Wisconsinites Speak Out on President Trump’s Handling of COVID-19 and Racial Justice

Conversations came the same week a new study ranks Wisconsin’s economy last for racial equality among all 50 U.S. states  

MADISON, Wis. — As President Trump admits he urged government officials to slow down our already lagging COVID-19 testing program, Wisconsinites are continuing to speak out about his failed leadership when it comes to handling both the pandemic and the national conversation about racial justice. Last week, Opportunity Wisconsin hosted three virtual conversations with western Wisconsin residents in response to President Trump's continued push for a quick economic reopening and his ignoring of protester demands over police brutality across Wisconsin.   

On Tuesday, Opportunity Wisconsin sat down with steering committee member Darren Price, owner of BP Smokehouse in Tomah and a retired Wisconsin State Patrol Major. The discussion covered what he faces not only as a small business owner, but also as a Black man in western Wisconsin and a retired law enforcement officer. He evoked both frustration and words of encouragement for viewers at this pivotal moment in time.

He made it clear that the Paycheck Protection Program has not addressed the rippling economic effects that COVID-19 has had on his community, and reminded us that, “[the Administration's] priorities are pretty clear - it’s for the larger corporations. That’s just the way they’ve always operated. You had companies like the LA Lakers and multimillion dollar food chains that were getting huge checks, while small businesses that keep the economy running aren’t seeing that aid. It’s very frustrating.”

What’s more, in reflecting on his 27.5 years in uniform and what he’s faced over the past few months, Price pointed out that this pandemic has exposed the nation. The great deal of mistrust and lack of respect that exacerbates racial inequalities.

WATCH OPPORTUNITY WISCONSIN’S CONVERSATION WITH DARREN PRICE HERE. 

On Wednesday, we connected with Anne Brown, a retired Eau Claire attorney and senior on Social Security Disability. Anne shared she’s on the brink of losing her home even after spending prior years living in her car. Her medical expenses are not matched by Social Security Disability payments, and as an extremely immunocompromised individual, she deeply fears the rapid pace at which Wisconsin is reopening. 

She recalled President Trump’s statement that “some people will die,” and reminded us that because she is so susceptible to illness, she’s likely to be in the category of people who the president will expect to die, “There is a perception that if you are broke, it's kind of your fault. I think the Trump administration sort of has this bootstrap thinking where we should all be able to make it on our own without any assistance from the government and I don't think that's true. There are lots of people like me.”

WATCH OPPORTUNITY WISCONSIN’S CONVERSATION WITH ANNE BROWN HERE.

Opportunity Wisconsin closed out the week with a conversation moderated by steering committee member and UW-Eau Claire history professor, Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton. Dr. Ducksworth-Lawton spoke with Violet Kilmurray and Jaylin Carlson, two racial justice organizers from Eau Claire, who have been on the front lines of the fight for change in western Wisconsin. 

WATCH OPPORTUNITY WISCONSIN’S CONVERSATION WITH VIOLET KILMURRAY AND JAYLIN CARLSON HERE. 

These conversations come on the heels of a new study ranking Wisconsin’s economy last for racial equality among all 50 U.S. states. While Wisconsin workers continue to suffer, President Trump continues his push to cut off unemployment benefits and force workers back on the job before it’s safe. Opportunity Wisconsin recently released a new graphic outlining the tough choices Wisconsin workers continue to face as corporations get billions. 

What the economy actually needs to recover is a government that helps end this pandemic, helps workers and families keep their heads above the water, and starts to fix the underlying weaknesses that have made this crisis so much worse than it needed to be.

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About Opportunity Wisconsin

Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

Senator Baldwin and Lt. Gov. Barnes Join Wisconsinites for a COVID-19 Conversation

“President Trump is not a failure. Failure implies that you tried.”

 WATCH/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

 MADISON, Wis. — After nearly three months into a national public health and economic crisis and over 100,000 American lives lost to COVID-19, Opportunity Wisconsin, A Better Wisconsin Together, Priorities Wisconsin and Protect Our Care Wisconsin hosted a statewide virtual town hall via Facebook Live with U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes to hear directly from Wisconsinites about their struggles, their thoughts on reopening, and what they still need from the Trump administration. 

