>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW," THE
COLLAPSE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
CONVENTION IN MILWAUKEE.
U. SENATOR RON JOHNSON IS HERE
WITH AN UPDATE ON CORONAVIRUS
RELIEF EFFORTS.
GOVERNOR EVERS IS HERE WITH THE
LATEST ON WISCONSIN'S HANDLING
OF THE VIRUS.
AND WE WILL LEARN THE RESULTS OF
A NEW STUDY A THE GRIM AND
PERSISTENT RACE INEQUITIES IN
MILWAUKEE.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR
AUGUST 7.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.
>> MILWAUKEE WAS SET TO SHARE
THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SPOTLIGHT
IN A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK.
THAT WAS UNTIL THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED
WEDNESDAY THAT THE PARTIES'
NATIONAL CONVENTION IS
ESSENTIALLY CANCELLED, NOW BUT A
VIRTUAL REALITY.
NO NATIONAL SPEAKERS ON SITE.
NO JOE BIDEN AT THE PODIUM.
MILWAUKEE MAYOR TOM BARRETT.
>> OF COURSE WE'RE DISAPPOINTED.
I WOULD BE LYING IF I WOULD TELL
YOU IF I'M NOT VERY DISAPPOINTED
IN THIS PROFESSIONALLY AND
PERSONALLY BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE
HAD SO MUCH PRIDE IN HAVING
MILWAUKEE CHOSE TUNE HOST TO HOST THE 2020
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN THE
HISTORY OF THIS CITY AND STATE
THAT WE WERE CHOSEN TO HOST A
MAJOR POLITICAL PARTY
CONVENTION.
AND I WAS PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE
I WANTED TO SHOW OFF OUR CITY.
I WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW
MILWAUKEE'S STORY.
I WANTED LOCAL BUSINESSES TO
ENJOY AN ECONOMIC BOOST.
AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT GOING TO
OCCUR IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
>> A CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL HAS
BEEN TYING WASH WASHINGTON UP IN
KNOTS.
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SPENT
THE DAY TRYING TO MAKE A DEAL
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE
SIDES HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS CLOSER.
WE TALKED WITH SENATOR RON
JOHNSON FROM HIS DISTRICT.
SENATOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
>> GLAD TO BE HERE.
HOPE YOU'RE STAYING HEALTHY.
>> DESCRIBE FOR US.
YOU HAVE CALLED THE DEMOCRATS'
PROPOSED SPENDING LEVELS IN THE
RELIEF PACKAGE AS GROTESQUE.
>> JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.
AS OF THE END OF APRIL WE'VE
PASSED $2.9 TRILLION.
IT COULD BE 3 PL.5 OR .OF.
THAT REPRESENTS ALMOST 17% OF
OUR ECONOMY.
RECENT ECONOMIC FORECASTS SAY
FOR THE WHOLE OF 2020 OUR
ECONOMY WILL PROBABLY SHRINK
4.6%.
SO WE'VE ALREADY AUTHORIZED MORE
THAN ENOUGH SPENDING.
$1.5 TRILLION IS UNSPENT AND
UNOBLIGATED.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T
SPENT.
LET'S LEARN FROM WHAT WE ALREADY
HAVE SPENT, WHAT DIDN'T WORK,
WHAT DID WORK, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN
WE DIRECT THE OTHER 1.2 TO 1.5
SO IT'S DIRECTED TOWARD THE
BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT
REALLY NEED THE HELP.
WHEN WE PASSED THESE BILLS, WE
HAD TO DO SOMETHING FAST AND
MASSIVE AND KNEW IT WAS GOING TO
BE FAR FROM PERFECT.
NO CRITICISM OVER WHAT WE DID.
BUT NOW IS THE TIME TO CORRECT
THE LESS THAN PERFECT.
THEY'RE IN DEBT ON OUR WAY TO
$27 TRILLION, $28 TRILLION.
REAL DISPOSABLE INCOME IS
ACTUALLY INCREASED FROM 14.9
TRILLION IN MARCH TO 16 TRILLION
IN JUNE.
