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payback-wpp · 8 months

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PAYBACK - September newsletter

“Revolution is impossible until it's inevitable.”

― Leon Trotsky

AGENDA

Meeting Date: September 11

Meeting Time: 7:00 PM CDT

Video meeting link (jitsi): https://meet.jit.si/KindProsecutorsDressPermanently

(Jitsi is an equivalent to Zoom meetings - click the link and join the meeting) Call to Order

Approval of minutes https://shorturl.at/qsL58

Greetings and Introductions; Nick Ramos, Executive Director of Fair Maps Wisconsin will give us an update on redistricting in Wisconsin

Current Events/Calendar

Update on COG (Coalition of Groups)

Adjourn

What's going on in the news

"Nurses Fight Godzilla

The severe nursing shortages in hospitals across the country has turned one of the most important jobs in the medical profession into a nightmare. Nurses at a major hospital in New Jersey fight back." https://shorturl.at/bdS48

"How climate policy could change if a Republican is elected president in 2024

If Republicans recapture the White House in 2024, some conservatives will be ready with a climate policy plan.

The Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank, has laid out its own climate ideas as part of a wide range of policy recommendations known as Project 2025." https://shorturl.at/fsIMW

"The US Needs a Socialist Movement to Break It Out of the Two-Party Choke Hold

It’s taken both major parties to tango their way into the current weathered state of U.S. democracy, crafting over decades both accelerating wealth inequality and an austere social safety net unique among modern nations. Even modest progressive reforms struggle mightily now to overcome legislative hurdles, whether from the languid liberalism of mainstream Democrats or the dedicated fanaticism of far-right Republicans." https://shorturl.at/ahyK2

"UPS workers could have won more

Last year, 350,000 Teamsters were prepared to take on UPS in a historic strike that could have shown workers everywhere that fighting back can lead to victory. However, pressure from Democratic Party politicians like Joe Biden and weak leadership from Sean O’Brien led to a disappointing contract offer that Teamsters ultimately approved. Despite claims from O’Brien and the union leadership that this was the "best contract in the history of UPS," it actually contains significant concessions and fosters divisions between full-time and part-time workers. Workers Strike Back, Socialist Alternative, and other rank-and-file groups called for a "no" vote, but unfortunately, the former opposition caucus Teamsters for a Democratic Union campaigned for a "yes" vote, leaving isolated efforts to expose the realities of the new contract." https://shorturl.at/loNZ7

Introducing our Vice President and Newsletter Editor, John Lemberger

"When I was a teenager, my dad started having an affair with a woman who lived out of town. He had a mail order business, so the procedure went like this. On Friday afternoons he would load up his Chevy pickup with his packages and drive to the post office. We wouldn’t see him again until Monday. The stress almost killed my mother. She developed a bleeding ulcer. When she finally got treatment, the doctor said she was close to hemorrhaging to death. One Friday I cooked up an idea. As my dad and I finished loading up the pickup, I jumped into the passenger side. My dad looked at me and said, what are you doing? I told him I thought I’d come along and help him unload at the post office. He said he didn’t need any help, but I insisted. He got into the pickup, but instead of driving to the post office, he drove around the block and pulled over to the curb. Without looking at me, and with murder in his voice, he said two words, get out. I opened the door and slipped out onto the curb. I stood there and watched him drive away. I’ve been standing on that curb ever since. No one came by to pick me up. No one rescued me. I walked home. In the 1980s our oligarchs did the same thing to American workers. They pulled the economy over to the curb and told us to get out. That was 40 years ago. No one has come by to pick us up. No one will rescue us. Both major political parties are now fully owned and operated by the oligarchy. We’re going to have to rescue ourselves. To accomplish this, we will work towards the following principles. We will support the general principle that all institutions and programs vital to the well-being of the people should under the control of the people. The oligarchs won't. We will support the right of all people to have an equal voice in the government of the land in which they live. The oligarchs won’t. We will support the right to quality universal healthcare paid for by our taxes. The oligarchs won’t. And most of all… we won’t leave anyone standing on the curb. The oligarchs will."

