I've been avoiding the news from D.C. this week — not with my head in the sand since I will certainly catch the highlights next week — in order to have the bandwidth to focus on other things. One of those things is local politics. Our 2025 Elections pages are filling up with good information for voters. Of note: the entire state of Wisconsin will have a primary for State Superintendent on February 18. Two of the three candidates — Dr. Jill Underly and Dr. Jeff Wright — are progressive educators. Grassroots North Shore generally does not endorse in non-partisan primaries but in this case, we are putting our stamp of approval on those two. Our elections pages will link you to online information about them (as well as about the third candidate) so you can bone up before you vote.
If you live in the Cedarburg School District or in Milwaukee Alder District 3 (scroll down for a list of candidates), you will also see primary elections for those seats. For the rest, there are some competitive races across the region but many of the races have only one candidate. Those who are unopposed have little or no incentive to keep their constituents informed about their positions on important issues. And that may be one reason why our spring elections tend to have pretty low turnout. Ironically, the local and judicial offices have a greater effect on our daily lives than most of what goes on nationally, yet we have trouble learning about our local governments. And with the continuing demise of local news outlets and reporting, the situation is hardly improving.
The race for Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is heating up. Both candidates have produced their first video ads. I won't link to former Attorney General Brad Schimel's but here's the one Judge Crawford released yesterday: Fair. Impartial. Common Sense. The Wisconsin Examiner watched Schimel's so you don't have to and noted that he "has touted the support of Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes — a controversial figure whose county board voted 19-1 last year to find it had “no confidence” in him after he was accused of sexually harassing a female job applicant and subordinate" (Washington Examiner, January 22, 2025). Sometimes the company you keep reveals a lot about you.
You should request absentee ballots both for the February 18 primary and the April 1 election so that voting is as easy and convenient as possible. The mail-in ballots are pre-paid! You can also vote early in person in the primary (usually at your municipal clerk's office) beginning on February 4 and ending on February 14 (in most place — check with your municipal clerk for exact days and time in your community). Vote in a way that works for you. But VOTE.
Perhaps we should be paying more attention to what is happening here in Wisconsin since that's where we can be most effective at promoting a healthy democracy. So I urge you to tune in to Governor Evers' State of the State address this evening at 7:00pm. You should also listen to a radio address he gave on January 9, 2025, in which he highlights a "Pathway for Wisconsinites to Enshrine the Will of the People" (Governor Evers' Press Release, January 9, 2025). You should add your name to this ballot initiative proposal. (When you submit the form, you will see a donation page but you are not obligated to give.) Our Governor is letting us know he's there for us. We need to be there for him.
Those of us in Senate District 8 have a new senator representing us. And you should want to keep up with the news coming out of Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin's office. Here's how: sign up to receive her weekly newsletter. Yes, it means more emails in your inbox. But hearing from those who represent you can keep you focused on the political news that matters most: the work of your municipal and state government. We devote so much of our energy and attention on national issues that we may give what's going on around us too little attention. Let's redress the imbalance.
One part of refocusing on the here and now is to attend our Move Wisconsin Forward event on Sunday, February 2 at 5:00pm. It's online. Jeff Mandel from Law Forward and Nick Ramos from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign will headline the fundraiser. But we will also have the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of a candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court (wink, wink). When you sign up to attend, please also show your support by donating. You can use a credit card online at Act Blue or you can mail a check to GRNS, PO Box 170684, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217-8056. We're an all-volunteer organization but that does not mean we don't need to spend any money to achieve our goals. An important way to appreciate the educational programs, the weekly newsletter, and the campaign activities like mailing postcards and making phone calls to voters that we undertake each year is to become a member through your donation to our annual fundraiser.
Speaking of the cost of things: minimum wages. It seems the minimum wage in Wisconsin is $7.25 per hour and has not changed in a decade and a half. At roughly 2,000 of work a year, that amounts to $14,500 a year: not a wage anyone with a single minimum wage job could possibly live on. Meanwhile, our neighboring states are busy fixing things. On January 1, 2025, "the minimum wage increased to $15 per hour in Illinois and $11.13 in Minnesota. Michigan’s minimum wage rose to $10.56 an hour and will increase again in February to $12.48" (Urban Milwaukee, January 22, 2025). That's $22,260/year in Minnesota, $24,960/year in Michigan, and $30,000/year in Illinois. C'mon Wisconsin. Get with the progressive program! Our neighbors many poach our workers if we don't!
TAKE ACTION
Volunteer with Grassroots North Shore to write postcards and make follow-up phone calls (or text messages) to turn out as many voters who share our values as possible. We'll be sending out our postcards by February 14 and beginning following up those postcards with phone calls to urge people to vote in the spring 2025 elections around February 18. The postcards are easy to write, the phone calls are easy to make, and we know these methods of reaching voters work. So hop on board.
