The Oskosh Northwestern on Chancellor Wiley and WMC

The Northwestern in Oshkosh has a great editorial in Wednesday's newspaper on the current controversy sparked by the Madison Magazine article by UW Chancellor John Wiley. Wanted: Wiley's guts before exit interview

Whether you're running for the Wisconsin legislature, seeking a chancellorship in the University of Wisconsin System or at home, worrying about job security, hoping Wisconsin can turn its economy around, do yourself a favor: Read outgoing UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley's September "Madison Magazine" essay called "From Crossroads to Crisis.

The Northwestern basically endorses the observations of the Chancellor and the newspaper's criticism of him is that he did not go far enough or fast enough in terms of sharing his sentiments with the public.

As someone who held public office for many years and often offended, I understand the need for timing in these matters. A public official must be aware that the environment of our state capitol is one of recrimination and payback. Wiley had to make a judgment call as to when the value of his criticism would be maximized and the negative consequences to those he served minimized.

Certainly any commentary by him prior to 2006 would have been premature. At that time. while  Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce  (WMC) was operating at full throttle, they were not in the public eye and the Chancellor's comments would have fallen on deaf ears.

Now we have the discussion, and the public is listening. It is not too late to address the concerns raised.

What we need right now are some business leaders, those who know better, to speak out. Unfortunately, a code of silence within the business community encourages dissidents to hold their tongues.

On another matter, The Northwestern noted that the Chancellor admonished WMC but not WEAC:

Wiley's essay also fell short in failing to criticize the entire sphere of third-party influence blocking Wisconsin's way. The WMC is one enormous political player. The Wisconsin Education Association Council is another. Both are cash flush. Both, often corrosive.

I find a significant difference between WMC and WEAC. I admit that my opinion may be colored by my politics, but the issue ads purchased by WEAC are far more accurate than the poisonous, deceptive commericals aired by WMC.

There is a second more significant difference between WMC and WEAC.

WEAC's funds come from its Wisconsin members. WMC's funds, predominately, come from out of state corporations like Home Depot, Wal-Mart, General Electric, and insurance companies. It is estimated that for every $4 million raised by WMC, between one half and two-thirds comes from these out-of-state corporations.

 

 

Comments

[John]

Republicans have accomplished one major element of their ideology, and that is to present everything as relative. The Northwestern apparently bought into the "facts are the same as opinions" philosophy. It was good to point out that the issue ads from the two groups, WEAC and WMC, were not the same and nor were their messages.

What never gets mentioned is how groups like WMC and their outside funding are meant to drain the recouces of the opposition party and groups. The money WEAC spent on the Butler/Gableman race is money that won't be spend on the legislative races, which will have a much greater impact when it comes to school funding.

I put together an audio clip of WMC's James Buchen from his appearance of WPR's morning show, where he acts surprised that he was described as partisan by Chancellor Wiley. Of course, I also posted many of his kind words about liberals and Democrats from his recent editorial.

http://democurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2008/08/wmcs-buchen-is-partisan-but-doesnt.html

[Pete Gruett]

I think, apart from the clear question of degree, there's another reason Wiley singled out WMC. He was describing a fiscal and economic crisis and he clearly thought that there should have been common cause between the university and the business community to work together. That was largely precluded by the reduction of the state's preeminent business lobby to a subsidiary of the Republican party, which was busy lobbing grenades at Bascom Hill.

[Peter Rickman]

This is not a partisan squabble or battle so much as it is an ideological fight. It is not about Republicans and Democrats; it's about a conservative, regressive ideology. The ideology is not low taxes - it's no taxes on the wealthy and on corporations. It is not small government - it's no government that acts in the public interest and instead only in the interest of the aforementioned corporations and wealthy. It is not about intellectual pursuit - it's about anti-intellectualism and anti-education. It is not about public and private - it is about privatization of the public good.

The fact is that what is good for business can be debated by reasonable individuals. I happen to believe that a strong, shared prosperity economy leads to successfull business and not that an all-powerful business class succeeding at the expense of the broader economic picture for all means a strong economy. My thoughts aside, this is not about the good of business and the economy - it is about an ideological fight where WMC is pushing a regressive, conservative philosophy that has only the interests at heart of those who subscribe to its failed tenets.

Power for this conservative, regressive ideology persists because of the structural dominance of conservative institutions. WMC is perhaps the linchpin of that infrastructure here in Wisconsin.

The Republican Party in Wisconsin is now a functionary of this hard-right conservative ideology. WMC and its conservative movement ilk are the drivers, and not vice-versa. That Buchen and the rest of the crew at WMC have come from the Republican Party in some form or another is simply an expression of the dominance and persistence of the conservative movement here in Wisconsin and nationally.

[Katrina]

I view WMC as an organization that wants everything to support the corporations. So when you say anti-education, I think they would counter that they support the University. I think what they mean is that they support their version of the University - a research agenda set by the corporations that fund the grants. A curriculum that is skewed by the professors corporate funding (fewer arts and letters, much less journalism). Also, corporations seem to support athletics. This plays into competition being all important. And competition is the free market. Competition is good so do what it takes to help your team/company win.

[John]

I found an interesting twist with the Republican VP candidate that should reflect badly on Huebsch, Fitzgerald, Nass and Gundrum. It will be interesting to see how much support they'll throw her way when they find out she passed a tax on big oil, like Doyles proposal, reaping huge state profits and providing an energy rebate to Alaskans.

http://democurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2008/08/gov-doyles-big-oil-tax-similar-to.html

[Bruce K]

I oppose the objectives and tactices of WMC and believe many of their public statements about Wisconsin being a tax hell have made the state less able to attract business -- and probably discouraged some recent college graduates from staying in the state. And like many of us, I now discover that a number of companies I do business with are WMC members, and some are directors. Before I stop doing business with these companies I'd like to give them a chance to explain their support for various WMC positions. Is there a list of WMC's most egregious activities and the adverse consequences of these positions that I can ask these businesses to explain why they support them?

[Katrina]

You can click on the "WMC watch" link on the upper left corner of the main page.