Why I’m Proud To Be a Dunn County Democrat
We need to turn Western Wisconsin blue
In order to take the next step and take action in politics, some of us require role models. We need to see people like us who have made the decision to get involved. It helps if our role models are people we admire, but it is just as important for us to see their involvement as realistic and reachable.
I’m going to interview myself below, and I hope you will see that joining your local Democratic Party is both realistic and reachable. I’d like to invite you to answer these same questions in your head as we go (or in the comments!).
Assess yourself. If you are part of your local political party, how can you step up and volunteer? If you are not involved with your local party, why not? What are you waiting for?
I think it is time to get off the sidelines and join in the fight.
If you want to donate or volunteer with the Dunn County Democrats, follow this link. If you aren’t in Dunn County, I encourage you to join your local Democratic organization.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am 52 years old and have lived most of my life in Wisconsin. I grew up in Shawano, River Falls, and LaCrosse. I am a teacher/farmer for a Montessori school that owns a farm near Connorsville, WI, where I have lived and worked for most of the last 22 years. I am on the board of Farmer to Farmer, and I lead trips to visit coffee farmers in Honduras every January. I also lead General Hardware Border Morris, a folk dance team that practices weekly in Menomonie.
What are your earliest memories regarding politics?
Even though I would describe my early upbringing as conservative Christion, I think there was more of a crossover at that time to progressive politics. My family had a poster in our house that said “War is Not Healthy For Children and Other Living Things,” and my mother volunteered at a women’s shelter. As soon as I knew what the terms meant, I identified as a feminist and an environmentalist. I think the first time I thought about who to vote for was in 1980. Independent candidate for President, John Anderson, came to River Falls, and my dad took me to see his speech. I remember the packed auditorium and the inspired feeling I got. I also remember how deflated I felt when Reagan won.
Why did you join the Dunn County Democrats?
Frankly, I was not always a supporter of the Democratic Party. I voted for Ralph Nader in 1996 and 2000 and I believed in the importance of the Green Party as a way to push the country on environmental and labor issues. I was energized in 2016 by Bernie Sanders’ run for the Democratic presidential nomination. I saw the crowds and listened to his speeches and it made me think that the Democrats could be the advocates for the issues I cared about. Then my neighbors D and C decided to become active in the Dunn County Democrats. It had never occurred to me to actually join a local party organization. They both said that given the dubious direction our country was headed, the people in the best position to fight for democracy are the Democrats. I had to agree.
You might think of the two major parties as tweedle dee and tweedle dum, but although that may have been the case ten or more years ago, now I think the Republicans are dangerously close to eliminating democracy altogether. I hate all the phone calls and emails I get! But the local party is full of people who care and who are working together to make a difference. It feels human to me, and it is a place where I am not just a donor.
What do you like about the Dunn County Democrats?
I think that the Democratic Party on the national level is well aligned with the majority of the country. But having popular opinions on national issues is not enough. We need a party that meets people’s needs at every level, from the township, to the school board, to the county, to the state, to the national level. I see the Dunn County Democrats as building a solid group of people committed to grassroots democracy and supporting a politics of listening to and responding to the needs of people. I like that Pete and Elizabeth make the monthly meetings efficient and interesting. I like the fundraisers and the booth at the fair. I like the happy hours and I like walking in parades. I can’t say I love canvassing, but it needs to be done.
What is your role with Dunn County Democrats?
I am part of Western Wisconsin Votes, an organization within the DCD committed to increasing voter participation through deep canvassing. We host trainings in deep canvassing, as well as participating in canvassing efforts for local and national candidates. I also write letters to the editor and plan and co-host happy hour gatherings at local venues. I was a delegate to the District and State Conventions. I have served as an election judge, both in New Haven and in Menomonie. I am also a monthly donor to the DCD.
Who are your favorite Dunn County Democrats?
There are too many to name. One of the first ways I got involved with the DCD was marching in the Rustic Lore Days parade in support of John Calabrese. Later on, my partner and I co-hosted a house party for him where his partner Simone sang songs of revolution and we served kale from our garden. John and Simone are an inspiration to me. In the recent Menomonie school board election, my friend Rachel Henderson ran and won. Later I saw her MC the DCD fundraiser. This is what we need. Hard-working people like Rachel and John who care about their community.
If you could change one thing about the Dunn County Democrats, what would it be?
I would like to see us reach more young people. I think young adults are very aware of the multiple crises we find ourselves in, including the climate crisis, systemic racism, threats to reproductive rights, and threats to democracy. But somehow that has not translated to strong engagement with the Democrats for high school and college students of Dunn County. I think young people might be disillusioned with the major political parties, but if we can find ways to involve and energize young adults it could make a difference in what the Democrats can accomplish at the local, state, and national levels.
What issues are most important to you?
I think that all of my key issues are interlocking at this point. I am deeply concerned about the climate crisis, but in order to do something about it, I think we need fair maps, an end to gerrymandering, and policies that encourage full voter participation. I think that the government should support the public good and not private greed. This includes universal access to quality health care and education, as well as investments in infrastructure and protection for nature. If pressed, I might say that my politics align with the “sewer socialists” who ran Milwaukee for many years.
What is so special about Dunn County?
It is hard to overstate the electoral importance of Dunn County, Wisconsin. In a swing state, we are a swing region.
We currently have treasonous rich boy Ron Johnson as a Senator. We have a chance to elect Mandela Barnes. This could make a big difference in fighting climate change or holding corporations accountable.
In the 3rd Congressional District, we have a clear between someone who was at the Capitol riot and Brad Pfaff, who will stand up for Wisconsin’s small farmers.
Because of the partisan gerrymandered districts for the state Assembly and Senate, the Republicans are in danger of gaining veto-proof majorities in both houses, despite Democrats gaining more votes in the 2020 elections. This makes the swing districts of western Wisconsin so important. With a veto-proof majority, they could just declare Trump the winner of the next election. Hell, they could declare Trump the winner of the last election. I’m excited to vote for Danielle Johnson for Assembly. I know she can win.
They won’t even need that veto-proof majority if Tony Evers loses the governor’s race to Connecticut businessman Tim Michels. Michels is an election denier and won’t say that he will accept the results of the next election if elected.
This is a nightmare scenario. The antidote is to wake up and smell the coffee that is being served by the Dunn County Democrats, a group of regular folks fighting for democracy.
Any messages for people who are considering joining the Dunn County Democrats?
If you care about the issues facing your town, state, country, or world, but you choose to sit on the sidelines regarding politics, ask yourself why you do that. I know you probably have legitimate reasons. Have you given up on political parties? Do you think that nothing will change? Do you think you could do more good working outside of politics? My message for you is to take another look at the Dunn County Democrats (or your local Democratic Party organization). When I first got involved, I was pleasantly surprised to find so many progressives. I invite you to join us.
© Andrew Gaertner, 2022
