EXIM Bank Fallout: GOP hold American jobs hostage, killing many, to force vote to lower Corporate Taxes.

Republicans have been amazingly upfront about their lack of concern about killing jobs. Their weird double standard doesn't even get them in trouble; state sanctioned corporate welfare is good, federal sanctioned corporate welfare is bad?

The Export Import Bank isn't really welfare either, since it just backs up loans to make trade possible, not costing taxpayers anything.

Getting their just deserts, in the heart of Republican country - Waukesha, the bleeding has begun:

Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly has sent a letter to Governor Scott Walker, House Speaker John Boehner, Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow, and the Waukesha Common Council — asking for the re-authorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. It’s a huge blow for the city of Waukesha
and (the loss of) 350 workers at its GE Power & Water factory, blaming Congress  The company notified employees and more than 400 U.S. suppliers of its plans. In Wisconsin alone, suppliers generate about $47 million in revenue from the Waukesha plant. GE officials are blaming the move on Congress — for failing to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States  ... “In many of the markets overseas, we must have that financing in order to even enter negotiations for contracts,” Shaun Wiggins with GE Power & Water in Waukesha said.

As I've highlighted in red, it's not corporate taxes killing the jobs in Waukesha, no matter how Walker and Paul Ryan insist it is. GE was very clear about why. If anything, this should be a lesson in spin for GOP voters. Here's what the bank does:

The Ex-Im Bank allows foreign governments and companies to get U.S.-backed loans to buy GE products ...

If the Democrats killed 350 jobs like this, you know what would have happened. But in fact, Democrats don't even have to kill jobs to be criticized for supposedly wanting to kill jobs with regulation, taxes and health care for all.

But Republicans? They can even double down in the face of actually killing jobs. In another example of Republican projection, Walker kinda admitted how his own party is using labor as pawns:

Gov. Scott Walker: “Unfortunately, I think (the jobs) are pawns in a larger political battle being played out in Washington."

Walker never saw the irony of the situation either. Walker's own mismanaged welfare program for state businesses, WEDC, doesn't even come close to the EXIM Banks reputation.

Walker couldn't get more clueless than this:

Walker: “I think it’s unwise for any corporation to be making decisions on where they place work based on one particular vote in the Congress,” the governor said.

Yea, just one vote that makes or breaks a companies ability to be a global player, that's all.

Rep. Paul Ryan doesn't care what companies are saying either. In fact, it's the same old reason Republicans oppose everything, "there are better ways..." Yea, isn't there always?

“Congressman Ryan remains opposed to the reauthorization of the Export-Import bank. He feels there are better ways Congress can promote economic growth; rather than continue with corporate welfare, we should be focused on fixing our tax code and reducing burdensome regulations, which are long term solutions to our economic woes.”

Paul Ryan "thinks" we shouldn't blame him for all the lost Jobs after he defunded the Export Import Bank. "Think" again Paul.

Here’s a little Paul Ryan “thinking” game, because thinking beats the hell out of reality.

I’m thinking there’s a reason Republicans love policy wonk Paul Ryan's corporate shilling; he's really good at it.

When GE announce the loss of 350 jobs in their Waukesha plant, they gave a very specific reason:

The company blamed Congress for its failure to reauthorize the U.S. Export-Import Bank, an institution that finances sales of U.S. industrial equipment to overseas customers.

Now I'm "thinking” we lost those jobs because Republicans defunded the EXIM Bank.

Well, here’s what Paul Ryan thinks:

Rep. Paul Ryan said Monday he doesn't think the shuttering of the Export-Import Bank was the only reason General Electric Co. says it will stop manufacturing engines in Waukesha and move that work to Canada.

So forget what GE said, Ryan "thinks" there's another reason that coincidentally relates to something he’s working on: cutting the corporate tax rate. In fact, Ryan “can’t help but think” out loud while tearing up over the job losses corporate tax rates. WKOW:

"I think it's horrible that these workers are being laid off at GE and I can't help but think that there have to be other reasons. Canada has a 15% tax rate and we have a 35% tax rate to name one reason," 

And Canada has its own version of the EXIM Bank too, but "I can’t help but think” Ryan wants us to think otherwise.

Think he’s using the threat of job losses via EXIM to get a corporate tax cut pushed through?  

Scott Walker's "False Choice" Agenda, where nothing ever changes.

Will there ever be a moment when Republican voters realize they're being played? Didn't think so.

Scott Walker is the king of con, the "Obfuscator!" He's got nothing, and his low polling numbers prove it.

What he does have though are big bold "false choices" that don't amount to a hill of beans. The following three ideas fell into place today for me, what I would call a clarifying moment.

Ending Mass Murders: We can solve mass murders by treating the mentally ill? This is one of the weirdest false choices. I can't tell you how angry I get every time I hear a Republican throw this one out. Think of it more as somebody trying to change the subject. Enter Scott Walker...

Walker shifted the focus on Friday from gun control to mental health, saying that such incidents in Wisconsin have frequently been linked to mental health problems.

"Historically, the one constant thread has been people suffering from some degree of mental illness. In many of these cases, someone has fallen through the cracks without getting the appropriate treatment for mental health issues."

Walker's record as County Executive, pictured here, negates any changes the legislature force him to make as governor. 

The False Choice of Saving the Fetus...: Caught in the most unforgivable line of bullshit, Walker's inner sociopath came through, as he came out strongly against the life of the mother:

Gov. Scott Walker says choosing between the life of a pregnant woman and her fetus is a "false choice," adding that he believes better options are always available. "It's a false choice. There is always a better option out there. I've said for years, medically there's always a better choice than choosing between the life of an unborn baby and the life of the mother. Medically that's just a nonissue."

When asked what better medical options are available — and whether Walker believes there are no instances in which a family and doctors have to choose between the life of the pregnant woman and the life of her fetus — his campaign spokeswoman AshLee Strong repeated late Friday that he is "100% pro-life. He acknowledges what science says, and that is that an unborn child is that — a child, and deserving of protection."

Job Killing opposition to the EXIM Bank, There are "other" False Choices: My conservative friend in Milwaukee got so angry about this he called me to complain. He knew the EXIM Bank didn't cost taxpayers anything, and couldn't believe Republicans were blocking it, killing 350 jobs in Waukesha. A day later, Walker came out against the Export-Import Bank:

"I've said before as a candidate and still say so now, I do not think that the federal government should be renewing that. But I think there are other ways that we can help manufacturers like that in Waukesha and others across the state be competitive."

What does that mean? Who knows.