Millions of Americans, including 49,300 in the Fox Valley/Green Bay area and nearly 240,000 statewide in Wisconsin Congressional districts held by Republicans could be harmed by ill conceived American Healthcare Act.

MADISON - Before the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans lacked access to quality, affordable health insurance, and even those who did have coverage had little protection against insurance company abuses. It seems that Wisconsin's Republican members of Congress want to drag us back to the dark age before President Obama's landmark legislation. 

Tomorrow, the House is expected to vote on the widely-panned Republican Wealthcare bill, led by Rep. Paul Ryan, that kicks 24 million Americans off of their health insurance and forks over huge tax giveaways to insurance companies and the super-wealthy.

For some, the bill isn't bad enough, Rep. Grothman recently introduced an amendment to unfairly kick 26-year-olds off their parent's health care insurance, only allowing them to stay on their parent's plans until age 23. 

For others, like Rep. Sean Duffy, cajoling their colleagues for tomorrow's vote is more important than ensuring health care for those in his district who need it the most. 

Even those who have heard opposition to the proposal from their constituents are choosing to simply ignore them, like Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner and Rep. Mike Gallagher, who both still plan to vote for the Wealthcare bill tomorrow.  

Even Koch-brothers darling and 'repeal and replace' candidate, Sen. Ron Johnson, opposes the House's Wealthcare proposal. Johnson recently told reporters that “skeptical” was an “understatement” in describing his attitude toward the plan.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/aca-save-s5.jpgSpeaker Paul Ryan and House Republicans proudly introduced their health plan last night, and it provides less coverage, higher costs, huge tax giveaways to those at the top. This took six years?

A People For the American Way (PFAW) TV ad urges us to call our senators to oppose President Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Judge Neil Gorsuch. He has criticized courts being used to advance core constitutional rights.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - People For the American Way (PFAW) announced a TV ad on Thursday urging viewers to call their senators to oppose President Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Judge Neil Gorsuch. The ad, which features an image of judge ripping up the Constitution, details why Judge Gorsuch is unfit to sit on the nation’s highest court. The ad will run for one week in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia.

“Americans know we need Supreme Court justices who will protect the most fundamental American freedoms, and Judge Gorsuch cannot be trusted to do that,” stated PFAW President Michael Keegan. “We’re releasing this ad to shine a spotlight on the threat Judge Gorsuch poses to the America Way. We urge Americans across the country to call their senators and make clear that they expect their senators to stand up against Gorsuch, a Supreme Court nominee who prioritizes corporate interests over the constitutional rights that Americans rely on.”

“Judge Gorsuch has criticized courts being used to advance core constitutional rights, e.g. the rights of LGBTQ people, but he does think the courts should be used to prop up corporations at the expense of everyday Americans. That’s absurd.” said PFAW Executive Vice President Marge Baker. “Supreme Court justices serve for life—Trump could devastate fundamental rights for decades if the Senate confirms Judge Gorsuch, but we have the power to stop him by calling on our senators today to oppose this extreme nominee.”

Unclear why Cramer would issue statement, as Environmental Impact Statement is still incomplete. Decision would be a huge setback for the Standing Rock Sioux and others who have opposed the pipeline route.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer said on YouTube Tuesday that the Army Corps of Engineers will be granting the easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross beneath Lake Oahe.

This approval would be needed to complete construction of the project, and follows President Trump’s Jan. 24 memorandum to the Secretary of the Army, directing that all federal agency reviews and approvals be expedited to complete the remaining portions of the pipeline.

It is unclear why Cramer would issue this statement at this time. According to the FEDERAL REGISTER, the Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in Connection With Dakota Access, LLC's Request for an Easement To Cross Lake Oahe, by the Army Department on 01/18/2017, sets the North Dakota Army Core of Engineers' comment period for the Environmental Impact Statement as open until February 20, 2017. Are they are approving the Easement before they finish their own review?

Congressman Cramer's YouTube Statement is presented below:

President Trump's order on immigrants has sparked spontaneous and overwhelming demonstrations across the nation and world. Stand with us and be Americans. Add your name to our petition.

APPLETON, WI - Not since the Vietnam War has our country witnessed such a spontaneous and overwhelming demonstration against a president's actions.

And rightfully so.

President Trump's executive order is not who we are.

We are a nation of immigrants founded on the unwavering belief that all men are created equal and in God's image. And we are, as St. Matthew wrote, that "bright shining city on a hill" that embraces those escaping persecution and who seek a better life.

Consider just a few of those stopped at our airports: the family member of a US Army soldier, a translator for our armed forces, doctors, scientists, mothers, fathers...

Add your name to our petition and stand up to Donald Trump >>>

And President Trump's executive order will not make us safer.

In fact, it will do just the opposite.

It will feed into the lies ISIS uses to recruit terrorists, strain crucial relations with our allies and put our safety at risk both home and abroad.

While not one Wisconsin Republican has denounced Trump, I am proud of Senator Tammy Baldwin, Congressman Kind, Congresswoman Moore, Congressman Pocan and thousands of Wisconsinites all around our great state who have stood up against this un-American, and un-Wisconsin executive order.

Madison's Devil’s Advocates radio show adding station in the Milwaukee market, Scott Walker’s punitive plan to force parents with children to work a minimum of 80 hours a month to receive food stamps, and the latest Trump assaults on civil liberties.

STATEWIDE - In a major victory for Citizen Action's Radio-Active project, Mike Crute ( co-host of the Devil’s Advocates radio show) makes an exclusive announcement on the podcast that he is buying a major radio station in the Milwaukee market, broadcasting at 1510 AM. The new commercial talk radio station will feature independent and progressive voices engaging in fact-based discussions, including local hosts and national luminaries such as Thom Harthman, Stephanie Miller, and many others.

We also discuss Scott Walker’s punitive plan to force parents with children to work a minimum of 80 hours a month to receive food stamps and housing assistance, while the Walker economy continues to hemorrhage family supporting jobs. Also the panel discusses shocking new cost estimates for one of Walker's biggest corporate tax loopholes, his latest assault on worker rights, and new evidence that private school tax break passed by the GOP in the middle of the night is going primarily to wealthier Wisconsinites.

We also weigh in on the latest Trump assaults on civil liberties. We welcome Milwaukee County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic to talk about the County Board’s resolution this week opposing all forms of discrimination and pledging that Milwaukee County will remain a safe place for undocumented immigrants -- regardless of federal law.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #278