Thanks Gov. Evers: Republican exposed for having ignored Rural communities and Farmers for 8 years!!!

Wisconsin Republicans are the laziest do nothing "representatives" you'll find anywhere.

1. State Parks Get All Funding Cut: For example, Republicans hate undeveloped publicly owned land that doesn't pad some private companies bottom line...like parks. So they passed and defunded state parks:

Gov. Scott Walker wants to remove state tax money from the operation of Wisconsin’s state parks and make them self-sustaining … proposing to remove all general-purpose revenue to operate Wisconsin state parks, trails and recreation areas - 46 state parks, 14 state trails, four recreational areas and two national scenic trails; In place of tax revenue, the governor is proposing that operation of the state park system be funded by entrance and campsite fees.

But that didn't work out so well. Sadly, Democrats failed to remind voters how we got to this place. You'll also notice ONLY Republicans came to rescue our parks...from themselves?:

2. Farmers Ignored, Rural Areas Completely Ignored, until Gov. Evers Exposed them: With little time left at the Capitol, Republicans are now scrambling to make Gov. Evers special session focus on farmers and rural communities something they came up with...after 8 frigging years of doing nothing, borrowing liberally from Evers first budget. You remember that, the one Republican Rep. Robin Vos and Sen. Scott Fitzgerald tossed into the trash bin. 

In fact, Republicans abandoned farmers completely under Walker. I wrote this back in Jan. 2016:

Scott Walker's $3.6 million budget cut to the UW Extension should get rural Republican voters riled up. It continues the Republican assault on their own rural constituents that keeps them frustrated and angry at their own government. The UW Extension "provides farmers with technical assistance, nutrient management and more," but those days are slipping away, thanks to cuts signed by Walker. UW-Extension, which applies research and expertise across the state in myriad areas, has been forced to restructure ... cut $1.2 million from county-level programs, $1.7 million from campus programs and state specialists and $700,000 from the administration.

Vos and Fitzgerald are now trying to cover their asses and look like heroes after arrogantly removing Evers first budget efforts. Hell, they're even blaming Democrats. Remember, Scott Walker ruled over the state for the last 8 years, so who's "they're?" Seriously, Vos actually said...

"It's nice that they're playing catchup, after literally almost a decade of ignoring rural Wisconsin."

Believe it or not, now they want to evaluated how the UW had been helping farmers after dumping the UW Extension program 3 years ago. Again, Republicans are rescuing farmers from their own bad legislation!!! You can't make this stuff up:

The package includes two bills aimed at the University of Wisconsin System. One would require the UW System to study the current problems facing farmers and evaluate how the university is helping support farmers through curriculum and staffing of agricultural programs. The other bill would require the UW System to develop an agricultural science and technology program. (Plus) amended versions of two of Evers’ bills...items included in Evers’ 2019-21 budget, including similar health insurance deductions for self-employed individuals, dairy processing grants and increasing dairy export spending. However they were removed by the Republican-led Legislature.

Adam Warthesen, director of government and industry affairs at Organic Valley, said the state's efforts are coming too late for many dairy farmers who have gone out of business in the last few years. "We should be out in front and figuring out what's going to help agriculture earlier in every year," Warthesen said. 

And rural Republican voters just keep putting these people back in Madison.

They even wanted to make it easier for farmers to lose their farms...not kidding: Walker went after Rural Farmers Estates to Fund Medicaid:

WSJ-Dee J. Hall: The state Department of Health Services has new powers under the state budget to recover money from the estates of people whose loved ones have received Medicaid funding for long-term care … the Legislature’s own nonpartisan legal and financial agencies have warned that the changes … could violate federal law. Critics say the changes could prompt some elderly couples to divorce and make it harder for children to inherit the family farm or business. A couple’s home is exempted … But proceeds from the sale of that home could be taken by the state to repay Medicaid used to pay for a spouse’s nursing home or other long-term care. An elder law attorneys said, “It greatly expands the types of property the state can go after … In the past, the state could not go after the property of the (non-Medicaid receiving) spouse.”

Rural Republicans voters realize environmental regulation not so bad...

When Wisconsinites have to spend large amounts of money to defend the value of their properties and to try and keep their water supply clean against the Republican administration's irresponsible actions, you know something is terribly wrong. GOP politicians still work for us, right?

For rural Republican voters who think government regulations are suffocating their growth, well, maybe they've changed their minds...I hope.

While Republican legislators complain wind farms are unsightly and hurt property values around them, they're perfectly fine destroying property values with very large smelly dairy farms drawing down nearby water levels with their high capacity wells and spreading manure that eventually pollutes nearby residents drinking water. Oh, and they can now take their tax cut savings and spend it saving their communities by going to court to cancel out those high capacity wells. What a deal? 

This is a rural American horror story:

Pleasant Lake in Waushara and Marquette counties ... 120-acre lake — located mostly in the town of Coloma about 60 miles west of Oshkosh — is ideal for swimming, fishing, boating and other simple pleasures. For more than a century, full-time and seasonal residents and tourists have enjoyed the central Wisconsin lake, which can be accessed from public boat landings.

