Letter To The People - March 2018

Publisher's Commentary
by Rökker

your vote counts

your vote counts

Voting is one of those rights we get when we turn 18. Voting would seem like a sacred privilege to perform without fail, but has become a task that is at times only practiced by 12% of Wisconsin’s voter-age population as was seen in the recent primary election for State Supreme Court. It isn’t by happenstance that when voter turnout is low it is the candidate with the most money that wins.

In the 2016 there was a guy who many people were inspired by in an almost Kennedy like way. His name was Bernie Sanders, and throughout his campaign he repeated over and over that if voter turnout was high, he would win. Well, it was high in Wisconsin and he did won 71 out of 72 counties with an inspiring populist “for the people” vision of what this country could be if we all stood together against big money and special interests.

Why did people love Bernie? Why did they become Bernie or Bust’ers? It wasn’t because of his age, religion, accent, or good looks. It was because his progressive populist message, it was something they could believe in.

Sadly, the Democratic National Party was not able to see this and decided to go with their establishment candidate who was not able to inspire the masses. Some didn’t vote, some switched votes, and others voted third party or independent. Progressive voters did not have a candidate who represented their values. These party switchers and non-voters are the new “forgotten people” and many of them live in rural areas, those same rural areas in Wisconsin that voted red in 2016.

Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary is coming August 14th and in some ways is dynamically similar to the 2016 presidential primary. We are in need of a Democratic candidate that can inspire enough Wisconsin voters to win against the GOP’s well financed candidate who will undoubtedly unleash tv ads at a rate no opposition candidate will be able to match. The war will need to be fought with people power and elbow grease, and those people will need to be inspired by a charismatic leader that will stand up against these big money interests for them, for their families, for their jobs, and for their health.

All of the democratic candidates are calling themselves progressive, but truly, only one is. And that one will be the only one who will have the ability to beat Scott Walker in the general election.

Hint: it will need to be the most “Bernie-like” candidate to win a landslide victory in November. A soft, quiet, establishment candidate with money but no vision will not win this race. Money will not win this race. “Anyone” will not win this race. It must be a candidate that represents the people and the only way that can happen is by limiting campaign donations a la Bernie Sanders and get big donors and superpacs out of politics. Your mission is to find out which candidate does that.

Adventures with Lizzie and Nikko: Lizzie turned in her application for UW Madison. We are happy that our daughter will attend our alma matter!

Nikko is gearing up for a long summer of gigs with Black Star Drum Line.

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