Just like Scott Walker, none of the three campaigned on ending collective bargaining rights.
But as expected, they all continue to stand firm with their past legislative voting actions against Wisconsin's wage earners and communities, oftentimes using some of the most worn out and lamest rhetoric for their own defense.
Such was the case in a Janesville Gazette story about Saturday's massive "Reclaim Wisconsin" rally. As usual, Reps. Knilans and Wynn came out swinging against labor union interests.
JG Excerpt:
Wynn said the problem was that unions could organize very effectively to elect the very boards or councils that they would later negotiate with, and that led to abuses.
Some workers were getting excessive benefits, Wynn said
That's interesting. Candidate Evan Wynn never had a problem before standing up with local special interests to influence boards, councils and state legislators. In September of 2010, he not only endorsed the politically active special interest lobbyist group Forward Janesville, a local privileged group comprised of the area's most affluent residents including Diane Hendricks of Koch's Millionaires Club fame, he literally challenged incumbent Rep. Kim Hixson to do the same! Instead of a political candidate earning an endorsement from a individual or organization, Wynn endorses the organization. Forward Janesville may as well run for office. Talk about selling out!
But Hixson wouldn't sell-out to a special interest group and for standing on his principles - he lost the election. Clearly, Forward Janesville knew what they were buying in Evan Wynn.
I knew the handwriting was on the wall when Forward Janesville invades Madison for their annual lobby junket and their members get all uptight if state legislators hang "No solicitors" signs on their office doors. Who would think we reached that point where public officials who aren't on the take - are the ones tossed out. But we've reached that point.
If you want to get a better idea to understand how powerful Forward Janesville really is, look at it this way. We had tens of thousands of people who could not afford a lobbyist protest almost daily for months simply to restore legal authority to collectively bargain for benefits or concessions - to no avail. After a year, there was zero impact on legislation!! Yet, 60 or so very special, unelected self-appointed local "leaders" could march into the capital, draw up legislation for a state-run corporate development slush fund and deficit spend a billion dollars on a highway expansion, and it happens? It can't be any more clear what's going on here.
Candidates and legislators alike however have now learned quickly that you negotiate tax-funded benefits and breaks for Forward Janesville members or else!
The ethically challenged Joe Knilans is also no exception when it comes to his cozy bedtime manners with Forward Janesville's elite cartel, the Rock County 5.0. Soon after his election, Knilans actually bragged about how he was able to cast his vote in Madison on two legislative bills, AB6 and AB8. Those were the bills that transformed the state's Department of Commerce into a shadowy public/private nexus of government leeches and political campaign contributors. In his press release, Knilans explained how he fought through a snowstorm to deliver his vote at the state capitol for the special interest group "Rock County 5.0."
I couldn't make this stuff up no matter how hard I try.
So the next time you hear Wynn, Knilans or Loudenbeck complain about how special interests have organized to elect or influence local boards, councils or state legislators they eventually negotiate with later to their benefit - ask them how Forward Janesville and the Rock County 5.0 fit into that pattern of abuse.
It should be noted that Amy Loudenbeck seems to carry almost a Ryanesque protected status within the Janesville Gazette's propaganda media machine. Although all three local republicans have voted in near perfect lockstep, Loudenbeck is rarely clumped together with the other two on current issues and positions.
NOTE: The link to Wynn's Forward Janesville endorsement and challenge to Kim Hixson to endorse FJ has been scrubbed from his campaign website. But the link title should explain enough -(http://www.evanwynn.com/index.php/2010/09/22/wynn-appluads-forward-janesvilles-efforts/).
Additional:
Rock Netroots - Notes On Walker's Assault
No comments:
Post a Comment