Over the past few months Smoke Free Wisconsin has been campaigning to restore taxpayer funding to Tobacco Control. Over the last few weeks I have been showing their ties to Big Pharma! I showed their ties to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) . I also showed their ties to Pfizer. I even exposed their lies on the tax increase and the e-cigarette. Oh and then I forgot to mention how they take outdoor EPA/DNR standards and bastardize them and apply them indoors.
Much has been said about Astroturf as of late and in April I exposed Smoke Free Wisconsin’s Astroturf claiming to be Taverns Clearing the Air, in August I exposed how Tobacco Control claimed that group such as ours were astroturf. What I did not do is make the connection that the astroturf organization “Taverns Clearing the Air” had to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). According to RWJF they helped produce the educational brochure. But I would call it astroturf not educational but here is the actual brochure right off of RWJF’s site. I will let you decide. http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/20090211wistavernmailer.pdf
Again should dishonest organizations such as this get one single dime of taxpayers money. I think it is time we look into how much money Big Pharma has contributed to politicians. Who will help?
Filed under: Big Pharma, Dissent, Double-Standard, Follow the Money, Get Active!, Governor Doyle, Media & News, Smoke-Free Wisconsin, The Slippery Slope, Useful Idiots, Wisconsin Ban, anti insanity, reality check | Tagged: Big Pharma, corruption, Phizer, politicians, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, RWJF, Smoke-Free Wisconsin, wisconsin politics
What would it take to put an “over 21″ exemption on the ballot?
Bill, Unfortunately the bill would have to go through the House and Senate. Wisconsin does not have referendum ballots.
The process for making changes to the Wisconsin Constitution is stated in Article XII. An amendment to the state constitution can be introduced by either house of the state legislature; Wisconsin does not have petition-based referendums or initiatives.
However, passing an amendment requires a lengthy and unique three-vote process:
* First, a majority of members in both houses of the state legislature must vote in favor of the amendment.
* Once the proposed amendment passes both houses for the first time, any further progress in the amendment’s adaptation must wait until after general elections have been held and the state legislature has reconvened with the members chosen in the new elections; then, both houses must vote a second time to accept the proposed amendment (without changes).
* Should the amendment pass the legislature twice, it must be approved in a third vote, the popular vote cast by Wisconsin citizens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Constitution
WTF,
Can’t believe i missed this the 1st time around. Right there in fine print on pg 11, paid for by RWJF.
SWF created TCTA, and RWJF funds SWF.
I wonder how much of SWF is BP and how much is grassroots …. if any really.
On Bill’s track. Best bet is getting an omnibus exemption package through.
100% hotel rooms is a great ‘wedge’ issue. Camel’s nose in reverse. WI does a good business in tourism still and they’d hate to lose any fat cat skiers to MI or out west.
There was a swing to the Ds in general and Obama that was strictly anti Bush. Pendulum is already ready to come back. Some local politcal sages are saying even in mid term local Rs might get help from a backlash.
A commonly ignored statute with minimal enforcement is almost as good as a legeslative reversal.
Just sayin.
Yeah,
Doyle can veto, but if one or two get bounced off his desk, it obviously stands a chance once he’s not there.
Hmmm, I really hope that WI lawmakers who were against the state ban succeed in getting some kind of repeal of the state smoking ban. And with Doyle on the way out, it certainly would be damn awesome if it eventually occurs.
It’s also time for bars and other businesses in the Tavern League of Wisconsin to kick out any board leaders and members who supported the ‘ban compromise’ with Smoke Free Wisconsin, and Gov. Doyle!