Write emails or texts about the coming elections to five of your your like-minded friends and family. Remind them to make a plan to vote in the primary election on February 18 and the general election on April 1. And in that communication, ask them to contact another five or more people with the same message. The Supreme Court race will determine what direction Wisconsin takes in the next several years. And the difference between the two candidates could not be more stark.
Indivisible: Fight the Executive Order purporting to end birthright citizenship. Governor Evers and Attorney General Kaul "announced Wisconsin is joining a coalition of states challenging an unconstitutional executive order issued yesterday that attempts to end citizenship for certain kids born in America, violating Americans’ constitutional rights to which all kids born in the United States have long been entitled" (Governor Evers' Press Release, January 21, 2025). To do your part, take action.
- Demand they speak out: If you are represented by a Republican senator or senators, or a Republican representative, contact them and ask if they will publicly repudiate the executive order. You can contact them using Indivisible's email and call tools. Publicize their answer!
Call your Republican members of Congress
Email your Republican members of Congress - Hold them accountable in the local press: You can use Indivisible's letter to the editor tool to send our sample letter — or one you write — to your local papers calling out Republican officials for their silence on Trump’s un-American, unlawful order.
Call your Democratic member(s) of Congress
Email your Democratic member(s) of Congress
In addition to filing a suit seeking to nullify the Executive Order purporting to overturn birthright citizenship, the ACLU also is sending emails to Congress about this issue. Join this effort too!
EVENTS
Wednesday, January 22
Jill Underly Reception, 4:30 - 6:30pm
On Tap, 1215 N 10th Street, Milwaukee
Please join us for a reception in support of State Superintendent of Instruction Jill Underly. Jill is an accomplished leader who will always put our kids first. She has fought back against the Right's attacks on our public schools and she's not about to stop now! But she needs your help, so please join us on Wednesday, and show you'll stand up for kids, too! Contribution Levels: Champion: $500 | Sponsor: $250| Advocate: $100 | Friends: $50. Contributions in any amount are gratefully accepted; no contribution is required to attend.
Thursday, January 23
LWVWI Civic Education Seminar, 6:30 - 8:00pm
Virtual
LWVWI member, Joan Schwarz, is offering a virtual Civic Education Seminar this spring. She is an attorney and former university academic. Beginning on January 23 this virtual seminar will meet every other Thursday. Throughout eight meetings, Joan will lead group discussions about the Constitution, the rule of law, our democratic institutions, federalism and the tensions on our laws and norms. Many premises have been assumed and predicted for generations – the stability of our democratic republic, the optimism of the 20th Century about the inevitability of democracy, the invincibility of progress, the decency of human nature and the coming reign of reason and peace – but are now surely being tested and questioned. Registration is required.
Friday, January 24
LWVMC League Café, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Contact Patricia M McFarland
League Cafe meets monthly and welcomes League members old and new, as well as community members. In a small group setting, we get to know each other better, share knowledge and have interesting conversations. In rotating months, we meet as a general discussion group, and in opposite months, convene as a book club to discuss noteworthy books on racial equity, immigration and/or voting.
Saturday, January 25
Coffee, Tea, & Democracy, 10:00am - 1:00pm
1930 Wisconsin Ave., Lower Level, Grafton
Stop by the Dem office on the last Saturday of every month from 10am - 1pm for this new event!
Q: What is it?
A: A fun and safe space where ideas will percolate and tea is spilt.
We provide refreshments. You bring yourself, and a friend. See you there!
Stand for Peace, 12:00 - 1:00pm
KK and Lincoln, Milwaukee
Every Saturday, Stand for Peace advocates gather on a specified street corner with signs to advocate for peace.
Monday, January 27
Democratic Party of Milwaukee County Monthly Membership Meeting, 6:00 - 7:00pm
Fiesta Café, 1407 S 1st St, Milwaukee
Join us for the First Monthly Membership Meeting at Fiesta Cafe!
Tuesday, January 28
Brennan Center: Do the Police Care About White Supremacist Violence, 3:00-4:00pm
Virutal
After more than two dozen current or former law enforcement officials participated in the January 6 insurrection, what has been done to address extremist sympathizers within these ranks? Mike German explores such timely questions in his new book, Policing White Supremacy: The Enemy Within. Drawing on research and his experiences as an undercover FBI agent infiltrating white supremacist groups, German offers unique insight into domestic extremism and argues for a better way to combat far-right violence. Link to event.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Election: Ethics and Money, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Virutal
Join the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin for a virtual webinar at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28. The program "Wisconsin Supreme Court Election: Ethics and Money," will provide voters with all the information they need for the next Wisconsin Supreme Court Election this spring. Speakers include: Jay Heck from Common Cause; former Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske; Attorney Doug Keith from the Brennan Center; and Attorney Rob Yablon from the State Democracy Research Initiative. Registration is required.
