Wisconsin Bill Would Ban Pandemic-level Pathogen Enhancements — Narrow Scope Tailored to Augment UW BioMed Work

It is conceivable that Wisconsin's politically eclectic population
may drive the two major political parties together to enact
policy that defines University research as irretrievably connected
to popular sentiment, in the best tradition of the Wisconsin Idea.
Wisconsin Senate Bill 401 bans Gain of function research, research
that "may reasonably be anticipated to enhance the transmissibility
or virulence (harmfulness) of a potentially pandemic pathogen."

Madison, Wisconsin — A state bill that would ban a narrow band of research on dangerous pathogens is proceeding through the Wisconsin Legislature.

Wisconsin Senate Bill 401's (SB401) introduction comes as the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters its fourth year among the human population.

SARS-CoV-2 virus is widely suspected by independent experts to have been bio-engineered in a research laboratory, with ties to the United States, and inadvertently released in Wuhan, China in Fall 2019.

Yet, this recognition remains politically toxic, inhibiting academic and federal policymakers from banning this type of research, Gain of Function, that independent experts think caused the Covid 19 Pandemic.

The Biden administration has still failed to institute a 911-type commission on SARS-COV2 origins, though the World Health Organization has convened a team of sorts for the Global Study of the Origins of SARS-COV2, that produced work that has drawn criticism.

Independent experts see the states, exemplified by Wisconsin Senate Bill 401, as friendly terrain on which to codify research-safety measures, transparency, reporting requirements and community right-to-know mandates.

Wisconsin Senate Bill 401 bans Gain of Function research, research that "may reasonably be anticipated to enhance the transmissibility or virulence (harmfulness) of a potentially pandemic pathogen."

Wisconsin Senate Bill 401 indicates potentially pandemic pathogen as defined below.

"Potentially pandemic pathogen means a virus, bacteria, fungus, or
2eukaryotic parasite, or any strain or variant of a virus, bacteria, fungus, or
3eukaryotic parasite, that is any of the following:

4 1. Likely, moderately, or highly transmissible and likely capable of wide and
5uncontrollable spread in human populations.

6 2. Likely, moderately, or highly virulent and likely to cause significant
7mortality and morbidity in human beings.

8 3. Likely to pose a severe threat to public health and safety, the capacity of
9 public health systems, or the security of this state if allowed to spread within the
10 general population.

The United States has seen government censorship and propaganda of media, medical fields and the universities rise to a level resembling wartime government control the last four years, as acknowledged experts have seen chilling impacts.
 
"A vocal minority within [Virology] field has been knowingly, willfully, and brazenly lying on the subjects of COVID-19 origins, biosafety, biosecurity, and biorisk management. Dismayingly, the vast majority of the field has chosen to remain silent," said Richard Ebright, Board of Governors Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University, and co-founder of BiosafetyNow.

Post-WW II,  UW-Madison has grown into a major public research institution, that in Wisconsin's popular mind remains a source of pride for multi-generational commitments to benefit society and advance science.

Asked if Wisconsin, should be concerned that Wisconsin Senate Bill 401 can harm this commitment, and betray a legacy, Dr. Ebright responded in an email explicitly: "The bill covers only gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens. The covered research has no--zero--civilian applications and represents less than one tenth of one percent of biomedical research at the University of Wisconsin (basically just a part of the research of one faculty member)."

Conduct by the University of Wisconsin-Madison high-security Influenza Research Institute operating in Research Park has come under criticism in a new book, excerpts of which were published in USA Today last Spring.

The book is Alison Young’s Pandora’s Gamble Lab Leaks, Pandemics, and a World at Risk, (April 2023, WHSmith). 

Much of the focus of Young's book is on Gain of Function (GOF) research.

Pandora’s Gamble Lab Leaks, Pandemics,
and a World at Risk, (2023, WHSmith)

The United States House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic has singled out and criticized UW-Madison's bio research recently.

As Wisconsin progressives and community activists eye suspected military-intelligence duel use of Gain of Function (GOF) research, late Summer reaction of Wisconsin to the proposed Gain of Function ban has been muted and unpredictable.
---
One thing is certain: Conducting high-risk, Gain of Function research has exasperated many independent scientists such as Bryce Nickels, Professor of Genetics at Rutgers University; co-founder of BiosafetyNow.

Arrogance, careerism and even sociopathy appear to drive some research such as Gain of Function.

Writes Nickels on Twitter in mid-August: "They knew the risks, and yet they decided to play god anyway. Only thing you could have done would have been to pay them to stop doing the work. They could not be trusted then and can not be trusted now.
We need to ban GOFROC yesterday."

They knew the risks, and yet they decided to play god anyway. Only thing you could have done would have been to pay them to stop doing the work. They could not be trusted then and can not be trusted now.
We need to ban GOFROC yesterday. https://t.co/bdvDdP4svW

— Bryce Nickels (@Bryce_Nickels) August 13, 2023

It is conceivable, even likely, that Wisconsin's politically eclectic population may drive the two major U.S. political parties together to enact policy banning Gain of Function research as an acknowledgement that the University of Wisconsin System is irretrievably connected to popular sentiment and safety, in the best exercise of the Wisconsin Idea and UW-Madison's premier public research tradition.

Update:

It was recently reported that the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency had collected evidence of a lab origin of COVID-19, but that intel had been left out of public reports.

