Fighting Bob Fest carries on the tradition of Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette who fought for reforms a century ago to restore a more citizen-centered, participatory form of democratic government.
La Follette believed in the common sense and intelligence of ordinary citizens to sort out issues and make political decisions over matters that affected their lives. Along with the other progressives, Fighting Bob was able to reach across the partisan and class-based divides of the early 20th century and create a remarkable alliance of farmers, workers, and other citizens who provided the base of popular support for his political, social, environmental, and economic reforms, first in Wisconsin and later, across the nation.
Today, public participation in government has tragically eroded, corporations dominate the policymaking process, and elected officials systematically neglect the public interest in favor of private ones. Freedom and justice are defended through education, and the exchange of ideas promotes solidarity among progressives.
To this end, Fighting Bob Fest strives to provide citizens with a forum for democratic participation where frustrations with current policies can be constructively molded into calls to action.
Books
Thieves in High Places; If the Gods Had Meant Us To Vote, They Would Have Given Us Candidates; There's Nothing In the Middle Of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos; Eat Your Heart Out; Hard Tomatoes, Hard Times; Tragedy & Farce; Communication Revolution; The Problem of the Media; Our Media, Not Theirs; Rich Media, Poor Democracy; It's the Media, Stupid; The Global Media; Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy; Telacommunications, Mass Media, and Democracy; Capitalism and the Communication Age; Ruthless Criticism; The Bill McKibben Reader; Flight Global Warming Now; Deep Economy; American Earth; The End of Nature; Enough; Wandering Home; Long Distance; Maybe One; Hundred Dollar Holiday; Hope, Human, and Wild; The Age of Missing Information
PEACE AND JUSTICE NOW!
September 2008
Sauk County Fairgrounds
Baraboo, WI
Fighting Bob Fest is an annual event featuring progressive speakers, networking opportunities, and entertainment. The Fest seeks to provide a forum for progressive ideas on issues facing Wisconsin and the nation. It is a project of the non-profit, non-partisan organization Fighting Bob, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization supported by the charitable arm of The Capital Times.
The Fest has grown every year and is, as far as we know, the largest political festival in the United States. Fighting Bob Fest V drew more than 6,000 people and was organized and staffed by dozens of unpaid volunteers. That is at least 10 times the number of people who show up for the state’s annual Democratic and Republican party conventions. Featured speakers include Jim Hightower, congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Robert McChesney, Ed Garvey, the Raging Grannies, Stan Gruzynski, Doris 'Granny D' Haddock, and Bill McKibben.
+ Friends of progressive politics
+ Readers of FightingBob.com
+ Members of The People’s Legislature
+ Supporters of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
+ Common Cause
+ Peace groups
+ ALL Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, Republicans, Independents, Socialists
+ THOSE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES POLITICALLY HOMELESS
Help spread the word! Just copy and paste to post the image above!
"It is dangerous to be right on a subject on which the established authorities are wrong." - Voltaire"
Thanks for being a friend. PEACE
Please take a minute to e-mail Governor Pawlenty tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us and urge him to reconsider his position and NOT veto the Medical Marijuana bill! For more information on this important topic please go to the Minnesotans for Compassionate Care website www. minnesotacares. org
I encourage everyone reading this to take a moment to contact Governor Pawlenty's office and urge him not to veto the medical marijuana bill.You can simply state that you support S.F. 345, the medical marijuana bill, and that, as a constituent, you strongly urge him not to veto this legislation. You can reach him by e-mailing tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us or by calling (651) 296-3391 or (800) 657-3717
You can also go to these website links and use the action pages to send letters and emails:
advance tickets are on sale at arise! (2441 lyndale ave s)....the price has been reduced to $5-8 advance due to the cancellation of attila the stockbroker.
State Representatives Frank Boyle (D-Superior) and Mark Pocan (D-Madison) have announced plans to formally introduce a bill, "The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act" seeking to protect Wisconsin Medical Marijuana patients from State prosecution. It is now being circulated for cosponsors and will be formally introduced and given a bill number in early October.
Ten years ago in September 1997, Rickert led 15 medical marijuana patients on a 210-mile wheelchair "Journey for Justice" from Mondovi to Madison, which reached the Capitol on Sept. 18, 1997. The 1997 Journey for Justice was dedicated to the memory of Jacki's late physician, William E. Wright, of Mondovi, who gained approval for her participation in a federal medical marijuana program only to see George Bush the elder close it to new patients in 1992.
Contact your Assembly Representative and State Senator, and ask them to join as co-sponsors. Call the State Legislative Hotline Toll-free at: 1-800-362-9472, or you can send a pre-written letter via this link, but personal letters or phone calls are better.
THANK YOU for being a friend to OneCareNow! JOIN MICHAEL MOORE (see our link and info on SB 840 on his page!) and help us spread the word by forwarding our page and petition to others, subscribing and participating in our blog and putting us in your top friend list.
Support this bill... even if you are from out of state... help us win it for California, and watch the movement spread. California can lead the way for America with TRUE Universal Health Coverage---not phony schemes that use public funding for private insurance companies to continue business as usual. Only SINGLE PAYER can cut costs and improve quality of care. And only a huge public outcry will make it happen.
For all those in California who are reading this, we especially need your help. This is a true grassroots effort, folks! Sign up now to be a part of the solution!
ahah BARABOO!! Only in Wisconsin is a place called Baraboo!! I totally stayed at Yogi Bear's campground like 5 summers in a row w/ my family... I <3 Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells WOOT WOOT!!!
Thank you for the request. "Reach across partisan divides" In this day and age? Are you frickin crazy? Just kidding... it sounds like a good idea and might even be possible. Let me know if I can help to promote this. Peace, -Badger
Thanks for the request and for supporting Ms. Roy!
"The only dream worth having is to dream that you will live while you are alive, and die only when you are dead. To love, to be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of the life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget." - Arundhati Roy
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