Economics


Corporate Colonization of Wisconsin – Part VI: Free Markets don’t make Free People

Colonization of Wisconsin
This is the sixth in a series of articles by Dr. Keith Roberts discussing the corporate colonization of the state of Wisconsin. In this segment Dr. Roberts discusses the fallacy of “Free Markets” and how plutocrats have taken over national economies and political parties. Previous articles in this series can be found archived under the author’s name. You can always tell if an organization or think tank is trying to pick your pocket if it has “free market” in its title or as one of its goals. Organizations like the Club for Growth, The Heritage Foundation, ...

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TAXES BUILD COMMUNITIES

Philip Anderson has been working with Duluth, MN activists to organize events for the week of Tax Day. They are planning a teach-in, a rally, and have created the following survey to show REAL people's public spending priorities. Please take the online survey!  It is important that many people take the survey. This will be the message for the April 15 rally.  Congress is doing this.... but people want better priorities! "How would you spend $1 trillion?” www.surveymonkey.com/s/V5LYJQK  Please pass this survey on to your contacts.  Everyone loves to hate taxes ...

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CRITICAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN

Elected Congressional officials must act soon in order for CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) and several child nutrition programs to continue beyond this year. CHIP provides affordable health insurance coverage to millions of kids in the US, and over 150,000 in Wisconsin. Thanks in part to CHIP, 93 percent of children in America have health coverage with low premiums, deductibles, and the preventive care children need. Nutrition programs like school breakfast and lunch and WIC provide nourishing meals to low- and moderate-income children both in and out of ...

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VOTE “YES” FOR OUR CHILDREN’S AND COMMUNITY’S FUTURE

Students at their desks
Tuesday, April 7th, voters in the Wausau School District get a chance to approve some much needed repairs and upgrades for our children in the Wausau School District. As a result of four years of community involvement and planning, two referendum questions will be on the ballot. Question #1* allows the school district to raise money for needed maintenance and neighborhood school building renovations. The bond money will be used to: Provide additional space for students at overcrowded John Marshal, Rib Mountain, Hewitt-Texas, and South Mountain elementary schools,...

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QUESTIONS ON OUR APRIL 7 BALLOT….

I voted sticker
You will be asked to vote on these questions. They are printed here for your convenience. QUESTION 1: “ELECTION OF CHIEF JUSTICE Shall section 4 (2) of article VII of the constitution be amended to direct that a chief justice of the supreme court shall be elected for a two-year term by majority of the justices then serving on the court?” QUESTION 2: ADVISORY REFERENDUM: “Shall the City of Wausau establish the position of city administrator, reduce the Mayor’s position to part-time, and transfer administrative and operational responsibilities from the ...

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Your Freedom Matters

Ballot Box
First they came for our voting freedoms and I did not speak out Because I didn’t vote   They came for my work place freedoms/ protections and wages I didn’t speak because I didn’t understand why it was so important   Then they came for freedom to learn all that is possible through a great public education, I didn’t realize public schools are the heart of equal opportunity for all communities   Quietly they attacked our state’s freedom to enjoy and protect our beautiful land and water Very few have noticed because it ...

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Options for Budget Solutions

Budget
Wisconsin Republicans claim that the state is broke and they have to make “hard choices” to balance the budget. They have no choice but to cut school funding and other social programs. Whenever I hear someone say we have no options, I get suspicious. Either they don’t want to see options or they lack the ability to see alternatives. There are always options. Better, more creative leadership would “think outside the box” and provide a range of options to solve problems. If the Republicans would take off the ideological blinders they might see some of them. May ...

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Farmers say Budget Damages Farm Research, Schools and Conservation Input – By State Senator Kathleen Vinehout

Picture of Senator Vinehout
“It’s very important that we are here today,” the farmer from Independence told me. “In fact, it’s more important that we be here than anywhere else.” Here was in my Capitol office. Local farmers were visiting as part of Ag Day at the Capitol. The weather that day was dry and warm. It was perfect for getting early spring chores done. Instead, these farmers drove hundreds of miles to meet with their legislators. They were on a mission to change parts of the state budget that hurt rural communities. The first thing on their mind – in every group that ...

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Divide and Conquer Works in Wisconsin

This week Wisconsin became a right to work state. This was a “given” when reactionary Republicans took control of state government. Legislation to eliminate prevailing wages is next. These laws require public contractors to compete by having better management or efficiency, not just lower wages. This is another attack on unions and the public good. Ironically, this week the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a campaign finance reform advocacy group, released figures on union contributions to Governor Walker. Unions representing engineers, police, firefighters, ...

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“RIGHT TO WORK” – FOR LESS

The following is the text of a speech given by Fred Andrist at a press event against “Right to Work” on March 4, 2015, in Wausau, WI. Mr. Andrist was a teacher for 21 years, 15 of those in Rib Lake northwest of Wausau, a Public School Employees Union Rep for 18 years in Menomonie and Rhinelander, a former President of Statewide Staff Union for six years, a Proud Union Member for 33 years, and a member of the North Central Labor Coalition centered in Oneida County. Fred recently retired. There is a lot to dislike about the “Right to Work” (RTW) for less.  For ...

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