|
Weekly News
from Your Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair
.
|
|
International
Workers Day & #DayWithoutLatinos
A
principle at the very core of our platform as Democrats is the idea of
fairness -- that no matter where you start, you deserve the tools and
opportunities to get ahead and family-supporting wages to get there.
That’s why we support labor unions and believe that every worker
deserves the right to negotiate for fair wages and working conditions.
This Tuesday was May Day, or International Worker’s Day, and I’m proud
of the rich labor tradition we have here in Wisconsin. When Scott
Walker and legislative Republicans outright attacked public unions,
Democrats, progressives and workers across the state came together in
the tens of thousands to protest these injustices.
While Act 10 has become our reality, improving the working conditions
and wages of Wisconsin’s workers still remains a priority for Wisconsin
Democrats. We believe in raising the minimum wage, equal pay for
equal work, and the right of workers to unionize. No matter what
attacks Republicans lob our way, sticking up for hardworking
Wisconsinites will always be important to us.
|
|
|
|
Members of
our Latinx and immigrant communities also used International Workers’s Day to
demonstrate the huge role their work plays in our communities and local
economies. Across Wisconsin, thousands participated in “Day Without Latinos”
marches to demand protection from ICE agents tearing families and communities
apart.
Immigrants are our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, but they’re also
simply people, and they deserve to be treated by our government with humanity
and compassion regardless of their legal status.
We need to welcome and protect our neighbors with open arms no matter
their race, faith, gender, sexuality, ability or legal status. Hate has no
place in our communities.
Our Democratic Attorney General candidate Josh Kaul and
Rep. Mark Pocan held a joint press conference this week calling on Brad
Schimel to join the group of Attorney Generals suing to protect our free
and open internet.
"The elimination of net neutrality puts more power into the hands
of big cable companies, and it hurts Wisconsin businesses and
consumers," Kaul said. "AGs from more than 20 states have
gone to court to stand up for a free and open Internet, and Wisconsin
should be part of that challenge."
I couldn’t be more thrilled that we have such a strong advocate for our
families and local businesses running to unseat Brad Schimel. Net
neutrality creates a level playing field for small businesses and
entrepreneurs, and it’s fundamental to protecting free speech, innovation,
education and a competitive economy. Our government has the important job
of protecting our interests and Wisconsin’s
Attorney General needs to protect the interests of Wisconsinites, not that
of corporations.
Serving Our
Country is Patriotic,
Not Partisan
|
|
U.S. Navy Veteran Tracey Sperko, a member of our
Veterans Caucus, issued a statement on our behalf following Republican
U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson questioning the “cognitive thought
process” of Democratic service members and veterans:
"Military service isn't about progressive values or being a
conservative -- it comes down to love of country and a sense of duty.
My oath of enlistment was to defend the Constitution of the United
States of America and not an oath to any political party.
"As a Navy veteran, I'm deeply troubled by Kevin Nicholson's
attempt to politicize military service to advance his own political
career while tearing down fellow veterans -- it's wrong, and it
epitomizes the toxic partisanship that Wisconsinites hate about
Washington."
|
|
The Price Tag
for Foxconn Keeps Adding Up
Imagine how different our state would look if
instead of doling out a $4.5 billion taxpayer handout to Foxconn, we
had invested that money in our home-grown Wisconsin entrepreneurs and
small businesses, or if we had fixed our crumbling roads and fully
funded our public schools and classrooms?
|
|
|
|
This
past week was #SmallBusinessWeek.
Democrats have always been champions for the “little guy” -- while the GOP has
given handouts to the wealthiest corporations like Exxon and Wells Fargo, small
businesses and local economies have been left behind.
If we want to create an economy that works for everyone, we have to be a state
that fosters entrepreneurism. We must invest in education and innovation in
order to be an incubator for small businesses to grow and thrive in
Wisconsin.
I truly believe that if we had invested even just a portion of the payout we’re
giving Foxconn in supporting and expanding opportunities for our Wisconsin
small businesses, we’d see much more economic development and job growth with
less risk. Using even a fraction of that $4.5 billion payment
in an actual investment in thousands of local start-ups would be a
true investment in Wisconsin.