BEGINNING THERE WERE SOME
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO
COULDN'T COMPLETE THE
APPLICATION AT ALL.
MOST OF THOSE TECHNICAL ISSUES
HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, BUT THE
BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THAT
PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE FOR
FINANCIAL AID.
SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO MAKE
THOSE DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE
THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL,
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO STUDY WITHOUT HAVING ALL OF
THE INFORMATION.
TYPICALLY, WE ARE RECEIVING
FAFSA RECORDS IN OCTOBER, AND WE
JUST STARTED TO RECEIVE THEM AND
WE HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT AT
LEAST 20% MAY NOT BE ACCURATE.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
WAIT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION TO REPROCESS THOSE
FAFSA RECORDS SO WE CAN HAVE
ACCURATE INFORMATION.
>> SO HAS YOUR OFFICE, THEN,
BEEN INUNDATED WITH CONCERNED
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES?
>> YES.
YES, WE HAVE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S JUST
NOT A LOT WE CAN SAY BECAUSE WE
DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT IS
HAPPENING AND WHEN IT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR JOE BIDEN AND
DONALD TRUMP, THEY, OF COURSE,
WON IN TUESDAY'S ELECTION.
THE BAD NEWS, THEY LOST VOTES,
EITHER TO OTHER CANDIDATES OR TO
THE UNINSTRUCTED VOTE.
WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS AS THE
LATEST NATIONAL MARQUETTE LAW
SCHOOL POLL SHOWS IT AN EVEN
RACE.
WE TURN TO ANTHONY CHERGOSKY,
POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AT
UW LaRos.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
+> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO JOE BIDEN SAW MORE THAN
42,000 PEOPLE VOTE UNINSTRUCTED,
PRESUMABLY OVER HIS POSITION ON
ISRAEL AND GAZA.
I'M NOT SURE HOW LIKELY IT WOULD
BE, FRED, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY...
WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS AS THE
LATEST NATIONAL MARQUETTE LAW
SCHOOL POLL SHOWS IT AN EVEN
RACE.
WE TURN TO ANTHONY CHERGOSKY,
POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AT
UW LACROSSE.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO JOE BIDEN SAW MORE THAN
42,000 PEOPLE VOTE UNINSTRUCTED,
PRESUMABLY OVER HIS POSITION ON
ISRAEL AND GAZA.
HE ONLY WON WISCONSIN IN 2020 BY
20,000 VOTES.
HOW BIG OF A RED FLAG IS THIS
FOR JOE BIDEN?
>> I THINK IT'S A RED FLAG FOR
SURE BECAUSE WISCONSIN WAS
DECIDED SO NARROWLY IN 2020.
IN FACT, THE UNINSTRUCTED
MOVEMENT HAD A GOAL OF 20,000
VOTES AND THEY EASILY SURPASSED
THAT.
IT WAS A SYMBOLIC GOAL BECAUSE
20,000 WAS ROUGHLY THE MARGIN OF
VICTORY FOR JOE BIDEN IN THE
LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HERE
IN WISCONSIN BETWEEN BIDEN AND
TRUMP.
SO IN WISCONSIN, ANY LITTLE
MOVEMENT OF VOTERS CAN MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE, ANY LITTLE SHIFT
HERE AND THERE CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME
CAUSE -- THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME
CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR THE BIDEN
CAMPAIGN.
>> HOW LYLE DO YOU THINK IT
WOULD BE TO CHANGE HIS POSITION
ON ISRAEL BECAUSE OF THIS?
>> I'M NOT SURE HOW LIKELY IT
WOULD BE, FRED, BUT WHAT I CAN
SAY IS THERE'S A LONG TIME
BETWEEN NOW AND THE NOVEMBER
ELECTION.
ONE OF THE UNUSUAL ASPECTS OF
THIS GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN
IS JUST HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO
BE.
THERE'S A LIFETIME BETWEEN NOW
AND NOVEMBER, SO I CAN IMAGINE
THAT THE POLICIES AND THE ISSUES
ARE GOING TO EVOLVE AND WE COULD
BE IN A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE BY
THE TIME WE GET TO NOVEMBER.
>> ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
AISLE, DONALD TRUMP SAW MORE
THAN 120,000 PEOPLE VOTE FOR
SOMEONE ELSE ON THE BALLOT, LIKE
A NIKKI HALEY, AND HE HAD HIS
OWN 19,000 UNINSTRUCTED VOTERS.
IS THIS WORSE FOR HIM OR FOR
BIDEN AT THIS POINT?
>> I THINK THE TWO SIDES HAVE
DIFFERENT CONCERNS.
FOR BIDEN, THE UNINSTRUCTED
MOVEMENT HAD SPECIFIC ISSUES
WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
THEY HAD SPECIFIC OBJECTIONS TO
THE POLICIES AND THE APPROACHES
OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, WE'VE
SEEN THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN
STATES DURING THIS NOMINATION
PROCESS, WHERE THERE'S A CERTAIN
CHUNK OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS WHO
JUST AREN'T THERE WHEN IT COMES
TO VOTING FOR DONALD TRUMP IN
NOVEMBER OR FEELING LIKE THEY'RE
READY TO VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP
IN NOVEMBER.
WE'VE SEEN NIKKI HALEY
CONSISTENTLY PEEL OFF KEY VOTERS
IN THE SUBURBS, THOSE
WHITE-COLLAR PROFESSIONALS,
COLLEGE GRADUATES WHO HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN PROBLEMATIC FOR
DONALD TRUMP WITHIN THE
REPUBLICAN COALITION.
SO BIDEN AND TRUMP HAVE CONCERNS
COMING OUT OF THE APRIL ELECTION
HERE IN WISCONSIN, BUT THOSE
CONCERNS ARE VERY DIFFERENT IN
NATURE.
>> SO WHAT BREAKS LOOSE IF AN
RFK, JR. INDEPENDENT MAKES IT
ONTO THE BALLOT?
>> I THINK RFK COULD HAVE A KEY
IMPACT ON THE ELECTION, NOT
BECAUSE HE HAS ANY SHOT OF
WINNING WISCONSIN, BUT BECAUSE
HE COULD TAKE ON THAT SPOILER
ROLE.
AND FROM THE APRIL ELECTION
RESULTS HERE IN WISCONSIN, WE
KNOW THAT THERE ARE DEMOCRATS
WHO ARE UNHAPPY, BIDEN, WE KNOW
THERE ARE REPUBLICANS WHAT ARE
UNHAPPY WITH TRUMP.
THE KEY QUESTION IS IF
THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES CAN BE
THAT LANDING SPOT FOR VOTERS ON
EITHER SIDE WHO ARE NOT HAPPY
WITH THE CANDIDATE OF THEIR
PARTY.
WE COULD ALSO SEE UNHAPPY VOTERS
ON EITHER SIDE PLUG THEIR NOSE
AND VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE OF
THEIR PARTY.
SO A LONG TIME TO GO BETWEEN NOW
AND NOVEMBER, BUT I DO THINK THE
INFLUENCE OF THIRD PARTY
CANDIDATES IS WELL WORTH
WATCHING.
>> SO REPUBLICANS WON THEIR TWO
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN
WISCONSIN PROHIBITING PRIVATE
GRANTS IN RUNNING ELECTIONS.
HOW SUGGESTIVE IS THAT WIN WHEN
IT COMES TO ELECTION OUTCOMES IN
NOVEMBER?
>> I AM A BIT HESITANT ABOUT
MAKING PREDICTIONS FOR NOVEMBER
BASED ON THE APRIL ELECTIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE
SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER VOTER
TURNOUT IN NOVEMBER AND THERE'S
A LOT OF TIME FOR THE CAMPAIGN
TO PLAY OUT BETWEEN NOW AND
NOVEMBER, A LOT OF TIME FOR
VOTERS TO MAKE UP THEIR MINDS.
AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF VOTERS,
THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF
THE VOTERS IS GOING TO CHANGE AS
WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO
NOVEMBER.
SO I'M NOT SURE I WOULD READ TOO
MUCH INTO IT, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY
IS THAT REPUBLICANS WERE
EFFECTIVE AT MESSAGING THOSE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, THEY
WERE EFFECTIVE OF FIRING UP
THEIR BASE ON THE ELECTION OF
INTEGRITY.
>> SO DONALD TRUMP CONTINUES TO
CAMPAIGN ON THE LIE, FRANKLY,
THAT HE BEAT JOE BIDEN IN
WISCONSIN IN THE LAST ELECTION
INCLUDING THIS WEEK IN GREEN
BAY.
