking lot.
We are down to the wire. On Tuesday you will all get the opportunity to help to direct the future of the state and the nation. Read that again. People often pass up the opportunity to vote and to be politically engaged. But trust me, this is important. I always vote, and I hope you do too. If you've already voted - thank you. If you have not, here are some resources you may find useful.
This week I have been having the interesting experience of simultaneously reading two books about the conservative takeover of Wisconsin politics, and the way that Wisconsin became the model for the following ultra-conservative takeover of the country. We have, sadly, become the workshop for the promotion of bad ideas in government.
This is the live stream of last night's Democratic Forum hosted by WORT, Isthmus, The Progressive Magazine, and the Madison Public Library.
The forum is emceed by Dylan Brogan of Isthmus, with questions posed by Isthmus Editor Judith Davidoff, The Progressive Managing Editor Bill Lueders, and WORT FM News Director Molly Stentz.
As the primary election nears, I find myself worried about progressive disunity, and the threat it could help deliver a third term to Scott Walker. I am uneasy about the dynamic of the primary election, but at a deeper level about a disturbing level of self-destructive rancor coming from a small number of progressives.
Still undecided about the Democratic Gubernatorial primary? This is the special that Here and Now recently produced with interviews with the candidates. Thanks to WPT for making this available.
“Let me tell you a story,” the county supervisor said.
A man I’ll call Frank was picked up for drunk driving. Frank faced a felony charge. Frank was sent by our local judge to a county-based program funded with a grant. Over the years, the county supervisor helped the county get funding from the Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) program.
