History shows that "special session," Walker's aims, aren't concerned with jobs
In 2010, when Republicans were trying to win a midterm election campaign in Wisconsin, including a gubernatorial seat that had opened up, the focus of their campaigns were clear: "JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!"Then they won. And that focus...changed a bit.
It started small -- in the form of tax cuts for corporations in the millions of dollars (OK, that's not really small). The promise was that these cuts would inspire businesses in the state to 1) hire more people and increase employment (with increased capital that these corporations would gain assisting in some way) and 2) for businesses out of the state to be lured to come to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, that didn't really happen, and Wisconsin ended up having a loss in employment numbers.
But that wasn't so bad: the focus was still there, right? Instead of "JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!" the focus was simply altered slightly, to "TAX CUTS! JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!"
That may have been fine, except that it wasn't the ending of this "little" shift. An attack on workers' rights took center stage shortly thereafter, and the focus was lost for a long period of time.
Still, the focus was just slightly off-course: it became "TAX CUTS! DESTROY THE UNIONS!" Then, "JOBS! JOBS!" The promise of more employment opportunities in our state was still attainable, if just modified.
And yet, no job bills came. A budget was passed which included the largest cuts to education the state had ever seen, amounting to a billion-dollar shortfall for schools across the state. New caps to Family Care (a program designed to help elderly and disabled Wisconsinites), nearly half a billion in cuts to BadgerCare, and more tax breaks to the wealthy and corporate elite were all included in the values-changing budget proposal by Gov. Walker, eventually passing and receiving his signature earlier this summer.
So where were our priorities then? Clearly, the "jobs" mantra had disappeared entirely. It was replaced with "TAX CUTS! DEFUND EDUCATION! DESTROY THE UNIONS! MORE TAX CUTS! SCREW THE ELDERLY!"
Oh, and we musn't forget guns and voter suppression.
But then, lo and behold! Gov. Walker came to the "rescue" again! After a September where Republican lawmakers decided they only needed to schedule one day of actual work, the governor held a "special session" to jump-start the call for "JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!" once more.
Except...we're falling into the same pattern again. There's the bill that would repeal the need to teach children a comprehensive lesson on sexual education. Another group of lawmakers feel there is a greater need in criticizing Madison police for doing their jobs during protests earlier this year. 16 of the bills in the special session appear to reward special interests that are allied with Republican lawmakers (read: their supporters/donors). Tort reform, which in no way would create any jobs whatsoever, is among those billed as part of the session.
The best part? The special session is set to start October 18...the same day the legislature was set to start its regular session anyway. Suddenly, this session doesn't seem so "special," does it?
What we need to realize about the Republicans in our state is that "jobs" were never their primary focus. Even in a special session dedicated towards job growth, it's not their true aim. Gov. Walker and his Republican allies aren't pushing for "JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!" any more than they were the first time they said it, nearly ten months ago.
Giveaways for the rich and the corporate elite, "pet" conservative projects, and rewards for donors in particular are all that Walker has ever and WILL ever push for. The end result is that nothing from our state, nothing from our Republican-controlled government, will ever be focused on "jobs" while Scott Walker is our governor.
Wisconsin is open for business, all right: it's conservative-led government is for sale to the highest bidder. And all that talk about jobs? It's only talk.
This why it is so important to educate the simple people of Wisconsin. It should not be that hard to prove to people that Walker is pure evil for the State of Wisconsin. I really hope the Feds get him first and he rots away in a jail cell at the Milwaukee zoo for to feed him peanuts.
ReplyDeleteThe rhetoric here isn't right, Marky Mark. The enthusiasm is good, but calling Walker "evil" and his supporters "simple minded" is wrong for ethical and practical reasons. I don't consider Walker's ambitions "good" for Wisconsin, but I also reserve judgment of what's "evil" for a higher being, beyond this realm of existence. That's me, personally.
ReplyDeleteI am trying my best to fight this war with thought out words. Unfortunately, I am not as good with words as I am with knocking on doors, however, I am trying. Please allow me to elaborate a bit: When I say "simple People", I mean people like myself, people out in the country, people that entrust the care of our state to the elected officials, people that have better things to do in life; church, helping with homework, that evasive 40 point buck,that first breath of fresh air at sunrise after a heavy frost, the smell of apple pie in the oven, the sight of the autumn leaves changing colors, the sensation when your kid figures out how to multiply fractions, the excitement when the latest copy of PC world comes in the mail. Pretty simple. Unfortunately, there is a strange aura in the air, almost like that calm before a storm and all the critters seem to be quiet and in hiding. Yes, I believe there is an evil about this land like we have never seen before. As a simple person, I see no good coming out of the Walker agenda, the slim lining of power, wealth flowing up to the wealthy rather than trickling down to the schools. Taxes raised on the poor and the money given to the rich. The Corporates ready to strip mine coal, bottle our water and sell any of our resources in the name of shareholders and short term profits. Screw them. This state and its resources (and the labor force is a resource) belong to all the people, not the elite. Now, this elite crowd is anything but simple. They are cunning and will do anything to make a profit. They are the reincarnated snake-oil salesman of the 1800s; look you straight in the eye, shake your hand, take your money and run. Sorry, I am digging in and preparing for a fight. I really hope I am wrong and the people of this state vote this administration out, if not, I will bear arms against the enemy. The enemy is any entity that invades our state, rapes the land and and ruins it like the corporations have ruined most of the 3rd world countries (the ones that have resources anyway. Note we haven't invaded North Korea because rice paddys arn't on the stock exchange). I served my country many years ago to preserve our quality of life and I am read to do it again. The agenda of the Far-Right Tea-thug-licans are a scary breed and need to to be kept under supervision. trust me, I would much rather be on the St Croix river right now spooking the lake sturgeon rather than justifying my post and gearing up for the recall of Walker, a man that is not fit to be a crossing guard, let alone a governor as he has no education and the only way for him to get ahead in this world is to do the evil bidding of the corrupt rich such as the Koch Roach brothers. You keep looking up the facts, Chris, and I will spread the word to the best of my ability. I may be pretty crude and you seem to be nice and refined with words, but I believe we are on the same side.
ReplyDeleteFull of Piss and Vinegar
\m/