Door County Small Business Owner to President Trump: “You Left Us on Our Own”

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Today, Opportunity Wisconsin interviewed Dawn Patel, owner of Brilliant Stranger in Egg Harbor, about reopening the Badger State and the challenges of navigating the federal government's economic support during this global pandemic. 

It’s been 89 days since President Trump said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have over 1.7 million cases and nearly 100,000 deaths - more deaths than any other country in the world. President Trump’s chaotic response made this crisis worse, and his failure to act early on has also left 40 million unemployed. It didn’t have to be this way. As new models project U.S. coronavirus deaths doubling in two months due to reopening, President Trump says he will not close the country if there is a second wave outbreak.

When asked what she’d say to President Trump about his leadership and response during the coronavirus pandemic, Patel replied, “I almost want to say ‘thank you’ for showing us what you’re really about, because now we have the opportunity to step outside of our ideas that you are going to be there for us in any way...you left us on our own.”

Instead of working with Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide additional relief for small business owners and the middle class, President Trump is trying to jam through a payroll tax cut, which would give wealthy corporations billions of dollars in tax breaks while a single parent earning $25,000 a year would receive just $500.

“I’m not in a position where I can just make no income for six months. I would lose my business,” said Patel. “A society should always be taking care of those who are in the most dire need...we are the ones who are holding up the economy. We are the ones doing the actual labor.” 

Earlier this month, Opportunity Wisconsin sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the HEROES Act. The letter included a demand for “robust financial assistance for small businesses across the state struggling to make ends meet, in place of the mismanaged Paycheck Protection Program, which has failed to actually deliver relief to small businesses.”

During today’s conversation, Patel expressed frustration with the federal financial assistance process saying at the time she was “not even clear on exactly what I’m even applying for.” 

Last week, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s Senate testimony revealed how President Trump is putting Wall Street and massive corporations ahead of workers, reiterating that the Trump administration wants workers who don’t want to return to work before it’s safe to be punished by losing their unemployment benefits.

“We’ve seen where the priorities lie for our President and his administration from the beginning, but I think it’s become a lot more obvious through [coronavirus],” said Patel. “I look at this virus and this presidency as a pulling back of the veil that we’ve all been living under.”   

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE.  

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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Milwaukee Small Business Owner: President Trump’s Slow Response to COVID-19 Devastated our Business

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Today, as Wisconsinites head into a holiday weekend with a patchwork of local public health orders and directives, Opportunity Wisconsin interviewed two Milwaukee small business owners about reopening the Badger State and the challenges of navigating the federal government's economic support during this global pandemic. 

It’s been 85 days since President Donald Trump said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have 1,620,000 cases and 96,000 deaths - more deaths than any other country in the world. President Trump’s chaotic response made this crisis worse, and his failure to act early on has also left 40 million unemployed. It didn’t have to be this way. As new models project U.S. coronavirus deaths doubling in two months due to reopening, President Trump says he will not close the country if there is a second wave outbreak.

“The slow response by President Trump to COVID-19 devastated our business,” said Melissa Buchholz, PRAWN executive director, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member, and Odd Duck owner. “It forced us into the role of public health official. If the people who have all of the information, all of the warnings, and all of the tools don’t share those it’s pretty hard to be left to make these decisions for yourself, for your livelihood, for your employees and for your guests.”     

When asked what she’d say to President Trump about his leadership and response during the coronavirus pandemic, Buchholz replied, “We’re working really hard out here. I don’t know how you can ignore so many of us. We’re looking to you for guidance, calm, and stabilization during this time, because that’s what presidents are for.” 

Instead of working with Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide additional relief for small business owners and the middle class, President Trump is trying to jam through a payroll tax cut, which would give wealthy corporations billions of dollars in tax breaks while a single parent earning $25,000 a year would receive just $500.

“Small businesses are the engine of our economy. I understand that large corporations are having difficulties too, but a payroll tax cut isn’t going to address any of our issues as small business owners. It’s not going to help our employees,” said Cameron Roberts, co-owner of LuLu Cafe. “It’s a flagrant insult to working families, the middle class, and people struggling. There’s all this lip service, ‘I’m for working families,’ but everyday you turn around and there’s another obstacle put in their path.”

Last week, Opportunity Wisconsin sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the HEROES Act. The letter included a demand for “robust financial assistance for small businesses across the state struggling to make ends meet, in place of the mismanaged Paycheck Protection Program, which has failed to actually deliver relief to small businesses.”

