Privatize This!

-by Dave Sherbula

Here in Wisconsin, you may have heard, there is an ongoing fight between Republicans and Democrats about the philosophy of big government vs limited government and public vs private sector "solutions."

The Republicans want more school vouchers because they think the government can't run education efficiently or successfully. They want to outsource what were previously government jobs/functions to the private sector which supposedly can do them cheaper and better. They say this is all philosophy driven. Government can't be trusted to do anything right, and must stop interfering with private enterprise. Strict Constitutional interpretation ( when it suits them ).

Let's ask those Republicans if it is the governments place to run a sports franchise? It sure doesn't sound like Rick Perry would be for it. How about Michelle Bachmann? Ron Paul, can you hear me?

If Republicans truly believe in limiting government to certain responsibilities and a narrowly defined purpose, then what the Wisconsin Republicans must do is pass a law outlawing government ownership of professional sports teams. 

That's right. Make Green Bay, Wisconsin sell the Packers to a private party with no strings attached (to get the best price, they could be the LA Packers).

What a win-win situation for the die-hard Republicans! Get government out of the professional sports business (which they clearly should not be in since it is not mentioned in the Constitution) and the residents of Green Bay would each get an enormous payout as part of the deal (since George Bush decided government can't sit on taxpayers money). No real estate taxes in Green Bay for the foreseeable future, and a cash payout to boot! A billion dollars or so would go a long way in Green Bay. That's enough to make a corporate raider green with envy.

Think of all the companies that would be rushing to move to Green Bay to take advantage of the tax breaks! It would be amazing to see. Since that is what Republicans say determines where a company locates.

The Republicans can argue the the team would be better run and more successful in the private sector. Wisconsin is not exactly a big market place in terms of generating the revenue needed to be a Word Champion team. 

Those titles that were won in the past are just flukes. No rink-dink town like Green Bay could possibly be home to a successful sports franchise over the long run. Think of all that potential revenue the team could make in private hands.
 
What, with a government subsidized stadium and a big market, a group of investors could make a killing. And don't forget the investor group/corporation are people to, and would have to pay taxes on all that money they would make. Wealthy investors are just ordinary people who want to own a team too. 

The last selling point is the kicker. The whole Green Bay arrangement smacks of Socialism! "The People" own the team collectively, and it is unionized. This cannot go on. If you allow this, what next? A State owning a Bank to the benefit of it's citizens? Oops! I forgot North Dakota already does that quite successfully. Shhhh, don't let that get around. These Socialist threats must be stopped!

And may I suggest a perfect time to announce this plan? 

How about at the opening day game of the NFL season? At Green Bay with the World Champion Green Bay Packers.

I hear there will be a pregame concert and party outside the stadium. I'm sure Paul Ryan, Scott Walker and the Fitzgerald brothers would be proud to announce this legislation then and there. The NFL would surely accommodate them (since it would be in their interest. They have never been comfortable with the arrangement and do not allow it anymore). I know it is short notice to put a bill together, but when you control the House, Senate and Governors office nothing is impossible. I've seen some of their "out of the box" thinking before.

I can just imagine the response from all those Republican sky box and season ticket holders. I'm sure the atmosphere would be electric with all of them chanting, Sell the team! Sell the team! No more socialism! No more socialism!

This would also be the perfect foil to our (socialist) President Obama's socialist speech he will be giving before the game about Jobs.

Wisconsin has been leading the country lately in Republican ideology. What better way to solidify their credentials than this?

Man up boys, let's see if you walk the walk you talk and talk about.

Does Rep. Paul Ryan Really Hate The Green Bay Packers?

I hope you saw John Amato's post about Paul Ryan and the Green Bay Packers at Crooks and Liars yesterday. If you're interested in the sports angle on this story, you won't find something better. Meanwhile though... a development. Since John posted. This morning 1290 WMCS -- the Milwaukee Community Station owned by former Packer Willie Davis has started running this ad:



But other stations-- inside the district, probably afraid of Ryan's clout-- turned down the ad (and our check), claiming the ad was "inappropriate." Blue America gets a lot of that. I bet Karl Rove's multimillion dollar PAC, the Republican Party front group American Crossroads, never gets letters from radio stations telling them they won't run their ads. And ours isn't even advocating a candidate. In fact, there is no candidate running against Ryan. (The DCCC always makes sure of that.) It's just an issue advocacy ad.

Yesterday Ryan flexed the new muscles the House GOP gave him (to set his own budget for America) announcing his own discretionary spending cap. He couldn't quite reach the $100 billion in cuts the nihilistic teabaggers are demanding but Boehner, embroiled as he is in another couple of sex scandals, has been tweeting furiously (with both his non-sex-oriented screen names) that they're just getting started.




Yes, just getting started completely disabling government oversight of their corporate buddies, just getting started destroying free public universal education, just getting started shredding what's left of the social safety net, just getting started defunding programs for veterans, for seniors, for the unemployed, for the middle class... all the stuff Republicans have been trying to do for generations.

