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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Bain Sending 170 Jobs To China


The city of Freeport, a town of 26,500 people and just 20 miles south of the "open for business" Wisconsin stateline, is not looking forward to losing 170 jobs to China. The Freeport city council recently approved a resolution calling on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to step in and save the jobs. The company outsourcing the jobs, Sensata, is owned by Bain Capital.

Huff Post Excerpt:
Romney maintains that he left Bain in 1999, even though multiple documents list him as having leadership roles with the company beyond that date.

Regardless of the date that he left, Tom Gaulrapp -- a lifelong resident of Freeport and 33-year employee of Sensata -- said that Romney still bears some responsibility.

"They used his business model," Gaulrapp said. "And the board of directors and most of the officers at Bain Capital were put in place by him. There's an ongoing debate over whether he actually left in 1999 or whether he filed wrong documents to the SEC. In either case, they're still using his business model. He's the one who taught them how to do this. These guys were put there by him. So you can say he doesn't run the day-to-day operations, but he's still at blame for the way they do business."

Ryan, Johnson Appearance In Janesville Sparks Protest and Anger

 * UPDATED *

According to my reliable source, the Mitt Romney tour bus carrying job killing congressmen Paul Ryan and Ron Johnson was first greeted by about 25 vigilant protesters marching along the sidewalk on Court street behind the local GOP party office just off of Main street in downtown Janesville. The tour bus then parked in a position on private property behind a stage to block public viewing and the protesters from the open to the public GOP campaign event. When protesters moved to a grassy terrace at the side of the stage, Janesville police arrived and told them to return to the public sidewalk.

Several members from the GOP support group attempted to spur provocation with name-calling and heckling, but the protesters, some carrying the Chinese Communist flag to draw attention to the outsourcing of American jobs, were resolve in their peaceful demonstration.

Of little surprise, the Janesville Gazette sensationalized this story in their blog brief as a political "clash" between the event attendees and protesters, and later described it as a "scuffle" in their news report. The Romney bus tour event, staged by the republican party as a campaign rally, apparently changes in definition from a rally to a public event to a private event to a press conference depending on it's messaging success ratio.

Another viewpoint on this story can be heard at Sly in the Morning, where you can hear audio from the event including a GOP party spokesperson denying media access to a WTDY reporter they invited. They refused access because of Sly's activism at the event and told the reporter "no other organization does this," implying that if the news organization expects access, they better keep their employees in-line and locked down. This is just one of many examples why most news stories and interviews (not all of them) are mostly worthless fluff pieces and trash. If a reporter dare ask the tough questions, investigates or writes a reasonably objective story - they won't be invited next time.

Listen in to Sly's radio segment here. It also provides for some welcome comic relief.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Computer Problems - Hope To Be Resolved Soon

The post "Ryan, Johnson Appearance In Janesville Spurs Protest and Anger" has been accidentally deleted. I normally keep a copy in Word but that too was inadvertently deleted. Lately, my computer has been experiencing keyboard/mouse copy/paste problems when moving the clipboard from one program to another. The highlighted copy or paste sometimes completely disappears. That's no longer acceptable when I start losing posts.

My computer tech said I'll have to uninstall and re-install some major software programs and it's take some time, so there probably won't be another post today.

Read the Janesville Gazette brief on the Ryan/Johnson campaign stop here.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Paul Ryan and Ron Johnson In Janesville Today

Hyper-partisan job killers Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Ron Johnson will be on the Mitt Romney campaign tour bus (sans Romney) when it makes a stop at the Rock County GOP office in Janesville. The visit is scheduled for today at 6 PM. Office is located at 35 S. Main St. in downtown Janesville.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Wisconsin Workers Too "Un"skilled To Hire, Walker Jobs Czar Calls For More Immigrant Workers


Last week, the Democurmudgeon Blog noted how Wisconsin businesses are now claiming high unemployment may be here to stay because Wisconsin's high school students and the unemployed don't have the skills for the jobs the so-called "creators" created.

