Issue 3

Written By Perry Govier

Quote to Note

In trying to rewrite the facts of January 6th, Trump is trying to steal history the same way he tried to steal the election. 
President Biden
Jan. 5, 2024

In Speech Recalling Jan. 6 Insurrection, President Biden Blasts Trump’s ‘Web of Lies’

President Biden delivers remarks on the third anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack defending the sacred cause of democracy. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Excerpts

Read transcript of full remarks.

Watch video of full remarks.

Today, we gather in a new year, some 246 years later, just one day before January 6th, a day forever shared in our memory because it was on that day that we nearly lost America — lost it all. 

Today, we’re here to answer the most important of questions.  Is democracy still America’s sacred cause? 

This is not rhetorical, academic, or hypothetical.  Whether democracy is still America’s sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time, and it’s what the 2024 election is all about.  

. . . Three years ago tomorrow, we saw with our own eyes the violent mob storm the United States Capitol.  It was almost in disbelief as you first turned on the television. 

For the first time on our history, insurrectionists had come to stop the peaceful transfer — transfer of power in America — first time — smashing windows, shattering doors, attacking the police. 

. . . The entire nation watched in horror.  The whole world watched in disbelief.  And Trump did nothing. 

Members of his staff, members of his family, Republican leaders who were under attack for the — at that very moment pled with him: “Act.  Call off the mob.” 

Imagine had he gone out and said, “Stop.” 

And still, Trump did nothing.  It was among the worst derelictions of duty by a president in American history: an attempt to overturn a free and fair election by force and violence.

. . . Let’s be clear about the 2020 election.  Trump exhausted every legal avenue available to him to overturn the election — every one.  But the legal path just took Trump back to the truth that I had won the election and he was a loser.  (Applause.)

. . . In trying to rewrite the facts of January 6th, Trump is trying to steal history the same way he tried to steal the election. 

.  Political violence is never, ever acceptable in the United States political system — never, never, never.  It has no place in a democracy.  None.  (Applause.)

You can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-American. 

. . .  Unlike other nations on Earth, America is not built on ethnicity, religion, geography.  We’re the only nation in the history of the world built on an idea — not hyperbole — built on an idea: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal.”

We’ve never fully lived up to that.  We have a long way to go.  But we’ve never walked away from the idea.  We’ve never walked away from it before.  But I promise you, I will not let Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans — (applause) — force us to walk away now.

. . . You can’t love your country only when you win.

So, I’ll keep my commitment to be president for all of America, whether you voted for me or not.  I’ve done it for the last three years, and I’ll continue to do it. 

. . . This is the first national election since January 6th insurrection placed a dagger at the throat of American democracy — since that moment.  We all know who Donald Trump is.  The question we have to answer is: Who are we?  That’s what’s at stake.  (Applause.)  Who are we? 

We’re the only nation in the world that’s come out of every crisis stronger than we went into that crisis.  That was true yesterday and it’s true today, and I guarantee you will be true tomorrow. 

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What’s on the Line in 2024

WisDems Message Monday
Jan. 8, 2024


As we kick off this election year, the choice before the American people couldn’t be more clear. The choice this November will not simply be between competing philosophies of governing – it will be about protecting our democracy and the very individual freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

The threat Donald Trump posed in 2020 to American democracy has only grown more dire since then.

At the direction of Donald Trump, the MAGA Republican Party has openly embraced a platform of election denialism, undermining our country’s democratic institutions, and restricting the right to vote.

Trump is running a campaign on revenge and retribution. It’s a vision of dividing our country, attacking our values, and eroding our ideals. And it would come at the expense of Americans’ freedoms:

  • Reproductive freedoms: Trump paved the way for ripping away the freedom for millions of Americans to get the reproductive care they need by nominating Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Because of Donald Trump, 1 in 3 women of reproductive age now live under an abortion ban. And now he’s running to ban abortion nationwide.

  • The freedom to live in safe communities: Trump and his extreme MAGA disciples want to jeopardize the freedom to live in a country where political violence is unacceptable; the freedom for our children to learn in schools free of gun violence; and the freedom for every American to be who they are without fear.

