President Trump’s Heroes Are Billionaires, Not Essential Workers

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

MADISON, Wis. — Today, President Trump is expected to proclaim America as the “Land of Heroes.” We agree — but we have very different definitions of American heroes. The real heroes during this pandemic are the frontline workers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities running, which is why we have advocated for hazard pay and the protections promised in the HEROES Act. Unfortunately, Instead of working to advance this legislation, President Trump has shown that the only people he wants to fight for are the wealthy and well-connected.

Before the pandemic, President Trump’s tax law gave Wisconsin’s 1 percent a nearly $40,000 tax cut, while those earning less than $23,900 got a measly $30 tax cut. Now, coronavirus has devastated our state — more than 1,000 Wisconsin residents have died, thousands have lost their homes, and over 210,000 people are out of work. President Trump’s policies have not saved our state from this crisis, and while essential workers struggle to survive, Wisconsin’s eight billionaires added over $14 billion to their wealth since the pandemic began. 

Check out this video of Jarrett, a former JBS beef plant worker, who experienced first hand how President Trump has endangered frontline workers. Even as coronavirus cases spiked among meat packing plant employees, President Trump put corporate profits over worker safety and pushed the factories to reopen. Jarrett asked, “if President Trump cares about frontline workers, why are we forced to put our lives at risk while big corporations get richer?” 

President Trump has repeatedly prioritized the wants of the wealthy over the needs of working people. He handed a $2,400 per month pandemic pay cut to almost 200,000 unemployed Wisconsinites, resulting in food scarcity for almost 350,000 households. Instead of expanding unemployment insurance, he approved a $135 billion tax break for millionaires and gave out loans to billionaires like Jeff Bezos, country clubs, and his own Cabinet members. 

Listen to Angelina, another essential worker serving as a nurse in Milwaukee, in this video. She shares her frustration with communities re-opening while cases increase, saying it “puts stress on health care workers and all front line workers.” Despite this, President Trump continued to push states to reopen, even as the virus strikes communities of color the hardest. Angelina explains: “We’re going to continue to see Black and Brown communities affected at a higher rate — unless we tackle that, we’re not going to see any changes.” 

President Trump may praise frontline workers on camera, but he has done very little to protect them. By blocking hazard pay and prioritizing aid to corporations, it’s clear that his real heroes are billionaires — not essential workers.

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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. Gwen Moore Joins Opportunity Wisconsin in Roundtable on Rising Eviction Rates in Milwaukee County as President Trump Fails Wisconsin with Botched COVID Response

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Last night, Rep. Gwen Moore joined Opportunity Wisconsin and a group of Milwaukee residents to discuss the evictions crisis in Milwaukee County. Last month, President Trump allowed the federal evictions moratorium to expire, responding only with a toothless executive order that promised to “study” the issue. Fueled by this inaction, Milwaukee eviction rates are the highest in the nation, with evictions jumping 40% in June after the state moratorium expired. 

Listen to the full roundtable discussion here.

Moderated by local Milwaukee activist Solana Patterson-Ramos, the roundtable discussion made clear that the eviction crisis does not fall evenly across the state. More than two-thirds of eviction filings struck Black neighborhoods, and Milwaukee has been rated the city with the lowest quality of life for African-Americans in the entire nation. 

Some excerpts from the conversation:

“I have been homeless. I’ve known how it feels to have more month than money, and I am very enraged about the lack of action from Congress on this issue. I fear that amid the covid and the trauma of justice, the next thing is we’re going to see just loads of people’s personal things and their furniture on the street,” said Rep. Gwen Moore. “Meanwhile, President Trump, in order to put a fig leaf over their inaction, signed a worthless executive order directing regulators like the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the CDC to study whether the eviction moratorium was necessary, and to investigate instead of to provide the money.” 
“With the moratorium on evictions coming to an end in late May, evictions rose about 40% in June, leaving many families with nowhere to go. Evictions are a very emotional and taxing process,” said Solana Patterson-Ramos. “You have to deal with the reality that you just received an eviction notice, then deal with the court proceedings, and if you are not able to come up with a payment arrangement or find a new place to live by the court ordered deadline, you then have to deal with your personal items being forcefully removed by law enforcement.”

“Right here locally, what we’re asking for is a moratorium to extend until there is some type of solution towards covid-19. People should not be forced out of their homes because of the covid-19 situation,” said Jacqueleen Clark of the Autonomous Tenants Union. “Right now, this is no fault of anyone [renter]. Losing a job is no fault of anyone. A moratorium should be in place, and that’s what the Autonomous Tenants Union is asking right here in the city of Milwaukee.” 

