Progressive Thinking

MADISON – Senator Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick) issued the following statement about his opposition to 2025 Senate Joint Resolution 2 during the Senate floor session today:

“It is Day Three of the 2025-2026 legislative session. Already, Republicans skirted the rules and rushed senators into a senate floor session. Republicans are more afraid of voters and losing power than they are about the issues that are impacting those voters. Instead of addressing the fears of citizens about clean drinking water, reproductive rights or mass-shooting tragedies, Republicans’ fear is making them lose focus of the issues that really matter.

“Many of us had hoped things would be different now that Republicans lost their super majority and there’s a more equitable split in our chamber between Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately, we were let down today, but there’s plenty of time to find a way to work in a bipartisan manner on issues that Wisconsin families care about instead of rushing to cling to power.”

Link to Audio Recording is available on YouTube here

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith announces he is turning a new leaf in the new year by shifting his regular written column to a video update moving forward.

EAU CLAIRE - I remember as a kid the dreaded moment when the teacher told us it was time to write a paper. It was scary for most, but some secretly reveled in the opportunity to be creative with their words. For the past six years, I’ve written a weekly column for readers throughout the 31st Senate District. That’s 312 columns since I was elected to the Senate.

Unlike when I was a kid, the excitement to put my thoughts into words was cherished most weeks, but I admit, there were a week or two that I dreaded it. My excitement ebbed and flowed as with most long-term commitments. As I look back though, I’ve appreciated the opportunity. My favorite part of the process was picking a topic with my staff. During our weekly meetings, we all would throw out a few topics and then I’d pick one to write about. Some ideas were off the wall, some were weird, but through this process, we had a lot of fun figuring out a topic that excited me to write about.

My commitment isn’t changing, but I’m hoping to try something new. Instead of a weekly column, I’ll be doing regular video updates. Sometimes it will be in the halls of the Capitol in Madison and sometimes, I’ll be doing them while I am out and about in the new senate district. I’m excited about the prospect of delivering the inside scoop face-to-camera. I’ll warn you though, I’m not the most tech savvy individual, but I’m willing to do it to meet people where they are at – on their phones and computers. They will be short, but they will be informative.

Now, don’t worry, it won’t be the end of a guest column from time-to-time. Unlike with video, sometimes, writing down thoughts in a structured manner helps us as communicators and for readers to follow along. Our 31st Senate District is changing, there are fewer weekly papers to print the weekly column, but as a tradeoff, there are many more constituents in the new 31st Senate District who have broadband and cell phone reception.

What I enjoy when I pick up a newspaper is reading the opinion page – it’s incredible to read the varied opinions, ideas and thoughts. Some are informative, some are funny and some are heart wrenching. So, here’s my challenge to you – be creative, communicate and find enjoyment with it. Try writing a column or letter-to-the-editor. The hardest part is starting, but I assure you that it gets easier every time and sometimes it may be hard to stop. Those dedicated teachers who challenged us with writing assignments didn’t just do it to watch us squirm. They did it to help us find an outlet to get our thoughts out for others to enjoy. After all, we all have something to learn from our neighbors.

The next best tip is to find a confidant to edit your writing and be willing to accept revisions, tweaks and wholesale changes to enhance your writing. The best part about editors is you can accept anything you want from them or you can leave it. The greatest writers rely on even better editors to enhance the writing and make it easier for readers to immerse themselves in the composition. Thankfully, I’ve had a dedicated staff who help me shape my thoughts and offer ideas to incorporate that enrich each column I’ve written. Writing is far more fun when it’s a team effort.

I’m looking forward to changing it up a bit. Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions. As with any creation, it’s helpful to get feedback from people who view a video post, a radio recording or other types of media we hope to produce for constituents in the new district. It has been an honor to write to you these past few years – I look forward to keeping our commitment going with new creative ways to communicate in the new year.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes about the need to show respect as a way of building trust, especially when it comes to finding solutions to complex political problems at the Capitol.

