Wisconsin Right Now

With a total of 137 local school referendum questions spread across ballots in Wisconsin, recent data shows voters’ support for increasing property taxes to fund public education is waning. Marquette Law School polled 834 registered Wisconsin voters from Oct. 16-24, asking their opinions on presidential candidates, the direction of the state, and public school referendums, among other things. The poll found that voters’ desire to prioritize public school spending over lower property taxes peaked in late 2018, when 57% of Wisconsin registered voters polled said increasing school spending was more important and only 37% said reducing property taxes was more important. But now, voter support for increasing school district funding has fallen to its lowest level since Marquette began tracking the sentiment in 2013, with only 44% in the most recent survey saying school spending is more important, versus 55% who chose lower property taxes. The change occurs even as voters’ reported s...

As Americans struggle with high inflationary costs, paying record high grocery costs and energy bills, Congress continues to allocate billions of dollars of taxpayer money to fund services for illegal border crossers living in U.S. cities. Prior to the last budget funding showdown in March, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said in January that “any bill that does not secure the border is not acceptable.” He also identified 64 examples of ways he says the Biden-Harris administration “worked to systematically undermine America’s border security.” In February, House Republicans impeached Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas arguing he was derelict in his duty and violated the public trust by creating a border crisis. One month later, the majority of Republicans who voted to impeach him, passed a spending bill that funded programs he created they maintain are illegal. While Americans complain about escalating crime caused by illegal border crosse...

  With less than half a year until the 2024 presidential election, former President Donald Trump holds a sizable lead over incumbent President Joe Biden in several swing states. While the overall national polling varies and shows a tighter race, Trump holds significant leads in several swing states. According to Real Clear Politics , Trump leads in a slew of key battleground states like Arizona (+5.2), Georgia (+4.6), Michigan (+0.8), Nevada (+6.2), North Carolina (+5.4), Pennsylvania (+2.0), and Wisconsin (+0.6). Other polling has shown Trump with a dominant lead in the Sun Belt while performing less well against Biden in some rust belt swing states. “As the old saying goes, good gets better and bad gets worse, and it’s clear President Biden is in bad shape right now,” Colin Reed, a Republican strategist, former campaign manager for U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., and co-founder of South and Hill Strategies, told The Center Square. “Five and a half months is an eternit...

  A high-ranking official with the New York Police Department said protesters had weapons including knives and hammers as well as pamphlets with "Death to America!" written on them. Michael Kemper, a NYPD's chief of transit, posted photos Friday of what police confiscated from the protesters. “For those romanticizing the protests occurring on college campuses, ‘Death to America!’ is one sentiment that runs counter to what we believe in, what we stand for, and what many have fought for on behalf of this country,” Kemper stated on X. “And if you think the words written on this piece of paper are disturbing … you should hear the vile, disgusting, hateful, & threatening words coming out of the mouths of far too many of these so called ‘peaceful protestors.’” Kemper posted a video of a pamphlet that stated, “Death to Israeli Real Estate” and “Death to America!” The pamphlet also stated, “DISRUPT/RECLAIM/DESTROY Zionist business interests everywhere!” NYPD Depu...

With former President Donald Trump’s access to Illinois’ primary ballot being challenged, it’s possible his name could appear on the Republican ticket but with a condition. Nominating petitions for presidential electors are being filed this week to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Elections board spokesman Matt Dietrich said the board can’t discuss the nature of objections. “Because we do not release anything related to objections until they are in the hands of a hearing officer,” Dietrich told The Center Square. “That’s not going to happen until Jan. 17.” The Chicago Sun-Times reports that objectors, using the 14th Amendment, claim that Trump is barred for encouraging protestors to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court similar moves from Colorado and Maine. “It’s time to put a STOP to all of these vicious attempts to REMOVE my name from the ballot,” Trump said in a fundraising email. “That’s why my attorneys have officiall...

  An Iranian with terrorist ties was caught after illegally entering the U.S. near Niagara Falls, New York, as a record number of known, suspected terrorists (KSTs) were apprehended in the first three months of fiscal 2024 at the northern border. After the Iranian was apprehended, agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations-Buffalo office removed him on Dec. 21. The Iranian national first attempted to enter the U.S. on Oct. 10 by presenting himself to American immigration authorities at the Rainbow Bridge Pedestrian Walkway in Niagara Falls, New York. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers denied him entry and returned him to the Canada Border Services Agency the same day. Two days later, on Oct. 12, he illegally entered the U.S. in another area attempting to bypass agents stationed at the Whirlpool Bridge Port of Entry in Niagara Falls, New York. He illegally entered outside of the port of entry, “without being admit...

Republicans are one seat away from capturing a majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives as there are still 13 races yet to be called.   With several races still uncalled, Republicans are on the verge of taking the 218 seats needed for a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, 217 House seats have been called for Republicans, according to The Associated Press, opposed to 205 for Democrats, leaving a little more than a dozen seats up for grabs, mostly in California, and along with it control of the House. “When it comes to nominations – both judicial and executive – it will be more of the same. If the Democrats stick together, they can confirm whoever they want,” said John Malcom, an expert at the Heritage Foundation “In terms of policy, a lot will depend on whether the Republicans get the majority in the House, and if so, by how much.” Divided government seems likely and could halt much of President Joe Biden’s agenda. Biden's several-trillion d...