WHY IS THIS PERSUASION SO
ENDURING IN WISCONSIN AND
ELSEWHERE?
>> BECAUSE IT COMES FROM THE
TOP.
DONALD TRUMP IS THE UNQUESTIONED
LEADER OF THE REPUBLICAN FATTER
AND SO REPUBLICAN VOTERS ARE
GOING TO RESPOND WHEN DONALD
TRUMP SAYS SOMETHING.
FRED, I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE
BIND THAT REPUBLICANS ARE IN.
WE'VE HAD PEOPLE HIGHER UPS IN
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, PEOPLE
LIKE RON JOHNSON, TRYING TO
ENCOURAGE REPUBLICAN VOTERS TO
VOTE EARLY, VOTE BY MAIL, BUT
THEN DONALD TRUMP COMES TO GREEN
BAY AND CASTS DOUBT ON VOTES BY
MAIL.
HE CALLS IT A RECIPE FOR FRAUD.
SO WITH THE TRUMP INFLUENCE AND
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, FREQUENT
DONALD TRUMP SAYING ONE THING
EVEN AS PARTY LEADERS ARE TRYING
TO PUSH THE PARTY INTO A
DIFFERENT DIRECTION, SUCH AS
WITH VOTE BY MAIL.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
ANTHONY CHERGOSKY, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IN EDUCATION NEWS, THE UW
BOARD OF REGENTS THIS
WEEK-APPROVED A TUITION HIKE
THAT AVERAGES NEARLY $400 MORE
PER YEAR.
FOR MANY COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS,
PART OF PLANNING FOR COSTS
INCLUDES FILLING OUT THE FREE
APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT
AID, OR FAFSA.
IT'S A NECESSARY STEP TO SEE
WHAT THEIR FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE
LOOKS LIKE AND WHETHER OR WHERE
THEY CAN ENROLL, BUT THIS YEAR,
THE FAFSA PROCESS IS A MESS FOR
STUDENTS AND COLLEGES.
A NEW STREAMLINED FORM FROM THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
CAME OUT MONTHS LATE, WAS
DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO
ACCESS, AND THEN WAS FILLED WITH
GLITCHES SO BAD, FINANCIAL AID
OFFICES AT COLLEGES CAN'T EVEN
MOVE AID AWARDS ALONG.
IN WISCONSIN, MORE THAN 126,000
STUDENTS FILLED OUT THE FAFSA
LAST YEAR AND WERE AWARDED
FINANCIAL AID.
FOR A LOOK INSIDE THE MESS
HAPPENING THIS YEAR, WE TURN TO
KATIE WEISENBURGER, ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL AWARDS OF
THE UW-MADISON OFFICE OF STUDENT
FINANCIAL AID.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> QUITE THE SETUP.
I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE YOU HAVE
TIME TO BE HERE, BECAUSE I
UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE LIKE
YOURSELVES ARE WORKING NIGHTS
AND WEEKENDS JUST TRYING TO DEAL
WITH THIS.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR
OFFICE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THINGS ARE CHANGING EVERY DAY.
SO WE ARE OFTEN ON PHONECALLS
FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, LAST
THING AT NIGHT, SENDING MESSAGES
TO EACH OTHER, MAKING DECISIONS
BASED ON THE CURRENT
INFORMATION.
THIS WEEK, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE
BEEN ON WEBINARS EVERY DAY WITH
FEDERAL STUDENT AID, TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING AND
WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO.
>> SO HOW DELAYED ARE FINANCIAL
AID AWARDS THIS YEAR?
>> THEY'RE EXTREMELY DELAYED.
FOR AN EXAMPLE, AT UW-MADISON,
WE TYPICALLY HAVE AID OFFERS OUT
FOR OUR NEW STUDENTS IN JANUARY,
AND IT'S APRIL AND WE'RE -- WE
ARE GETTING CLOSER BUT WE'RE NOT
QUITE THERE YET.
>> HOW MANY UW-MADISON
APPLICANTS ARE AFFECTED?
>> ALL OF OUR UW-MADISON
APPLICANTS ARE AFFECTED, OR I
SHOULD CLARIFY, ANYBODY WHO IS
APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID.