Just now, U.S. Right to Know obtained a heavily redacted report from the Defense Intelligence Agency… pic.twitter.com/5zniwxT6Q2

— Emily Kopp (@emilyakopp) September 5, 2023

Tony Evers Is Hush on Foxconn and Astronomical Give-away of Public Dollars

Madison, Wisconsin — Wisconsin Republicans foisted a $multi-billion public subsidy in late Summer 2017 under cover of minimal public hearings to create what was subsequently dubbed "the 8th wonder of the world" by Donald Trump, (CBS News).

The political rogues announcing the boondoggle — led by Ryan, Walker and Trump — included Trump's extemporaneous assurance that Foxconn CEO Terry Gou told Trump "off-the-record" that the company will triple its promised $10 billion investment in Wisconsin to $30 billion, (Associated Press).

Good enough for Wisconsin Gov Tony Evers (D), (Mal Contends, The American Prospect).

Evers avoids policy positions on Foxconn, sticking to his ridiculous 'hold Foxconn's feet to the fire' line, a labored metaphor voiced with all the sincerity of Scott Walker professing his love for public education.

Even as experienced litigators point the way forward for Evers, the current policy of Evers on Foxconn is identical to Walker's.

Foxconn is also eyeing acquiring intellectual property rights from UW-Madison staff and students, (Urban Milwaukee).

Dan Kaufman, the author of the book The Fall of Wisconsin, offers an analysis on why the Walker-Evers-Foxconn fiasco may dominate Evers' first term and decimate the state for many decades, (New Yorker Radio Hour).

Tony Evers should tune in.

Scott Walker Leaves Wisconsin — Petulant and Ungrateful as a Classical Liberal Society Looks to Future

Time flies, as Scott Walker leaves corruption, scandal and
lies as a legacy. Seems like only yesterday, Scott Walker
campaigned with felons, Tim Russell and Brian Pierick,
two aides who embezzled from military veterans. Walker
leaves Wisconsin, living on the same pensions and
healthcare that the great charlatan campaigned against.

Madison, Wisconsin — Defeated Gov Scott Walker (R) will leave Wisconsin diminished while the man-child hits the rightwing welfare circuit, three years after having been rejected by Republican Presidential Primary voters as not equipped for the White House.

It will take Wisconsin years to recover from (and discover) the full extent of systemic damage to every corner of government that Walker tried to engineer for his donors against the people during Wisconsin's lost decade of corruption and malice.

But make no mistake, Scott Walker failed in his mission to destroy democracy in Wisconsin, and the voters, flush off a major voting rights victory gave Walker the boot.

No surprise, Walker exits Wisconsin with a new and outrageous attack on voting rights, in defiance of the authority of the federal courts.

Incidentally, incoming Gov Tony Evers (D) is not the man for the job. Evers is already making vague threats against black and brown residents that the criminal code will be expanded, to be wielded by local agents of white supremacy — Republican-dominated municipal police.

Notwithstanding the moribund quality of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, (which can be every bit as obtuse, racist and provincial as the GOP), Wisconsin remains intact.

Wisconsin's world-class University System survived Scott Walker, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison remains the vibrant oasis of empirical investigation, liberal education, radical activism and pioneering discovery that each year draws 1,000s the world-over to help launch new lives.

As rural parts of the state grow even whiter and older, and young families look for new regions in which to set down roots, an energetic 45-plus percent of small-town Wisconsin remains, engaged in a rights-based, innovative politics for the future, of which clean and safe water necessary for life remains at the top of the agenda.

With Dane County again leading the state in private-sector, high-wage jobs that make Madison, for example, an illustration of everything Scott Walker is not — independent, educated, innovative, rights-based and progressive — Wisconsin will recover from Walker.

Blind allegiance to the Democratic Party is not the answer.

Demand from representative government what you believe as public policy; it's a classical liberal thing.

"True freedom and prosperity do not come from the clumsy hand of the government," says Scott Walker in a New Year's email.

Why then did Scott Walker give Wisconsin government to donors and corporate America, while preaching the value of private industry? Scott Walker is a liar with a psychology and character untroubled by hypocrisy and deceit.

Looking to 2020, Wisconsin remains a beacon, with a world-class University and millions of citizens who defeated a child who would destroy what took generations to create.

Scott Walker lost, and Wisconsin is flush with renewed hope, dreams and commitment for the future.

Wisconsin Gov Candidate, Tony Evers, Hit in The American Prospect on Foxconn

Scott Walker pro-Foxconn campaign ads are everywhere
in Wisconsin.

Update: More mush from Tony Evers on Foxconn: "It’s a lousy deal, and we’re going to have to hold Foxconn’s feet to the fire going forward."

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, (Torres, Racine Journal-Times)

Madison, Wisconsin — Tony Evers, the Democratic Party nominee for governor, favors the most massive state give-away to a foreign corporation in United States history — Foxconn.

As policy, the Foxconn give-away of $billions in public monies is lunacy, jammed through the gerrymandered Republican legislature in August-Sept 2017 supported by lies.

Yet, in the Wisconsin political culture, the Democratic Party's Tony Evers' complicity in the Foxconn debacle is a truth that dare not be spoken outside independent progressive citizen-action movements.

A piece just out the The American Prospect by Lawrence Tabak offers a run-down on Foxconn in Wisconsin, including the fact the Tony Evers campaign refuses to support litigation against the Foxconn-Wisconsin contract.

Evers' deceitful campaign posture reads: "When I’m governor, we’ll hold Foxconn’s feet to the fire and make sure that Wisconsin is getting the best return on investment possible."

This is what passes for policy commitment on Foxconn from Tony Evers.

