Sunday, October 20, 2013

Why Scott Walker is Beatable & Why The Democrats Won't Beat Him!



By Jeff Simpson

I pointed out yesterday, that what is really hurting the cause in WI is when Scott Walker advances "crap" bills and the dems give him political cover by overwhelmingly supporting it.

This LTE was in the Baraboo News Republic recently:


MAILBAG: Thanks, governor, for free gumballs

October 15, 2013 4:29 pm


Huh, you say? Let me explain.

Walker’s much-ballyhooed $100 million tax cut, as everyone should know by now, translates into roughly $13 per household. That $13 per year equals 3.5 cents per day, so if you save it up for a week, you’ll end up with a full entire quarter. That’s just enough to buy a gumball at any of our local grocery stores. If your house is particularly nice, you might end up with two or three gumballs. Of course, if you’re poor and don’t own a home, sorry, no gumballs for you.

But for the sake of argument, let’s say you’re a one-gumball person. Most of us are. Looking forward to it? Think again. Since state and local taxes are deductible from your federal taxes, every tax cut you get from the state means you'll have to pay more in federal taxes. If you’re in the 25 percent tax bracket, then you’ll have to send every fourth gumball to the IRS. Now you’re down to just three a month.

But hey, a gumball is a gumball. Which would you rather have, better schools for Wisconsin’s children, or a handful of gumballs? Personally, I’m grateful to the governor for this. I’d write him a thank-you note, except that my tax savings won’t cover the cost of a postage stamp.

Tom O'Brien, Reedsburg
See, more people then ever are paying attention. Which means more people "get it".  Unfortunately, our elected Democrats, approach with job with cowardice, and treat the people of WI like they are ignorant.   Not everyone thinks that getting a "Gumball a week", while our infrastructure crumbles, our public schools suffer and there are no jobs, is such a great thing. 

So as long as the democrats keep playing defense, worrying about how the republicans will campaign against them and keep trotting someone out as the next great hope who will not take a position on anything, we will continue to lose. 


For me I will look at my weekly gumball and think about what might have been!





16 comments:

  1. Jeffy Poo - did you see the MJS today. Burke slammed Walker just fine. Get off your frickin dead high horse and be part of the solution. Shut the fuck up.

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  2. What Anonymous said. The drama queen routine from both you and Capper needs to stop. Especially since the election isn't for MORE THAN 12 MONTHS.

    If you don't like the direction the Dems are going (and I'm not enamored of it either), then step up and WORK TO CHANGE IT. Just like they did in Milwaukee last year to kick out the pro-voucher Reps in the Legislature. But stop whining and
    moping, it does no good.

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    1. Politely, Jake, I would say that this is work that is needed to win against Walker and Democrats have less credibility with me every time someone tells me or anyone to be quiet and tow the, "D," line.

      If the DPW, elected "D's" or their candidates cannot stand up to hearing some truths, acknowledge mistakes and make some changes, Jeff is right and there is little chance of beating Walker.

      This is not whining and moping, this honest assessment is absolutely vital. Without it the "left," in WI are nothing more than corporate rubber stamps, we the people thus being damned as irrelevant.

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    2. I'm not disagreeing with Jeff's point as much as I disagree with the tone. "Oh dear, the DPW is being lame, I guess that means Walker wins." Don't shrug or mope, step up and CHANGE IT.

      And certainly don't put "we will lose" in a headline. That's loser talk. Say "Dems need to be progressive and break the power of corporatism and play-to-play, or else Walker can win." Don't run around with your hair on fire, especially in 2013 for a 2014 election.

      By the way, Burke has said some better things in recent days (promoting marriage equality, saying Walker's tax plan is lame and doesn't do enough), but Vinehout would set this race on fire by bringing the anti-oligarch message to the people, and would make whoever is the Dem candidate a whole lot better for November 2014.

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    3. I dont know how else to do it jake but to use my forum to help change things. Tone or no tone, unless things change we are screwed.

      People get it, the party doesnt seem to.

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  3. The question is - are we going to let Jeff and many other whining Dems divide us and allow Walker to conquer us or unite behind the best candidate with enough courage to step up and run.

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  4. Seriously did I make this post that hard to understand? I thought it was perfectly clear, but let's try again.

    1. Get off your frickin dead high horse and be part of the solution -

    OK here is "part of the solution".

    When Scott Walker introduces a sloppily thrown together bill to try and gain political point that is truly worth nothing but saddles us with debt in two years.

    DONT VOTE FOR IT.

    When every dem steps up to the mic and talks about what a horrible bill it is, then votes yes for it. How can we take them seriously?

