76 results for author: Joyce Luedke

The time for Fair Maps is now

After the 2010 census, the Republican party that controlled the governorship, the state Senate and the Assembly hired a private law firm, Michael Best and Friedrich, to redraw with precision and in secret the legislative and congressional district maps to favor the party in control at that time. Keith Gaddie, a political science professor at Oklahoma University, was hired to engineer the district maps. Wisconsin taxpayers paid the law firm $431,000 to gerrymander the districts. A poll done by the Marquette University Law School (NPR, January 16-20, 2019) found: 72% of voters say they prefer redistricting of legislative and congressional districts ...

ATTACKS ON THE WISCONSIN VOTING SYSTEM

  President Trump is criticizing Wisconsin’s voting laws which were put in place by the GOP.   “The state’s voting laws and procedures were overhauled repeatedly during eight years of GOP control of state government.” These changes began in 2011 after the Walker Administration and the Republicans gained total control of the state.   The Republicans repeatedly declared the changes were made to “improve voting integrity and ensure the public had confidence in it.”   “Republicans dissolved the body that oversees elections and replaced it with one equally divided by Republicans and Democrats:” ...

DONATIONS FOR THE WARMING CENTER ARE NEEDED

  Donations for the Warming Center can be dropped off at the former Warming Center location: 540 South 3 rd Avenue in Wausau.   The location for the Warming Center for this year is the First United Methodist Church in Wausau. It will provide space for up to 25 men and women to assure more space for social distancing during this winter season. Do not drop off donations at the Methodist Church.   Warm Items (They cannot accept items for warm weather or bedding.)   Gently used winter coats—Both Men’s and Women’s Winter boots for men—Sizes 9-14 Winter boots for women—Sizes 6-10 Winter ...

CURRENT STATUS OF COVID-19

  Statistics: **U.S: 8,301,250 confirmed cases—up 52,638 since yesterday **223,250 deaths—up 428 since yesterday **Wisconsin: 183,177 confirmed cases an increase of 7,525 new cases. Deaths: 1,624 with an increase of 36 new deaths The total number of deaths from Covid-19 in the U.S. exceeds the deaths from Vietnam War, Iraqi War and Korean War combined. Statistics: A total of 100,215 Service Men and Women died in the line of duty in the three wars. **Vietnam War—1954-1975: 58,220 **Iraqi War—2003-2018: 4,550 service members and 3,793 military contractors **Korean War—1950-1953: 33,652 killed in action with ...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

  Senator Jerry Petrowski, Representative Pat Snyder, and the Republican Party bring shame to all that was once good about Wisconsin and the values we hold so dear. Of course, they have no decency or conscience to be ashamed. They continue to sit on their butts and haven’t reported to work for over 140 days while getting paid by us, the taxpayers. They continue to collect their generous salary and benefits and now have lots of time to campaign at the taxpayers’ expense! Millions of Wisconsinites go to work every single day during this pandemic putting their health and lives on the line as well as the health and lives of their ...

THIS TIME WISCONSIN DESERVES FAIR MAPS

  Perhaps, you have seen these purple yard signs throughout the Wausau area and in Marathon County. A poll done by the Marquette University Law School (NPR), January 16-20, 2019 found: “Seventy-two percent of voters say they prefer redistricting of legislative and congressional districts to be done by a nonpartisan commission, while 18% prefer redistricting be done by the legislature and governor. Majorities in each partisan group favor a nonpartisan commission for redistricting, with 63% of Republicans including leaners, 83% of Democrats including leaners, and 76% of independents favoring a nonpartisan commission.” https://law.mar...

THANK YOU WISCONSINITES

  Thank You Wisconsinites for your courage, determination, and persistence on April 7, 2020. **Green Bay Wisconsin  Polling places had been consolidated to Green Bay West and East High Schools which meant long lines. Some voters in Green Bay waited past midnight to cast their ballot. The last person to vote was Earyll Guest. Guest voted at 12:30 am. “I thought it was my duty to stand in line and do it the old fashioned way.” As long as people were in line by 8pm they could vote. Some voters stood in line for four hours. **Voters waited for hours to vote In Milwaukee, voters stood together in lines spanning several blocks. Many ...

THE POLITICS OF RESENTMENT

Growing up during the 50’s and 60’s in a small community in far northern Wisconsin, I was considered a “country hick.”  Within this tightly-knit community, we parceled ourselves out by the church we attended, the jobs our parents held, whether we were farmers or business owners.  Some community members were considered “high toned.”  This term was applied to people who wore nicer clothes and drove a nicer car than most, worked “in town” rather than farmed or did manual labor. The people “in town” were known as “city slickers” because we felt they didn’t understand us and weren’t like us.  UW-Madison Professor, ...

MORNING MUSINGS

Here are my morning musings from the front porch on a cloudy autumn day. A hummer is humming, its wings whirring as it flits from flower to flower seeking nourishment for the day. Soon they will be making their arduous journey to a warmer climate. Bees aren’t buzzing, but they dive into the bright yellow zinnias gathering nectar to store for the winter. Mourning doves perch on the fence, swoop to the ground scratching for morsels—their soft murmurs are comforting. The finches quietly cheep as if they are saying a long goodbye before heading south. Their bright yellow blends with the stark black. The females’ dull browns blend with ...

CONCERNED WISCONSINITES PACKED THE UNION

Concerned Wisconsinites packed the Union on the UW-Green Bay campus to attend and speak at the Joint Finance Committee listening session Wednesday, April 24, 2019. Over 200 of our brothers and sisters waited their turn to address the 16 member JFC. Testimony began at 10:00am and a resident from Wausau spoke at 7:35pm. Each speaker was allowed two minutes to express their concerns, often pleading with JFC members to listen to their concerns and accept Governor Evers provisions in the 2019-2021 budget. Speakers and the attenders, estimated at about 350-400 people, were from all walks of life: Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, high ...