The American Prospect piece is implicitly critical of this mush. Writes Tabak:

The soft-spoken Evers may believe he can convince Wisconsin voters that Walker has misspent billions of taxpayer dollars to bring Foxconn to the state. But as of yet, he 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. (emphasis added)

Foxconn remains widely unpopular, especially in the northern two-thirds of the state where Tony Evers must outperform losing Democratic Party showings in 2010, 2014, and 2016.

Another truth about Tony Evers is that he is mediocre school bureaucrat from east-central (white) Wisconsin with a pedestrian understanding of public policy, ill-equipped to meaningfully oppose the Republican Party's wrecking ball Wisconsin has suffered the last seven years.

The same political groupthink and Democratic Party consultants who bequeathed Gov. Scott Walker (R) and Donald Trump onto Wisconsin is capable of thwarting what should be an easy win for an opponent of Walker in 2018 Wisconsin.

As has been written in these pages, those concerned about democracy in Wisconsin can take solace in the heavy political winds against Walker and Republicans this campaign cycle.

Rural women are especially appalled by Republicans, inform anecdotes from two central and northern Wisconsin political field operations from Democratic Party nominees for the legislature.

Can citizen action lift a milquetoast Tony Evers over Scott Walker?

Yes, it can; but a call to Tony Evers' campaign and a kick in his ass are called for as Foxconn's unpopularity mounts.

See Rick Romell's latest piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Thought Republicans were against the government forcefully taking someone’s property. Not when @ScottWalker wants to look good for the next election.https://t.co/5dEe9RDGhN

— Indivisible WI-06 (@indivisiblewi06) September 22, 2018

Foxconn in Wisconsin — Tony Evers Changes Position from 'No Comment' to Blather

Foxconn in Wisconsin is now a
bi-partisan boondoggle. Tony
Evers has joined Scott Walker
in the endgame: Foxconn stays,
Wisconsin loses.

Madison, Wisconsin — Tony Evers, the Democratic Party nominee for governor, favors the most massive state give-away to a foreign corporation in United States history — Foxconn.

Evers is quiet on the campaign trail on Foxconn, as many Democratic supporters who oppose Foxconn caution silence on Evers' support, lest anti-Foxconn supporters vote Green or Libertarian out of disgust with Evers.

Major elements of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin have abandoned open opposition to Foxconn, in effect siding with Gov. Scott Walker (R) and Republicans on this radical policy change, that even has towns in Illinois fearful of environmental damage.

The Foxconn public-funding initiative is spectacular, and would codify changes in how Wisconsin and numerous municipalities would operate for years.

Tony Evers continues his posture on Foxconn as Wisconsin has made a significant transformation on becoming a colonial agent of the Taiwanese corporation and other industrial special interests from 2011 - 2018. Evers rejects litigation in federal court against Foxconn as his campaign position remains: Wish Foxconn away, which is fantasyland, hence Foxconn stays.

Three days after the Primary election, Aug. 14,  a campaign piece appeared in BizTimes out of Milwaukee.

Arthur Thomas notes: "Evers’ campaign declined to comment on the election results in the context of Foxconn."

This is unusual for a major party candidate on a big campaign issue.

Evers has offered rhetoric on the obvious down side of funneling $billions to Foxconn, and exempting the corporation from Wisconsin environmental law, and changing (apparently illegally) how challenges can proceed in state court against Foxconn and only Foxconn.

But Evers has offered only vague drivel not befitting the gravity of Foxconn as public policy as Foxconn upped its PR offensive in August.

Days after Evers' inexplicable no comment in BizTimes, Thomas updated his piece:

After this story was published, Evers’ campaign provided a statement from the candidate, criticizing the size of the Foxconn support and incentives – $4.5 billion counting state and local packages and other infrastructure investments – and the estimated 25-year wait for the state to see a return on its investment.

'That’s a lousy investment,' Evers said. 'Foxconn has already backtracked on several of its promises and is not being held accountable by Walker. When I’m governor, we’ll hold Foxconn’s feet to the fire and make sure that Wisconsin is getting the best return on investment possible.'

So, Tony Evers will now hold Foxconn’s feet to the fire. What does this mean? Evers will make sure. What does this mean?

Evers didn't say and Thomas didn't report.

What it means is Foxconn stays, and Evers takes occasional shots at it, hoping noone notices what he is doing. It's call lip service.

The BizTimes statement exemplifies Evers' deceitful campaign posture: Emit negative messages on the unpopular Foxconn, and avoid any substantial comment on the enabling Foxconn legislation and the contract between Wisconsin and Foxconn.

Wisconsin has two scenarios in General Election voting beginning in three weeks.

1. Tony Evers changes his pro-Foxconn position and vows to oppose Foxconn in federal court.* Concomitant with this policy change, Evers makes specific pitches for votes from the Libertarian and Green parties, and grassroots clean water activists.
[*State court is out, unless part of a multiple-jurisdictional, multi-party litigation strategy in both federal and state court. Repeal of enabling legislation is out, unless improbably the gerrymandered firewall in the State Assembly is breached.]

Evers wins in a landslide.

2. Tony Evers maintains his current and deceitful pro-Foxconn posture and risks giving the election to Scott Walker as Wisconsinites abandon another weaselly corporatist Democrat, ala Hillary Clinton.

Foxconn Slithers Ahead as Tony Evers and Scott Walker Praise Slime Left for Wisconsin

Foxconn is keeping tabs on Wisconsin race for governor.

