State Business Lobbyists order Republicans to Lower Wages and Environmental Standards or won't Accept Gas Tax Increase!!!

I thought it was a bit ironic that angry marginalized anti-government conservative voters elected Trump because he promised to give them their fair share of government help. 

Never mind that their own Republican representatives, in complete control of the state government for the last 6 years, never helped them. Only in a conservative "bubble" could voter resentment target the powerless and flaccid Democratic Party for their own parties flaws. 

I'll be curious to see what happens when their anger and frustration builds all over again, as Republicans ignore their plight and dismantle environmental, health care, transportation and energy policies at the request of big business. Beloit Daily News:

In a Capitol controlled by Republicans, what chambers of commerce leaders want often becomes law … although it was buried in almost eight hours of Assembly Transportation Committee testimony at a by-invitation-only hearing last week, the first signs of a possible compromise on long-term transportation funding emerged.

You'll notice "voters" weren't part of the by-invitation-only crowd. The love affair Republicans have with these infallible business “CEO’s” is stunning and a total surrender to the artificial corporate persons they represent. 

In a balls-out show of power, “business” will only accept a gas tax increase if they get Republicans to lower wages and environmental standards in Wisconsin. Voters don’t seem to have the same forceful “trade bait” as the power brokers below:   

Two economic development leaders — Jason Culotta of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) and Steve Baas, a senior vice president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce — drew legislators a possible road map to a long-term transportation funding compromise. They did it by listing “trade bait” — specific changes that they want made before they would accept either an increase in the 30.9-cent gas tax or the $75 annual vehicle registration fee, or hikes in both.

So business will only "accept" an increase if these demands are made:

• REPEALING the “prevailing wage” law that specifies the pay of workers on state highway projects.


• Amending the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act to adopt federal standards on highway construction exemptions.

• Implementing new “practical design” standards developed by WisDOT.

*CULOTTA said WMC wants another change: A new way of getting workers to jobs “via a private bus system similar to school buses.”

Forget about the damage crumbling state roads will have on our cars and pocketbooks...

And, in a statement, Miller/Coors connected bad roads and beer drinking. “All of the beer produced at the Milwaukee brewery … is shipped via truck. Thus, it is critical that we have a modern, reliable and efficient highway/road system to ensure that our beers reach our retailers and consumers.”