>>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
I'M SPECIAL PROJECTS JOURNALIST,
MURV SEYMOUR FILLING IN FOR
MARISA WOJCIK, AND TODAY IS JUNE
23rd.
VOTING RIGHTS ARE A HOT TOP
HERE, AND THE FOR THE PEOPLE ACT
WAS BLOCKED, AND ON THE SAME DAY
HERE, THEY PUSHED THROUGH A GOOD
NUMBER OF VOTER LEGISLATION
BILLS.
SOME LEADERS IN THE FATE BASED
COMMUNITY IN WISCONSIN ARE
WORKING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT
BILLS CONSIDERED DISCOURAGING TO
ACCESS, BUT ROB HENKEN RABBI BONNIE
MARGULIS IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT
THE CONCERNS AROUND THE VOTING,
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, MURV, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON, THIS IS
SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOUR
LISTENERS AND VIEWERS ABOUT
THESE BILLS.
>> OKAY.
LET'S START WITH THE REACTION TO
THE "FOR THE PEOPLE" ACT
PRESENTED IN THE LATE JOHN
LEWIS, CALLING FOR CHANGES IN
REDISTRICTING AND TIGHTER
ELECTION SECURITY AND RIGID
GUIDELINES FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE
FINANCING.
HOW IS THIS NOT GETTING OFF THE
GROUND GOING TO IMPACT VOTERS
HERE IN WISCONSIN?
>> YEAH.
SO THE S1H1 IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT
ACT IN CONGRESS.
IT WILL ELIMINATE PARTISAN
GERRYMANDERING, TAKE DARK MONEY
OUT OF POLITICS, IT WILL REQUIRE
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION,
MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO
GET REGISTERED AND VOTE.
THERE'S SO MANY PROVISIONS IN
THE BILL THAT WILL JUST
FACILITATE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO
VOTE, AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND
GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE JOHN
LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT WHICH
RESTORES PROTECTIONS FOR VOTING
RIGHTS ACROSS THE STATE THAT
WERE GUTTED IN THE SUPREME COURT
DECISION IN 2013.
THOSE TWO BILLS TOGETHER ARE SO
IMPORTANT TO PROTECT OUR
DEMOCRACY AND IT WAS JUST SO
FRUSTRATING YESTERDAY THAT ON
ONE HAND THE GOOD NEWS WAS THERE
WAS 100% AGREEMENT ON THE
DEMOCRATIC SIDE TO VOTE FOR THE
"FOR THE PEOPLE" ACT, BUT
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP JUST
BLOCKED THE BILL, AND IT IS SO
FRUSTRATING TO SEE WHERE OUR
NATURE OF PARTIES, BOTH
NATIONALLY AND HERE IN WISCONSIN
AND ACROSS THE STATES, REALLY
WORKING TO UNDERMINE DEMOCRACY
AND UNDERMINE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO
VOTE.
YOU KNOW, IN THE CONGRESS, WE
REALLY NEED TO ELIMINATE THE
FILIBUSTER BECAUSE THAT'S JUST
BLOCKING SO MANY IMPORTANT
PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT ARE
GOING TO BE SO HELPFUL TO SO
MANY PEOPLE ON SOLVE SO MANY LEVELS
LIKE VOTING RIGHTS.
ON THE WIND HAND, A VICTORY FOR
DEMOCRACY THAT THE BILL ADVANCED
THIS FAR, AND IT'S GOTTEN 100%
SUPPORT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE,
AND NOW WE NEED TO WORK ON OTHER
SIDE TO WORK DEMOCRACY.
>> THEY SENT OVER RIGHTS
YESTERDAY, EVEN THOUGH HE'S
EXPECTED TO VETO THEM.
WHICH BILLS ARE CONCERNING TO
YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION?
>> SO THERE'S MORE THAN 20 BILLS
IN THE WISCONSIN STATE
LEGISLATURE UNDERMINING PEOPLE'S
ABILITY TO VOTE.