SAVING RATES HAVE INCREASED.
SO AGAIN WE AUTHORIZED MORE THAN
ENOUGH MONEY.
WE NEED TO SPEND WHAT WE
AUTHORIZED BETTER AS OPPOSED TO
WHAT NANCY PEL PELOSI DID DOUBLING
THAT AMOUNT, CLOSE TO 30% OF
LAST YEAR'S GDP WHEN THIS YEAR'S
GDP WILL ONLY BE DOWN UNDER 10%.
THAT'S WHY I CALLED THAT A
GROTESQUE AMOUNT.
>> THE $600 EXTRA UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFIT EXPIRED LAST WEEK AND
YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU WANTED
SOMETHING LESS THAN THAT.
WHY?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, REMEMBER
WHAT DEMOCRATS DID AFTER THE
GREAT RECESSION WHEN THEY HAD
THE PRESIDENCY, A
FILIBUSTER-PROOF SENATE.
THEY PUT UP STATE BENEFITS BY
$25 A WEEK.
WE'VE PUSHED IT UP BY $600 A
WEEK.
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO DID A
STUDY, SAID 68% OF PEOPLE ON
UNEMPLOYMENT WERE MAKING MORE ON
UNEMPLOYMENT THAN THEY WERE
MAKING ON THE JOBMENT JOB, ABOUT FIVE
OUT OF SIX%.
THAT'S A PERVERSE INCENTIVE NOT
TO BE IN THE WORKFORCE.
WHAT I PROPOSED IS PLUS THEM UP
BY $200.
THAT'S EIGHT TIMES MORE THAN
WHAT THE DEMOCRATS ENACTED AFTER
THE GREAT RECESSION.
BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
WE HAD A COUPLE PROPOSALS TO
GIVE US TIME TO NEGOTIATE.
WE'LL JUST EXTEND THE $600 A
WEEK.
DEMOCRATS STILL SAY NO.
DEMOCRATS ARE INSISTING ON A $3
TRILLION BILL.
REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO OFFER
GOOD PROPOSALS HERE.
DEMOCRATS KEEP SAYING NO.
REMEMBER, MY PROPOSAL $200 PER
WEEK IS STILL EIGHT TIMES HIGHER
THAN WHAT DEMOCRATS PASSED WHEN
THEY HAD TOTAL CONTROL.
>> DOESN'T THE EXTRA MONEY
ITSELF SPUR THE ECONOMY AS WELL
AS KEEP PEOPLE AFLOAT?
>> I KNOW THE ARGUMENT IS MADE
THERE, BUT OUR ECONOMY WOULD BE
SPURRED BETTER IF WE ENCOURAGED
PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN THE ECONOMY,
GET BACK IN THE WORKFORCE.
AT THE END OF MAY, THERE WERE
5.4 MILLION JOBS OPEN THAT
WEREN'T BEING FILLED.
WHAT I HEAR FROM EMPLOYERS THAT
ARE TRYING TO OPEN UP, TRYING TO
REIGNITE THIS ECONOMY IS THEY
CAN'T BRING PEOPLE BACK OFF OF
UNEMPLOYMENT.
PEOPLE MAKE RATIONAL
DECISIONSMENT IF DECISIONS.
IF THEY'RE MAKING MORE SITTING
AT HOME ON UNEMPLOYMENT, THEY'RE
SITTING AT HOMEMENT WE HAVE TO HOME.
WE HAVE TO END THAT PERVERSE
INCENTIVE.
>> WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THE
PEOPLE OF THIS STATE IN THE
MIDST OF WHAT IS A DEVASTATING
PANDEMIC?
>> CERTAINLY FROM WHAT EYE
SUPPORTED IN CONGRESS IS I KNEW
WE HAD TO PASS SOMETHING FAST
AND IT HAD TO BE MASSIVE BECAUSE
WE DIDN'T WANT MARKETS TO
COLLAPSE.
WE WANTED TO PROVIDE
INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES THAT
WERE CLOSING, EMPLOYEES THAT
WERE OUT WORK, WE WANTED TO GIVE
THEM THE FINANCIAL AID.
AND WE TRIED TO DO THAT.
AND WE DID DO IT.
AND EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS A HARD TIME SPENDING
TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
WE HAVEN'T SPENT $1.2 TRILLION.
WHY DON'T WE SPEND THAT BETTER
BEFORE WE AUTHORIZE ANOTHER
DIME.
WE'RE $26.5 TRILLION IN DEBT
MOVING TOWARD 27, 28.
THAT IS GOING TO HAVE AN
ENORMOUS IMPACT IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE MORTGAGE BEINGING OUR KIDS'
FUTURE.
THIS IS REAL MONEY WITH A
LONG-TERM EFFECT.
LET'S SPEND IT WISELY.
>> AS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOMELAND
SECURITY COMMITTEE YOU ARE
LEADING AN INVESTIGATION GOING
BACK TO THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEK TO GO UNCOVER
HERE?
>> WHAT WE'VE ALREADY UNCOVERED
IS CORRUPTION AT THE DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE, THE TRANSITION
PROCESS.
PART OF OUR INVESTIGATION DID
SEEK TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED
IN THE ELECTION BASED ON A
REPORT FROM POLITICO WHERE THAT
REPORT SHOWED THAT SOME DNC
OPERATIVES WERE WORKING WITH
UKRAINIAN NATIONALS.
WE'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING THESE
THINGS FOR YEARS.
OUR INVESTIGATION CERTAINLY
SHOWED AND MADE PUBLIC THE TEXTS
WHICH WERE A ROADMAP OF THE
CORRUPTION THAT DID OCCUR WITHIN
THE FBI.
THESE ARE REAL ISSUES.
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT
TO KNOW.
>> WITH JUST ABOUT A MINUTE
LEFT, SENATOR, WHAT IS YOUR
REACTION TO CRITICS OF THIS
INVESTIGATION SAYING IT'S
DIVERTING YOUR TIME AND
ATTENTION AND OTHERS AWAY FROM
DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC?
>> FIRST OF ALL, IT ISN'T.
MOST OF MY COMMITTEE'S TIME HAS
BEEN SPENT HOLDING HEARINGS ON
COVID-RELATED ISSUES, THE SUPPLY
CHAINS.
WE HELD A MARKING UP LEGISLATION
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
WE PASSED FIVE BILLS ADDRESSING
COVID AND A NATIONAL STOCKPILE
AND SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY.
IT'S NOT DISTRACTING FROM OUR
EFFORTS WHATSOEVER.
HONESTLY, THERE IS AN ENORMOUS
DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN BEING
CONDUCTED AND IT IS DEMOCRATS
THAT ARE NOW INTERJECTING THINGS
INTO OUR INVESTIGATORY RECORD AS
WELL.
DEMOCRATS ARE FALSELY ACCUSING
US OF THE BEHAVIOR THEY'RE
ENGAGING IN.
IT'S DESPICABLE.
>> SENATOR RON JOHNSON, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> HAVE A GREAT DAY.
STAY HEALTHY.
>> WE INVITED DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
TAMMY BALDWIN TO JOIN OUR
PROGRAM.
SHE WAS UNABLE.
SHE DID PROVIDE THIS STATEMENT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP KEEPS PRETENDING
THAT THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER
WHEN THIS PUBLIC HEALTH AND
ECONOMIC CRISIS CONTINUES TO GET
WORTH.
FOR NEARLY THREE MONTHS DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICANS HAVE FAILED TO TAKE
ACTION ON LEGISLATION THAT
PASSED THE HOUSE AND NOW THEY
WANT TO CUT FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS WHILE SO MANY ARE STILL
OUT OF WORK AND STRUGGLING TO
MAKE ENDS MEET.
FAMILIES, SMALL BUSINESSES AND
SCHOOLS NEED HELP AND WE NEED
ACTION NOW ON BIPARTISAN
LEGISLATION THAT DELIVERS IT.
