Why should people vote yes on Question 1? We are fighting for our democracy, our lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness, with liberty and justice for all. The corporations have found a way to manipulate our self-governance, and we must stop them.

Our Founding Fathers, every one of them very human and a products of this own era, gave us a democracy — a way to govern without an aristocracy. But now, ultra-wealthy people who govern ultra-powerful companies and soulless corporations have figured out how to buy our votes and lull us to complacency.

There are a number of ways to fight back. I pray that it will be for the most part at the ballot box.

This fall, Maine has a people’s initiative referendum to improve the accountability of our elections. Clean Elections are essential to a healthy democracy. One of the key provisions in this proposal calls for us to be told who is paying for the candidates and their issues to become known to us, through television ads, radio promotions, lawn signs and all the paraphernalia our candidates are encouraged to use so we will vote for them on Election Day. We will learn who is paying to lure us to the polls in direct and devious ways.

Another set of provisions supports and encourages people — our friends and neighbors — to run for office. From them, our best leaders emerge to serve in government. Let’s permit them to do it without making them have to grovel to rich people for money to run their campaigns. Our middle-class folks are very squeezed financially these days.

Help us move Maine forward and say no to big money in politics. Vote yes on Question 1 in November.

Priscilla J Jenkins

Winthrop


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

filed under: