Did you know? Grassroots North Shore is celebrating its 20th anniversary on Sunday, September 14, at Maslowski Park (2200 W Bender Rd, Milwaukee) from 4:00 - 5:30pm. We have much to celebrate, even in this troubling times, so I hope you will join us for cake and inspiration. John Nichols, executive editor of The Nation as well as serving as the magazine's national affairs correspondent, will keynote the event. Those of you who have been fortunate enough to hear him speak in person know what a treat lies in store for us. You can get a flavor of his uncompromising progressive positions by visiting his posts on Bluesky. And you can sign up to attend the celebration now.
Here is what John Nichols posted about the Trump's corrupt order to redraw the Texas congressional electoral map so that Republicans can flip five seats currently held by Democrats: "If Trump can order the warping of congressional maps so that Republicans maintain a House majority, even when their policies are despised, then the basic premise of representative democracy is crushed. And the system of checks and balances is threatened as never before."
The effort to rig the congressional maps is not confined to Texas. J.D. Vance has gone on the road to pressure other Republican held states to redraw their maps ahead of the 2026 mid-terms also possibly including Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Florida, and Georgia. For an excellent account of the pressure campaign and what we can do to hobble it, visit Indivisible's page The Redistricting Coup is Underway. After providing a synopsis of the crisis, Indivisible offers instructions for fighting back, whether people live in one of the 15 states where Democrats have what's know as a trifecta — the governor and both houses of the legislature are controlled by Democrats — or they live in one of the five states with Democratic governors in split or Republican controlled legislatures. Wisconsin, of course, is one of the five. More on what YOU can do to combat Trump's scheme below.
Ironically organizations like ours have spent years organizing and working toward an end to partisan gerrymandering. So we find ourselves in an odd and for some an uncomfortable spot. The League of Women voters continues to work on People Powered Fair Maps, on the core principle that partisan gerrymandering saps democracy by cementing the political power of a minority party despite the clear views of the voters. Other organizations, however, see the Trump regime's project as such a fundamental threat to our democracy that they are changing their position on the issue. A leader among them, Common Cause has posted the following:
We must focus our limited resources on that larger threat. We won’t call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarianism – or let our country’s balance of power be decided not by the voters, but by the will of one political party.
Governor Gavin Newsom is leading the way with passionate speeches and a plan to put a redistricting proposal up for a special election in November so the voters can weigh in. Take two minutes to watch one of his speeches. Newsom's pollster has found that the measure that will be put to voters in November has overwhelming support: "57% of California voters backed the redistricting measure, while 35% opposed and 8% were undecided." Other national leaders are also stepping up. Here's what the Majority Leader of the Maryland House has proposed: "I'm introducing legislation to redraw Maryland congressional districts if any other state cheats & draws new maps outside of the census period. Seems Trump has convinced Texas, Missouri & others, and FWIW TX did it years ago & got away with it because nobody responded."
For several reasons too complex to explain here, Wisconsin is not in a position to redraw its congressional maps this year even though our 50-50 state is represented in congress by six Republican representatives and only two Democratic ones. But there is something just as important as redistricting that Democrats and progressives in Wisconsin can do to change the balance of power in our state. Two of the six districts currently held by Republicans are in fact flippable! According to Dave's Redistricting's information about the partisan lean of each Wisconsin congressional district, the 3rd congressional district — currently represented by Derrick Van Orden — leans toward Democrats with 48.9% and Republicans with 48.5% of the vote. The 1st congressional district — currently represented by Bryan Steil — leans ever so slightly Republican: 49.4% GOP versus 48.3% Democratic. According to those numbers, both of them can be flipped!
And by the way, lest you think those two congressional districts might not be winnable, in the spring 2025 election for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, Susan Crawford won handily in BOTH DISTRICTS. I don't have the exact figures but a rough calculation based on the counties included in those districts show that Crawford won something like 54.5% of the vote in CD1 and 53.3% in CD3. The key to such victories, I am convinced, is turning out voters who share our values. That effort starts now.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party is already using phonebanks to call into CD3. You can join one of their phone banks to connect with voters. Grassroots North Shore is contacting voters in CD1 to talk to them about the draconian cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other social safety net programs the Republican majorities in the House and Senate approved. Representative Steil voted for these cuts. So we are asking people to call his office to express their disapproval and to call on Representative Steil to propose legislation to restore the funding to these programs. Sign up with us to make calls.