TODAY MARKS THE END OF THE FIRST
FULL WEEK OF THE MASK MANDATE IN
WISCONSIN.
GOVERNOR EVERS' ORDER REQUIRES
WISCONSINITES TO WEAR MASKS
INDOORS UNTIL THE END OF
SEPTEMBER.
THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNALS FROM
REPUBLICANS AT THE STATE CAPITOL
REGARDING A LEGISLATIVE
CHALLENGE TO THIS MANDATE.
THIS WEEK STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS
REPORTED HIGH ACTIVITY LEVELS OF
THE VIRUS IN 66 OUT OF THE
STATE'S 72 COUNTIES.
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS JOINS US
AGAIN THIS WEEK.
AND, GOVERNOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS, FREDERICA.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> WELL, WHAT ARE YOUR PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICIALS TELLING YOU
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOUR MASK
MANDATE IS YET SLOWING THE
SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN WISCONSIN
AS WE NEAR 1,000 DEATHS AND WE
ARE LIKELY TO SURPASS THAT THIS
WEEKEND.
>> YES.
WHAT A SAD MARK ON THE COUNTRY
AND THE STATE.
IT'S JUST TOO MUCH TO ALL TAKE
IN.
BUT WE'VE HAD GOOD RESPONSE TO
THE MASKING, WHETHER IT'S BEEN
FROM BUSINESS LEADERS OR FROM
SCHOOL PEOPLE OR GENERAL PUBLIC.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO
SAY WISCONSIN IS VERY
INDEPENDENT.
I'M ONE OF THEM.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS
MASKS SAVE LIVES.
MASKS SLOW DOWN THE
TRANSMISSION.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S
A MINOR THING FOR US TO DO.
AND SO I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT
THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A
DIFFERENCE.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO POINT A METRIC
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT I'M
CONFIDENT THAT IT IS BEING
SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE VERY
HOPEFUL THAT PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY
NEED TO DO.
WE CAN SLOW DOWN THE
TRANSMISSION OF THIS VIRUS.
>> WHY DON'T YOU THINK A
REPUBLICAN CHALLENGE TO YOUR
MANDATE AND EMERGENCY ORDER HAS
YET MATERIALIZED?
>> THAT I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK
IT'S HORRIBLE PUBLIC POLICY FOR
THEM TO DO THAT.
AND, FRANKLY, I THINK IT'S ALSO
HORRIBLE POLITICS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
UNDERSTAND HOW SIMPLE AND
IMPORTANT THIS IS.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GETTING
THE IDEA, TOO.
BUT IF THEY'RE INSISTENT ON
COMING IN, IT WOULD BE A HUGE
MISTAKE AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC
HEALTH.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THE GOP
WARNS ABOUT, THOUGH, IS THAT YOU
WILL USE YOUR ORDER TO GO AHEAD
AND CLOSE SCHOOLS TO IN-PERSON
LEARNING.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR TO YOU DO
THAT?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH SCHOOLS ALL ACROSS
THE STATE, TALKING TO THEM.
SO THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF
CONVERSATION THERE.
AND I'VE BEEN FAIRLY HAPPY WITH
THE PROCESS THEY'RE USING.
THEY'RE USING SOME OF THE IN
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION, THEIR LOCAL PUBLIC
HEALTH PEOPLE.
AND SO IT WOULD BE JUST AN
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE FOR
ME TO INTERVENE.
ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT
I'VE TALKED TO HAS A VIRTUAL AND
REMOTE OPTION SO THAT IF PARENTS
OR KIDS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, THEY
HAVE THAT OPTION.
AND I KNOW SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO
DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT THAN
WHEN THEY WERE SO RUSHED IN THE
SPRING.
>> WOULD YOU EVER DO IT, THOUGH?
>> I CAN'T IMAGINE.
I MEAN, YOU NEVER SAY NEVER.
IF OUR POSITIVITY RATE GOES UP
TO 20% OR 30%, OBVIOUSLY THAT
WOULD BRING OUR ENTIRE ECONOMY
TO A HALT, INCLUDING SCHOOLING.