But what also caught my eye in the video below was Jim Morgan of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) saying they've got the orders, the equipment and facilities to succeed (built all by themselves I'm sure), essentially admitting that government stimulus worked for the private sector, but that they're only lacking skilled people to fill job openings. Is this possibly the first time in world history, that these self-taught self-made job creating individuals were asking somebody else for help? Turning to government and asking the legislature to make changes to the state's educational system?



Now comes word that Walker's jobs czar Tim Sullivan has determined the state needs a strategy to attract more immigrants to fill vacant job positions. Hey, no offense to immigrant workers as they are usually severely underpaid for their labor, but if you're claiming you can only currently hire 3 applicants out of every 100 because the other 97 can't pass a background check or don't have the training required for the job, yet think we need more immigrants to fill job openings in Wisconsin, I'd say something doesn't jibe here.

The bottom line is Walker's "job creators" want everything for nothing, and are coming up with every excuse and trick in the book to explain why they're not hiring Wisconsin's "skilled" unemployed after promising that a "jobs explosion" will immediately follow the re-election of Walker on June 5th.

In fact, I'd say they're all full of shit.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Unemploying Workers Helps Company Qualify For Walker’s $15M Tax Credit


On Thursday, it was reported that electronics manufacturer Plexus Corp. announced it will be laying off 116 employees in the Appleton area. Bad news for sure, but this a company that Scott Walker visited only weeks before the recall election to announce a state aid package that would help the company create 350 new jobs over the next seven years.

onpolitix Excerpt: (May 14, 2012) PRE-RECALL
Governor Scott Walker was on hand for the announcement of the $15 million in state tax credits doled out for the $50 million project. "A lot of these projects have been worked on for six months to a year, so there are things you can't just materialize in a month or two," said Walker of the relationship between tax credits and job creation in the state.

The tax credits will be given annually over a seven-year period. In order to receive the funds, Plexus must create at least 350 new jobs and retain 1,000 current jobs.

Wait a second. In yesterday's lay-off announcement it was reported that Plexis' current workforce is about 2,000 in the Twin cities area.

JS Online Excerpt:
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Ginger Jones tells the Post-Crescent that, while the layoffs are unfortunate, they are "a small percentage" of the company's head count in the Fox Cities.

Jones says the local overall workforce is about 2,000. The layoffs were at one of the company's two sites in the Appleton area, but Jones did not specify which.

Let's get this straight. The $50 million expansion doesn't have a baseline of employees, so to "retain 1,000 current jobs" means exactly that, to retain 1,000 current jobs. So, Plexus can shed up to 1,000 jobs or shrink itself down to 1,000 employees at any time, and then create 350 "new" positions and still qualify for a cool $15 million pay-off from state taxpayers? For what amounts to essentially destroying up to 650 jobs? At the same time, Walker is trying to poach businesses from other states by offering them millions in state aid as well?

If Walker made a "jobs creation" deal like this once a week for the next 28 months leading up to Election Day 2014, Wisconsin taxpayers would end up paying $1.68 BILLION not to create 72,800 jobs, but to destroy them.

Discover More Ridiculously Easy Tricks Below:

Bid-Rigging For State Contracts Coming Soon

Walker Gives Away $4 Million Just For Asking

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Eerie Lightning Display Near Janesville

At about 1:15 AM this morning, the windows of my room were lit up by a continuous stream of bright bluish lights. The flashes were so pattern-like and constant that I first thought the lights had to be coming from several police cars stopped nearby making a traffic stop. When I saw it was the sky that was lit up, I grabbed my camera and headed outdoors.

The video is not HD quality, but listen for the bizarre sound at the 25 second mark and watch for some downright spooky images pasted in the sky. This event was taking place east/northeast of Janesville. During the 3 minute video capture there were a few strong windgusts but no rain, while an equally continuous but faint rumble of thunder can be heard in the far distance. What sounds like rain is the wind rustling the leaves on nearby trees. The entire lightning display lasted almost 10 minutes.

Is Janesville Metro Area At Crossroads For Progress?

Kiplinger's recently issued their latest report on best American cities for every life stage and for your future. As was expected outside of the cost of living, Janesville did not fare very well.