During today’s conversation, both Buchholz and Roberts expressed frustration with the PPP application and implementation process, with Roberts saying, “Even our banks didn’t know how to navigate it.”

On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s Senate testimony revealed how President Trump is putting Wall Street and massive corporations ahead of workers, reiterating that the Trump administration wants workers who don’t want to return to work before it’s safe to be punished by losing their unemployment benefits.

“There’s a lack of consideration being given to the costs to go to work, such as single-parent families who don’t have childcare because grandma is in a high-risk category,” said Roberts. “It’s so frustrating because it seems like our government refuses to recognize the struggles of actual working people.”    

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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Opportunity Wisconsin Statement on State Supreme Court Ruling

MADISON, Wis. — Today, Opportunity Wisconsin released the following statement after the Wisconsin State Supreme Court struck down the “Safer at Home” order. Cheering the decision, President Trump tweeted, “The people want to get on with their lives.”

“President Trump’s failure to lead has left the Badger State without a plan or the necessary resources to combat coronavirus,” said Melissa Bucholz, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member, Owner/Manager at Odd Duck & Little Duck Kitchen, and Executive DIrector of PRAWN. “It’s been 77 days since he said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have over 1.4 million cases and 85,000 deaths nationwide, including over 420 of our friends and neighbors here in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the ruling from Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court nearly guarantees that number will continue to rise. It didn’t have to be this way.”      

Earlier this week, Opportunity Wisconsin interviewed Angelina Wyatt, RN, a Milwaukee nurse on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. 

When asked what message she would send to President Trump, Wyatt replied, “There’s no plan, cure, or vaccine. Healthcare workers are dying because we don’t have the proper PPE. If you don’t have a medical background, please listen to the people who do.”   

President Trump refuses to listen to experts as he pushes dangerous fake science, including a claim that coronavirus will just magically disappear “with or without a vaccine.” Not only is this making the crisis worse, President Trump’s bad medical advice could endanger Wisconsinites, who want to see more progress before they return back to normal life.

Read more about the conversation with Angelina here.

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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Milwaukee Nurse to President Trump: “There’s no plan, cure, or vaccine.”

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Today, as National Nurses Week comes to a close, Opportunity Wisconsin interviewed Angelina Wyatt, RN, a Milwaukee nurse on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. The conversation underscored the growing concern from healthcare workers across Wisconsin and the United States that President Trump’s administration is failing to lead during this crisis. 

It’s been 75 days since President Trump said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have over 1.3 million cases and over 81,000 deaths - more deaths than any other country in the world.

When asked what message she would send to President Trump, Wyatt replied, “There’s no plan, cure, or vaccine. Healthcare workers are dying because we don’t have the proper PPE. If you don’t have a medical background, please listen to the people who do.”   

President Trump refuses to listen to experts as he pushes dangerous fake science, including a claim that coronavirus will just magically disappear “with or without a vaccine.” Not only is this making the crisis worse, President Trump’s bad medical advice could endanger Wisconsinites, who want to see more progress before they return back to normal life.

“I would not consider myself a hero, because this is what I do. This is my job. This is what I signed up for,” said Wyatt. “However, not having the proper protection is like being thrown out into a slaughterhouse. We need PPE to be able to do our job efficiently and effectively.”  

President Trump has not utilized the federal government’s entire authority under the Defense Production Act, leaving many essential workers, like Angelina, without the necessary PPE.

“Without the right equipment, we risk infecting others. It’s tough knowing the very thing you signed up for - to help people - is potentially harming them. For you to have that on your conscience everyday does something to you psychologically,” said Wyatt. “The administration needs to enforce the [Defense Production] Act and produce more equipment for our frontline workers.” 

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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Opportunity Wisconsin Demands Support for Working Wisconsinites in Next Stimulus Bill

Letter to Congressional leaders includes specific demands aimed at providing immediate relief during the coronavirus pandemic 

READ THE FULL LETTER HERE.

MADISON, Wis. — Today, members of the Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee sent a letter to Congressional leaders, demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the next coronavirus relief package.

“We are a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. As farmers, small business owners, social workers, local officials, community organizers, restaurant owners, educators, and tradespeople, we are focused on elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Donald Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off,” the steering committee members wrote in their letter. “As you consider additional legislation to provide economic relief to Americans during this crisis, Opportunity Wisconsin insists you focus more on measures to immediately support middle-and working-class folks, not just the wealthy few.”