THIS IS PART OF A NATIONAL TREND
SEEN IN STATES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, NO MORE SO THAN HERE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE MOST EGREGIOUS OF THE BILLS
REALLY MAKE IT TO THE FOR PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES, THE ELDERLY,
THOSE CONFINED, THOSE IN
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, RURAL
COMMUNITIES, TO BE ABLE TO
EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE,
WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING WE
VALUE.
EVERY VOTE SHOULD COUNT, EVERY
VOICE SHOULD BE HEARD.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW HOW
IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR PEOPLE TO
BE ABLE TO VOTE SAFELY, AND ONE
OF THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT WAS
THROUGH ABSENTEE VOTING, AND SO
MANY OF THE BILLS ARE NOW
TARGETED AT THAT VERY PROCESS.
PROCESS TO
MAKE IT HARDER TO VOTE.
TO BE CLEAR, THIS DOES NOTHING
TO MAKE VOTING SAFER, TO MAKE IT
MORE TRUSTWORTHY OR RELIABLE.
EXPERTS HAVE SAID OUR ELECTION
IN 2020 ACROSS THE NATION WAS
THEE MOST SECURE ELECTION.
WE ALREADY VERY STRONG VOTER
PROTECTION AND ELECTION
PROTECTION LAWS HERE IN
WISCONSIN.
SO SOME OF THESE BILLS REALLY
KEEP PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NURSING
HOMES FROM BEING ABLE TO
EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.
IT MAKES ILLEGAL FOR NURSING
HOME EMPLOYEES TO ASSIST
RESIDENTS IN VOTING OR TO
SUGGEST TO, AND FAMILY MEMBERS
VOTING, DEPUTIES COME TO NURSING
HOMES TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN
CASTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
IT RESTRICTS WHO CAN DELIVER
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
SOMEBODY WHO IS INDEFINITELY
COMBINED, IN A NURSING HOME,
TROUBLE GETTING TO A POLLING
PLACE CURRENTLY CAN GIVE
ABSENTEE BALLOT TO A NEIGHBOR,
TO A FRIEND, TO A FAMILY MEMBER
TO DELIVER THEIR BALLOT.
THIS LAW WOULD SEVERELY RESTRICT
WHO CAN DELIVER AN ABSENTEE
BALLOT ON BEHALF OF SOMEBODY
ELSE AND MAKE IT A FELONY TO
DELIVER AN ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR A
NONFAMILY MEMBER OR FOR MORE
THAN ONE OTHER PERSON.
A LOT OF THE BILLS COME WITH
PENALTIES WITH FELONY CHARGES,
REALLY GOING TO CHILL PEOPLE'S
INTEREST IN HELPING OTHER PEOPLE
TO BE ABLE TO VOTE, AND THAT'S
JUST GOING TO DISENFRANCHISE SO
MANY PEOPLE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS.
>> AND THERE HAVE BEEN NEW BILLS
ADDRESSING VOTING RIGHTS DRAFTED
UP AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK.
THIS IS THE NEW NORMAL IN THE
ONGOING BATTLE OVER VOTING?
>> I'M AFRAID IT IS.
SOME PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, TAKE
THE POSITION THAT, WELL, WE
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE
GOVERNOR'S GOING TO VETO THESE
BILLS, BUT THESE BILLS ARE NOT
GOING AWAY.
THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE
INTRODUCED INTO OUR LEGISLATURE,
AND THERE'S -- PART OF THE
PURPOSE OF CONTINUING TO
INTRODUCE THE BILLS IS TO TRY TO
NORMALIZE A FALSE NARRATIVE
ABOUT OUR VOTING SYSTEM.
AS I SAID, OUR VOTING SYSTEM IS
ALREADY INCREDIBLY SECURE, AND
IT ALREADY HAS VARIABLES FOR
PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO
VOTE, AND SO TO HAVE MORE
VARIABLES DISENFRANCHISES PEOPLE
IN REALLY EGREGIOUS WAYS.
