80 results for author: Joyce Luedke
LOOKING FOR GUN SAFETY
I am looking at the photo in the Huffington Post of the tears being wiped away by Erica Smegielski, daughter of slain principal Dawn Hocksprung of Sandy Hook Elementary School, after hearing that once again the U.S. Senate chooses to do absolutely nothing about sensible gun legislation while 80% (different polls vary) of Americans support several forms of gun safety legislation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/reaction-senate-gun-control_us_5768524ce4b0853f8bf1d738?section=
And yet, spineless Ron Johnson couldn’t stand up to the NRA and vote for gun safety legislation that 80% of Americans support.
Ron Johnson’s bought-and-paid-for ...
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, Katherine ...
THE MANY BENEFITS OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MARATHON COUNTY
The University of Wisconsin system was the topic of an event hosted by D.J. and Mary Clare Freeman featuring Mandy Wright, a candidate for the 85th Assembly District; Katie Kalish, an Associate Dean and English faculty member at UW-MC; and Noel Radomski from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Katie Kalish has been part of the UW system since 2006. The guiding principle of the Wisconsin Idea is to reach every family in the state. The 13 UW campuses reach students and their families all across the state.
The UW-Marathon Campus is one of the Access Institutions. One of the missions of an Access Institution is to serve low income, disadvantaged ...
LOCAL CONTROL
Local control has been the bedrock of democracy and is responsive to the needs and health of the community. At an alarming rate, the party in control of Wisconsin since 2011 has been assaulting our rights and freedoms to determine our destiny at the local level.
Since 2011, Republican lawmakers have passed 128 measures that restrict or reduce local control impacting Farmland Preservation, Public Instruction, Regional Transit, Shoreland Zoning Standards to name just a few. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau reported this in a May 16 memo.
Eighty of these provisions were passed without any Democratic lawmakers’ support.
The assault on ...
BUDGET CUTS AND THE WISCONSIN IDEA
“In many ways a cut of this size feels like a betrayal from Wisconsin,’ he (University of Eau Claire Chancellor James Schmidt) recalled telling faculty early this year (in 2015), when the looming statewide cuts were predicted at $300 million. It also feels like a death in the family.’” “Schmidt said they’ve had just as big of a negative impact on campus morale.”
Over the past five years, the University of Wisconsin System has seen budget cuts of $500 million. In the 2011-2013 budget, $250 million was cut from the UW System. An additional $250 million was cut from the UW System in the 2015-2017 budget.
The depth of these cuts will ...
SENATOR JOHNSON, DO YOUR JOB
People in Wisconsin work hard and expect others to do the same.
Imagine having a job and telling your employer that for the next eight months, you refuse to do your job.
Senator Johnson is doing exactly that! Ron Johnson was hired by us, the “employers” of Wisconsin, who pay his generous salary and benefits to work for us. He took an oath to uphold the Constitution. The Senate has a constitutional duty to hold hearings and to “advise” and “consent” after the President has nominated a qualified person to fill a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy.
Fifty four percent (54%) of Wisconsinites (WPR) want the Senate to hold hearings this year on ...
Democracy Spring April 2016
“Now is the time to take mass nonviolent action on a historic scale to save our democracy. Following a ten-day, 140 mile march from Philadelphia to Washington DC, thousands are gathering this week in our nation’s Capital to demand Congress take immediate action to end the corruption of big money in our politics and ensure free and fair elections in which every American has an equal voice.”
“Every American deserves an equal voice in government. This is our birthright of freedom, won through generations of struggle. But today our democracy is in crisis. American elections are dominated by billionaires and big interests who can spend unlimited ...
KLOPPENBURG VOTE IS A VOTE FOR JUSTICE
Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg is described as “fair”, “impartial,” “independent,” “intelligent,” and a person of “integrity” in the endorsement from the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin.
Judge Kloppenburg is described this way by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association with 10,000 members: “Judge Kloppenburg’s broad experience, deep understanding of the law, and demonstrated ability to be impartial make her the best candidate for our state’s highest court” in their press release endorsing Judge Kloppenburg for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
WPPA Executive Director Jim Palmer stated: “During her interview with ...
POVERTY IN WISCONSIN IS HIGHEST IN 30 YEARS
Poverty in Wisconsin hit its highest level in 30 years between 2010 and 2014. 738,000 people were living in poverty--a 20% increase from the previous five year period.
Inequality is worse now than in 1984. Poverty increased more dramatically in Wisconsin than many other states and is increasing at a faster rate.
239,000 (or one in five) children are living in poverty. This is 18.5% of Wisconsin’s children—a dramatic increase of 50,000 more children from the period of 2005-2009.
Research shows that brain development in children is affected by poverty due to factors such as food and housing insecurities. Poverty greatly impacts educational ...
LOCAL CONTROL
Local control has been the bedrock of democracy and is responsive to the needs and health of the community. At an alarming rate, the party in control of Wisconsin since 2011 has been assaulting our rights and freedoms to determine our destiny at the local level.
Over 65 Legislative Actions have dictated policies that restrict or reduce local control impacting Farmland Preservation, Public Instruction, Regional Transit, Shoreland Zoning Standards to name just a few.
The assault on our rights and freedoms at the local level continues in 2016 with the clueless majority party dictating policies that will greatly impact us. Here is a ...