Militarism in America
“We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation, and militarism are all tied together. And you can't get rid of one without getting rid of the other.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.” President John F. Kennedy
Americans believe we are the “good guys” that promote peace and democracy around the world. But too frequently we are part of the problem rather than the solution to conflicts between nations. As a ...
POLITICS OR THE PEOPLE’S PRIORITIES?
My role representing the 31st Senate District didn’t just start when I was sworn into office on January 7 this year. It began last year when I started talking to voters in the 31st Senate District. I heard over and over from voters that they want lawmakers to work together to support our rural schools and to fix our roads.
The people’s budget presented by Governor Tony Evers provided a $1.4 billion increase for K-12 education. The Governor’s plan included sparsity aid for rural districts and a start for restoring dramatic cuts made in the past eight years.
Just ...
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
How many times have you heard the expression, “Knowledge is Power?” I heard it from an unexpected source last week during one of our public hearings in the Senate Government Operations, Technology and Consumer Protection Committee.
Who could disagree with the statement that knowledge is power? In fact, when someone used that line representing the conservative group, Americans for Prosperity, I thought it might be an opportunity to find agreement. The person testified in favor of a bill (Senate Bill 179) to force gas stations to post a sticker on each gas pump ...
Individual Liberty and Health Care
Recently I had conversation with a college student on the subject of a national health care program. The student objected to “Obama Care” because it limited his “liberty.” Being required to participate infringed on his freedom to choose not having health insurance. He also objected to paying for other people, especially those who might do unhealthy things.
I suggested to him that we are all members of a society. No man, or woman, is an island and no one is free to do, or not do, anything they want. All civilized societies impose necessary restrictions on people. ...
MODERN MONETARY THEORY UNIT III: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING FUNDS TAXES
Imagine for a moment that this popularly held belief is true – that the US Federal Government has no money of its own and depends on taxes to fund any government spending. Think about this. Ask yourself the obvious question. If the US Federal government has no money of its own and depends on tax dollars for its operation, where did the tax dollars people pay each year come from in the first place?
Well, we would all answer, “I work hard for my wages or salary and part of the money I earn is taken away from me to pay my federal and state taxes. That’s where federal ...
HOW DEMOCRATS CAN WIN RURAL AMERICA
Many Democratic presidential candidates are busy wooing Iowa voters. The famous Iowa caucus allows the candidates to groom their message for rural America. Robert Leonard and Matt Russell have given strong ways to rebuild and reclaim rural America for the people.
Mr. Leonard is the news director for the Iowa radio stations KNIA and KRLS. Mr. Russell is the owner of Coyote Run Farm and the executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power and Light.
There are four strong themes throughout Iowa and throughout the Midwest:
Demography
Infrastructure
Farm sustainab...
Shared Prosperity and Taxes
“...building broad-based prosperity requires investing in what works – and we can’t do that without taxes.” Tamarine Cornelius, Wisconsin Budget Project
Too often we refer to taxes as a “burden.” Taxes are not portrayed as an opportunity, a public investment, a responsibility of patriotic citizenship. This limited vision does not serve us well.
The Wisconsin Budget Project is a non-partisan organization that analyses these issues. Referring to the tax cuts and budget choices that cut public investments in people, they say
“Not only have past tax ...
Patriotic Millionaires
Taxes have always been a major political issue in America. We love to hate taxes. From “no taxation without representation” in 1776, to “read my lips…..no new taxes” in 1988, to the current administration's fake tax cuts in 2017, taxes have been the controversy of choice for politicians. They can always fire up the voters with calls to “tax the rich” or to “give back your hard-earned money.”
Sensible people understand that taxes are the dues we pay to belong to a civilized society. Taxes are essential to a stable government, and stable government ...
CONCERNED WISCONSINITES PACKED THE UNION
Concerned Wisconsinites packed the Union on the UW-Green Bay campus to attend and speak at the Joint Finance Committee listening session Wednesday, April 24, 2019.
Over 200 of our brothers and sisters waited their turn to address the 16 member JFC. Testimony began at 10:00am and a resident from Wausau spoke at 7:35pm.
Each speaker was allowed two minutes to express their concerns, often pleading with JFC members to listen to their concerns and accept Governor Evers provisions in the 2019-2021 budget.
Speakers and the attenders, estimated at about 350-400 people, ...