SOME OF THE OTHER RESTRICTIONS
BEING INTRODUCED, ONE OF THE
GREAT VICTORIES OF 2020 WAS DROP
BOXES AND REALLY JUST HELPED
PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO VOTE EARLY,
TO VOTE ABSENTEE, TO BE ABLE TO
FIND A DROP BOX NEAR THEM AND TO
PUT THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOT IN THE
DROP BOX.
THERE'S LEGISLATION NOW ABOUT
DROP BOXES, MAKING IT BE
AVAILABLE ON CERTAIN PROPERTIES,
BUT NOT PUBLIC PARKS, A DIRECT
HIT TO THE DEMOCRACY AND PARK
PROGRAM DONE SO SUCCESSFULLY IN
MADISON IN 2020.
AND IT RESTRICTS ANY
MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS OVER
70,000 PEOPLE CAN HAVE UP TO
THREE, BUT ONLY THREE ADDITION
GNAT DROP BOXES, WHICH IN THE
CITY THE SIZE OF MILWAUKEE IS
RIDICULOUS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO BE
ABLE TO VOTE.
I THINK IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE
THAT MILWAUKEE IS NOT ONLY OUR
LARGEST CITY, BUT IS THE LARGEST
COMMUNITY OF COLOR, AND THEY ARE
GOING TO BE SEVERELY
DISENFRANCHISED BY HAVING SUCH
LIMITED ACCESS TO DROP BOXES AND
TO THE ABILITY TO VOTE ABSENTEE.
>> AND WE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR
IS GOING TO MORE THAN LIKELY
VETO THE BILLS, BUT WHAT'S THE
IMPACT OF THE BILLS ACTUALLY
BEING INTRODUCED AND PUT OUT
THERE?
WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE IS THAT
PUTTING ON THE VOTING PROCESS?
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, AS I SAID IT REALLY
CHILLS PEOPLE'S INTEREST IN
VOTING, AND IT CHILLS PEOPLE'S
INTEREST IN HELPING OTHER PEOPLE
TO VOTE WHEN THE MESSAGE GETS
OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE
ARE PENALTIES AND FELONIES AND
PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS READ TO THE
END OF A NEWS ITEM TO READ THE
GOVERNOR VETOED THE BILLS, BUT
THEY HEAR THEY ARE OUT THERE.
IT MAKES FOR A LOT OF CONFUSION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT REALLY
KNOWING CAN I DO THIS, CAN'T I
DO THIS, WHAT'S THE LAW NOW?
THE MORE PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED,
THE MORE RELUCTANT THEY ARE TO
EVEN TRY TO VOTE.
IT REALLY HAS A VERY NEGATIVE
EFFECT ON VOTER REGISTRATION AND
VOTER TURNOUT, WHICH, SADLY, IS
THE PURPOSE OF THE BILLS OF THE
FALSE NARRATIVE THAT IS BEING
PROMOTED.
YOU KNOW, AMERICANS WANT PEOPLE
TO BE ABLE TO EXERCISE THEIR
RIGHT TO VOTE.
THEY VALUE FREEDOM.
THEY VALUE DEMOCRACY.
THEY VALUE TRANSPARENT AND
TRUSTWORTHY PROCESS, AND WHEN WE
ARE IN LIES AND DISTORTIONS AND
MISINFORMATION ABOUT OUR VOTING
PROCESS, IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR
PEOPLE TO VOTE.
>> AND I -- WHO DO YOU THINK
BENEFITS FROM THE TYPES OF
LEGISLATION?
WELL, SADLY, THIS LEGISLATION IS
DESIGNED TO KEEP ONE PARTY IN
POWER, DESIGNED TO KEEP THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY IN POWER, AND,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A -- THERE'S A
PRINCIPLE AT STAKE THAT THE
VOTERS CHOOSE WHO REPRESENTS
THEM.
THE REPRESENTATIVES DO NOT
CHOOSE WHO VOTES FOR THEM, BUT
WITH PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING,
WITH TRYING TO DAMPEN PEOPLE'S
RIGHT TO VOTE AND PEOPLE'S
INTEREST IN VOTING, THIS IS ALL
GEARED TOWARDS ONE PARTICULAR
PARTY TRYING TO KEEP THEIR HOLD
ON POWER, AND RATHER THAN DOING
IT BY WORKING ON THE THINGS THAT
PEOPLE CARE ABOUT, LIKE WORKING
ON THE ECONOMY, WORKING ON
EXPANDING HEALTHCARE FOR ALL,
WORKING ON FIGHTING CLIMATE
CHANGE, WORKING ON ADDRESSING
SYSTEMIC RACISM.
RACISM, INSTEAD OF
WORKING ON THOSE THINGS WHICH IS
WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN,
INSTEAD THEY WORK ON THINGS TO
MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO
VOTE.
IF THEY LOOK AT THEIR OWN
POLICIES AND PRIORITIES AND
ALIGN THEM MORE WITH WHAT PEOPLE
WANT AND WHAT PEOPLE NEED AND
WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP THE
PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN, THEN THEY
WOULDN'T HAVE TO SUPPRESS THE
VOTE IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE TO
VOTE FOR THEM.
PEOPLE WOULD VOTE FOR THEM
BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN THEIR
POLICIES.
THIS IS REALLY JUST A VERY
UNDEMOCRATIC, ANTIVOTER,
POLITICAL PROCESS THAT IS REALLY
SAD, AND IT IS REALLY SCARY
BECAUSE IT REALLY IS AN ATTACK
ON OUR DEMOCRACY.
>> NOW, CONCERNS OVER VOTER
SUPPRESSION GO WAY BACK.
WE KNOW THAT.
HOW DO YOU VIEW HOW VOTING
RIGHTS BEING SUPPRESSED TODAY
COMPARE TO THE PRE-CIVIL RIGHTS
ERA?
>> IT IS REALLY GOING BACK TO
THE PRE-CIVIL RIGHTS ERA AND
DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO
SUPPRESS THE RIGHT TO VOTE, AND
SPECIFICALLY FOR PARTICULAR
COMMUNITIES THAT TRADITIONALLY
VOTE IN, PERHAPS TRADITIONALLY
VOTE DEMOCRATIC, AND THOSE VOTES
ARE BEING SUPPRESSED, AND,
AGAIN, IT IS AN ATTEMPT FOR ONE
PARTY TO HOLD ON TO POWER, AND
TO DO IT BY SUPPRESSING THE
SPECIFIC VOTES, THE SPECIFIC
POPULATIONS LIKE COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR, THE ELDERLY, THE
DISABLED, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF
THE VOTES REALLY KIND OF --
SORRY, SOME OF THESE BILLS, SOME
OF THE PROVISIONS REALLY BRING
BACK THE JIM CROW ERA OF POLL
TAX.
SOME OF THESE BILLS, IF THEY GET
THROUGH AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY
WRITTEN, REQUIRE PEOPLE WHO ARE
INDEFINITELY CONFINED TO GET A
DOCTOR'S NOTE, WHICH REQUIRES A
DOCTOR VISIT, WHICH REQUIRES
PAYING FOR THE VISIT.
IT IS VERY UNCLEAR THAT
INSURANCE WOULD PAY FOR SUCH A
VISIT.
SO THAT IS AN EXPENSE THAT
SOMEBODY HAS TO INCUR IN ORDER
TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE,
AND SO THAT IS A POLL TAX AS
IMPOSED IN THE JIM JIM CROW ERA SO
THESE BILLS ARE BRINGING US
BACKWARDS RATHER THAN MOVING US
FORWARD.
>> I WANT TO TOUCH ON WHAT YOU
SAID A MOMENT AGO.
IF YOU CAN'T GET THE VOTES TO
GET RID OF THE LAWMAKERRINGS OF
WHAT YOU CONSIDER SUPPRESSIVE
LEGISLATION AND IT'S WHAT THE
CONSTITUENTS WANT, HOW DO YOU
COMBAT THIS EFFORT TO?
>> EDUCATING IS THE BEST TOOL WE
HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL, AND I
DON'T KNOW WHO SAID IT, BUT
SOMEBODY SAID SUNSHINE IS THE
BEST DISINFECTANT.
