Christian Schneider | In My Opinion

The left's own law factories

In late April 2013, the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin chapter gathered for a post-election "workshop" on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Among those scheduled to present that day was Mike McCabe of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, to explain how big-spending special interests "conspire to prevent government decisions from reflecting the will of the people." McCabe's presentation promised to include a discussion of how "Super PACs, dark money and unlimited election spending" erode "democracy's health."

Perhaps lacking the most in McCabe's presentation was any sense of irony or self-awareness. According to one recent report, AFT has been the 12th-largest contributor to candidates and outside spending groups in America over the last quarter-century, shelling out $37 million to support Democratic candidates almost exclusively. Further, WDC is a liberal lobbying group that advocates for progressive reforms while refusing to disclose its donors, and McCabe himself is a registered lobbyist.
Thus, this cavalcade of hypocrisy comprised one state special interest group explaining to another super-wealthy special interest group that the influence of special interest groups is ruining democracy. These groups think they are the innocent Penelope Pussycat being terrorized by Pepe le Pews of the right, but, in fact, they are all skunks.

After McCabe's talk, attendees were treated to a talk by Lisa Graves of the Center for Media and Democracy titled "ALEC in 2013: New Threats to Our Economy, Democracy and the Wisconsin Way." The talk promised to tell union members what they needed to know about the American Legislative Exchange Council "and other shadowy groups working to influence policy or elections in Wisconsin."
ALEC, of course, has become a lightning rod in Wisconsin, as liberal groups believe the Koch brothers-affiliated group is secretly writing legislation for the Republican-controlled Legislature. Barely a day goes by when a progressive group doesn't try to tar Gov. Scott Walker with an alleged connection to either ALEC or the billionaire Kochs. (For instance, last year, UW-Madison professor Julie Mead publicly decried ALEC's "sneak attack" on public education.)
Who is the Center for Media and Democracy, you may ask? It's a group funded with cash from liberal billionaire George Soros' Open Society Institute. CMD frequently relies on research conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank funded by — you guessed it — labor unions. Thus, at AFT "workshops," union patrons get their own organized labor talking points fed back to them through the guise of "independent research."
After a tasty lunch, attendees were invited to settle in for an "Inside the Capitol" presentation by Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine). At the end of the legislative session in March, Mason introduced a bill that would have taxed earnings from businesses that kept "tax havens" in foreign countries.
Perhaps coincidentally, this effort to go after offshore "tax havens" is a primary goal of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG), Ralph Nader's national lobbying group. In fact, Mason's bill could have been lifted whole cloth from the group's 2013 report "Offshore Shell Games," which recommends exactly what Mason prescribes.
USPIRG, as it happens, is funded largely through mandatory student fees imposed on college students throughout the country. The Wisconsin chapter, WISPIRG, was granted $147,000 in student fees in 2013, which it then used to lobby state and federal representatives on leftist causes.
It should be a surprise to no one that much of the Wisconsin Democrats' legislative agenda mirrors efforts being pushed by liberal groups. A large chunk of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke's student loan amelioration plan has been supported in the past by "dark money" groups such as One Wisconsin Now. Much of the left's argument against voter ID originates from the Soros-funded Brennan Center for Justice.
There will forever be think tanks and political organizations on both the right and the left trying to influence public opinion with their research. But while conservatives recognize this fact and embrace it, progressives tell themselves that only nefarious right-wing groups such as ALEC are trying to mold the populace and influence lawmakers.
Christian Schneider is a Journal Sentinel columnist and blogger. Email cschneider@jrn.com. Twitter: @Schneider_CM


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