Let's Choose Our Battles Wisely

Let's face it. We lost. Republicans have a firm grip on Washington. They are able to do almost anything that they want. They are able to pass most of their polluting, anti-science, anti-middle-class, social-Darwinist agenda. We have only a limited ability to fight back.

However, we do have some weapons in our arsenal. On a range of important issues, including opposition to Citizens United, support for Social Security and Medicare, public education, worker's rights, and right-to-choose, we stand with the majority of Americans. Public opinion is on our side.

We have the ability to overturn the worst legislation through the courts. During the past eight years, Republicans unleashed a torrent of legal challenges to President Obama's legislative achievements and executive orders. We should return the favor.

And Republican Congressional majorities are not overwhelming. A flip of three GOP votes in the Senate or 23 votes in the House could defeat some of the most regressive legislation. Congressional Democrats must stick together and need to appeal to swing-district Republicans on critical votes.

However, we can't fight everything. We can't dissipate our energies on the small stuff, the temporary stuff, or the unpopular stuff. Our people only have limited time and energy. The American people only have a limited capacity for outrage. Let's pick our battles. As Democratic strategist James Carville says, “if you’re against everything; then you are for nothing. You’ve got to pick and say, ‘This is what [Trump] is’ and drive that home. "

If we fight on every issue, we will end up winning on very few. But what should be our main priorities in repelling the GOP agenda over the next four years? What issues are worth our time, our activism, and our energy? I suggest three major areas below:

Laws and policies designed to lock-in GOP majorities. As soon as Wisconsin Republicans gained total power in 2011, they passed a string of laws designed to lock-in that power. They attacked groups like lawyers and unions that heavily contribute to Democrats. They passed laws designed to make it harder for Democratic-leaning groups like the poor and students to vote. They passed the most grossly gerrymandered map in the country. They tailored political contribution laws to favor their party.

We must resist similar efforts to lock-in conservative power in Washington. If we ever hope to reestablish a progressive national government, we must fight GOP efforts to tilt the electoral playing field. We cannot allow Republicans to weaken Democratic groups, such as unions. We need to push back on biased political contribution laws. We must resist attempts to impose voter suppression schemes like national photo-ID. Trump has already set the stage for such suppression with his bizarre claims of widespread voter fraud.

Laws and actions that will have a long-term effect on the US. Many Republican plans can be overturned as soon as progressives regain power. Executive orders can be overturned. Unqualified cabinet secretaries will be tossed-out. Alliances can be repaired. Prudent climate policies can be re-instituted. We need to focus on the policies that will affect our country for decades or more.

For example, we need to push back on Trump's illegitimate Supreme Court nominee. We cannot allow him to fill what rightfully should be Merrick Garland's seat with a conservative hack who would legislate a regressive agenda for decades.

It took the US 222 years to enact a program ensuring universal access to medical care. If we allow repeal of the Affordable Care Act, it may be another 200 years before Americans can consider healthcare as a right. Saving Obamacare is a fight worth having-a fight that should unify all progressives.

Laws that end popular programs. On issue after issue, the Republican Party is on the wrong side of public opinion. As progressives, we need to defend our most popular programs and policies. For example, we must resist efforts to end reproductive freedom. We cannot allow big government to dictate healthcare choices. We must continue reimbursing women's clinics for services.

Paul Ryan and his droogs have long lusted over privatizing Social Security and turning Medicare into a discount coupon scheme. This strikes at the very heart of progressive values. We must be seen as the defenders of these successful and popular programs.

While the Trump circus continues to distract most Americans, Republican politicians are beginning to impose their destructive and regressive policies on the country. With a limited arsenal of weapons, we cannot fight everything. We should carefully choose our most meaningful fights and pour everything into winning them. We should resist efforts to tilt the electoral playing field. We should resist efforts to lock-in long term regressive policies. We must defend popular progressive policies such as reproductive choice, Medicare, and Social Security.

Rage Against the Dying of the Light !

Saturday, Jan.21, 2017 in Madison with 100,000 friends.

Thank You, Guys !

If You Break It, You Own It

People will be beautifully covered !

Congressional Republicans and their leader, Donald Trump, are hell-bent on repealing the Affordable Care Act. Repeal is one of the few consistent messages voiced by GOP over the past seven years. It is one of the few ideological tenets holding their party together. They now have the votes. Repeal will be done. Goodbye to Obamacare.

However, what comes after Repeal is unknown. Republican politicians have painted themselves into a corner by their irrational hatred of everything Obama. They have taken steps for Repeal with no Replacement in sight. Last week, we discussed the slim prospects of House and Senate leadership corralling enough Republican votes alone to pass any sort of Replacement. There are too many anti-government nihilists in the GOP to pass any kind of meaningful Replacement program.

Under almost any scenario, some Democratic votes would be needed to pass a Replacement plan. But, that simply ain't happening. Democrats are not disposed to rescue their right-wing colleagues from their self-imposed and avoidable disaster.