EAU CLAIRE - What has become of trust among us? It may seem like our society has always been distrustful or at the very least skeptical of what we’ve been told. But there were certainly times when we pulled together and put our trust in respected leaders. When our country had fallen into the Great Depression, the nation elected Franklin Roosevelt who took to talking to the people through “Fireside Chats” on the radio. He demonstrated a respect for hard working families who were suffering from economic devastation by creating programs to put people back to work. The respect he showed to the people was rewarded with a trust they had in him.

When America was attacked on December 7, 1941 the nation pulled together and made whatever sacrifices necessary to preserve our democracy. Ordinary citizens were willing to live with rations so our soldiers had what they needed to defend us. That took an awful lot of trust of our leaders and each other. Even the giants of industry agreed to retool their factories to produce the ships, tanks, shells and whatever was needed for the war effort. Yes, this nation proved we had the ability to put aside our differences and respect each other.

We can’t have trust until we find a way to respect one another. Before WWII and the Great Depression, leading up to the 1930s there was a huge disparity between working families and the wealthy. It took economic collapse and a war to force the nation to pull together and regain that respect for one another so we could trust each other again.

I want to think we can find our way to respect each other and trust each other without such a huge threat as being physically attacked by a warring nation.

That’s a lot to chew on when all I want to get across is the notion that we all need to do a better job of listening to others and respecting a different position that someone might have. We all know for a fact that millions of people are asking how can anyone vote for Donald Trump, while millions more are saying they would never vote for a Democrat. Maybe we should all be trying to better understand the challenges we each face and why there are such strong feelings one way or the other.

That only takes a little respect. It’s a great place to start from to help us build a lasting trust. I’m afraid we will be lost in the wilderness if we don’t figure this out soon.

Approaching a new legislative session, I always start with hope that we will find our way to trust each other enough to work together in finding solutions to the greatest problems facing citizens across the state. But first we need respect for each other. I’m not talking cordial smiles and handshaking either. I mean real meaningful respect. The kind where we take the time to ask about the kids, parents or challenges we all face regardless of who we vote for.

Just as I don’t want to be randomly judged by someone because of my party affiliation, I should not do the same because of the way someone votes. We should seek to learn about what motivates people and find common ground. If we can make sense of each other then respect is easy. The hard part is the trust, but until we show respect, trust is impossible to build.

I don’t want to sound like I’m preaching at anyone, because I’m just as guilty as anyone. So I want anyone who has voted for Trump to feel free to help me understand. Then I’ll share what motivates me as a Democrat. That ounce of respect for one another will bring trust eventually. One thing I do know is that it sure feels better when I trust someone than when I don’t.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes to encourage optimism after a historic election and notable changes in the make up of the state legislature.

As I reflect on the past year and the historic campaign season, I want to thank the voters who showed up and did their civic duty by casting their ballots. I know not everyone reading this voted, but the outcome of our elections is the true definition of our democracy. As I am in the middle of my four-year term and won't be up for reelection until 2026, I’m immensely grateful I get to continue serving each of you in the Wisconsin State Senate.

Campaigns are great opportunities for someone like me. I enjoy meeting new people, so knocking on doors is right up my alley. While I only find someone home at about 1 in 5 doors, there are enough conversations each day to give me a sense of what folks expect from their elected legislators. With a new legislative session about to begin in January, I look forward to continuing those conversations with my stop-and-talk listening sessions when the weather warms up.

Too many think they can’t trust elected officials or that their vote doesn’t matter, but your vote is the life-blood of our democratic-republic. It isn’t easy to learn all you want to know about each person on the ballot. Especially when candidates only want you to see the positive side of themselves. It’s harder to make your choice at the polls when fewer and fewer open forums are scheduled for candidates to debate. How do you know who or what to believe if the public can’t ask the candidates questions?

I often encounter confusion over state and federal offices and responsibilities. Because there’s little or no coverage of the day-to-day workings of state government, most people just don’t know what happens in Madison. We’re overshadowed by the national drama. This allows legislators to operate with very little scrutiny and accountability. So, during a campaign, it’s the best time to educate voters about what elected officials do and how we serve.

