Wisconsin Writers Hiding Tony Evers' Empty Suit

Madison, Wisconsin—"I don't know who the Democratic Party is. I just don't know who they are anymore," said Terrance Warthen, co-chair of Our Wisconsin Revolution, in 2017 (MSNBC).

Warthen is in good company.

In Wisconsin, not much is known about Wisconsin Gov Tony Evers (D) beyond the fact he is not Scott Walker, a compelling attribute after eight years of unmitigated disaster.

But several progressive writers are working feverishly to conceal the fact that Evers is an uninformed, moribund, Republican-lite empty suit who just doesn't get it.

One month into the Evers administration, there is a public relations campaign from Paul Fanlund, John Nichols, Ruth Conniff and Dave Zweifel, all of whom rush to say that Tony Evers is some variation of nice.

This Tony Evers team of writers omits the fact the new governor has done nothing during the campaign, transition and administration in working against the lunatic, illegal and unconstitutional Foxconn-Wisconsin contract that Scott Walker concealed from Wisconsin, for example.

Outside of Tony Evers' world, Foxconn and the corporatist scam it represents are catastrophic, and  seeking some personal attribute to highlight it is a fools' game that ignores the radical work of rightiwingers whom the corporate press still term "conservative." This is not about "messaging," to which Evers has reduced the Foxconn scam.

Here are examples from the Evers-does-has-clothes caucus.

Paul Fanlund - Tony Evers is "personally likable," just like Sen Tammy Baldwin (D).

Fanlund ignores it was Baldwin's hard-hitting camapign "that used the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to effectively frame her opponent as doing the bidding of corporate special interests" (In These Times). Baldwin "garnered 150,000 votes more than Tony Evers," notes the piece and it was not by being Ms. Nice Girl.

John Nichols - "[Tony] Evers defeated Scott Walker precisely because the former state superintendent of public instruction speaks to a longing on the part of Wisconsinites for a presumption of civility."

Nichols has been pushing this line for months.

I know many activists around the state of many persuasions and none of them voted for Tony Evers because they long for civility. It is all about clean water, local control, collective bargaining, public schools and the University of Wisconsin System, among human rights concerns.

I have never spoken to Scott Walker because I don't like the company of racists and rightwing Christians, but if I did meet Walker, I would be willing to bet he would be likeable and civil.

So what?

This brings us to:

Ruth Conniff - Conniff quotes Evers' inaugural address, noting Evers' call for kindness and civility.

C'mon, every politician calls for kindness, peace, love and understanding.

This is what Conniff has to prop up Evers?

Dave Zweifel - "Evers showed once again that his style shuns nastiness," writes Zweifel. Finally, Zweifel does offer, "kowtowing to big business—million-dollar, even billion-dollar, payouts to hugely successful corporations started to grate" on voters.

But Zweifel like many other pro-Evers writers is working to reduce politics to personality, holding out the hope, for example, that State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) may hear the "governor's message."

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As Republicans have mobilized the corporate-prison-racist-Evangelical coalition as never before, the Tony Evers crowd calls for depoliticization, saying it's time to be nice, civil and bipartisan.

The Evers crowd does have some friends on the rightwing who emphasize the personal over policy—Peggy Noonan.

Noonan chastised Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) for not appearing likeable, warm and spirited at the State of the Union spectacle.

AOC offered a response to Noonan, that Wisconsin's pro-Evers crowd should consider:

Why should I be “spirited and warm” for this embarrassment of a #SOTU?

Tonight was an unsettling night for our country. The president failed to offer any plan, any vision at all, for our future.

We’re flying without a pilot. And I‘m not here to comfort anyone about that fact. https://t.co/7bu3QXFMnC

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 6, 2019

Terrance Warthen and AOC have it right.

In Wisconsin, the Democratic Party and its amen corner have veered into a post-policy world where elected officials must prioritize being nice, likable, civil and spunky in the manner of a 1970s cheerleader—not that there is anything wrong with that, just that I would prefer the governor to be a fighter and straight shooter with more than a pedestrian knowledge of public policy.

Tony Evers could be really nice and resign, offering the executive branch to Lt Gov Mandela Barnes (D), who gets it.

