Our state’s unemployment system is outdated and ineffective. Wisconsinites deserve better, but the Legislature has ignored my call for a special session to fix our broken UI system, once again kicking the can down the road. Here's why we desperately need to update our UI system⬇️
Our UI system isn't quite as old as I am, but it has been around since about when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. It’s 2021. We’ve got to update and modernize our system, and that will require a serious overhaul.
Our current unemployment benefits system also doesn't support basic, modern functions—things like email, document uploads, and even scrolling—that we need to ensure it’s easier and faster to process unemployment claims.
It’s clear our UI system is clunky, inefficient, and time-consuming. See for yourself what it's like to process a UI claim in real time. Watch ⬇️
From 2016 to 2019, @WIWorkforce handled a total of 7.2 million claims. Since the #COVID19 pandemic hit, DWD has received 8.8 million claims alone.
Previous administrations and more than a decade’s worth of legislators have ignored this problem—it is long past time to update this broken system. No politics, no posturing—let's just get it done.
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The ability to exercise First Amendment rights is a critically important part of our democracy and the pursuit of justice. But there remains a line between peaceful assembly and what we saw last night that put individuals, families, and businesses in danger.
We cannot forget the reason why these protests began, and what we have seen play out over the last two nights and many nights this year is the pain, anguish, and exhaustion of being Black in our state and country.
But as I said yesterday, and as I’ll reiterate today, everyone should be able to exercise their fundamental right—whether a protester or member of the press—peacefully and safely.
Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries.
While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.
We stand with all those who have and continue to demand justice, equity, and accountability for Black lives in our country—lives like those of George Floyd, of Breonna Taylor, Tony Robinson, Dontre Hamilton, Ernest Lacy, and Sylville Smith.
I believe, and Wisconsinites do, too, that the people should get to choose their elected officials, not the other way around. When I ran for governor, I promised I would lead the fight for fair, nonpartisan maps, and by golly, we’re going to make good on that promise.
When members of the Legislature can ignore an overwhelming majority of the people of our state who support commonsense things like nonpartisan redistricting, Medicaid expansion, and funding our public schools, folks, something’s wrong.
Republicans have had every opportunity to bring nonpartisan redistricting to a vote in the Legislature, but they’ve failed to act for years. That's why I announced The People’s Maps Commission, a nonpartisan commission tasked with drawing fair, impartial electoral maps in 2021.
What happened in Madison last night presented a stark contrast from the peaceful protests we have seen across our state in recent weeks, including significant damage to state property.
I want to be clear: violence against any person—whether in the middle of the street in broad daylight, at home trying to sleep, going for a run, or happening upon a protest as was the case last night—is wrong. It should never be tolerated.
Any single act of injustice against one person is less justice for all of us, and the people who committed these acts of violence will be held accountable. My thoughts are with @TimCarpenterMKE who was among the individuals attacked last night and wish him a quick recovery.
ICYMI: Last week we announced our robust $1 billion plan to box in #COVID19 across Wisconsin, focusing on testing, contact tracing, operations, and resources for local communities. #Thread
This plan includes a $260 million investment in testing efforts to ensure that everyone who needs a test, gets a test.
Hand in hand with testing, we have to ramp up contacting tracing. Our plan includes critical investments in contact tracer staff and in our local county and tribal health departments to make sure we are contacting and isolating those who have had contact with the virus quickly.
Up to now, we were in a pretty good place in our battle against #COVID19. We had reached almost all our gating criteria. We had opened up small businesses across the state, putting folks back to work, and that was because of the good work of Wisconsinites across our state.
From keeping our kids home from school to staying safer at home, we cannot let today’s Supreme Court ruling undo all the work we have done and all the sacrifices Wisconsinites have made over these past few months.
Our ability to respond quickly has saved lives and now, despite that good work and the efforts of Wisconsinites, Republican legislators have convinced 4 members of the Supreme Court to throw Wisconsin into chaos, putting public health and lives at serious risk.