One Year Since the House voted to give workers a raise, but President Trump Stopped Them

NEENAH, Wis. — Tomorrow marks one year since the House of Representatives passed the Raise the Wage Act, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour. As the legislation moved through Congress, President Trump swore to veto it should it reach his desk, essentially blocking a much-needed raise for more than 800,000 Wisconsin workers. 

Because of policy choices like this, workers in the Badger State were struggling to make ends meet even before the pandemic. Now, not only are more than 800,000 Wisconsinites dealing with $3 billion in lost wages, they are facing unprecedented unemployment, sickness, and even greater financial uncertainty.  

“When President Trump blocked the Raise the Wage Act last year, he irreparably hurt working Wisconsinites — whose median wage, when adjusted for inflation, has remained nearly stagnant for the last forty years. The current median wage of Wisconsin's workers is only 73 cents higher than it was in 1979. People could have been earning wages that actually cover expenses and leave room to save. That would have meant a world of difference for millions of us during this pandemic,” said Mark Westphal, Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee Member and President of the Fox Valley Area Labor Council. Instead, we’re struggling to make ends meet and living paycheck to paycheck if we are lucky enough to still have jobs. The president owes working class folks in Wisconsin a check for stifling our wage increases over this past year.”

Earlier this month, Opportunity Wisconsin released a countdown clock highlighting the impending pandemic pay cut that nearly 700,000 unemployed Wisconsin workers will face should President Trump fail to extend vital economic relief. As of today, the president has still vowed to block an extension. When the relief expires July 31, nearly 700,000 Wisconites will get a $2,400 pay cut per month during a pandemic. 

# # #

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.

Opportunity Wisconsin Unveils Countdown Clock to Highlight Impending Pandemic Pay Cut for Wisconsin Workers

Badger State residents are encouraged to email President Trump and demand action as vital aid is set to expire

MADISON, Wis. — As Wisconsin sees a surge in COVID-19 cases, indicating the crisis is far from over, Opportunity Wisconsin has unveiled a countdown clock highlighting the impending pandemic pay cut Wisconsin workers will soon face if President Trump fails to act to extend vital economic aid.

The CARES Act, which was signed into law on March 27, 2020, created several provisions to combat the economic burdens caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Many of these vital provisions are set to expire in late July 2020, and President Trump has threatened to block their extension, leaving many unsure of how they’ll make ends meet come August. 

“Right now, Wisconsinites are facing unprecedented unemployment, wage loss, sickness, and incredible financial uncertainty,” said Mark Westphal, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member and President of the Fox Valley Area Labor Council. “Now is not the time to let these economic relief measures expire. Wisconsinites can’t take another pay cut during this pandemic.”

It’s been 126 days since President Trump said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have 2.7 million cases and more than 130,000 deaths. Statewide, nearly 1 in 7 Wisconsin adults have filed for unemployment, more than 25,000 people are battling coronavirus, and at least 750 people have lost their battle to the disease.

This is what’s at stake if President Trump and Wisconsin’s Republicans let this vital aid expire: 

• Expiration of supplemental unemployment benefits

  • On July 31, 2020 an estimated 676,449 Wisconsinites will stop receiving supplemental unemployment benefits of $600 a week. For most Wisconsinites, that’s a $2,400 pay cut per month. 

• Moratorium on eviction for properties receiving federal aid expires

  • On July 25, the moratorium on evictions for properties receiving federal assistance is set to expire. An estimated 131,400 Wisconsinites are at risk of losing their homes. 

• Deferment of federal student loan payments will cease

  • On September 30, 2020, student loan borrowers will no longer be able to defer payments even if they’ve lost their income due to COVID-19. That means that 64% of Wisconsin's collegiate graduating class of 2018 will be forced further into debt.

This shouldn’t be a difficult decision for the president to make. Emergency benefits shouldn’t end until the emergency does. 75% of Americans agree and think Congress should extend emergency unemployment benefits. President Trump and his allies claim that they want to cut people’s unemployment benefits to force them back to work – but not only is that obscene during a pandemic, it also wouldn’t work. A recent study shows no evidence that cutting people’s benefits pushes them to go back on the job any sooner. It just hurts them, their families, and the overall economy.