    This bill is so bad that I will be voting yes on it and handing Scott Walker a nice bipartisan victory to kick off his campaign.

    When one of the most popular, respected Senators calls a bill "crap" and votes against it. Should we believe him that its "crap" and think that we should be voting against it or should we vote yes making this bill largely bipartisan?

    An Ordinary Average Guy from the middle of the state articulates EXACTLY what is wrong with the Bill Walker just pushed through better than any communication from the DPW has since Gordon Hintz's press release from earlier in the year then maybe we should rethink our message?


    How can a person who steps up and writes a quick three paragraph LTE understand that the way to connect with people is by personal stories relating to their everyday life that people can relate too? Yet most career politician, hired consultants, Dem inder lifer's have yet to figure that one out?

    How can one of the best grassroots organizations and progressive partners we have fundraise on an issue that makes Walker look so bad, yet the dems voted overwhelmingly in favor if it?

    Do you understand that as long as the dem elected officials continue to do stuff like this, there is not a word, sentence, paragraph, story, article, post of book that will matter.

    If our elected dems will not fight for us what can I possibly say to make a difference?

    See when they vote for "crap" that does more damage to the party and our chances of ever retaking the majority than anything I could ever think about writing.

    so you can sit and attack me anonymously for thinking that stealing from education, increasing our debt and giving scott walker political cover is not worth $13, but I offer no apologies.

    See we sat down at the Poker Table with Scott Walker, he anted up a gumball and we folded quicker than the little pigs straw house.

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    1. That's an entirely different argument you're making- whether seems should have voted for this lame property tax giveaway that hampers our states finances down the road.

      What that has to do with whining about the Mary Burke campaign in 2013 is anyone's guess, and it certainly shouldn't lead to the defeatist attitude you gave in this post and your long-winded response.

      I agree that the Dems' best chance to take out Walker is to step up, confront this failed administration, and show a better way forward. But navel-gazing and moping isn't going to get it done.

      Doing an alternate plan that gives REAL property tax relief while bring more fiscally responsible is the way you do it. And that's exactly what Peter Barca and the Assembly Dems proposed last week, in case you didn't notice

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    2. Thats exactly the argument I was making here.

      Some guy in the middle of the state did a better job of summing up what walker did than the whole Democratic party combined and I am the problem?

      I didnt "whine" about the Mary Burke campaign, just to say that she jumped on the scott walkers tax cut is good silliness also.

      I didnt notice by the way so im guessing no one else did either. It was hard to notice alternative over their resounding YES votes


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  5. Here are some more ideas....

    !. Hire Tom O Brien from reedsburg to communications director for Mary Burke and then let him communicate. He seems to have a gift.

    2. Get all of the dems together in Caucus and come up with a list of things that everyone is on the same page, same message and will not compromise on.

    * restoring collective bargaining to public employees

    * no right to work.

    * reworking the school funding formula, and truly funding public education. Making sure rural school children get the same chance at a quality education as the children in Whitefish bay.

    * non partisan redistricting

    * Specific Jobs bills

    *How about a bill that offers up different ways to make our Government more transparent

    * how about specific requirments for the Governor so he cant spend his days running around the country fundraising.

    * how about redefining the Lieutenant Governor's position to having an actual responsibility instead of roaming the state whining about taables and funding your husbands hunting trips?

    * How about starting to work on an amendment to overturn our discriminatory anti gay marriage amendment. Its about time and its embarrassing that it is in our Constitution.

    * how about calling for an investigation in United Sportsmen?

    if you would like more solutions, let me know

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  6. I feel as if the Democratic party is playing into the false equivalency of both parties are the same.

    We need a progressive candidate!

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  7. Yeah, keeping the money in the bank and not giving it back to the taxpayers is the answer.
    But I guess you would rather raise taxes then give it back.
    No wonder Walker kicks your butts every time. How many elections is it now?

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    1. I think its a great idea to send money to TN so we can increase our deficit! Brilliant!

      http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-tennessee-tax-cut.html

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    2. Thank you for your insightful viewpoint Dan.

      The Democrats won't change Dan's opinion or his vote in 2014. You can give Dan shitty education for his kids, crappy health care, scrap heap public infrastructure, no safety net, and a tax break in name only and he thinks he wins.

      It is too bad more Democrats did not stand up to Scott Walkers bait and switch, shell game shenanigans framed as a property tax cut. Much of the public, like Dan, buy into that shit.

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  8. Jeff - you should consider being a political advisor instead of playing armchair politics.

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