The demands laid out in the letter include:

• Hazard pay for all essential workers continuing to serve Wisconsin’s communities.

• Ongoing direct cash transfers to safeguard Wisconsinites against the volatile economy.

• Robust financial assistance for small businesses across the state struggling to make ends meet, in place of the mismanaged Paycheck Protection Program, which has failed to actually deliver relief to small businesses.

• Funding for hospitals, community health centers, ventilators, tests, and personal protective equipment.

• Robust funding for childcare so essential workers in Wisconsin can access quality, affordable childcare.

• Prohibition of foreclosures and evictions for Wisconsinites struggling to make payments.

• Refusal to shield corporations from legal liability for their workers' and customers' health.

• Funding for state and local governments to ensure firefighters, local public health professionals, and other essential publicly-funded workers are paid.

• Protections for Wisconsin’s small businesses against private equity firms buying up and gutting our communities’ long-standing businesses.  

Learn more about the Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee here. 

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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Opportunity Wisconsin Unveils New Layoff Tracker

New website will aggregate data from public sources to provide Wisconsinites with dynamic visualizations of current job trends in the Badger State

MADISON, Wis. — Today, as the U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7 percent, Opportunity Wisconsin unveiled a new website that will share updated and aggregated job data from across the state. The website includes data visualizations on total layoffs during the coronavirus pandemic, layoffs over time by company, layoffs broken down by notice type, companies with the highest number of total layoffs, and several others.

“Our friends and neighbors are facing historic and devastating levels of unemployment,” said Reba Krueger, Opportunity Wisconsin Regional Leader. “As we continue to elevate the stories of those being impacted by President Trump’s destructive policies, this website paints a very clear picture of who is being hit the hardest.”   

The monthly job numbers released today do not even fully account for the damage that has been done to workers, small businesses, and the overall economy. Meanwhile, President Trump is laser-focused on “opening the economy” to help the wealthy and well-connected, no matter how many workers and families pay the price. 

This will be devastating for Wisconsin workers who will be forced to choose between their jobs and their health - not unlike what we’re already seeing in places like Brown County. 

“This president gave meatpacking conglomerates legal carte blanche in the middle of a pandemic and it's reprehensible and indefensible. It’s reckless and it’s dangerous and it speaks to this president’s complete and total inability to relate to or care about regular people here in Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin and across the United States,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich in a recent Opportunity Wisconsin press call. “It's offensive to those who are on the frontlines in this community - in our health systems, in our meatpacking plants, in our grocery stores - all across this community providing incredibly essential services. We are asking to have a president and administration that recognizes the gravity of this threat in Green Bay and in Wisconsin and responds appropriately.”   

President Trump’s actions will also have a disproportionate impact on Black workers who are more likely to be in service industry jobs and already suffering from the impact of coronavirus at greater rates. “

There's no going back to normal,” said Angelina Wyatt, RN, a frontline nurse at a Milwaukee mental health facility. “We have to hold these corporations accountable...to make sure they are meeting the needs of the communities that they serve. As long as we have these racial disparities we’re going to continue to see black and brown communities infected at a higher rate.” 

Now, more than ever, it should be clear that policymakers should focus on working Wisconsinites and reject President Trump’s attempts to placate Wall Street and give big corporations more handouts.

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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Former OSHA Official: Without Safety Precautions, More Wisconsin Workers Will Die

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD AUDIO OF PRESS CALL HERE. 

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Today, Opportunity Wisconsin and Protect Our Care Wisconsin hosted a press call with Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich and local meatpacking workers to discuss the COVID-19 outbreak in Brown County and its links to area businesses. Opportunity Wisconsin and Protect Our Care were also joined on the call by Deborah Berkowitz, a former senior policy advisor at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump ordered meat processing plants to remain open, despite hundreds of COVID-19 cases being linked to these types of facilities across Wisconsin. 

“This president gave meatpacking conglomerates legal carte blanche in the middle of a pandemic and it's reprehensible and indefensible. It’s reckless and it’s dangerous and it speaks to this president’s complete and total inability to relate to or care about regular people here in Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin and across the United States,” said Mayor Genrich. “It's offensive to those who are on the frontlines in this community - in our health systems, in our meatpacking plants, in our grocery stores - all across this community providing incredibly essential services. We are asking to have a president and administration that recognizes the gravity of this threat in Green Bay and in Wisconsin and responds appropriately.”  