Here's a snapshot of the chart listing a few cities posted at Kiplinger's Personal Finance considered for its list of Best Cities for Every Age, 2012. The Cost of Living Index is based on 100 being the national average. Job growth is the increase in employment from 2006 to 2011. Income growth is the increase in household income from 2006 to 2011.


Because the trends are taken within a five year window, The adverse economic effects from the closing of the General Motors plant are very obvious. As you can see, my town of Janesville is not doing well at all, particularly in the job and wage growth areas. It's in "Flint, MI" mode if I may be so blunt, and in fact has worse wage growth than Flint (2.5% vs 4.1%) over the same period of time.

With a feeling of complete helplessness, I've witnessed Janesville tumble down in slow motion from a solid upstart blue collar middle-class town and wrote about it all at this blog in real time as it happened, not after the fact.

Since 2006, I railed against the partisans and sycophants running the Janesville Gazette media monopoly and their decade long low-wage conservative agenda and war against school teachers, unions, liberals, democrats or anyone else who did not fit their particular brand of social engineering. Since that time I've "outed" the unholy alliance between the area's political action business groups and our local city and county governments. I even recall the dozens of emails I used to get from some Janesville residents telling me how wrong I was regarding my allegations of political activity about Forward Janesville and the Rock County 5.0.

I also remember like it was yesterday writing about the time when Congressman Paul Ryan, after being appointed to House committees, bragged that he would bring home even less of a return on tax dollars (federal aid, etc.) to his hometown and congressional district. These policies acted like a capital drain on the area and the results have been only short of catastrophic. I repeatedly warned readers that Janesville area workers and the people are losing the war many had no idea was being waged upon them, and that the American Dream isn't slipping away by chance, but is being systematically legislated out of our lives by right-wing ideologues. Apparently all to no avail.

All I can say now is let's hope we have bottomed out and the only way from here is up. But that's going to be a tall order to accomplish since most of the same phony people and the machinery that took us down that path are all still behind the wheel. That has to change first - before hope. With the opposition dug in with a divide and conquer mentality and in positions of power, we have a formidable enemy to overcome.

On the flip-side, there is some good news for Wisconsin. Madison, the Liberal Outpost and Unionista Sanctuary as eloquently described by the Democurmudgeon, was ranked No. 1 in the US by Kiplinger’s for young adults. The magazine said Madison was an “educated, tech-savvy city” with many recent college graduates who help foster an “entrepreneurial community” for start-up companies. Thugs. It even ranked high for families. Imagine that. Congratulations Madison!!

For the full report on best cities, click here.

Chart of 361 metro-areas and how they stack up.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Erpenbach: Stop Worrying, We'll Work Things Out With Cullen

Facebook Source

Wisconsin Democratic Senator Jon Erpenbach and I talked around 8:45 p.m. tonight about the situation involving the conflict between Democratic Senate Leader Mark Miller and Democratic Senator Tim Cullen. Senator Jon Erpenbach authorized me to assure the public to stop worrying about this matter. He said to tell everyone that "I expect everything to be worked out."

Sen. Cullen announced today that he, upset over not getting the sort of committee appointments he wanted from Sen. Miller, was leaving the Democratic Senate Caucus and considering becoming an Independent rather than a Democratic senator.

I repeat: Senator Jon Erpenbach authorized me to assure the public to stop worrying about this matter. He said to tell everyone that "I expect everything to be worked out."

I take those words to mean that we can expect Senator Tim Cullen to remain a member of the Democratic caucus and to remain a Democratic senator in our state, rather than switching to be an independent.

Breaking: Sen. Tim Cullen Leaving Democratic Caucus

Capital Times:
Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, said Tuesday he plans to leave the Democratic caucus and may become an independent.

Cullen made the comments in a press conference.

Democrats just gained control of the Senate 17-16 with Sen. John Lehman's victory over Van Wanggaard in a recall.

It's unclear immediately what the implications are of Cullen's announcement.

It sounds like he's on a power trip and wanted a deal to remain a Democrat. So sad.

UPDATE #1:
Senator Miller released this statement in response to Cullen's announcement:
"I am disappointed in Senator Cullen and the decision he made today. Senator Cullen turned down the chairmanship of the Committee on Small Business Development and Tourism. He told me that if that was the committee offered to him, he would rather chair no committee at all. It was an important committee as small business is the economic engine for Wisconsin." Source>>>

UPDATE #2:
Madison -- One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements regarding news in the Wisconsin State Senate today that Sen. Tim Cullen will refuse to caucus with Senate Democrats because they would not remove Jon Erpenbach as chair of the Senate Health Committee in favor of him. Source>>>

Grothman: People Who Vote Inappropriately - Vote Democrat



In keeping with the original mission statement offered by Sen. Scott Fitzgerald when they enacted Walker's Act 10 to fuel protests in Wisconsin last year, State Sen. Glenn Grothman reiterated how important it is to legislate Voter ID in order to suppress the vote and ultimately defeat President Obama.

Think Progress Excerpt:
In an interview with ThinkProgress on Sunday, the number-two Republican senator argued that voter ID could be a boon for Republicans’ electoral prospects if the controversial law, which was blocked in state court, is reinstated in time for the November election. “Insofar as there are inappropriate things, people who vote inappropriately are more likely to vote Democrat,” argued Grothman.

KEYES: If it were upheld and in place in time for the November election, do you think — polls have shown a pretty razor-thin margin — do you think it might ultimately help Romney’s campaign here in the state?

GROTHMAN: Yes. Right. I think we believe that insofar as there are inappropriate things, people who vote inappropriately are more likely to vote Democrat.

Read more >>>here with audio.


Wisconsin republicans entire legislative agenda since winning office in 2010 has been to crush Democrats and defeat Obama. Period.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Video: Moyer and Hedges On Capitalism's "Sacrifice Zones"

After exploring parts of America that have been destroyed for quarterly profit, Bill Moyers and Chris Hedges touch on how our voices, particularly those of the doubters and thinkers, have almost no ability to effect change. Hedges fires on all cylinders throughout the interview explaining how truth and news are not the same thing and how we've become accomplices to our own demise.

Although Wisconsin or Scott Walker are not mentioned, my very first thought after watching this video was how Walker's "open for business" has turned Wisconsin into a giant sacrifice zone for the oligarchs of corporate-run government. It's a little long at 51 minutes, but there's a lot of meat to this video. I highly recommend readers experience it through your own eyes:



Read story here.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Will Limbaugh's Career Finally Be Over In A Nano-Second?

Rush Limbaugh labeling Batman movie-goers as "brain-dead" people just days before the shooting in Colorado.
"The audience is going to be huge. A lot of people are going to see the movie. And it's a lot of brain-dead people -- entertainment, the pop culture crowd -- and they're going to hear Bane in the movie and they're going to associate Bain."

Mark Steyn, who was substituting for Limbaugh on Friday, defended Limbaugh from those who associated him with the disaster in Colorado.

Hollywood Reporter Excerpt:
“The whole point about blaming it on right-wing talk radio, by the way, is that you guys, the listeners to this show, [...] are too stupid to be able to tell when Rush is dealing in some whimsical, fantastical way with a little bit of movie commentary, and you take him literally and you decide to go out and gun down a bunch of people,” Steyn said. “It’s quite disgraceful that they peddle this line.”

Hey Steenie, you, like Limbaugh are making quite a few assumptions there. Obviously, your remarks shouldn't be taken literally either, but then ...

Hollywood Reporter Excerpt:
“The definition of a nano-second used to be the time, they said in New York, between the lights changing from red to green and the car behind you honking. The definition of a nano-second now is the time between a mass shooting and some guy from the left blaming it on talk radio, or Sarah Palin, or Fox News,” Steyn said.

In that case, the definition of a nano-second could just as easily be the time in between when a guy on the right with a megaphone targets a movie as a liberal conspiracy, and some other guy just as freakin' crazy honking .40 caliber guns," targets a theatre for mayhem where that movie is playing.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Why So Bane?


Here's the video clip of an interview with Ann Romney that has gone viral. In it she defends her husband's refusal to release any more tax returns than he already has by claiming he's not the type of person who hides things. Yeeyep! How does that work? Then she says, "We've Given All You People Need To Know."

