Citizen Action Northwest Organizing Cooperative

06/11/2026

Following the Tick Report, Robert updates us on Trump’s pattern in Iran of threatening escalation and then pulling back.

Wisconsin unveiled its new procedures for dealing with BadgerCare work requirements in the Big Ugly Bill. But the Trump/Kennedy HHS’s last minute changes to the final rule makes it much worse than the language of the bill, risking coverage for people with serious conditions such as life threatening cancer. With health care at risk for hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites, including people too frail to work, is Wisconsin prepared? We revisit the last minute budget gimmick engineered by the big hospital lobby, Evers, and Vos but disallowed by the Trump Regime.

Listen now >> https://soundcloud.com/citizen-action-of-wi/bg744

We dive into a new Brookings Report finding 45.5% of U.S. households did not earn enough to make ends meet. The report concludes that moving the needle on affordability requires action on both sides of the equation: lowering costs of living and dramatically increasing household incomes. We preview 4 newly scheduled $20 Wage Town Halls in Fond du Lac, Madison, and two in the Milwaukee.

We close with an in-depth interview with Bryan Rogers, the environmental justice director at Milwaukee’s Walnut Way. Bryan, who is a regular podcast listener, tells us more about Walnut Way and discusses why they are co-hosting a governor candidate forum on Saturday, June 27th, 10am at North Division High School. Bryan explains why their members are so deeply involved in fighting climate change and higher utility costs that fall disproportionately on predominantly Black neighborhoods in Milwaukee.

Listen to the show >> https://soundcloud.com/citizen-action-of-wi/bg744

Following the Tick Report, Robert updates us on Trump's pattern in Iran of threatening escalation and then pulling back. Wisconsin unveiled its new procedures for dealing with BadgerCare work requi

06/05/2026

Join us TOMORROW, Saturday, June 6th, 10am.

This annual meeting is taking place virtually. Once you sign up, you’ll receive a confirmation email. You will receive the Zoom link via email tomorrow morning.

RSVP now >> https://secure.ngpvan.com/9RBNTPwj9kWcJr_wuixKyw2

06/04/2026

Welcome to June, it’s Pride Month!

We encourage our listeners to RSVP to Citizen Action’s Annual Meeting this Saturday, at 10am.

Robert gives us the latest tick report amid national concern about tick-borne illnesses. Spurred by global warming, tick activity continues to surge in Wisconsin while the national media descends on Martha Vineyard as the island is beset by ticks, and victims are forced to avoid red meat.

Listen now >> https://soundcloud.com/citizen-action-of-wi/bg743

Trump visits Western Wisconsin, the home of Wisconsin’s pivotal Congressional District 3. Is he an anchor on embattled MAGA incumbent Derrick Van Orden and other Republicans on the ballot or does Trump know how to generate a massive turnout of MAGA voters?

We dive into a critically important Wisconsin Health Assessment, a periodic report mandated by the State Legislature.Rarely do such radical findings come from an official state government report. This year’s report finds that a stunning 1 in 10 Wisconsinites skipped needed health care due to cost. The report also contains shocking revelations on low wages, the growing unaffordability of housing, massive under investment in public education (especially in low income BIPOC majority schools), and a chronic under investment in public health. Will the next legislature act on this searing indictment of status quo policies or kick the can down the road?

Milwaukee Area Service & Hospitality Workers Organization president Peter Rickman joins us to discuss the state health assessment, building worker power, and to update us on newly scheduled $20 Wage Town Halls in Fond du Lac, Madison, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and more locations.

We close with news that Boss Vos vows to try again on the failed surplus budget deal. With Governor Evers continuing to complain about the failure of the first effort, will they get another kick at the cat?

Listen now >> https://soundcloud.com/citizen-action-of-wi/bg743

06/03/2026

Citizen Action's executive director, Robert Kraig, appears on 1410 WIZM - La Crosse's News Station Rick Solem Show to discuss: Trump’s $1.778 billion “slush fund”, the $1 billion in taxpayer dollars for a ballroom, The Iran war and prices, and more.

We honed in on a couple of President Donald Trump’s pet projects and rehashed the state’s failed budget surplus deal Tuesday on the Rick Solem Show with Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s Robert Kraig. Listen live weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Find the pod on Spotify, Apple Podcast or here. Tune in on ...

