Rock County Progressives
promoting education and
activism around progressive issues
2015 Past Events...
We organize a free public forum, generally monthly. Join us to listen and discuss current issues with our knowledgeable speakers.
See our next event here.
We would like to thank Vicki Solomon-McClain for the videos. Check Vicki's Youtube channel for more interesting content.
Wednesday, December 9th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Gerrymandering
What is the Problem
and
What can be Done?
Speaker:
- Rep. Frederick Kessler
- Assembly District 12 (D - Milwaukee)
- Wisconsin State Journal article on gerrymandering.
- From Rep.Kessler, "We no longer have any congressional districts that are competitive in the state of Wisconsin," said Democratic state Rep. Fred Kessler, a former judge who has worked on redistricting issues in Wisconsin and other states since the 1960s. "Here we've had the politicians choosing the voters, rather than the voters choosing the politicians."
- The Republican-friendly maps drawn by the Legislature in 2011 can explain how the GOP was able to make gains in the 2012 election at the same time President Barack Obama carried the state by nearly 7 points. Despite the statewide win, Republican Mitt Romney carried five of the state's eight U.S. House districts, 17 of 33 state Senate districts and 56 of 99 state Assembly districts..
Video of Forum!
- part 1: Rep. Frederick Kessler
Wednesday, November 11th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Democracy Under
Attack:
GAB, John Doe and Campaign Finance
“The GOP is fast-tracking several damaging, partisan measures. One will destroy the non-partisan Government Accountability Board (GAB). Another will deregulate Wisconsin campaign finance law and allow unlimited money – most of it secret – to flood our elections.”
Speaker:
- Jay Heck
- Executive Director, Common Cause in Wisconsin
- The Common Cause website
- On WPR: Four perspectives on john doe, the GAB and campaign finance bills.
- On WORT:The GOP fastst tracking assembly bill 388 and other partisan measures.
Video of Forum!
Wednesday, October 14th
Video of Forum!
Wednesday, September 9th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Clean Energy
Speaker:
- Rep. Katrina Shankland
- Rep for WI Assembly District 71.
- Dist. 71 map.
- Katrina's webpage.
- She is the Assistant Minority Leade
- Serves on the Committee on Natural Resources and sporting heritage.
- Community organizer who has had extensive involvement with renewable energy projects
Video of Forum!
Wednesday, Aug. 12,2015
Rock County Progressives Invite You to
Our 4th Annual:
Pot Luck Picinic
Celebrating
Progressive Values
Speakers:
- Rep. Andy Jorgensen
- State Assembly rep. for 43th dist.
- The 43rd includes Milton, Whitewater, Edgerton, the town of Koshkonong, Sumner, and Albion township.
- One of our best Pogressive represenatives
- Andy's web page
- Cassie Steiner of:
- The Sierra Club
- Madison 350.org
- the WI States Energy Alliance
Music by:
-
The "Bulk Bin Band"
- With Aaron Aegerter (formerly of the Forward Marching Band)
Schedule:
- 6-7 PM Potluck Picinic
- Brats, natural & veggie provided
- Natural soda provided
- 7-9 PM Entertainment & Speakers
Location:
-
Riverside Park
- North Pavilion
- Janesville, WI.
Wednesday, July 8th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Matt Rothschild
on the
Wisconsin
Democracy
Campaign
FYI:
- The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign website
- This is the first time we've had Matt since he's was named director of the WDC, a position formerly held by Mike McCabe
- The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is a homegrown network of citizens fighting government corruption and working for fair elections, judicial integrity, media democracy, and open and transparent government. The Democracy Campaign pursues these objectives through research, citizen education, community outreach, coalition building and direct advocacy.
- WDC was founded in 1995 as a nonprofit, independent coalition of individuals and groups responding to the growing dominance of special interest money in the campaigns of state lawmakers. The Democracy Campaign is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and gifts to WDC are fully tax deductible.
- “Rothschild was the longtime editor and publisher of The Progressive magazine, where campaign finance reform, clean elections and real democracy have been priorities since the days of the publication’s founder Fighting Bob La Follette.”
Wednesday, June 10th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Why
Community Radio
Matters...
WADR-LP
comes to
Janesville
WADR-LP (103.5 LPFM),
community radio in Janesville, Wisconsin...
is scheduled to begin broadcasting at 103.5 FM in mid-June. Located at 321 E Milwaukee Street in Janesville the station can already be heard broadcasting music and original local programming 24 hours a day 7 days a week at www.JanesvilleCommunityRadio.com, or by downloading its app on iTunes or through Google Play. Janesville Community Radio, Inc. is currently in the process of applying for a 501 c(3) non profit status.
Speakers:
- Yuri Rashkin
- President Janesville Community Radio
- Host of Discover Janesville on JCR
- Talk Show Host at WORT
- Associate Lecturer UWW in Communication
- Former Janesville City Councilman
- Judith Detert-Moriarty
- JCR board member
- former Instructor Blackhawk Technical College
- Former Owner/Artist Art Graphica
- Active in the Rock County Pipeline Awareness Network
- One of the most active Solidarity Singers
- also Current Podcasters!
Wednesday, May 6th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Update
on
Congress
Speaker:
- US Rep. Mark Pocan
- US House Represenative for WI 2nd district.
- The 2nd district includes Milton, Evansville, Broadhead, Monroe, Mineral Pt., Baraboo and Madison.
- Rep. Pocan has helped raise awareness on a number of important issues like net neutrality, the student loan debt crisis, the TransPacific Partnership trade deal and has introduced the ‘Right to Vote Constitutional Amendment.’
- One of our best Pogressive represenatives
- From Rep. Pocan's web page.
Video of Forum!
Wednesday, April 8th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Impact
of the
Proposed
State Budget
Speaker:
- Andy Jorgensen
- State Assembly rep. for 43th dist.
- The 43rd includes Milton, Whitewater, Edgerton, the town of Koshkonong, Sumner, and Albion township.
- One of our best Pogressive represenatives
- Andy's web page
Video of Forum!
Wednesday, March 18th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Prison Reform
in
Wisconsin
Speaker:
- Ruth Kolpack
- Pres. of Justice Overcoming Borders (JOB)
- Recent article
- Rep. Mark Spreitzer
- WI Assembly District 45 (D - Beloit)
Video of Forum!
Wednesday, February 18th
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
Save the UW
How budget cuts will
damage the UW System
and what can be done
Speaker:
- Nikki Mandell
- UW-Whitewater, historian of labor
- Brandi Grayson
- From the Young Gifted & Black Coalition
Video of Forum!
Wednesday, January 21st
Rock County Progressives Present an Educational Forum
The
Right to Work
For Less
Speaker:
- Sly’ Sylvester
- Talk radio host 3-6:30 PM M-F on WEKZ 93.7 FM/ 1380 AM
- Podcasting at Sly’s Office: http://www.slysoffice.com/
Video of Forum!
Jefferson
Calls Us to Action
You can find these words of
his inside the Memorial.
"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, more discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain even under the regiment of their barbarous ancestors."