Foxconn Scam in Wisconsin Is Bipartisan, Aided by Democratic Party and Mouthpieces

Scott Walker pro-Foxconn campaign ad in Wisconsin.

Madison, Wisconsin — John Nichols keeps lying about Foxconn in Wisconsin in his new column this weekend.

The Wisconsin political world knows knows Nichols is lying about Foxconn.

But Foxconn has become a lie agreed upon by many in an effort to obscure the pro-Foxconn position of the Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee, Tony Evers.

For a serious discussion of Foxconn and the 2018 Wisconsin general election, see Lawrence Tabak in the American Prospect.

Writes Tabek:

[A]s of yet, [Evers] has not articulated exactly how he would go about modifying the signed contracts and the promised subsidies, nor is it clear that an onslaught of Walker ads touting the thousands of wonderful Foxconn jobs and concomitant statewide economic bounty will fail to sway. After all, which is easier to parse: 13,000 'family-supporting jobs' or 'just thinking' about what a few billion dollars could do if spent on education.

Tony Evers is a weak and less-than-knowledgeable candidate.

Democratic Party allies know this and are scrambling, though the current political terrain is as hospitable to a D-designated candidate not named Obama than in some 10 years.

Nichols' big lies on Foxconn concern the positions of the two major-party candidates for governor — Gov. Scott Walker (R) and Evers (D).

Scott Walker and Foxconn

First up, there is Walker's effort on Foxconn about which Nichols properly lays out the economic and fiscal outlines of the boondoggle, against Walker's crowing Foxconn is an "opportunity to completely transform our state’s economy."

Nichols ascribes onto Scott Walker good intentions that will lead to unwanted consequences, but only because Walker is "clueless" and was "duped" by Foxconn.

Nichols concludes: "The Foxconn deal has always felt like a scheme to help secure the re-election of a governor who has repeatedly stumbled when it comes to job creation — not a serious proposal for the state’s future."

This framing of the Scott Walker project in Wisconsin is ridiculous, though Walker certainly wants to use Foxconn to prop up his reelection.

Scott Walker was not duped by Foxconn.

Foxconn is a serious, intentional proposal for Wisconsin's future — a low-wage economy amid an unprecedented transformation of the legal terrain to benefit Foxconn against all other citizens, communities and businesses, and massive redistribution of public wealth to private interests.

Administrative law, environmental law, Due Process, and all manner of litigation rights have been altered to benefit one legal entity. This obviously begs many questions about the rights of non-Foxconn players: Everyone else in the regulatory and legal systems.

Foxconn as a corporation is conferred by statute and/or contract explicit permission to pollute and deplete public waters, licensed with special rights against litigants in the heretofore neutral state judicial system, and is given one-of-a-kind protection and legal advice by the Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resources.

Foxconn is a unique legal entity that enjoys privileges far-beyond that of other businesses, non-profits and citizens. This new legal status Foxconn has is not an accident accomplished by a clueless and stumbling Scott Walker.

Foxconn as a super, extraordinary corporate entity was created on purpose and with bad intentions by Walker and Republicans who are engineering corporate rule over the rest of the state.

$Billions for Foxconn is another objective Walker and Republicans have shoved down Wisconsin in a manner that, to any reasonable person, connotes purpose.

Why Nichols and Evers omit the clear aims and objectives of Foxconn is inexplicable, except for the fact Evers maintains his position in favor of Foxconn in the hope few voters notice his duplicity.

Against Walker and Foxconn, Evers couches his support for Foxconn in mush.

Evers' statements about Foxconn consistently echo his commitment while paying lip-service to Foxconn critics because Foxconn is unpopular in Wisconsin, especially in the the northern two-thirds of the state.

Here's Riccardo Torres in the Racine Journal-Times in September:

'It’s a lousy deal, and we’re going to have to hold Foxconn’s feet to the fire going forward,' said Tony Evers.

Evers did not say he would undo or change the agreement with Foxconn if elected governor.

'We can, and we should, compel them to be good corporate citizens,' Evers said.

Gee, it's a good thing Tony Evers is vowing to hold feet to the fire, (wtf does this mean?), and compelling Foxconn to behave as a good corporate citizen.