BUT I THINK WE'RE IN A PLACE NOW
THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT LOTS
OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE FIGURED
OUT AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL
RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN THAT ARE IN YEAR-ROUND
SCHOOLING.
SO I DON'T WANT TO DISMISS THE
PROBLEMS.
THERE ARE -- IT'S -- IT'S NOT A
RISK-FREE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE ARE BEING
VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT IT
SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
>> TOWARD THAT END, YOU HAVE
RELEASED $32 MILLION TO THE UW
SYSTEM TO CONDUCT TESTING ON
CAMPUSES.
WHAT OTHER HELP MIGHT BE COMING
THEIR WAY?
>> WELL, CERTAINLY THEY'RE PART
OF OUR ECOSYSTEM.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT
OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE
TO THE UW SYSTEM.
BUT WE'RE IN CONSTANT
COLLABORATION WITH THEM, AND IF
THEY HAVE OTHER NEEDS, WE'LL BE
ABLE TO SEEK -- WORK WITH THEM.
CONTACT TRACING I THINK IS GOING
TO BE AN ISSUE AND I THINK WE
CAN BE HELPFUL THERE, TOO.
>> ALL RIGHT.
BRIEFLY, BECAUSE OF THE
CORONAVIRUS, AS YOU WELL KNOW,
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION IN
MILWAUKEE HAS ALL BUT COLLAPSED.
WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO JOE
BIDEN DECIDING NOT TO ACCEPT HIS
NOMINATION HERE?
>> WELL, IT WAS -- NOT -- IT WAS
-- IT WAS NOT THAT IT WASN'T
EXPECTED.
CLEARLY WE HAVE A PANDEMIC GOING
ON IN THIS COUNTRY, AND SO HIM
NOT BEING THERE ISN'T THE ONLY
REASON IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
THERE.
IT'S JUST THAT A PANDEMIC LEADS
ITSELF TO MAKING SURE THAT WE
HAVE TO BE AS THOUGHTFUL AS
POSSIBLE.
AND PEOPLE WERE.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE A
VIRTUAL EVENT.
AND IT WILL BE FINE.
BUT IT'S NOT FINE IN THAT A
PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED US TO -- THE
MILWAUKEE AREA WOULD HAVE HAD A
SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC BOOST FROM
THIS.
AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT IT'S THE WISEST THING TO DO,
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
DOING IT IN A VIRTUAL WAY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS, THANKS SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANKS.
>> NEW METROPOLITAN AREA TODAY
RANKS AS CONSISTENTLY POORLY
ACROSS THE BOARD ON INDICATORS
OF BLACK COMMUNICATION COMMUNITY, AS DOES
MILWAUKEE.
THAT QUOTE FROM THE CENTER FOR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUT OF
UW-MILWAUKEE, WHICH COMPARED
BLACK COMMUNITIES IN THE
NATION'S 50 LARGEST METRO AREAS.
THIS REPORT COMES AT A TIME OF
NATIONAL RECKONING ABOUT RACIAL
INJUSTICE, WHEN DATA CAN DRIVE
CHANGE.
FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER
AND PROFESSOR EMERITUS MARC
LEVINE JOINED US LATE THIS WEEK
FROM MILWAUKEE.
PROFESSOR LEVINE, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WELL, SO EVERY METRIC YOU
LOOKED AT SAW MILWAUKEE REALLY
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PACK FOR
BLACK PEOPLE'S WELL-BEING,
INCLUDING THESE: STILL THE
NATION'S MOST SEGREGATED CITY.
BLACK POVERTY THE HIGHEST AMONG
50 METROS.
WORST RACIAL DISPARITY OF WORKER
EARNINGS.
MOST BLACK SCHOOL CHILDREN IN
HYPER SEGREGATED SCHOOLS.
AND THIRD NATIONALLY FOR PRISON
INCARCERATION RATES FOR BLACK
MEN.
YOU SAY THAT MILWAUKEE, QUOTE,
REPRESENTS THE ARCHETYPE OF
MODERN DAY METROPOLITAN RACIAL
APARTHEID AND INEQUALITY.