05/29/2026

Read the latest Citizen Action Weekend '26 Newsletter. We have news on our Annual Member meeting next Saturday, Statewide Healthcare Action Team meeting next Tuesday, Statewide Climate Action Team meeting on June 11th, and more.

Read now https://citizenactionwi.org/2026/05/29/weekend26may29/

05/22/2026

Annual member meeting sign up, healthcare actions and more!

Read the Memorial Day Weekend '26 Newsletter >> https://citizenactionwi.org/2026/05/22/weekend26memorialday/

Have a great holiday weekend!

05/22/2026

Citizen Action's Northwest WI Organizing Co-op was a partner on a protest in Eau Claire, led by Chippewa Valley Indivisible and other partners, aimed at holding Rep. Derrick Van Orden and Rep. Tom Tiffany accountable for their votes last summer to cut Medicaid and Medicare.

Citizen Action member Mary Canales, says "Hands Off Medicaid" at Eau Claire rally.

Join our healthcare organizing, contact: [email protected]

05/22/2026

This Memorial Weekend we open with Robert’s tick report, which finds the nation experiencing a surge in tick bites and news that half of deer ticks tested in Sconie carry Lyme disease.

After touching on the spectacular crash and burn of the Evers/Vos budget surplus debacle, we dig in with State Rep. Christian Phelps, one of the most knowledgeable lawmakers on public education funding. We discuss what he sees as the necessary funding for public schools in the 2027-28 state budget to start fixing the damage done by nearly two decades of under-investment.

We debrief the GOP State convention where the party got 100% behind election denier Tom Tiffany and decided it was smart to attack the successful and prosperous state of Minnesota. And more data center backlash, as Milwaukee Common Council votes to ban large data centers and regulate smaller ones, and Wrightsville residents fight potential data centers in their village.

Listen now >> https://soundcloud.com/citizen-action-of-wi/bg741

05/21/2026

Thanks for leading Rep. Christian Phelps and Senator Jeff Smith and voting against last week's terrible budget deal that would have damaged Wisconsin's future.

"A failed deal on tax relief and school funding would have left Wisconsin in the red by billions of dollars, according to a memo released Wednesday by the Legislature’s nonpartisan budget office...

According to an analysis prepared by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, that proposal, combined with preexisting expenditures from the state budget and legislation passed over the last year-and-a-half, would have caused the state to spend an additional $3.5 billion over four years.

The analysis found — assuming no other changes in revenue or spending — that would leave the state with a $2.95 billion deficit...

In a statement to WisPolitics, Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, whose caucus sunk the deal, said the Fiscal Bureau’s analysis justifies her members’ concerns."

A failed deal on tax relief and school funding would have left Wisconsin in the red by billions of dollars, according to a memo released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

05/14/2026

Vernon County Board Supervisor Nathaniel Slack shared his personal journey of navigating a devastating health emergency while raising two young boys. Diagnosed with cancer last June, he learned four months later that the disease had metastasized, leaving chemotherapy as his only viable path forward. The grueling treatment consumed his entire winter and forced his family to rely heavily on the generosity of their neighbors.

“I spent my winter in the chemotherapy chair,” said Slack. “What I really learned during that time period was just how desperate our community is to help each other.”

Slack explained that the sheer volume of people offering childcare, meals and financial assistance was overwhelming, to the point where his family had to turn some help away. He views the proposed legislation as a structural extension of that same community goodwill, providing a reliable safety net for everyone.

“This bill really provides an opportunity for the folks of Vernon County and the State of Wisconsin to help each other,” said Slack. “It allows us to help our neighbors and to work with our best foot forward in providing this care.”

Photo by: Tim Hundt
Read the full Vernon Reporter article >> https://tinyurl.com/BCPOCashtonWI
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A BadgerCare Public Option. Less cost. More neighbors covered.
Take Action, urge your state legislators to support the bill >> https://tinyurl.com/BadgerCarePublicOptionNow

Learn more about the bill >> https://citizenactionwi.org/badgercare-public-option/

Find out how you can get involved and expand affordable healthcare to tens of thousands of Wisconsinites, contact: [email protected]