Conservative Group AFP Opposition To Foxconn's Scott Walker: Empty, Toothless

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I couldn't help rolling my eyes while reading the story about the Koch brothers political machine, Americans For Prosperity, purported opposition to Gov. Scott Walker and his crony capitalist deal with the Taiwanese sweat shop, Foxconn.

WDIO Excerpt:
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Wisconsin chapter of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity is making a rare break with Republican Gov. Scott Walker and coming out against a $3 billion tax incentive package that's part of a deal for Foxconn Technology Group to build a plant in the state.

Let's be clear. What Gov. Scott Walker is proposing, with full support from Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Ron Johnson (all AFP endorsed), in the Foxconn deal runs right against the core of everything the Koch brothers "free market small government" group stands for ...if you can believe them.

Of course I think their statement of opposition to Scott Walker is strictly for optics. Politically and on principle, it's empty and toothless. Here's why.

Remember the recent op-ed rants written by Charles Koch imploring his support base of millionaires and billionaires to steer clear of taxpayer funded capital incentives?

USA Today Excerpt:
Companies should earn profits by creating value for customers and acting with integrity, the opposite of today's rampant cronyism.

Too many businesses focus on getting subsidies and mandates from government rather than creating value for customers. According to George Mason University's Mercatus Center, such favors cost us more than $11,000 per person in lost GDP every year, a $3.6 trillion economic hit.

Charles Koch, and this is important, was very careful not to point his criticism at political candidates they've anointed and bought.

Instead, Koch laughably asked other wealthy elite capitalists to stop capitalizing on desperate taxpayers. He asked for the impossible knowing it sounds good to his legions of sheeple while giving their political candidates, the Scott Walkers, Paul Ryans and Ron Johnsons, the key enablers of everything they publicly oppose, a free pass.

So, who will the Koch brothers ultimately blame if the Foxconn deal is approved? The concept of government and the need for tax reform. Of course! That's who.

Paul Ryan called the Foxconn boondoggle a potential "game changer." He's right.

In my view, until the Wisconsin chapter of Americans For Prosperity come out publicly with a game changing full-throated condemnation of Scott Walker, Paul Ryan and Ron Johnson, Foxconn will have proved the Koch brothers phonies on principle and toothless on bite.