To the Editor:

The stench of institutional corruption emanating from the Capitol in Madison is real. It poisons this state’s economic and social compact with the citizenry while driving millennials away from Wisconsin.

Even here, 100 miles north in rural Wisconsin, the dirty little secret arising from Madison is really no secret at all.

In Walker’s administration, in a Republican-dominated legislature, even in our Supreme Court, institutional corruption and dysfunction appears to run deep. Wisconsin’s citizens know this to be true, as do our state’s business and media elites. Any semblance of checks and balances, constitutional or otherwise, has been systematically dismantled and widely reported by Wisconsin’s media and social media outlets since early in the Walker administration.

In addition, the public interest watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign continues to chronicle institutional corruption at the Capitol by our governor and the Republican-dominated legislature.

If you don’t believe Wisconsin’s homegrown media and social media outlets, then perhaps turn to Fox News or other national cable news outlets. Google Esquire Magazine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, USA Today, or even the Wall Street Journal.

Despite what Scott Walker may believe, facts do matter. Follow the money.

Influence-buying in Madison’s capitol continues unabated as the Koch brothers’ network, including their front organization Americans for Prosperity, recently announced plans to spend an obscene $400 million nationally between now and November. A nice chunk of that $400 million will no doubt be spent on Scott Walker’s reelection and on behalf of a corrupt one-party dominated Legislature.

Pathetic. Undemocratic. And institutionally corrupt.

Thanks to the ongoing influence of obscene amounts of unregulated and often dark money in Madison, critical statewide issues take a back seat to both in-state and out-of-state lobbyists and/or big money interests. Follow the money.

From underfunded K-16 public schools to disrespected teachers and faculty, unmet infrastructure needs, stagnant wages, failure to expand Medicaid, and a worsening natural environment for hunters and hikers alike, our people’s priorities and Main Street’s priorities are not being met by our governor nor the legislature.

For six years this state’s good people and businesses have had to endure a Walker-led government in Madison hell-bent on dividing rather than uniting our diverse state, its people, and its shared vision.  We can do better for our workforce and businesses by encouraging a living wage and lifelong learning. We can do better for our public schools and their teachers and professors. We can do better for our small businesses in rural communities as well as economic growth in our cities, Milwaukee too. We can do better when Madison partnerships with local and regional elected officials rather than disrespect. And we can and must do better for our millennials, our future leaders.

Wisconsin’s voters can lead and unite this once-great state forward together and end rampant institutional corruption in Madison.

Please vote change in this April’s election and in November.

Thomas Miller
Waupaca