However, the issuance in 2016 of two permits by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources — for a high-capacity well on a nearby farm and a new dairy farm — posed imminent threats to the lake’s water level and even the lake itself. That’s why owners of lakeside and other nearby properties decided to purchase and conserve the 105-acre Bula Farm to protect Pleasant Lake and its watershed lands — and to challenge the DNR permits in court. In May 2017, Pleasant Lake Management District members voted to purchase the land for $400,000 through a 20-year loan.
The proposed Richfield Dairy has not yet been built, but ... the Bula Farm was registered as a designated receiver of manure from the dairy — another concern for the residents. Manure spreading has been found to cause groundwater and surface-water pollution from nitrates and other contaminants of concern, especially in vulnerable areas such as Wisconsin’s Central Sands.

The Wisconsin State Journal reported Nov. 16, 2017, that the “Wisconsin Department of Revenue has found that homes near large dairy operations have been selling for as much as 13 percent below their assessed value in Kewaunee County, where odor, noise and water pollution from the sprawling feedlots have been a big problem.” PLMD president Tom Kunes said that either a high-capacity well or manure spreading “would have destroyed natural habitats and the quality of the lake. That would have been very destructive.”

Kunes noted long-term issues at stake: “Loss of lake water levels and contamination of private wells will result in degradation of both water quality and property values. This causes lake districts to spend money unnecessarily on legal actions to prevent water degradation and on purchase of nearby croplands to protect water resources.”

Republican government bad for Republican Rural voters!!!

From my own observations talking to rural Wisconsinites, there is an embedded tradition that makes getting Medicaid assistance a nonstarter. Some do take it when crop losses and the cost of running their business zeros out profits, but many don't.

So the warnings that rural America is going to take a major hit on health care may not have the kind of impact many might think. Rural voters might not change how they see their Republican politicians, despite getting stiffed by them on this and so many other issues. Still...

From a Conversation opinion piece, there are many who are still concerned:

(The) commitment to improving the health of rural Americans requires attention to the so-called upstream factors shaping rural health. That means preserving the safety net programs so vital in rural areas with underemployment and low-paying jobs, strengthening rural economies and investing in high-quality education. If our leaders are serious about reform that will lessen the rural-urban mortality gap, they should recognize the unique needs of rural America and ensure health care policy reflects how vital access to quality care is to their financial success – not to mention their well-being.

Researchers call it the “ruralmortalitypenalty.” While rates of mortality have steadily fallen in the nation’s urban areas, they have actually climbed for rural Americans. And the picture is even bleaker for specific groups, such as rural white women ... As researchers who study the mental and physical health of rural Americans, we believe this would have disastrous consequences.

The nature of rural employment, for example, is characterized by self-employment, seasonal work and lower-than-average pay. This means rural workers are less likely to get insurance through their jobs and thus face higher premiums when buying their own policies.

Both the House and Senate bills to repeal and replace Obamacare would drastically reduce rural Americans’ insurance coverage and significantly threaten the ability of many rural hospitals and clinics to keep their doors open. Analysts show that the bill would provide insufficient tax credits to pay for rural premium costs, drastically increase the price of rural premiums and increase uncompensated care in rural hospitals.

Walker/Republican pirates target Farmers again by Eliminating Farm to School program!!!

The “penny wise pound foolish” party of Republican plunderers are targeting their voting base in rural Wisconsin for another economic punch to the belly.

While our state has lost farmland twice as fast compared to neighboring states Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois, which doesn't bode well for dairy farmers already losing exported milk to Canada, Republicans now want to discontinue a program that uses their locally grown food in local area school districts. 

God knows why rural conservative voters keep voting these guys in. 

A broad and diverse coalition of advocacy groups signed on to a letter that was circulated today voicing support for the Farm to School Program, which faces elimination in the pending 2017-2019 State Budget.

Here's what a small $66,400 investment in the Farm to School program brings back to local farmers and their surrounding communities, keeping $1.4 million dollars in the state: 

1. The Farm to School program spurs over $9 million dollars in purchases of locally grown and processed foods by Wisconsin schools each year, impacting 500,000 students.

2. The modest expenditure of a $66,400 salary for the position for the Program Director … (is) a meaningful investment in the future of the state’s farmers and students.

3. The Farm to School Program Director has been instrumental in awards of over $200,000 of federal grant funds to conduct training and develop Wisconsin supply chains that encourage procurement of Wisconsin-grown foods including potatoes, yogurt and applesauce.

4. Since its inception in 2009, the initiative has grown to over 390 programs across the state integral in the selection of Wisconsin to participate in a successful USDA Pilot Project. 

5. "That allowed Wisconsin schools to divert $1.4 million dollars of their USDA commodity food budgets toward the purchase of Wisconsin-grown fresh fruits, vegetables and other products," the groups noted in the memo. "Wisconsin was one of only eight states selected to participate in this project.

I'm wonder how long it will take the following list of groups to catch on to the fact Republicans aren't their friends. Note: Why in the hell aren't Democrats shouting about this and making their casse to win over rural voters?