>> ARE THERE CONCERNS THAT
STUDENTS WILL END UP NOT
ATTENDING BECAUSE OF THIS?
>> CERTAINLY, THERE ARE
CONCERNS.
CERTAINLY ACROSS THE STATE AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE
PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE ARE
EXPERIENCING WITH THIS FAFSA
FORM?
>> THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF
TECHNICAL ISSUES.
AT THE BEGINNING, THERE WERE
SOME STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO
COULDN'T COMPLETE THE
APPLICATION AT ALL.
MOST OF THOSE TECHNICAL ISSUES
HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, BUT THE
BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THAT
PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE FOR
FINANCIAL AID.
SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO MAKE
THOSE DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE
THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL,
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO STUDY
WITHOUT HAVING ALL OF THE
INFORMATION.
TYPICALLY, WE ARE RECEIVING
FAFSA RECORDS IN OCTOBER AND WE
JUST STARTED TO RECEIVE THEM AND
WE HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT AT
LEAST 20% MAY NOT BE ACCURATE.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
WAIT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION TO REPROCESS THOSE
FAFSA RECORDS SO WE CAN HAVE
ACCURATE INFORMATION.
>> SO HAS YOUR OFFICE, THEN,
BEEN INUNDATED WITH CONCERNED
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES?
>> YES.
YES, WE HAVE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S JUST
NOT A LOT WE CAN SAY BECAUSE WE
DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT IS
HAPPENING AND WHEN IT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN.
FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY
PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING, BUT
IT'S VERY STRESSFUL,
PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE FAMILIES
THAT HAVE -- THIS IS MAYBE THEIR
FIRST TIME APPLYING FOR
FINANCIAL AID, SENIORS IN HIGH
SCHOOL TRYING TO MAKE THAT BIG
DECISION ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE
GOING TO ATTEND COLLEGE.
>> SO WHAT IS YOUR GUIDANCE,
THEN, TO FAMILIES AND BE
STUDENTS IN THE MIDST OF THIS IS
THIS.
>> OUR GUIDANCE IS PLEASE BE
PATIENT.
PLEASE BE KIND.
BUT MOSTLY, CHECK YOUR EMAILS,
PARTICULARLY THE STUDENT'S
EMAIL.
SO PARENTS OFTEN CHECK THEIR
EMAILS, BUT WE WANT THE STUDENT
TO CHECK THEIR EMAILS BECAUSE IF
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED,
WE WILL EMAIL THAT STUDENT
DIRECTLY.
SO THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING,
IS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE
EMAILS AND THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.
>> SO HOW IS THE ADMISSIONS
OFFICE DEALING WITH ALL OF THIS?
BECAUSE THAT'S THE UPSTREAM
PROBLEM.
RIGHT?
>> SURE, YES, YEAH.
OUR ADMISSIONS TEAM HAS BEEN
VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR FINANCIAL
AID OFFICE, AND THE BIGGEST
THING THAT THEY HAVE DONE IS
THEY HAVE MOVED THE DECISION
DATE FROM MAY 1st TO MAY
15th, AND A LOT OF OTHER
SCHOOLS HAVE DONE THAT ACROSS
WISCONSIN AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST IMPACT THAT
WE'VE DONE FOR OUR STUDENTS
HERE.
>> I DID NOTICE ON-LINE THAT YOU
HAVE IN-PERSON SESSIONS THIS
MONTH TO HELP STUDENTS WITH
FAFSA.
>> YES.
>> ONE OF THEM HAPPENED TODAY.
>> YEAH.
>> IN YOUR TENURE AS A FINANCIAL
AID OFFICER, HOW EXTRAORDINARY
IS THIS YEAR?
>> THIS IS THE CRAZIEST YEARS
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY 23 YEARS IN
FINANCIAL AID IN HIGHER
EDUCATION.
THIS IS A GENERATIONAL CHANGE
AND I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, A
YEAR FROM NOW, THIS IS GOING TO
BE WONDERFUL BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE
WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE FEDERAL
PELL GRANT, IT'S AN EASIER
APPLICATION, JUST BUT RIGHT NOW
THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING IT
HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
TO PUT IT FRANKLY.