“The [Trump] administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has shone a spotlight on its priorities - and that’s big corporations and billionaires first, and everybody else last. When corporations and billionaires are prioritized over working people this makes income inequality incredibly worse,” said Lieutenant Governor Barnes.  

“There were so many warning signs that would have been a roadmap for what to do if you wanted to lead in this situation. At every turn they were just ignored or there was a claim of ignorance,” said Senator Baldwin. “Some of my chief criticism of the president has been his failure to take this on at the national level.”  

This health and economic crisis didn’t have to be this bad. As Wisconsin reopens, deaths rise, and aid is slow to arrive, the Trump administration has failed to prepare us, botched the response, and has favored corporations each step of the way. This crisis isn't over, people are still getting sick (and worse), and vulnerable populations are still at tremendous risk.  

“There does not appear to be any thoughtful planning about how we should reopen and how it affects particularly those of us who are older and more frail,” said Anne Brown, an attorney from Eau Claire. “When Trump says we are going to have some deaths, I'm one of those likely candidates and that shouldn't be taken lightly.”  

We’re calling on our federal lawmakers and the Trump administration to fight for policies that support all Wisconsinites, like the HEROES Act, which has yet to be taken up by the Senate. We need the White House to prioritize the health and safety of Wisconsin seniors, business owners, frontline workers, health care providers, and all working Wisconsinites who are facing fear and uncertainty as COVID-19 still looms large.  

“The federal government has been focused on speed rather than safety. And I feel like I’m forced to choose between my health and my job,” said Kyra Swenson, an early child care educator from Fitchburg. 

Opportunity Wisconsin recently released a new graphic outlining these tough choices Wisconsin workers continue to face as corporations get billions. 

Last month, Opportunity Wisconsin sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the HEROES Act. The letter included a demand for “robust financial assistance for small businesses across the state struggling to make ends meet, in place of the mismanaged Paycheck Protection Program, which has failed to actually deliver relief to small businesses.” 

“All [the Paycheck Protection Program] did was provide wages for staff. But for the business itself, it really wasn’t helping,” said Darren Price, a small business owner from Tomah. “Look, Trump is not a failure. Failure implies that you tried.” 

“The PPP essentially stopped the bleeding, so hopefully in the end we will figure out a way to be profitable. But because of the way things are ever changing, it's devastating,” said Melissa Buchholz, PRAWN executive director, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member, and Odd Duck owner. 

Instead of working with Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide additional relief for Wisconsinites most impacted by this crisis, President Trump is trying to jam through a payroll tax cut, which would give wealthy corporations billions of dollars in tax breaks while a single parent earning $25,000 a year would receive just $500. 

“I'm calling this the ‘new reality’ not ‘the new normal,’” said Connie Jordan, an educator from Green Bay. “Trying to put one foot in front of the other when we don’t know what the administration is going to provide is really frightening.”  

“There’s no going  back to where we were before...When we build back after this pandemic we have to build back better,” said Senator Baldwin.  

WATCH/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE.  

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About Opportunity Wisconsin

Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

About A Better Wisconsin Together

A Better Wisconsin Together is a state-based research and communications hub for progressives. To learn more see us at https://abetterwisconsin.org/ or visit us at https://www.facebook.com/ABetterWis or on Twitter at @ABetterWis.

About Priorities Wisconsin

Stay connected with Priorities Wisconsin on Twitter at @PrioritiesWI 
About Protect Our Care Wisconsin

Protect Our Care is leading the fight against efforts to repeal and sabotage the Affordable Care Act while promoting access to quality, affordable coverage for all Americans.

Opportunity Wisconsin Statement on May Jobs Report

Opportunity Wisconsin also releases new graphic outlining the tough choices Wisconsin workers continue to face as corporations get billions 

MADISON, Wis. — Today, as President Trump took a Rose Garden victory lap on everything from COVID-19, to racial inequality and the economy - even going so far as to say this is a “great day” for George Floyd - Opportunity Wisconsin released the following statement on the May jobs report which shows unemployment is still the highest it’s been since the Great Depression. While the numbers indicate the unemployment rate for white Americans was 12.4% in May, it was 17.6% for Hispanics and 16.8% for African-Americans. 