  • Bedrock economic freedoms: MAGA Republicans want to return to the failed trickle-down economics that protects the rich on the backs of the middle class – threatening to cut Social Security and Medicare to pay for his handouts to the ultra-wealthy, incentivizing shipping good paying jobs overseas, and gutting affordable health care by repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Meanwhile, President Biden and Vice President Harris are offering a different vision. They are determined to build a more fair and more free America:

  • Where the economy is built from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.

    That restores Roe so that once again, women have the freedom to make their own health care decisions.

    That protects our most vulnerable.

    Where everyone can live, work, and retire with the dignity owed to every single American.

Time and time again, voters have rejected the existential threat to freedom and democracy that Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans represent.

The American people rejected MAGA extremism and chose President Biden and Democrats’ vision of unity over division and hope over fear in 2020—and they'll do it again this year.

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Ten Topics and Myriad Questions
for Tom Tiffany
Part 3: The Presidency and the Law

By Jim Bootz, Vice Chair, Sawyer County LCO Democrats

"Hi! It's Tom Tiffany. I'm hosting a telephone town hall Wednesday (9/20) at 7PM with special guest Rep. Scott Perry (PA-10). We'll discuss Biden family investigations while taking your questions live on the call!"

That was the text message I received, another Tiffany town hall invitation and this time with ample notice. This intro alone inspired far too many questions for me to narrow down to just one. My very first question for Tom might have been, "Are you aware that Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania asked the former president Trump for a pardon?"

And that would have led to the next, "Do you know what specifically he wanted to be pardoned for?" And "Could it have something to do with Perry introducing Jeffrey Clark to Trump, as someone in the Justice Department who was willing to sit in as Attorney General and flip the election upside down?" Having once observed Tiffany in a free-wheeling Q&A session, I suspect that his answer to that question would have somehow included the name Hunter Biden.

But before we get into those "Biden family investigations," Scott Perry enters the picture again with the [most recent] House Speaker race [that ultimately selected Mike Johnson as speaker]. Tiffany's given full-throated support for another Jan. 6 pardon-seeker, Jim Jordan, to take the gavel. By Jordan's own admission, he was on the phone with the ex-president before and during the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol but ignored a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee.

So I'd ask Tom Tiffany, "Do you think that Jim Jordan could be a witness for the prosecution against Trump in the coming Jan. 6 trial? Is there any reason that he shouldn't be expected to testify? Would it surprise you if Jordan were to plead the 5th in sworn deposition? Any idea why he asked for a pardon, as Perry did? And, do you feel this is someone who would serve the interests of the American people as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, second in line to the presidency?"

Several of Tiffany's Republican colleagues who didn't vote for Jim Jordan received death threats and family members were threatened, as well. Here is Scott Perry's response when asked about that: “All of us in Congress receive death threats. I don’t know if that’s a news flash for anybody here." And "There are people out in the world that dislike us and threaten us, that’s nothing new. It’s nothing new to any member of Congress. Another red herring.”

I would ask "Do you receive death threats, Tom? Are you having to spend great sums of money to protect yourself and your family from violence? Have you received death threats from members of your own party? Would you find that to be an acceptable practice in conducting the people's business in the nation's capital and would you treat it as normal if you did?"

Perry's lax view of thuggish behavior among his colleagues made me want to ask Tiffany again, "Why was it that you deemed Scott Perry to be an appropriate special guest for a town hall, one that was open to all of your constituents?

What would a person like that have to offer the people of CD7 in a discussion of the Biden family? Could it be that Perry's something of an expert on red herrings?"

Rather than spend the time addressing everything that has thus far been offered as evidence by the Republican-led Oversight Committee—and failed to meet that test—with regard to allegations of wrongdoing by President Biden, I would ask Tiffany, "Is there actual evidence of a crime having been committed? If so, have you seen any of it? Can you locate it? Or can you locate a person who can locate it? And if not, why would you waste your time and ours with baseless accusations about which you have no knowledge whatsoever?"