“The president issued an Executive Order where he created a false choice. He said there's a choice between keeping workers safe and alive and feeding America. But we can do both,” said Berkowitz. “This outbreak in meatpacking was not inevitable. It was because of a decision by all big meat companies to not implement basic guidance that the CDC issued back in March to keep everyone six feet apart and prevent the spread of COVID-19...The companies will continue to prioritize production and profits over worker safety until they are required to implement safe provisions.” 

Many of these same meatpacking facilities have a long track record of repeatedly putting their workers at risk. With this order, President Trump is giving big corporations a shield from any liability, even after they caused significant COVID-19 outbreaks in the Green Bay area and across Wisconsin. To make matters worse, the Trump administration will not be requiring meat processing facilities to follow basic safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

“The Executive Order does not require or give authority to force plants to stay open. If the companies open up it's because they are deciding to open. If they open up without safety precautions more workers will get sick and more workers will die...The administration has completely failed and abdicated their responsibility to assure that all workers have a safe workplace,” said Berkowitz. 

“Workers need to believe that President Trump has their backs, not corporations’,” said Mark Westphal, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member and President of the Fox Valley Area Labor Council. “The Defense Production Act has put workers in a really terrible situation. They are being forced to choose between their livelihood and their lives. The president has sided completely with corporate CEOs on this one and has pretty much told workers, ‘Hey you are on your own.’” 

Raquel Sanchez Alvarado has been with Green Bay’s American Foods Group for a year and a half. Almost a month ago she came down with a bad cough, but kept going to work. A week later she tested positive for COVID-19. 

“These companies must take responsibility for their workers to be safe. Some people who are positive are still going back to work, and people aren't getting tested who might be positive,” said Alvarado. “They need to do more testing. We are human beings and we deserve the same treatment as the people above us.” 

Filiberto Reyes-Martinez works at the same plant and was recently suspended from work for speaking up on behalf of his coworkers and speaking out about the unsafe working conditions. 

Speaking through Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, Reyes-Martinez said, “As workers, it's important that we raise our voice and that we have our rights respected. To ask for personal protective equipment is nothing small - this is a way to avoid death….What happened to me is a great injustice for simply asking for PPE, because there are people who are dying. It's extremely important that companies provide equipment and safety for workers.”   

According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, health officials have traced at least 189 positive cases of the virus to the JBS Packerland Plant, located in Brown County. As of April 24, “Brown County now has by far the highest rate of tests coming back positive for COVID-19 among Wisconsin’s 72 counties.” On Sunday, April 26, JBS USA Holdings, Inc. announced the temporary closure of their Green Bay facility. The outbreak is now being investigated by OSHA.  “

There's very few OSHA inspectors around,” said Westphal. “It would take almost 90 years for the OSHA inspectors in Wisconsin to inspect every facility. The only way they come to a plant is if there's proof and a complaint has been filed. The only way there will be protection is through strong community support and local officials.”  

This latest move from President Trump is not surprising. Over the course of his time in office, President Trump has continuously prioritized big corporations like JBS USA, over the Wisconsin workers that make these corporations run, including: 

• Rolling back regulations protecting meat-industry workers.

• Giving JBS USA $67 million in bailout funds meant for farmers struggling in the wake of his trade war.

• Allowing multinational corporations to benefit from changes to the international tax system that will cost American taxpayers $14 billion. JBS USA also benefited from the reduction in the domestic corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD AUDIO OF PRESS CALL HERE. 

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

About Protect Our Care
Protect Our Care is leading the fight against efforts to repeal and sabotage the Affordable Care Act while promoting access to quality, affordable coverage for all Americans.

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Wisconsin Parents Speak Out about the Destructive Impact of COVID-19 and President Trump’s Economic Policies

“You think it's okay, but every time the phone rings, you just hope it's not someone else who died.” 

“As a health care worker, the most frustrating thing is that nobody is listening to us.” 

WATCH/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — On Wednesday evening, Opportunity Wisconsin and 9to5 Wisconsin hosted a group of middle- and working-class parents from all across Wisconsin for a virtual roundtable to discuss the challenges they are facing during the coronavirus pandemic and how the Trump administration’s economic policies haven't worked for their families or communities.

