Growing opposition to right-wing polling project
"It is troubling and disappointing to learn of the events that were allowed to unfold at our state's flagship institution of higher learning,'"
A week ago, One Wisconsin Now delivered the unfortunate news that WPRI-UW poll materials suggest a deliberate removal of references to statewide opposition to private school vouchers. Since then, significant criticism has mounted against the troubling partnership between the state’s most prominent right-wing think tank, the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, and the UW Political Science Department.Yesterday, Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts (D-Middleton) is the latest public figure to speak out against the WPRI-UW right-wing polling project:
“It is troubling and disappointing to learn of the events that were allowed to unfold at our state’s flagship institution of higher learning,” Pope-Roberts said. “WPRI used UW-Madison’s credibility to kick dirt over polling information that they knew would not be as beneficial for their cause.”
Rep. Pope-Roberts joins the growing opposition to WPRI—a notorious far-right, free market think tank—trading in on UW’s reputation. Local columnist, Ed Garvey, wrote the Capital Times expressing similar concern:
“Now we also have the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute/University of Wisconsin-Madison poll — a ‘partnership’ between right-wing WPRI and our great state university’s political science department. The institute apparently needed credibility to persuade people to pay attention to the Bradley Foundation poll.” [The Bradley Foundation is the money behind WPRI]
In the words of Chef Gordon Ramsay: Shut it down!