WIvoices.org

picture by politico.com

• 1.5 tons -  total weight of the paper petitions delivered by truck today
• 16,700 -  average number of people who signed every day for 60 days
• 20,000 -  number of petitions downloaded in the first 48 hours
• 30,000 -  number of grassroots volunteers circulating the petitions
• 50,000 -  number of people who signed in the first 2 days
• 540,208 -number of signatures needed statewide to trigger election
• 1 million + – number of signatures submitted to the GAB on 1/17/1

• Summer – special election; Incumbent Scott Walker and challenger

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This is the 3^rd (and final) part of a series of interviews from the Walker recall kick off rally in Madison, WI, November 19, 2011.  Read the first part of the series HERE and the second part HERE. 

These bagpipers from the firefighter’s union have not missed a single Madison rally.  In the crowd of 40,000, I was fortunate enough to make my way right up next to them as they circled the Capitol.  I captured this inspiring bagpipe audio.  As you listen, it feels like you are right in the crowd, eavesdropping on side conversations and struggling to hear over the cheers of bystanders.  The crowd followed, sang, and played makeshift instruments along with them at times.

I randomly interviewed people in the crowd.  I was surprised by the number of people who were at the rally primarily supporting other people.  Being minimally affected themselves by recent public policy changes, some people were advocating for the preservation of the legacy of Wisconsin.

Here are 2 of those stories.

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Capitol in Madison during the Walker kick off rally, November 19, 2011.

This is the 2^nd of a 3 part series of interviews from that day.  Read the first part of the series HERE. 

I stood silently on one of the corner streets of the Capitol scanning the diverse, demonstrative crowd.   Speakers were rallying the crowd from the Capitol steps while thousands listened and cheered.  Ragtag bands circled the block chanting the seemingly required rally song, “This is What Democracy Looks Like”.  Homemade signs carried by children, parents, uniformed workers, and wheel chaired elders bobbed up and down in every direction, blocking my view except for short periods of time.  The most noticeable difference between this rally and Farmer’s rally in March 2011, was the greatly improved food selection.  Hours of wait time was no longer required as make shift vendors, offering everything from burgers to egg rolls, lined the streets around the capitol and proudly displayed their support of the protestors with signs such as this one. 

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John Wolfe and Rita Platt

CLICK picture see partial interview

(photo and video by Art Juchno)

UPDATE: MSNBC used our videoproduction and interviewed Rita.  Watch HERE!!!

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Now that photo ID’s are required for voting in Wisconsin, Jennifer “Rita” Platt and John Wolfe drove 45 minutes from Osceola to the nearest Dept. of Motor Vehicles office in Hudson, only to be turned away. Governor Walker and state Republicans recently passed the “Voter Photo ID Law”, or Act 23, which has many Wisconsinites scrambling.  Rita and John brought social security cards, current pay stubs, and driver’s licenses from Iowa, but it wasn’t enough.  They need to pay for certified birth certificates, and wait for them to arrive in the mail, in order to secure a free Wisconsin ID card issued for voting.  To complicate matters further for the couple, the computers at the DMV were down and unable to process their request. 

 Here’s their story.

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On November 19, 2011, I traveled to Madison, WI to attend the rally to begin the recall of Gov. Walker.  The weather was a warm, near 50 degrees for mid-November.  The crowd was lively with the regular songs, rousing speeches, local music, and the wave of protestors circling the Capitol.  I randomly approached strangers in the crowd of approximately 40,000 to interview.  I wanted to know why they came and what was important to them.  This is the first in a three part series of short interviews from that day.  There was a request from one of the people – that there would be no retribution for their beliefs.  As Wisconsinites, I think we can handle that.

Here are 3 of their stories.

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 “Megan”, a social worker in Child Protective Services, first told her story in May when the debate of Gov. Walker’s Budget Repair Bill was still underway.  Now that the bill has passed, Megan has agreed to offer an inside view of the recent changes to her workplace.  She also provides intimate details about how the BRB has affected her personal life and the lives of the families that she serves. 

Here’s her continuing story.

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Click HERE to watch a portion of her interview.

Duana Bremer has been the Director of Social Services for Polk, Burnett, and St. Croix counties for the last 7 years.  She left a more lucrative career in sales and marketing, in order to serve the neediest people in our communities.  She tells us that her job will become more challenging with the cuts coming at the state level.  She worries that it will be more difficult for the most vulnerable people to find the help they need or that the poorest children will not have their nutritional needs met with the 10% cuts to the school food programs .  Duana looks at her job the way that our elected leaders should, she wants to serve and “learn from” the people she helps.  The best way she can serve them now is by speaking for them, as Wisconsin finds itself at a crossroads.

