Bartelme to include referendum question on ballot

A referendum question regarding infusing money into political elections is on the ballot for the Town of Bartelme for the Nov. 8 election.

Bartelme voters can expect to see one question stating that only human beings, not corporations, nonprofit organizations or other artificial entities are endowed with constitutional rights and one question stating that money is not speech and therefore political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting political speech.

“For the average person, we are getting so divorced from our politics because of (money),” said Bartelme resident Steve Parks, who helped spearhead the effort to get this on the ballot.

Parks said that this is an important referendum question because if Bartelme can become a community that can pass the referendum, it can be placed on Gov. Tony Evers’ desk to show support.

“The real power of this nation is its people,” said Parks. “Our government and our elections have always been based on one simple premise — one person equals one vote. Special interest dollars from sources unknown should not have an unethical influence on that equation.”

He added that he supports enabling an average citizen to run for office without money being a factor.

“Do you want it to be that you must be a billionaire, in order to run for Congress? No,” said Parks. “Money is not the prerequisite for running for office.”

He said that a big concern is politicians chasing money and using to positively affect their campaign.

“It is just discouraging that it is just all about chasing money,” said Parks. “There is also this constant notion that you always rely on the U.S. Government to shell it out. There is such a desire for people to get into that, because that is where the money is. You see all of these piles of money in the government and they have the ability to control it when they are in office.”

Talking to the community and talking to the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribal Council about the referendum question, Parks said that he has seen support.

“I have not found anybody who says that is a terrible idea,” said Parks. “I think it will have support when people become educated on it. I have a hard time understanding an argument of why you would not want to limit the money going to campaigns.”

So far, 167 communities in Wisconsin have passed the referendum question, most recently being the Town of Red Springs in April. Other Shawano County communities that have passed the referendum include Wittenberg, Shawano and the Town of Wescott.

“On average this is passing by an amount of 80% (in other communities in Wisconsin),” said Parks. “You have enough Republicans voting for it and you have enough Democrats voting for it. It is kind of beyond that 50/50 split.”

If Bartelme were to pass the referendum, the next step would be for the town board to issue a proclamation, supporting it. That would then get passed on to both Wisconsin and national government representatives, including Evers, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher.

“I am actually also looking at this as a “get-out-and-vote” type of thing for people to get out and vote,” said Parks. “Be responsible. Vote. You can go to the polls and just vote on this. You don’t have to vote on a candidate, but vote on this.”

lreimer@newmedia-wi.com