February 20th
Shawano Dems’ Meeting
Shawano Civic Center
7:00 PM

We were hoping to have Judge Lisa Neubauer speak about her candidacy for Supreme Court Justice but unfortunately she had to cancel.  However, we will have an informative program.

Our speaker will be Barbara Mendoza, the Executive Director of the non-profit F.R.E.S.H Project, The projects mission is to increase the physical access to Food, create Resources where good food can be found, provide Educational events, increase food Security and bring about good Health. This project has been promoting community engagement to meet its goals.

February 15th
Senator Rob Cowles’ Listening Session
Shawano Civic Center
4:30-6:00 PM

This is a chance for you make your opinions known before the state budget is debated.

February 14th
WTCH-AM 960 & 96.1 FM Breakfast Club
8:00-900 AM

The Shawano Dems will be on the air.  The topic for this month is healthcare.  Below is an op-ed which will be printed in the Shawano Leader.

BETTER HEALTHCARE NEEDED

The private insurance market has had a strong hold on American’s healthcare for decades. 

Americans have had to deal with high deductibles, co-pays and no maximum caps in their insurance plans.   Patients who suffered from pre-existing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions have been denied coverage.

Americans have had to deal with high deductibles, co-pays and no maximum caps in their insurance plans.   Patients who suffered from pre-existing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions have been denied coverage.

Back in 2008 when the costs for healthcare insurance were skyrocketing, the Democrats in Congress felt the need to help those who couldn’t get the health care they so desperately needed.  Although they thought the best solution was a government single payer tax-funded plan, they compromised and settled for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which kept private insurance companies in the loop.

The developing countries of the world have better healthcare systems than the United States.  The Legtum Institute, a London based research institute, recently identified the top countries with the best healthcare systems.  The United States ranked 30^th.

The quality of healthcare in the institute’s study was measured by three key components:  a country’s basic mental and physical health, health infrastructure, and the availability of preventative care.   Many of the countries with the best healthcare rankings had universal healthcare and required mandatory health insurance for all its citizens.

Government’s job is to fill the gaps when the private market isn’t meeting the needs of its people.  The ACA legislation allowed states to accept federal funds to help low-income individuals afford health insurance.  Up until now Wisconsin has not accepted the hundreds of millions in Medicaid funds for BadgerCare.  Accepting the available funds would be an important step to achieving healthcare for all.

Many Americans under 65 would like healthcare which has the benefits of Medicare.  In Wisconsin one plan could be a “Public Option” for both individuals and employers of large or small businesses.   According to Citizen’s Action, a promoter of the program, the cost would be less per person than private insurance.

Today there are many who face a constant threat of having their lives devastated by health disasters which could easily become financial disasters.  Many with pre-existing conditions are worried that they will not be able to get insurance in the future.   Everyone should have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that affordable healthcare will be there when it is needed.

Americans have said overwhelmingly that they don’t like our present healthcare system.  70% have said they would rather have a plan like Medicare for All.

Change can invoke fear.  There was resistance when the government first introduced the idea of Social Security and Medicare.

There might be some apprehension if we go away from private insurance’s domination of our healthcare.  But isn’t coverage for every American worth it?

December 5^th
7:00 pm
Shawano Civic Center

Everyone is invited. There will be food (including pulled pork sandwiches) and beverages.  If you have a special holiday treat you want to share, bring it.  We will also be having some fun with a trivia game. .We will be honoring our volunteers and electing officers for the next 2 years (Those voting must be members of the Democratic Party).

Yes, Wisconsin did have a Blue Wave.  We can celebrate taking control of our State capital.  You may not realize that we also voted by an 8% margin (54% of all votes) for Assembly candidates – a landslide.  However, due to gerrymandering we only got 35% of the seats. 

Continue reading →

From Saturday November 3 until Tuesday evening there will be serious Get-Out-the-Vote efforts. 

• On Saturday Beau Liegeois, Candidate for Congress, will be in Shawano from 11:15 am-12-15 pm.  He will be speaking in the back room of the Glas Coffee House at 11:15 and then proceed to Angie’s Main Cafe to shake a few hands.  From there he will go to the Dem’s Office at 105 Airport Road to fire up some canvassers and phone bankers. Stop by and give him your support.

• More help is needed to make sure that we turn Wisconsin blue.  Some of the polls are tightening and we need to do all we can to make sure that we get Democrats out to vote. Canvassing and calling shifts will be on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 5pm.  Call the office number 715-201-0809 between noon and 8pm on Thursday or any time during the weekend to sign up for one or more shifts.  Carrie can also be reached at 715-758-7918 on Friday.  Please leave a message if no one answers.

• We hope to be celebrating on Tuesday night.  There will be a Democratic Watch Party at the Shawano Lake Golf Course from 8pm-12am.  Richard Sarnwick’s band, Lonesome Road, will be playing from 9:30-10:15.

Please help make Wisconsin a progressive state again by doing this together!