Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce claims to represent Wisconsin businesses, but recently it's engaged in scare tactics similar to those Sykes wrote about with respect to health care costs and medical malpractice. WMC's Capital report is replete with propaganda out of the handbook on how to demonize trial lawyers.

Wisconsin businesses that want to reduce health care costs should first look at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and remove from WMC's Board of Directors: Reed E. Hall, Executive Director Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield; Kevin R. Hayden, President & CAO Dean Health Systems, Inc., Madison; Larry Rambo, CEO, Wisconsin & Michigan Markets Humana, Inc., Waukesha; and John Toussaint, M.D., President & CEO ThedaCare, Inc., Appleton.

As documented numerous times here, these companies are why Wisconsin health care costs are out of control. High health care costs have nothing to do with malpractice insurance as Wisconsin has the lowest premiums in the U.S., but Marshield Clinic, Dean Health Systems, Humana, and ThedaCare want you to lose sight of their self-interest and blame someone else, e.g. lawyers.

Some in the Wisconsin business community see WMC does not fairly represent Wisconsin business. As proof, I offer part of a letter written to a Wisconsin lawyer from the President of the Steven's Point Association of Downtown Businesses:

"Thanks for your letter and concerns about the WMC’s ad campaign responding to the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions. Our Association of Downtown Businesses does not have any ties to the WMC. Interestingly, Worzalla Publishing (his employer) has severed ties with the WMC because of their disregard for small businesses, their limited and arrogant political scope, and the big business club that they have established. I don’t know that our association would have much clout if we contacted them, especially since they’ve had deaf ears on issues that have been addressed by our President and CEO Chuck Nason. You definitely can use this letter to show the dissatisfaction that I have personally experienced...."

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer