Who Is Powerful and Why?

1. Who Is Powerful and Why? Good Clean Government States Heather Miki and Lauren Lange

2. Wisconsin

3. Top Contributors

4. Contributor Type

5. Top 5 Contributors

6. Wisconsin Education Association Council Public Policy, labor and Professional Interests of 98,000 members

7. 2010 Legislative Priorities • School Funding Reform • Health Care Reform • Licensure and Professional Development • Close Achievement Gaps • Organizing for Fairer Contracts

8. Techniques/Activities • Collective Bargaining • Professional Development and Support • Legislative Proposal • Public Relations

9. Alignment • “Nonpartisan” • Affiliate: National Education Association (NEA) • Endorses Democratic candidates

10. Outcomes • School Funding Crisis is Growing • State aid has decreased while operating costs have increased • Taxpayers are against higher property taxes and legislators have not reformed the system. • Successful Candidates

11. Power of Interest Group Moderate-Strong • Failed initiatives due to poor economy • Ability to influence elections, but not policy

12. Michigan

13. Top Contributors

14. Top 5 Contributors

15. Richard DeVos Jr. • Businessman • 2000: Bush-supporter • 2006: ran for governor

16. Alignment • Republican • Religious Right • Big Business

17. Interests • Economy • “Traditional Values” • School Privatization

18. Techniques • Personal Wealth • Created integrated network

19. Opposition • Democrats • AFL-CIO • Jennifer Granholm

20. Success? • Voucher movement lost 31% to 69% • Lost 2006 gubernatorial election by 14 points (42% to 56%) • Visible but interests not fulfilled

21. Minnesota

22. Top Contributors

23. Contributor Type

24. Top 5 Contributors

25. Education Minnesota “The union of 70,000 educators”

26. 2010 Legislative Priorities • Education Funding • Health Insurance • Student Achievement

27. Techniques/Activities • Lobby Lawmakers • Advocate • Proposals • Teacher equality initiatives • Education Minnesota Professional Conference

28. Alignment • National Affiliates: American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, AFL-CIO • State-level Affiliates: Education Minnesota Retired, Education Minnesota Student Program • Endorses DFL Candidates

29. Outcomes • Decrease in education funding • Classrooms are overcrowded • 4-day school weeks • Endorsed candidates win elections

30. Power of Interest Group Moderate-Strong • Declining economy and urgency to balance budget trumps education initiatives • 2009, Pawlenty reverses budget cuts • Ability to influence elections exceeds influence in policy

31. Iowa

32. Top Contributors

33. Top 5 Contributors

34. Iowa Republican Party We declare that the government, namely the federal government, has grown too large, too intrusive and too oppressive to the point that government now stifles the productivity, the freedom, the ingenuity and the very spirit of the American people.

35. Interests • Economy • Family Values • Getting Officials into Office

36. Techniques • Party-Building Rhetoric • Mud-slinging

37. Opposition

38. We found the 600-pound gorillas!

39. Sources Cited • http://www.emmerforgovernor.com/issues/education/EmmerEducationAgenda.pdf • http://www.keyc.com/node/42312 • http://markdayton.org/mainsite/issues/education/education-plan/ • MARK DAYTON SAYS GOV. TIM PAWLENTY CUT EDUCATION SPENDING St. Petersburg Times (Florida) July 29, 2010 Thursday • http://www.educationminnesota.org/ • http://bloggingblue.com/2010/08/22/tom-michalski-endorsed-by-weac/