AND YET WHY DO WE NEED YET
ANOTHER STUDY TELLING US THIS?
>> I THINK THE UTILITY OF DOING
A STUDY LIKE THIS IS TO GET THE
FULL SCOPE OF THE EXTENT OF
RACIAL INEQUALITY IN MILWAUKEE
AND INDEED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE BENCHMARK WHERE WE STAND.
TO SEE ALSO WHETHER THINGS HAVE
GOTTEN BETTER IN CERTAIN AREAS.
SO WHAT THIS STUDY DID WHAT NOT
ONLY BENCHMARK MILWAUKEE AGAINST
THE LARGEST 50 METROPOLITAN
AREAS IN THE COUNTRY ON A WHOLE
SERIES OF INDICATORS, AS YOU
MENTIONED, OF RACIAL INEQUALITY,
BUT ALSO TO SEE HOW THINGS HAVE
EVOLVED ON MANY OF THOSE
INDICATORS OVER THE PAST 40 AND
50 YEARS, WHEREVER WE COULD GET
THE DATA TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND I THINK THE MOST DISTRESSING
AND THE DEVASTATING PART OF THE
STUDY WAS NOT ONLY TO SEE HOW
CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE BOARD
MILWAUKEE RANKED TOWARD THE
BOTTOM, EITHER LAST OR NEXT TO
LAST ON A SLEW OF INDICATORS AND
IN THE BOTTOM TEN ON VIRTUALLY
ALL OF THEM, BUT ON HOW MANY OF
THOSE INDICATORS THINGS ARE DEM
DEMONSTRATABLY WORST THAN THEY
WERE 40 YEARS AGO.
HOUSEHOLD INCOME, SORT OF A KEY
METRIC ON THE WELL-BEING OF THE
COMMUNITY.
BLACK HOUSEHOLD INCOME, MEDIAN
INCOME, THAT IS, FROM THE MIDDLE
OF THE DISTRIBUTION, FOR BLACK
HOUSEHOLDS IN MILWAUKEE HAS
FALLEN BY 30% WHEN WE ADJUST FOR
INFLATION OVER THE LAST 40
YEARS, SINCE 1979.
THAT'S THE LARGEST DECREASE IN
THE COUNTRY.
BUT MORE TO THE POINT, JUST
LOOKING AT IT WITHOUT EVEN
LOOKING IN COMPARATIVE TERMS,
JUST LOOKING AT A BLACK
HOUSEHOLD AND SAY YOU'RE 30%
POORER THAN YOU WERE 40 YEARS
AGO AND YOU WEREN'T ALL THAT
RICH 0 YEARS
RICH 40 YEARS AGO.
THAT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY
STATEMENT AND THESE OTHER
INDICATORS FEED OFF OF THAT BAD
RESULT.
>> IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS
GOING TO ASK YOU.
ALL OF THE OTHER INDICATORS AND
METRICS THAT YOU MEASURED FEED
INTO THAT INCOME DISPARITY.
>> I THINK SO.
I THINK THAT'S THE KEY ISSUE,
THAT WE'VE GOT THE MOST
IMPOVERISHED AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND
IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BECOME
INCREASINGLY IMPOVERISHED.
IT I THINK HAD SOMEWHAT OF AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE 1990s WITH
THE GREAT ECONOMIC BOOM DURING
THAT ERA.
THE RECESSION OF 2010 WIPED ALL
THAT OUT.
AND, SADLY, SINCE THE RECESSION,
REAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME HAS
CONTINUED TO DECLINE FOR BLACKS
IN MILWAUKEE AND THE DATA THAT'S
IN THIS STUDY IS BEFORE THE
COVID DEPRESSION.
SO IMAGINE HOW BAD THINGS ARE
STARTING TO LOOK NOW IN 2020.
>> IT'S DEVASTATING, AS YOU SAY.
BUT WHAT IS YOUR KIND OF CLARION
CALL TO POLICYMAKERS.
INDEED, WISCONSIN REALLY AS A
WHOLE, AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE
DONE.
