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President Barack Obama visited Wisconsin Monday to endorse Wisconsin democratic gubernatorial candidate and current Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett during a five-state, three-day fundraising tour.

Obama attended a $250-a-plate fundraising luncheon at U.S. Cellular Field for the Wisconsin Democratic Party and its gubernatorial candidate Barrett.

In his endorsement, Obama pointed to Barrett’s character, referencing the incident last year where the mayor was attacked trying to help a woman outside of the Wisconsin state fair as an example of Barrett’s strength.

“That’s the kind of act you don’t hear about every day. He stepped in, tried to help and sustained serious injuries. That’s what counts as a leader,” Obama said. “That’s a person who will fight for you each and every day.”

PRESIDENT OBAMA: (Applause.) Hello, everybody. Thank you. Thank you guys. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Everybody please have a seat. Thank you very much. It is wonderful to be at ZBB Energy, and thanks for your hospitality, and thanks for helping to build the future. I’ve got a

MENOMONEE FALLS — President Obama Monday talked up his administration’s efforts to jumpstart the economy, saying while the progress made hasn’t been enough to undo damage done over the past decade, things are heading in the right direction.

He also slammed those in Washington, D.C., willing to abandon those efforts, demanding that they explain why clean energy jobs like the ones at ZBB Energy Corp. are better off in other countries than here in the United States.

Obama told workers at the Menomonee Falls manufacturer that the recession was the culmination of a decade that “fell like a sledgehammer on middle-class families” and hit manufacturing particularly hard.

Small crowd of supporters and members of the 128th air refueling wing. “There’s a lot of excitement. It’s in the air, you feel it, and it gets passed on to everybody that’s working.” There were immediate reminders this was a political visit: President Obama was greeted by some of the state’s most prominent democrats, including

Every single business and every single family has felt the impact of the financial crisis. Wall Street gambled with your money and led us into this recession.
Eight million jobs were lost. Many businesses closed their doors. Home values plummeted and entire neighborhoods were lost to foreclosure. Families lost retirement and college savings.

The financial crisis took our entire economy to the brink. We’ve been living in the worst economic times since the Great Depression – so it’s fitting that this is the most sweeping reform to our financial sector since that time.

This reform is about giving families and businesses more security. Never again will Wall Street be able to threaten our entire economy.

U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) said today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could begin preliminary work in Milwaukee County as soon as Wednesday.

“Getting FEMA here as soon as possible is critical to help us recover from this disaster.  I have no doubt that FEMA will immediately see that we’re hurting and that damage is severe.  I implore them and state officials to complete assessments swiftly so that Federal assistance can be here as soon as possible,” Moore said.
Moore, along Senators Russ Feingold (D-Wis.)and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), wrote in support of the state’s expected application for disaster assistance. FEMA will begin preliminary damage assessments that are needed for the state to formally apply for disaster assistance.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s office issued a statement today about the county’s response to the disaster.

Five House Democrats entered the Senate chamber Wednesday afternoon and took seats on the backbench of the Republican side of the aisle. Rep. Donna Edwards of Maryland, Danny Davis of Illinois, Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, Carolyn Kilpatrick of Michigan, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado and Jackie Speier of California held what they called a silent protest against GOP obstructionism on job creation.

“We will be here every day and our numbers will grow,” said Rep. Edwards, organizer of the protest.

Democratic House members have been upset that Senate Republicans have tried to prevent votes on initiatives Democrats support by demanding 60 votes to end debate — known as a filibuster. Senate Republicans recently filibustered an extension of unemployment benefits, which eventually came to a vote and passed. The threat of Republican filibuster on an energy bill that included a cap and trade provision helped kill it in the Senate even though House Democrats already passed a version of that bill.

Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., went over to the group and talked to them, as did Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah. Bennett shook hands with each House member, though it did not appear he spoke to them.

Congress addressed a historic wrong on Wednesday afternoon, replacing it instead with a slightly lesser wrong, when the House voted to reduce the disparity in the sentencing of people caught with crack cocaine versus powder cocaine.

To be charged with a felony, crack users needed to possess only 5 grams of the drug. To be hit with the same charge, powder cocaine users needed to be caught with 500 grams. That 100-to-1 disparity has frequently been cited by drug war opponents as exhibit A to buttress their claim that drug laws are racist.

The moment on the House floor came and went fairly quickly, but the ease with which the bill passed belied a lot of behind-the-scenes activity.

As of Friday, the bill was not on the calendar to be considered this week. But on Saturday at the Netroots Nation conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was asked about the disparity and said that she expected the bill to come up the next week. It was placed on the calendar on Tuesday.

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) called on the U.S. Senate to take immediate action on legislation that would extend much-needed unemployment benefits and create jobs.

Congresswoman Moore said, “The House has passed sweeping jobs bills and long-term extensions of unemployment benefits – that give some support to those searching for work in this difficult climate– only for them to languish in the Senate.  This delay threatens our fragile recovery and punishes people who are hurting.”

Moore continued, “This is about priorities.  We keep working to create jobs and help those in need.  And our efforts are opposed at every turn by Republicans. They say that we should extend the Bush tax cuts for millionaires with an enormous price tag, yet they continually block unemployment extension.  The distinction couldn’t be clearer.”
Specifically, the following priorities of Congresswoman Moore have passed the House and are awaiting consideration in the Senate:
Unemployment Extension:  The House has passed long-term unemployment benefits extension multiple times this year.  The Senate has only been able to pass short-term extensions and has not been able to pass any extension for months – largely due to Republican filibusters.  Traditionally, these extensions pass with broad bipartisan support.