’ve become so inured to Donald Drumpf’s proto-fascism that we barely blink an eye when we learn that he tried to manipulate the 2020 election." Reich argues that the revelation — "Just say that the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen" — from the notes of a December 27, 2020, phone call to the acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen "should trigger section 3 of the 14th amendment, which bars anyone from holding office who 'engaged in insurrection' against the US." "Make no mistake," he writes, "this was an attempted coup."

Meanwhile, our own Robin Vos has been working to organize a Wisconsin "investigation" of the 2020 election here. Only he has run into a spot of bother. It seems the two retired police officers he had hired as investigators quit sometime early in July. (Vos's explanation: "both of them quit because they were hired to work part-time but they said it required a full-time effort.") So instead of cancelling the whole effort, Vos decided to go big! How big? Who knows? A former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice — who claimed the election had been stolen at a November *rump rally — has been empowered "to hire as many investigators as he wants...." And the cost? Originally the investigation was projected to come in at about $72,000. Now there's no budget but "Vos said it would be reasonable to spend several hundred thousand dollars on it" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 30, 2021). So that's your Wisconsin tax dollars at work.

And Vos's venture is not the only one! According to the Wisconsin Examiner, Rep. Janel Brandtjen plans to start her own investigation. "Rep. Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls), who chairs the Assembly Campaign and Elections Committee, announced Monday she has decided to “initiate a more intensive investigation” of possible election fraud. (Think: Arizona’s search for bamboo filters in ballots to show they might be from China.)" So more public funds spent on the oft-disproven lie that the November 2020 election for president in Wisconsin was riddled with voter fraud? Apparently so. The committee she chairs has been given the power to "investigate," including the power of subpoena. The effort to overturn the last election and to sow suspicion about American elections goes on and on and on.

So, infrastructure and the Delta variant of COVID-19 are dominating the news right now. But the key to our democracy's survival remains insuring that we have free and fair elections in the United States. That's how we are fighting against what can only be called the GOP's on-going coup attempt. And that's where Grassroots North Shore is focusing its efforts now and into the fall. And we will need your participation!

Right now we have three major initiatives going, all of them in conjunction with the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin:

1. Phone Banking: As soon as the League has created the script and set up the phone bank, we will need people to call previously registered voters who have been removed from the Wisconsin voter rolls to help them re-register if possible. Starting in mid-June, the Wisconsin Election Commission notified approximately 180,000 people who were on the voter registration rolls but who apparently had not voted in last four years. If these voters failed to respond to the notification by July 15, they were to be purged from the rolls. These calls, then, function much like a voter registration drive. Please sign up here. To provide support for those planning to phone, I will be setting up orientation sessions on Zoom on August 18 at 4pm, August 21 at 10am and 2pm, and August 22 at 1pm and 4pm to help get you started.
   
   
2. Door-Hangers: On August 14 and 15, we will be distributing door-hangers to people in Glendale, encouraging people to call their Assembly representative and their state Senator, to urge them to end partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin. Please sign up here for this low contact, outdoor activity.
   
   
3. Leaflets: We are also beginning a project to distribute leaflets outside of libraries and farmers markets in our North Shore area. The leaflets, also prepared by the League of Women Voters, explain why gerrymandering hurts our state and ask people to phone their legislators. As the leaflet says, "Tell them you want Fair Maps in 2021, public hearings and for your vote to count." Sign up and stay tuned for the details of dates, locations, and shift times!

The events list is filling out a little more. And soon it will be overflowing with candidate events. So while the weather is cooperating, plan to attend at least one of the outdoor events scheduled for the next two weeks. Many of them are really social, rather than explicitly political. So join with other like-minded folks and make some new friends, why don't you?

EVENTS

Wed Aug 4, 2021

Drinking Liberally Waukesha, 6:30pm - 9pm
The Tap Yard, 1150 W. Sunset Drive, Waukesha
Drinking Liberally Waukesha has a new day, new location, and new host. More information.

Info: Laughing Liberally MKE, 8:30pm - 9:30pm
TBA
For information on the latest Laughing Liberally offerings go here.

Sat Aug 7, 2021

Port Washington Beer Garden Social, 4pm - 6pm
Port Washington Beer Garden, Upper Lake Park, Port Washington WI
Ozaukee County Democrats are excited to share this opportunity for folks to come out, meet us, and get involved with the county party. Please use this form to sign-up so that we can anticipate how many folks will be joining us for these events. Invite three friends, family, or neighbors to join us. Click here to sign up.

Lanterns for Peace, 7pm - 9pm
Lincoln Memorial Drive near Bradford Beach pedestrian bridge
Candlelight Vigil for Peace and Global Nuclear Disarmament.Co-sponsoredby numerous local peace and justice organizations. More information.

Sun Aug 8, 2021

"The Last Thing We Ever Do", 3pm - 6pm
Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 Vel R. Phillips Ave, Milwaukee
Warrior Songs album release party. "The Last Thing We Ever Do," with 14 songs of Vietnam veterans' experiences. Ten acts featured live at the party. Benefit for Warrior Songs. Veterans free, general public $10. Complimentary CD to all attendees. More info: Bill Christofferson, 414-486-9651.

Tue Aug 10, 2021

Drinking Liberally MKE, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Estabrook Beer Garden, 4600 Estabrook Drive, Milwaukee
Drinking Liberally MKE will now be getting together in person on the second Tuesday of the month. (It will move to a virtual meeting if the temperature is forecast to be below 50 degrees or heavy rain is in the forecast.) To get to the Estabrook Beer Garden parking lot, enter from the north, on Hampton Ave. More information.

350 Milwaukee Virtual Meeting, 7pm - 8:30pm
Online
350 Milwaukee is part of the global organization building a grassroots movement in 188 countries to address global warming and solve the climate crisis. 350 Milwaukee usually meets every month on the second Tuesday. Check the following link for information on whether a meeting will occur. More information./p>

Wed Aug 11, 2021

Grass Roots South Shore Virtual Meeting, 7pm - 9pm
Online
Check the link to see if Grass Roots South Shore will have a virtual meeting. More information or call Jim Balk, 414-218-5944.

Thu Aug 12, 2021

Grafton Social - Sahale, 4pm - 6pm
Sahale Garden, 1505 Wisconsin Ave #170, Grafton WI
Ozaukee County Democrats are excited to share this opportunity for folks to come out, meet us, and get involved with the county party. Please use this form to sign-up so that we can anticipate how many folks will be joining us for these events. Invite three friends, family, or neighbors to join us. Click here to sign up.

Sat Aug 14, 2021

UN Association of MKE, 10am - 12pm
Online
For more information check here.

Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Oakland Avenue & North Avenue, Milwaukee
Stand for Peace has resumed in-person events with masks and social distancing. Check for more information. Organized by Peace Action Wisconsin.

Mon Aug 16, 2021

Milwaukee Dems Meeting, 6pm - 8pm
TBA
Milwaukee County Democrats meet monthly to discuss party business, hear speakers on current topics, pass resolutions, and network with other progressives. All interested Democrats are invited. Information about how to access the meeting will be sent after RSVP.