That brings me around to the duties of the branches of government. The top of the ticket gets the attention but many forget that the governor or president isn’t able to do much more than what the legislature or congress send them to approve (or veto). The legislature can determine what’s funded and by how much. The governor might negotiate using the power of the veto pen, but it’s the work of your elected leaders that make, or break, how our government actually functions.

That’s why holding a majority in the Legislature is so valuable. Whoever holds that majority determines what bills get public hearings and votes, what committees are created and who chairs them, and even when and how often the body meets in session.

I’m always struck by voters who say they are disappointed when the government isn’t working, but they plan to vote for the party already in charge. Since 1994, Republicans have held the majority in our State Assembly 28 out of 30 years while also holding the Senate majority most of those sessions.

Before redistricting was enacted, most elected officials didn’t feel the need to show up for public forums because there were so few seats that were even competitive.  In turn, most elected officials didn’t feel the pressure to hold public hearings or pass legislation, even on issues strongly favored by their constituents. I hope that will change now that we have fairer maps where Democrats have a real possibility of winning the majority in 2026.

That’s also why I offered a resolution the last two sessions to allow citizens to gather signatures to place binding referendum questions on the ballot. Elected officials shouldn’t be able to refuse action on clearly-decided issues overwhelmingly favored by voters. Citizens need to have the power.

Moving forward, I’m hopeful that more folks will stay engaged when it comes to what elected officials can do to improve our communities and the issues that matter most to Wisconsin.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith encourages us to take time while celebrating this holiday season to consider the rich traditions and customs of other religious holidays as well.

EAU CLAIRE - For most of us, this time of year is for celebrating. Once December hits we’re in the holiday season—Thanksgiving leading up to Christmas and then New Year’s celebrations.

Although Christmas has much meaning for most of us, there can be no arguing that exchanging gifts has overshadowed the religious significance of the holiday. After all, Black Friday is aptly named as the day when retail outlets make their greatest profits from consumers buying Christmas gifts.

Yet, this season raises our spirits in so many ways. It’s a time when we can forget our differences and reflect on what could be.

I was raised in a Catholic family and attended a Catholic school. As a child, I was taught in catechism with the expectation that the Catholic faith was all I needed to know about religion. But I was always curious and even disappointed that I didn’t know more about the many other cultures and religious beliefs around me—and there are so many.

Trying to learn and understand other beliefs or cultures can be challenging, but it’s also interesting and surprising. What we learn from other religions isn’t really so different from the religious beliefs and values so many of us hold dear.

Christmas is the culmination of what many consider our traditional year, but other religions follow their own calendar. Knowing when important religious holidays happen can tell us a lot about each other. I learned a lot just looking ahead for the next few months.

On January 14^th the celebration of Makar Sankranti, a time of peace and prosperity in the Hindu religion, will occur. On January 19^th, the Baha’i will be celebrating World Religion Day.

For Muslims, there are many religious events on the horizon this winter and spring. On January 26^th and 27^th, Lailat al Miraj, the Muslims will be observing Muhammad’s nighttime journey from Mecca to Jerusalem where he ascended into heaven. Similar to Lent for most Christians, Ramadan is a month-long time for fasting and prayer beginning on February 28^th.

Jewish followers start their two-day celebration of Purim on March 13^th. And, on April 12th, followers of the Jewish faith begin the seven-day Passover commemorating the freeing of Jewish slaves from Egypt.

This is only a fraction of the opportunities to celebrate and observe religious events that help us understand each other better.  Here in Wisconsin, on December 5^th, the Wisconsin State Capitol Holiday Tree was lit. Wisconsinites of all backgrounds came together during the tree lighting ceremony to share diverse stories and traditions.

Although 2024 is coming to a close and the end of year holidays are coming fast, we should take a moment to be thankful for our loved ones who make the holidays special and be willing to reach out to those who struggle through the holidays too.

Any time of the year, we should all celebrate the desire for justice, peace and good for all. The desire to get along and the way in which we should treat each other is reflected in nearly all religious holidays throughout the year.

I hope you take time to learn and understand others. Whatever your beliefs, I wish the greatest of joys to you, your family and your friends while we endure the hardships in this world together.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.