Fresh Problems At Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

Life at Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) is beginning to resemble the George Steinbrenner New York Yankees.

Fresh from another win last spring, when they purchased Max Gableman's seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, WMC's life, both on and off the field, is filled with uncertainty, recrimination and bitterness.

The problem is simple. Successive victories in Supreme Court races does not translate into control of the other branches of government. In 2006 WMC choose to go after Governor Jim Doyle. While they managed to elect the Attorney General, WMC failed to dislodge the incumbent Governor and simultaneously lost the State Senate to the Democrats.

With the November elections less then three months away, WMC must retain a majority in the Wisconsin Assembly, a daunting task, and attempt to win back control of the Senate, an almost impossible challenge.

To make matters worse, the most potent WMC weapon, massive vicious attack ads on television, which work in state-wide elections, rarely work in legislative races because of the large number of small legislative districts within each large TV market.

Faced with this difficult challenge, WMC is carving out radio markets in an attempt to surgically protect about a dozen Republican Assembly seats. Because it is radio, not TV, these ads will have to be more vicious, even by WMC standards. Some blanket TV ads will also be used, but they run the risk of producing more of a backlash than Republican voters in an election that will be dominated by the presidential election.

The problem is more than a strategic one as to how to purchase the media and run the attack ads.

It is complicated by the fact that Democratic legislators, the victim of the contemplated  media blitz, unlike Supreme Court justices, can mount an offensive and if they win, and subsequently orchestrate a payback. Add to all of this the higher than normal  dissension  in the WMC ranks, and life on E. Washington resembles the Steinbrenner-Billy Martin-Reggie Jackson clubhouse.

Someone may take a hike before this is all over.

Comments

[gus]

You are hilarious. Sincerely. You are as nutty as a fruit cake!
Keep up the good work.

[Morris]

Thanks for keeping us informed! The GOP Assembly majority has dwindled to only the most right wing extreme Republicans who are out of touch with ordinary Wisconsinites. Extremists like Leah Vukmir, Scott Suder, Steve Nass and their ilk. Wisconsinites are tired of the do-nothing GOP Assembly majority. WMC is going to lose big time in Nov.