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payback-wpp · 10 months

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August newsletter

PAYBACK The Official Newsletter of the Wisconsin People's Party

"War is when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself."--Ben Franklin

AGENDA

Meeting Date: August 14

Meeting Time: 7:00 PM CDT

Call to Order

Greetings and Introductions

Approval of Minutes

Current Events/Calendar

Update on other state PP chapters

Report on meeting with national

Adjourn

CHILD LABOR MAKES COMEBACK!

“A 16-year-old boy has died following an industrial accident at a sawmill in Wisconsin.

…

“Fourteen states across the country – including Wisconsin – have introduced proposals to roll back child labor protections.

Link here.

by Jamie O'Neill

"...Bernie Sanders has put forth a bill (doomed to fail, alas) that would impose a 10% budgeting penalty on the Pentagon for each year it fails to pass an annual audit, something that big throbbing heart of capitalist exploitation and thievery so frequently fails to do...."

Link to the rest of the blog

Meet Fanny Behrens, The WPP Secretary

I’m Fanny Behrens, I’m the office monkey and secretary for the Wisconsin People’s Party.

I became a citizen of the US last November and instantly became politically active because this place is not gonna work with a two-party system, and I believe it was designed to be that way.

Saying this in the interview caused my citizenship to go from "scheduled” to “pending” for a 7 weeks when they vetted whether it was against the “support the constitution” -part.

I think most people are good and don’t want to make each other miserable.

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payback-wpp · 11 months

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July Newsletter

PAYBACK

The Official Newsletter of the Wisconsin People's Party

AGENDA

MEETING: July 10, 7:00PM by Zoom.

(Zoom link will be sent on July 10.)

Call to order and approval of minutes: https://shorturl.at/bQT37

Welcome and introductions

Discussion of the climate crisis with Jill Mitchler of CCL

Current Events/Calendar

Update on WPP certification as a political party in Wisconsin

Thank you and adjournment

Hey, psst!

Would you do us a favor and answer one (1) question about our next election?

Oh, Yeah!

Meet our President, Mike Bernhard:

A Good day to everyone,

My name is Mike Bernhard and I am the President of the Wisconsin Peoples party. A little about my background. I am 77 years old, born in Burley, Idaho, raised in Burley, Las Vegas Nevada, and northern Santa Barbra county, Calif. I am a retired union electrician (IBEW), AFT educator several locals including Madison and Milwaukee. My wife is a retired AFSME member. I served 6 years in the United States Marine Corps 1964-1970. For the Iast 50 years I have been involved in Justice and labor struggles, peace activism, and the back to the land movement in the 80’s. My wife and I currently live in Madison.

STUDENTS! Come to our meeting to talk Student Debt

The Wisconsin People's Party sees the student debt crisis as a major problem in the US. Rising college costs and declining government funding has caused pain for young people and is discouraging them from going to college. We are wasting an entire generation of talent. The WPP supports forgiving student debt, making college affordable, and opposing privatization of education. See who the culprits are in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3MgUyIT7WU

Steering Committee

Fanny Behrens

Mike Bernhard

John Lemberger

Dean South

Contact

[email protected]

Website

withepeople.net

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payback-wpp · 11 months

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PAYBACK - June newsletter

JUNE AGENDA

MEETING DATE AND TIME: JUNE 12 at 7:00PM via Zoom. Zoom link will be sent the day of the meeting.

Welcome and Introductions

Discussion of the global climate crisis with Dan Dieterich of the Wisconsin Citizens Climate Lobby

Mike B’s report about the National People's Party

Local Wisconsin People's Party actions and other actions we should support

Wisconsin People's Party Bylaws discussion

Progress towards state certification as a party

Thank you and Adjournment

Guest Editorial by Jill Mitchler, Wisconsin State Coordinator of the Citizens Climate Lobby

(Submission of this letter does not imply endorsement of the WPP by the CCL)

I remember the first Earth Day and the emergence of “My Why.”

