Government
WHAT DOES FOXCONN MEAN TO ME?
“Hard to wrap my head around,” the woman shared as she considered Foxconn. Just what do big budget decisions mean to us?Work has begun on crafting the next state budget. Over the next few months, this work will continue in earnest. One hefty unbudgeted expense added to upcoming budget math is a large taxpayer funded payment to a foreign corporation.Foxconn is the Taiwanese company building a manufacturing plant in southeast Wisconsin. To lure the company to our state, majority lawmakers and the governor created the largest state corporate give-away in American ...
Santa Claus and the Grinch
The annual Federal Government “deficit,” is the difference between the money Congress orders the US Treasury to create out of nowhere to spend into the economy and the money the US Internal Revenue Service removes from the economy through taxes. The Federal Government must operate in a “deficit” or there will be no money circulating in the economy to conduct private business. The “deficit” is a number on the Treasury’s computer screen. Nothing more.Since 2016 the Republican Party has been in full control of our federal government. They own the Presidency ...
Prisons for Profit???
Hey, young Americans, here’s what you should do.Have mom and dad invest for you.Put money into “privatized prisons.”That should doIt will keep you in good income,For your whole life through.You can thank those old white suits in WashingtonAnd those misinformed who cast their votes,With conservative federal judges across the land,Who needs the Ku Klux Klan?If you invest in these “human warehouses,” you will seeGenerations of wealth built on the backs of those put into slavery.No matter their color or any shade,...
I LOVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND GOOD ROADS AND I VOTE
We need to elect officials who will take responsibility for maintaining our public schools and roads. It is unbelievable that local school districts need to hold referendums for money to maintain schools.Seventy-five percent of Wisconsin people support public schools. They realize that public schools are the core of our community and our democracy. We ordinary people are responsible for our property. We take care of broken windows and leaky roofs. In the same vein, public officials need to understand that maintaining our public schools is the order of the day. School ...
The “Precedent” for DEMOCRACY: Marathon County’s Proposed Medical Marijuana Referendum (Video)
Watch the brief film below on the Marathon County Board's upcoming vote tomorrow, July 24, regarding whether or not it will allow citizens to participate in the democratic process by giving their opinions in a non-binding county referendum in November.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HzApXVqLbg Public Access Video of Full Marathon County Board Meeting on July 19 Including an Agenda Item on the Medical Marijuana Referendum:https://waam.viebit.com/player.php?hash=6DeBTaO95xhsCounty Board Supervisor Districts and Contact Information:http://www.co....
Marathon County’s Ka Lo: Keynote Speaker at State OWR Convention
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF-wgTWygl4Marathon County Board Supervisor and the head of the Marathon County Progressive Dems, Ka Lo, was invited to be the keynote speaker at Our Wisconsin Revolution's (OWR) State Convention.Among other critical issues, she discussed the Marathon County Board's decision to raise its own compensation even while a significant number of its constituents live in poverty, the unfortunate outcomes that occur in elections when progressives are unfairly shut out, and the need to strive for workers' wages that allow citizens not simply ...
What Can One Person Do? A New Tactic for Change
We do not have a functioning democracy. Too often the will of the majority is ignored. The politicians and their big money donors do what they want. Money rules. Corporate lobbying trumps public opinion. Voters are apathetic. Crazy reactionaries succeed and common sense reforms go nowhere.Too often we organize, march, write letters, contact our legislators, sign petitions, seemingly to no avail. It is time progressives try new methods. We need a new protest tool that will demand attention. I believe we need to use our economic power as consumers to demand sensible ...
Tax Fairness
While President Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Representative Sean Duffy and other Republicans are trying to convince us that the December 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act is benefiting the working class, more evidence is surfacing that proves it is a tax bill of, by and for the rich.A recent analysis by Americans for Tax Fairness, a political advocacy group devoted to tax reform, found: Only 67 of the Fortune 500 corporations have announced plans to share their tax cuts with employees. Only 4.3 percent of workers will receive a one-time bonus or wage increase tied ...
Fixing the National Debt with Better Alternatives
Government, like individuals, borrows money and has debt. Debt can be a problem if you have too much and can't make the payments. It can be a problem if you are using debt for the wrong reasons. Partying on the credit card is not good. Using debt to invest in your future (buying a house, starting a business, going to college) can be a wise choice. Unfortunately much of our federal spending is not spent wisely to build the public good or invest in our people's future.There are three major causes of federal debt: excessive military spending, excessive health care costs, ...
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME… ARE WE READY FOR IT?
Universal Basic Income (UBI) is an idea that has been around for a while. With automation replacing blue-collar and white-collar jobs, UBI is needed. Forty-eight percent of Americans favor UBI.Universal Basic Income is a simple system where the government gives people a set amount of money each month. Would UBI replace the safety net? Many details would need to be worked out. The system gives an equalizing floor from which all people start.How much per month? Some say $1000 a month, some say more and some say less. Child allowance could be $250 or $300 each month. ...
