Heading upthe discussions will be Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.; Wisconsin Reps. Tammy Baldwin,David Obey and Gwen Moore; and progressive muckrakers and pundits ThomHartmann, Greg Palast and Jim Hightower.
Jackson andhis Rainbow/PUSH Coalition have started up a new campaign for social economicjustice with the United Auto Workers (UAW). They want fair industrial and tradepolicies, strengthened workers’ rights and civil rights, and to rebuild America insteadof waging unnecessary wars overseas.
Jackson will receive the Robert M. La FolletteLifetime Achievement Award at the event.
Also atFighting Bob Fest, breakout sessions will be held on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, which allows formore corporate influence in elections; a progressive view of Israel andPalestine moderated by The Progressive’sMatthew Rothschild; health care reform and universal coverage; re-imagining ourfood system; and Robert (Fighting Bob) La Follette’s career.
Fighting BobFest, now in its ninth year, is the largest gathering of progressives in thecountry and seeks to carry on La Follette’s fight for clean government andethical reforms.
Thattradition is kept alive by Bob Fest participants and its organizer, formergubernatorial candidate and progressive lawyer Ed Garvey.
“Ourdemocracy is absolutely threatened by the CitizensUnited ruling,” Garvey said. “We have to build a coalition or it’s over.”
Fighting BobFest will be held on Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Sauk County Fairgrounds inBaraboo. Two buses will leave Milwaukee;seats must be reserved in advance and cost $20 per round trip. For moreinformation, go to www.fightingbobfest.org.