Wednesday, January 29
Brookings: What to expect from the new Trump administration, 9:00 - 10:00am CST
Virutal
On January 20, President-elect Donald Trump will take office. As he steps into the presidency again, many questions persist. What are the major goals of the administration? Will Trump be able to fulfill his campaign promises? What are the emerging conflicts within the new administration? What will the checks and balances be? On January 29, join the Center for Effective Public Management at Brookings for a webinar featuring experts on American politics to discuss the incoming Trump administration and what may lie ahead. Viewers can submit questions for speakers via email to [email protected]. To watch online, RSVP .
Saturday, February 1
Stand for Peace, 12:00 - 1:00pm
27th and National, Milwaukee
Every Saturday, Stand for Peace advocates gather on a specified street corner with signs to advocate for peace.
WI Civic Health and Why it Matters, 5:00 - 6:30pm
Virutal
Planned Parenthood GenZ Group and LWVMC Reproductive Rights Committee are hosting a GOTV event. Interactive “stations” will inform attendees on what it will take to codify reproductive rights in the WI constitution, why the April 1, 2025 is so important to protect those rights in the meantime, how to organize GOTV activities, identify and dispel dis/misinformation (especially on social media) and an Arts4Impact selfie station and fabric garland making! Please join us for this fun and informative event. The public is invited but registration is required.
Registration is currently unavailable.
Sunday, February 2
Preserve the WI Supreme Court Majority! GRNS 2025 Fundraiser, 5:00 - 6:30pm
Virutal
Our Next Mission: Saving a Fair and Forward-Looking Majority on the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. On April 1, 2025, we need to protect an open seat of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to keep us moving forward and to preserve our rights. Find out the stakes and the opportunities from our knowledgeable speakers: Nick Ramos (Executive Director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign) and Jeff Mandel (Founder, General Counsel and President of Law Forward, a nonpartisan, nonprofit law firm protecting democracy in Wisconsin). Donate to our annual fundraiser (GRNS membership included in your donation). (If you prefer to donate via check, please mail your donation to: Grassroots North Shore, PO Box 170684, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217-8056.) Every donation will be matched dollar for dollar up to $4000. Register for the event.
Tuesday, February 4
Cross purposes: Christianity’s broken bargain with democracy, 1:00 - 2:00pm CST
Virutal
What happens to American democracy if Christianity is no longer able, or no longer willing, to perform the functions on which our constitutional order depends? In his provocative new book “Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy,” Brookings Senior Fellow and award-winning journalist Jonathan Rauch—a lifelong atheist—reckons candidly with both the shortcomings of secularism and the corrosion of Christianity. "Thin Christianity," as Rauch calls the mainline church, has been unable to inspire and retain believers. Worse, a “church of fear” has distorted white evangelicalism in ways that violate the tenets of both Jesus and James Madison. What to do? For answers, Rauch looks to a new generation of religious thinkers, as well as to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has placed the Constitution at the heart of its spiritual teachings.Join Governance Studies at Brookings for an event with Jonathan Rauch and Atlantic staff writer Christine Emba to discuss how Christianity’s crisis is making America ungovernable. RSVP for the webcast.
Save the Date
Wednesday, February 19
Oz Dems Monthly Meeting, 7:00 - 8:00pm
1930 Wisconsin Ave., Lower Level, Grafton
Join fellow Democrats as we connect about the upcoming spring election for the State Supreme Court, local, and county elections throughout Ozaukee.
Saturday, February 22
Women's History Month Brunch & Fundraiser, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Shully's, 146 Green Bay Rd, Thiensville
Our keynote speaker, Meg Kissinger, will help us see and think about people with mental illness in a new light. Her new memoir, While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence, has been praised for its incisive reporting, boundless compassion, and surprising humor. Tickets are $65/person. Register by February 14 online or by mail. Please consider adding a donation to our Martha Watts Founder's Scholarship for Civic Engagement for a LWVOzWa Youth Vote Group member. LWVOzWa also supports the efforts at the Milwaukee County Jail Library to provide reading material for those who have much time on their hands waiting for their lawyer, trial, sentencing, etc. and just waiting. Books and magazines take the mind away where the body happens to be and this is a needed respite for the residents. We will gladly collect your gently used magazines and paperback books. Download a list of popular reading material requested by Milwaukee County Jail Library.
Tuesday, February 25
Wisconsin Supreme Court Election: Judging Judicial Candidates, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Virtual
Join the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin for the second of our webinars about the spring Wisconsin Supreme Court election. The program will provide voters with information about how citizens can assess candidates’ perspectives on and knowledge of the judging process of a Supreme Court justice. Speakers include: Chad Oldfather from Marquette University Law School; Rob Yablon of the State Democracy Research Institute; Attorney Jeff Mandell of Law Forward,; and George Penn of United to Amend. RSVP for the webcast.
other important links
Become a Member of Grassroots North Shore
|
Milwaukee County Democratic Party |
| Ozaukee County Democratic Party | |
{{broadcaster.name}}
www.grassrootsnorthshore.com
Showing 1 reaction
Sign in with