Wisconsin Assembly Republicans Plan Train Wreck: Mission Accomplished

Assembly Republicans contemplate blocking adoption of a state budget. My advice to the Governor and the Democrats: let them.

GOP asked early about blocking budget

Republicans who control the Assembly asked in March for a list of what would happen if they blocked a new state budget - months before Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch said publicly it was a possibility...

...Not passing a budget, however, would require property taxes to rise by $357 million more than Doyle's budget proposes, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated. A budget impasse also would halve the number of road projects and force large cuts in spending at prisons and the University of Wisconsin System, according to figures in a Fiscal Bureau memo requested by Assembly Republicans...

Republicans fail to realize that it takes investment in schools, roads, the environment, public safety, and research to attract private capital.

If every business owner ran their company following the Republican Party plan for Wisconsin, namely to cut spending on development, to allow the infrastructure to fall into disrepair, and to fail to keep up with the competition, they would be in bankruptcy before the next election.

I say let them stop the budget. This 'no tax' mythical chant from the Middle Ages must be challenged.

You get what you pay for:

• They never do honest comparisons, failing to note that when taxes and all fees are combined, Wisconsin is competitive with other states.
• They make the fatal assumption that the lowest spending is the best. They would rather buy a used Edsel that cannot  make it around the corner than an efficient vehicle that will stand the test of time.
• They ignore the reality of the competitive marketplace. There are reasons consumers pay more for quality services in health, communications, and safety, if they get a better product. These Neanderthals want Wisconsin selling shabby goods.

There is a reason for their callous approach. They figure it will keep them in power and win elections. Winning is more important to them than the well being of Wisconsin.

It takes courage to talk honestly about spending money and spending it wisely.

Comments

[xoff]

Exactly. Remember Newt's experience.

http://www.uppitywis.org/gop-could-self-destruct-with-hard-line-on-budget-just-ask-newt

[Dan Sebald]

What do you mean "if"? Everywhere one goes in Wisconsin the roads are falling apart faster than they can be fixed. In the Madison neighborhoods its such a patchwork of old and new asphalt. We'll get a four or five block stretch of road fixed, but because the heavy trucks have to get to the site, the surrounding neighborhood roads end up worse. All the sprawl on roads like Old Sauk end up eating away at the asphalt along the shoulder. Bicycling is becoming a nightmare.

Your notes and Barry's notes on the AT&T legislation point to an overriding theme, which is plundering of any and every government program so that business can make some money off of it, the Enronization of American business. From the cost of power in Wisconsin, to mass market media ownership, somehow deregulation is good for this country? We're told only business is good at innovation, but why is it that corporate America has cut research departments to meet the bottom line?