Madison, Wisconsin — Gov. Scott Walker (R) trumpeted the news about Foxconn gifting UW-Madison $100-million, (Twitter).

Seems too good to be true. It is.

Like most things involving Scott Walker, the latest Foxconn development is a scam to reward special interests at the expense of Wisconsin.

As 2018 is a mid-term election year, we can expect Democratic Party nominee Tony Evers to expose and campaign against the Foxconn lunacy? No.

Tony Evers' position remains: Foxconn stays, Wisconsin bleeds.

Evers' amen corner is becoming desperate as Evers' pro-Foxconn position becomes public the week before Labor Day.

For the hard corps Tony Evers supporters, Foxconn and $billion subsidies are the price of defeating Scott Walker.

For many others, the latest Scott Walker move to turn Wisconsin into a Taiwanese colony calls for a public statement from Tony Evers opposing Foxconn in federal court.

Tony Evers tells Wisconsin again, you will pay for Foxconn and you will like it.

Here are some numbers from the Wisconsin 2016 Presidential General Election that should concern the Democratic Party of Wisconsin today.

12,162 votes     .41% Constitution Party

106,674 votes  3.58% Libertarian Party

31,072 votes    1.04% Green Party

Tony Evers keeps up his ridiculous pro-Foxconn stance, it's likely we see similar percentages this Nov, enough to swing a close election.

Gov Candidate Tony Evers Remains Silent on Foxconn Contract

Updated - Madison, Wisconsin — Weeks from the absentee voting start in the Wisconsin mid-term General Election, is this the year we dump Gov. Scott Walker (R)?

Not if the Democratic Party nominee for governor, Tony Evers, gets his way.

Evers is avoiding questions about major policy more assiduously than Scott Walker dodges questions about Walker's historic cuts to education and health care.

This campaign season, instead of policy discussion, Wisconsin voters are treated to a non-stop smorgasbord of what Evers ate at McDonald's.

This steady diet of fluff from Evers includes no mention of the most massive corporate give-away in U.S. history — Foxconn, specifically the question of Evers litigating the Foxconn-Wisconsin contract in federal court.

The Foxconn-Wisconsin 29-page contract remained secret until after the deal was signed by Walker's administration and the Foxconn chair, WKOW reported last year.

Evers in his weaselly manner becoming common now-a-days retains his position amounting to Foxconn stays, Wisconsin bleeds, a position Evers is trying to keep secret.

Evers has not mentioned Foxconn since the Aug 14 Primary Election, going completely dark on a major issue on which Scott Walker continues to campaign.

Evers' past comments include a vague promise to try to convince Foxconn to give up its $ billion subsidies, its guarantees to flaunt local and state law on water protections, among other negotiated perks given to Foxconn in the contract approved November 2017, and enabling legislation.

Mal Contends will continue its effort to get an answer from Evers on opposing the Foxconn contract.

With each day that Tony Evers refuses questions on Foxconn comes new evidence the Foxconn scam is bi-partisan.

@Tony4WI Transparency is a laudable objective. Are you willing to publicly commit to litigating the lunatic Foxconn-Wisconsin contract in federal court? Be open, clear and transparent, pls. The courtesy of a reply? https://t.co/fWvqvE4LNm

— Michael Leon (@mal644) August 26, 2018

Tony Evers Is Silent on Foxconn Four Weeks from Absentee Voting Start

In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott
Walker's discredited claim
that 13,000 new jobs will
materialize with a $4 billion
public investment is meeting
with incredulity. Walker's 2018
campaign, Friends of Scott
Walker, is pitching the
scheme dubbed the
Fox Con. Dem Party
nominee for gov,
Tony Evers, refuses
to take a clear position.

Off your ass, Tony Evers

Madison, Wisconsin — We're four weeks out to the first absentee voters casting their ballots in the Gov. Scott Walker-Tony Evers race in the Wisconsin General Election.

Democratic Party nominee for governor, Tony Evers, still will not issue a public statement against the Foxconn-Wisconsin contract, negotiated by Republicans, for Republicans and against working families.

The Foxconn boondoggle does not play well among most voters. It ought not, it's lunacy.

Foxconn is a winner for Democrats but the Democratic Party nominee for governor, Tony Evers, retains his posture there is nothing to be done to stop the foreign company from polluting and depleting our water, and destroying our wetlands, saying we can only wish Foxconn to become good corporate citizens.

Meanwhile, Gov. Scott Walker (R) ballyhoos the $ billions in subsidies to Foxconn.

Reports Arthur Thomas in the BizTimes in mid-August: "Evers’ campaign declined to comment on the election results in the context of Foxconn."

We have the sitting Republican governor running for reelection, Donald Trump and legislative Republicans lying through their teeth about Foxconn. Evers won't say a word

Evers is spineless.

Walker is already up running Foxconn ads around the state and the internet.

Foxconn still polls badly, and a libertarian candidate, Phil Anderson, is drawing seven percent among registered voters who don't like the idea of $ billion subsidies to private, foreign interests, (Marquette Law School Poll).

Here's Phil Anderson on Foxconn and the Economy: "We oppose all efforts of State government to pick winners and losers in the economy."

Anderson is not going win seven percent in the general election.

But only an idiot or the Democratic Party nominee for governor believes Anderson is not capable of picking up enough votes to swing a close election.

Most every Democratic Party voter hates Foxconn and wants the contract torn up.

As Tony Evers silently runs away from Scott Walker's Soviet-style industrial planning, few are willing to speak up and urge Evers to do the right thing by Wisconsin families.

