News yesterday that Donald Trump in a single phone call reanimated Foxconn Technology Group's commitment to site a $10 billion liquid-crystal-display manufacturing facility in southeast Wisconsin strains the credulity of the most gullible (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).
The alleged new commitment by Foxconn follows a report earlier this week in Reuters that the same plans for building the manufacturing facility and hiring a large manufacturing workforce have been shelved.
Trump's assurance is good enough for Tony Evers. But the hard-boiled school bureaucrat did tell reporters that Foxconn's "communication" needs consistency.
"It’s just a matter of their communication strategy being more consistent," Evers said. "I’m comfortable that they’re still committed to the state, they’re committed to this Generation 6 technology, but that doesn’t mean that we (won’t) encourage them to be more transparent and consistent in their messaging." (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
Evers' tardy response raises more questions.
Why is Tony Evers not protecting Wisconsin?
Why is Tony Evers reacting to a blockbuster report with comments that reduce a $ billion boondoggle to a "messaging" problem.
Reads the Reuters report:
Now, those plans may be scaled back or even shelved, Louis Woo, special assistant to Foxconn Chief Executive Terry Gou, told Reuters. He said the company was still evaluating options for Wisconsin, but cited the steep cost of making advanced TV screens in the United States, where labor expenses are comparatively high.
'In terms of TV, we have no place in the U.S.,' Woo said in an interview. We can’t compete.' ...
Rather than a focus on LCD manufacturing, Foxconn wants to create a 'technology hub' in Wisconsin.
'In Wisconsin we’re not building a factory. You can’t use a factory to view our Wisconsin investment,' Woo said.
If readers are getting whiplash, consider that Trump claims Gou told Trump "off the record" in a private conversation in August 2017 that the real Foxconn investment was not $10 billion, but rather $30 billion (Associated Press).
Does anyone believe the Foxconn scam, as imprecise and amateurish as the agreement is?
Tony Evers sounds like he's making excuses for Republicans and Foxconn:
Reports the Wisconsin State Journal:
Evers, meanwhile, said he spoke to Woo Friday morning and came away 'comfortable' that they’re still committed to the state.
'But that doesn’t mean that we won’t continue to encourage them to be more transparent and consistent in their messaging,' Evers said. 'The economy is apparently changing from their worldview that they have to make some changes. That’s understandable, but we have to make sure the transparency is there.'
Asked if he’s confident that Foxconn will fulfill its original plans to create as many as 13,000 jobs in Wisconsin, Evers said, 'The 13,000 is not going to happen tomorrow.'
'We’ll monitor it,' he said. 'The good news is, as the Republicans continue to tell us, is the jobs are contingent on getting tax credits. So there’s some protections there.'
The Associated Press reports:
Evers says he spoke with Foxconn executive Louis Woo on Friday and he’s comfortable that the company remains committed to Wisconsin. But he says there’s 'no limit to skepticism' if the company’s messaging isn’t coherent. He says his administration is stressing to the company that transparency is key in such a high-profile project.
State and local leaders have promised Foxconn an unprecedented $4 billion in incentives.
Tony Evers is confused.
Evers' job is protecting Wisconsin, not Trump, not Foxconn and not Republicans.
Wisconsin Democrats, meanwhile, are staying silent on Evers' piss-poor performance, instead offering whisper campaigns and character assassination directed toward critics of Foxconn.
