We were shocked and saddened to learn today of the untimely death of Wisconsin Assemblywoman Tamara Grigsby (D) Milwaukee. As a social worker and later a legislator, Grigsby fiercely defended the disadvantaged, the disenfranchised, and the most vulnerable against the neoliberal agenda ushered in by Governor Scott Walker and his administration.

I first became aware of Grigsby while watching hours and hours of testimony during the 2011 hearings about Governor Walker’s budget repair bill – the infamous legislation that gutted collective bargaining rights for public employees in Wisconsin and launched an historic uprising.

Sensitive to the very real hardship the bill would impose on some workers, Grigsby occasionally resisted Chair Robin Vos’ efforts speed up the hearing by disallowing questions from legislators about testimony.

One category of workers, LTEs or Limited Term Employees, were distraught that their health insurance would be eliminated immediately upon passage of the bill. Although many LTEs have college degrees and have held their positions for years, they generally earn less than $15 an hour and remain on LTE status indefinitely – without sick leave or paid vacation.

After yet another LTE, this one with a seriously ill husband who depended on her health insurance, presented moving testimony about her case, Grigsby asked “whether or not the Walker administration would be willing to at least temporarily, set aside this bill and work with the people of Wisconsin?”

“No,” was the swift and firm response from the administration official.

After the passage of Act 10, Wisconsin Republicans continued their assault on workers – and Grigsby continued to fiercely defend them. In July of 2011, when the Republican-dominated legislature sought to reject federally funded extended unemployment benefits for Wisconsinites, Grigsby delivered a scathing rebuke. You can see her passionate speech in this video. Hang in there – it takes her about 40 or so seconds to really warm up, but once she does, she’s on fire!

We extend warmest condolences to Ms Grigsby’s family, friends, and other loved ones. RIP to a great lady. Wisconsin is a much poorer place without her.

Five years ago today newly elected Governor Scott Walker unleashed his “budget repair bill” sparking a weeks-long Uprising and occupation of the capitol building by tens of thousands of protesters. Wisconsinites strenuously objected to a pro-corporate, ALEC-inspired agenda that included gutting collective bargaining rights for public employees, selling off publicly-owned utilities to private interests, and taking Medicaid policy out of the legislative process where elected officials and the public could have input.

Ultimately, the bill was passed, in violation of Wisconsin’s open meetings law, an action deemed unlawful by Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi, but later upheld by a narrow margin in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court following the dubious re-election of Walker advocate Justice David Prosser. A Waukesha county official “found” votes on a laptop that reversed the presumed election of JoAnne Kloppenburg and affirmed the re-election of Prosser by a few thousand votes. (Note to Wisconsinites: Kloppenburg is again running for Supreme Court justice. Get out and vote for her on February 16th!)

Under the stewardship of our “open for business” governor, job creation in Wisconsin fell to dead last in the nation by the end of 2014 while millions in taxpayer dollars were funneled to private businesses through his pet creation WEDC (the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation). Intended to create jobs with taxpayer money, WEDC failed to adequately track whether businesses that received taxpayer largesse actually created any jobs and even managed to “lose track” of $12 million in loans. So much for Republican “fiscal conservatism.” (For more on the WEDC scandal, see PR Watch’s comprehensive report: Privatization Fail.) Walker followed up his failed job creation scheme with the 2015 passage of “right to work” legislation.

Even Republicans, always a little slow to catch on, are starting to sour on Walker. A recent poll found that his approval rating (38%) remains as low as it was during his failed presidential campaign, one of the lowest among state governors. The Wisconsin State Journal (1/29/16) reports that Walker is currently touring the state holding invite-only “listening sessions” looking for a little love and maybe support for a third term. Fellow Republican and former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson has advised that Walker not bother.

Wisconsinites and our allies in other states and countries around the world can be proud that we didn’t go down without a fight. But we now have to focus on how to win next time. Because, as one of the activists in our upcoming film, Divided We Fall, says, just showing up for a protest is not winning. WINNING is winning!

Solidarity!