So... as the Green Bay Packers look to clinch another Super Bowl victory this weekend, Blue America and our friends at the Americans for America PAC, have our own play on the field-- the new radio ad above we hope to use to appeal to Ryan to do what's right for the people in southeast Wisconsin for a change-- put people before profits.

Last month Congressman Ryan voted for the backwards-looking, job-hurting, deficit-increasing bill to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act-– a vote that would let the insurance industry off the hook, allowing them to intercept quality care between you and your doctor, and to take away the welcome new consumer health protections already making a difference in peoples’ lives between having access to quality, affordable health care and not. Like the Packers-– a community-owned team run for the people, not for profits-- the Affordable Care Act is already helping millions of Americans who would be otherwise be tackled by insurance costs due to companies just looking to keep their profit margins high.

But Congressman Ryan is looking to out for insurance companies before his own constituents. In fact, if Ryan got his way and the health care law was repealed, nearly 3.6 million residents of Wisconsin would suddenly find themselves again facing lifetime limits while 320,000 Wisconsin residents would be at risk of losing their insurance the minute they get sick or have an accident. Below is a script for the ad. If you like it and want to help us stop Paul Ryan before it's too late... well, we have a page just for that

GREEN BAY PACKER VALUES

On Sunday, everyone will be rooting for the Packers. Except Congressman Paul Ryan.

See, the Pack is community-owned, and run to benefit the people-- not some greedy owner. Beer is affordable. Profits go back to the Team. And no billionaire is going to lock out the Pack.

But Congressman Ryan doesn’t like putting people before profits.

Take health care.

The Affordable Care Act makes health care more affordable for all Americans.

It cuts $200 billion from the debt. It doesn’t hurt companies, but puts people before profits.

Paul Ryan led the charge to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He wants Insurance Companies running the show.

It's like Paul Ryan prefers greedy NFL owners over the Green Bay system.

Coach Lombardi said, People who work together will win against any challenger-– whether a tough defense or modern society problems.

Congressman Ryan, take a page from the Green Bay playbook.

Put the people before profits. Support the Affordable Health Care Act-– and root for the Pack.

The non-partisan Economic Policy Institute has studied Ryan's roadmap more closely than anyone. They came up with the conclusion that it's "riddled with policies that ignore the lessons learned from the Great Depression and underscored by the Great Recession. Policy and market failures set the stage for a meltdown of the global financial system and the worst recession since the Great Depression, but Ryan’s plan still swears by the failed Bush-era economic policies of cutting taxes for the wealthy while neglecting the middle class and national investments. It even proposes the partial privatization of Social Security, an increase in taxes on the middle class, the elimination of corporate taxes, and the privatization of Medicare."

Meanwhile, the Alliance for American Manufacturing just pointed out to us that this year's Super Bowl presents a special match-up: two teams named for the local industries that support their diehard fans.  The Steelers emerged from Pittsburgh's steelmaking foundries, while the Packers honor their sturdy meatpacking industry.

Both teams are understandably proud of their hometown fans and the work they do. Both Green Bay and Pittsburgh were built on manufacturing, and are the respective epicenters of paper and meatpacking, and of the steel industry, in America. Both cities have suffered heavy manufacturing job losses, but, despite the best efforts of John Boehner and other well-paid Chinese Communist assets inside Congress, some paper production remains in Green Bay, and Pittsburgh still retains a steel presence. Both Green Bay and Pittsburgh also enjoy a loyal following built on the middle-class, blue-collar jobs supported by these industries.

Click here to watch two Green Bay Packers, A.J. Hawk and Mason Crosby, talk about what manufacturing means to their community.  While most Americans are aware of Pittsburgh's connection to steel, it may surprise some football fans to learn that manufacturing (not dairy farming) is Wisconsin's primary economic sector and that the Badger State is now the #1 manufacturing density state in the U.S. Between Chinese Communist puppets teabagger Senator Ron Johnson, Sean Duffy and Paul Ryan it will be harder and harder to hold on to any manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin. All three favor sending them all to China.


UPDATE: Meanwhile Wall Street Shills Like Ryan Look At Michele Bachmann As Clowns And Distractions

You think I'm exaggerating? Watch Ryan explain Bachmann himself at a Marquette University Forum yesterday:

Senate GOP Strikes A Major Blow Against Small Businesses While House Continues To Try To Clean Up Bush/Republican Economic Mess

Early yesterday every single Republican senator-- including the 3 from New England who the mainstream media has gotten into the habit of calling "moderates"-- joined a filibuster of the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act. Their congressional caucuses are doubling down on their strategy of destroying the economy from the inside. They are in ritual opposition to every attempt Obama makes to clean up the mess that decades of conservative misgovernance have left us with. The bill-- Barney Frank's H.R. 5297-- passed 241-282 in the House on June 17. When she found out that Burr was one of the Republicans filibustering the desperately needed bill. North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall issued this statement:

After 16 years in Washington, Senator Richard Burr still needs to get his priorities straight. People are losing jobs, businesses are struggling and he's playing politics. If he's not willing to give small businesses the support they need to create jobs, it's time for him to give up his.

