International
Women’s Day: #PressforProgress
I had the privilege of speaking with a group of high school students and
members of Zonta Club and other women’s organizations at the State
Capitol yesterday on International Women’s Day. Women attending the
event spent the afternoon visiting legislative offices to discuss
proposals like my proposed Healthy Babies, Working Mothers Act and
issues of women’s health care, teen dating violence, and ending human
trafficking. The theme for the 2018 International Women’s Day was #PressforProgress.
In 2018, women have risen to the forefront in news, media, and politics
by taking to the streets, marching, organizing, and running for public
office. Together, we are engaged and energized, calling for an end to
sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination. On International Women’s
Day, we celebrate this pivotal time in the women’s movement and
challenge ourselves to do more to address gender parity and to #PressforProgress.
In 2014, the World Economic forum estimated that global gender parity
would be reached in the year 2095. As of 2016, progress had slowed to
the point where global parity would not be reached until 2186, and their
most recent 2017 estimate predicts the gender gap will not close until
2234, more than 200 years from today. In 2017, the United States fell
from 45th to 49th among 144 countries ranked by the World Economic Forum
on measures of economic participation and opportunity, educational
attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
In Wisconsin, women are paid just 78 cents on the dollar compared to men
and face unnecessary barriers to equity in the workplace. Women have
lost ground on access to reproductive healthcare in our state, and the
Republican majority in the Legislature has refused to act on policies
that empower women economically and socially. Only 22% of City Council
members, 18% of County Board members, and 38% of School Board members in
Wisconsin are women, while women represent less than 25% of seats in the
Wisconsin State Legislature.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that women are losing ground in
our state and our nation, given the underrepresentation of women at the
tables where decisions are made. It is up to us, as women, to #PressforProgress
every single day as leaders in our schools, workplaces, organizations,
and communities. Together, we can and will achieve gender parity.
Any
School Safety Plan Must Address Access to Guns
Recently, Governor Walker indicated he may call a special session of the
Legislature to address school safety. However, he and Republicans have
made no promises to address preventing school shootings by making it
harder for those intent to do harm to get their hands on guns in the
first place. And it is only now that school safety has become a topic of
national news that will likely impact his upcoming reelection race that
Governor Walker has shown any interest at all in addressing the
challenges our schools and communities face during this epidemic of gun
violence.
Keeping our children safe – whether at school, at home, or out in the
community – must be a top priority, and this takes more than just armed
guards, cameras, or new locks on the doors. We can keep guns out of the
hands of those who intend to do harm, yet the Governor and Republicans
have refused to act on common sense measures like universal background
checks that prevent dangerous people from purchasing firearms.
In addition to a proposal that would allow school districts to exceed
state-imposed revenue limits for security-related expenditures,
Democrats have proposed legislation to close the background check
loophole, ban bump stocks that are used to turn guns into automatic
weapons, and prevent domestic violence perpetrators from owning guns.
Any proposal by the Governor that falls short of including measures to
prevent gun violence by keeping guns out of the hands of those who
intend to do harm fails to keep our schools and our children safe.
Middle
Class Losing Ground in Wisconsin
According to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Wisconsin ranked
number three on the top ten list of states where the middle class is
losing ground.
On several measures of economic health, the U.S. economy was booming
under the Obama Administration and has continued to do well.
Unemployment is at a near two-decade low nationally; the United States
Gross Domestic Product has grown without interruption for one of the
longest periods in American history; and the median household income in
the U.S. is $7,500 higher than it was six years ago.
Yet, this week we saw another terrible jobs report showing that wages in
Wisconsin dropped over the last 12 months, marking the 25th consecutive
quarter Wisconsin has trailed the nation in job creation. At a time when
the US economy has enjoyed one of the longest periods of growth in
American history, policies put into place by Governor Walker and
Republicans have resulted in one of the longest periods of economic
stagnation in Wisconsin history. The jobs report detailing the woes of
the Wisconsin economy under the Governor had previously been touted by
the Governor as the “Gold Standard” by which performance of his economy
should be measured.
Repeatedly, the Governor and the Republican legislature have passed
legislation that drives down wages for hardworking Wisconsin residents.
Republicans have created an economy in which far too many Wisconsinites
are living paycheck-to-paycheck and working more than one job just to
make ends meet.
Girl
Scout Day at the Capitol
Earlier this week, Wisconsin Girl Scouts gathered at the Capitol for
their annual Advocacy Day. Girl Scouts spoke to elected officials about
the impact of Girl Scouting on the community and the issues important to
girls in 2018.
This event, and Wisconsin Troop 1912 into which elected officials are
inducted during the event, was created to honor women elected to serve
in the Legislative and Executive branches of state government while
amplifying the amazing work tens of thousands of Girl Scouts and their
adult role models are doing every day in our great state.
In honor of the event, I found and brought to the Capitol my original
Girl Scout sash from the early 1980s (pictured left).