Here's a question for me: "Why do I want to ask all these questions?" Good question. Tom Tiffany says a lot of things that aren't true, but not only that. He says things to the public that are malicious, nakedly partisan, divisive, and inciteful. I'd like to know, as he repeatedly votes against bills intended to give much needed support to Wisconsinites in every part of the state, what it is that he thinks his job as a member of Congress is supposed to be. And how is hyper-partisanship going to help him fulfill that role?

Among the defenders of the Jan. 6 attack and those responsible for it, those still clinging to the Big Lie about election fraud, we continue to hear one false statement after another. Yet, when given a chance to repeat them in sworn testimony in a court of law, the election deniers turn silent. Isn't that where evidence, if you have any, ultimately matters?

I think it's safe to say that if Tom Tiffany had the opportunity to make his outrageous claims in a courtroom about Joe Biden, or any of the other faux outrages he chooses to peddle, knowingly risking charges of perjury, he wouldn't attempt it more than once. But that's something that won't happen. Nevertheless, someone should point out whenever possible the discrepancies between Tiffany's public statements and reality.

There's a level of mendacity [coming from Tiffany] that the public should be aware of; [he’s] a candidate in the next election that voters really need to know better. He's proven only one thing to my satisfaction, and that is that he's not a serious member of Congress. We're all old enough to remember when we did have a serious representative in that seat, and there's simply no comparison.

Maybe at the core of it all, my question for Tiffany might just be, "Do you believe the false statements that you so frequently make and simply repeat them without verification? Or is it actually your intention to misinform your constituents?" It could be helpful for us to know.

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Insightful Analysis: The Left Behind

By Harold Myerson, The Prospect
Jan. 15, 2024
Excerpts

The cultural rifts between urban and rural America are a constant of our history. When they also become economic, they become dangerous.

A volunteer walks past a campaign sign before a Donald Trump rally, October 16, 2023, in Adel, Iowa. AP Photo

One of the most prevalent misconceptions in interpretations of American politics concerns why the votes of particular constituencies shift from one party to another. The white working class was once the backbone of the Democratic Party, and as late as 2008 gave Barack Obama 40 percent of their vote. . .

. . . In 2016, though, the bottom fell out of white working-class and rural support for Hillary Clinton. . .

The most decisive change, as I’ve noted before, was the almost complete flight of capital from small-town and rural America. . .

In assessing, then, the politics of rural America and the white working class today, what’s tipped it into Trumpism isn’t cultural rage, which has been an ever-present factor of varying intensities. It’s the economic abandonment of their towns and their livelihoods by American capital, and the decades of indifference to that abandonment shown by their governments.

Unlike their populist forebears of the 1890s, however, there is virtually nothing in Trumpism that addresses the left behind’s economic plight . . .

Instead of backing policies that could constitute a resurrection of their economic worlds, Trump promises retribution against their enemies . . .

There have been only two instances in our history when the government did endeavor to lessen the gap between urban prosperity and rural penury. The first, of course, was the New Deal, whose programs of rural electrification and Southern and Western hydropower were specifically designed to revitalize and industrialize much of rural America. The second is Biden’s ongoing efforts to bolster reindustrialization, chiefly in rural America. The first was a clear political success. The political success of the second is yet to be determined. Read the full essay.

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Insightful Analysis: Why Are Americans So Gloomy About Their Great Economy?

The Economist
Jan. 14, 2024
Excerpts

AP Photo

“The vibes are off” is a phrase that does not usually appear in rigorous economic analysis but has cropped up again and again in serious discussions about America over the past year. From an array of hard data, there is reason to think that people ought to be quite satisfied about the state of the economy: inflation has slowed sharply, petrol prices are down, jobs are plentiful, incomes are rising and the stockmarket is strong. But survey after survey suggests that Americans are in fact quite unhappy. They think that the economy is in bad shape and that President Joe Biden is mismanaging it. What gives?

. . . To judge from the range of indicators—good and bad—Americans do appear to be unduly pessimistic. Ryan Cummings and Neale Mahoney, two economists who previously served in the Biden White House, created a simple model to predict the level of the consumer-sentiment index, drawing on inflation, unemployment and consumption data as well as stockmarket performance. Their conclusion was that the index has been about 20% lower than where the data suggest it ought to be. Other models have found a similar discrepancy.