“My husband went to the hospital May 9, he ended up passing away because of corona restrictions on June 14. From that point on, I was working, but my job ended on June 30. So I buried him on June 29, I’ve been looking for a job since July — even with him passing, I know that I have to provide for myself. I’ve been looking for a job for myself since July 9th and have been unsuccessful. As of this month, I owe my landlord $1,100 and he’s saying that as of September 11, he’s going to file a 5 day quit or pay against me which is going to result in an eviction notice,”  shared LaToya White. “It’s really disgusting that you see a lot of billionaires getting bailed out, and a lot of people that have income getting bailed out, but for those of us that are struggling, that have lost their jobs because of this pandemic, it’s ‘you better figure it out.’”

“My husband is legally blind and I have 4 children. We were illegally evicted right at the end of the covid moratorium, with no writ. We were supposed to be out on the 31st. In less than 24 hours I had to move an entire house by myself because my husband is blind. The next day, I had help, so we came back to our property to get our belongings and our doors were locked,” said Nicole Liebe. “We have not been able to contact these landlords for 6 months. We saw movers outside, and I saw them moving our stuff, and I asked what was going on and he said they were moving our things. They did not put them on the curb for us to go through. They took our stuff to West Allis dump. I had personal property, couches, my kids’ beds, their bikes, Chromebooks for school. They didn’t give us the opportunity to go through anything.”

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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.

President Trump Broke His Promises for a Better Economy — Remember the Trump Tax Scam?

Monday, August 24,  2020                                                              

MADISON, Wis. — Today, as the Republican National Convention kicks off under the banner of President Trump making America a ‘Land of Promise,’ Wisconsinites know the truth — President Trump’s promises about improving the economy are empty. The case in point? His signature economic policy, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — better known as the Trump tax scam. 

Because of the Trump tax scam, Wisconsin residents with the lowest incomes are expected to pay more in taxes, while the wealthiest 1% of residents can expect almost $8,000 in savings. President Trump’s tax giveaways to the wealthy hurt Wisconsinites before the pandemic, and haven’t done any favors to help working people weather the current financial crisis because of it. 

Check out this video from Tim of Appleton, as he discusses who really benefits from the Trump tax scam. “The people who really benefit from Trump’s tax cuts are the people at the top, and what it does is it leaves people like me, like most of my friends and family, out in the cold,” said Tim, a former employee at AT&T’s now-closed Appleton center. “AT&T decided to close our center within a year. The Trump administration cares more about lining the pockets of Wall Street than they do about helping Wisconsinites.”

What’s more, President Trump promised wages would soar under his leadership. But, wages have been stagnant in Wisconsin for 40 years. Adjusting for inflation, the median wage in Wisconsin is only 73 cents higher than it was in 1979. To make matters worse, the president promised to put the American people first in his plans for economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic — but the Paycheck Protection Program has left small businesses behind, and he has refused to extend the $2,400 per month paycheck that kept countless Wisconsin families afloat until the program was left to expire on July 31.

Listen to Becca Cooke from Eau Claire here as she discusses the struggles she’s facing to keep her small business afloat. “I came back to Wisconsin to open my own small business. I didn’t come from an affluent family, so it was really kind of a pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps start,” said Becca Cooke, owner of Red’s Mercantile “I think the 1 percent and corporations are the people that are benefiting from the Trump tax law. You don’t see that trickle down to small businesses.”

So, while President Trump and his allies will tout his economic agenda this week and claim they’ve turned America into a ‘Land of Promise,’ Wisconsinites are living the truth every day. President Trump has broken every promise to build an economy that works for working people — and the Trump tax scam is the case in point.

To speak with an Opportunity Wisconsin spokesperson, please email press@opportunitywisconsin.org

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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 Statement on Jacob Blake

Monday, August 24, 2020 

MADISON, Wis. — Yesterday, Kenosha resident Jacob Blake was shot multiple times in the back, at close range, by a member of local law enforcement.  Opportunity Wisconsin released the following statement in the wake of the shooting: 

Opportunity Wisconsin stands in solidarity with the Blake family, the protestors who have taken to the streets to demand justice, and people across Wisconsin traumatized by the police violence against Jacob Blake last night. The systemic racism that permeates our society requires urgent, intentional action, and Opportunity Wisconsin remains committed to its fight for equal economic opportunity for all, and in its support of those working tirelessly to reform how law enforcement engages with the communities they are sworn to serve. We need leaders who are not only committed to this work, but also to guaranteeing the right of every eligible voter to participate in our democracy, for these tenets are foundational to empowering and protecting Black communities.  

