The next visitor put up was written for Each day Kos by Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Get together of Wisconsin. This put up doesn’t signify an official endorsement by Each day Kos. This put up doesn’t signify an official endorsement by Each day Kos.
In 1873, Justice Edward Ryan, chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court docket, addressed the graduating class of the College of Wisconsin-Madison, and requested: Which shall rule—wealth or man?
The enterprises of the nation are aggregating huge company combos of unexampled capital, boldly marching, not for financial conquests solely, however for political energy. The query will come up, and come up in your day, although maybe not totally in mine: Which shall rule—wealth or man; which shall lead—cash or mind; who shall fill public stations—educated and patriotic free males, or the feudal serfs of company capital?
The day has come—and on Tuesday, Wisconsinites will reply that query.
Are we feudal serfs of the richest man on the earth, Elon Musk? Or are we free?
Formed by that 1873 speech was a younger Robert M. La Follette, future Wisconsin senator, who went on to renown for battle monopolies and company trusts—a struggle that earned him the nickname “Fighting Bob.”
At present, Choose Susan Crawford is the fighter Wisconsin wants. And the battlefield is now the Wisconsin Supreme Court docket itself.
Amid the flood of cash from Musk—roughly $25 million and rising quick—it’s as much as us to struggle alongside Crawford to make sure that Musk’s bag man, Brad Schimel, doesn’t seize the decisive vote on the Wisconsin Supreme Court docket.
Associated | Musk palms out wads of money to purchase Wisconsin Supreme Court docket seat
Right here’s the place issues stand as of now: In the course of the night time Thursday, Elon Musk introduced in a now-deleted tweet that he would come to Wisconsin and maintain an occasion, open solely to individuals who had already voted, during which he would give away two $1 million checks.
Musk’s supply of $1 million checks is a plain violation of the Wisconsin prohibition on providing one thing of worth to induce somebody to vote. Making such a suggestion is a felony.
Wisconsin Legal professional Basic Kaul has filed a lawsuit to dam Musk from making these funds, and the native and nationwide media is avidly protecting it.
Earlier this month, Musk’s group put out a ballot saying Schimel is behind by 1 to five share factors, relying on turnout eventualities.
Musk tweeted {that a} Schimel victory could be “Difficult but not impossible.” The momentum is on Crawford’s facet, which may clarify the determined gambles from Musk to assist Schimel.
Early vote ranges—each in-person and by mail—have shot up relative to 2023, which was itself a record-turnout 12 months. Votes forged by mail are up 22%, whereas in-person early votes are up by 102%.
As a result of in-person voting tends to be much less Democratic-heavy than mail-in voting, this report turnout suggests a tighter race than the 2023 Janet Protasiewicz blowout—however no person could be certain till we see what occurs on Election Day itself.
In the event you reside in Wisconsin and haven’t voted but, go to vote.wisdems.org to seek out your polling place. Wisconsin has same-day voter registration, which suggests you may register and vote on Tuesday.
Organizing vitality is off the charts. WisDems volunteers have knocked on hundreds of doorways and positioned thousands and thousands of cellphone calls, smashing information set in 2023. We’ll work across the clock till the polls near end up but extra voters, so signal as much as knock on some doorways this weekend!
And irrespective of the place you reside, you may be part of a cellphone financial institution.
Spending has reached preposterous ranges, and can simply eclipse $100 million. Musk himself represents a couple of quarter of that whole.
For Crawford, her help comes from greater than 125,000 donors who’ve chipped in quantities small or giant. Know somebody who may assist? Ship them to crawfordforwi.com or wisdems.org.
Voters are livid about corruption from Donald Trump, Musk, Trump, and Schimel’s corruption. They worth their freedom. They worth their democracy. As Gov. Tony Evers posted on Friday, “Wisconsinites will not be bought. Our votes are not for sale.”
Let’s elect Susan Crawford and present that the folks nonetheless rule within the Badger State. 4 days left. Give it the whole lot you’ve received. Chip in right here.