>> I THINK FOR MANY YEARS,
FRANKLY, AS YOU POINT OUT, THERE
HAVE BEEN STUDY AFTER STUDY, MY
CENTER, OTHER CENTERS HAVE DONE
MANY STUDIES ON THESE ISSUES.
BUT THERE HAS BEEN -- FOLKS
MIGHT DENY IT, BUT THERE HAS
BEEN A KIND OF DENIAL ABOUT THIS
IN POLICY-MAKING CIRCLES, EITHER
SAYING THE NUMBERS AREN'T THAT
BAD OR THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER
OR EVERY PLACE IS HAVING THESE
DIFFICULTIES.
THERE'S NOTHING UNIQUE ABOUT
HERE.
IN FACT, THERE ARE THINGS UNIQUE
ABOUT MILWAUKEE IN THE DEPTH OF
THESE PROBLEMS.
AND SO I THINK, I HOPE NOW THAT
WE'RE BEYOND THAT DENIAL, THAT
POLICYMAKERS UNDERSTAND THAT WE
NEED TO CHANGE THINGS, I THINK
THE MOBILIZATION OF THE BLACK
LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT HAS
CERTAINLY BROUGHT THOSE ISSUES
TO THE FOREFRONT AND I THINK WE
NEED TO THINK VERY CLEARLY ABOUT
I THINK I REFER TO IT IN THE
STUDY A PHRASE THAT I BORROWED
CALLED "REWRITING THE RACIAL
RULES OF THE COMMUNITY," THOSE
PUBLIC POLICIES THAT CONTINUE TO
PROMOTE RACIAL INJUSTICE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
AND THAT GOES BEYOND SIMPLY
THINGS THAT WE CAN ALL POINT TO,
ENDING DISCRIMINATION IN
HOUSING, ENDING DISCRIMINATION
IN EMPLOYMENT, IMPROVING,
OBVIOUSLY, POLICE PRACTICES.
BUT EVEN THE LARGER PICTURE OF
RETHINKING HOW WE DO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
MY FRIENDS AT THE CENTER FOR
WISCONSIN STRATEGY HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THE STATE APPROACHING THE
LOW ROAD TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
THAT MEANS LOW WAGES.
IT MEANS NOT PARTICULARLY
HELPFUL POLICIES FOR WORKERS TO
ORGANIZE FOR BETTER WAGES.
AND THEN YOU SEE BLACK EARNINGS
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCALE, AS
THEY ARE TODAY, AND THAT
TRANSLATES THEN INTO LOW INCOMES
AND TRANSLATES INTO HIGH POVERTY
RATES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO RETHINK
THAT LOW ROAD AS WELL IN THE
GENERAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SENSE AND PURSUE WHAT FOLKS CALL
THE HIGH ROAD STRATEGY, WHICH
MEANS RAISING PEOPLE'S WAGES AND
CREATING BETTER JOBS.
>> WITH LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT
HERE, AS YOU SAY, WITH THIS
BLACK LIVES MATTER MOBILIZATION,
IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME TO REWRITE
A BOLD SET OF THESE INCLUSIONARY
RULES?
IS THE TIME NOW?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I REFER TO A LOT OF THESE TRENDS
IN THE STUDY AS HAVING BEEN A
STEALTH DEPRESSION IN BLACK
MILWAUKEE, SOMETHING THAT WAS
ALWAYS THERE, BUT IT WAS
STEALTH.
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR EVEN
WITHOUT THIS STUDY, BUT I THINK
THIS STUDY MAKES IT CRYSTAL
CLEAR, THAT WE'RE NOW IN AN
UNSTEALTH DEPRESSION.
IT'S FRONT AND CENTER.
WE SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND I THINK, YES, WE NEED TO
EMBARK UPON BOLD DESEGREGATION
STRATEGIES, ANTIDISCRIMINATION
STRATEGIES AND PROMOTE GREATER
ECONOMIC EQUALITY BETWEEN RACIAL
GROUPS.
>> WE LEAVE IT THERE.
