Opinion

Corruption in statehouse rampant

It's no surprise that we see articles upon articles detailing the pervasive corruption in Wisconsin state politics. Ryan Masse had it dead on in his opinion editorial "Doyle fails to live up to ethics vow" (Jan. 26), detailing the tremendous hypocrisy and lack of integrity at the statehouse. According to a recent Wisconsin Policy Research Institute survey, a shockingly low 6 percent of Wisconsinites feel that the state government represents their interests. Unfortunately, both Mark Green and Doyle are pushing half-loaf proposals; neither is advocating for true campaign-finance reform.

We need change now! That's why we are fighting for Senate Bill 1, which will create an independent government accountability board with the teeth to investigate and enforce campaign and ethics laws. It is a step in the right direction, but what Wisconsin really needs is for all our candidates for governor to support further reforms. Students can make this happen. Join us at the WISPIRG kickoff meeting tonight. With 94 percent of Wisconsin behind us, we have the power to sweep out corruption and clean up Wisconsin's politics.

Campaign for Corruption-Free Elections WISPIRG Student Chapter UW-Madison

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6 older comments

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If you don’t support Jim Doyle or Mark Green, there is a third option: vote for Scott Walker.

Also, we already have an independent accountability board. It’s called the voters and their judgment comes at the ballot box during elections.

If government is for sale, the best remedy to that is to downsize the store. Expanding the “store” through even more governent regulation will not solve anything.

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Yes, electing Scott Walker will clean up the Capitol. It’s not like he’s sitting on a bunch of Illinois cash, or contributions received suspiciously close to the awarding of a county contract. That’s just silly!

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That’s right the best solution to dealing with corporate buyoffs is to just allow them to do whatever they want…[rolleyes]

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why not just cut off WMC’s (Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce) access to politicians, or cut off lobbyists who also donate money? 90% of WI politicians (especially Doyle, Gard, Kaufert, etc) spent more time in bed with WMC lobbyists than their own wives during the last budget cycle.

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The Indian gambling interests own Doyle.

Great idea to beat up WMC, all manufacturing will be done in China soon anyway.

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Here’s the problem with WISPIRG trying to push something: Anyone who isn’t so far to the left that they don’t in some form or another think socialism could be an admirable system hears anything with the letters “PIRG” in it and stops paying attention.

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