Making Democracy Work Summit

Working Agenda - Last Updated 8/30/07

Milwaukee Area Technical College, Main Bldg, 1015 N 6^th St, 6^th Floor

September 29, 2007

Made possible with a generous grant from Joyce Foundation.

9/28     Friday

6:30 p.m.    

Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar 

7:00-8:30    

Scenes from Tear Up the Front Page by TAPIT/new works Ensemble Theater. Followed by discussion with actors/directors 

9/29     Saturday

8:00 a.m.  

Registration opens; continental breakfast

9:00 a.m.     

Opening keynote: Protecting Voting Rights & Election Integrity Through Positive Reform, by Deborah Goldberg, Brennan Center for Justice, New York Univ.

10:00-11:00     Breakouts I

A.       Voting Rights Panel – Sen. Spencer Coggs; Rep. Tamara Grigsby; Barbara Zack Quindel, head of legal team for Election Protection, 2004 and 2006

B.       Campaign Finance & Ethics: The Problem – Mike McCabe, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign; E. Michael McCann, former Milwaukee Co. District Attorney

C.       Media and the First Amendment – Carolyn Castore, Midwest States Center; Dennis Shook, The Shepherd Express; Ernst-Ulrich Franzen, Milw. Journal Sentinel

11:15-12:15     Breakouts II

A.       Campaign Finance & Ethics Reform: The Solution – Jay Heck, Common Cause in Wisconsin; Deborah Goldberg, Brennan Center for Justice, NYU

B.       Redistricting – David Canon, UW-Madison; Rep. Fred Kessler, State Assembly

C.       Women, money and politics – Peg Lautenschlager, Lawton & Cates, former Wisconsin Attorney General; Peggy West, Milw. Co. Supervisor; Debby Anderson Meyer, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Luncheon Keynote: Judicial Independence, by The Honorable Wanda G. Bryant, North Carolina Court of Appeals

1:45 p.m.          Building a unified movement for reform in Wisconsin.  

Facilitated by Melanie G. Ramey, President, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin

·        Campaign finance & ethics reform

·        Voting rights and election administration

·        Citizens' right to know

·        Impartial justice

·        Redistricting

3:00 p.m.          Adjourn