The news has been so uniformly grim in the past week, that I'm beginning to tune it out! And that's not a good strategy for engaging in activities that will help turn things around! So I'm going to start with what to do to engage with the electoral redistricting that officially kicked off when the 2020 census data were released last week. A day after the states received their population figures and distributions, Marc Elias, representing six Democrats from Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit in federal court asking it to "ready itself to redraw Wisconsin's congressional and legislative maps" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Aug. 13). As the article explains, "it seeks to bar the [Wisconsin Election] Commission from again using the maps drawn in 2011 because the census data ... shows the districts no longer contain equal populations."

Right now, the thing to do is to contact your legislators, regardless of which party they belong to, and ask them to support fair maps — ones that do not guarantee any political party seats in the state legislature or in the congress. Find contact information for your Wisconsin legislators here. And don't think that calling or writing your representatives is just a waste of your time. Members of both parties do keep track of how many people contact them with views on the matters at hand. And Wisconsin voters have already demonstrated bi-partisan support for fair electoral maps. The goal of phoning or writing is to let legislators know that people are paying attention!

On a more uplifting note: plan to join your fellow Grassroots North Shore compatriots on Sunday, September 19th, at Virmond park in Ozaukee County. Grassroots North Shore will feature talks about Gun Sense and Gun Safety at our first in-person gathering since January 2019. Replacing our traditional picnic, it will be held outside and will host several experts and legislators. Come for the community, the knowledge, and the tasty treats that afternoon from 3:00-5:30 in a park setting that allows us peace of mind while meeting together on an important issue. So save the date on your calendar and sign up on our web page.

On the virus front, the Biden administration is apparently planning to recommend that fully vaccinated people who obtained Moderna or BioNTech shots also get a booster shot about 8 months after their last COVID vaccination. Those who had the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will probably also need boosters, but the government is waiting for the results of J&J's ongoing clinical trial of the booster regimen with that vaccine. As with the first round of shots, nursing home residents and health workers are likely to go first, with older people next. The announcement of the policy is likely to come in the next few days. See the full article in the New York Times.

The COVID situation in Texas and Florida, just to name two of the most egregious states, has already become dire, in part because both states have relatively low vaccination rates. "The number of people hospitalized nationally has already surpassed the level seen during last summer's surge, and it is still climbing," reports the New York Times. Meanwhile, New Zealand, where the first COVID case in six months has been detected, has gone into a three-day lockdown to contain the spread. But in Wisconsin we can't even mandate masks as schools re-open! And of course new cases and hospitalizations are rising here, as they are across the country. Thankfully, COVID-related deaths, however, have remained low.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is gearing up for next year's abundance of elections: FOUR of them, to be exact. Over the upcoming weekend, phone volunteers will talk to infrequent Democratic voters about the Child Tax Credit and the American Rescue Plan, using what's known as "the dialer" and also the traditional Virtual Phone Bank (VPB). Please sign up. The following week, the party will be contacting strong Democratic voters. So you can sign up for that action also.

Congress is in recess now, and the national media are intensely focused on the debacle in Afghanistan. And President Biden is taking plenty of heat from the usual suspects who have been urging the US to stay militarily engaged — maybe just for six months when the summer "fighting season" ends, or perhaps another year, or two or three. My own view is that our strategies have failed utterly. The Afghan "army" isn't interested, apparently, in fighting the Taliban. And we can't force them, no matter what we do. So I'm with our President: it's long past time to leave. Even though the situations are different in many ways, the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and the triumph of the Taliban feel like the end of the Vietnam war all over again. As Peter, Paul, and Mary so poignantly sang so many years ago, "when will we ever learn"?

EVENTS

Wed Aug 18, 2021

Drinking Liberally Wauwatosa, 6:30pm - 9pm
Camp Bar Tosa 6600 W North Ave, Wauwatosa
More information.

Suspended: Southwest Region Dems Meeting, 7pm - 7pm
TBA
Southwest Dems (Region 5) cover Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Milwaukee (Southwest), West Allis, West Milwaukee. For information on when a meeting may be held check here or contact [email protected].

Sat Aug 21, 2021

Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Lincoln Memorial Drive & Michigan Street, Milwaukee
Stand for Peace has resumed in-person events with masks and social distancing. Check for more information. Organized by Peace Action Wisconsin.

Sun Aug 22, 2021

Tammy Baldwin's 14th Annual Summer BBQ, 3pm - 5pm
The Fields Reserve, 2479 Glenn Dr, Stoughton, WI 53589
Co-Host: $1000 | Sponsor: $500 | Badger: $250 | Friend: $100 | Guest: $50. RSVP today. Tammy's 14th Annual Summer BBQ will also feature Governor Tony Evers andDPW Chair Ben Wikler! Donate to the cause.

Wed Aug 25, 2021

Community Justice Council, 9:30am - 11am
Online
Milwaukee Community Justice Council Meeting of the Whole will have an Online/Virtual meeting. More information.

Thu Aug 26, 2021

Mental Health Board Meeting, 9am - 9am
Teleconference
This is a teleconference meeting (see Agenda for details). Public Comment: none. More information.

Sat Aug 28, 2021

Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Martin Luther King Drive & Locust Street, Milwaukee
Stand for Peace has resumed in-person events with masks and social distancing. Check for more information. Organized by Peace Action Wisconsin.

LOCKED UP ON THE OUTSIDE. Parole, Probation and Extended Supervision in Wisconsin, 4pm - 6pm
4201 N 27th St, Milwaukee, WI
A presentation focusing on issues with post-incarceration sentencing in Wisconsin. It will include: — A summary of important issues; — Presentations by prominent politicians and community members; — Testimony from impacted individuals; — Small group discussions for participants to share ideas. The program will be available in person and on Zoom (a link will be provided). It is open to the public without charge and food and beverages will be served. Registration is required. Please attend to learn about important problems in Wisconsin’s criminal justice system. These reach beyond prison to keep those released from becoming productive members of society. Sponsored by EXPO and Wisconsin Voices.