On Tuesday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report on the horrendous human and financial costs of ACA Repeal. Repeal will deny coverage to 18 million additional people in the first year, ballooning to 32 million more uninsured people by 2026. Premium costs will skyrocket over the current projections, shooting up 25% more the first year and doubling current projections by 2026.

This certainly doesn't sound like the rosy plan promised us by Donald Trump. He has variously called his secret scheme a "great" plan, a "terrific" plan, and an "unbelievable" plan. In a Sunday interview, he said that his plan would provide "insurance for everybody". He said the people "will be beautifully covered !" 

It also doesn't sound like the rosy plan promised us by Paul Ryan. He has pledged that "no one will be worse-off." During a CNN Town Hall last week, Ryan promised that his replacement will be "something better."

Seeing the slow but inexorable healthcare disaster heading for their party, Republicans are desperate to get Democrats on-board with their awful replacement scheme. They would love to be able to share the blame for huge numbers of new uninsured, ruinous budget deficits, and ballooning premiums. Or in the likely event that no Replacement is actually passed, they would like to be able to accuse "those Democrats" of blocking reform.

In one of his infamous Tweet-storms, Trump pleaded: "It is time for Republicans & Democrats to get together and come up with a healthcare plan that really works- much less expensive and FAR BETTER!"

In a Waukesha Town Hall meeting last Saturday, Congressman Sensenbrenner voiced a similar plea, "Republicans cannot pass a replacement for the ACA on a party line vote, nor do we want to...We do not want it to be a partisan issue." Too bad that Sensenbrenner and his droogs made it a partisan issue long ago by fierce GOP obstruction during initial passage of the law, seven years of single-minded anti-ACA braying, and over 60 party-line votes for repeal.

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz from Hawaii said that his Republican colleagues have approached him to help bail them out-"I think they want a life line because they don't have a plan." Sen. Schatz continued, "They want to be able to claim this is part of a good faith negotiation, but it's simply not.They have no idea what comes next so they want some bipartisan cover for their nonsense behavior."

Republican politicians have rejected our current successful ACA system because of their blind hatred of President Obama. They are calling on Democrats to help bail them out of the mess that they have created for purely partisan reasons. They have broken the system all by themselves. They now own it.

Sensenbrenner Will Raise Taxes on 22,000 Constituents

A few days ago, I received another taxpayer-funded, glossy propaganda letter from Jim Sensenbrenner. As so many other times over the last seven years, our Congressman promised to repeal healthcare for thousands of his constituents.

Sensenbrenner has been an enemy of healthcare for his constituents since the beginning. Just last May, he penned an opinion piece in the Journal Sentinel called "The Bitter Fruits of Obamacare." At a town-hall several years ago, a friend of ours tried to ask him a question, saying,"You've voted over 50 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act and...". Sensenbrenner immediately interrupted, blurting out, "And I would vote another 50 times to repeal it !"

I do not call Sensenbrenner's planned actions "repealing Obamacare" or even "repealing the Affordable Care Act". I prefer "repealing heathcare". Without a comparable and coherent plan to replace current law, the Republican Congress, including Sensenbrenner, will indeed repeal healthcare for millions of Americans.

Sensenbrenner's taxpayer-funded website lists no fewer than 29 anti-healthcare press releases and opinion pieces from his taxpayer-funded office. He has called the legislation that has greatly lowered the uninsured rate in his district a "disaster", "unconstitutional", "bad tasting medicine", and a "train-wreck".

With the ascension of popular-vote loser, Donald Trump to the Presidency, Congressional Republicans like Sensenbrenner have been given the opportunity they have been salivating over for years. They will be able to end healthcare for millions of Americans. This includes repealing healthcare for 25,900 of Ol' Jim's very own constituents who buy their insurance over the Exchange.

Based on estimates of about 85% of Exchange enrollees being eligible for Premium Tax Credits, Jim Sensenbrenner, by his partisan vote for Repeal, will raise taxes on over 22,000 of his District 5 constituents. I know. I am one of them. Based on my 2014 & 2015 returns, my own Federal taxes will be increased by over $10,700 per year.

Often bragging about never raising taxes, Sensenbrenner will vote to eliminate the Premium Tax Credits for more than 190,000 Wisconsin residents. He will burden low and middle-income residents of our state with the loss of $759,000,000/year in Premium Tax Credits.

Republicans are committed to ending the Affordable Care Act. They are committed to ending healthcare for millions of Americans. This bizarre one-track focus is one of the few unifying issues for today's GOP. Ending the program is easy. It will be a promise kept.

However, with all of their Replacement talk, Republicans take us for fools. There is little chance that a comprehensive and meaningful Replacement healthcare plan can be passed by the GOP alone. With 218 votes needed for anything to pass the House, Republicans can only afford to lose 23 of their members. There is no way that so large a group can be convinced to pass any rational healthcare plan. After all, many of the most rabid of GOP politicians believe that the government should be not be involved in healthcare at all.

