Politics & Government
Advocates push for state protections if Supreme Court overturns ACA
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear oral arguments in October in a case that seeks to overturn the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA), with a ruling expected after the 2020 presidential election. “The timing cynically capitulates to the Trump Administration’s politically-motivated request to move until after the 2020 election what would be […]
RightWisconsin links brewery shooting to Walker recall
The mass shooting at the Molson Coors brewery last week was the 45th mass shooting already in 2020, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), which has tallied two more mass shootings since the Milwaukee tragedy. The number of deaths due to gun violence so far this year, according to GVA, is 6,559. The total […]
Who do voters in Wisconsin — or Pennsylvania or Michigan — want for president?
In a week with a rise in confirmed cases of coronavirus and a sharp drop in the stock market, along with a tragic mass shooting at the Molson Coors brewery in Milwaukee, the fact that Sen. Bernie Sanders is leading by a solid margin in Wisconsin — a state he won in the 2016 primary […]
What’s next in Wisconsin’s voter purge battle?
On Friday, Wisconsin’s 4th District Court of Appeals overturned a lower court’s order to remove more than 200,000 voters from the rolls, and vacated a contempt order against the Wisconsin Elections Commission, as well as individual commissioners, for not doing so promptly. It was a victory for voting-rights advocates and Democrats who saw the purge […]
A closer look at the One Milwaukee Task Force
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors green-lit a new proposed strategy for increasing services and resources in the county and its institutions. Dubbed the ONE Milwaukee Task Force, it aims to coordinate and consolidate services among the county, city and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to overcome barriers to much needed resources for residents. Supervisor Marcelia […]
Molson Coors’ shooting rekindles gun-safety debate
A mass shooting at Milwaukee’s Molson Coors brewery on Wednesday left a community in mourning and spurred frustration among local and state officials. The shooter, 51-year-old Anthony Ferril, had been recently fired from his job at the historic Miller beer-brewing facility. Federal and local law enforcement secured the facility using militarized tactics. Employees received emails […]
Evers Cabinet secretaries meet business
On the annual lobbying day for the Republican-leaning Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, three cabinet secretaries appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers made a pitch for why policies under his administration were good for business. At the Department of Revenue, Secretary Peter Barca promoted a proposal to double the impact of a tax credit for research […]
Spicing up the political discourse
Bill Penzey’s ongoing campaign against President Donald Trump and the Republican Party has taken a new turn, as the famously outspoken Wisconsin spice purveyor is urging CEOs to climb on board the anti-Trump train. Since Trump’s election in 2016, the founder and CEO of Penzeys Spices hasn’t been shy about expressing his dismay, not just […]
The two faces of Wisconsin’s criminal justice debate
The ideological divide on criminal justice in Wisconsin is personified by two state representatives — Rep. Joe Sanfelippo (R- New Berlin) and Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee). The two men find themselves on opposite sides of a heated debate. Whereas Sanfelippo has helped lead the recent legislative push on “tougher on crime” bills, Goyke remains adamant […]
U.S. House votes on landmark bill to make lynching a federal hate crime
WASHINGTON — Lynching is not considered a hate crime under federal law, but that’s expected to change soon. The U.S. House voted 410-4 on Wednesday to approve a bill called the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. The bill would specifically list lynching as a hate crime, which is identified as a crime that targets people based on their race […]
Gov. Evers vetoes tax cut bill
On Wednesday, Feb. 26 Gov. Tony Evers held a news conference in Wauwatosa to announce his veto of Senate Bill 821. The plan, passed by both houses of the Legislature, would have used the state’s projected revenue surplus to cut income and business taxes. The measure “failed to fulfill Republicans’ own promise to get to […]
Contracting out emergency detention transport
When police arrive at the scene of a disturbance they are supposed to seek a peaceful resolution to the situation. In the case of a mental health crisis, when no crime is committed, often the person at the center of the call cannot be safely left alone. Yet safe options for care — as opposed […]