Charlie Sykes: Sykes Writes

A CALL TO ARMS

By Charlie Sykes

• RSS Feed

• Tweet
• (12) | COMMENTS
• Share
• Email
• Print

This letter goes out this morning to the state's business community from the state's largest business group, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. It pulls no punches.

March 22, 2011


Dear WMC Members,

The government worker unions are openly attempting to overturn the November elections, buying an activist majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and grinding our democracy to a halt because Governor Scott Walker has refused to raise taxes to balance the budget.

That one sentence describes what's happening in Wisconsin.

One union even told its members they want to defeat a Supreme Court justice to "get even." It's shocking and they are putting big money behind their efforts, including boycotts of home-grown Wisconsin employers.

The Greater Wisconsin Committee - a union front group - has purchased $3 million in TV advertising to attack Supreme Court Justice David Prosser because they expect environmental attorney JoAnne Kloppenburg will overturn collective bargaining reforms that control government spending and allow government flexibility. In fact, a recent union memo to members boasted "A Kloppenburg victory would swing the balance to our side." If Kloppenburg wins, a clear activist majority will be established on the court that could dramatically affect our business climate.

And, then the unions are plotting the defeat of Senators who voted against their agenda with recall elections later this year. Our democracy is being turned upside down.

It's time for businesses to fight back. Please click here to make a pledge <http://www.wmc.org/PDFfiles/IMC_RespDevice_Mailing2_3-22-11.pdf> to fund WMC's ad campaign that will counter union efforts.

WMC Issues Mobilization Council, Inc. is launching a television ad campaign to counter the distortions from government unions and their allies about Justice Prosser. Justice Prosser has been a solid, rule-of-law jurist who has taken on the activist wing of the court. Kloppenburg, who has never been a judge, has strong ties to Wisconsin's extreme left, including endorsement by the former national co-chairman of the radical Green Party, Ben Manski.

In fact, Kloppenburg was rejected for appointment to serve as a judge four times. Her former employer, Governor Jim Doyle, turned her down twice to be an appeals court judge, even though she had worked for him for 12 years in the Attorney General's office. And, President Barack Obama turned her down to be a federal judge. Governor Tommy G. Thompson also turned her down for an appeals court seat.

Despite her ties to the left, Obama and Doyle couldn't bring themselves to appoint her to a judgeship.

WMC IMC will mount a statewide TV ad campaign to educate the public about Justice Prosser's common sense approach. And, we will educate the public about Kloppenburg's radical agenda, and how the union bosses want her to stand in the way of reform.

Please, give today. Our business climate is at stake.

Sincerely,

James S. Haney

WMC President and CEO