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September 8, 2007 Fighting Bob Fest VI:
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| 8:45 AM | Welcome to Fighting Bob Fest VI |
| 9:00 AM | Rep. Tammy Baldwin |
| 9:20 AM | Mike McCabe |
| 9:40 AM | Music: Peter Leidy |
| 9:55 AM | Stan Gruszynski |
| 10:20 AM | Music: Raging Grannies (Madison) |
| 10:35 AM | Doris "Granny D" Haddock |
| 11:00 AM | Laura Flanders |
| 11:30 AM | John Nichols |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch / Break-out Sessions |
| 1:30 PM | Barbara Lawton |
| 1:50 PM | Sal Rosselli |
| 2:15 PM | Poem: Daniel Kunene |
| 2:30 PM | Jim Hightower |
| 3:00 PM | Raging Grannies (Milwaukee) |
| 3:15 PM | Rep. Gwen Moore |
| 3:40 PM | Cindy Sheehan |
| 4:15 PM | Music: Chuck Mitchell |
| 4:30 PM | State Sen. Lena Taylor |
| 5:00 PM | Close of Program |
A Place at the Table: food, agriculture and democracy
Food, because it is fundamental to our lives, is unique in its ability to effect societal change. Our midwestern agricultural landscape is changing in ways both disturbing and encouraging. On the one hand, it is a landscape shaped by a pork-laden Farm Bill, drowning in high fructose corn syrup, fixated on simplistic visions of all-out ethanol production, and characterized by increasing corporate vertical integration, food safety and food security concerns, and inner city food "deserts." On the other hand, a new and vital food movement is rapidly gaining momentum. It promotes healthier relationships between food producers, consumers, communities, and the land through such diverse activities as farm-to-school programs, farmer's markets, urban gardening and agriculture, community-supported agriculture, organic and local food production, slow food, and "edible schoolyards." The deficiencies and potential of our changing food system will get a thorough going-over with our panel of experts. They bring a wide range of perspectives and experience to the questions of what happens with food in our farm fields, kitchens, economies, communities, and government.
Campaign Corruption: Restoring Wisconsin's Good Name
Wisconsin is in the midst of the biggest political corruption scandal in the state's history. As the door has been opened to corruption in our state government, the voices of citizens who can't afford to make large campaign donations or hire $200-an-hour lobbyists to prowl the halls of the Capitol on their behalf have been muffled if not silenced. It is up to citizens to combat this decay in our democratic process by shining light in dark places at the Capitol, blowing the whistle on corrupt activities and fighting for reforms that will put ordinary voters back in charge. These efforts recently produced the passage of ethics enforcement reform legislation, and now reformers must set their sights on campaign finance reform, lobbying reform, and elections reform. These are much tougher fights, but then the prospects for progress on these issues is better than it's been in recent memory.
Crisis in Education
New coalitions are emerging to fight against the Wisconsin tax conservatives who are slowly strangling the state’s public school system. This workshop will look at Wisconsin tax politics and its impact on public schools statewide. The workshop will highlight the unusual new groupings working to put school finance reform—and the tax changes it requires—at the top of the legislative agenda this fall, in next year’s legislative elections, and in the 2009 state budget.
Fighting Bob La Follette’s Progressivism: Past, Present, and Future
“Progressivism” and “progressive” are words that are being thrown around these days as substitutes for “liberal.” But “liberal” is not the same as “progressive.” There is an increasing urgency that we understand and carry forward the progressive legacy, in large part created by Bob La Follette and the people of the great state of Wisconsin. This session will explore the stunning parallels between the original progressive era and our own. In the words of Fighting Bob, “The supreme issue, involving all the others, is the encroachment of the powerful few upon the rights of the many.” Join in the fun with Nancy C. Unger, author of Fighting Bob La Follette: The Righteous Reformer in this conversation about who the first progressives were, what they accomplished, and why they remain guiding lights of hope and inspiration.
Global Warming
Global warming threatens to cause unprecedented and massive environmental damage and disruption. This breakout will discuss efforts of tackle global warming at the state and national levels. Rep. Spencer Black and Sen. Mark Miller will talk about the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act – legislation they have introduced to sharply cut carbon dioxide emissions in our state. Prof Eban Goodstein heads up Focus on the Nation, which organizes a national teach-in on global warming — building a dialogue at over a thousand colleges, universities, high schools, places of worship, civic organizations and businesses. Nino Amato will explain the efforts of the Global Stewards Society to engage businesses and civic groups to find global warming solutions.
Peace Now!
During this breakout David Giffey, editor of Long Shadows: Veterans Paths to Peace, will focus on the devastating costs of war, recruiting U.S. soldiers, and its impact on Wisconsin. Jeremy Scahill, author of Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army, will discuss the major use of mercenary forces and the extent of their use in Iraq, Afghanistan and the United States. Finally, Matt Rothschild, author of You Have No Rights: Stories of America in Our Repressive Age, will debunk the arguments for staying in Iraq and denounce Democrats who peddle these arguments.
Women on the Move
This breakout will focus on grassroots organizing among women. Join us for a discussion about what issues and types of organizing are engaging women, including a campaign for paid sick days and work among young women of color on reproductive justice. Breakout will be led by Ellen Bravo, former director of 9to5 and coordinator of a national network of state coalitions working to expand paid time for care giving, and Sarah Noble, Community Organizer in Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. Come to share your work, thoughts, challenges and inspirations.