THE MORE PEOPLE KNOW AND
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
OUR STATE LEGISLATURE, THE MORE
THAT THEY CAN BE WITH EFFECTIVE
ADVOCATES AS WE NEED PEOPLE TO
CALL LEGISLATORS TODAY AND
TELLING ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AND
STATE SENATORS THAT WE WANT TO
MAKE VOTING ACCESSIBLE, PROTECT
PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO VOTE, AND
PROTECT THE RIGHT OF THE
ELDERLY, DISABLED, COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR, OF PEOPLE IN RURAL
WISCONSIN.
WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY AND NOT
UNDERMINE IT.
AND SO OUR LEGISLATORS NEED TO
HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS, AND
THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY THAT
WE CAN MAKE CHANGE.
EDUCATE YOURSELVES ON WHAT THE
ISSUES ARE, WHAT THE BILLS WILL
DO, WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE ON
YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, AND YOUR
COMMUNITY AND THEN PICK UP THE
PHONE, SEND AN E-MAIL, OR GO
VISIT YOUR LEGISLATOR.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE ON RECESS
SOON FOR JULY 4th.
GO VISIT THEM IN THEIR LOCAL
OFFICES AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT
YOU WANT THEM TO WORK ON AND NOT
WORK ON, AND YOU DON'T WANT THEM
TO WORK ON SUPPRESSING THE VOTE.
>> ARE THERE BILLS OUT THERE
PRESENTED AT THE STATE OR
NATIONAL LEVEL YOU FEEL BENEFITS
THE VOTING PROCESS?
THE FOR THE PEOPLE ACT --
>> I WANT TO GET THE NAME OF THE
BILL CORRECT, THE JOHN LEWIS
VOTING ENHANCEMENT ACT, THOSE
ARE PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT
WILL REALLY COUNTER
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC BILLS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE ONES IN
WISCONSIN.
WE HAVE TO CALL TAMNY TAMMY BALDWIN
AND RON JOHNSON TO VOTE FOR THE
TWO BILLS NATIONALLY, AND HERE
LOCALLY, THERE'S ATTEMPTS TO
HAVE BILLS THAT WILL PROTECT
PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO VOTE AND,
AGAIN, YOU NEED TO EDUCATE
YOURSELVES ABOUT WHAT THOSE
BILLS ARE, AND RIGHT NOW, OUR
FOCUS IS ON COMBATING THESE
REALLY EGREGIOUSLY
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC VOTER
SUPPRESSION BILLS.
>>> TALK GERRYMANDERING FOR A
QUICK SECOND.
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RULED IT
TO BE ILLEGAL.
HOW IS IT A MAJOR CONCERN EVERY
TEN YEARS WHEN REDISTRICTING
OCCURS?
>> WELL, THE SUPREME COURT DID
SAY THAT GERRYMANDERING WAS
ILLEGAL, BUT THEN IN ANOTHER
DECISION, THEY SAID IT WAS NOT
THE PURVIEW OF THE COURTS TO
DEAL WITH PARTISAN
GERRYMANDERING, WHICH IS
INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING.
WISCONSIN IS ONE OF THEE MOST
PARTISAN GERRYMANDERED STATES IN
THE UNION.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A BILL BEFORE
THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW TO
DELAY OUR REDISTRICTING PROCESS
UNTIL 2023, WHICH WOULD MEAN
THAT THESE HIGHLY PARTISAN
GERRYMANDERED DISTRICTS REMAIN
IN PLACE THROUGH THE 2022
MIDTERM ELECTIONS AND
GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION, BUT
THERE IS ALSO A BILL THAT IS
BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE THAT
REQUIRES THE REDISTRICTING
PROCESS TO BE NONPARTISAN TO BE
IMPARTIAL AND TO BE DONE IN A
FAIR AND OPEN AND TRANSPARENT
WAY.
AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO SUPPORT
BILL AND KEEP OUR CURRENT
PARTISAN DISTRICTS IN PLACE, SO,
YEAH, THE VOTER SUPPRESSION
BILLS AND GERRYMANDERING ARE TWO
HUGE ISSUES REALLY UNDERMINING
THE DEMOCRACY.
>> FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, THE
CHURCH HAS LONG BEEN THE
EPICENTER OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM
AND THE CHURCH AS THE MEETING
PLACE.
DO YOU FEEL IT IS THAT WAY
TODAY?
>> YEAH.
CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, HOUSES OF
WORSHIP, THESE ARE GREAT PLACES
TO GET VOTING INFORMATION.
CLERGY ARE TRUSTED MESSENGER.
WE KNOW IT IS SO POWERFUL FOR
YOUR HOUSE OF WORSHIP TO HAVE
VOTING REGISTRATION DRIVES TO
PUT OUT VOTER INFORMATION, TO
HELP PEOPLE ACCESS ABSENTEE
BALLOTS TO HELP PEOPLE REGISTER
SO, YEAH, WE REALLY, AS
OURSELVES, AS AN INTERFAITH
ORGANIZATION, WE WORK THROUGH
CONGREGATIONS AND CLERGY TO HELP
THEM, TO HELP THEIR
CONGREGATIONS ACCESS THEIR RIGHT
TO VOTE.
IT IS AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL
TOOL AND RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO HELP
PEOPLE TO VOTE, AND, YOU KNOW,
THE ANTIDEMOCRATIC FORCES KNOW
THIS.
ONE OF THE BILLS WOULD RESTRICT
THE HOURS AND DAYS IN WHICH
PEOPLE CAN ACCESS VOTER
REGISTRATION AND ABSENTEE VOTING
FOR IT COULDN'T BE DONE, FOR
INSTANCE, ON A SUNDAY, AND WE
KNOW A LOT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
CHURCHES ON SUNDAY, THAT'S WHEN
THEY HAVE VOTER REGISTRATION
DRIVES AND HELP PEOPLE REGISTER
AND HELP THEM GET THEIR ABSENTEE
BALLOTS AND HELP THEM GET TO
EARLY VOTING PLACES, AND SO,
AGAIN, THAT'S REALLY AN ATTEMPT
TO CHILL THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY'S RIGHT TO VOTE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE GOT TIME FOR ONE MORE.
DURING THE CHAT OVER THE PHONE
LAST WEEK, YOU SAID THE
ORGANIZATION DOES NOT CARE WHO
PEOPLE VOTE FOR.
ARE YOU SAYING YOUR ORGANIZATION
DOESN'T HAVE A HORSE IN THE RACE
AND DON'T CARE ABOUT POLITICAL
OUTCOMES?
>> WELL, THAT'S RIGHT.
WE ARE NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION.
WE DON'T CARE WHO YOU VOTE FOR,
BUT WE CARE THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO
VOTE, AND WE CARE THAT YOUR
ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE RESPONSIVE
TO YOUR NEEDS AND TO YOUR
PRIORITIES AND YOUR VALUES.
SO WE HELP YOU BE AS EDUCATED
AND INFORMED AS POSSIBLE ABOUT
LEGISLATION AND PRIORITIES IN
YOUR LEGISLATURE, ABOUT WHAT
YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS CARE
ABOUT AND PRIORITIZE AND SPEAK
TO THEM ABOUT WHAT YOU CARE
ABOUT AND SPEAK ABOUT AND
PRIORITIZE.
WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THE TOOLS
AND THE EDUCATION THAT YOU NEED
TO TALK TO YOUR ELECTOR, WHOEVER
YOUR LEGISLATOR IS IN WHATEVER
PARTY THEY BELONG TO.
>> ALL RIGHT, RABBI BONNIE
MARGULIS, WE'LL END IT THERE,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
TODAY ON THIS IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
I APPRECIATE IT.
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "HERE
AND NOW" AND PBS WISCONSIN,
VISIT PBSWISCONSIN.ORG.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
ON THIS "NOON WEDNESDAY," I'M
MURV SEYMOUR, AND HAVE A GREAT
DAY.