“While President Trump desperately wants us to believe the American economy is on the road to recovery after his mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis, today’s jobs report tells a very different story,” said Kate Beaton, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member and Eau Claire alderperson. “Not only are BIPOC in America facing staggering death rates during this pandemic, they are also continuing to see skyrocketing unemployment numbers. Economic recovery doesn’t mean opportunity for some, it must mean opportunity for all. Now, more than ever, it should be clear that policymakers should focus on working Wisconsinites and reject President Trump’s attempts to placate Wall Street and give big corporations more handouts.” 

Congress must move quickly to put money into families’ pockets, prevent economic freefall and collapse, and fix the underlying economic problems that have made this crisis so much worse than it needed to be. Opportunity Wisconsin recently sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the HEROES Act, which has yet to be taken up by the Senate.

Last month, Opportunity Wisconsin unveiled a new website to share updated and aggregated job data from across the state. The website includes data visualizations on total layoffs during the coronavirus pandemic, layoffs over time by company, layoffs broken down by notice type, companies with the highest number of total layoffs, and several others. 

While Wisconsin workers continue to suffer, President Trump continues his push to cut off unemployment benefits and force workers back on the job before it’s safe. Today Opportunity Wisconsin also released the following graphic outlining the tough choices Wisconsin workers continue to face as corporations get billions.

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About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

Opportunity Wisconsin Statement on Statewide Protests

MADISON, Wis. — This past weekend, protests erupted across Wisconsin and the nation over the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others, as well as the increasingly violent police reaction to peaceful demonstrations. Opportunity Wisconsin stands in solidarity with the families, protestors, and people across our state who live in fear of state-sanctioned violence and oppression.

Today Opportunity Wisconsin released the following statement from Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, an Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member:

“I was horrified to watch the killing of George Floyd by police and the violent reactions of police toward peaceful demonstrators around the country. They are reminders that the injustices we see in our society are not incidental. They are built into our system. America’s economy was built on the backs of Black and Brown people who were commodified, and that same system still exists today. Opportunity Wisconsin stands in solidarity with our friends and neighbors across the Badger State, and others nationwide, who are protesting this injustice and demanding real change.

“Here in Wisconsin, we see the ravages of systemic oppression all around us: we see it when Black voters are purged from the voter rolls, or when they’re forced to wait in line for hours to cast their vote during a pandemic, or when we see that despite making up just 26% of the population, Black people in Milwaukee make up 80% of coronavirus deaths. 

“We need leaders who act with compassion, speak truthfully, and hold accountable a justice system that has abused and neglected Black and Brown people for far too long. The fight for racial justice is crucial to the fight for opportunity for every Wisconsinite.”

About Opportunity Wisconsin

Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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WI Small Business Owners Share Growing Sense of Abandonment, Confusion and Uncertainty as Administration Fails to Help Main Street

Today, Opportunity Wisconsin and Businesses for Responsible Tax Reform held a virtual roundtable with small business owners from across Wisconsin to hear about the challenges they face in weathering the COVID-19 crisis and considerations they are making in reopening

May 29, 2020--During a virtual roundtable held today by Opportunity Wisconsin and Businesses for Responsible Tax Reform (BRTR), Wisconsin small business owners said there has been little meaningful federal leadership since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to help them navigate the crisis, which continues into the current push to reopen. As a result, they feel they are left alone to navigate financial issues and how and when to reopen safely.

Wisconsin business owners from across the state said there has been no clarity on how the Paycheck Protection Program and other emergency aid meant to help them survive the crisis is supposed to be accessed, when they can expect to receive money, how to spend it so it can be forgiven and, now, how to reopen safely.

“The Trump Administration botched the Paycheck Protection Program and now it is mishandling reopening. These business owners made it clear there has been no clear or consistent information about emergency aid or how to reopen safely,” said Anne Zimmerman, a small business CPA and co-chair of BRTR, who moderated the discussion. “It’s impossible for them to plan and they are getting scared they may not recover. It’s a terrible time to have weak leadership because small businesses are going to need long-term help to rebuild from this crisis. We need competence from the Administration to make sure our Main Streets survive, and we are not getting it.” 