I was a sixth grader, only vaguely aware of the increasing air and water pollution. I remember there was a river on fire in Ohio. Earth Day in 1970 brought a focus for this 11-year-old. It also scared me thinking about our future world without corrective action.

As an adult climate advocate now, I recognize that the first Earth Day was my first exposure to successful grassroots action. Within two years, we saw the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air and Water Acts. With optimism and confidence, I recall thinking with relief, “The adults have it all under control now, and our planet will be fine.”

Fast forward to when I had an 11-year-old child of my own. I realized we adults did not have it under control. We had dropped the ball, and those worried feels were back. There was fear (read, “dread”) for my children. What do today’s 11-year-olds think about their future? What will they think as adults about us for knowingly letting it happen? THIS is “My Why.”

I began doing lots of things to try to address the climate change problem, like writing letters to the editor, recycling, driving less, etc. Still, trends continued show an unsustainably warming world with more impacts like unstable and dangerous weather, even right here in Wisconsin.

While individual actions are important and necessary, the results can seem small compared to the scale of the problem. Cue the appearance in my life of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL). A non-partisan group of grassroots volunteers focused on self-empowerment, they take meaningful action with others to increase political will for a livable planet.

As a new retiree, I learned that there were 80 CCL supporters in my hometown on a list just waiting for someone to step up and help coordinate their local actions. “My Why” led me way out of my comfort zone to co-found my local CCL chapter. I joined in collective action with over 200,000 other volunteers, including 7,000 in Wisconsin.

Hundreds of CCLers go to Washington, DC, annually to lobby Congress for action on climate change. (Because of COVID, we missed the last three years.) I leave in a week, along with 900 other volunteers. We’ll attend the two-day CCL International June Conference and Lobby Day to learn the latest climate policies, ideas, initiatives and political perspectives. On the last day, we go to Capitol Hill for respectful dialog in meetings with every member of Congress or their staff. I look forward to giving you an in-person update on that experience in July!

Meanwhile, our other Wisconsin volunteer state co-coordinator, Dan Dieterich, will present about CCL at your June meeting of the Wisconsin People’s Party. I hope you can participate!

Guest Editorial by Shannon Davis-Foust, CoLeader, Oshkosh Chapter of the Wisconsin Citizens Climate Lobby

(Submission of this letter does not imply endorsement of the WPP by the CCL)

The next generation learns “you are never too small”

As global climate change continues to accelerate at an unprecedented pace, there are individuals and organizations dedicated to spreading awareness and educating others on the importance of addressing this pressing issue. About five years ago, I teamed up with Pat Hallquist as co-leaders of the Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) - Oshkosh chapter. Pat is a retired chemistry teacher, and I am an educator at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in the Biology Department and Environmental Studies Program.

Joining CCL came many years after I had been teaching about global climate change. Since 2008, I have worked endlessly to help students and the public understand the science of climate change and its potential impact on the planet. I emphasize the importance of science, the urgent need for action, and encourage people to become climate activists themselves.

Over the years, students have held events on campus including rallies, art displays, poster displays, and inviting countless climate change speakers during Earth Week each spring and Earth Charter Week each fall. In 2010, students rode their bikes to City Hall to talk to the mayor about installing more bike lanes in Oshkosh, which later came to fruition. The past two springs, there have been “Climate Teach-Ins,” which are mostly student-led educational events for classes to attend on a large scale. Students also contribute to native landscaping initiatives, which includes the benefit of increased carbon storage. A few students have participated in key roles in CCL as liaisons for representatives and other outreach efforts.

One of the key lessons my students are taught is how to be part of the solution. I teach how to take climate action from both grassroots and top-down perspectives. I encourage students to take personal actions in their lifestyle choices and teach them how to contact politicians and other government officials, advocating for action on climate change at the local, state, and national levels. Students learn how to effectively communicate their concerns to those in positions of power to influence policy decisions.