>> TO PUT IT FRANKLY.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, KATIE WEISENBURGER, THANKS
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> IN CONSUMER NEWS RELATED TO
HEALTHCARE, PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP
FOR MARKETPLACE AFFORDABLE
HEALTHCARE ACT PLANS SHOULD BE
AWARE OF UNSCRUPULOUS INSURANCE
BROKERS WHO COULD DO A BAIT AND
SWITCH.
SOME OF THESE WEB BROKERS ARE
SWITCHING PEOPLE'S EXISTING
PLANS WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE
AND POCKETING EXCESS PREMIUMS
ACCORDING TO THE KAISER FAMILY
FOUNDATION.
IN WISCONSIN, MORE THAN 250,000
PEOPLE ARE ON ACA PLANS THROUGH
THE FEDERAL MARKETPLACE.
CAROLINE GOMEZ-TOM IS AN ACA
ENROLLMENT NETWORK AND
ACCESSIBILITY MANAGER FOR
COVERING WISCONSIN.
SHE JOINS US NOW AND THANKS VERY
MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME,
FREDERICA.
>> DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE
IN WISCONSIN MIGHT BE VICTIMS OF
THESE WEB INSURANCE BROKERS?
>> WE'RE STILL KIND OF
UNDERSTANDING AND TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT THE VOLUME OF VOLKS
THATFOLKSTHAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS.
WE WERE BROUGHT AWARE OF THIS
BASED ON SOME OF OUR NAVIGATORS
WHO HAVE SEEN INDIVIDUALS COME
TO US BECAUSE THEY WERE DULY
ENROLLED IN MEDICAID OR THE
MARKETPLACE AND WE'RE HEARING IT
FROM OTHER STATES WHERE THEY'RE
GETTING A LOT MORE MALICIOUS
PREDATORS, ESSENTIALLY, WHO ARE
TRYING TO TARGET SPECIFIC
COMMUNITIES, BUT WE'RE
DEFINITELY SEEING MORE COME UP
WEEK AFTER WEEK.
>> WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES YOU'VE
SEEN IN TERMS OF UNSUITABLE
POLICIES BECAUSE OF COVERAGE OF
COST?
>> WHAT IT TYPICALLY LOOKS LIKE
IS SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY STILL
ELIGIBLE OR ENROLLED IN
MEDICAID, WHICH IS THE STATE'S
PROGRAM FOR LOWER INCOME FOLKS,
AND EITHER THEY ARE UP FOR
RENEWAL SOON OR THEY DO NEED TO
RENEW AND SOMEONE EITHER REACHES
OUT TO THEM PROACTIVELY, SOMEHOW
GETTING THEIR CONTACT
INFORMATION AND THERE'S A WAY OF
SOMEONE JUST PUT HEALTH
INSURANCE IN A GOOGLE SEARCH AND
WENT TO A BAD WEBSITE.
THEY COULD HAVE ACCIDENTALLY GOT
ON THIS LIST OF NUMBERS THAT
PEOPLE WILL CALL.
OTHERWISE, IT'S ACTUALLY SOMEONE
THAT MAYBE THEY REACHED OUT,
TOO, BUT THEY'RE OUT OF STATE
AND THEY'RE NOW GETTING SIGNED
UP FOR A MARKETPLACE PLAN,
USUALLY A ZERO-DOLLAR A MONTH
PLAN, BUT BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY
SHOULD STILL BE ON MEDICAID, ARE
NOW DUALLY ENROLLED IN THESE
PROGRAMS, AND IT'S NOT UNTIL
THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO SEEK
HEALTHCARE OR TAX TIME WHEN NOW
THE I.R.S. IS SAYING THEY HAVE
TO RECONCILE TAX CREDITS THAT
THEY NEVER KNEW THEY HAD,
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT WENT WRONG.
>> SO I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY OF
THESE BROKERS DOING THIS ARE OUT
OF STATE.
>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY BAD
ACTORS THAT ARE FROM WISCONSIN,
SO I WANT TO LEAD WITH THAT.
AND WE ACTUALLY DO A REALLY GOOD
JOB OF WORKING WITH OUR AGENT
AND BROKER COMMUNITY HERE IN
WISCONSIN.
WE SEE TRAIN WITH THEM, WE
PARTNER WITH THEM, AND WE
ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A LENGTHY
SCREENER BEFORE WE EVEN INCLUDE
THEM IN HOW WE ADVERTISE FOR
ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE.
