Pot calls kettle black

Pot, meet kettle. Wisconsin’s largest business lobbying group is criticizing one politician for advocating the very same stance as they have. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has for the past few years argued in favor of a gas tax increase as a way to raise money to pay to build and repair roads in the state. That is not a radical idea. A number of politicians have advocated a three cent gas tax increase to raise road money. It seems a more prudent approach than continually borrowing money to pay for road work, passing the costs along to future generations. But WMC, despite its pledged support for a higher gas tax, took one state senate candidate, Mark Harris of Fond du Lac, to task for proposing a higher gas tax. It is running an ad criticizing Harris for the idea of raising the gas tax, and even urges people to call the candidate to tell him his liberal tax policies are hurting Wisconsin families. Why is WMC critical of Harris for proposing the same policies it espouses? WMC isn’t saying. But the inference clearly is that the group, which consistently supports republican candidates, is against Harris’ idea simply because he is a democrat. It is unfortunate that this powerful group is more interested in electing republicans than it is in truly solving the issue.