Thursday, May 11, 2017

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker out to destroy beloved magazine that pays for itself

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/5/1/1657940/-Scott-Walker-out-to-destroy-beloved-magazine-that-pays-for-itself
"The truth dies in the dark. So does Wisconsin’s wildlife—and Scott Walker is anxious to bring down the curtain.  On the surface, it would be hard to find a clearer example of state government success than Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine. A publication of the state Department of Natural Resources , the magazine is beloved by Wisconsinites—so popular, in fact, that in this day of failing magazines, more than 80,000 families subscribe to WNR either directly or through the purchase of “deluxe” hunting and fishing licenses. As a result, the publication is completely self-funding, requiring not a dime of state revenues. So why, then, does Gov. Scott Walker want to kill it? Walker and his allies argue that the move will allow the agency to focus on its core mission. “It is not the government’s role to produce magazines that duplicate what is available in the private market,” said Walker’s spokesperson Tom Evenson in a statement to reporters. The idea that the state-focused content of Wisconsin Natural Resources is a “duplicate” of other magazines on the market is laughable. Not only does the publication provide a much more regional view of plants, wildlife, hunting, fishing, gardening, and general outdoors issues than national magazines, it also directly reports on state policy. And it’s that last point that seems to be the real focus of Walker’s hate."