During the call, Becky Cooper, who owns family entertainment center Bounce Milwaukee with her husband, said the ongoing lack of leadership at the federal level has hurt small business. The rule that PPP loans must be spent in eight weeks in order to be forgiven is unrealistic. She is only doing 2% of its normal business by offering takeout and at that level she can’t spend all her PPP loan in two months. Cooper also feels uncomfortable with the push to reopen with no guidance on how to do so safely.

“I can't bring in families and in good conscience have kids playing closeby,” Cooper said. “Just this really shortsighted planning and the lack of an overall plan from the federal government is really, really damaging to small businesses.”

Natalie Spehert, owner of Strand on Second, a co-op saloon in Milwaukee, also feels frustrated with the lack of PPP guidance, as well as the pressure to reopen her business. Her industry has become a reopening battleground but nobody thinks about the safety of the practitioners or the expense incurred to reopen responsibly, Spehert said. 

“I’m mad and I'm poor and I'm going to continue to be poor,” she said. “And now … for the time being everything is open and nobody has gotten any more money and the bills may have been paid up to this point but the chickens are coming to roost so to speak and we can’t sustain it.”

Judy Baxter, a CPA in the Milwaukee area, said her clients are desperate for advice on how to use PPP loans, but the guidance from the government is constantly changing so the best she can do is share the experiences of other clients.

“We’re just trying to give our people hope. It’s very difficult,” she said.

Many small business owners discussed the need to extend the PPP loans’ eight-week forgiveness period so they don’t get stuck with a loan balance they must pay, a second round of emergency funds and no-strings-attached grants for truly small businesses to help them hang on and rebuild.

“Our biggest fear in what we are seeing and reading about the PPP is, will it be forgiven?,” said Kayla Midthun, owner of Ramone’s Ice Cream Parlor in Eau Claire, Wisc.

View the full roundtable discussion here. 

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About Businesses for Responsible Tax Reform
Businesses for Responsible Tax Reform is a coalition of business leaders calling for tax reform that truly benefits America’s small business owners. We are dedicated to ensuring tax reform is fiscally responsible, creates a level playing field for all businesses, grows the economy and works for our nation’s 30 million small business owners. Learn more about us on our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.orgor stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

Wisconsin’s American Indian and Tribal Communities Speak Out on COVID-19’s Devastating Impact

“We’re a community in crisis that’s very vulnerable.”

WATCH/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

MADISON, Wis. — On Wednesday evening, ahead of today’s weekly jobs report indicating more than 40 million Americans have filed unemployment insurance claims over the past 10 weeks, Opportunity Wisconsin, Protect Our Care Wisconsin, and Health Care Voter hosted a virtual roundtable with members of Wisconsin's American Indian nations and tribal communities to discuss the challenges they are facing during COVID-19 and how the Trump administration's policies haven't worked for them, their families, or their communities.

“COVID-19 has just made us more aware of the equity issues that existed in the first place,” said Dr. Marcus Lewis of Black River Falls and Director of Higher Education with the Ho-Chunk Nation. “The economic impacts for the Ho-Chunk Nation have been significant. The ripples will be felt for years after this. The conversation really needs to be about rebuilding our systems and structures.”

The Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic for Native communities has been slow. Under the $2 trillion CARES Act, tribal governments were set to receive $8 billion to respond to the public health crisis by the end of April, but tribal leaders say they have yet to receive any of the money.

“COVID-19 has closed our major source of revenue. We applied for the PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] in the first round and were not successful, but we finally were in the second round,” said Curt Basina, member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and owner of Copper Crow Distillery. “We need more direction on how the PPP can be utilized and we should extend the deadline from 8 weeks to 6 months to give the recipients the opportunity to use those funds without it turning into a loan.” 

Earlier this month, Opportunity Wisconsin sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the HEROES Act. The letter included a demand for “robust financial assistance for small businesses across the state struggling to make ends meet, in place of the mismanaged Paycheck Protection Program, which has failed to actually deliver relief to small businesses.”

“When the federal government doesn’t make good on something, or the CARES Act funding is delayed, or there are barriers to access - that’s not a big surprise,” said Chris Munson, a member of the Oneida Nation and Diversity Specialist with Northcentral Technical College. “I have an awful lot of respect for what sovereign nations are doing to protect their people.”  