Opportunity Wisconsin is calling on Badger State residents to take action in two ways:

1. Contact the White House: Email President Trump and demand that he extend the supplemental unemployment benefits that hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites need right now to survive.

2. Share Your Story: If you have been receiving supplemental unemployment benefits, what’s at stake if that aid stops arriving? Have you received any aid? How would you feel if the program expires before you get any aid?

President Trump is acting like the economic crisis is over now that Wall Street and big business got their bailouts, but if we let Wisconsin workers and families fall through the cracks, this economic recession will be far longer and deeper than it needs to be.

# # #

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.

Rep. Ron Kind: President’s Trade War is Hitting Wisconsin Farmers the Hardest

Virtual conversation highlights impact of President Trump’s economic policies on Wisconsin’s agriculture industry 

WATCH/DOWNLOAD FULL CONVERSATION HERE

LA CROSSE, Wis. — As Wisconsin closes out June Dairy Month, tonight Opportunity Wisconsin hosted a virtual conversation with U.S. Representative Ron Kind and agriculture leaders from around the state to talk about the challenges facing Wisconsin’s farmers and producers during the COVID-19 crisis, how President Trump's economic agenda has exacerbated the challenges, and what is needed from the federal government to move the industry forward, save Wisconsin farms, and protect our status as America’s Dairyland.

“It’s an all-hands-on-deck moment right now for us Wisconsinites to do everything we can to support our family farmers” said Rep. Kind. “Today we have record [farm] bankruptcies in Wisconsin for the third year in a row and the coronavirus hasn’t helped…[We need to] open up export markets again, but because of the president’s trade war it’s typically our farmers and our manufacturers in Wisconsin who are hardest hit from these trade wars.”  

Since January, more than 300 Wisconsin dairy farms have shuttered, including 90 farms in May alone. There’s no denying that rising costs, low milk prices, and operational inefficiencies have all contributed to this statewide decline for years. However, since the very beginning of his administration, President Trump’s economic policies have only exacerbated the problem by pitting family farmers against corporate special interests, and leaving farmers in a worse position to face a crisis of this magnitude. Since taking office, we’ve seen this administration pick winners and losers — and the losers have consistently been working Wisconsinites. 

“We are hollowing out our communities and the dairy industry that has been so important to Wisconsin and to creating a strong economy,” said Sarah Lloyd, Nelson dairy farm and Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative director of development. “We may have reached a tipping point in the number of farms lost. We are all connected and we are losing that.”

In July 2019 while visiting Wisconsin, President Trump said farmers were “over the hump” when referring to the undeniable ruin our state’s agriculture industry has seen in recent years. 

“This isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life and it’s built into our DNA in Wisconsin,” said Rep. Kind. “The checks aren’t going to family farms, they’re going to Wall Street and private equity and hedge fund firms. Washington has very powerful special interests that know how to protect these big firms.”

A few months after President Trump’s comments, his Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, made headlines during a visit to The World Dairy Expo in Madison where he defended these big firms, saying, “In America the big get bigger and the small go out.” 

At this same event, Paul Adams had the opportunity to question Secretary Perdue about the administration’s lack of enforcement or accountability in farming. He outlined how family farms like his were feeling squeezed by the administration’s policies, and about his worry for the future of our state’s long-held farming traditions. 

“[His comments] set the stage for knowing where you are in the dairy industry,” said Adams, Adams Dairy owner and Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member. “We have to make a living somehow. Bigger farms aren’t going to get taxed with bigger income. The dollars are there because our government is saying the rich get rich and the poor get poorer.”

President Trump is acting like the economic crisis is over now that Wall Street and big business got their bailouts, but if we continue to let Wisconsin workers, including family farmers, fall through the cracks, this economic recession will be far longer and deeper than it needs to be.

“There's been no discernable plan at all,” said Anna Landmark, Landmark Creamery co-owner and Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member. “Our products are going to places that still have high infection rates and so if there are no safe plans for reopening, there will be no profit to come from that.”

WATCH/DOWNLOAD 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.