This tells us nothing about public policy beyond the fact Evers will keep Foxconn.

Maybe Evers will recite the rite of Exorcism: The power of Christ compels, you, Foxconn. Tear up your contract and leave Wisconsin. ... Give us the response, Democrats.

Or maybe Evers has a secret plan to end Foxconn.

State government of, by and for Foxconn is a betrayal.

Tony Evers is complicit.

Wisconsin Is Saying 'No' to the Fox Con

Wisconsin delivers a hostile response to Chinese scheme to foist
colony onto the Badger state.
Scholar, Allen Ruff, created the Facebook news group site,
Say No to the Fox Con over weekend, quickly gathering
100-plus members as state mobilizes opposition to Foxconn.

Imposing a colony in Wisconsin land of sand and water

Madison, Wisconsin — In July Donald Trump, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville, Wisconsin) and Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wisconsin) extolled the virtues of tax payers coughing up $ 3 billion to Fox Conn, (aka Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd), in an unprecedented bid to induce the controversial electronics company to site a plant in Wisconsin—a "win" sounding too good to be true, (Washington Post).

Hon Hai Precision-Foxconn is too good to be true; it's a lie.

Wisconsin people smell a rat; an anti-human, polluting rat that infamously induced Chinese workers to commit suicide rather than be forced to work another day in Chinese work camp-'dormitory' complexes, (CBS News), (Jenny Chan, New Technology, Work and Employment), (CNN Technology). [Foxconn communications director Liu Kun, argued in defense of worker suicides that "with more than a million employees in China alone, the rate of 'self-killing' wasn't far from China's relatively high average," after the company installed anti-suicide nets to catch workers jumping to their deaths in prison dormitories, (CBS News).]

Led by social media such as Facebook, Wisconsin's political culture supports a ready resistance to Foxconn.

On August 4, scholar-activist Allen Ruff created the Facebook group site, Say No to the Fox Con, quickly gathering 150-plus members, expected to balloon to 1,000s by the end of next week as  a "clearing house for critical news and views, primarily articles to inform and educate opposition to the construction of a Foxconn factory in Wisconsin. Pieces regarding the impact on the environment, accounts of the firm's operations elsewhere, and analyses of other effects and 'externalities' not offered up by backers."

Gov. Scott Walker has called a for a special legislative session to push the tax-water-sand give-away through in August before citizens begin focusing on the scam, (Fortune), intended in part to reelect Gov. Jobs Failure who counts on Wisconsinites too discouraged to effectively oppose his regime.

Notes John Nichols in The Capital Times:

Walker, who has claimed over the years that the state is too impoverished to adequately fund public education, public services and roads, has suddenly determined that Wisconsin has an extra $3 billion to hand off to a controversial multinational corporation that is famous for making big promises to nations and states and then failing to deliver.

How is this possible?

Easy. Walker is running for re-election and, as a career politician, he is perfectly happy to sacrifice fiscal responsibility on the altar of his own ambition.

Blowing up the Fox Con is the win working families are counting on before the state is mobilized against Walker in the 2018 gubernatorial campaign.

John Nichols on 'What if Scott Walker were a Democrat'

John Nichols has a must-read at the Capital Times.

Paul Ryan Is Apt Pick as GOP's Targets Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security

Romney and Ryan 2012

GOP extremism on display

"If you think Paul Ryan and his Ayn Rand-worshipping colleagues aren't after your Social Security and Medicare, I am here to disabuse you of your naiveté," said Mike Lofgren, a Republican legislative grunt who retired in June 2011 in dismay and anger at the Tea Party-GOP's radical plans to dismantle the most successful and popular social insurance programs in American history.

Now, Rep. Ryan has been enlisted by Mitt Romney to carry the torch as GOP nominee for the vice presidency.

It's a perfect fit.

Recommend James Vega, John Nichols and the Paul Ryan Watch for important insights on who Paul Ryan is and what he plans for our country.

Bring the Troops Home, Bust the Banksters, Democratize the Economy

Sounds worthy enough.

John Nichols at Bring the Troops Home, Bust the Banksters, Democratize the Economy.

Anti-drug Crusader Takes a Hit

Amy Smith, the last-minute finalist for Dane County Judge rejected by a selection committee and then added by Gov. Jim Doyle is the focus of a piece today by John Nichols in the Cap Times.

