Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce: Not Your Daddy's WMC

Moderate state business leaders from the 1980's and 1990's do not recognize today's WMC. Organized by Paul Hassett when he merged the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce and the Wisconsin Manufacturers Association in the 1970's, WMC was then the voice of thoughtful business.

Certainly a conservative group, WMC was bi-partisan and tempered in its approach to public policy in Wisconsin. While it clearly leaned towards the Republican Party, it was careful to maintain a balance that allowed it to work both sides of the aisle.

Taken over by the political right in the late 1990's, WMC did not let the dogs out until Governor Tommy Thompson went to Washington on 2001. Since then, WMC, led by a hardcore of true believers, maintains a "take no prisoners" approach to public policy issues in Wisconsin.

Perhaps as many as half of the present board of directors of WMC would not be disturbed if the present leadership of WMC were to drop the attack ads orchestrated by its Issues Committee every election.

All of this leaves moderate Republican business leaders as the new disenfranchised cadre in Wisconsin.  Unhappy with the Democratic leadership in the State Senate, they are just as uncomfortable with the Republican leadership in the Assembly.  That discomfort extends to the politics of WMC, especially when it comes to the hard-line approach on TABOR, or supporting public education from kindergarten to the universities.

This is not to say they wield no influence in state government. When it comes to their own industries, financial services, insurance, utilities, or manufacturing, they still carry weight.

But moderate Republicans are now isolated when it comes to the larger, important issues that require mature, thoughtful, and dedicated leadership: affordable quality healthcare, educating a viable Wisconsin workforce, crime, and poverty.

Comments

[nonheroicvet]

Perhaps WMC has become an obstacle to go around rather than through.

[Paul]

nonheroicvet --interesting observation. Numerous non-WMC Republican (and Democratic)business leaders told me that they are interested in joining a state wide organization that is pro-business but has a broader vision than WMC.

[buckyblue]

Many of your posts have a similar theme to them (other than airline blogging). Moderate republicans trying to wrestle away the voice of the party from the radical, no: tax, regulation, crowd. My guess is that a huge sweep by Democrats in November will bring back this much needed wing of the party.

[antpoppa]

I am a human being, not a market or a voter . So, I don't understand the need of business to model a social structure. This policy of aligning all power too support an economic model still depends on my participation. You are not going to get it. If the social structure is against me, I'll exist with out your model. If your product doesn't please me, I'll exist with out that product.
I have survived because I can adapt.
Abundance has wrapped me in silken thread of self-indulgence, spun me in a cocoon. Break open that cocoon, and you may not like what emerges.

[Hunterangler]

Paul, Amen

[raul]

Paul, you are an over-the-hill washed up fool.

[3rd Way]

There is at least one centrist non-Republican on the WMC board. I don't know how he can sleep at night.

A public defection and denunciation of the WMC from a prominent business leader would be a boon for the progressive cause in this state.

[Knute Knutson]

Is it a coincidence that WMC's shift into "take no prisoners" mode coincided with Bush/Rove's ascension to power? Before Bush/Rove, politicians operated under the assumption that there were limits to how much you could get away with and how brazenly you could go about doing it. Once Bush/Rove demonstrated the fallacy of that assumption, the floodgates opened.