Madison’s
Youth Apprenticeship Program
Yesterday, I heard from students and businesses who participate in the
Madison Metropolitan School District’s Youth Apprenticeship Program. The
program allows students to earn credit, learn new skills, and get paid
while being mentored by and working for a local businesses. Depending on
the apprenticeship, students can earn transcript college credits and
industry certifications such as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). The
program is currently serving 31 students with 19 partnering businesses
offering apprenticeships in a diverse range of fields including health
care, architecture and construction, engineering, biotechnology, and
more. Thanks to the students and businesses for stopping by the Capitol
and sharing their success stories.
Early
Voting Begins Monday
The Spring General Election will be held on Tuesday, April 3. There is a
statewide Supreme Court election on the ballot as well as a statewide
referendum on whether or not to eliminate the office of State Treasurer.
Depending on where you live, you may also have an election for County
Board, School Board, or other local offices.
You do not have to wait until April 3 to cast your ballots. In-person
absentee voting for the election has begun in Madison and will continue
through Saturday, March 31, at the Madison City Clerk’s Office and
additional locations throughout the city. To learn more about in-person
absentee voting, including locations and times, please
click here.
Absentee ballots are also available by mail. Everything you need to know
to receive a ballot by mail is available via the Madison City Clerk by
clicking here.
Remember: You must present an acceptable photo ID card to vote in
Wisconsin.
Click here to find out if you have the correct identification and to
get information on how to obtain a free Wisconsin State ID Card for
voting purposes.
Click here to
see what is on your ballot.
Click here to read the “Candidates’ Answers” on the League of Women
Voters of Dane County website.
Note: If you vote outside of the City of Madison, you will need to
contact your local city or village clerk’s office for absentee voting
locations and times.
Meet
Our Intern, Michelle
Michelle is originally from Fond du Lac, and moved to Madison last year
after a decade on the west coast. She is not a student, but rather a
determined community member who hopes to someday serve in public office
or service. She is the Vice Chair for Volunteers with the Democratic
Party of Dane County and an avid volunteer herself, serving as a
volunteer Development Director for a small nonprofit called Brighter
Tanzania Foundation and helping out on campaigns. She hopes to use the
knowledge gained from this internship to serve her community in the
future.
Spring
Forward, Be Ready Wisconsin
On Sunday, we set our clocks ahead one hour, marking the beginning of
Daylight Saving Time. This is also a great time to change the batteries
in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and to get other
emergency safety items ready for spring storm season.
Wisconsin Emergency Management urges you to check these items:
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Smoke alarms save lives. According to the National Fire Protection
Association, approximately three out of five fire deaths occur in
homes with no smoke alarms or homes without working smoke alarms.
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It is recommended to have a smoke alarm inside each bedroom and
install alarms on every level of the home including the basement.
Make sure the alarms are tested monthly. All smoke alarms should be
replaced every 10 years.
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Make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors. According to
the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, about 450 people each
year in Wisconsin are taken to hospital emergency rooms for symptoms
of carbon monoxide poisoning. At high levels, carbon monoxide can
cause death within minutes. Detectors can be purchased at most
hardware stores.
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Emergency Kits- Daylight Saving Time is a perfect time to put
together an emergency kit or restock an existing kit. Check to make
sure food and other items are not near or past their expiration
dates. You should have supplies such as food and water to last you
and your family for at least three days. Other items like a battery
powered or crank radio, flashlights and batteries, first aid kit
should also be included.
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Emergency NOAA Weather Radio- Spring brings the threat of tornadoes
and severe weather. Make sure you have an emergency weather radio.
It’s like having a tornado siren in your home. When it goes off, go
to a safe place. Listen, Act, and Live!
Wisconsin
Fun Fact: Women’s History Month
In honor of Women’s History Month, March’s fun facts will highlight
women’s contributions to Wisconsin’s history. The facts have been
researched and written by the Wisconsin Women Making History Project, a
collaboration of the Wisconsin State Historical Society, Wisconsin
Public Television-Education, UW Women’s studies consortium, UW Gender
and Women Studies Librarian, and the Wisconsin Humanities council.
Bonnie Blair: World record-holding speed skater, six-time Olympic
medalist, and the most decorated woman in Winter Olympic history.
Bonnie Blair was one of the top speed-skaters of her time. After
graduating from high school in Illinois, she moved to Milwaukee to train
with the U.S. national speed-skating team. She went on to compete for
the U.S. in four Olympics: In the 1988 Winter games, she won her first
gold medal in the 500-meter race and also set the world record. She won
gold in both the 500- and 1,000-meter races in 1992, and again in 1994,
when she finished .36 seconds ahead of the second-best time in the
500-meter and 1.38 seconds ahead of second-best in the 1,000-meter race
— the largest margin of victory in the history of the speed-skating
event. Blair also became the first American woman to win five gold
medals at any Winter Olympics.
Blair is a member of both the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame and the
Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. In 2004, she was also elected to the
United States Olympic Hall of Fame, and at her induction she was the
most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian of all time. After retiring from
competitive speed-skating, Blair became a motivational speaker and
founded the Bonnie Blair Charitable Fund.