The good news is that the vast majority of UW Oshkosh students recognize the significance of global climate change in their lives. Almost all students are familiar with Greta Thunberg's 2019 speech where she said, "how dare you" to the world leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit held in New York City. Recently, one of the Music majors even shared a piece sung by her choir class based on that speech (starting here at 59 minutes).

WPP PRESIDENT, MIKE BERNHARD

Please Support the CUNA Workers' Strike in Madison. The strike has been extended through June if necessary!

youtube

WE WORK FOR LITTLE PEOPLE, NOT BIG MONEY

WPP Steering Committee

Fanny Behrens, Secretary

Mike Bernhard, President

John Lemberger, Newsletter Editor

Dean South, Treasurer

#Youtube

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payback-wpp · 1 year

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Please support the following actions!

May 1, Milwaukee, Building Unity will march from 1027 S. 5th Street to the Milwaukee downtown DMV in support of drivers licenses for all. https://vdlf.org/

May 1, Janesville, 5:00PM, Martin Roth Pavilion, Court House Park, songs and speeches

May 2, Madison, 9:00AM, Madison East High School, march to state capital in support of drivers licenses for all.

May 6, 10:00 AM, [email protected] End War!

Please support the following groups for all the good things they do for the common people of Wisconsin!

Wisconsin United to Amend (WIUA) working to get money out of politics! https://wiuta.org/

Fair Maps Wisconsin working to end gerrymandering! https://www.fairmapswi.com/

Physicians for a National Health Program working to bring healthcare to everyone! https://pnhp.org/

Workers Strike Back fighting foe workers' rights! https://www.workersstrikeback.org/

Wisconsin Education Association Council fighting for the best education for our public school children! https://weac.org/

TAKE ACTION!

Three steps you could take to fight corporate America from The Third Force

Stink up Wall Street. Take your dog for a walk around your financial district. Fido will know what to do. Don't have a dog? Compost, old eggs, etc.

Move your money. Take your money out of the big national banks that are mucking up our economy and move it to your local credit union, or small, hometown bank.

Decorate ATMs with reminders of the destruction done by big finance. Pictures of homeless people, or people who committed suicide because they couldn't handle unemployment, homelessness, or hopelessness anymore. Maybe a Bible verse about responsibility to care for the poor.

No need to destroy or damage anything, just Ghandi-style resistance.

The Wisconsin Peoples Party Steering Committee:

Mike Bernhardt

Fanny Behrens

John Lemberger

Dean South

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payback-wpp · 1 year

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Act 10 and Its Impact on Wisconsin Public Education

John Reiland

Students that attend schools in union districts perform better on standardized tests is a quantifiable fact. It is true that the learning process is very complex but it is also true that the learning process can't just be controlled by school administrators and school boards. Unions support school reforms but since Act 10 a lot of these reforms have been too narrowly focused. These narrowly focused issues pull badly needed resources away from the classrooms. Prior to Act 10 teacher unions worked with school administrators and school boards to develop policies that had the number one focus of helping students. Now with the narrow influence that unions have we see lower reading test scores and teachers leaving the profession at a 10.5% rate. Unions help teacher morale, improve school morale, and help insure teacher autonomy.

With all this empirical data about unions and educating students the question should be how can different groups help teaching unions reestablish themselves in Wisconsin. Well the most obvious answer is to repeal Act 10 but with the current political climate that is going to take years. So in the short term, groups need to lobby to support Governors Tony Evers 2023-25 School Legislative Priorities. These include but are not limited to increasing revenue limits by $350 per student in the 2024 fiscal year and $650 in the 2025 fiscal year, increase Wisconsin's special education funding rate from 30% to 45% in 2024 fiscal year and to 60% in 2025 fiscal year, and stop funding taxpayer funded school voucher programs. Additional funding is badly needed for the students of Wisconsin but we also need to make sure these resources support students. This can only be guaranteed by reestablishing collective bargaining rights. Remember, teachers teach tomorrow's future everyday. We can have beautiful roads, sport stadiums, and schools but what does that get us if there is no one to help children build the future.

John Reiland

Oshkosh Education Association Co-President

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