For the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, the go-to move on Foxconn is noone breathe, noone dare speak and fall in line behind milquetoast Tony — because when in the last eight years has the Democratic Party ever made a political miscalculation?

Here's some advice from Bloomberg on Foxconn from last August (2017), for the edification of Evers:

Such incentives [as $3 billion, (now $4 billion) in public funds] are generally an awful way to lure jobs -- expensive, inefficient and fraught with unintended consequences.

They can prompt costly bidding wars between states and impede other budget priorities. They have little effect on employment, growth or wages. They may induce unwise borrowing.

Companies often come back again and again, as blackmailers tend to, seeking yet more blandishments. And nothing stops them from walking away when times get tough.

States are also apt to loosen the rules. Among other perks, Foxconn won’t need to obtain the state permits ordinarily required to discharge dredged material into local wetlands.

Nor will it have to submit to standard environmental-impact studies. Such exceptions make for irrational public policy.

One might argue, as politicians often do, that even bad jobs underwritten by taxpayers are preferable to no jobs at all. But that’s wrongheaded: If those tax dollars were freed to find more productive uses, they’d boost efficiency and growth elsewhere in the economy -- and thus create more jobs.

Tony Evers, you're really screwing up, man.

Tony Evers Is Silent on Opposing Foxconn in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott
Walker's discredited claim
that 13,000 new jobs will
materialize with a $4 billion
public investment is meeting
with incredulity. Walker's 2018
campaign, Friends of Scott
Walker, is pitching the
scheme dubbed the
Fox Con. Dem Party
nominee for gov,
Tony Evers, refuses
to take a clear position.

Foxconn Is Not a Bad Actor; Can't Un-ring Bell Remains Position of Dem Nominee for Gov

Madison, Wisconsin — Talk to folks in the northern two-thirds of the state and ask how the Foxconn boondoggle plays. Not well.

Foxconn is a political winner for Democrats but the Democratic Party nominee for gov, Tony Evers, retains his posture there is nothing that can be done to stop the foreign company from polluting and depleting our water, saying in effect we can only wish Foxconn to become good corporate citizens.

Meanwhile, Gov. Scott Walker (R) maintains his position that ballyhoos the $ billions in subsidies to Foxconn.

Reports Arthur Thomasin the BizTimes: "Evers’ campaign declined to comment on the election results in the context of Foxconn."

Yes, because why would Tony Evers craft precise policy positions on the worst deal Wisconsin has ever negotiated, a massive giveaway on which the sitting Repulbican governor is running for reelection, and a lie that is hyped by Donald Trump.

Foxconn as fiscal and economic plutonium works as a metaphor. This scheme is deadly to economic development, fiscal health of the state, and the ability of local governments to protect their communities from corporate bad actors.

The economic and environmental scale and impact of Foxconn is immense.

But Walker in his Evangelical certainty knows Foxconn is what Jesus wants for Wisconsin, until he is called away to the private sector.

A problem for Wisconsin is Tony Evers' current position on Foxconn is a model of vacuity.

Keep up the great work, Tony.

One Gov Candidate Vows to Terminate Massive Foxconn Subsidy and Free-to-Pollute Guarantees

In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott
Walker's discredited claim
that 13,000 new jobs will
materialize with a $3 billion
public investment is meeting
with incredulity. Walker's 2018
campaign, Friends of Scott
Walker, is now pitching the
scheme dubbed the
Fox Con.

The election of Matt Flynn as Wisconsin governor would result in litigation against Foxconn placing Donald Trump and Republicans in an untenable Foxconn-first position against an elected state government

Analysis - Madison, Wisconsin — The election of the leading Foxconn foe running for the nomination for governor in the Democratic Party Primary would mean the greatest industrial-policy litigation against a foreign corporation in American history, Matt Flynn promises.

Such litigation would highlight the political vulnerability of pro-Foxconn policy that could potentially obliterate Trump's faux America-first appeal.

Alone among Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates, Matt Flynn has vowed to litigate the Foxconn-Wisconsin contract with an objective of terminating all public monetary subsidies and specific contractual exceptions to environmental and zoning state and local laws for Foxconn.

The latest public polling data on Wisconsin's $ 4-billion-plus subsidy to Foxconn shows strong plurality sentiment against the biggest give-away of state monies to a foreign corporation in American history, (Marquette University Law School Poll (July 18, 2018)).

Reads the poll analysis by Charles Franklin:

Views of [Wisconsin residents on] the Foxconn incentive package and the effects of the new manufacturing center are little changed from the June poll. Forty-six percent think the state is paying more than the Foxconn plant is worth, while 39 percent think the plant will provide at least as much value as the state is investing in the plant.

Gov. Scott Walker (R) and Donald Trump have hyped Foxconn [Foxconn Technology Co Ltd., aka Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd.] in Wisconsin past the point of credulity.

Last month at the ceremonial groundbreaking in southeastern Wisconsin, Trump acclaimed the proposed Foxconn center as "the 8th wonder of the world," (CBS News). Last year, Foxconn CEO, Terry Gou, told Trump "off-the-record" that the company will triple its promised $10 billion investment in Wisconsin to $30 billion, Trump claimed, aka a lie (Associated Press).

Foxconn at the Ballot

Will this unprecedented public give-away to a Taiwanese corporation be able to pass muster at the ballot box?