Truly, the nicest thing I have heard from practicing members of the Wisconsin Bar is that prosecutor Amy Smith is lying and overzealous.

Writes Nichols:

Members of the selection committee ... would neither confirm nor deny that Smith's name was left off the list because she had on two separate occasions been rebuke by appellate court judges for dishonesty, including one instance where an entire three-judge panel on a drug case chastised the prosecutor for lying about a potential trial witness.

Smith refused repeated requests for her side of the story, even as her name was associated with the most controversial judicial appointment the county has seen in some years.

Nichols see Smith as an example of what is wrong with the proposed so-called merit selection process that would replace the the election of judges, in favor of other judicial election reform.

Smith's crusade against drugs, including that weed sent from the devil Marijuana, was fanatical during her tenure as a prosecutor in Dane County. That she was rebuked as a liar is no great surprise.

See also WKOW's (Madison) report on the selection committee rejecting Smith.

We can't be hating, so let's let Bob take it from here:

Nichols: GOP Fought Pandemic Preparedness

As the world health authorities contend with halting the Swine flu, John Nichols points to the almost pathological disdain that Republicans have for the government's promoting public health, and specifically stopping pandemics in his GOP Know-Nothings Fought Pandemic Preparedness (The Nation).

When House Appropriations Committee chairman David Obey, the Wisconsin Democrat who has long championed investment in pandemic preparation, included roughly $900 million for that purpose in this year's emergency stimulus bill, he was ridiculed by conservative operatives and congressional Republicans.

With a major political party actually hostile to the idea of public health, not a good idea to be reading Daniel Kalla bio-terror novels like Pandemic, in case anyone brought some of this genre of books for their girlfriend last Valentines Day.

Wisc AG Van Hollen hosts McCain 'victory' party

From the Capital Times (Madison, Wis), John Nichols reports:

VAN HOLLEN TO HOST McCAIN "VICTORY" PARTY
After claiming for weeks that there was nothing partisan about his ambitious election season regimen of suing the Government Accountability Board and dispatching attorneys and special agents to polling places where high Democratic turnouts might reasonably be expected, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen comes out of the closet Tuesday night.
He's co-hosting the 'Wisconsin GOP Election Night Party' -- where supporters of John McCain and Sarah Palin will toast their successes or drown their sorrows -- at a Waukesha hotel.
Van Hollen, a McCain campaign co-chair, will be joined by other non-partisan good government activists like Republican congressmen Paul Ryan and Jim Sensenbrenner.

Wisconsin is in the bag folks, no one is complacent here. We'll handle Van Hollen and the pricks here.

But Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Colorado, Nevada and even Pennsylvania, any obstruction problems voting there, go the polls prepared:

- 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline (1-866-687-8683)
- Find your local Obama office and vote prepared to call them, http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
- Find your local paper's office and prepare to call them

William F. Buckley Debates

Enjoy, and have a glass to honor Mr. Buckley's eloquence, verve, intelligence and commitment to disputation.

- William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal (1968 NAZI/Queer Debate)

- Noam Chomsky vs. William F. Buckley Debate : Part 1 of 2

- Noam Chomsky vs. William F. Buckley Debate : Part 2 of 2

- Vidal v. Buckley: Part 1 (1968)

- Vidal v. Buckley: Part 2 (1968)

- William F. Buckley vs. Gore Vidal (1968)

- The Nation: Contemplating the Former Brilliance of Bill Buckley

Dem Debate Reaction - Hillary, We Denounce and Reject You

Hillary, we denounce and reject you.

-- American people, Jan.-Feb. 2008, Democratic presidential primary

"... Obama is quick on his feet and good humored. He also conveys a certain bemused remove from the bizarre conventions of traditional insider politics, which is exactly why people love him."
--Michael Crowley

One million contributors to Obama! Not even the most dense network commentator can talk this away.

"Hillary Clinton should probably spend a little more time boning up on her husband's trade record than watching NBC's 'Saturday Night Live.' That might have helped her to figure out that no good was going to come from trying to be funny, biting and substantive at the same time."
- John Nichols

- MSNBC debate