For some reason and I have no idea why, the folks at ABC News said we should not believe our lying ears.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Somebody Along The Way Just Gave Kohl's Some Help

President Barack Obama drew shock and outrage from business groups less than a week ago when he tied the infrastructure of government to business success and growth opportunities. Shame they said. They whined that the President doesn't know what he's talking about.

Examiner Excerpt:
“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business. you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen,” the president said.

Well, somebody along the way just made it happen for Kohl's as Scott Walker's big government just announced it will be awarding the established retail outlet with a heavily subsidized village of surplus collectivism to "support" the company's future private-for-profit business growth venture.

Wheeler Report Excerpt:
Madison—Today Governor Scott Walker announced an agreement between Kohl’s and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), where WEDC will create an Enterprise Zone to provide up to $62.5 million in tax credits from the state of Wisconsin over 12 years to support Kohl’s long term growth. [...] Upon Kohl’s election to begin construction, the Village of Menomonee Falls will provide the necessary road improvements and up to $12 million, payable over several years, from the incremental tax revenue to be generated by the Kohl's development.

In the past, the state legislature voted on the creation of tax enterprise zones. But now with Walker's WEDC sham, a non-elected bureaucrat can grant major tax-shifting liabilities onto the population simply by decree. Secondly, Kohl's is a firmly upwardly mobile company with no need for government aid. At the same time, it's only fair to assume that Kohl's would not be expanding without "somebody" along the way helping them. Thirdly, this shows how backwards and upside-down our economic growth platform has become when we reward large privately vested businesses with collective kickbacks while small businesses struggle to maintain their head above water. Who will be paying to make up the difference in tax collections?

So far there has been no outrage from Wisconsin's Tea Party or business groups toward Scott Walker about this government-backed collectively bargained-for helping hand agreement with a privately held special interest.

Here's another "SHINING" example of a local growth opportunity made possible by the subsidized hand of somebody. That Obama ...he's so wrong.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Constituent Gets Dose Of Reality From Celebrity Congressman Duffy

When one of Rep. Duffy's constituents asked him when he will hold the next town hall meeting, the reality star congressman said, "We said we’re going to do one every year, and we’ve done that," then proceeded to slam the car door in his face before driving off.

Watch it:


More: Think Progress - Duffy Drives Away From Constituent

Rob Zerban On Blog Talk Radio Today!


Rob Zerban, the presumed Democratic candidate expected to face Paul Ryan for the 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin is scheduled to be a guest/host on Blog Talk Radio today at 11 AM.

BlogTalkRadio Excerpt:
Congressman Paul Ryan is vulnerable in November's election. One year ago it would not have seemed possible; with Ryan being the darling of the corporate conservatives, and powerful chair of the House Budget Committee.

Things have changed in the 1st Congressional District. Rob Zerban has stepped up to challenge Ryan, and ... more>>>

Call in to speak with the host at (347)989-1307.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Romney Advisors: He 'Retired Retroactively' From Bain



Despite Mitt Romney being listed on SEC documents as the CEO, President and sole shareholder of Bain Capital through 2002, Ed Gillespie, a senior campaign advisor for Mitt Romney said Romney was Not Responsible For Bain after 1999 Because He ‘Retired Retroactively’ from the company.

FireDoglake Excerpt:
This is probably exactly how it went down. He took a leave of absence to run the Olympics, then started negotiating his pay package while the legal CEO until 2002, and when he finally finished up the Olympics and squeezed as much out of Bain as he could, he relinquished control. It was the leverage of owning the company that allowed him to maximize that pay package. And maybe it was better for tax purposes for him to push the retirement date back to 1999. Or maybe he didn’t want to be associated with certain layoffs and plant closures that happened in the 1999-2002 period.

All this is relentlessly political, and not even all that relevant. As former Bain Capital partner Ed Conard said yesterday, everything Bain was doing from 1999-2002 reflects everything they were doing before 1999 – gaming the tax system to make massive profits and push the losses onto the public sector.

Romney economic advisor calls outsourcing jobs "a good thing."

