Podcast
Battleground Wisconsin
Hosted by Brian Wooldridge · EN
Battleground Wisconsin is Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s weekly podcast that features the latest political news from the front lines in the embattled state of Wisconsin.
The show features:
· Robert Kraig, Executive Director, Citizen Action of Wisconsin
· Matt Brusky, Deputy Director, Citizen Action of Wisconsin
. Claire Zautke, Health Care for All Director
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Everyone's an election pundit
Mar 2600:50:09Tap to summarizeWe revisit the Iran War escalation and review the current Department of Homeland Security shutdown snarling airports as Trump shoots down every legislative deal to fund TSA, holding for his SAVE TRUMP (voter suppression) Act. With the Democratic Primary for Governor still wide open, some voters are trying to pick the most viable candidate based on personality or profile, as Ruth Conniff reports in the Wisconsin Examiner. We unpack why Democratic leaders and activists fall into acting like pundits rather than picking the candidate with the clearest most compelling solutions to the state’s many pressing issues. We discuss the latest MU Law Poll, where Judge Chris Taylor is leading the April 7th Supreme Court election with 30% to 22% for Lazar. The poll also reveals much greater voter enthusiasm for voting than Republicans and Independents. We also speculate on the poll's latest finding in the Wisconsin Democratic Primary for Governor. RSVP to Citizen Action’s Governor Candidate Forum, Tuesday, April 14th, 6pm.
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Always Organizing
Mar 1900:55:02Tap to summarizeWe open with a discussion of this week's Trump Regime lowlights, including the dangerous Iran war escalation and Brad Schimel not leaving his U.S. Attorney's post despite being vetoed by Tammy Baldwin and fired by a federal district court. One silver lining in Wisconsin, after Robin Vos removed his block, Governor Tony Evers is finally able to sign into law the long overdue expansion of post partum Medicaid. We welcome former state representative Sandy Pasch to highlight a dangerous bill on the Governor's desk that conflates legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The bill passed the Legislature and will be law unless it is vetoed by Governor Evers. Sandy details why the bill is so dangerous and asks everyone who cares about free speech to call Governor Evers today to demand a veto. Mark Rice, from WISDOM, joins us to celebrate a legislative victory for incarcerated people and their loved ones in Wisconsin. The bill provides access to healthcare for incarcerated people with substance use disorders through a Medicaid extension that would also cover general health care needs. We close with a discussion of the Legislature’s “last spasm” of activity, including Representative Cruz and Phelps’ public school proposal to use half of the remaining state budget surplus for funding public schools. Speaker Vos decries lack of Senate action on the GOP data center bill, warning it will cost the Republicans seats in the Legislature this November. Regardless, the impact is to leave the data center boom largely unregulated. We close this week's episode with a critical question for democracy: Will Trump succeed in coercing Republicans into ending the filibuster to enact his election theft plan (SAVE "Trump"Act) through the U.S. Senate.
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Public money for NIL, as public schools make cuts
Mar 1200:50:03Tap to summarizeWe discuss the growing opposition to the Iran War and new data revealing the war cost $11 billion in the first week. A coalition of antiwar groups launched a national campaign on Wednesday calling for Representative Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Chuck Schumer to step down from their positions as minority leaders. We discuss news from the judiciary this week: conservative State Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler is not to run for a new term to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2027 and Brad Schimel is blocked by Tammy Baldwin from continuing as U.S. attorney in Milwaukee. We welcome Kristie Tweed, Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s statewide Healthcare Coordinator to discuss the BadgerCare Public Option bills’ legislative roll out last week and plans for the next month, as grassroots leaders push for more lawmakers to co-sponsor the legislation. Krisite tells us about how you can get involved in the upcoming events in Cashton, Appleton, Milwaukee, and Wausau and she provides an update on the bill’s growing co-sponsorship list. The Legislature was sued by Law Forward over its billing of private attorney fees to the public. "Wisconsin taxpayers deserve to know their money is being spent lawfully to advance a valid public purpose." Milwaukee Public Schools announced they will be forced by state underfunding to slash 260 staff, as MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius stressed that MPS faces rising costs while receiving a $0 state increase in general aid due to the last disastrous state budget deal. As Wisconsin public school districts make cuts, the UW Athletic Department is coming to the Legislature with hat in hand looking for taxpayers to fund millions to support the UW’s NIL program to pay college athletes in football and basketball.
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Fighting authoritarians with healthcare
Mar 500:51:45Tap to summarizeAfter a brief discussion of Trump and Netanyahu’s war with Iran, we turn to defeating authoritarianism by fighting for policies that help people with their most pressing priorities, like good paying jobs, well funded public schools, healthcare and childcare. We discuss the introduction of new legislation for a BadgerCare Public Option, which represents the most comprehensive healthcare affordability proposal introduced in Wisconsin this session. The legislation would open Wisconsin’s trusted BadgerCare program to anyone who lacks adequate employer-sponsored coverage. Citizen Action announces a statewide virtual town hall with all the Democratic Governor candidates, Tuesday, April 14th 6pm. We bring attention to Legislative Republicans taking a chunk out of Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI’s) already approved funding over debunked allegations that they paid for a junket in the Dells. What kind of budget deal allows the Republicans to unilaterally veto agreed funding levels after ignoring the results of their own investigation? We lament the expiration of the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship Program due to GOP opposition following a large land purchase to extend the Ice Age Trail in Devils Lake area. And, as the Legislature may do nothing to regulate data centers – as Big Tech and utilities want – local people fight back, as a Judge allows a Port Washington referendum to continue. Finally, what is the division between Governor Evers and Legislative Democrats on gerrymandering? Will Vos reach another damaging deal with Evers before they both head off into the sunset?
