[ ]cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = About WMC
work = wmc.org
publisher =
date = 2006
url = http://www.wmc.org/AboutWMC/superpage.cfm?category=7
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-18
]
1996 Election
During the 1996 election, WMC sponsored a series of 'issue ads' against state democrats. The Wisconsin State Election Board blocked the ads, arguing that WMC violated state and federal election laws by running an election ad as group whose donor base was not divulged to the FEC and state election boards. [
cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = WMC History
work = WMCwatch
publisher = Institute for One Wisconsin
date =
url = http://www.instituteforonewisconsin.org/page/content/WMChronology/history/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-19
] WMC sued, citing free speech concerns. After two appellate court rulings against WMC, the State Supreme Court ruled narrowly in WMC's favor. [Wis. Mfrs. & Commerce v. State of Wis. Elecs. Bd., 978 F.Supp. 1200 (W.D. Wis., 1997)] [
cite news
last = Price
first = Jenny
coauthors =
title = Ruling: WMC Didn't Break Campaign Finance Laws
pages = 1B
language =
publisher = St. Paul Pioneer Press
date = 1999-07-08
url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5E3EA426C73BD&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
accessdate = 2008-06-19
] State political leaders cited this supreme court case when preparing legislation in later years. [
cite news
last = Jones
first = Richard
coauthors =
title = Senate passes bill regulating issue ads
work = Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2001-01-13
url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MWSB&p_theme=mwsb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB82E648A3E4337&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
accessdate = 2008-06-19]
2008 Election
WMC spent more than 1.2 million dollars in support of Michael Gableman's campaign for State Supreme Court Justice, successfully ousting sitting Justice Louis Butler. [
cite news
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Report shows special interests dominate Wis. Supreme Court race
work = Wausau Daily Herald
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-04-09
url = http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080409/WDH0101/80409126/1981
accessdate =2008-06-19
] Justice Louis Butler subsequently asserted that three cases in particular caused WMC to target him. One favored the families of three men killed when a giant crane collapsed during construction of Miller Park; another struck down the cap on medical malpractice damages for pain and suffering, and the third expanded the liability of paint manufacturers in cases of lead poisoning. [http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/GPG0602/808100701/1270] This spending and subsequent advertisement were criticized by members of the Madison press, the state bar and the Brennan Center, a non-partisan policy center at New York University. [
cite news
last = Garvey
first = Ed
coauthors =
title = Curtail WMC's Influence Before it owns Court.
work = Capital Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-01-29
url = http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/page/-/images/WMC%20Watch/The%20Capital%20Times%20-%20Archives_2.pdf
accessdate = 2008-06-19
] [
cite press release
title = Special Interests Dominate Wisconsin Airways in High Court Race
publisher = Brennan Center for Justice
date = 2008-03-20
url = http://brennan.3cdn.net/6dd3e14a629d0584f3_d3m6bhjqu.pdf
accessdate = 2008-06-19
] [
cite journal
last = Basting
first = Thomas J.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = President's Message: Gutter Politics and the Wisconsin Supreme Court
journal = Wisconsin Lawyer
volume = 81
issue = 5
pages =
publisher = wisbar.org
location = Madison, Wisconsin
date = May, 2008
url = http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=72127
doi =
id =
accessdate = 2008-06-19
]
Activities and membership
WMC does not disclose their donor base to the public. [
cite news
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Business Group's Donor List Remains Secret
work = St. Paul Pioneer Press
pages = 3B
language =
publisher =
date = 1998-01-07
url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5E26E5DA3F812&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
accessdate = 2008-06-19
] WMC lobbies on behalf of its members "whenever the state legislature is in session"[cite web]
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = About WMC
work = wmc.org
publisher =
date = 2006
url = http://www.wmc.org/AboutWMC/superpage.cfm?category=7
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-18] According to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, WMC was responsible for 1.1 million dollars in lobbying efforts during the 2007-2009 session of the state legislature. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce: Lobbying by Organization
work = Government Accountability Board
publisher =
date =
url = http://ethics.state.wi.us/scripts/2007Session/LEOEL.asp?PrinID=2750
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-19
] WMC also publishes ratings of Wisconsin legislators on a scale of 0 to 100. [
cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Ratings
work = Project Votesmart
publisher =
date = 2006 (Date of Survey)
url = http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=3704&sort=party
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-19
] In 1989, WMC helped block passage of Wisconsin's family leave act on behalf of some of the state's largest companies. [
cite journal
last = Wisensale
first = Steven K.
authorlink =
coauthors = Allison, Michael D.
title = Family Leave Legislation: State and Federal Initiatives
journal = Family Relations
volume = 38
issue = 2
pages = 185
publisher = National Council on Family Relations
location =
date = April, 1989
url =
doi =
id =
accessdate = 2008-06-26
] In August 2008 the outgoing Chancellor of UW-Madison John Wiley has described the WMC as being “hijacked by highly partisan ideologically driven staff” and stating “WMC routinely opposes most measures favored by labor unions, and most measures aimed at improving the lot of entry-level and low-income workers who are essential to our economy. But this opposition is not a business or an economic position; it is a political position based on an era and an economy that no longer exist.” [http://www.madisonmagazine.com/article.php?section_id=918&xstate=view_story&story_id=235966]
Beyond lobbying efforts, WMC commissions annual surveys of business owners, directories and information, and--through their non-profit "Wisconsin Council of Safety"--workplace safety compliance information. [
cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = WMC Products and Services
work = wmc.org
publisher =
date = 2006
url = http://www.wmc.org/superpage.cfm?Category=4
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-18
] WMC works with the state [http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/ Department of Workforce Development] to secure federal grants to train workers in Wisconsin. [
cite web
last = Klein
first = Mike
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = WTN Interview: Roberta Gassman
work = WTN News
publisher = Wisconsin Technology Network
date = 2003-12-15
url = http://wistechnology.com/articles/436/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-23
]
External Links
* [http://www.wmcwatch.org/ WMC Information] at wmcwatch.org
* [http://www.wmc.org/ Home Page] at wmc.org
References