Opportunity Wisconsin Releases New TV Ad Ahead of Trump Visit to Green Bay

Television ad will run on Fox News during televised town hall with President Trump

Opportunity Wisconsin also releases petition calling for Fox News to hold president accountable for his failed leadership that has led to economic and public health devastation in Wisconsin

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Today, as President Trump makes his first visit to Wisconsin since the beginning of the pandemic, Opportunity Wisconsin released its first television ad aimed at bringing attention to one of the biggest concerns facing Badger State residents: how to get back to work without risking their lives. The ad will run online and tonight on Fox News during the cable network’s town hall with President Trump in Green Bay.  

The 30-second ad features Green Bay resident and former JBS meat processing plant worker, Jarrett Brown. In the ad, Brown shares that President Trump’s April 29th executive order compelling meat packing plants, like JBS Packerland, to reopen put the lives of frontline workers like him at risk. 

WATCH THE FULL OPPORTUNITY WISCONSIN AD HERE. 

“People are afraid to come into work at these plants,” says Brown in the ad. “If President Trump cares about frontline workers, why are we forced to put our lives at risk while big corporations get richer?” 

Last month, Opportunity Wisconsin held a virtual event with Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich and a former OSHA official to bring attention to the damage President Trump’s order inflicted on the state’s meatpacking workers and facilities, which had already been linked to hundreds of COVID-19 cases. 

“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 during the May 2nd virtual event. 

In addition to the ad, today Opportunity Wisconsin also unveiled a petition directed at Fox News, demanding they hold the president accountable during today’s town hall and ask him about his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The petition, authored by members of the Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee and signed by residents from across the state, begins, “Right now, Wisconsinites are facing unprecedented unemployment, wage loss, sickness, and uncertainty. Statewide, nearly 1 in 7 Wisconsin adults have filed for unemployment, 25,331 people are battling coronavirus, 750 people have lost their battle to coronavirus, and countless more of us are clinging to today, unsure of what tomorrow will bring.”

Full text of the Opportunity Wisconsin petition released today:

Right now, Wisconsinites are facing unprecedented unemployment, wage loss, sickness, and uncertainty. Statewide, nearly 1 in 7 Wisconsin adults have filed for unemployment, 25,331 people are battling coronavirus, 750 people have lost their battle to coronavirus, and countless more of us are clinging to today, unsure of what tomorrow will bring.

Meanwhile, President Trump is holding indoor rallies, bailing out corporations, and attempting to roll back crucial public health measures like coronavirus testing. Wisconsinites and the American people overall are hurting because of the President’s failed policies. 

On June 25, President Trump will hold a town hall on Fox News. The fate of our nation depends on the people and the press holding the President accountable for his failure to put the American people first. On behalf of working Wisconsinites, we demand Fox News moderators ask Trump the following questions during the June 25 town hall with the President:

1. It’s been 116 days since President Trump said we’d soon have zero COVID-19 cases in the U.S. We now have 2.3 million cases and more than 122,000 deaths nationwide. Here in Wisconsin, we have still yet to reach a peak in cases even as our state reopens, and deaths continue to rise. In Green Bay alone, outbreaks at meatpacking plants have caused thousands of cases in less than two weeks. We need guidance, but we’ve heard nothing. What plans does the President have, if any, to make sure our businesses can open safely, without risking our lives?

2. The federal government’s response to this pandemic has left us teetering on the edge of an economic cliff. We’ve already seen treasured businesses close here in Green Bay, like The Green Bay Jersey Store and The Marq Banquet. If vital aid is set to expire over the next few months with no real plan in place for economic recovery, the remaining businesses that keep our state running will be gone for good. What will the President do to make sure that our economy won’t be crippled for generations to come?  

3. 626,697 Wisconsinites have filed for unemployment since March 15, and nationally, the number of claims is close to 46 million. What is the President doing to promote job growth and help these unemployed workers afford their basic needs, without sacrificing public health?

4. Just a few days ago, a new study found that Wisconsin ranks last among all 50 states for racial equity. This not only supports but also sheds further light on what is motivating the Black Lives Matter Movement, and reiterates the extreme racial economic inequalities we see across the country and especially in our state. Here in Green Bay, Wisconsinites came together for a historic march to try to address these issues. How is the President planning to combat the systems of economic inequality that led to this abysmal record?

