It’s about time!
From the Marquette Neighborhood listserv:
Dear Neighbors,
Many of us Realtors have been very embarrassed by our state associations (WRA) endorsements and candidate contributions. I feel you should know that many of your neighborhood Realtors have organized to ask for an apology from WRA for the endorsements of Walker and Prosser and to stop endorsing candidates. We really are embarrassed at being automatically included in support we abhor. Here is one representative letter, not from me, from our listserv that showed up this a.m. – Tom C.
I may have lost track, but I don’t recall the WRA endorsing specific candidates until the past 3 or 4 years. We, as Realtors, need always be aware that our clients may not agree with us politically, and as such, I’ve been very careful to not discuss my personal politics with clients. I know that many of my clients have been supportive of the opposite party in different elections, so I’ve not entered into discussions with them about my personal opinions over the years.
I don’t believe it should matter to the public which side of the political fence I sit on, but the WRA support of Walker and now Prosser in these recent elections has taken that right of privacy away from me. As a Realtor, I am automatically perceived by the Public (our clients and customers) as supporting Walker, Prosser, and whichever other candidates the WRA has contributed to. I resent this, and am in fact embarrassed about it. I find myself having to defend Realtors because of it.
Walker, in his refusal to allow open discussion prior to attempting to ram his Budget Bill through, has caused huge divisions throughout the state. Families, co-workers, friends have become divided over issues that should have had public debate on the Senate and Assembly floors prior to passage.
Many issues that have been included in the Bill are so very detrimental to our state – defunding clean water, recycling, Badger Care, 4- yr old kindergarten, just to name a few, cannot justify
REALTOR support.Those of us who do not support Walker and Prosser should not have been put in the position of having to defend our beliefs to anyone.
The WRA needs to rethink the policy of blanket support of candidates. Those candidates may support a few of our interests, but those interests are not the only items or agendas supported by those candidates.
To state that the support for Walker/Prosser is Unanimous is a falsehood. This must be revisited! The WRA should NOT be endorsing candidates! We are Realtors, not politicians. I urge you to withdraw your support of Walker, Prosser, and any other candidates, regardless of political party. It is a no-win situation. The public is so well informed these days, that we will offend some of our customers/clients no matter which candidate we endorse.
If we, as individuals, desire to share our political opinions on a one on one basis, that should be our personal decision. To throw us all under the bus with endorsements for a specific candidate is not representative of your entire membership.