Think Progress Excerpt:
...Romney’s top economic adviser Greg Mankiw has also argued for outsourcing jobs, calling it “a good thing.” As another Bain manager explained, “I never thought of what I do for a living as job creation.” Romney’s role at Bain was to create wealth for his firm, not jobs.

A little bit of accidental honesty with a backwards way of saying that "jobs are for poor people."

Gillespie again - Mitt Romney doesn't seem to have much of a problem with U.S. Olympic uniforms made in China. "He believes we shouldn't politicize the Olympics," Gillespie said. Yeah, these nutjobs and their media rodeo clowns would never politicize the Olympics. Afterall, remember how they became a united front of non-political support for the President and Chicago’s bid to win the 2016 Olympic Games? Yeah, me neither.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Only A Racist Would Imply African-Americans Want Free Stuff

Romney on NAACP Booing:
"Remind them of this, if they want more free stuff from the government tell them to go vote for the other guy -- more free stuff. But don't forget nothing is really free."

But the other guy's stuff isn't free. Just ask Americans For Prosperity. In their latest anti-Obama health care ad, they depict a couple who appear completely put out with the idea about paying for their own health care insurance - what Romney calls free stuff. So which is it, Mittens? Is it free or do we have to pay for it? Or maybe the race-baiting Romney and the AFP think only white people pay for everything - and blacks get it for free. Maybe that's why Romney condescended, "don't forget, nothing is really free."

Somebody should also ask the AFP if we'll have to take some responsibility and pay for whatever they mean by "patient-centered" health care reform - or is that free stuff too?

AFP Ad: But Mittens Said It Was Free!?

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Walker's Deer Czar Uses Reform Or Perish Technique

I couldn't believe how much double-speak Scott Walker's deer czar, James Kroll, finessed in throughout while explaining his report to the media.

In this article by the Associated Press, Kroll obviously guarded against using his more direct politically charged Tea Party rhetoric that he is known for and instead uses a "reform or perish" technique to fearmonger acceptance for his proposal. It's not easy to imply that "we're going to have to do this," while at the same time claiming, "his plan offers the two sides a chance to compromise and save Wisconsin's hunting traditions from disappearing." That's pure double-speak at Paul Ryan's Heritage Foundation level.

I was also impressed how Kroll panders for political support by backhanding praise towards DNR workers (they're professionals just doing their jobs) and then frames traditional Wisconsin hunters as expecting too much from government. He warns that if both sides (DNR and hunters) can't agree on his recommendations and resolve their conflict (Kroll must assume the DNR will embrace his proposal), the state's rich hunting tradition could vanish. The sky will fall. Nevermind that Kroll's proposal would officially change the state's rich hunting tradition into something completely different.

It's sort of like how Paul Ryan intends to end Medicare as we know it, but still call it Medicare.

Kroll knows he's not dealing with ill-informed populations in Wisconsin, but he still accomplishes exactly what he was paid to do. He claims sweeping reform is needed. He gently brings in his Tea Party ideology by scolding one side (hunters) for their reliance on government. He attempts to win support from government - the unelected DNR. He paints his proposal as the "compromise," deregulates the CWD issue, breaks down government control of the herd and opens the door to privatization. He does this all under the premise that if hunters won't embrace his proposal, lawmakers in Wisconsin will be left with no choice but to punish Wisconsinites by legislatively destroying (more government) the rich deerhunting heritage they enjoy today.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Local Red State Group Begins Illinois "Kick To The Shin" Campaign

Empty of any innovation, expansion and job creating ideas of their own but buoyed by access to state and local treasuries, the hyper-partisan collectivists of the Rock County 5.0 are wasting no time spreading Walker's divisive rhetoric beyond the state line into Illinois.

According to their publicist, the Janesville Gazette and with blessings from county government, the divide and conquer group will begin an ad campaign in Chicago promoting tax credits for relocating businesses into Wisconsin.
JG Excerpt:
The advertising is not intended so much as a "sharp stick in the eye" but a "kick to the shin" to Illinois, said Forward Janesville President John Beckord. And Rock County wants it to sting.