President Trump must actually answer these questions — no jokes, no dismissals, no lies. Wisconsinites deserve to know if the President is fighting for us, or just himself. 

Signed, 

Jim Jordan - Green Bay
Retired, Shopko
Member of the Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee 

Selika Ducksworth-Lawton - Eau Claire 
History Professor, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Member of the Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee 

Mark Westphal - Menasha
President, Fox Valley Area Labor Council AFL-CIO
Member of the Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee 

Melissa Bucholz - Milwaukee
Owner/Manager, Odd Duck & Little Duck Kitchen; Executive DIrector, PRAWN
Member of the Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee 

Dr. Rachel Hughes - Madison
Emergency Physician, Dane and Iowa Counties
Member of the Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee 

# # #

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.

Rep. Neubauer: “One of the Most Shameful Moments We’ve Seen in this Country”

Virtual conversation with Racine’s elected officials and small business owner highlights President Trump’s failure to lead during the COVID-19 crisis 

VIEW/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE 

RACINE, Wis. — On the eve of President Trump’s visit to Wisconsin, Opportunity Wisconsin hosted a virtual conversation with State Representative Greta Neubauer, Racine Alderman and Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member Trevor Jung, and Yolonda 'Yogi' Blair, owner of Yogi’s Pud’n, to shine a light on the Trump Administration’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the real impact it’s having on Badger State residents.  

“We have seen President Trump say, ‘This is about me, this is about my polls, this is about my ability to get out to the golf course’ and I think that it’s one of the most shameful moments we have seen in this country,” said Representative Neubauer.  

“The realities of deep economic inequities of this country have really been laid bare. If people were able to have savings, we would not have to see so many people right now who are afraid to be evicted, afraid they won’t be able to afford food, medication, or clothes for their kid...It did not need to be this way. There are other countries that showed us that there are ways to keep folks on the payroll and businesses afloat and we have not done that.”  

It’s been 116 days since President Trump said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have 2.4 million cases and more than 123,000 deaths. This health and economic crisis didn’t have to be this bad.  

“The city of Racine is doing what it can, but we have limited resources. We haven’t received guidance or aid from the federal government, and we are losing the battle to contain this disease especially because of absence of leadership at the federal level,” said Alderman Jung. 

Last 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.” 

“President Trump wasn’t helpful when people needed it, and it’s too late now,” said Blair. “[The Paycheck Protection Program] was not thought out, it was rushed, it was just for show.” 

What the economy actually needs to recover is a government that helps end this pandemic, helps workers and families keep their heads above the water, and starts to fix the underlying weaknesses that have made this crisis so much worse than it needed to be.

“Opening the economy is risking the lives of the very people [President Trump’s] claiming to champion,” said Alderman Jung.  

VIEW/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.

Pence and DeVos Visit Highlights Trump Administration’s Failed Leadership on COVID-19 and Education

UW-Green Bay professor gives Secretary of Education an “F” grade ahead of Wisconsin stop

WATCH FULL CONVERSATION WITH PROFESSOR SHELTON HERE.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Ahead of Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s Tuesday visit to Wisconsin, Opportunity Wisconsin hosted a conversation with UW-Green Bay professor Jon Shelton about the Trump administration's failed leadership during COVID-19 and how it's impacting Wisconsin educators and students. It’s been 114 days since President Trump said we’d soon have zero COVID-19 cases in the U.S. We now have 2.3 million cases and more than 122,000 deaths.

“Without some significant federal policies to get the economy going again you could have a lost generation of people coming into the job market and being put behind several years because of this,” said Professor Shelton. “We’re at an enormous crossroads and what happens in the next few months is utterly crucial.” 
Earlier this year, the lives of college students were thrown into chaos. They were forced to quickly abandon campus as their professors scrambled to figure out how to conduct their classes and exams online. However, the future for the Class of 2020 is no less grim. The shaky foundation of President Trump’s economy and the ongoing global pandemic have potentially robbed them of their futures.

