Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

midnight

(26,624 posts)
Mon May 20, 2013, 09:24 PM May 2013

'Bipartisan' debt forum with Ron Johnson and Mark Pocan puts hyperpartisanship on display

You gotta hand it to the Bipartisan Issues Group (BIG), a group of college students who want to bridge the partisan divide so that someday, something might be done about the national debt, which casts a dark cloud on debate over nearly all government initiatives.

On Thursday, Alex Holland, a UW student and the group’s president and co-founder, and his group pulled off a coup by getting two U.S. lawmakers from Wisconsin, Rep. Mark Pocan of Madison and Sen. Ron Johnson of Oshkosh, in the same room to discuss how to fix the problem.

“If we come together, if we put our politics aside, we can solve these issues,” Holland told a crowd of more than 200 students, faculty and others Thursday night at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.

Pocan and Johnson then proceeded to demonstrate just how unlikely that would be in the current political climate.
http://host.madison.com/news/local/writers/steven_elbow/bipartisan-debt-forum-with-ron-johnson-and-mark-pocan-puts/article_f8652d48-723b-5048-acbc-8465b5d29a9d.html

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
'Bipartisan' debt forum with Ron Johnson and Mark Pocan puts hyperpartisanship on display (Original Post) midnight May 2013 OP
RoJo is Rand Paul, but without the charm. Scuba May 2013 #1
There was a lesson there. In who's representing whom. mojowork_n May 2013 #2
Punishing working people and making them pay all or most taxes so that the rich don't have midnight May 2013 #3
That's only part of it. ......Wait, there's more! mojowork_n May 2013 #4
Sounds like ALEC is legislating all humanity out of our lives-the working folks.... But he banks midnight May 2013 #6
Saw David Walker's presentation last fall Jimbo S May 2013 #5

mojowork_n

(2,354 posts)
2. There was a lesson there. In who's representing whom.
Mon May 20, 2013, 09:54 PM
May 2013

Excerpt from the article:

"...Johnson, a fan of the House budget that seeks to reduce the deficit exclusively by cutting programs, dug in his heels on raising taxes.

“My problem with increasing taxes, punishing success, is that it puts at risk the very economic growth” needed to put America back on its feet, he said.

Pocan, who wants a balance between cuts and tax increases, attacked the House budget.

“The house budget doesn’t balance,” he said. “In fact, it’s an embarrassment.”

Pocan called the House budget an “austerity” package.

Johnson answered, “To call it austere is good political demagoguery. It’s simply not true.”


Sure, if you married the boss's daughter and can afford to spend ten million of your own dollars (which you later got back from the company) to run for the Senate, the "small cuts" in the Republican budget won't mean a damned thing to you. Painless.

But if you're looking out for the best interests of your constituents, some of whom are retirees on a fixed income, or low-wage workers without any health insurance or benefits, like Pocan, the effects of those proposed cuts stand out very differently.

midnight

(26,624 posts)
3. Punishing working people and making them pay all or most taxes so that the rich don't have
Tue May 21, 2013, 10:15 AM
May 2013

to be punished is somehow alright though?

mojowork_n

(2,354 posts)
4. That's only part of it. ......Wait, there's more!
Tue May 21, 2013, 01:51 PM
May 2013

If you're living in Wisconsin and you're somehow *not* contributing your own share of taxes -- plus whatever percentage you're making up for, because high earners and big corporations have minimal tax liabilities -- you're expected to root through dumpsters for your dinner, if you stop making payments.

No soup for you.

No feasting from the Federally funded FoodShare trough:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/representative-jon-richards/walker-food-stamp-plan-puts-mean-spirited-ideology-before-taxpayers-common-sense/10151674971645746

Walker is proposing that about 62,700 able-bodied recipients of food stamps do at least 20 hours of job training or searches per week to continue receiving benefits, at a time when the state ranks 44th nationally in job creation. Nonpartisan budget analysts project that half of these food stamp recipients, or 31,350 people, will not be able to meet the new requirements, causing them to lose their benefits. As a result, $71.9 million in benefits will be sent back to the federal government that otherwise would have been spent in local grocery stores across Wisconsin. Moreover, Walker’s plan costs state taxpayers an additional $16.7 million per year in administrative expenses.


If you somehow manage to retain food share benefits, the Greedy Old Pigs insist there should be serious dis-incentives to using them, so that you'll "choose" to get back to some level of tax-paying activity on "your own."

In the name of "healthier food-buying choices" -- no chips or giant plastic jugs of sugary soda -- the FoodShare Increased Nutritional Value Bill -- or whatever it's called -- is cutting out some food choices:

http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2013/05/no-soup-for-you.html

......no oils, margarine or butter. It {the approved food list} has no spices, herbs, sauces, mustard, catsup or salad dressing. It has no flour, baking soda, sugar or honey. It has no pasta, noodles, canned soups, canned beans, or canned meat like chili etc... crackers, bagels. It only allows 100% wheat bread. It does not take into effect anyone with a gluten free diet.

So we have decided that the poor people in our community do not deserve to eat soup, frozen foods, crackers or frozen dinners. Who eats frozen dinners in 2013 you say, well my source answered that:

The last 4 are especially important to the elderly, disabled and ill people who get FoodShare. These individuals may not be able to cook a meal "from scratch" or even have access to a full kitchen.

These people depend on "ready to heat" meals, but they may not be able to purchase as many "ready to heat” meals as they need because AB 110 restricts ALL of Non-WIC foods to a mere 33% of their monthly FoodShare amount.


Dickensian debtors' prisons are currently being analyzed and studied as a business model; with the goal of eliminating inherent inefficiencies and waste, so that the program can be introduced by the GOP next year as part of a new state "Repair the Budget" initiative.


midnight

(26,624 posts)
6. Sounds like ALEC is legislating all humanity out of our lives-the working folks.... But he banks
Tue May 21, 2013, 09:42 PM
May 2013

will always get to socialize their debt...

Jimbo S

(2,955 posts)
5. Saw David Walker's presentation last fall
Tue May 21, 2013, 08:10 PM
May 2013

Very thought provoking. However, it appears he didn't do much talking this time. Good thing I passed on this and saved my time not having to listen to Johnson go on and on.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Wisconsin»'Bipartisan' debt forum w...