Finally—some good news! Late last Friday night we learned that the Wisconsin Supreme Court had just issued a ruling saying that Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board (GAB) cannot implement or enforce the new rules they put in place August 1--rules that would infringe on the free speech rights of individual citizens and organizations during elections.  

 

Wisconsin Prosperity Network and a variety of tea party groups from around the state filed the lawsuit earlier this week.  The high court voted 4-3 to stop GAB from acting on its new rules until the State Supreme Court takes further action on the case.  
 

This means that we can proceed with plans to keep you informed about the candidates and issues as we move towards the fall elections on Tuesday, September 14 (Primary) and Tuesday, November 2 (General).  

 

Thank you to those of you who signed the petition and called GAB this past week.  Your voice was heard. GAB needs to know that it wasn't just lawsuits they should be concerned about.  They need to know that average citizens are concerned about their overreach of power.

 

We need to keep the pressure on GAB and encourage the legislature to take action to ensure GAB does nothing of this nature in the future. If you have not already signed the petition, you can do so by visiting our website, www.wifamilyaction.org, and clicking on "Take Action."

 

There will be developments in this case over the next few weeks--but for now, use your freedom of speech to make a difference in the outcome of the election this year.

Remember your impact is more than just your vote – although that is extremely important.  Our lives, many of our major decisions, our churches, and our communities are all greatly impacted by local and state law. It matters, it matters greatly, who we elect to govern us—at all levels of government.

 

Consider for instance that your choice of where to live often depends on what the taxes are and what the local schools are like. Local business and economics are affected by local and state ordinances and statutes. Your church’s ability to be a witness in the public square is hampered or enhanced by local and state laws. The majority of your community’s children are educated by institutions controlled by and financed by state and local government. 

 

Local, state and federal government have a great deal of authority over our lives. If you want people you can reasonably trust to champion your rights and values in positions of authority than you need to do more than just vote. You need to get engaged. 

 

Because if you aren’t actively engaged in getting good people elected, someone else will be engaged and their values and positions will have a greater impact than yours on what the face of local and state government looks like. And given the small margins most local and even state legislative races are won or lost by in Wisconsin, particularly in an off-year election, that greater impact could determine the outcome of the election.     

 

What can you do that will have a great impact on the outcome of an election? You can personally endorse a candidate, ask friends and family to support a candidate, host a meet and greet for a candidate, contribute money to a campaign, volunteer time for a phone bank, do a literature drop, call people the Monday before the election and remind them to vote, and even offer a ride to the polls. 
 

The first step, however, is finding a good candidate. Find out who will be on your ballot.  Check with your local newspaper or municipal clerk and then start doing some research. It’s well worth your time and effort! You can use endorsements, such as Wisconsin Family Action PAC endorsements. as well as voter guides, such as our Voter Information Publication which we will be publishing online this week. 

 

But even better is getting to know the candidate and asking him/her questions to find out what motivates them, what their personal philosophies and positions are on the issues that matter the most to you.

 

This election is too important to sit out.  The State Supreme Court has given us a reprieve from GAB’s onerous rules.  Now it’s time for all of us to get engaged and help change the outcome of the election.

 

This is Julaine Appling for Wisconsin Family Council reminding you the Prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”