By Nyesha Stone
(L-R Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Baldwin and Mandela Barnes) Wisconsin democrats are excited to bring change to Wisconsin. (Provided by Tammy Baldwin campaign)
It’s late in the election and everyone’s wondering will the Blue wave part the Rea sea? According to a recent Marquette poll, Tony Evers and Scott Walker are tied, which means, like with many have been saying, every vote does count. If people want change then they can’t sit at home. When we thought as America that we’d never have a leader such as Donald Trump, we sat at home and did nothing. No real change can happen by just staying still and complacent, change comes with action.
Wisconsin democrats understand the struggles they face when it comes to increasing voter turnout, which is why U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Mandela Barnes teamed together and held a rally with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts yesterday afternoon at the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, 633 S. Hawley Rd.
Seven years ago, Barnes was at the capital with over a thousand Wisconsinites protesting Walker. And although their efforts didn’t fall in their favor, Barnes is hopeful for a different result come Nov. 6 on Election Day.
“I have one message to deliver,” he said. “We’re going to send Walker packing come Nov. 6.”
Barnes said it’s a shame that the crowd has to clap for a candidate who supports fully funding our schools. He said everyone should want better for our children. Once elected, $1.4 billion will be put back into the schools, he said.
He may be one of the youngest candidates on the ballot, but he said this may be one of the most important midterms of his life.
Baldwin then came out with a joyous smile that got the crowd cheering.
“How refreshing would it be to have a governor and lieutenant governor who focuses on education and who will fix our roads,” she said about why people should vote for Evers and Barnes.
She too believes it is time for new leadership not just in Wisconsin, but in Washington too because it’s “a mess.”
Our government may not work for most of us, but it works for a few, said Baldwin.
“The wealthy and the powerful have clout there [in Washington],” she said. And, it’s no secret Baldwin was bombarded with hateful ads against her, but that doesn’t mean Baldwin will stop fighting.
“I don’t care how much the Koch brothers want to get a seat at the senate,” she said. “I have something they don’t and that’s you.”
According to Baldwin, her and Warren are close allies and have been partners on many occasions in Washington, and Warren says the same.
“Tammy is not only a good friend, but a great fighter,” said Warren.
Warren says Republicans currently control everything—senate, the White House, the governor and legislation in Wisconsin, and the list goes on. But, she quickly interrupted the crowd’s “boo’s” with inspiration.
“I just want to be clear, change is coming,” she said.
Just like Baldwin, Warren shared a little bit about her background. The only girl, youngest of three boys, Warren grew up looking up to her military brothers who each taught her a lesson. The oldest taught her to respect and honor our veterans. The second told taught her to honor our promises to our seniors, and that means protecting social security. Lastly, the youngest brother taught her that unions built the middle class and are the backbone of America.
She then went on to talk about her parents. Her father worked multiple jobs before he landed a job as a janitor where he then became sick. Warren’s mother then had to get her first job outside of the home. At the time, her mother was able to take care herself and her family off of a minimum-wage job. Today, that’s unheard of.
Warren told a piece of her story to show how much the government has changed.
“We’re in this fight because we think it [the government] should work for everyone,” she said. “However you do it, you have to vote.