The Wisconsin Idea
The Wisconsin Idea is an independent reporting project of People’s Action Institute, Citizen Action of Wisconsin and In These Times. The Wisconsin Idea takes a closer look at the state of Wisconsin, featuring in-depth reporting on the issues facing the state’s rural communities.
Latest Stories
Woke 1 Was Not “Crazy,” but Needed
When progressive politicians disavow the politics of 2020, they erase a legacy of Black political thought—and the policies it built that are quietly working today.
Calvin John Smiley
Seattle’s Massage Workers Demand Safety and Solidarity—Not Stigma
After police raids on more than 50 Asian massage parlors, workers are pushing
for licensing that recognizes their expertise and an end to the “rescue” model.
Kim Kelly
What Democratic Socialists Can Learn About Endorsing a Presidential Candidate in 2028
The Democratic Socialists of America has gained increasing electoral influence. After the Left’s success in the midterms, the group could make an impact in the upcoming presidential race—if organizers take lessons from previous cycles.
David Duhalde
The Class War Midterms
The legacy of Bernie Sanders’ presidential runs was on full display in Democrats’ titanic midterm election results. The message from voters is clear: deliver on economic populism.
Miles Kampf-Lassin
“Sewer Socialism” is Ascendant in America’s Big Cities
As the next mayor of Washington, D.C., Janeese Lewis George will join other local leaders who say they’ll look to the public sector to help solve their cities’ housing crises.
Rebecca Burns
We Just Witnessed a Populist Blowout
In Tuesday's midterm elections, voters rejected Trump’s billionaire-backed politics and attacks on working people. The winners need to show that a different kind of politics can deliver.
Peter Certo
Organizing Beat Out Democratic Conventional Wisdom
Democrats’ sweeping victory in the midterms showed why the old playbook should be thrown out of the window—and that the Left is on the march.
Hamilton Nolan
The Hour Before Dawn
With the Voting Rights Act gutted and education under attack, building democratic power must reach beyond the ballot box—and into classrooms and the streets
Jesse Hagopian