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.