The odds that Senate Republicans will pass substantive new health reform is even lower. Even if Majority Leader McConnell "goes nuclear" and overturns the 60-vote filibuster threshold, he has only a very slim majority. At 52-48, Republicans can only lose three votes in passing any post-nuclear bill. And based on the political rancor of the last eight years, they will get no help from Democrats.

Repeal will happen. I would place money on it. However, no meaningful Replacement is in sight. But, maybe I am worried over nothing. After all, President-elect Trump has variously promised, a "great" plan, a "terrific" plan, and an "unbelievable" plan. Paul Ryan promised us that Repeal will "leave no one worse off". Should we take them at their word? Probably not.

The way I see it, there will be a definite Repeal, but no substantive Replacement. There will be a large increase in the number of uninsured Americans. There will be a large increase in the number of people who cannot buy insurance at any price. There will be a large tax increase for those of us who count on tax credits to defray the cost of insurance. District 5 voters will have Jim Sensenbrenner to thank.

What Can We Do ?

The Republican Congress is poised to enact the most granny-starving, hate-filled, rights-restricting agenda that this country has ever seen. With G.O.P. control of the White House and both Houses of Congress, what can a patriotic American do to stop this assault?

Perhaps we should take a page from the old Tea-Party playbook. In 2008, Democrats held the Oval Office, the Senate, and the House-a similar position of power in which today's Republicans find themselves. Within weeks of Obama's first inauguration, countless rallies and marches were held, protesting something or other. Members of Congress got an earful at town hall meetings. A perfectly good historical flag was usurped as the movement's symbol.

Over time, the Tea Party was able to intimidate their representatives or, in many cases, to replace them. Demands for ideological purity and punishment for any compromise shifted many surviving politicians (and our entire country) far to the right. The new, more radical, G.O.P. gained first the House, then the Senate, and now the White House.

Just as Republicans found their way out of the wilderness through smart tactics, organization, and mobilization, Democrats can, too. A good guide for progressive activism in the Age of Trump was compiled by a group of former Democratic Congressional staffers. This document is called Indivisible-A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda. It focuses on how to effectively put pressure on your members of Congress to influence their policy positions. 

Indivisible discusses tactics such as public events, phone calls, and media opinion pieces. However, the authors put much of their emphasis on personal contact with your politicians. Town hall meetings, in which constituents can directly speak to their elected officials, are seen as especially effective in communicating your opinions.

Typical of Indivisible's practical town hall advice: "Your questions should be sharp and fact-based, ideally including information on the (Member of Congress’s) record, votes they’ve taken, or statements they’ve made. Thematically, they should focus on a limited number of issues to maximize impact. Prepare 5-10 of these questions and hand them out to your group ahead of the meeting."

W.O.W. Counties are represented in the House by Paul Ryan (southern Waukesha), Jim Sensenbrenner (Northern Waukesha, Washington), and Glen Grothman (Ozaukee). Granted, it will be difficult to directly influence this extremist gang. However, maybe the worst of their nefarious plans can be stalled.

Just as the GOP Congress was shamed today into reversing course on weakening the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, public pressure can have an effect on their other policies. For example, maybe they can be shamed into introducing an actual replacement for the Affordable Care Act at the same time that they kill it. With enough push-back, maybe they will drop the crazy idea of turning Medicare into a discount coupon scheme.

How do we find-out about town hall meetings in our districts? Remember-if no one shows up except supporters, our Congressmen will assume that everyone agrees with their actions.

I am not sure whether Glen Grothman holds any town hall meetings at all. His official website offers no clue. He appears to be frightened of his constituents and must be approached in other ways, such as office visits, sit-ins, and mass calls. His Washington office can be reached at (202) 225-2476.

Paul Ryan calls his town halls his "Mobile Office". According to his official website, "Information about the 2017 Mobile Office Tour and schedule will be available on this web page in Spring 2017."

So Paul Ryan will not have any town hall meetings until Spring- well after he has passed much of his cynical granny-starving agenda. However, we should plan to show-up at each and every one that he finally does hold. After all, video of Paul Ryan facing an irate crowd of seniors in his own district can only help to save Medicare and Social Security nationally.

In refreshing contrast, Jim Sensenbrenner holds frequent town halls throughout his district. His website lists the current schedule of 45 sessions, to be held from January 14 through March 19. I personally have attended many past town halls and find them both entertaining and enlightening.

There are many productive things that you can do to let your Republican Congress people know that you do not agree with their agenda of tax cuts for the rich, gruel for seniors, restricted rights for women, and government-sponsored hate for minorities. Much practical advice is contained in the document, Indivisible. Although progressives are currently out-of-power, we can take a lesson from the 2008 Tea Party. There are concrete actions we can take to blunt the very worst of the Trump/GOP agenda.