“In a time of national crisis, what the government should be doing is enabling American citizens, not enabling corporations,” said Professor Shelton. “Ensuring that people have access to jobs, guaranteeing that people who are in college can stay in college and come out with a degree and without tens of thousands of dollars of debt that’s going to cripple their livelihoods forever - that’s the promise of America.” 

When asked what letter grade Professor Shelton would give the Trump administration for their handling of the pandemic and Secretary DeVos for her oversight of America’s education, Professor Shelton responded “D” and “F,” respectively. 

“There’s been a really troubling history from this Department of Education, especially in the past few months as we’ve seen the Department implement the CARES Act,” said Professor Shelton, referring to the additional requirements Secretary DeVos established that would largely prevent undocumented, international, and DACA receipient students from receiving emergency funds via the CARES Act. “To cut them out for ideological reasons is just troubling...it’s evidence of a Department of Education that’s not really valuing what’s important.”   

What the economy actually needs to recover is a government that helps end this pandemic, helps workers and families keep their heads above the water, and starts to fix the underlying weaknesses that have made this crisis so much worse than it needed to be.

WATCH FULL CONVERSATION WITH PROFESSOR SHELTON 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.

Wisconsinites Speak Out on President Trump’s Handling of COVID-19 and Racial Justice

Conversations came the same week a new study ranks Wisconsin’s economy last for racial equality among all 50 U.S. states  

MADISON, Wis. — As President Trump admits he urged government officials to slow down our already lagging COVID-19 testing program, Wisconsinites are continuing to speak out about his failed leadership when it comes to handling both the pandemic and the national conversation about racial justice. Last week, Opportunity Wisconsin hosted three virtual conversations with western Wisconsin residents in response to President Trump's continued push for a quick economic reopening and his ignoring of protester demands over police brutality across Wisconsin.   

On Tuesday, Opportunity Wisconsin sat down with steering committee member Darren Price, owner of BP Smokehouse in Tomah and a retired Wisconsin State Patrol Major. The discussion covered what he faces not only as a small business owner, but also as a Black man in western Wisconsin and a retired law enforcement officer. He evoked both frustration and words of encouragement for viewers at this pivotal moment in time.

He made it clear that the Paycheck Protection Program has not addressed the rippling economic effects that COVID-19 has had on his community, and reminded us that, “[the Administration's] priorities are pretty clear - it’s for the larger corporations. That’s just the way they’ve always operated. You had companies like the LA Lakers and multimillion dollar food chains that were getting huge checks, while small businesses that keep the economy running aren’t seeing that aid. It’s very frustrating.”

What’s more, in reflecting on his 27.5 years in uniform and what he’s faced over the past few months, Price pointed out that this pandemic has exposed the nation. The great deal of mistrust and lack of respect that exacerbates racial inequalities.

WATCH OPPORTUNITY WISCONSIN’S CONVERSATION WITH DARREN PRICE HERE. 

On Wednesday, we connected with Anne Brown, a retired Eau Claire attorney and senior on Social Security Disability. Anne shared she’s on the brink of losing her home even after spending prior years living in her car. Her medical expenses are not matched by Social Security Disability payments, and as an extremely immunocompromised individual, she deeply fears the rapid pace at which Wisconsin is reopening. 

She recalled President Trump’s statement that “some people will die,” and reminded us that because she is so susceptible to illness, she’s likely to be in the category of people who the president will expect to die, “There is a perception that if you are broke, it's kind of your fault. I think the Trump administration sort of has this bootstrap thinking where we should all be able to make it on our own without any assistance from the government and I don't think that's true. There are lots of people like me.”

WATCH OPPORTUNITY WISCONSIN’S CONVERSATION WITH ANNE BROWN HERE.

Opportunity Wisconsin closed out the week with a conversation moderated by steering committee member and UW-Eau Claire history professor, Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton. Dr. Ducksworth-Lawton spoke with Violet Kilmurray and Jaylin Carlson, two racial justice organizers from Eau Claire, who have been on the front lines of the fight for change in western Wisconsin. 

WATCH OPPORTUNITY WISCONSIN’S CONVERSATION WITH VIOLET KILMURRAY AND JAYLIN CARLSON HERE. 