Sharp stick in the eye? WTF?? What's the source and intention behind the "kick to the shin" rhetoric? And, why do we want it to sting? Why would Wisconsin want to put a hurt on another state? What did Illinois ever do so badly to Rock County to provoke such a revengeful attitude?

Perhaps the vitriol comes from the time when the co-chair of the group, multi-billionaire Diane Hendricks, lamented that she had to move one of her businesses to Illinois because the state offered growth incentives that were too good to resist. So blame and attack Illinois, huh? Or maybe because Barack Obama considers Chicago his home base? Whatever is the reason for their childish and provocative language, the RC5 and Rock County government are doing this in our name and if Chicago or Illinois retaliate in kind against Rock County, this type of toxic "Ryanesque" us-against-them nonsense can only result in a time wasting zero sum game where our local good will and the wage earning taxpayers will be the only losers.

NOTE: Article not available on Web at time of post.

Monday, July 09, 2012

Polarizing Business Group Looking To Change Image. Not Their Own of Course.

The Janesville Gazette posted one of their typical damage control messages masquerading as a news article on the front page about the politically motivated local economic development group, the Rock County 5.0, and their newest campaign to "get the word out" about the area's "friendly" business climate.

In addition, the group would like to dispel "negative stereotypes" attached to the Janesville/Beloit area - ummm, but it's not the group's own deeply polarizing and negative red state union busting divide and conquer sponsorship that we've all come to learn about over the past several months that needs dispelling. Instead, they believe the negativity stems from the perception that the area's base was dominated by the auto industry. That's the latest excuse now - it's all a matter of how others perceive the area. In their view, what could possibly be worse for a town than to be perceived as a slice of American Pie. So they're looking to target and rob the Chicago area of a few businesses. That explains their collaboration and friendliness all so perfectly well.

JG Excerpt:
Rock County 5.0 is a public-private organization designed to build economic development collaboration, communication and connections to benefit the county. [...]The marketing and public relations campaign will “get the word out” about Rock County to business and industry decision makers in the Chicago area, Otterstein said. It will run through the summer and into early fall using print, digital media, billboards and bus wraps, for example.[...]The campaign should increase awareness about opportunities in Rock County, Otterstein said. Another goal is to dispel “negative stereotypes” attached to the Janesville/Beloit area — that its economic base was dominated by the auto industry, he said.


What should have been a simple press release by the group is spun into a professionally polished "news" article for everyday local consumption. The Gazette has to do their part of course as a loyal and true ally to their own. They write up the group's story and statements without challenge or record of their latest controversy. But why should they afterall? It's not like the group is a democratic candidate or organization, the teacher's union or some malcontent blogger. Sheesh!

Friday, July 06, 2012

Pope: Health Care IS An Inalienable Right

On the Affordable Care Act:
“What Ms. Kennedy and others were saying is that this is a new government-granted right." -- Rep. Paul Ryan

TPM Excerpt:
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) said Sunday that ‘Obamacare’ should be repealed because the rights of individuals come from God. I think this at the end of the day is a big philosophy difference,” Ryan told ABC’s “This Week.”

We disagree with the notion that our rights come from government, that the government can now grant us and define our rights. Those are ours, they come from nature and God, according to the Declaration of Independence – a huge difference in philosophy.”

Who do you disagree with congressman? The Pope? Pope Benedict XVI doesn't think government induced or protected health care is a newly granted right.

Catholic News Excerpt: (Nov. - 2010)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI and other church leaders said it was the moral responsibility of nations to guarantee access to health care for all of their citizens, regardless of social and economic status or their ability to pay.

Access to adequate medical attention, the pope said in a written message Nov. 18, was one of the "inalienable rights" of man.
[...]
The pope lamented the great inequalities in health care around the globe. While people in many parts of the world aren't able to receive essential medications or even the most basic care, in industrialized countries there is a risk of "pharmacological, medical and surgical consumerism" that leads to "a cult of the body," the pope said.

"The care of man, his transcendent dignity and his inalienable rights" are issues that should concern Christians, the pope said.

Because an individual's health is a "precious asset" to society as well as to himself, governments and other agencies should seek to protect it by "dedicating the equipment, resources and energy so that the greatest number of people can have access."

