Algoma, Amory, Baraboo, Casco, Draper, Edgewater, Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Evansville, Exeland, Forestville, Frederic, Hayward, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Ladysmith, Luxembourg, Madison, Monona, Mt. Horeb, Newport, Ogibwa, Oseola, Shorewood, Sister Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Watertown, Whitefish Bay, and Winter. All are Wisconsin places where citizens petitioned last year to put a non-binding resolution favoring withdrawal from Iraq on the April 4th ballot.
While most eyes will be focused on Madison as the Iraq War referenda are voted on, the real story is in the smaller communities, especially those that are traditionally not Democratic strongholds. Want to know how Heartland America really feels? Watch Ladysmith. See how Evansville votes; there's a countering resolution there opposing troop withdrawal. Watch Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Sister Bay, and Sturgeon Bay in Door County, which went for George W. in 2004.
How each of these towns got these resolutions on the ballot are great stories of local folks deciding to petition their neighbors at farmers' markets, bowling alleys, cafes, and door to door. The Evansville groups pushing competing resolutions, for example, both got enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. EvilleAlderFred (Alderperson Fred Jeurgens), who is also running (unopposed) for re-election on April 4th, was a pro-withdrawal petition organizer. Evansville held a heated, yet orderly public forum on the two questions last night, and local curmudgeon Grumps actually put on pants over his blogging pajamas to attend. Someone at the State Journal had the good sense to send George Hesselberg to cover it. This is real democracy at the grassroots level.
If places like Evansville go solidly for "Yes" when asked to approve the withdrawal resolution, we will have evidence of the coming groundswell against the war. The resolution's wording: "The citizens of Evansville, Wisconsin request that the United States Government begin an immediate and orderly withdrawal of all its military personnel from Iraq, beginning with the National Guard and Reserves."
Sounds sensible to me.
We'll know next week. Stay tuned.
And, if you can vote in any of these places, do so, even if the outcome is preordained, as it is in Madison and in Whitefish Bay. As we used to chant, back in the day, trying to stop another wrong-headed war based on lies: "The whole world is watching."
Paul, I think the biggest side effect of hte referenda is a reawakening of a political conscience in the state at the local level. This discussion has led people to believe that, perhaps, they do have a voice which matters.
The Spring primary in Evansville saw a voter turnout as large as the last general election. They had to reprint ballots twice and in the end resorted to using photocopies. All signs point to a record turnout next Tuesday. That's the real groundswell.
Just for the record, I was honored to be asked to moderate the candidates forum last Saturday and it was for that which I put on trousers. I was not able to be a part of the discussion Wednesday night but my daughter was there and brought me the full report.
Posted by: grumps | March 31, 2006 at 08:55 AM