Wisconsin GOP Want No Part Of Clean Elections

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The Wisconsin Republican party never cease to amaze me.

Common Cause Excerpt:
Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire), the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections, announced last week that his committee would be holding a series of public hearings focused on public financing of Wisconsin elections for statewide and legislative candidates--beyond just State Supreme Court candidates.

Wisconsin GOP Excerpt:
Assembly Democrats know their miserable record on jobs will make it hard to win elections next fall, so now they’re asking the public to chip in to pay for their reelection campaigns.

You might have to read that line twice - slowly, and then think for a moment that if there was any truth to the statement, why would Republicans try to belittle the effort?

But as far as the issue of public financing is concerned, we can take that as a "no." Republicans are not interested in severing the ties to third party special interest money. They practically created it.

Common Cause Excerpt:
The current campaign finance system is completely outdated, ineffective, full of loop-holes, and not worth the paper the law is printed on. It has been thirty years since Wisconsin last addressed its public financing system in any meaningful way and significant reform is long overdue.

Not according to Republicans. Forever stuck in 24/7 campaign mode, they would rather reframe the public financing issue by attacking the legislator in hyper-partisan style.

Wisconsin GOP Excerpt:
“Smith’s claims to be ‘pro-reform’ are empty promises from someone who has cashed in on special interest cash,” Priebus said. “If Jeff Smith really wants to limit the influence of special interests in campaigns, he’ll have some checks to return.”

If state Republicans really believe Smith's clean election hearings are a sham, wouldn't it work to the GOP's benefit to call his "bluff" by participating in the hearings and champion the cause they claim Smith is unqualified to lead? Keeping Smith and the hearings honest so to speak?

Instead of a positive exchange among decent and respectful statesmen, we get a sanctimonious party leader spin shift statements meant to deride an opponent while diverting attention away from their own absence on this one single important issue.

But who could blame politicians for refusing to engage in debate about public financing when they have wheel barrows of cash flowing in from third party special interests? So far, one Democrat is willing to take a chance against the odds and the only thing state Republicans can think of are reasons not to. The Republican statement actually bolsters the need for campaign finance reform while proving to us again how needless Republicans are. So what else is new?