Off The Editor’s Desk – 6-20-2018

Nine Dems vie for Governor

Our state press association sent out a piece last week that contained summaries of speeches from the top nine gubernatorial candidates to the state Democratic Party convention at Oshkosh on June 1st, as reported by WisPolitics.com.

I am putting in a short piece about each candidate from the report and one line from what they said at the convention.

Here are the Democratic candidates that are running for governor. If you like anyone of them, you can make your choice at the primary on August 14th.

MATT FLYNN, a Milwaukee attorney who promised to legalize marijuana, raised the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour, and also took aim at the Foxconn deal.

ANDY GRONIK, a Milwaukee businessman noted; “The bottom line is Scott Walker has beaten the establishment politician three times in a row,” asking if it was reasonable to expect success by doing the same thing over and over.

MIKE McCABE he’d attempt to be the first state to experiment with universal basic income, and would call for affordable college education for all.

MAHLON MITCHELL, head of the firefighters union. “The government can help the state’s citizens by instituting a $15.00 minimum wage, eliminating the state’s private voucher program and decriminalizing addiction.”

KELDA ROYS a former state representative from Dane County. She touted a vision for Wisconsin that includes free two-year college and 12 weeks of paid universal family leave.

PAUL SOGLIN is currently mayor of Madison, stated he was there on the first day of the fight against Act 10 and billed himself as the only candidate with the experience to defeat Walker. He removed some Civil War Memorials in Madison.

KATHLEEN VINEHOUT is a state senator from Alma. She took aim at the Foxconn deal and touted accessible public transit, reinvesting in the UW System and addressing climate change.

DANA WACHS, a state representative from Eau Claire acknowledge the unemployment rate in Walker’s Wisconsin may be low. He calls for the $15.00 minimum wage and increased funding for public schools.

TONY EVERS the current state superintendent of schools. He stated, “I am running for governor because I am G–D— sick of Scott Walker gutting our public schools.”

I read over this report with great interest, as to how small business would fare under the leadership of any of these nine candidates. None of which said a word of encouragement for small business in the state. Instead they all pushed for more government, higher spending, and more regulations, doing away with the school voucher idea and supporting the $15.00 wage.

According to the Green Bay Gazette, state taxpayers paid an average of $7,400 for each private school voucher last year. That figure is near what the state supports students in our local schools.

About the $15.00 an hour wage law, I am sure that as consumers we will all see prices increase at the many establishments that we buy from. Like the local eating establishments, grocery stores and service businesses that require hired help.

How can anyone oppose workers getting more money, but my thought is what about the segment of the population that are living on a fixed income and those living on a retirement plan. Will they get an increase in their income to cover the cost of buying the things they need to survive?

Thanks for reading! ~Carlton