“Just imagine how much of a PR disaster that would have been for the Wisconsin Democrats to have evidence of them literally ripping scholarships out of the hands of low-income families and forcing them back into the government school system that they desperately tried to escape.”

Corey DeAngelis has spent years studying school choice in Milwaukee and nationwide. His forthcoming book is a chronicle of the exploding popularity of school choice in recent years.

He talks with the Badger Institute about the movement to put power in parents’ hands and what he sees coming next: “I think the jig is up for the teachers unions,” he said. “The school choice revolution will continue to unfold right before our very eyes. And there’s not a dang thing that the unions can do to stop it.”

Among the bits of folk wisdom that rarely work out well: “Don’t ask the question if you don’t want the answer.” 

It’s bad enough applied to the puddle of mystery your car leaves on the driveway: You may need those brakes soon. It’s worse when applied to the racially charged orders the governor put at the top of every state agency’s to-do list. Wisconsinites should know what’s come of all the scurrying that’s ensued, right?

Nope, said four legislators this week who took that age-old folk wisdom about not asking questions to heart.

Fortunately, they were in the minority. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee voted 6-4 to instruct the state auditor to find out what has come of Gov. Tony Evers’ 2019 order to make “diversity, equity and inclusion,” or DEI, a central feature of agencies’ plans and to corral every state employee into “mandatory equity and inclusion training.”

Switching to heat pumps in a northern climate will prove much more expensive

Pat McIlheran and Meg Ellefson on the bruising costs of banning fossil-fuel for Wisconsin home heating.

Jay discusses energy regulation, heat pump tech and Badger Institute’s latest on what it would cost Wisconsin.

Segment begins around 26:20

“As a retired mechanical engineer, I appreciate all the effort and insight you outlined and was not surprised by the increased cost conclusion. This is not a good strategy for Wisconsin (or probably most states). The irony of the strategy to electrify home heat, theoretically to reduce fossil fuels, is that we will actually increase fossil fuel consumption, at least in Wisconsin since 73% of our electricity is generated from natural gas and coal.”

— Mike Reiels, Elm Grove, WI

“This report might have been accurate 10 years ago, but with developments in cold climate heat pump technology, the assertion that heating with an air source heat pump will cost homeowners much more money in operation doesn't necessarily hold up. As an architect who specializes in high performance, cold climate residential design, my go-to heating system for new residential construction is the cold climate air source heat pump, known in the industry as a ccASHP. I work in Wisconsin and Minnesota ... [and] for the 5-10% or so of the heating season when a ccASHP may not be able to meet the demand, many options exist for supplemental heat to keep occupants comfortable without breaking the budget.”

— Rachel W., Duluth, MN

The latest figures indicate that people are moving to Wisconsin in significantly larger numbers than they are moving out. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, net migration from 2022 to 2023 was a gain of 5,648 residents. During the same period, all of Wisconsin’s border states had a negative net migration balance. Illinois (-83,839), Iowa (-3,603), Michigan (-15,051), and Minnesota (-4,686) lost significant numbers of residents.

At a more local level, Census figures show that of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, 58 gained population via net domestic migration. Milwaukee and Kenosha counties led those that lost population via domestic net migration.

2022-2023 Data:

Data excerpted from a larger report on economic indicators, Five surprising facts about the Wisconsin economy: Experiencing the benefits of free market reforms.

It’s no secret that housing prices have skyrocketed in the past decade, but where you live plays an important role in how much it skyrocketed. In Wisconsin, the median price of a home varies significantly from county to county.

The Badger Institute, formerly known as the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), has long been at the forefront of the fight for school choice, right to work, welfare reform, tax restructuring, limited government, civil society and so much more. If you appreciate the Institute’s legacy and want to support free markets, opportunity and prosperity, please consider donating today. Your support will help the Institute continue to advocate for conservative principles now and in generations to come.

The Institute never has, and never will, accept government funding. We gratefully welcome your online donation or email Angela Smith, Executive Vice President.

The Badger Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization funded solely by the generosity of foundations, companies and individuals.

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