A large number of Midwesterners are sick and tired of our government corruption. Mike McCabe, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, says a new 5-state survey makes it loud and clear that Midwesterners have a very strong distrust in state government. He says people are fed up with the way government is run right now, yet, surprisingly, they strongly believe it can be fixed, and they say reform would make government work better. “People in Wisconsin and throughout the Great Lakes region are not cynical. They are frustrated, they're exasperated by the way government is working now, they're very concerned about political corruption, they don't believe that they have a voice and that their voices are being heard because of the influence of money in politics, but they still remain hopeful.”
McCabe says until someone is thrown out of office and replaced with someone who'll actually represent the citizens, people will continue to be frustrated with their elected officials. The poll shows 71% of people surveyed believe elected officials won't keep their promises because they're influenced by special interest money. McCabe notes 62% believe candidates that could represent them do not run for office because they just don't have the money to win. “Tuesday's Primary Elections, I think, very sadly served to reinforce that kind of concern, because money was the winner. In just about every race, the candidates who spent the most came out on top and that reinforces that public concern.”
McCabe says this poll shows that there's a huge disconnect between elected officials who've stonewalled reform and the voters they are supposed to be representing and are begging for reform. He says that should be a wake up call to elected officials.
McCabe adds, political insiders have long said that people don't care about corruption, but this poll shows that's not the case any more. However, McCabe says if there's going to be any reform, it'll have to be up to the public to fight the system that's in place. “The politicians aren't going to make these reforms unless they're forced. They've got a system that they've been successful in. They got elected, they're getting reelected playing by these rules. They don't want to change those rules.” McCabe says only an aroused public can take Wisconsin out of this political cesspool.
NOTE:
The landmark new survey was commissioned by the Joyce Foundation. It was conducted by Belden Russonello & Stewart in five Midwestern states, most of which are battleground states in presidential elections, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Minnesota.
Related web sites:
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign: Wisconsin specifics
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign: Recommendations