Foxconn may indeed succeed in the mid-term general election voting because of the diffuse nature of grassroots opposition and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

One anti-Foxconn Facebook site, No to the Fox Con run by Madison resident Allen Ruff and boasting 100s of activist members, declares candidate positions of gubernatorial candidate are the same, a patently false statement. Ruff further declares that candidate positions on Foxconn should not inform analysis of anti-Foxconn commentary and public information, another ludicrous position.

But the site highlights a problem. Many residents would prefer to express anti-Foxconn sentiment, while ignoring the high-stakes strategy needed to produce the desired results.

Last Summer, Gov. Scott Walker (R) was able to jam Foxconn through the state legislature because so many people tuned out of the magnitude and costs of the project. No referendum was offered or demanded.

We can't now wish Foxconn away. Alone among Wisconsin candidates for governor, Matt Flynn proposes to terminate the contract through a complex litigation strategy. This is going to be the greatest Wisconsin industrial-policy case in state history pitting the Taiwanese corporation v. Wisconsin, if Flynn wins the nomination and the general election.

So would Donald Trump, the first cheerleader for Foxconn, then double-down on his support for the Wisconsin-Foxconn deal in favor of Taiwan?

This would be politically disastrous.  Unfortunately, inflicting political disaster onto Trump and Scott Walker is not always high on Wisconsin Democratic-progressive strategic missions or on a list of things to do.

Wisconsin Dems Legislator Out as Assembly Leader

Madison, Wisconsin — A Democratic legislative leader who betrayed Wisconsin working families for the proposed $3 billion corporate give-away to the Taiwanese giant, Foxconn, has resigned from his post as minority leader.

The Democratic State Assembly Minority Leader, Rep. Peter Barca, (D-Kenosha), voted in August for an unprecedented state subsidy dubbed the Fox Con, drawing public criticism from progressive Democratic Assembly members and the public.

The Foxconn subsidy is unpopular across the state.

Folks up-north in central and northern Wisconsin do not want and did not ask for a crippling $3 billion public subsidy to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd.

Barca will never understand this.

Foxconn Vote Looms as Wisc Republicans Block Release of Revenue Forecast

Madison, Wisconsin — The Wisconsin State Senate is expected to vote on a bill subsidizing Foxconn with $3 billion in public monies in mid-September, so Republicans are blocking the release of year-end revenue numbers, and still have not passed a budget, notes an economics and politics writer in Wisconsin.

What's going on?

What's going on is Wisconsin Republicans are retreating to secret, executive session in the Joint Committee on Finance, meaning Wisconsin citizens need not ask questions as Republicans cripple the fiscal health of the state for the foreseeable future.

The agenda today at Joint Finance is composed of the uncompleted budget and the Foxconn bill.

Noone knows when votes will occur of these two massive items, as such questions are Republican business and not the business of the Wisconsin people.

Foxconn Absurdity in Wisconsin Moves Ahead Fast and Quiet

Madison, Wisconsin — One thing is certain about the proposed $3 billion Wisconsin give-away to the Taiwanese giant, Foxconn Technology Co Ltd, aka Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd.

Advocates of the legislation do not want the Wisconsin people looking closely at the deal.

The special Foxconn legislation is now before the State Senate, after having been passed by the State Assembly on August 17.

You can't blame the Foxconn conspirators for working in secret.

This is after-all the same boondoggle first announced by Donald Trump, Scott Walker and Paul Ryan whose governing philosophy is, say-and-promise-anything.

Last month, Trump couldn't resist embellishing the Foxconn deal by asserting the promised $10 billion investment in Wisconsin is really $30 billion, a fact Trump said the Foxconn CEO, Terry Gou, told Trump "off-the-record," (Associated Press).

The Foxconn CEO was silent on Trump's claim, (Associated Press), and to date has not offered public complaint about Trump breaking the secret convention under which Trump claimed the Gou-Trump conversation took place.

C'mon, does anyone really believe this Trump-Gou conversation took place?

Maybe Mr. Gou cares about the Wisconsin people so much, he just wants to surprise folks with a $20 billion gift to off-set the hike in property taxes.

After-all, Scott Walker said at the Wisconsin State Fair on August 8, "Really the payoff is from income taxes for the 13,000 people that will get on average $53,000/a year plus benefits," (Handelman, Fox 6, Milwaukee).

Consider as well Paul Ryan said "It's a really good deal for Wisconsin.

Jokes aside, the Foxconn give-away is about as popular as mosquitoes on a late Summer night.

For this massive, unprecedented gift of public money, the Wisconsin people should have their say.

And since Republicans propose extra-Constitutional gifting of public water resources, a statewide advisory referendum should be held.

If what has been dubbed the Fox Con is such a good deal, surly this once-in-a-generation deal will do well at the ballot box.

Wisconsin Democratic Leader under Fire for Pro-Foxconn Vote

Democratic Ass Minority Leader Peter Barca, Flaks for Foxconn, Walker, Trump

Madison, Wisconsin — The proposed $3 billion corporate give-away to the Taiwanese giant, Foxconn, doesn't have many fans in Wisconsin outside Republican Party pols.

One of the supporters is the Democratic State Assembly Minority Leader, Rep. Peter Barca, (D-Kenosha), who voted in mid-August for this unprecedented subsidy dubbed the Fox Con.

Now, Barca is drawing public criticism from progressive Democratic Assembly members, one of whom is featured in an Associated Press piece by Scott Bauer hitting the national media.

Writes the AP's Bauer:

Wisconsin Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca was branded as failing 'on all accounts' by a fellow Democrat who was 'incredibly frustrated and concerned' with his actions after Barca joined Republicans in voting for a $3 billion tax incentive package for Foxconn Technology Group.

