Schoolyard Bully Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce Cuts and Runs

Wisconsin's judiciary rose from a ranking of 23rd to 10th in a recent study.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the schoolyard bully, has cut and run. WMC is known for brandishing the weapon of fraudulent reports in an attempt to demean the Wisconsin business environment.

We see it most frequently when WMC trots out studies from the Tax Foundation, which distorts the Wisconsin tax picture, then says the Badger State is "tax hell." WMC ignores the more scholarly and accurate analysis done by University of Wisconsin Professor Andrew Reschovsky, which shows that when we examine all government collections per capita, Wisconsin ranks close to the middle of the 50 states.

Last year, WMC sent out a press release claiming that Wisconsin ranked low in the "quality of its civil justice system." With the ominous headline, "Ranking Dangerous Warning About Future Job Prospects," WMC flooded the press rooms of Wisconsin newspapers on May 11, 2006 with solicitations to contact either Jim Pugh or James A. Buchen.

On October 23, 2006, WMC put out another press release touting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce funded  2006 Institute for Legal Reform/Harris State Liability Systems Ranking Study.

This year the Institute for Legal Reform released its 2007 Report.  Wisconsin rose from 23rd to tenth in the newest study. Not a word from WMC. Not a peep. Not a press release or even an cough of indignation.

The Legal Institute study is silly. It is the unscientific opinion of 1,599 attorneys. It is not a cross section of the public, it is not even attorneys who represent ordinary people. All 1,599 attorneys are corporate attorneys representing the interests of a narrow element of our society.

The implications of this study for WMC are profound. They cannot claim that is it filled with errors, since it is one they touted in the past to bash the Wisconsin Supreme Court. WMC cannot publicize the study since it shows significant improvement in our judicial system headed by a Supreme Court that WMC abhors as being too liberal.

All of which says more about WMC than the judicial system.  WMC are a bunch of bullies who can't play straight. It is amazing how a company can belong to WMC and still say they are working to make Wisconsin a better place to work and play, and to educate our kids.

In stark comparison, Milwaukee 7, The New North, and the Collaboration Council are all regional organizations designed to build Wisconsin's image and economy, and they are doing it without resorting to demeaning name calling and fraudulent "research."

(A version of this post was published today as an opinion in the Capital Times under the headline: "Paul Soglin: No peep from WMC as report shows state in better light.")

Comments

[Northern Pike]

Typical WMC liberal pinkos -- Blame Wisconsin First!!!

[ME2]

Boy, Christmas just came and went!?!?!