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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Yesterday Marked ‘Black Women’s Equal Pay Day’ — Hear From Black Women Across Wisconsin About What It Means to Them

MADISON, Wis. — Yesterday was Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, which marks the approximate day that a Black woman must work into the next year to make what a white non-Hispanic man made, on average, at the end of the previous year. This disparity in pay, which is part and parcel of the tremendous racial wealth gap perpetuated by the president’s economic policies, has contributed to deepened inequality in Wisconsin. Black women from across the Badger State joined Opportunity Wisconsin in conversation to share their experiences and underscore the importance of ending the economic inequality Black women face in the United States.

Listen to the full conversation here.

Based on ACS Census data, the 2020 wage gap for Black women compared to non-Hispanic white men is $0.62 (cents). August 13, 2020 marks the 226 extra days that Black women worked to earn what the average man earned the prior year, regardless of their experience or job type. In other words, Black women had to work 591 days to make the same amount of money that a white non-hispanic man would have made in 365 days. 

What’s more, especially in a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately impact Black communities, Black women bear the worst of the president’s botched response and Wall Street-first economy, and are being forced to do more than other demographic groups to make ends meet. 

Some excerpts from the conversation: “Black women hold families together. We are generations past when men are the financial stability in the home. We are generations past when men are the main caretakers,” said Elle Halo of Milwaukee. “As a transgender woman, I cannot make it safer for trans woman. There have been 28 transgender people killed in the country this month, and that’s directly related to the financial problems. The time is now. This right here right now what you are seeing in the country is because you have to do something about it. The racism isn’t on us to deal with.”

“This wage gap deeply affects the fact that I can’t help my son go to college, and he’s got to figure out where he’s gonna get the rest of the money he needs to be able go — to be that next generation in my family to not only go to college, but to complete college,” said Charvonne Carlson of Milwaukee. “If I had the money that I would have had if I was being paid equally, it might not be as difficult.”

“At a time when the pandemic hits the African-American community harder than almost any other community, Black women are bearing a large brunt about how we are expected to use finances to help our children, to help our community, to help each other, and we have a wage gap,” said Selika Ducksworth-Lawton of Eau Claire, Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee member. “The wage gap is there, in part, because there have been collaborators that undermine our agency.”

“More than 40 million people are unemployed and struggling, but the wealthiest white men are still going strong and still gaining billions of dollars during this pandemic,” said Martha Collins of Milwaukee. “If we get some form of equity, as it relates to us and our pay, we’d bring the other sisters of color along with us. More brown faces that are also disproportionate in this thing.”

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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. 

Trump’s Sham Unemployment Insurance Executive Order Leaves 700,000 Unemployed Wisconsinites Behind

MADISON, Wis. — This weekend, President Trump announced new executive actions his administration falsely claims will provide much-needed financial lifelines to the millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet during this pandemic.  Since the Trump administration and Senate Republicans refused to extend the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program after it expired on July 31, 700,000 Wisconsinites have been forced to survive on a $2,400 monthly pay cut. 

However, the president’s executive order aimed at reinstating some form of unemployment insurance is a band-aid on a bullet wound. The order, which calls for a 25% pay cut from the original $600 per week people were receiving, is contingent on states providing unemployed residents with $100 of the total unemployment assistance amount. The catch? If a state fails to provide an  unemployed resident with the $100, that resident won’t get any unemployment from the federal government either. This program is built to fail and hurts workers already facing deflated wages, like servers who rely on tips. The truth is: Even if this program worked perfectly, it would still be a 25% pay cut for people newly unemployed during this pandemic.

Check out some of Opportunity Wisconsin’s conversations with newly unemployed Wisconsinites.

“Though President Trump claims that the coronavirus will ‘soon disappear,’ the American economy is still in a state of crisis,” said Chantia Lewis, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member and Milwaukee alderperson.  “Wisconsin workers reeling from layoffs and the $600 per week pandemic pay cut deserve better than stagnant job numbers, a fraction of the financial lifeline they were receiving until this point, and a president who prioritizes corporations over small businesses. Wisconsinites need real relief, support for small business, and leaders who will put them and their families first, not prioritize Wall Street wishlists and corporate handouts.”

Last Friday, the Labor Department announced that unemployment is still 6.7 points higher than it was before the pandemic, and the economy is grappling with nearly 13 million fewer jobs compared to the pre-pandemic economy. While Senate Republicans and the Trump administration continue to stonewall progress on a new pandemic relief package that would extend unemployment paychecks, overall job growth has remained stagnant, with nearly 1.2 million workers filing for unemployment last week. What’s more, unemployment remains at the highest it's been since the Great Depression.