The critic is State Rep. Lisa Subeck, (D-Madison), who like most Wisconsin Democratic legislators and gubernatorial candidates, is against the gargantuan boondoggle.

The Foxconn legislation enjoys little support in western, central and northern Wisconsin, so Barca's tactic to exacerbate historical geographical tensions could consolidate disdain for Democratic legislators already imperiled by gerrymandered redistricting.

Rep. Subeck issues a statement last week following the Foxconn vote in the State Assembly.

Subeck's statement is reproduced below:

MADISON – Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) released the following statement regarding her vote against Special Session Assembly Bill 1, which will provide a $3 billion subsidy to the Taiwanese company, Foxconn.

The $3 billion Foxconn giveaway passed today by Assembly Republicans is a bad deal for the hardworking taxpayers of Wisconsin. The price tag is too high, and the risk of providing $3 billion in corporate welfare far outweighs any likely benefit.

To be clear, I am committed to bringing good jobs to Wisconsin, but this convoluted corporate welfare scheme is not the way to do so. We can bring good jobs to Wisconsin without selling out our environment or mortgaging our children’s futures.

I voted no today to protect my constituents who will be left paying the price of this boondoggle for years to come. Governor Walker and the Republicans are all too willing to sell out Wisconsin’s future to a foreign corporation.

Unfortunately for Wisconsin, the Democratic Party as a whole has not put out a coherent message against Foxconn.

The Supeck email was sent to all Assembly Democrats last week, and was obtained by the AP, likely leaked by disgusted Democratic aides.

A hearing is scheduled today in the legislature's Joint Committee on Finance.

The Finance hearing has been moved to the tiny village of Village of Sturtevant in southeastern Wisconsin, some 100 miles away from Madison.

Scott Walker's Sickening Foxconn Boondoggle

Net benefits calculated as increased tax revenue minus state
payments under August 2017 Special Session Assembly Bill 1,
(dark blue), and cumulative (purple), in millions of dollars,
by fiscal year (2018 indicates FY 2018-19).
Source: Legislative Audit Bureau,, via EconBrowser.

Update: Walker adminstration caught suppressing data on the Fox Con; story ignored but in a rational political culture would dominate journalistic coverage:
 ---
Madison, Wisconsin — Macro-economics and state policy guru, Jake's Econ, demonstrates the folly of the Fox Con in his latest analysis.

Long after Gov. Scott Walker has moved from his long slurping off the public spigot, long after Walker has cashed in on anti-public corporate money, Wisconsin will be facing a dangerous deficit from the proposed $3 billion Foxconnn give-away, if Walker gets his way and signs the Fox Con bill.

Jake cites Menzie Chinn, Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, (University of Wisconsin-Madison), at Econbrowser.

Chinn notes the "uncertainty" that exists around Foxconn corporate conduct and the volatility of the market of Foxconn LCD tv screens, for example.

Wisconsin breaking even over decades is unlikely, so Chinn posits the necessity of intellectual honesty in accessing the Foxconn-Trump-Walker initiative.

Writes Chinn:

The fact that this venture does not seem to be a big positive for Wisconsin seems to match the literature that indicates state tax incentives to relocate businesses do not typically have big payoffs. From a survey by Buss (2001):

Tax literature, nowin hundreds of publications, provides little guidance to policy makers trying to fine-tune economic development. Taxes should matter to states, but researchers cannot say how, when, and where with much certainty. Firms may need tax incentives to increase their viability in some locations, but researchers cannot definitively say which businesses or which locations.

Perhaps more relevant to this specific case:

… declining companies tended to take advantage of programs targeted toward distressed areas, whereas growth companies tended to locate in non-distressed counties. Tax incentives made distressed areas worse or no better off, whereas non-distressed areas always improved ... .

Question: Will we be watching LCD tv screens in 27 years?

In 27 years, it won't matter. Walker and Republicans will be gone from public office, living off a public pension and the people still around Wisconsin then can clean up the fiscal, environmental and economic catastrophe

Scott Walker and his gang will be doing just fine, and that's what really matters.

Wisconsin Republicans Move Foxconn Hearing to SE Village of Sturtevant

Boondoggle in Badger State

Madison, Wisconsin — Republicans on the legislature's Joint Committee on Finance have moved a scheduled Aug 22 public hearing on the $3 billion-to-Foxconn bill to the village of Sturtevant, (population 6,970), in southeastern Wisconsin in a continuing effort to hide the unpopular corporate give-away from public scrutiny.

The move is critical to the broader Republican strategy to discourage public participation on the proposed massive give-away to the Taiwanese corporation, Foxconn.

Earlier this month Republicans stacked a previous legislative hearing with supporters, and would not allow public testimony of residents holding anti-Foxconn views until near the end of the hearing. Because of the scale and impact of the unprecedented public subsidy to Foxconn, Republicans need to protect themselves from the population's wishes and concerns about the $3 billion give-away.

"Noone is surprised by what Republicans are doing to quell public participation and voicing of public sentiment," said Jackie Captain, a native of Wisconsin Rapids now living in Dane County, "The Foxconn madness has to be done in the dark because the bill simply cannot stand the scrutiny of the light of day."

Clean water proponents in central and northern Wisconsin want the $3 billion dollar Foxconn subsidy as much as they want to take a trip to Sturtevant.