>> SO WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO
PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THIS?
>> SO, OF COURSE, KNOWING THE
WEBSITE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN
REGARDING SEEKING ENROLLMENT FOR
HEALTH INSURANCE, MAKING SURE
THAT IT HAS A .GOV ENDING.
IF YOU'RE ENROLLING IN THE
HEALTH INSURANCE MAIRKT PLACE,
IT'S HEALTHCARE.GOV.
AND THEN YOU'RE SEEKING
ASSISTANCE AND YOU'RE TALKING TO
SOMEONE ON THE PHONE OR SOMEONE
REACHES OUT TO YOU, DON'T
HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS,
BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY RED
FLAGS, YOU SHOULD JUST STOP THE
CONVERSATION AND SAY, I WILL
CALL SOMEONE IF I NEED
ADDITIONAL HELP AND JUST END IT
THERE.
BUT ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE WHAT'S
YOUR LICENSE NUMBER?
WHO ARE YOU -- WHO DO YOU WORK
FOR?
WHAT IS YOUR AFFILIATION WITH
THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER
OF INSURANCE OR COVERING
WISCONSIN OR THE HEALTH
INSURANCE MARKETPLACE?
ANY PERSON WHO IS LEGITIMATELY
TRYING TO HELP YOU CAN EASILY
ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS
AND USUALLY AUTOMATICALLY GOES
THROUGH A CONSENT PROCESS.
WE ALWAYS JUST ENCOURAGE FOLKS
EVEN TO CALL US DIRECTLY FROM
THE GET-GO, BECAUSE EVEN IF IT'S
JUST A QUESTION TO MAKE SURE
THEY'RE AT THE RIGHT SPOT, LIKE
WE'D RATHER THEM DO THAT THAN BE
UNSURE AND THEN FIND OUT THE
HARD WAY.
>> YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT IMPORTANT
INFORMATION FOR WHAT PEOPLE
SHOULD LOOK FOR.
CAROLINE GOMEZ-TOM, THANKS SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> HEADING UP NORTH, THE STORY
AND HISTORY OF OPPRESSION AND
RESISTANCE OF NATIVE TRIBE ALONG
LAKE SUPERIOR IS TOLD IN A NEW
DOCUMENTARY CALLED BAD RIVER.
THE FILM TRAVELS CENTURIES BACK
IN TIME CHRONICLING BROKEN
TREATIES, LAND LOSS AND ATTEMPTS
TO WIPE OUT THEIR IDENTITY.
BUT DEFIANCE AND RESILIENCY
REMAIN THE COMMON THREAD TO
OVERCOMING STRUGGLE.
THE BAD RIVER BAND IS FIGHTING
THE EXISTENCE OF A 70-YEAR OLD
PIPELINE FROM ENBRIDGE FROM
CANADA.
LINE 5 IS ON LAND LEASED BY THE
BAND IN A LEGAL AGREEMENT LONG
EXPIRED.
MOREOVER, EXPERTS FEAR THE
IMMINENT RUPTURE OF THE AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE.
>> WE HAVE A CORPORATION THAT
WANTS THE LAND FOR THEIR OWN
PROFIT.
THEY ARE SAYING YOU CANNOT BE
THE LAST AUTHORITY OF DENIAL FOR
US.
THIS IS THE CORPORATION TELLING
THE TRIBE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
YOUR MANAGER.
>> IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT ENBRIDGE
CONTINUED TO PUMP.
>> YOU HAVE A VITAL RESOURCE AND
EFFECTIVELY YOU HAVE TRIBAL
COMMUNITY SAYING WE WANT TO SHUT
ALL OF THAT DOWN AND WE DON'T
CARE ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON
540,000 BARRELS OF OIL THAT ARE
GOING THROUGH THAT PIPELINE ON A
DAILY BASIS.
>> MY LITTLE TRIBE IS STANDING
UP AND SAYING, WE'RE PROTECTING
THE WATER, NOT JUST FOR US,
WE'RE PROTECTING WATER FOR THE
PLANET.
>> FILMMAKER, MARY MAZZIO AND
FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE BAD RIVER
BAND, MIKE WIGGINS, JOINS US
NOW.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> FIRST TO YOU, MIKE.
WHEN YOU FIRST SAW THIS FILM,
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?
>> MY FIRST REACTION WAS
ACTUALLY I HAD A VERY POWERFUL
EMOTIONAL REACTION.
THE CHRONICLING OF THE BAD RIVER
HISTORY, SOME OF IT NOT BEING
THE EASIEST TO LISTEN TO AND
WATCH, CULMINATING WITH THE
EXPRESSION OF VALUES AS IT
PERTAINS TO THE SEVENTH
GENERATION, OUR CHILDREN THAT
ARE STILL ON THE WAIT AND ALSO
OUR LANDSCAPES AND OUR WATERS.
IT JUST WAS A VERY, VERY
POWERFUL KIND OF REACTION FOR ME
WAS BASICALLY TEARS.
>> WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO
ENBRIDGE SAYING THAT THE TRIBE
DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE
WHO DEPEND ON THE 540,000
GALLONS OF OIL GOING THROUGH
THAT PIPELINE EVERY DAY?
>> WELL, THAT'S A
CHARACTERIZATION FROM A
CORPORATION, A PRIVATE
CORPORATION BEING OPERATED FOR
PROFIT AND OBVIOUSLY THE REST OF
THAT STORY IS WE HAVE OUR SET OF
VALUES AND OUR CONCERNS THAT
DRINKING WATER, AQUIFERS, THE
ABILITY FOR OUR PEOPLE TO STAY
IN OUR FOREVER HOME NOW AND INTO
THE FUTURE, AND SO I REALLY
THINK IT'S PART OF THE LOW BROW
BOOK OF TACTICS THAT ENBRIDGE
HAS UNLEASHED ON OUR PEOPLE
TRYING TO CHARACTERIZE US IN A
NEGATIVE WAY WHEN REALLY THERE
ARE OPTIONS, THERE ARE OTHER
PIPELINES THAT ARE RUNNING TO
THOSE PARTICULAR PEOPLE AND
AREAS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY,
THAT ENBRIDGE SPOKESPERSON IS
REALLY TALKING ABOUT HIS VERY
OWN CORPORATE PROFIT.
>> MARY, WHY WAS THIS FILM
IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO MAKE?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THANK
YOU FOR HAVING US, FREDERICA.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A
STORY THAT HAS NOT HERETOFORE
HAD VERY MUCH ATTENTION AND IT'S
ABOUT THIS SMALL NATIVE
COMMUNITY THAT, WITH MONUMENTAL
EFFORT, IS LOOKING TO PROTECT A
RESOURCE, AND AS FARMER FORMER CHAIRMAN
HAS SAID, IT'S THE FRESH WATER
OF AMERICA.
HERE ARE PEOPLE FIGHTING TOOTH
AND NAIL TO PROTECT THE
RESOURCE, TURNING DO DOWN $80
MILLION AT LAST CHECK TO SETTLE
THE CASE AND THEY'RE DOING IT
NOT FOR THEMSELVES, THEY'RE
DOING IT FOR ALL OF US.
AND THAT IS A REMARKABLE ACT OF
SELFLESSNESS, OF LONG-TERM
THINKING, AND FOR ME AS A
NONNATIVE, WHAT A ADJOURN THIS
HAS BEEN AND IF ONLY I CAN START
THINKING IN A MORE
GROUP-ORIENTED WAY WHAT IS
BETTER FOR COMMUNITY, WHAT IS
BETTER FOR SOCIETY, HOW AMAZING
WOULD THAT BE IF MORE OF US
COULD DO THAT.
>> MIKE, BACK TO YOU.
A FEDERAL JUDGE GAVE ENBRIDGE
THREE YEARS TO REMOVE THE
PIPELINE.
WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT
THAT?
>> WELL, THE VERY -- THE
ELEPHANT IN THE CORNER ON
NOTIONS OF REMOVAL CENTER AROUND
ENBRIDGE'S DESIRE TO REROUTE,
STAYING WITHIN THE WATERSHED.
THE REROUTE IS GOING TO BE
CATASTROPHIC.
WE'VE SEEN IN LINE 3 IN
MINNESOTA THE BREACHING OF
AQUIFERS AND WATER TOXICITY.
