To the editor:
Everyone I encounter seems to want Big Money out of politics. It negatively affects our entire lives - our ability to get well-paying jobs, provide healthcare and quality education for our children and even have clean water to drink. Many folks feel powerless to change things. A few of us do not.
On June 21, the New Glarus Village Board took the high road by voting unanimously to place the We the People referendum on the ballot this fall. Due to the board's thoughtful vote, Village citizens will have a chance on Nov. 8 to formally voice their opinions on whether we should amend the U.S. Constitution. The amendment would simply say that corporations and other such artificial entities are not people and that money is not equivalent to free speech.
Getting Big Money out of politics will be a long haul and this is a necessary first step, one that several other Green County communities have taken. The cities of Brodhead and Monroe and the towns of Clarno and York have all passed similar referenda, with voter- approval ratings averaging 85 percent. The Mount Pleasant town board has passed a resolution supporting the amendment and a referendum will be on the fall ballot in the town of New Glarus.
Right now United to Amend is working to bring the issue before the voters in the towns of Adams, Albany, Brooklyn, Cadiz, Decatur, Jordan and Spring Grove and in the village of Monticello. We'll be holding a number of informational sessions over the summer, so if you'd like to learn more or to help get the word out, just give us a call. Contacts are Jeanette Kelty, 608-293-0266, and Harry Pulliam, 608-228-5439.
Everyone I encounter seems to want Big Money out of politics. It negatively affects our entire lives - our ability to get well-paying jobs, provide healthcare and quality education for our children and even have clean water to drink. Many folks feel powerless to change things. A few of us do not.
On June 21, the New Glarus Village Board took the high road by voting unanimously to place the We the People referendum on the ballot this fall. Due to the board's thoughtful vote, Village citizens will have a chance on Nov. 8 to formally voice their opinions on whether we should amend the U.S. Constitution. The amendment would simply say that corporations and other such artificial entities are not people and that money is not equivalent to free speech.
Getting Big Money out of politics will be a long haul and this is a necessary first step, one that several other Green County communities have taken. The cities of Brodhead and Monroe and the towns of Clarno and York have all passed similar referenda, with voter- approval ratings averaging 85 percent. The Mount Pleasant town board has passed a resolution supporting the amendment and a referendum will be on the fall ballot in the town of New Glarus.
Right now United to Amend is working to bring the issue before the voters in the towns of Adams, Albany, Brooklyn, Cadiz, Decatur, Jordan and Spring Grove and in the village of Monticello. We'll be holding a number of informational sessions over the summer, so if you'd like to learn more or to help get the word out, just give us a call. Contacts are Jeanette Kelty, 608-293-0266, and Harry Pulliam, 608-228-5439.