 Here’s her story…and theirs. Continue reading

Photo by Sarah Martinsen

Larry and Mania Moore [no relation to Shelly Moore] are both retired teachers and residents of Wisconsin’s Senate District 10.  The Moores live in Mania’s childhood home on the edge of a sleepy pond in New Richmond.  With a level of foreboding, they’ve been witnessing the political events of our state unfold.  It is eerily reminiscent for this couple, they’ve seen this once before.  Not only will the changes enacted by Gov. Walker and Sen. Harsdorf affect the profession that they’ve dedicated most of their lives toward, but also undo the very union that they helped create.

 Here’s their story.

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The Shafer Family

Watch a clip of John Shafer’s interview HERE.

Farmer John Shafer is a rare breed.  Along with his wife, Jenny, and young daughter, they live on a 4^th generation, small farm in Spring Valley.  John spoke with us while he completed his morning chores.  He fed a calf a bottle, cleaned and operated various pieces of machinery, and let the cows out into the pasture.  He had stories about many of the dozen or so half-wild cats peeking out from behind walls and bales of hay.  We followed John as he explained that his property has been passed down from generation to generation, beginning with his great-grandfather who bought the land in 1915.  In a few short years, the Shafer’s land will be deemed a “Century Farm”.  This recognition both inspires and taunts John.  He not only is struggling to hold onto his farm in the face of corporate interests, but he also wonders how his children will be able to continue this fading way of life.  

 Here’s his story.

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Listen to my full interview with Wisconsin’s Right to Life here. 

I recorded this interview, with permission, at 2:00 pm on Election Day for our Democratic primary for the recall election in WI Senate District 10, July 12.  This primary resulted in Shelly Moore (D) defeating fake (pseudo Democrat) candidate Isaac Weix, who is a Republican.  Weix was injected into the Senate race in order to delay the general election on Aug. 9 (the Republican Party stated that their incumbents needed more time to campaign).  Moore will now advance to face Sheila Harsdorf (R) who has held the Senate seat for over a decade.

A 67-yr-old life-long Democrat in District 10 received a confusing robocall and an inconsistent absentee ballot request form from the group Wisconsin Right to Life.  Continue reading

“Jake” is a correctional officer (aka “Blue Shirt”) in a Wisconsin state prison.  He has worked for the Department of Corrections for over 15 years.  Jake tells me that due to the policies of Gov. Walker, the stability and safety of his work environment are being threatened.  Now that Jake’s union has lost all of its bargaining rights – workers have little avenue left to improve the situation for themselves and the inmates that they manage. 

 Here’s his story. Continue reading

Tami Weber has lived in Wisconsin’s Senate District 10 her entire life.  Now in her forties, she grew up in the late Senator Gaylord Nelson’s village – Clear Lake.  Tami now lives in a modest apartment in River Falls.  She told me that due to impending budgetary cuts in Gov. Walker’s Budget Repair Bill, supported by Senator Harsdorf, she may soon find herself living in a nursing home.  You see, Tami is quadriplegic.  And the changes coming at the state leverl are eroding the structure upon which Tami’s life is based. 

 Here’s her story. Continue reading

“Megan” is one of the more than 280,000 public workers in WI.  She’s a social worker in the division of Child Protective Services.  She investigates allegations of neglect and also the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of children. If needed, she refers families for services. Megan is a witness in the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society – poverty stricken children.  Part of the reason that Megan is good at her job is because she knows what it’s like to be on the other side.

Here’s her story.

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UPDATE: November 2011 – Frank was terminated from BadgerCare and is now without health insurance.

“Frank” is a 60-yr-old Wisconsin man.  He’s a single, self-employed contractor who works on homes after they have been foreclosed.  He has several grown children and small grandchildren, some whom were running around or jumping on his lap during our interview.  Frank is a classic Midwesterner of his generation in many ways.  For instance, his most passionate points of the day referred to his love for The Green Bay Packers. He would’ve been content to stay on the football topic for much longer.  He’s also typical in his willingness to help others while uncomfortable complaining about his own situation.  For this reason, he wished to remain anonymous.  Frank told me that he is about to lose his state-funded BadgerCare insurance for low income Wisconsinites.  Approximately 63,000 residents around the state share his predicament.

Here’s his story.

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