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Vos retires
Feb 2600:49:45Tap to summarizeWe discuss the retirement of Speaker Robin Vos after a decade of ruthless control of the Legislature. Vos was the most powerful and successful state politician since Scott Walker, and one of the most infuential Assembly Speakers ever. The 2026 election is upon us and Citizen Action is announcing our endorsement of Judge Chris Taylor for state Supreme Court. This week the new $20 Wage Bill was introduced in the Legislature with a big media event at the Capitol. We review the new MU Law Poll. We take a deeper dive into what the poll tells us about the race for governor, and where voters stand on data centers, health care, and the cost of living. We welcome Wisconsin Public Education Network (WPEN) leader Heather DuBois Bourenane to discuss Public Schools Week and a new lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s chronic underfunding of public schools. The lawsuit was filed by teachers, parents, students, and WPEN by Law Forward. We encourage our listeners to attend a Capitol Rotunda rally this Friday (Feb. 27th) at noon.
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Remembering Jesse Jackson, Postpartum Medicaid victory, $20 Wage Legislation launch, and data centers public hearing
Feb 1900:51:59Tap to summarizeWe remember Jesse Jackson for carrying the tourch for the multi-racial working class long after the hopes of the Civil Rights Era faded, his prophetic oratory which still speaks to us today, and his special connection to Wisconsin. We highlight the victory for health care access for mothers, children, and women with a higher risk of breast cancer, Boss Vos finally relents to significant pressure from the public and other Republicans and allows a vote on postpartum Medicaid and cost-free breast cancer screening bills. We welcome Peter Rickman, president of the MASH union to discuss the new $20 Wage bill that will be introduced next week, Tuesday, at 11AM, at the State Capitol, Senate Parlor. Robert educates us on an important lawsuit against Trump’s climate-denying EPA by health and climate groups over the dangerous repeal of rule supporting climate protections. We discuss an important public hearing held this week for four Data Center bills. Citizen Action members joined dozens of community leaders and data center activists who want a pause on new construction and sensible public accountability for future data centers.
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Bondi Bombast Boomerang
Feb 1200:47:46Tap to summarizeHoly Bondi! Following a recap of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s surreal Congressional hearing, we dive into this week in the Trump Regime, including: ICE agents are flowing into Western Wisconsin; Trump immigration officials testify before the U.S. Senate with a potential DHS shutdown looming; And, U.S. House approves Brian Steils’ “show your papers” voter suppression bill to cause chaos in the 2026 Elections. New research finds climate change is making the Great Lakes’ winters shorter, but future tracking will be harder as the Trump regime scrubs climate change data. We discuss packed PSC hearings where the vast majority of attendees asked them to reject a special electricity deal devised by We Energies for Data Centers. But will the PSC listen to the people? We also talk about a new Legislative Republican bill that would slow the revolving door between the PSC and big utilities. We close with a discussion of the negotiations between Governor Evers and Legislative Republican leaders on the $2.5 billion surplus.
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Governor candidates embrace a BadgerCare Public Option
Feb 500:48:00Tap to summarizeWe discuss how Democratic candidates for Governor are competing with each other to embrace the BadgerCare Public Option bill, which will soon be introduced in the state legislature. We are joined by Citizen Action’s Healthcare Action Coordinator, Kristie Tweed, to discuss widespread public support for bold action on healthcare costs and coverage. Kristie tells us about town halls Citizen Action members are holding throughout the state and how you can get involved as we push for passage of BadgerCare Public Option. We expose the power flex by big business hacks at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce (MMAC) which has filed suit to block proposed Port Washington ordinance to give residents a vote on public subsidies in big economic development deals. The business lobby, which promoted Foxconn, has a history of challenging democratic decision making, believing big corporations have a right to our tax money. Trump doubles down on threats to seize control of state elections, as lackey Congressman Brian Steil introduces a shocking voter suppression bill that does the bidding of the would-be dictator in the White House. We discuss why Wisconsin will be ground zero for the attack on the 2026 election and what we can do about it. Also, we discuss the ICE kidnapping of a Madison area soccer player’s mom (who had legal status) at a soccer tournament, yet another example of the searing human toll of Trump’s lawless crackdown.
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The Bitter Fruits of Failing Democracy
Jan 2900:50:43Tap to summarizeThis week we put the tragic events and courageous resistance to tyranny in the Twin Cities in the context of our failing democracy. A new report from the Urban Institute shows that Wisconsin has fallen behind other states in income over the past 50 years, especially compared to our neighbors in Minnesota and Illinois. How does the failure of Wisconsin's economic policy relate to the vulnerability of democracy? We assess the role of the Democratic Primary for Governor, and the active involvement of organized groups such as Citizen Action of Wisconsin, in charting a new policy course that truly addresses the income and affordability crisis. We also give a detailed update of the data center controversies across the state. We invite all Battleground Wisconsin listeners to attend Citizen Action's Governor Forums in La Crosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, Green Bay, and Milwaukee.
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Freddy Peralta trade, wage floors, and the politics of MLB
Jan 2200:50:00Tap to summarizeThe Milwaukee Brewers’ billionaire owner traded All-Star Freddy Peralta yesterday for prospects, leaving fans upset at the trade and the financing of Major League Baseball that created and normalized such a lopsided and unfair trade. We welcome Simon Rosenblum-Larson, a former minor league baseball player who helped organize a union for minor league players, to provide his perspective on the trade and take a deep dive into the financing and politics of MLB that enriches billionaires while extracting money from taxpayers. We close the show with Lisa Lucas the co-host of the Brewers Babes Podcast to get her take on the trade and MLB’s broken system.
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