The Cowardice of Paul Ryan

By Jeff Simpson

In June of 2016, there was a horrific shooting at a nightclub in Florida, 49 people were killed and 58 others injured.  At the same time, there was a Presidential election going on and Hillary Clinton, who had just secured the Democratic nomination had planned a tour through the Midwest with President Obama and one of her stops was supposed to be in Green Bay.   Ms, Clinton and President Obama, figured that even though they were going to be thousands of miles away, that to go about their business of campaigning and fundraising would be disrespectful to the victims and families and thus cancelled the tour.

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign announced Sunday that she was postponing an upcoming campaign appearance with President Obama in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando.

Fast forward two years and we are still sorting the pieces of another mass shooting in Florida.  This one at a high school where 17 people were killed and another 14 injured. 

The Republican Speaker of the House, Janesvilles own Paul Ryan (R- Wall St.) had no such qualms whatsoever.   Ryan held a major fundraiser in Key Biscayne, Florida. 

@PERSlSTERS
 16h16 hours ago
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Sorry we crashed your donor party, @SpeakerRyan, but seriously.. A PARTY 48 hours after the #Parkland massacre?
As the teacher you're talking to in this photo said before your security guys had her and the scary pediatrician lady tossed, "No More Guns!!"
#GunReformNow #Resist

As the teacher tells it :

Thorne said she found Ryan in the middle of the room — “I shook his hand and everything,” she said — and introduced herself as a teacher and Key Biscayner.
“Nice,” the Republican congressman replied.
“Nice?” Thorne said. “You’re here celebrating the death of 17 children.”
At that, Thorne said, Ryan told her he “didn’t want to talk politics” or argue. When Thorne tried to continue, security escorted her out. She chanted “No more guns!” on her way out the door, she said.

Paul Ryan (R-NRA) did not want to "talk politics" at a major political fundraiser.   Meaning he did not have any interest in speaking to a teacher about how to keep schools safe.

Let the peasants grieve the dead kids, we have social security to cut!

Write the check and move on. 

That is why Charlie Pierce calls Paul Ryan - The. Biggest. Fake. Ever.

Please support either Cathy Meyers or Randy Bryce to end Paul Ryan's career as a gopher for the NRA.

Nation Consulting Shags NARAL

By Jeff Simpson

It was announced recently that in WI 1st district, NARAL has endorsed Randy Bryce .  It is a fine endorsement to the recently fully pro-choice Bryce,  except of course for the massive conflict of interest.

Bryce's local campaign consultant is Sachin Chheda with Nation Consulting.   As we see from his profile:

Sachin is active in nonprofit leadership, recently completing two terms as Chair of the Board of Directors for NARAL Pro-Choice America. He serves as a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors, previously served as an officer of the Wisconsin Coalition of Asian Indian Organizations; and is Chairman Emeritus of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County.

Chheda, fresh off two terms as Chair of the Board, was amazingly able to get his candidate endorsed without so much as an email to Bryce's opponent.  
It sure makes it good for business, when you can guarantee a NARAL endorsement.

Does anyone think that if Cathy had ponied up for Sachin's services that she would have been the one with the endorsement and Randy would have been left out in the cold?  

So much for pro-choice!  It has now become Sachin's choice.

To be clear, Randy is a fine candidate and would make a much better rep than Paul Ryan ever has, but when an organization this visible and this important, they need to make sure they have covered all candidates, and given all candidates a fair shake, before making such an important endorsement.

For those scoring at home, a male political consultant in Milwaukee, uses one of the most important female driven Democratic organizations for his own purposes and pocketbook.  

It really diminishes the organization and their endorsements!

The rest of us in Wisconsin, are collateral damage, to making sure Sachin can use his non profit leadership" to lead people to hiring him and his consulting firm.  

Conflicts of interest are only for the little people!

We wonder why we continually lose elections?

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