Thursday was a bustling morning at the Ojibwe Market in Lac du Flambeau. Joe Walker was busy. He’s the head baker and doubles as a cook in the deli. He says the broasted chicken is a local favorite. Preparing enough of that for the day, in addition to the homemade éclairs and cream puffs the market is known for, keeps him on his toes. Like many residents of Wisconsin’s Sovereign Nations, Walker says he won’t be voting this election season. “I’ve just had enough of all of it,” he said. “I don’t really trust or like either candidate.” Walker isn’t a member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, but he has lived on the reservation for more than a decade. He says a lot of people in the area don't think their vote matters. He is one of them. In order to convince Walker to vote, he says it would take a third party candidate, like Ron Paul, to have a chance of actually winning a presidential election. He was a fan of Paul during the Republican primary. “It would just be great to have someone to tell it like it is, someone frank and honest who cares about the middle class. I wish more politicians were like Paul.” I asked Walker if either the President or Governor Mitt Romney stopped by the market’s bakery what he would make them. He rolled his eyes and laughed, “Uh, probably a cream pie. Cream pies always work best if you’re intending to pie someone in the face.” In his next breath he added, “Really though, I’d probably just ignore them and make cookies for their kids. I like making decorated cookies for the kids around here.” This story is part of Wisconsin Public Radio's Road to November series. Reporters Maureen McCollum and Lindsey Moon are traveling north along Highway 51 talking to voters about the election all this week. What issue is most important to you? Find updates from the road on WPRNews' Facebook page.
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