Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch responded to Governor Jim Doyle's call for a special session on campaign finance reform by saying he expects there will be a "thorough and informative debate in the Assembly" and reform ideas will "receive careful consideration in both houses of the Legislature."
Then he tipped everyone off about where he really stands when he said, "I share the concern of many Wisconsinites to the idea of changing the law to force them to pay for these campaigns."
Look for Huebsch and his allies to fiercely defend the ownership of our state government by the lobbyists and their special interest clients. Mind you, they won't come right out and say they have no problem with big donations from wealthy interests who expect lavish favors in return for their political gifts. They'll speak in code, like Huebsch did in his statement about the special session. They'll say they're bound and determined to prevent the general public from being forced to pay for elections.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Wisconsin taxpayers already are forced to pay for state election campaigns. We pay through the nose every time our elected state representatives approve a new tax break, or lace a budget bill with a few more slices of pork, or sign off on a sweetheart deal on a state contract. We pay for every favor, we pay every time our state lawmakers reward one of their big donors.
Saying that campaign finance reform should be resisted because taxpayers shouldn't be forced to pay for elections is not only supremely hypocritical but also is an insult to the intelligence of the people of Wisconsin.
The general public gets it. Average folks understand that their elected representatives are owned by the lobbyists and the big special interest donors. And average folks understand they are paying dearly for this corruption.
The debate that will start in the Legislature on December 11 has absolutely nothing to do with whether the public pays for elections. We will always pay, one way or another. The real issue, whether or not the Legislature chooses to debate it, is ownership. Who will own our state government? The wealthy donors, or the voters?
6 comments:
So how are you going to get the Governor to lead on this issue Mike? Has doesn't much of a job to date...
If Huebsch is truly concerned about tax payers funding campaigns, then let him resolve it by allowing the heavy hitting contributors, unions and lobbies all contribute-- to a common fund.
Right now, as you said in your post- we're all paying- through the nose.
It is time for our government to represent it's citizens, not the highest bidder.
So Huebsch sez: "I share the concern of many Wisconsinites to the idea of changing the law to force them to pay for these campaigns."
Yet he seems totally unbothered that Wisconsinites are paying hundreds of times more through the back door, in tax breaks and subsidies to the fat cats that currently fund the elections. THAT is the hypocrisy to which Mike speaks.
The day the government starts seizing my family's money (tax) and giving it to candidates I loathe is the day I stop being a "citizen". I'll give up on this system of government and drop out. You wanna see people alienated and feeling the system is stacked against them? Just go ahead with this sort of BS "reform".
You're missing the point, apexcutter. It's already happening. The government is taking our money and giving it to big donors who then make sure those politicians stay in office. That's why so many people feel alienated. They know the system is stacked against them. Why then haven't you already given up on the system and stopped being a citizen? Is it because you like the corrupt game that's being played? Is it because you're one of them playing the game?
It seems to me there are two components here, structural and criminal. The structural component are the so called structural aspects that make lobbying just part of doing business. The criminal aspect are such things as Democratic Chairs lobbying for AT&T, and a governor getting large sums of money from forces opposed to universal health care reform.
While I support public financing to equalize the game for those following the rules, that says nothing about the in your face criminal element. What is needed are strong laws that will throw these criminals in jail.
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