"Justice in health care should be a priority of governments and international institutions," he said ...

There's no point working around the Pope's words or bending them into something they're not. He clearly defined health care as an age-old God-given inalienable right and has asked governments and agencies, not businesses or charities, to administer, secure and protect man's right to health care.

Faith In Public life Excerpt:
First the Pope specifically rejects the Ayn Rand-ian, free-market vision of profit-driven self-interest producing the best results for all of society:
From Caritas In Veritate:
Profit is useful if it serves as a means towards an end that provides a sense both of how to produce it and how to make good use of it. Once profit becomes the exclusive goal, if it is produced by improper means and without the common good as its ultimate end, it risks destroying wealth and creating poverty (21).
...
Therefore, it must be borne in mind that grave imbalances are produced when economic action, conceived merely as an engine for wealth creation, is detached from political action, conceived as a means for pursuing justice through redistribution(36).

I encourage everyone regardless of your politics, religiosity or secularism to read Caritas In Veritate. Not in any attempt to indoctrinate on my part, believe me, but just to be aware for a discovery that Catholic Church teachings are built on the health and care of the body, mind and the human spirit and are far away from whatever "understandings" Paul Ryan discriminately abused for his "Catholic" marketed government budget proposal.

Paul Ryan is right on Ayn Rand. He's wrong on Catholicism and he's wrong on the Declaration Of Independence and the U.S. Constitution - that puts him on the outer edges of the far, far right.

ADDITIONAL READING:

Blogging Blue - Why I Think Paul Ryan Is A Terrible Catholic

Democurmudgeon - Ryan Thinks We Don't Need Government For Rights ...Only God

Cognitive Dissidence - Paul Ryan Knows Nothing

Monday, July 02, 2012

Ryan's Hometown Health Care Providers Say SCOTUS Ruling Is Good News

JG Excerpt:
Setting political arguments aside, Gruber (Mercy) and Craig Samitt, president and chief executive officer of Dean Health System, said the Affordable Care Act is a step in the right direction.

Throughout the article, leaders working within the area's health care sector repeatedly confirm and describe how the Affordable Care Act "moves the nation in the right direction," "improves access to health care" and is "vitally important that that care is managed and coordinated."

As has been the case for more than a decade, there's a tremendous chasm between what the folks on the ground have to say and what party-line statist and reality-disconnected Paul Ryan has to say. Ryan says the ruling is nothing but bad news. More here>>>.

When will people start voting for their own best interests?

RomneyCare: Tax Penalties Instill Responsibility


USA Today Excerpt:
“Our experience also demonstrates that getting every citizen insured doesn't have to break the bank. First, we established incentives for those who were uninsured to buy insurance. Using tax penalties, as we did, or tax credits, as others have proposed, encourages "free riders" to take responsibility for themselves rather than pass their medical costs on to others. This doesn't cost the government a single dollar. Second, we helped pay for our new program by ending an old one — something government should do more often.” – Mitt Romney, March 22, 2011


Running Away From His Own Principles, Romney Fails Leadership 101.

Here's Romney again:
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED INTERVIEW)

MITT ROMNEY: It's not a tax hike. It is a fee. It is an assessment. The great majority of employers in Massachusetts are assessed this fee right now. There's a small subset that has not been assessed this fee and that subset is those who don't provide insurance to their employee.

LIASSON: So, this is what the Democrats point to as they defend themselves against the tax charge. They say health care is a character issue, a leadership issue. Romney is running away from his health care plan. The president isn't running away from his.

Then we have our own mentally challenged congressman, Paul Ryan, who argues for statism and said Obama’s health care reform law should be repealed because rights come from “nature and God,” not the government.

But Paul, why does God refuse to give North Koreans their rights?
Why does God refuse to give Saudi women their rights?
Why does God refuse to give Iranians their rights?
Why does God refuse to give his own gay children rights?

COMALite J Comment Excerpt:
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the multinational megacorporations, and unto the hedge funds and derivatives investors, and unto the SuperPACs that they doth fund that in turn fundeth the candidates that doeth their will; that some thereby mightest “trickleth down” unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.