The WMC Is Becoming The Anti-WMC

Mike McCabe uses the Assembly's stonewalling of popular DNR reform legislation (I had also written about it, here) to again highlight the power of big business at the State Capitol.

A few more examples - - health care, water conservation, tax fairness, are catalogued here.

And on the electoral side, here.

This struck me again when the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce continued lobbying against cleaner air in southeastern Wisconsin while the number of dirty air alerts from the DNR grew during the fall and winter.

And, of course, the WMC has influenced the blockade in the State Assembly of the Great Lakes Compact, a very dangerous development for the future of the Great Lakes.

The WMC has a huge lobbying presence staff and access to loads of cash to insert into the State Capitol.

But the harder the group works the Capitol, or the State Supreme Court campaigns, the more the WMC puts itself on the wrong side of many popular issues: credible government, clean air, water conservation, universal health care - - and in the DNR management debate that McCabe and I have blogged about - - a democratic method of selecting the DNR Secretary overwhelmingly endorsed by conservationists, environmentalists and the so-called "hook-and-bullet crowd" statewide.

Could it be that with its its short-term successes saying "No" - - blocking the Compact, or preserving its ability to influence the DNR's management - - the WMC is indelibly indetifying itself as selfish and elitist, which is 180 degrees different than the iconic Wisconsin Idea and the state's progressive history.

If it becomes branded as the Anti-Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce - - outside mainstream thinking and activity - - its power can be diluted and influence lessened.