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10/16/2009
Is Rep. Nelson a political hack?
Well, strong language I suppose, to call somebody a hack, much less a political hack! My excuse is I’m quoting Charlie Sykes who on Tuesday was chatting with Jeff Wagner between their two shows. Charlie mentioned what I presume is this press release from Majority Leader Tom Nelson’s office (D-Kaukauna). The press release referenced this report from Wisconsin’s “Office of Recovery and Reinvestment,” supposedly documenting jobs created by $701.3M in stimulus dollars received by Wisconsin.
I suppose all kinds of folks have been called political hacks, simply as a term of derision. But Wikipedia gets us to the bottom of the proper (I suppose - ?) use of the word…
A political hack is a negative term ascribed to a person who is part of the political party apparatus, but whose intentions are more aligned with victory than personal conviction.
Here’s another:
A politician who belongs to a small clique that controls a political party for private rather than public ends
I think we get the idea. So does the Fox Valley’s very own Rep. Tom Nelson deserve the “hack” handle?
Referencing the dumb press release, yeah probably. It was careless and self-serving. Nelson (and actually, Speaker Sheridan as well) used the wrong numbers to brag about.
Assembly Majority Leader Thomas Nelson (D-Kaukauna) announced today that Recovery dollars in Wisconsin have saved or created 22,100 Wisconsin jobs, and, according to the White House, are on track to create or save 70,000 jobs.
It rattles on for another four paragraphs about the state Assembly acting quickly, spending all that stimulus money the feds sent their way, of course improving our economy by leaps and bounds.
The truth of the matter is that the numbers Nelson and Sheridan used (22,100 and 70,000) were numbers of jobs predicted earlier this year by the White House to be “created or retained” (don’t you just hate that term?) in 6 months, and for life, respectively.
Ok. Anyone can make a mistake. But to make it worse, the actual numbers were pathetic. Supposedly (where does the government get this stuff?) stimulus dollars in Wisconsin “created or retained” 8,284 jobs, with over 6,100 of those jobs being “jobs providing essential government services,” e.g., “police officers, firefighters and teachers.”
Government jobs. Geeeez. A whopping 2,184 jobs “saved or created” in the private sector. Not much activity in small business generators, that’s for sure. And that pathetic amount of “activity” cost us $701.3M. Wow.
This business on Nelson makes me think of the morning the budget was passed. What was it, something like 5:00 on a Saturday morning? Yes, the morning of June 27. An all-nighter in the Assembly. And a horrible budget. $12.8 billion worth of horrible.
But by sometime just after 7:00 that same Saturday morning, Rep. Nelson had a quality ad up on cable TV, extolling the virtues of the budget. It was brilliant. Nelson knows the budget is bad news for anyone who voted for it (i.e., Nelson and Bernard Schaber here in the Fox Valley – and Dems throughout the state), so the Dem ad is up bright and early, badly distorting budget facts over the airways.
One thing is for sure – if Nelson is a hack, he’s a very bright hack.
Bright or not, Rep. Nelson is acclaimed around here for his ability to skate into a meeting not a moment early – then slip out before any question and answer period.
And of course, there’s the capitol sit-in political stunt, taking cold showers and sleeping at his desk on the Assembly floor until the budget was passed in 2007. What a gimmick.
The guy is just kind of slippery. Yes, I guess he’s an example of someone whose intensions over and over are aligned with victory – and often, damn the truth. Yes, Charlie Sykes probably had it right.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Jo,
I have to post an apology. I was SO wrong about this stimulus package and what it would do for the people of Wisconsin.
$701.3 Million to 'create or retain' 2,184 jobs ... Wow! Where do I apply?
We know from the health care debate that the government is so much more efficient at delivering services on the dollar than that greedy private sector with all those ridiculous CEO salaries, profits to the shareholders, and huge investments in lavish facilities.
So based on that government efficiency argument and the numbers you quoted ($701.3 Mil / 2180 jobs) each and every one of those individuals enjoying a job created or retained by this program is paying AT LEAST $300,000!
Where do I sign up?
Jeff Riedl (Fri Oct 16 07:53:43 2009)
Jo, you're right on the mark, as usual. This is the same Tom Nelson who defended the cowardly tax the Democrats decided they would have the utility companies collect for them to fund the District Attorney line item in their budget. He has no problem raising taxes as long as he can pass them off as something avoiding the state tax label.
Phyllis Klee (Fri Oct 16 11:21:31 2009)
Where DO these politicians get their slippery talents? Is there some underground training course or booklet on the skill? Maybe it's a virus you get once you're in office.
Soapbox Jill (Fri Oct 16 18:46:20 2009)
Jo,
How much money was really in the "stimulus" where did the money really go? When was it spent? The idea of counting or not counting jobs is fuzzy. The fact is that anyone who has even a limited economics background understands the multiplier effect of spending money locally. Indirect jobs created from direct jobs. I assume whatever stimulus moneys were spent had a positive benefit but I doubt there is anyone who can accurately quantify it.
dave allen (Fri Oct 16 19:45:41 2009)
Dave, take Kiel as an example. Millions of stimulus money went to create two roundabouts that nobody wanted. Our state Senator even tried to get a bill banning these because feeling was so strong against them, but it didn't pass.
Building these roundabouts was presumably payback for some construction union's support. No Kiel jobs were created, as the workers came in from elsewhere--even from other states, and our economy was not "stimulated"; rather, local businesses were harmed as it was difficult for folks to get to them, the roads being blocked. (Well, maybe McDonald's made out, as one roundabout was right next to them, and workers might have bought lunch for them.)
Or how about the millions given to Conagra, a multinational conglomerate, to expand its Swiss Miss plant in some town up north? (Forgot which town, as I reed too many blogs). WHY is a multimillion-dollar-company getting ANY money at ALL? Can't it build its own plant? C,mon, it's obvious this "stimulus" money is intended to help only those who are "special" to the govt. in some way, and not the everyday businesses and people in WI.
emily matthews (Sat Oct 17 10:34:11 2009)
Why was the auto insurance provisions that passed at 5am in the state budget at all? Tom Nelson could have made this all important law pass or fail on it's own. Instead he rams it through with the massive budget bill. Tom Nelson this stinks of a pay off to your high placed and powerful supporters(trial lawyers) We/ I can't afford your politics. I just got mt 23.5% auto insurance increase and my 350% umbrella policy increase. Tom Nelson has failed me and soon will fail all of us. Good riddance 11/10.
Chris Helf (Sun Oct 25 02:40:59 2009)
You're right on Chris. Time to elect a replacement for Rep. Nelson. 23.5% increase and 350% increase on the umbrella. Wow. Will report my results when I see them. Wow.
Jo
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