The Wisconsin Idea

ViewpointRural America

When Wildfire Prevention Destroys Wildlife Habitat

As Western towns cut back nearby forest fuels to deter wildfires, new houses continue to sprawl relentlessly into the surrounding wildlands.

Pepper Trail

Feature

Suppressed Wages and Rural Decline Meet in Mellen, Wisconsin

In the small town, lumber workers say that low wages are pushing young people out of the profession.

Joanna Thompson

Viewpoint

The Real "Big Lie" Is That Billionaires Are Tolerable

Great wealth should be seen as deranged hoarding.

Hamilton Nolan

ViewpointRural America

For the Nez Perce, a Proposed Gold Mine Is a Symbol of Broken Promises

The U.S. government stole Nez Perce treaty land to make way for gold miners in the 1860s. A century and a half later, gold mining again threatens the tribe’s homeland.

Marcie Carter

Labor

“The Amazon Workers in Bessemer Would Already Have Their Union If We Had the PRO Act”

What the union loss at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama means for the future of organizing in the Biden era.

Kim Kelly and Shaun Richman

Feature

Joe Biden Shouldn't Shy Away From the Radicalism of the New Deal

'Why the New Deal Matters' author Eric Rauchway explains why embracing FDR's signature programs is not just a moral imperative—it's good politics.

Natasha Hakimi Zapata

Labor

How the U.S. Military Reinforces Our Brutal Class System—And Vice Versa

Why does our economy ensure a constant stream of recruits? And why are the armed services so attractive to the marginalized? Vets answer these questions and more.

Maximillian Alvarez

Labor

Early Draft of AFL-CIO's Report on Police Reform Shows a Commitment to Defending Police Unions

The long-awaited draft report is an explicit rejection of calls for the labor movement to separate itself from police.

Hamilton Nolan

DispatchRural America

"It's a Nightmare": Inside America's Rural Housing Crisis

Across Wisconsin, low-income people are struggling to find quality, affordable housing.

Jack Kelly