By DON FOY | La Farge
A street corner gathering in La Farge in 2011: Dan Kapanke was asked if he is a member of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council: “Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators … wish lists to benefit their bottom line” — Wikipedia). Currently, 24 members of Wisconsin’s Assembly have ties to ALEC, and 11 of those hold positions in the organization; nine of Wisconsin’s state senators have ties with ALEC, and seven of them hold positions. In 2011, Dan Kapanke was on ALEC’s Energy, Environment and Agricultural Task Force. In response to the question, Kapanke said “I don’t recall, I don’t recall.”
I guess he wasn’t proud of it, for good reason. ALEC’s model legislation may be good for corporations, but it’s sure not good for people. Kapanke, Scott Walker, and many in the Wisconsin legislature are ALEC’s minions. Scott Walker delivered the keynote speech at ALEC’s annual meeting in 2015. Under Walker and the ALEC-riddled legislature, safeguards to Wisconsin’s environment (greatly weakened DNR), education, healthcare (Medicaid expansion, anyone?), worker safety (Act 10, “Right to Work”) and even highway funds were slashed. Kapanke received a “0” score from the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters in 2011–2012, though he was on ALEC’s environment task force.
Like many Wisconsin legislators, Dan Kapanke was a disciple of the ALEC’s big-money agenda. Must we go back to those bad old days of Scott Walker and the ALEC sweep? Let’s move forward into people-focused policies that will benefit Wisconsin citizens. Vote Brad Pfaff for 32nd Senate district!
