Wednesday, August 2, 2017

FoxCON Freebie

By Jeff Simpson

Once again, the GOP are setting the stage and controlling the dialogue, $3 billion Wisconsin tax dollars, and a press corps made up of cheerleaders will do that.   


Instead of calling it the Con job that it is, too many Dems are buckling and cheering on Scott Walker:



Unfortunately, the cheer leading even extended over to Paul Ryan's two opponents:

Ryan faces potential challenges from Caledonia iron worker Randy Bryce and Janesville school board member Cathy Myers.
Bryce said the Foxconn announcement is "good news for Wisconsin workers who stand to gain jobs if the final deal indeed delivers what has been promised."
"But that single announcement doesn't make up for more than 20 years of bad economics — like unfair trade deals and huge tax giveaways to the wealthy and corporations — that have bled southeast Wisconsin's economy dry," Bryce said, arguing the state needs a comprehensive economic strategy that will help "all of the working people who have been left behind over the past two decades — not just the lucky few who may benefit from this one-off deal made possible with huge corporate tax breaks."
Myers tweeted last week: "1,000s of good jobs coming to #WI01 is welcome relief for ppl. Let's organize to ensure taxpayer subsidies incl real community benefits!"
 Ok, I am not a high priced consultant, but I am sick of losing elections by not being authentic or telling the truth or pretending Republicans in Wisconsin have "good ideas".   I will offer my services up for free in how to answer this simple question.  Your thoughts on the Foxconn announcement: 



Of course we always welcome 13,000 jobs, but we must also be very wary not to put the cart before the horse.   The best way to predict future behavior is by past behavior and the three players involved give me reason to pause.   Foxconn, has a reputation for incredibly poor working conditions, that has led to them having to install suicide nets outside their buildings to keep worker from jumping.   Add to that how they took the money and ran from a commitment in Pennsylvania leaving the Foxconn execs richer and the taxpayers broke.  

Then you look at Scott Walker who still, after all of the time, has not even come close to reaching his stated job goal of 250000 jobs (by 2015).  Wisconsin lost 4000 jobs last month alone, and if you look at Governor Walkers Pet project - WEDC(which he used to be chair of), they have a history of using our tax dollars to pay for such things as Badger Tickets, and iTunes gift cards in the name of "job creation".  We, under the guide of Governor Walker, even paid for one of his supporters Jaguars   

Finally Paul Ryan, in terms of districts losing jobs,  Paul Ryan has to be in the Hall of Fame.   When Paul Ryan took over as Congressman of the 1st Congressional District it was thriving as a manufacturing Mecca.   Since Paul Ryan has "represented" the district, such long term, Wisconsin Icons like Case, Chrysler, GM, GE, etc...all have shuttered and moved on.  

The perfect story of Paul Ryan, as told in the book Janesville, tells of a time when officials from Janesville (Paul's home town) had a very important meeting with the executives of GM in order to see what they could do to keep the 100 year old plant open.   Paul Ryan skipped the meeting to go on a "Tea Party Patriots" radio show.    

SO yes, I welcome 13,000 jobs, but I am very skeptical that these players can bring it home.   I also know that if we have an extra $3 billion dollars laying around, we could create many more jobs, by investing it in Wisconsin and not Taiwan.   


Your welcome


1 comment:

  1. Right on. This isn't difficult. There are about 100 better ways to spend money and create jobs than giving a foreign corporation bags of cash.

    ReplyDelete