The Environmental Need for Campaign Finance Reform

Campaign Finance Reform is essential for environmental protection and good government.

The Environmental Need for
Campaign Finance Reform

If our leaders are corrupt, the government agencies they control will be corrupt. With today's lax election rules, it seems commonplace to read about lobbyists buying special favors from our elected representatives - and it's legal. This has a direct impact on our environment, because ordinary citizens can no longer compete for politicians' attention when campaign donations are coming largely from anti-environmental corporations and wealthy individuals.

We must reform our campaign finance laws, or we will continue to see democracy eroded and successful attacks on our environment and public safety.
At the federal level, the Bush Administration is working to dismantle 30 years of environmental legislation and programs. When looking at the corporate campaign contributions which got him elected, it's easy to see why. Leaders in the oil, gas, mining, lumber and paper industries were Bush's biggest donors. (see Corporate Federal Takeover)
We must stop this open bribery of our government, and begin public financing of elections, to the extent legally possible.
Paying taxes for election campaigns will be far cheaper than our current system of corporate welfare. For information on how you can help, visit the links below.
Campaign Finance Reform

Corruption in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) has prime responsiblity for enforcing many federal and state environmental rules, but is under constant pressure from lawmakers and lobbyists to weaken the rules, or grant variances and exemptions to specific projects or industries.

We have a tendency to blame the DNR for being weak in addressing problems, and sometimes they deserve it, but more often our blame should be directed at the Governor and Legislature who control the agency.

The DNR does what they are told to do or allowed to do. If the DNR staff feel it is risky to their own careers to step beyond minimum existing requirements, they will do only the minimum and no more. This is normal behavior, and it's unfair to expect these state employees to show exceptional bravery and personal sacrifice in their daily work. (How many of us would be willing to risk our careers and family to make a point?) Of course, we run into quite a few DNR staff who seem too gleeful about doing poor work, but these are survivors in a bad system.

The true problem with DNR is corrupt leadership at the political level. Our elected Governor controls the DNR and must support the DNR staff when they try to enforce the law and protect our environment.

Our legislators are equally responsible because they frequently block needed improvements to state rules, such as the Republican block of the DNR's new Mercury Control Rules. These legislators must be held accountable for the times they push to weaken the DNR's work. (see Environmental Deregulation)

At the same time, politicans control the budget of DNR, and legislators sometimes use the budget process to threaten or punish certain departments within the agency. Unfortunately, the DNR staff learn to keep their heads down and their mouths shut to avoid this.

The DNR is still suffering the long-term consequences of a major political attack which occured in 1995, when the Republicans gained majority control of both the Assembly and Senate in the Wisconsin Legislature. Republican Governor Tommy Thompson and the Legislature slashed the DNR's budget and eliminated roughly 400 staff, and over the following years pushed the agency through two disastrous reorganizations which shuffled personnel all over the state. Because of this, many of the DNR's most talented and dedicated people left the agency in disgust, and other good people were switched to jobs they were unfamiliar with. Much of the institutional memory was lost, files were misplaced, and chaos ensued for several years. Now, the DNR staff are even more gun-shy.

Links to More Campaign Finance Information