But enough about rigging the maps. There are other dangers to our elections on the horizon. Let's start with the ridiculous depth of ignorance Trump displays when he posts that he is going to "lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS" and ban the use of some (unspecified) voting machines. Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo picks that post apart: "The president has basically nothing to do with election administration. States run American elections. Period. Congress, within certain parameters, can make laws with standards that states must apply. But states still administer them. This is a foundational, constitutionally-mandated and structural feature of the American republic."
He goes on to note that the courts have crowned Trump a de facto absolute monarch within the federal government. In other words, resistance from federal agencies and actors is pretty futile since the courts have ruled that he can now fire anyone in the federal government for no reason. On the other hand, states have a separate sovereignty, "a sovereign authority that is separate from the hierarchy of federal power." He concludes with this key reminder: "the president can’t fire governors or mayors or secretaries of state or anyone else in a state government." Trump can do some damage to states, by sending in troops or illegally withholding funds. "But the existence of these bundles of sovereign power are simply beyond his reach. And that is the opposition’s greatest power, its strategic depth to parry and contest the designs of a lawless demagogue while the forces of opposition build."
To me, the frantic efforts to redistrict in red states, the bogus announcement that an executive order can outlaw mail-in ballots, and the general air of panic about the coming elections show Trump's belly, as it were. His election rigging efforts show his fear. Meanwhile, the Epstein issues continue to percolate. The Alaska "summit" was a nonstop display of weakness and servility. The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky that included Trump calling his puppet master Putin in another display of cowering before the great dictator showed us just how far Trump is from his self-portrait in the Art of the Deal. We see him as a charlatan, a liar, and an ignoramus. And of course a felon. Our persistence in opposing his lawless rule will bring him down, beginning with retaking the majority in the House of Representatives. Let's all DO SOMETHING to make that happen.
TAKE ACTION
Defeat Congressman Bryan Steil (Wisconsin Congressional District 1). We're starting early to let Steil's constituents know that he represents billionaires while taking away programs that are vital to his voters! Make phone calls to ensure his voters know that Representatives Steil voted to slash Medicaid funding and money for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) when he approved the Big Ugly Budget Bill (BUBB). In the next few weeks, Congress must hammer out appropriation bills to allocate funding for specific agencies and programs under the BUBB budget framework. So this is the perfect time to revisit the draconian cuts to the social safety net and restore critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP! Sign up.
Help Milwaukee kids start the school year in style! The Democratic Party of Milwaukee County is providing school supplies — backpacks, binders, folders, pens/pencils, and crayons/markers — to children who need them for school this year. The two School Supply Giveaway events in Walkers Point and North Milwaukee were HUGE successes: they "sold out" their inventory in less than an hour! So the Dems are doing it again on Saturday, August 23, with your help.
You can drop off donated items at the Lisbon Ave Office (8405 W Lisbon Ave) from 12-7pm today through Friday and before 12pm on Saturday OR on the porch of 4405 N Marlborough Drive anytime before Saturday. Thank you so much for helping us get these supplies to MPS students in need!
Join the Concerned Citizens at their weekly protest at the corner of Downer and Bradford. They protest every Saturday from 1:00 to 1:30 and would welcome participation from likeminded people such as the supporters of Grassroots North Shore. For more information, contact Susan McAninch.
Write News Boosting postcards for Swing Left. Swing Left's innovative News Boosting postcard program needs your help! There are 311,716 target households across Virginia, and we want to make sure all of them receive 10 postcards with 10 separate news headlines before elections this fall. Sign up now to help — each volunteer will send just one headline and have 3-4 weeks to write their 100+ cards before the assigned mailing date. Swing Left is measuring the effectiveness of this new approach on both turnout and vote choice in a large randomized controlled experiment, which will help inform Democratic strategy. So we're hoping we won't have to reduce the number of headlines that we can send to these key voters. Thanks for all your activism!
Make 5 Calls to the relevant elected officials on the issues that matter to you. The top issues for the Milwaukee area on the 5 Calls site are opposing the nomination of E.J. Antoni for Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, stopping the Trump administration's election Interference, fighting the redistricting power grab, supporting Ukraine, and denouncing Trump's takeover of D.C. and demanding statehood. But there are dozens more issues that might concern you more than these top five ones. Just click on an issue to get a background briefing followed by a short script you can use or modify. If you type your address in the location box at the top, the site will display who to contact together with phone numbers to use.
EVENTS
Wednesday, August 20
Unite and Rise Trainings: Championing Issues that Matter Most to You, 12:30 - 1:30pm CDT
virtual
There is a direct and swift assault on the federal government being enacted by the current administration. The power of the pen via executive orders has been brutalized and it has left voters from Arizona to Pennsylvania in a frenzy. What is the scope of each branch of government and why does understanding these roles matter in the long run?
