Battleground Wisconsin

Brian Wooldridge
  • 4.2 (45)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Battleground Wisconsin

Battleground Wisconsin is Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s weekly podcast that features the latest political news from the front lines in the embattled state of Wisconsin.

  1. GROWWING Organizing

    2 DAYS AGO

    GROWWING Organizing

    We open with a discussion of the latest horrific school shooting, this time, it’s in our backyard. We also discuss the significance of the latest Enbridge oil pipeline spill, Attorney General Josh Kaul announces a $1.7 million settlement with a sleazy Milwaukee landlord, and we preview next year’s state budget fight. We welcome Danny Akenson, a field organizer with GROWW to hear more about their community organizing in Western Wisconsin and their recent victory against corporate farms (CAFOs).

    50 min
  2. Organizing for change

    DEC 11

    Organizing for change

    We start with discussion of the murder of the CEO of UnitedHealth. We talk about at the immediate public response, connect to the unaddressed healthcare crisis, and the proliferation of guns in America. In Wisconsin, we focus on the upcoming state budget battle and how Gov. Tony Evers has real power in the budget because it is the only bill that Republicans and the governor have to agree on, pass and sign in the next two years. We talk about the new opportunities that exist with 37 new state legislators and closer partisan margins in both the Senate and Assembly. We are joined by Citizen Action member Jill Sexter from Wausau who organized a candlelight vigil outside of Wausau City Council to bring awareness to the fact that an unhoused man, Garrick Dixon, who tragically died in one of Wausau’s parks due to exposure last month. We close by highlighting the excellent and successful community organizing in western Wisconsin by Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin (GROWW) that led to a huge win in Pierce County resulting in restrictions on large corporate farms in The town of Maiden Rock, Wisconsin.

    55 min
  3. Predicting 2025

    DEC 5

    Predicting 2025

    As we prepare for Trump 2.0 Robert and Matt project some of the most important federal and Wisconsin battles of early 2025. From collective bargaining rights to health care to climate change, there will be a number of pivotal battles that we can win if enough good progressives get off the sidelines and get directlly involved. Plus, what are the implications of the big Act 10 court decision? And what is going on with the seeming division between WEAC and the Wisconsin Democratic Party in the Department of Public Instruction race?

    51 min
  4. Thanksgiving Special Interviews

    NOV 26

    Thanksgiving Special Interviews

    Before we welcome our two guests, Matt and Robert discuss the state of Wisconsin’s long term revenue crisis. This week we learned that Wisconsinites pay less of their income in taxes than ever in the history of the state and Wisconsin is 35th in the nation in taxation. It may look bleak for pub;ic education with State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos promising sweeping tax cuts and Governor Tony Evers promoting the plunging tax rate that produced a decade of under funding for our schools, universities, and municipalities, and no new major investments in vital needs such as child care and home care. The public is tired of this race to the bottom, where Wisconsin copies the revenue policies of deep red states, and fails our kids, working people, and long term economic prosperity. Chris Gooding joins us to discuss the adjunct faculty union organizing drive at Marquette University where over 70% are signed on union authorization cards. MU is shamefully violating both workers rights and Catholic social teachings, claiming religious exemption from recognizing the adjunct faculty union. We take a deep dive with CUB’s Tom Content on the We Energies rate increases approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the capture of Wisconsin’s regulatory agency by the big for profit utilities. What can be done to restore government in the public interest? Listen to the show. March on Marquette’s Campus in support of Union – We will be doing a march on Friday, December 6th at noon. Any sympathetic community members are encouraged to attend. Starting location TBD (we have to hold a meeting on Monday about the action first). https://ucwwisconsin.org/ Citizen Utility Board Wisconsin

    1h 13m
  5. Climate organizing opportunities

    NOV 21

    Climate organizing opportunities

    Following a discussion of Trump’s selections for agency appointments and the recent spate of new union organizing in Wisconsin, we dive into a discussion with two guests on immediate climate organizing opportunities progressives should be engaged in now. Former Citizen Action organizer, Kevin Kane, now with Green Homeowners United, joins us to highlight where we are in Wisconsin with the Inflation Reduction Act and ARPA implementation and what opportunities exist for organizing in Wisconsin. Kevin also strongly encourages homeowners to immediately take advantage of available federal resources. We close the show welcoming Citizen Action member and former Wausau alderman, Tom Killian, to discuss two Open Records workshops this Saturday, November 23rd in Wausau that are open to the public. One workshop, led by Bill Lueters, will provide residents and grassroots groups with insights into obtaining records from the government. The second session features Stephan Lester, who will provide information from public records about dioxin and pentachlorophenol contamination in the Thomas Street neighborhood on Wausau’s southwest side that were acquired through years of citizen research.

    50 min
  6. Old School Organizing

    NOV 14

    Old School Organizing

    Senator Chris Larson joins us to commemorate the life of a major figure in Democratic politics who passed this week, former State Representative and Judge Fred Kessler. Fred was one of the great political organizers of his generation, and left behind a legacy of young progressive leaders he mentored and helped elect to office. We next turn to a deep dive into rural organizing with leaders of Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin (GROWW). Joining us are Executive Director Jenelle Ludwig Krauss and Organizing Director Bill Hogseth. We discuss a deeper organizing approach to reaching rural voters, and the crisis in affordable housing in rural Wisconsin. What are the implications for the path forward from the 2024 election?

    55 min
  7. Rural Red

    NOV 7

    Rural Red

    With heavy hearts, we remember Milwaukee leader Jonathan Brostoff, who tragically passed away this week. We debrief the 2024 Election, looking at the results from the presidential, U.S. Senate and State Legislative elections. What does it all mean and where do we go from here? We discuss the reality that rural Wisconsin and most of rural America is continuing its realignment with the Republican Party. We are joined by People’s Action Rural Strategist, Kellon Patey, who lives in southeast Ohio, to discuss the pressing need for progressive organizations and donors to seriously invest in long term, permanent organizing and community building in rural places.

    55 min
  8. What’s at stake

    OCT 31

    What’s at stake

    We discuss the final stretch of the voting phase of the 2024 election. It all comes down to people like our listeners talking to other voters and helping them make meaning of this election. Sign up to volunteer from home on phones or join us on the doors. We discuss yet another healthcare merger as minnows, Black River Memorial Hospital and the Krohn Clinic, merge in an effort to survive all the bigger fish in the pond. Marge Rogenbuck from Lincoln County, Wisconsin joins us to discuss conservative Board Members efforts to privatize the public county nursing home. Marge is a lifelong Lincoln County resident and had both her parents stay at Pine Crest. She tells us why she joined “People For Pine Crest” and is fighting back to protect a vital and excellent public institution in her community. We close with a very special guest, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. He is jointed by Milwaukee County Sustainability Director Grant Helle, and Citizen Action Climate Coordinator Kat Klawes, to discuss the incredible new federal investments making it possible for cities, counties, and school districts to address the climate change emergency. As you will see, climate change is on the ballot on November 5th!

    50 min
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4.2
out of 5
45 Ratings

About

Battleground Wisconsin is Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s weekly podcast that features the latest political news from the front lines in the embattled state of Wisconsin.

Information

  • Creator
    Brian Wooldridge
  • Years Active
    2011 - 2024
  • Episodes
    506
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Battleground Wisconsin

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