Government
DISASTER RESPONSE
Americans once set political differences aside in the face of national emergencies. We offered unconditional support and did whatever we could to help the victims because they were Americans, just like the rest of us.
Today Trump and the MAGA crowd rush to cast blame and politicize these human tragedies with little or no concern for the victims. They continue to seek political gain rather try to help fellow Americans get through desperate times.
Just as he did after Hurricane Helene, Trump is busy spreading lies about the California wildfires. In each case, nearly ...
WHO IS REPRESENTING YOU
Are you a senior citizen on Medicare? Will you be? Did you know Rep. Tom Tiffany is working to make it harder for you to afford medicine?
Since 2022, federal law has allowed Medicare, working on your behalf, to negotiate prescription prices with drug companies. This resulted in lower prices for medicines like insulin. The law also caps the amount people on Medicare spend on prescription drugs at $2,000 per person annually. Additionally, the law requires drug companies to pay rebates to Medicare if their drug prices rise faster than the rate of inflation. All these ...
Impact of Mass Deportation on Wisconsin
“It’s hard to imagine Wisconsin without its immigrant heritage. Whether it’s food, festivals, religious congregations, or even the very names of our communities, there are hints of the old world everywhere you turn, and our communities are all the better for it.” Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson
The incoming administration has promised “on day one” to begin deporting all the illegal immigrants in the country. This appeal to the ignorance and xenophobia of many Americans worked to win the election but implementing this politically motivated action will ...
WE ARE LESS SAFE
Americans share many of the same values. One of these is personal safety, and we look to the government to help us ensure that safety. Trump and his billionaire backers, however, have been hollowing out our government and making us all less safe.
We just suffered the first fatal commercial air crash in 16 years. This comes on the heels of Trump sowing chaos at the FAA. Under pressure from Elon Musk the FAA Director resigned and has yet to be replaced. Trump froze the hiring of Air Traffic Controllers and then disbanded the Aviation Safety Advisory Committee. He then ...
STOP THE SALE OF PINE CREST
One year ago, People for Pine Crest brought to light what was in store for the Pine Crest Nursing home. Our county, our future became the mantra as they began investigating the arguments for selling Pine Crest and what they have since learned.
Selling Pine Crest is not in the best interests of the county and there are other options. Although the Medicaid reimbursement rate is low, People for Pine Crest found that while digging into the financials, that Pine Crest was not losing money as the county was trying to say. In fact, Lincoln ...
A Democratic Formula for Success
January 13, 2025 Jim Crist Wisconsin
On the 15th Anniversary of Citizens United we need Bernie Sanders type candidates that are moderate — by Jim Crist, Wisconsin United To Amend
I’ve read a lot of articles about why the Democratic Party lost the election. The list is long and varied:
Biden did a poor job controlling the southern border and got saddled with the post pandemic inflation problem.
Biden said he’d be a one term president. His selfish arrogance led him to believe he was only person that could defeat Trump. He robbed his party of ...
MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN
Reflecting on the recent passing of former President Jimmy Carter, I remember as a teenager standing in awe along a fence line of what is now I-39, watching the Presidential motorcade go by.
I am reminded of the many great things our former president did. Such a sad contrast to what we are stepping into today. Yes, let us make America great again. Let us take America to a time of truth and honesty.
Carter himself was an Evangelical Christian, which is not to be confused with the Christian nationalism we see today. Jimmy Carter worked as a true leader, knowing that ...
The Age of Plastics
“Welcome to the Plasticene. If you’re under age 70, it’s possible you’ve lived in the Plasticene for your entire life. It’s a new geologic age some scientists have proposed to mark the near-universal spread of plastic around Earth. Since the 1950s, researchers say, we’ve been living in the Age of Plastics.” Kristen Minogue, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
Geologists have divided the 4.5 billion years of earth's history into a geologic time scale. These divisions, or “geochronologic units,” include eons, eras, periods, epochs and ages. We ...
Peter Gruich is Wisconsin’s Northwoods Luigi Mangione
Subtitle: Right-wing disinformation is at the heart of political violence caused by mental illness.
*To read owner Kirks' weekly essay with all of the pics and source links, subscribe to our Substack. Kirk Bangstad, is the of Owner, Minocqua Brewing Company
Founder, Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC
You’ve probably heard of Luigi Mangione, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, and Matthew Alan Livelsberger, but have you heard of Peter Gruich?
The first three have made national news through acts of political violence over the last month.
Luigi Mangione ...
The Myth of Recycling Plastic
“The idea that recycling can solve the problem of plastic waste has always been a fraud, and it's always been a way for the industry to sell more plastic,” Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity.
As I wrote about recently, the use of plastic has increased enormously, creating a huge worldwide problem with plastic trash (“The age of plastics,” December 19, 2024). Much of this plastic is for single use products like packaging and shopping bags. Recycling is suppose to mitigate these problems. But for many reasons, recycling plastic simply ...