Join LWVUS staff attorney Thomas Tai, Chelsey R. Cartwright, Democracy Truth Project Manager, and Kaitlyn Dowling, Senior Analyst at the Algorithmic Transparency Institute and Rebecca Goldman, Justice Reform Legislative & Policy Manager (TBD) for a conversation that takes a deep dive into why it’s important that voters understand the purview of the executive branch, judicial branch, and legislative branch of government.
The conversation will hinge on why the distinction between branches of government matters, the history behind the separation of powers, and how expanding your knowledge base of this information can inform and influence your work in your state or local League. Registration required.
WI Fair Maps Coalition Statewide Tour: Waukesha, 6:00 - 8:00pm CDT
Waukesha address when you register
The Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition is on a STATEWIDE TOUR, and we want to hear from YOU!
We may have fair maps now, but they’re only temporary. Without lasting legislation, we risk going back to a system where politicians pick their voters — and ignore the will of the people. When maps are rigged, we don’t get what we want or need: clean air and water, strong public schools, affordable healthcare, and real accountability.
Activists and volunteers with the Fair Maps Coalition have been working on a draft proposal for an Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) over the last several months. Now, we want feedback from the public — including YOU! We hope you will join a Fair Maps Community Hearing near you, but you can also view the proposal and give feedback on our website.
Ozaukee Dems Monthly Meeting, 7:00 - 8:00pm CDT
1245 Cheyenne Ave., #103, Grafton
Join us for our monthly meeting to get the latest updates on our fight to turn Ozaukee County blue and find out how you can help.
Thursday, August 21
Surveillance Technology Training with the ACLU of Wisconsin, 3:30 - 5:00pm CDT
Atkinson Branch Library, 1960 W Atkinson Ave, Milwaukee
The Mass Incarceration Advocacy Program will host the ACLU of Wisconsin for a training on surveillance technologies used in Milwaukee. This training will provide an overview of what Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) is, how it works, and how the Milwaukee Police Department has proposed to trade 2.5 million mug shots for access to this “free” technology. Register.
Wisconsin Conservation Voters - Member Meet-up, 5:30 - 7:00pm CDT
Estabrook Beer Garden, 4600 Estabrook Pkwy, Milwaukee
Join Wisconsin Conservation Voters for a relaxed member meet-up and a chance to celebrate all the hard work you’ve contributed to this movement – and to raise a glass to some huge recent victories, including the more than $700 million investment in clean water!
Waukesha Dems Monthly Meeting, 7:00 - 8:30pm CDT
200 Richard St., Waukesha
Join us for our August monthly meeting. More details to follow.
Friday, August 22
Voces de la Frontera: JOIN US FOR LOTERIA NIGHT!, 5:30 - 8:00pm
Mitchell Park Domes Horticulture Conservatory, 524 S Layton Blvd, Milwaukee
Win prizes, play lotería, bid on amazing prizes donated by local artists makers and creatives. Join the community defense network and more! $10 or Pay or What You Can At The Door. FUNDS RAISED WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE COMMUNITY DEFENSE NETWORK. Buy your ticket(s).
Saturday, August 23
Had Enough? Stand with Us, 11:00am - 12:30pm
Street Demonstration, Brookfield
Demonstrate against Trump and his administration. To register for this event and to learn more, visit the Brookfield Resist website After you sign up, you'll get the location information and other instructions you need.
Brookfield Resist is an unfunded volunteer group of peaceful, law-abiding Brookfield Wisconsin area citizens which believes in non-violent protest and respectful treatment of the American flag. Its mission is to conduct street and overpass demonstrations in or around the City of Brookfield.
WFB Dems Bridge Building Canvass, 12:00 - 3:00pm
Virtual
Join the Whitefish Bay Dems as we build bridges with voters in our neighborhood! We'll be asking voters about the issues that matter most to them, how they feel about how the current administration is handling them, and how we can earn their votes in 2026. Sign up.
Sunday, August 24
August Walk & Talk with Dr. Karen Lemke, 4:30pm
Meet in front of the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center,
1420 N Lincoln Memorial Drive, Milwaukee
The subject is Eco Art. The MCSC is accessible by the Oak Leaf Trail, (Lake Park Loop), the nearest MCTS stops Prospect & Mason (Routes 14&33), Prospect & Brady (30) Wisconsin & Van Buren BRT Station (CN1) and the Hop M Line at Burns Commons. All public transit options have some steeper downhill paths as you approach the lake and require crossing Lincoln Memorial Drive, so attendees with mobility challenges may wish to take advantage of the parking lot right next to the building.