This suggests a second category of explanation: that opinion polling and sentiment surveys may have a negative bias. . .

Another element may be the tone of news coverage. . .Throw in the vitriol that tends to go viral on social-media platforms, and the negative bias might be even more pronounced. . .

A final explanation is that there may simply be a long lag between the post-pandemic recovery and feelings about the economy. It has been a topsy-turvy period. . .

If a similar timeline is now in play, Americans have probably gone about halfway towards accepting their new higher-priced reality. It also helps that real-income growth has accelerated over the past year, letting them recover some of their lost purchasing power. The consumer-sentiment index has been volatile, but it did clearly bottom out in mid-2022—right around the peak in inflation—and it did also post a solid rise in December, even if it remains low by historical standards.

“Our theory of the case is that if we can continue to maintain a tight labour market while easing inflation and delivering real wage gains, that recipe should show up in improved sentiment. And we think we’re starting to see that,” says Jared Bernstein, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. The vibes, in other words, may be picking up. Read the full article.

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In Case You Missed It
State Edition

Weekly newsletter from Ben Wikler, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair
Jan. 12, 2024
Excerpts

Donald Trump Wants the Economy to Fail, Brags About Ending Roe

This week, Donald Trump flexed his MAGA credentials, making headlines for saying he hopes the economy crashes this year, and following that up by boasting about having overturned Roe v. Wade. 

For years, Donald Trump has been committed to destroying the economy for Wisconsin families, and now that Wisconsinites are reaping historic gains from Bidenomics—from lower costs to record job growth—Trump is calling for the economy to crash. With Trump’s record as the worst president for jobs in modern American history, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he would root for Wisconsinites’ livelihoods to be crushed in the hopes of a second term. 

Trump’s horrific record doesn’t end with crashing our economy. Since Roe was overturned, Trump has bragged about being responsible for ripping away American’s reproductive freedoms—repeatedly. His most recent boast: “I did it. I’m proud to have done it.”

Whether reproductive freedom or the economy is at stake, it is clear Donald Trump has all the wrong answers. While the ultimate goal of Republican politicians is to pass a nationwide abortion ban that would block abortion access in every state in the country, Wisconsin Democrats believe that reproductive health care is health care—plain and simple. Alongside reproductive freedom, the economic well-being of Wisconsinites has been a top priority for President Biden and Vice President Harris as they continue to build a booming economy from the bottom up and the middle out.

Thanks to President Biden and Democrats, More Wisconsinites Have Health Insurance Than Ever Before

Earlier this week, federal health officials announced a record 20 million Americans—including more than 250,000 Wisconsinites—signed up for health insurance in 2023 under the Affordable Care Act. More Americans have quality health care than ever before, and millions more are saving money on prescription drugs and health insurance thanks to leadership from President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senator Tammy Baldwin, and Democrats. 

But while President Biden is bringing down costs and expanding access to health care, Donald Trump wants to take that quality, affordable care away. 

If Donald Trump has his way, he would gut health insurance for tens of millions of Americans, threaten coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, and send costs skyrocketing. Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites have access to affordable health coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and Trump’s pursuit of a repeal of this lifesaving law is downright dangerous. While Republicans and Donald Trump continue trying to gut lifesaving policies, Democrats and President Biden are fighting to make health care more affordable and accessible for all Wisconsinites.

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Gov. Evers Submits Fair Maps to Wisconsin Supreme Court in Redistricting Legislation

Press Release
Jan. 12, 2024
Excerpt

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today submitted fair maps to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for the Court to consider in ongoing redistricting litigation. The governor’s proposed maps for the districts of the Wisconsin State Legislature submitted today are responsive to the will of the people, avoid partisan bias, and increase the number of competitive legislative seats. Additional details on the governor’s submitted maps are available [in the full news release]. 

“Wisconsinites don’t want Republican or Democrat maps because Wisconsin isn’t a red or blue state—we’re a purple state, and our maps should reflect that basic fact. I’ve always promised I’d fight for fair maps—not maps that favor one political party or another—and that’s a promise I’m proud to keep with the maps I’m submitting today,” said Gov. Evers. Read full news release.

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Perry Govier
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