“It's 24/7. You have a 4-year-old yelling at you, and you can’t take a break. You can’t take them to a grandparent’s or relative’s. It’s a weird way to live right now,” said Jyllian Grady, a single mom and service industry worker from Eau Claire. “I have to pay for rent and daycare, but unemployment and the stimulus payment does not cover a whole month and I have no income. I don't want to lose the spot for my son's daycare, but I have so many other things that I have to pay for and I can’t cover all of it.”

President Trump has prioritized the interests of the rich and powerful while in office. His tax cuts for the rich and corporations increased inequality and undermined broad-based prosperity. His Wall-Street friendly rules have encouraged corporations to take on destabilizing debt. And he’s refused to invest in public protections like health care and disease prevention. Now we’re seeing the results.

“I’ve now had seven family members, including my sister, who have had COVID-19. You think it's okay, but every time the phone rings you just hope it's not someone else who died,” said Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, a professor and Eau Claire resident. 

“People are one paycheck away from not having anything. We knew this was going to happen. This isn’t a shocker to anybody who works in health care. Nobody listened to us. As a health care worker the most frustrating thing is that nobody is listening to us,” said Sara Thielen, RN, of Eau Claire. 

Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act championed by President Trump and his allies, 1 in 4 Wisconsinites will ultimately see a tax increase. By 2027, Wisconsinites with the lowest incomes are expected to pay more in taxes because of the 2017 tax law, while the wealthiest 1 percent of residents will receive nearly $8,000 in savings. 

“The minimum wage really hasn’t changed in a long time. When we look at how people have been prepared, most people aren’t because they’re living paycheck to paycheck. Unless trickle-down economics have worked for you, you don’t have a massive savings account to be able to sustain when things like this happen,” said Kim Cronk, RN, Eau Claire County Board Supervisor, and single mom. “When we see these massive corporations that are giving this (Paycheck Protection Program) money back - the money wasn’t meant for them in the first place.”

“It's the small businesses that are really providing most of the jobs, said Dr. Ducksworth-Lawton.“It feels like a system that is just created to mess with people. It doesn't listen to the people and it gives money to the wrong people. We need to give money to small businesses.”

Wages have been stagnant in Wisconsin for decades — adjusted for inflation, the median wage in Wisconsin has only risen 73 cents since 1979. Instead of giving hard-working Wisconsinites a boost, President Trump blocked a federal minimum wage increase, a move that denied more than 800,000 Badger State residents a pay increase and resulted in $3 billion in lost wages. 

Many of these same workers are now facing sky-high debts and are being forced to decide between daily necessities like food and medicine just to survive. In 2017, 22 percent of Wisconsin residents stopped taking the prescription drugs they need because the costs were too high.

“Most people are just trying to play catch up and are still not caught up. If they reopen the country before it is ready and the economy is already crashing, I can see more alcoholism, crime, and suicide - and mom and pop places are closing  and they cant rebound,” said Nancy Yarbrough, a nonprofit executive in Milwaukee.  

Gina Monroe, a public school teacher and small business owner from Bayfield, echoed these sentiments, “Nancy, hearing you say that - you being down in Milwaukee and me being up here in rural Wisconsin - it really resonates, because it’s exactly the same. We’re on two different ends of the state, but it’s exactly the same...We now have kids going to school virtually. That doesn’t mean that parents have had any of their other stressors subside. Now they have financial stress and stress about whether their kids are going to be on track.“

In the midst of a pandemic and economic crisis, President Trump slashed the safety net and tightened food stamp requirements, putting 700,000 people at risk of losing food support. He has proposed massive cuts to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, making it harder for Wisconisn’s poor and elderly to get necessary health care.

“The most important thing a nation does is take care of its people, everything else is secondary,” said Dr. Ducksworth-Lawton. “We need to think as a people about how we return more of our power to the local and think of how we get these people to listen to us. Right now, it doesn't feel like anybody is listening to people at the bottom.”

“We ask ourselves as a nation, as a community, as a people - how do we emerge a more equitable and just society? But we have a leader who has no concept of national interest apart from personal interest...How do we emerge a more equitable society, because that certainly wasn't the case before COVID-19,” said Monroe. 

WATCH/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

About 9to5 Wisconsin
9to5 Wisconsin  is a statewide, membership-based organization on the frontlines working for economic security for all women — particularly women of color. 9to5 Wisconsin is dedicated to putting working women’s issues on the public agenda and centering the voices of those directly impacted in policy solutions. Current campaigns include advocating for a paid leave program for all Wisconsinites, voter registration outreach and civic engagement work. Stay connected by visiting us online at our website, or visiting our Facebook page.

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