What to expect:
Guests should expect a brief easy walk/roll on paved surfaces with description of the Community Sailing Center programming and the history of the marina. We finish the walk at the We Are Water community art festival at McKinley Beach. Plan to stay through sunset, and consider bringing a folding camp chair for the evening activities.
Tuesday, August 26
Back to School evening with Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
Menomonee Falls Public Library
Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin is meeting with constituents to facilitate a community conversation on the education topics of our times—concerning our students, teachers, and public schools. She'll be providing an update from the Wisconsin State Budget, sharing what she has been hearing from education experts and local superintendents, and going over the K-12 educational landscape here in Wisconsin. We all care deeply about our kids’ education, so please join her in Menomonee Falls!
Healthcare in America: The Reality of Medicaid Cuts and Medical Debt, 6:30 PM -7:30 PM CDT
Virtual
Are you concerned about healthcare in America? Most of us know someone who relies on Medicaid or is struggling under the crushing weight of medical debt. Now, proposed Medicaid cuts threaten to take healthcare from even more people which will force many to face skyrocketing bills or forgo the care they need. We can’t fix our broken healthcare system unless we all speak up and share the real life impact these changes will have on Americans everywhere. Join us for a conversation with Dr. Doug Robinson to understand what’s at stake for our families and our communities and why the fight for an equitable healthcare system should matter to us all. See you there! Register.
Thursday, August 28
RWB Civics Salon: What the Heck Do Federal Departments and Agencies Do? 6:30 - 7:30pm CDT
Virtual
Did you know that the executive branch isn’t just the president with a pen and a podium? It's a sprawling web of departments that keep the country running, from managing natural disasters to inspecting the food your family eats and the air we all breathe. Join us as we break down who does what, why it matters, and how these departments show up in your everyday life. From the Department of Education to the EPA, we’ll connect the dots so you can stop confusing acronyms and start understanding the machinery behind government decisions. See you there! Sign up!
Saturday, August 30
Coffee, Tea & Democracy, 10:00 - 11:00am CDT
1245 Cheyenne Ave., #103, Grafton
Stop by the Dem office on the last Saturday of every month from 10 - 11am 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!
Saturday, September 6
ICE Verifier training, 1:00 - 3:00pm
Voces de la Frontera, 733 W Historic Mitchell St, Milwaukee
Become a community defense network verifier! Verifiers are people who respond to ICE alerts by quickly traveling to the reported locations to confirm or deny ICE activity. *The role requires reliable transportation and some daytime flexibility. Trainings are held at the Voces Milwaukee office (733 W Mitchell St) every first and third Saturday of the month from 1-3pm. Please sign up in advance.
Sunday, September 7
WFB Dems Bridge Building Canvass, 12:00 - 3:00pm
Virtual
Join the Whitefish Bay Dems as we build bridges with voters in our neighborhood! We'll be asking voters about the issues that matter most to them, how they feel about how the current administration is handling them, and how we can earn their votes in 2026. Sign up.
Save the Date
Wednesday, September 10
September Banned Book Club: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM CDT
Virtual
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez is a 2017 National Book Awards finalist about a Mexican-American girl growing up in Chicago, coming to terms with the loss of her sister and navigating the expectations of her family. Sanchez’s book has been banned or challenged in several states including Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, and Texas. Sign up.
Friday, September 12
“A Binding Truth”, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM CDT
United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay, 819 East Silver Spring Drive, Whitefish Bay
“A Binding Truth” is an award-winning documentary film about racial reconciliation. The film focuses on two men, one Black and one white, whose families share a history of slavery as the enslaved and the enslaver. The film explores how they learn the truth and forge a path forward to understanding, reconciliation, and friendship. Following the film, Fessahaye Mebrantu, an expert on racial justice, will provide commentary and insights for achieving racial reconciliation in Milwaukee. A reception will follow.
Sunday, September 14
WHAT HAPPENED TO U(NITED S(TATES)? What We Were & Are. How Did We Get from There to Here and Then to Now?, 4:00 - 5:30pm
Maslowski Park, 2200 W Bender Rd, Milwaukee
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of GRNS with speaker John Nichols. Sign up.
Sunday, September 21
Immigrants in Crisis, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay, 819 East Silver Spring Drive, Whitefish Bay
A panel of immigration experts will discuss who immigrants are, the persecution they are experiencing today and how it is affecting their lives. We want to tell the stories of our immigrants - their hopes and dreams and the displacement and fear they are currently feeling. There will be time for break-out discussions during the event and at the reception following.
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