Instead of working with Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide additional relief for Wisconsinites most impacted by this crisis, President Trump is trying to jam through a payroll tax cut, which would give wealthy corporations billions of dollars in tax breaks while a single parent earning $25,000 a year would receive just $500.

“People are floundering around looking for leadership and we have none,” said Tena Quackenbush, Founder and CEO of Stop the Stigma of Addiction and member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. 

The Trump administration has also failed to protect the health of tribal communities. Even before COVID-19, the Indian Health Service (IHS) was incredibly underfunded. A report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights stated, “In 2017, IHS health care expenditures per person were $3,332, compared to $9,207 for federal health care spending nationwide.” To make matters worse, the CARES Act provided less than Indian Country requested to address coronavirus-related healthcare needs.

“We see non-Native tourists and visitors coming here, who can afford good healthcare and fly in to Madeline Island with their family,” said Paul DeMain, a member of the Oneida Nation, residing at Lac Courte Oreilles, and CEO of IndianCountryTV.com. “And if someone gets sick they can fly them to Mayo Clinic. They can afford to isolate. They’re coming into our community and acting like for some reason that they have the privilege to not protect themselves or our community...We’re a community in crisis that’s very vulnerable.”  

“Even when we do have a vaccine - will Native communities get it? Who is going to get it first?” said Lewis. “We have to start thinking about access. If we’re waiting for the federal government to come and save the day - when has that worked out for us? We have to rely on each other. We’re still here, for a reason.”

“There’s an Oneida philosophy - we’re making decisions now, for generations into the future. We’re making decisions right now that impact our children’s children’s children’s children. It’s important for us to be thinking about how we’re building our resilience and making things better for the future,” said Munson.

WATCH/DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

About Opportunity Wisconsin
|Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

About Protect Our Care
Protect Our Care is leading the fight against efforts to repeal and sabotage the Affordable Care Act while promoting access to quality, affordable coverage for all Americans.

About Health Care Voter
Health Care Voter is a nationwide campaign to mobilize people from across the country to hold President Trump and Republicans in Congress accountable for their efforts to repeal and sabotage the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Americans’ top issue is health care, but since the beginning of Trump’s presidency, the White House and a majority of Congressional Republicans have voted to strip health care away from millions of people. As a coalition of more than 40 progressive groups and grassroots organizations, Health Care Voters are fighting back to protect our health care and lower prescription drug prices. Additional Resources: Website: healthcarevoter.org; Facebook: facebook.com/healthcarevoter; Twitter: twitter.com/HealthCareVoter

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Door County Small Business Owner to President Trump: “You Left Us on Our Own”

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Today, Opportunity Wisconsin interviewed Dawn Patel, owner of Brilliant Stranger in Egg Harbor, about reopening the Badger State and the challenges of navigating the federal government's economic support during this global pandemic. 

It’s been 89 days since President Trump said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have over 1.7 million cases and nearly 100,000 deaths - more deaths than any other country in the world. President Trump’s chaotic response made this crisis worse, and his failure to act early on has also left 40 million unemployed. It didn’t have to be this way. As new models project U.S. coronavirus deaths doubling in two months due to reopening, President Trump says he will not close the country if there is a second wave outbreak.

When asked what she’d say to President Trump about his leadership and response during the coronavirus pandemic, Patel replied, “I almost want to say ‘thank you’ for showing us what you’re really about, because now we have the opportunity to step outside of our ideas that you are going to be there for us in any way...you left us on our own.”

Instead of working with Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide additional relief for small business owners and the middle class, President Trump is trying to jam through a payroll tax cut, which would give wealthy corporations billions of dollars in tax breaks while a single parent earning $25,000 a year would receive just $500.

“I’m not in a position where I can just make no income for six months. I would lose my business,” said Patel. “A society should always be taking care of those who are in the most dire need...we are the ones who are holding up the economy. We are the ones doing the actual labor.” 

Earlier this month, Opportunity Wisconsin sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the HEROES Act. The letter included a demand for “robust financial assistance for small businesses across the state struggling to make ends meet, in place of the mismanaged Paycheck Protection Program, which has failed to actually deliver relief to small businesses.”

