Dear fellow Wisconsin Democrats,

“The validity of the public debt of the United States … shall not be questioned.” So says the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, a document every member of Congress must swear to uphold.

How seriously do Republicans in Congress take that oath?

The world is finding out the hard way.

While the rest of us go about our business and lead our lives, Republican House leaders—very much aided and abetted by Wisconsin’s six Republican members of Congress—are holding hostage the world economy and the full faith and credit of the United States in order to extract vicious, brutal cuts to programs ranging from veterans spending to meals on wheels. They say they won’t lift the debt ceiling and allow our country to pay its bills unless they get their way.

It’s pure, uncut power politics of the most cynical and hypocritical kind. These same GOP lawmakers raised the debt ceiling repeatedly under Trump, with no conditions. Nothing has changed since then—other than a massive reduction in the deficit … and the fact that the president is now a Democrat.

And lest anyone tell you that both parties are the same, or that all politicians do this: Democrats under Speaker Pelosi never held the debt ceiling hostage, under President Trump or under President Bush.

The debt ceiling is a ludicrous legal construct. It’s like a time bomb with a rotary clock for a timer, one that needs to be manually dialed back every year or two to avoid a catastrophic explosion. We should make sure that the country has a good look at exactly what the GOP chooses to do with its power.

It’s an argument as good as any that, for the good of the country and the world, that power needs to be taken away as quickly as possible and given instead to a party that actually seeks to improve people’s lives.

It would be nice to imagine that calling our Republican members of Congress and telling them to back off the debt ceiling could lead to a change in position. But we all know they’re not listening. So let’s use this moment to spur our early preparations for 2024—to encourage people to run for office, to recruit friends to join our county Democratic parties, to spread the word about what’s happening and what it means.

The debt limit has never been breached. It may not even be constitutional—but that question has never been tested. Let us all hope that we don’t find out more about that question in the weeks to come. And let’s recommit to the hard work that will ensure that we never have to think about this preposterous—and yet wildly dangerous—question ever again.

In solidarity,

Ben

While there’s still over a year until the GOP Senate primary is decided, the field has yet to take shape. No prospective GOP candidate seems ready to jump into the race, despite the positioning done by radical anti-abortion election deniers Tom Tiffany and David Clarke and public pleas by national MAGA Republicans for Mike Gallagher to run.

This week, it was reported that Eric Hovde (R-Laguna Beach) is considering a run against Senator Baldwin. Hovde, who was named as one of Orange County, California’s 500 most influential people, already lost one Senate race in Wisconsin before taking his talents—and substantial personal fortune—out of state. Kinda sounds like Tim Michels. Whatever happened to him, anyway?

It’s no wonder that Republicans are struggling to find someone to run against Sen. Baldwin. Sen. Baldwin has spent her career fighting for working Wisconsinites, and her record speaks for itself. Meanwhile, Republicans know they’re wrong on the issues that matter to Wisconsinites and are refusing to moderate their MAGA extremism.

On Wednesday, Derrick Van Orden and all 5 of his fellow Wisconsin Congressional Republicans voted to protect serial liar George Santos from accountability following his indictment on 13 federal criminal charges, including money laundering, wire fraud, and theft of public funds.

By voting to refer a privileged resolution expelling George Santos from Congress to the House Ethics Committee, Van Orden and his GOP colleagues have effectively shielded Santos from accountability, while avoiding taking an up-or-down vote themselves on whether Santos should remain in Congress.

Van Orden and the rest of the Wisconsin House GOP voted to shield George Santos from accountability for his head-spinning web of lies and deceit. There’s no place in Congress for money laundering or wire fraud, but the Wisconsin House GOP seems to disagree. Wisconsinites won’t forget their vote to enable a serial liar to continue serving in Congress.

On Thursday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel detailed how Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act—which passed without the vote of a single Republican in Congress—is delivering “once in a lifetime” funding to help Wisconsin farm conservation programs combat climate change.

The Inflation Reduction Act is the most significant legislation in U.S. history to tackle the climate crisis and includes a nearly $20 million investment in conservation programs. Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, more Wisconsin farmers will be able to get help implementing sustainable practices that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect farmland against climate change.

We are excited to again be partnering with the Rural Power Lab program, incubated at Contest Every Race with Movement Labs, to help Democrats build capacity & county party infrastructure in rural areas across our state.

Interested rural county parties are eligible to apply for the Power Lab program’s grants program, which is designed to boost your efforts in organizing by providing training support, volunteer recruitment, free texting services, partnerships, and quarterly grants of up to $500 for groups meeting monthly organizing goals.

If you’re interested in learning more, please check out the program overview hereand apply! The application deadline for Wisconsin’s county parties has been extended through the WisDems State Convention, where you’ll be able to hear more about the program in person.

If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to Jamie Jarvis at [email protected].

In response to the gun violence emergency we are experiencing across the state, Forward Latino and the 80% Coalition are hosting an Emergency Gun Violence Summit. This Summit will be the premiere gun violence prevention conference in the Midwest and will feature national and local speakers, experts and gun violence survivors. Speakers and panelists will share information, discuss urgently needed gun violence prevention legislation as well as share strategies on effective community violence intervention and advocacy.

The Summit will also share resources where individuals can seek mental health assistance to address the trauma associated with gun violence. The event will be held Thursday May 25th from 9 AM and 4 PM at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee. Workshops are free and non-profit grants are available for the luncheon. Click here for more information and to register.

Our partners at Wisconsin Progress and Latino Victory Fund are hosting a two day training in Milwaukee on June 23 and 24. This training is designed for any member of the Latino community interested in running for local or state office in spring 2024 and beyond. Lodging and travel scholarships are available.

Learn more and RSVP at https://www.wisconsinprogress.org/trainings

In case you missed Voces de la Frontera’s Monday Driver’s Licenses for All live stream, you can watch it here! For 18 years, Voces de la Frontera has fought to restore immigrants’ access to driver’s licenses following a 2007 federal law revoking that right. And while Wisconsin’s gerrymandered Legislature has refused to take action to allow Driver’s Licenses for All, Voces de la Frontera is committed to staying in the fight.

So, what’s next? You can sign the petition and add your name to the growing list of supporters who want to see Wisconsin restore access to driver’s licenses for all to make our roads safer, strengthen our economy, and keep families together.

Our Coalitions teams at WisDems work year-round to engage in diverse communities across the state, with specific updates and engagement opportunities to build political power through relational organizing, community events, and more. Sign up for the Weekly Coalitions Newsletter to stay up to date with the work our teams are doing around Wisconsin.