First things first; this is a day late and strictly from memory (in my haste, I left the pen in the car), but I’m doing a semi-kiss-and-tell at the request of Mark Block, co-chair of the Center Right Coalition.
No, the title is not a euphemism, but Jay Heck from Common Cause Wisconsin decided to take the trip into the Madison Club yesterday to a less-than-full crowd (a bit unusual because the last couple have been standing-room-only). He opened up with a rather unique personal political history (started off as a Rockefeller Republican, went to work for a Democratic Congressman after the Reagan election, left after a few years because he became disillusioned with the money, came to Wisconsin thinking that politics here was clean, got disillusioned again, and eventually ended up at Common Cause). He then pointed out that he wasn’t Mike McCabe (that came up a few more times as well), and pointed out that he’s tried to keep Common Cause Wisconsin non-partisan and out of policy issues. A couple of examples I remember; they weren’t at the Fighting Bob Fest, and despite pressure from the membership (and unmentioned, opposite the national Common Cause plank), they have not taken any stand on the Iraq War.
The meat of his presentation was how money and its pursuit has become too important in Wisconsin. Jay pointed to three different gubernatorial races; the 1986 race between Tommy Thompson and Tom Loftus, the 2006 race between Mark Green and Jim Doyle, and the 2006 Minnesota race. In 1986, the candidates spent a bit over $3 million. In 2006, Green, Doyle and the special interests spent over $30 million. In Minnesota, the candidates spent just over $10 million, while special interests were essentially barred under Minnesota law.
Jay also pointed out that his group called a bit of shinola on Rep. Sheldon Wasserman’s call to keep those on the budget and Joint Finance committees, and only those on those committees, from being able to raise funds during the budget process. They believe that nobody should be able to raise funds during said process. To complete the story, Wasserman, who is not on either committee, is organizing for a run against Sen. Alberta Darling, who is.
A vigorous, yet friendly, discussion occurred between Jay and Reps. Rich Zipperer and Frank Lasee over Common Cause Wisconsin’s proposed remedy for the influence of money. As I didn’t bring a tape recorder, I’ll let those three decide whether they want to rehash it.
All in all, it was another good hour meeting.