During today’s conversation, Patel expressed frustration with the federal financial assistance process saying at the time she was “not even clear on exactly what I’m even applying for.” 

Last week, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s Senate testimony revealed how President Trump is putting Wall Street and massive corporations ahead of workers, reiterating that the Trump administration wants workers who don’t want to return to work before it’s safe to be punished by losing their unemployment benefits.

“We’ve seen where the priorities lie for our President and his administration from the beginning, but I think it’s become a lot more obvious through [coronavirus],” said Patel. “I look at this virus and this presidency as a pulling back of the veil that we’ve all been living under.”   

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE.  

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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Milwaukee Small Business Owner: President Trump’s Slow Response to COVID-19 Devastated our Business

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Today, as Wisconsinites head into a holiday weekend with a patchwork of local public health orders and directives, Opportunity Wisconsin interviewed two Milwaukee small business owners about reopening the Badger State and the challenges of navigating the federal government's economic support during this global pandemic. 

It’s been 85 days since President Donald Trump said we’d soon have zero cases in the U.S. We now have 1,620,000 cases and 96,000 deaths - more deaths than any other country in the world. President Trump’s chaotic response made this crisis worse, and his failure to act early on has also left 40 million unemployed. It didn’t have to be this way. As new models project U.S. coronavirus deaths doubling in two months due to reopening, President Trump says he will not close the country if there is a second wave outbreak.

“The slow response by President Trump to COVID-19 devastated our business,” said Melissa Buchholz, PRAWN executive director, Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member, and Odd Duck owner. “It forced us into the role of public health official. If the people who have all of the information, all of the warnings, and all of the tools don’t share those it’s pretty hard to be left to make these decisions for yourself, for your livelihood, for your employees and for your guests.”     

When asked what she’d say to President Trump about his leadership and response during the coronavirus pandemic, Buchholz replied, “We’re working really hard out here. I don’t know how you can ignore so many of us. We’re looking to you for guidance, calm, and stabilization during this time, because that’s what presidents are for.” 

Instead of working with Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide additional relief for small business owners and the middle class, President Trump is trying to jam through a payroll tax cut, which would give wealthy corporations billions of dollars in tax breaks while a single parent earning $25,000 a year would receive just $500.

“Small businesses are the engine of our economy. I understand that large corporations are having difficulties too, but a payroll tax cut isn’t going to address any of our issues as small business owners. It’s not going to help our employees,” said Cameron Roberts, co-owner of LuLu Cafe. “It’s a flagrant insult to working families, the middle class, and people struggling. There’s all this lip service, ‘I’m for working families,’ but everyday you turn around and there’s another obstacle put in their path.”

Last week, Opportunity Wisconsin sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding support for working Wisconsinites in the HEROES Act. The letter included a demand for “robust financial assistance for small businesses across the state struggling to make ends meet, in place of the mismanaged Paycheck Protection Program, which has failed to actually deliver relief to small businesses.”

During today’s conversation, both Buchholz and Roberts expressed frustration with the PPP application and implementation process, with Roberts saying, “Even our banks didn’t know how to navigate it.”

On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s Senate testimony revealed how President Trump is putting Wall Street and massive corporations ahead of workers, reiterating that the Trump administration wants workers who don’t want to return to work before it’s safe to be punished by losing their unemployment benefits.

“There’s a lack of consideration being given to the costs to go to work, such as single-parent families who don’t have childcare because grandma is in a high-risk category,” said Roberts. “It’s so frustrating because it seems like our government refuses to recognize the struggles of actual working people.”    

WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE. 

About Opportunity Wisconsin
Opportunity Wisconsin is a coalition of Wisconsin residents fighting for an economy that works for working people. Through our stories, we’re elevating the real consequences of the destructive economic policies championed by President Trump and his allies these past three years, and showing how they have made Wisconsin’s economy worse off. Join us in demanding our elected officials focus more on growing the economy for middle class folks and expanding opportunity for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy few. To learn more about Opportunity Wisconsin, visit OpportunityWisconsin.org or stay connected on Twitter at @OpportunityWI and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OpportunityWI.

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