LETTER: Yes vote helps get money out of politics

To the editor:

Residents of the Town of Red Springs have an opportunity to voice their opposition to the huge amounts of money that are in our politics. In the April 5 election, a yes vote on the ballot referendum would help to change that.

American citizens do not have a “government by the people and for the people.” American citizens now have “government by corporations for corporations.” The reason is the Supreme Court and Citizens United. The 2010 Supreme Court, in the case of Citizens United, the court ruled that money equaled free speech. This idea has been broadened to allow corporations to give unlimited campaign contributions in amounts vastly superior to what individual citizens can afford to give.

The Wisconsin United to Amend group has been working for a U.S. Constitutional amendment stating that corporations are not people, do not have the inalienable rights of human beings, and money is not speech and therefore can be regulated in political campaigns.

Gathering dust in the Wisconsin Legislature are 166 resolutions and referenda that have already been passed in jurisdictions around the state. Over 57% of Wisconsinites have passed this resolution. Some of the area towns that have passed this resolution are: Shawano, Town of Wescott, Wittenberg, Green Bay, Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Merrill, Wausau, and New London.

Wisconsin should join the other 21 state legislatures which have voted to say “Money does not equal speech” and “Corporations are not equal to people.” The Wisconsin Legislature should listen to the citizens of Wisconsin as they express their voices so that we can make one large step forward to actual representative democracy.

It is important to support this referendum on Tuesday, April 5. Vote yes.

Deanna Bisley, Town of Red Springs