Come Out and Celebrate Earth Day in Wausau

Alarmed over yet another disastrous oil spill, this one fouling Santa Barbara, California beaches, our own Senator Gaylord Nelson pioneered the first national Earth Day on April 22, 1970. That day, 20 million Americans joined hands with the citizens of Wisconsin to celebrate our one and only home planet. Each year since then, our friends and neighbors across the country, and since 1990 around the world, have made Earth Day an opportunity to joyfully acknowledge our determination to live in harmony with the natural environment on which we all depend. On Saturday, April 27, local members of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby invite you to a celebratory ...

THE BUDGET MOSAIC

Connecting dots can be very satisfying -- when it all clicks together our eyes get big, our jaws drop and we become stunned with our newfound knowledge. The bigger the conclusion, the more satisfying the result. For legislators, much is the same for comprehending the state budget. Pouring over the details and reading the documents line-by-line can be dull, very dull. But when things start to click and make sense, it’s all worth it. Governor Tony Evers listened to the experiences and values from many different people and put together a budget that represents a large mosaic - tiny little pictures that make up a larger picture. There is value in ...

HOW WILL YOU CELEBRATE EARTH DAY?

The first way I will celebrate Earth Day is by using these canvas bags. They were purchased 30 years ago and have served me well. They were used for buying groceries, going camping, going shopping, and going to the library. They were made to last. Many people compliment me on using them. People tell me they have similar bags and really should use them. But that is as far as that goes. How did using these bags become a habit? Earth Day is on my mind each day. I hang the bags on the door knob leading to the garage. The bags are put in the car and ready for their next venture. The bags are handy and have earned their keep, time after time. ...

Fixing Deficits With Better Priorities

“Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” Ambrose Bierce Conservatives supposedly are for fiscal responsibility. We should live within our means. The government should not, according to them, spend more than it takes in taxes. As a corollary, taxes hurt the economy and must always be cut. These pious platitudes superficially sound good but are misleading and destructive in many ways. Actions speak louder than words. The historical record shows that since 1980 federal deficits and increases in the national debt occurred most often under Republican leadersh...

When is Enough Enough?

The proposed federal budget for FY 2020 has been released. The big winner, again, is the Pentagon and the weapons industry. Endless wars produce endless military spending. Most Americans know we spend a lot of money on the military and wars. Many of them blindly believe this is necessary to protect the country. But the more we spend the less safe we are. In addition we are not winning the wars. As William J. Astore. USAF LT COL (Ret.), has written, “When it comes to the “world’s greatest military,” the news has been shocking... as the U.S. military spans the globe, it’s regularly experiencing the agony of defeat rather than the thrill ...

WORKERS’ MEMORIAL CEREMONY APRIL 28

Every year on April 28th we remember those workers who died on the job. Please join the Marathon County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO Sunday April 28th for the Workers Memorial Ceremony to remember the workers killed on the job in Marathon County. Where: Workers’ Memorial Site (next to the Opportunity Inc site, formerly known as the VFW) 388 River Drive Wausau, WI 54403 Date: April 28th, 2019 Time: 5:00 p.m. For information contact Marathon County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO @ 715-370-8908 or email marathonctylabor@gmail.com

Action Alert

Stopping Trump #39’s assumption of emergency powers will require massive citizen action. The House and Republican controlled Senate have voted to overturn the declaration. But Trump vetoed the resolutions. Overriding a veto will be very difficult and will only happen with extraordinary public pressure. Lawsuits have been filed to end the declaration. But these may take years to resolve and the outcome is not assured. Most federal judges have been appointed by Republican presidents. Historically the courts, especially the U.S. Supreme Court, have been very conservative. We cannot rely on the courts to prevent abuse of power by ...