She pointed out that several Republican lawmakers helped write the bipartisan bill, which was backed by traditional Republican Party allies like the National Federation of Independent Business and even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Republicans complain that the legislation-- which eliminates capital gains taxes for investment in small firms, creates a Small Business Lending Fund to underwrite loans through community banks, and creates a credit initiative for small business to help meet state budget shortfalls-- gives too much money to family farmers. And they're also angry because they haven't been allowed to present a bunch of partisan, election year amendments. I see Reid voted NO, which means he intends to bring it up again so, presumably, he'll let the nasty little children get some time to grandstand on a bunch of amendments that have no chance of passing.

So while Republicans were running their games in the Senate, Barney Frank's House Financial Services Committee voted to approve the Shareholder Protection Act, which will require corporations to receive permission from a majority of shareholders before spending money on political campaigns, and will require all large election-related expenditures to be disclosed to shareholders and the public. No doubt the Senate Republicans will be eager to filibuster this one as well. Michael Keegan, president of People For the American Way explained why this bill should not be filibustered and why it's so crucial that Congress enact it and the President sign it:

“In approving the Shareholder Protection Act, the House Financial Services Committee has taken an important step towards making corporations accountable to their shareholders and our government accountable to its voters. The Citizens United decision handed corporations the power to use unlimited amounts of money from their treasuries to influence elections-- without so much as checking with individual shareholders before spending their money, or telling them that they have done so.
 
“The only way to truly undo the damage of Citizens United is to pass a Constitutional Amendment reversing it. But until then, voters at least deserve to know which corporations are attempting to influence elections and shareholders deserve to know which elections their money is influencing. Yesterday, the Senate GOP united against the DISCLOSE Act, another measure to ensure transparency in corporate political activity. This time, I hope that the GOP will choose to listen to voters, rather than kowtowing to corporate interests.”

And speaking of stocks, there's an interesting teachable moment working itself out in the Wisconsin Senate race, pitting iconoclast and reformer Russ Feingold against shady GOP multimillionaire Ron Johnson. Johnson has been pushing a Big Oil agenda-- a bailout for B.P., drilling in the Great Lakes, more tax breaks and special treatment for Big Oil and big polluters-- and the it turns out that he owns a small fortune in B.P. stock, something he hadn't disclosed when he was pushing their case, a case that would make him even richer. Even as dense an Insider as Chris Matthews saw through Johnson's serial flip flopping on this major conflict of interest:

Multimillionaire Ron Johnson reversed himself again Monday, saying he now wasn’t certain whether he would sell his BP stock, after previously telling supporters and the media that he planned to sell the stock “to help pay for his campaign.” The initial flip-flop came after Johnson’s campaign initially said he would keep the stock.
 
Johnson also opposes the BP compensation fund for the victims of the Gulf oil spill-- calling it “Bad for America.”  As reported by the Capital Times: "Johnson climbed in bed with BP. The wealthy candidate derided the Obama administration's efforts to get money to pay for claims that are all but certain to exceed $20 billion ‘very troubling.’"
 
“Ron Johnson is misleading voters with his intentions. First he was going to keep the stock, then he decided to sell, now he's waiting for the right moment so he can turn a buck to fund his campaign. It appears the only thing Johnson is consistent on is changing his position,” said Mike Tate, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. ”Wisconsin voters deserve better than a walking special interest whose positions on the issues shift depending on what his stock portfolio is doing. It’s time for Ron Johnson to stop playing games and sell the BP stock he hid from the public-- and give the money to support the BP Victims' Compensation Fund.”

But it turns out Russ Feingold has stock too-- and backs the company he has the stock in! Is he as corrupt and sleazy as Johnson. Uhhh... no. According to Wednesday's Market Place Magazine, Feingold pressed the FCC to “make it easier for residents living in northern and western Wisconsin to receive Wisconsin-related television programming, including in-state news, weather, sports and entertainment”-- including Green Bay Packer games. And he owns stock in the Packers! Unfortunately," said Feingold Thursday, "I will be unable to attend today's Green Bay Packers annual shareholder meeting. However, I want to make it clear that I will not be divesting my one share in the Packers. Not because it's the only stock I own, or because market conditions predict a Super Bowl, but because I am a committed Packer fan whether they are up or down."

All kidding aside, Big Business, lead by the far right Chamber of Commerce, is making a concerted effort this year to help the Republicans win back both houses of Congress. And they are pouring tens of millions of dollars into defeating Democrats, especially non-Blue Dog type Democrats.

The latest blatant signs of hostility come from coal executives who are considering starting up their own political operation to work against candidates they deem unfriendly to their interests. Their first three targets are all Democrats [Ben Chandler, Nick Rahill and Jack Conway].

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has already vowed to invest $75 million in the mid-term elections. And health insurers are also planning to play big in November, although the specifics remain in flux. Both groups are hedging their bets by aligning themselves with some moderate or conservative Democrats in case Republicans don't win control of Congress.

UPDATE: That Was Fast... Small Business Bill Passes

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it looks like late yesterday Reid called the Senate back into session and they voted on the Small Business bill again and... it passed 70-23, only a handful of freaks and America-haters like DeMint, McCain, Cornyn and Vitter voting NO.