Not only has economic recovery faltered as COVID-19 cases spike across the country, but new polling from Navigator Research shows ratings of the economy are at their worst point in three months — 81 percent of Americans now rate the economy negatively, while 60 percent say things are getting worse.

Earlier this month, Opportunity Wisconsin released a countdown clock highlighting the impending pandemic pay cut that nearly 700,000 unemployed Wisconsin workers face starting August 1. Now, that clock is counting forward, to track the number of days Wisconsinites are going without critical financial relief during the pandemic.

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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.

ICYMI: Trump Fails to Extend Pandemic Paychecks for 700,000 Unemployed Wisconsinites

MADISON, Wis. — Today, the pandemic unemployment assistance that has kept millions of Americans afloat will expire. As of today, nearly 700,000 Wisconites will get a $2,400 pay cut per month during this pandemic of unprecedented scale. This week also marks the nineteenth consecutive week that more than 1 million Americans — 1.43 million, to be precise — have filed for unemployment assistance. 

Check out Opportunity Wisconsin’s conversations with newly unemployed Wisconsinites.

On the final day of this lifeline program, President Trump still has yet to approve extending pandemic unemployment assistance. Instead, Trump has prioritized legal immunity, tax cuts, and bailouts for corporations over direct aid to working- and middle-class families. 

Below are recent statements from Mark Westphal, President of the Fox Valley Area Labor Council and Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee Member, in response to President Trump’s failure to put Wisconsin families and workers first during this pandemic:

“[Yesterday], we saw tremendously disturbing GDP numbers, which only begin to represent the real fear and pain being felt by workers, small business owners, and middle class families across Wisconsin. So many across the state are continuing to cope with loss of work and income due to this administration's bungled response to the COVID-19 crisis.”

“The loss of $600 in enhanced unemployment benefits will only make the situation worse and negatively impact GDP for the rest of the year. It didn't have to be this bad. If the Trump administration continues to prioritize the wealthy and Wall Street over the well-being of the rest of us, we are going to continue to see the real American economy here in our communities crumble.”

“Right now, Wisconsinites are facing unprecedented unemployment, wage loss, sickness, and incredible financial uncertainty. Now is not the time to let these economic relief measures expire. Wisconsinites can’t take another pay cut during this pandemic.”

Earlier this month, Opportunity Wisconsin released a countdown clock highlighting the impending pandemic pay cut that nearly 700,000 unemployed Wisconsin workers will face starting tomorrow, since President Trump failed to extend vital economic relief by today. Now, that clock will start to count forward, to track the number of days Wisconsinites are going without paychecks during this pandemic.

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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.

U.S. GDP Plummets By A Staggering 35 Percent, Worst Decline On Record

Madison, Wis. — Today, the Commerce Department announced that U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) faced its worst decline on record in the second quarter of 2020, plummeting by a staggering annualized rate of about 35 percent. In fact, experts say the only other comparable economic periods in American history are the Great Depression and the economic slump after World War II. 

In Wisconsin, nearly 700,000 folks remain unemployed. What’s more, this week marks the nineteenth consecutive week that more than 1 million Americans — 1.43 million, to be precise — have filed for unemployment assistance. 

“Today we saw tremendously disturbing GDP numbers, which only begin to represent the real fear and pain being felt by workers, small business owners, and middle class families across Wisconsin. So many across the state are continuing to cope with loss of work and income due to this administration's bungled response to the COVID-19 crisis,” said Mark Westphal, President of the Fox Valley Area Labor Council and Opportunity Wisconsin Steering Committee Member. “The loss of $600 in enhanced unemployment benefits will only make the situation worse and negatively impact GDP for the rest of the year. It didn't have to be this bad. If the Trump administration continues to prioritize the wealthy and Wall Street over the well-being of the rest of us, we are going to continue to see the real American economy here in our communities crumble."

This Friday, the pandemic assistance that has kept millions of Americans and 700,000 Wisconsinites afloat will expire. That means this Friday, nearly 700,000 Wisconites will get a $2,400 pay cut per month during a pandemic. President Trump has prioritized legal immunity, tax cuts, and bailouts for corporations over direct aid to working- and middle-class families. Wisconsin families facing bills without paychecks and struggling to make ends meet right now need extended direct aid. Check out Opportunity Wisconsin’s conversations from last week with newly unemployed folks from across the state who called on President Trump to help families stay afloat during this pandemic and recession.

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 by the end of this week. 

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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.
To reach an Opportunity Wisconsin spokesperson, please email press@opportunitywisconsin.org