Mixed messages

Newspapers across the state regularly lay into legislators to pass better campaign finance reform.

One of these days, the state press needs to admit that they are part of the problem. As soon as campaign finance reports come out, they crown those with the most money in the bank as the leader of the race and the one most likely to win. It happens every year, every time the campaign finance reports come out and then the newspapers wonder why politicians are so focused on raising money. Consider this headline from the Racine Journal Times today:

McReynolds contributions double Lehman's; Race for sate Senate seat starts on high note for Republican

The headline should read: Rep. Lehman takes principled stand and doesn't fundraise during the budget cycle. Instead, the article goes on and on about the amount of money with lots of big numbers for McReynolds. Near they end they do finally manage to mention Lehman's efforts to take the high road but only because Lehman put out a release to explain it.

Many folks will only read the headline and will never even learn that Lehman did something newspapers across the state have been advocating for in campaign finance reform. So Lehman will have to do what? Go out and raise more money to get his message out that he is trying to lead on campaign finance reform and he went above and beyond what he has to by law. A fine thank you from the folks at the newspapers who claim to be for campaign finance reform.