Running on a Mandate Is Small-d democratic in Wisconsin

Kathleen Falk

Rejecting the Scott Walker politics of dropping "bomb(s)" on Wisconsin citizens and strong-arming secret agendas onto our families, Kathleen Falk comes out and makes a pledge and seeks an electoral mandate.

That's representative democracy. 

In fact, the Wisconsin Recall movement is precisely a demand for representative democracy and a challenge to secret agendas such as Scott Walker's and his many power grabs and deals on which he refused to campaign, knowing he would never obtain an electoral mandate from the Wisconsin people.

GOP writers reject Falk's open approach to campaigns and public policy. "Personally, I tend to hew to the philosophy that the fewer hard-and-fast pledges a person makes, the better," writes the State Journal's Chris Rickert.

That's Rickert's right, but it sure isn't democratic.

A more democratic notion of candidates' seeking office is running on clear and open agendas, obtaining electoral mandates, and then governing for all the people.

There may be several excellent candidates running to replace Scott Walker. Rejecting his secretive and corrupt brand of electoral politics is precisely the first step in moving forward.