PROFESSOR MARC LEVINE, THANKS
VERY MUCH.
>> MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
>> YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP
FOR PROTESTS AND FOR THE BALLOT
BOX AND THEY COULD PLAY A HUGE
ROLE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION
ACCORDING TO A RECENT TUFTS
UNIVERSITY POLL.
"HERE AND NOW" REPORTER MARISA
WOJCIK SMOKE SPOKE WITH A MILWAUKEE
GROUP THAT TRAINS YOUTH OF COLOR
TO BECOME ORGANIZERS IN THEIR
OWN COMMUNITIES.
>> PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE OF
COLOR, DO YOU THINK THEY GET
WRITTEN OFF AND THEY'RE NOT
BEING HEARD?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I FEEL IT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM IN
POLITICS.
YOUNG PEOPLE, FIRST I'LL SAY
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE THE IDEAS, YOU
KNOW.
WE HAVE THE IDEAS, THE
INNOVATION, THE CREATIVITY TO
CHANGE THINGS.
WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED BECAUSE IT
AFFECTS US, RIGHT?
AND DESPITE KNOWING ALL OF THAT
AND HAVING THE ABILITY AND THE
POTENTIAL TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE
POLITICS THAT AFFECT US, YOUNG
FOLKS AREN'T OFTEN GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.
>> THIS ELECTION YEAR TAKES ON
SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE DURING THE
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN'S
SUFFRAGE IN THE U.S.
WISCONSIN LED THE WAY FOR A
WOMAN'S RIGHT TO VOTE BY BEING
THE FIRST STATE TO RATIFY THE
19TH AMENDMENT IN 1919.
NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 13,
TUNE IN FOR WISCONSIN WOMEN
VOTE, A "HERE AND NOW" SPECIAL.
THE PROGRAM FEATURES THE THOUGHT
OF LEADING WOMEN IN POLITICS,
INCLUDING MILWAUKEE
CONGRESSWOMAN GWEN MOORE.
HERE'S A PREVIEW.
>> THAT'S AWESOME.
>> ANOTHER FIRST IN WISCONSIN
BRINGS US TO U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
GWEN MOORE OF MILWAUKEE.
IN 2004, SHE BAIL BAIL BAIL BECAME WISCONSIN'S
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ELECTED.
>> I THINK WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE ON
THE MENU BECAUSE WE HAVE 17%,
18% REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS,
IN LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
AND WE NEED TO UP THAT NUMBER SO
THAT THERE'S NEVER A QUESTION.
>> WHEN YOU WERE FIRST ELECTED
TO OFFICE, DID YOU FEEL AS
THOUGH YOU BELONGED?
>> OH, MY GOD, FREDERICA.
WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE, MY FIRST
INSTINCT WAS TO SORT OF PRETEBD
I PRETEND
I WAS A MAB, YOU KNOW.
MAB, YOU KNOW.
I'M GOING TO GET IN THERE AND
SHOW THEM I'LL JUST AS GOOD AS
THE OLD BOYS.
AND THAT LASTED ABOUT A DAY
BEFORE I STARTED SEEING ALL THE
INITIATIVES COME DOWN THAT WERE
DISQUIETING POLICIES FOR WOMEN
AND CHILDREN.
AND SO THAT RESOLVE SLIPPED AWAY
RIGHT AWAY.
I HAD TO BE A WOMAN.
>> AND DO YOU FEEL --
>> AND I HAD TO BE A BLACK
WOMAN.
>> MILWAUKEE U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
GWEN MOORE IN AN EXCERPT FROM
"WISCONSIN WOMEN VOTE FM NEXT
THURSDAY NIGHT AUGUST 13.
IN THE COMING WEEKS GET TO KNOW
THE CANDIDATES BY VISITING
wisconsinvote.org.
THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
NEXT WEEK, HOW THE TRUMP-BIDEN
RACE IS ADDING UP IN WISCONSIN
ACCORDING TO A POLL.
CHARLES FRANKLIN WILL BE HERE.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FREBDZ FREBDZ AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.