From the Wisconsin Joint Committee on Finance

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Notice of Public Hearing -- August 22, 2017

The Joint Committee on Finance will hold a public hearing on the following items at the time and location specified below:
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
11:00 AM
SC Johnson iMET Center
Gateway Technical College
2320 Renaissance Boulevard
Sturtevant, WI 53177

August 2017 Special Session Senate Bill 1

Relating to: authorizing the creation of an electronics and information technology manufacturing zone and, in connection with that zone, authorizing certain tax benefits, creating special provisions for tax incremental districts, creating exemptions from wetland and waterway permits and Public Service Commission certificates; making changes to the enterprise zone tax credit program, authorizing limited use of the design-build construction process, authorizing certain counties to issue debt backed by sales and use tax revenue, facilitating a worker training and employment program, making changes to town incorporation procedures, granting contingent highway bonding authority, and making appropriations.


ALBERTA DARLING                        JOHN NYGREN

Senate Chair                                        Assembly Chair

Wisconsin Assembly Votes for $3 billion to Foxconn, Senate Vote Looms

Madison, Wisconsin — Facing mounting public opposition, the Wisconsin State Assembly voted decisively to give a Taiwanese corporation, Foxconn, some $3 billion in public funds.

Defecting Democratic assembly members voting for the unprecedented legislation include Rep. Peter Barca, (D-Kenosha), a noted corporatist and the minority leader of the Assembly Democrats, widely disdained across the state.

Writes Allen Ruff of Madison on Facebook

Concerned about the repercussions in their home Racine and Kenosha districts and in absolute disregard for mounting criticism and critiques of the Republican-proposed project on numerous levels—economic, fiscal, environmental— these three Democrats, (Reps. Cory Mason of Racine and Peter Barca and Tod Ohnstad of Kenosha), opted for the low road of political expediency. They, perhaps more so than the vile conservatives and piratical free-marketeers touting the panaceas and false promises of this mega-venture, should long be remembered and penalized for their complicity.

No political observer was surprised by the Assembly vote, nor the defections of Reps. Mason, Barca and Ohnstad.

The next step is a hearing in the Joint Committee on Finance next week.

The date, time and place of the hearing to this date on August 18, is being kept from the public to discourage participation.

Democratic members of the legislature speculate the Republicans may move to a secret executive session despite or perhaps because of the magnitude of the legislation.

The Foxconn legislation also faces a vote in the State Senate.

A public rally in opposition to the Fox Con bill is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. today at the state Capitol in Madison.

Wisconsin Rep Offers Self-Limiting Bill Guiding Cops to Preserve Life

Madison, Wisconsin — In the better-than-nothing-I-guess category comes a bill in the Wisconsin legislature suggesting in essence police employ measures not to kill people quite so often.

The police-please-stop-killing-people proposed legislative package is in memo form.

The memo is being circulated to Wisconsin Assembly members seeking legislative sponsors for what will be three separate bills. Legislators have until May 31 to sign on as sponsors.

Because the bills are drafted by a Democratic legislator, Rep. Chris Taylor, (D-Madison), the gerrymandered Wisconsin legislature controlled by Republicans will not allow the package to pass and most likely not allow a vote.

The bills themselves are self-defeating and self-negating reform.

The legislative package amounts to a tame set of proposed guidelines and principles that fail to address the reality that post-911 police act as occupying armies in communities and are allowed to kill, harass, abuse, arrest, fine amid myriad other police-state tactics against the citizenry committed by our friends in blue and military-black. (Think of a gang of anti-intellectual thugs with bad attitudes flying under the color of law with a siege mentality, lined up in opposition to people especially the darker ones.)

Consider not killing people, is the force of legislation.

Rep. Taylor's press release is reproduced below:

Rep. Taylor Announces Safe Communities Package
Legislation aimed at making law enforcement and community members safer

MADISON – Today, Rep. Taylor (D-Madison) joined legislative colleagues and community leaders to circulate legislation regarding law enforcement use of force principles, aimed at reducing incidents of officer-involved deaths and increasing safety for everyone in the community, including law enforcement.

Currently, law enforcement agencies are required to have a written policy on when force is used, but very little guidance is given about what should be in that policy. All of the policy recommendations incorporated in the legislation come directly from law enforcement professionals, including both individual officers and national groups and taskforces that have studied policing issues. Additionally, the Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB) has indicated these principles are entirely consistent with the way law enforcement officers are trained.

A piece of the package would require a law enforcement agency’s use of force policy to incorporate that the primary duty of law enforcement is to preserve the life of all individuals, that deadly force should be used as a last resort, that officers should use skills and tactics that minimize the likelihood that force will become necessary, that if officers must use physical force, it should be the least amount of force necessary to safely address the threat, and that officers must intervene if they witness a colleague using excessive force.

“Adopting more specific use of force standards makes everyone safer,” said Rep. Taylor. “Departments around the country have seen quantitative success in reducing officer injury, the use of force, and officer-involved deaths. Having these principles, which are consistent with the way officers are trained, in a written policy, is important so that the community can see these critical pieces are an expectation.”

Other pieces of the package specify that at least 8 of the annual 24 hour officer training requirement focus on use of force options, emphasizing de-escalation. Additionally, the package directs the LESB to establish a model use of force policy addressing interactions with the mentally ill and other vulnerable populations. Finally, the package requires that a law enforcement agency’s written use of force policy be published online to increase transparency and accessibility.

“These are common-sense reforms that communities and law enforcement can agree upon to enhance the safety of everyone in the community,” said Rep. Taylor. “It’s time to move forward together.”