These conversations come on the heels of a new study ranking Wisconsin’s economy last for racial equality among all 50 U.S. states. While Wisconsin workers continue to suffer, President Trump continues his push to cut off unemployment benefits and force workers back on the job before it’s safe. Opportunity Wisconsin recently released a new graphic outlining the tough choices Wisconsin workers continue to face as corporations get billions. 

What the economy actually needs to recover is a government that helps end this pandemic, helps workers and families keep their heads above the water, and starts to fix the underlying weaknesses that have made this crisis so much worse than it needed to be.

# # #

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.

Senator Baldwin and Lt. Gov. Barnes Join Wisconsinites for a COVID-19 Conversation

“President Trump is not a failure. Failure implies that you tried.”

 WATCH/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

 MADISON, Wis. — After nearly three months into a national public health and economic crisis and over 100,000 American lives lost to COVID-19, Opportunity Wisconsin, A Better Wisconsin Together, Priorities Wisconsin and Protect Our Care Wisconsin hosted a statewide virtual town hall via Facebook Live with U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes to hear directly from Wisconsinites about their struggles, their thoughts on reopening, and what they still need from the Trump administration. 

“The [Trump] administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has shone a spotlight on its priorities - and that’s big corporations and billionaires first, and everybody else last. When corporations and billionaires are prioritized over working people this makes income inequality incredibly worse,” said Lieutenant Governor Barnes.  

“There were so many warning signs that would have been a roadmap for what to do if you wanted to lead in this situation. At every turn they were just ignored or there was a claim of ignorance,” said Senator Baldwin. “Some of my chief criticism of the president has been his failure to take this on at the national level.”  

This health and economic crisis didn’t have to be this bad. As Wisconsin reopens, deaths rise, and aid is slow to arrive, the Trump administration has failed to prepare us, botched the response, and has favored corporations each step of the way. This crisis isn't over, people are still getting sick (and worse), and vulnerable populations are still at tremendous risk.  

“There does not appear to be any thoughtful planning about how we should reopen and how it affects particularly those of us who are older and more frail,” said Anne Brown, an attorney from Eau Claire. “When Trump says we are going to have some deaths, I'm one of those likely candidates and that shouldn't be taken lightly.”  

We’re calling on our federal lawmakers and the Trump administration to fight for policies that support all Wisconsinites, like the HEROES Act, which has yet to be taken up by the Senate. We need the White House to prioritize the health and safety of Wisconsin seniors, business owners, frontline workers, health care providers, and all working Wisconsinites who are facing fear and uncertainty as COVID-19 still looms large.  

“The federal government has been focused on speed rather than safety. And I feel like I’m forced to choose between my health and my job,” said Kyra Swenson, an early child care educator from Fitchburg. 

Opportunity Wisconsin recently released a new graphic outlining these tough choices Wisconsin workers continue to face as corporations get billions. 

Last 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.” 

“All [the Paycheck Protection Program] did was provide wages for staff. But for the business itself, it really wasn’t helping,” said Darren Price, a small business owner from Tomah. “Look, Trump is not a failure. Failure implies that you tried.” 

“The PPP essentially stopped the bleeding, so hopefully in the end we will figure out a way to be profitable. But because of the way things are ever changing, it's devastating,” said Melissa Buchholz, PRAWN executive director, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member, and Odd Duck owner. 

Instead of working with Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide additional relief for Wisconsinites most impacted by this crisis, 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 calling this the ‘new reality’ not ‘the new normal,’” said Connie Jordan, an educator from Green Bay. “Trying to put one foot in front of the other when we don’t know what the administration is going to provide is really frightening.”  

“There’s no going  back to where we were before...When we build back after this pandemic we have to build back better,” said Senator Baldwin.  

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 A Better Wisconsin Together

A Better Wisconsin Together is a state-based research and communications hub for progressives. To learn more see us at https://abetterwisconsin.org/ or visit us at https://www.facebook.com/ABetterWis or on Twitter at @ABetterWis.

About Priorities Wisconsin

Stay connected with Priorities Wisconsin on Twitter at @PrioritiesWI 
About Protect Our Care Wisconsin

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.