THE REROUTE AS IT PERTAINS TO
BAD RIVER IS IN A REALLY
SENSITIVE AREA OF THE UPPER
WATERSHED WHERE GROUNDWATER AND
SURFACE WATER INTERACT.
AND THEN THERE'S THE TOPIC
THAT'S NEVER BEEN DISCUSSED,
WHICH IS THE DECOMMISSIONING AND
SAFE REMOVAL OF THE PIPE AND ALL
OF ITS BEGGED BECAUSE BEDDING BECAUSE THE
BEDDING IS NOT VERY GOOD FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT, BUT THE
DECOMMISSIONING AND REMOVAL FROM
THAT RESERVATION IS GOING TO BE
A JOURNEY, TOO, AND THERE'S
NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THAT IN
TERMS OF IMPACTS AND COSTS.
>> I WANTED TO ASK YOU, YOU
SPOKE TO THE REROUTE.
IN AN OPINION PIECE IN THE
SENTINEL THIS WEEK, A BAD RIVER
TRIBAL MEMBER SAID THAT SOME
TRIBAL MEMBERS, HE SAID PERHAPS
MANY, WANT THAT PIPELINE, THAT
REROUTE OF THE PIPELINE BECAUSE
IT REPRESENTS CONSTRUCTION JOBS
FOR THEM.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?
>> WELL, THAT PARTICULAR OPINION
PIECE, I'VE SEEN THE TRADEMARK
FINGERPRINTS OF ENBRIDGE'S
PUBLIC RELATIONS ARM IN THAT
LETTER, BUT AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WITH THAT TRIBAL MEMBER
SIGNING THAT AND TAKING
OWNERSHIP, I THOUGHT THE OVERALL
LETTER BASICALLY CENTERED AROUND
MONEY, IT'S CENTERED AROUND
SELF-INTEREST IN TERMS OF --
THERE WAS A PIECE IN THERE WHERE
HE TALKED ABOUT MONEY AND GOING
DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE, AND IT'S
HARD TO FAULT FOLKS FOR THEIR
DESIRE IT OFF MONEY IN THEIR
POCKET.
THIS IS A BROADER
NATION-BUILDING ISSUE THAT HAS
RIPPLE EFFECTS THAT GO DECADES
AND PROBABLY CENTURIES INTO THE
FUTURE, SO OUR GOVERNING BODY
HAS CONTINUED TO TAKE A UNIFIED
STAND AGAINST THESE TYPES OF
CORPORATE ACTIVITIES IN THE
WATERSHED AND PART OF THE
ENBRIDGE STRATEGY HAS BEEN TO
TRY TO USURP THE TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT, TO GO DIRECTLY TO
PEOPLE, TO PUSH FOR ESSENTIALLY
THE TAKEOVER AND/OR THWARTING OF
THE TRIBAL GOVERNANCE STANCE.
THAT LETTER WAS PER THE SCRIPT.
>> MARY, HOW HAS THIS FILM BEEN
RECEIVED?
>> WELL, WE OPENED WITH AMC
THEATRES ON MARCH 15th IN 12
CITIES.
WE NOT ONLY EXTENDED BUT
EXPANDED TO 25 LOCATIONS,
ACTUALLY, MOSTLY IN WISCONSIN,
CHICAGO, MINNESOTA.
E CONTINUE TO PLAY TODAY IN
MADISON AND MANY OTHER
LOCATIONS.
IF YOUR VIEWERS GO TO BAD RIVER
FILM.COM, THERE'S ON-LINE
TICKETING.
WHAT WE HEARD FROM CERTAIN
THEATRES, PARTICULARLY THE
ASHLAND THEATRE, WAS THAT THE
FILM HAD OUTPERFORMED DUNE,
GHOSTBUSTERS AND GODZILLA, WHICH
IS JUST UNHEARD OF FOR A
DOCUMENTARY FILM.
AND SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING
IS EXTRAORDINARY REACTION TO THE
PROJECT, A LOT OF LEARNING BY
NONNATIVES THAT GO IN TO SEE THE
MOVIE AND WERE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THE ADJOURN AHEAD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH
VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TO TALK
ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.
MARY MAZZIO AND MIKE WIGGINS,
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, FREDERICA.
>> FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT
OUR WEBSITE AT PBSWISCONSIN.ORG
AND THEN CLICK ON THE NEWS TAB.
THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.