Gas tax repeal: Winners, Losers and Hypocrites...
Governor Doyle has announced he will sign the repeal of the automatic gas tax increase. Perhaps now a post-mortum will separate the movers and shakers from the pretenders. First, the winners in this saga...
1. Spencer Black and Tim Carpenter. Both of these long-time Legislators have been fighting to repeal this law for the better part of a decade. Black, in particular, has ridiculed both parties for allowing this law to stand for so long.
2. Milwaukee Talk Radio. After a series of disappointments in areas they have tried to flex their muscles ( TABOR and last year's Joint Finance budget meetings come to mind), Sykes, Belling and Wagner finally have another big win. I'm sure their egos are bigger than ever.
3. The Wisconsin taxpayer. This law was inherently unfair and anyone who defended it simply cannot say no to campaign contributions. It's about time.
The losers? Only one...
1. John Gard, who has been put on a pedistal for entirely too long in this state, showed his true incompetance on both Syke's and Belling's shows. Anyone who has spent anytime in the Capitol over the past decade either knows that he is a buffoon or is in denial because "he's on our side". It's simply amazing that the Republicans went from someone the caliber of Jensen to this guy...
The hypocrites? Make room, there's a whole lot of them.
1. The Democrats who voted against this bill. Remember the stink they made when Tommy vetoed a similar provision. To vote against it because "their guy" didn't bring it up underscores the problem we have in Madison.
2. The Republicans posing for holy pictures on Milwaukee Talk Radio. One by one, they all called up, their voice shaking with fear, and stated how outrageous this version of "taxation without representation" was. Well listen , folks. If it is taxation without representation today... it sure the hell was every time you ignored Rep. Black's call for repeal for the last decade. It sure the hell was every time you bottled up Sen. Carpenter's bill in committee the entire session. If just one of these Republicans had the moral compass to simply say "It wasn't on my radar before, but my constituents have spoken and I will vote for the bill... I would have sent a contribution check the next day. Instead, we get a bunch of foot soldiers who never think for themselves... or for their constituents. Their only decision is which master to follow... leadership or Talk Radio. (I really do think they were afraid of Mark Belling).
Lastly, we must admire the two brilliant political moves during this whole scenario...
1. Jim Doyle, for not ending up under the same bus that hit John Gard. It's good public policy, Governor.
2. Tom Reynolds, for grabbing an issue he didn't particularly care about (He voted against it in the past) and using it to become the darling of the blogosphere and talk radio. Two months ago, Reynolds was facing a tough reelection campaign with a probable primary to boot. Now, his seat is as secure as anyones in Southeast Wisconsin, assuming he doesn't do anything stupid in the next year (which may be a tall order for Mr. Reynolds).
1. Spencer Black and Tim Carpenter. Both of these long-time Legislators have been fighting to repeal this law for the better part of a decade. Black, in particular, has ridiculed both parties for allowing this law to stand for so long.
2. Milwaukee Talk Radio. After a series of disappointments in areas they have tried to flex their muscles ( TABOR and last year's Joint Finance budget meetings come to mind), Sykes, Belling and Wagner finally have another big win. I'm sure their egos are bigger than ever.
3. The Wisconsin taxpayer. This law was inherently unfair and anyone who defended it simply cannot say no to campaign contributions. It's about time.
The losers? Only one...
1. John Gard, who has been put on a pedistal for entirely too long in this state, showed his true incompetance on both Syke's and Belling's shows. Anyone who has spent anytime in the Capitol over the past decade either knows that he is a buffoon or is in denial because "he's on our side". It's simply amazing that the Republicans went from someone the caliber of Jensen to this guy...
The hypocrites? Make room, there's a whole lot of them.
1. The Democrats who voted against this bill. Remember the stink they made when Tommy vetoed a similar provision. To vote against it because "their guy" didn't bring it up underscores the problem we have in Madison.
2. The Republicans posing for holy pictures on Milwaukee Talk Radio. One by one, they all called up, their voice shaking with fear, and stated how outrageous this version of "taxation without representation" was. Well listen , folks. If it is taxation without representation today... it sure the hell was every time you ignored Rep. Black's call for repeal for the last decade. It sure the hell was every time you bottled up Sen. Carpenter's bill in committee the entire session. If just one of these Republicans had the moral compass to simply say "It wasn't on my radar before, but my constituents have spoken and I will vote for the bill... I would have sent a contribution check the next day. Instead, we get a bunch of foot soldiers who never think for themselves... or for their constituents. Their only decision is which master to follow... leadership or Talk Radio. (I really do think they were afraid of Mark Belling).
Lastly, we must admire the two brilliant political moves during this whole scenario...
1. Jim Doyle, for not ending up under the same bus that hit John Gard. It's good public policy, Governor.
2. Tom Reynolds, for grabbing an issue he didn't particularly care about (He voted against it in the past) and using it to become the darling of the blogosphere and talk radio. Two months ago, Reynolds was facing a tough reelection campaign with a probable primary to boot. Now, his seat is as secure as anyones in Southeast Wisconsin, assuming he doesn't do anything stupid in the next year (which may be a tall order for Mr. Reynolds).
posted by jyd at 11:07 PM
1 Comments:
Was Jim Doyle's signing of the repeal really that genius? I think it is much more obvious than that.
The radio whores were able to demonize everyone on the wrong side of this issue. Doyle is facing high 40s disapproval...I think this is the only choice he could make.
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