Milwaukee and Dane County Subsidize Rural Republican Utopia's.

Two articles came out at pretty much the same time that finally brought everything into focus; liberal state hellholes like Dane County and Milwaukee are propping up the rest of the state....every resentful rural community. They've been hoodwinked by their do-nothing Republican politicians who haven't lifted a finger to solve their problems.

No excuses Walker trolls, liberal progressive government policies work when their elected officials actually serve their constituents with policies they need. Can't say the same for "small government" Republican districts being starved and ignored. No wonder they resent big cities for getting everything. Cap Times:

1. Dane County responsible for over half of Wisconsin's job growth since 2001, according to a city of Madison economic development plan. 

2. Dane County represents 9 percent of the state’s population, but accounted for 56 percent of job growth between 2001 and 2015, with an increase of almost 43,000 jobs, from about 279,000 to 322,000. That’s an increase of 15 percent over that time period, as compared to a 3 percent increase seen statewide.

3. This growth, the report says, is “increasingly private-sector driven.” In Madison, the private sector makes up 76 percent of the workforce.

4. The job growth is also “concentrated at the top and bottom ends of the economic spectrum,” the report said, ranging from food preparation to software engineering.

5. The data also found that from 2001 to 2012, Dane County added 1,100 new businesses and Madison’s GDP grew from $23 billion to $39 billion, representing 6.5 percent annual growth. “For all intents and purposes, the Madison regional economy grew right through the recession,” Dan Kennelly, manager of the city office of business resources said.

6. Madison also leads in business growth and construction activity. “If you compare Dane County to the rest of the state of Wisconsin, by really any economic measure, whether it’s job growth or innovation or GDP or what have you, we’re really driving the state’s economy in a lot of ways,” Kennelly said.

And Milwaukee, once nearly completely destroyed by County Executive Scott Walker? Urban Milwaukee:

Milwaukee Subsidizes The State: The city gets only 66 cents in state spending for every dollar in state taxes paid.

In the 2012 recall election, Gov. Scott Walker bluntly signaled that a vote for his opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, could make this state as bad as the city. “We don’t want Wisconsin to become like Milwaukee,” he warned. Walker was well aware that Milwaukee was seen in a negative light across much of the state, as a place of poverty and crime or for some people as a simply a city with many minority residents. To get elected, Walker cynically capitalized on that negative image, while reinforcing it because, after all, he had served as Milwaukee County Executive. Who would know better how bad Milwaukee was?

In fact, even as Walker was libeling the state’s biggest city, the reality is the opposite was true: it was Walker’s state that was the relative loser, that was leeching off the city. By 2012, the data shows, the city’s economy had become so successful that Milwaukee got back just 88 cents in total state aid for every dollar in total taxes it paid to the state.

That includes every category of state dollars flowing to Milwaukee, from state aid to Milwaukee Public Schools to shared revenue to cities, transportation aid and other smaller categories, and also includes every form of taxes flowing from Milwaukee to the state, including sales taxes and personal and corporate income taxes paid by city residents and businesses. All this information is tracked by the state Department of Revenue (DOR) and it shows Milwaukee is a net contributor to the state.

That was not true as recently as 2009, when the city was getting $1.07 from the state for every dollar in taxes it paid. But by 2011 the city was a net contributor to the state and that net outflow has increased every year until by 2015 the city was paying nearly $1.4 billion in total taxes to the state and getting back just over $912 million in state aid. That’s a return of just 66 cents from the state for every dollar in taxes paid.

The city has been booming economically since the Great Recession, enjoying tremendous real estate development, seeing its many local businesses recover and grow revenue, and becoming a magnet for companies moving from the suburbs to the city.

But is that how Gov. Walker sees the situation? Or Republican legislative leaders? I shared the information about Milwaukee’s net contribution with Walker’s communication’s director Tom Evenson, with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and asked for a comment. None responded.

Rural Voters blamed Obama for Walker's Lousy high unemployment rate and economic Stagnation.

Before you read the following, understand this; Republicans have had complete super majority control of the entire state for 6 years. I know, I know, Democrats forgot to mention that during the last election, but what do you expect, a fight? 

The pain Wisconsinites are feeling can be directly blamed on the Republicans, and it's going to get much worse in coordination with the Trump administration. WSJ:

Supporters in Adams County described a local electorate that was overwhelmingly angry — and ready to break from the status quo, even if the direction of change is unclear. Now local residents say they're eyeing a Trump presidency with long-odds hope, deep anxiety or both.

Again, Republicans have been in charge for six years. Obama isn't responsible for resentment in rural Wisconsin. Walker is. Take the desperately needed rural broadband rollout that had too many strings attached when Obama offered it:

One of the governor’s first acts back in 2012 was to turn away nearly $23 million in grant funding that would have allowed the state to expand fiber optic broadband networks to 82 schools and 385 library facilities. We lost 150 full-time jobs that could have been created by this project.

State taxpayers would have been on the hook for the entire amount if the state could not meet the grant's precise requirements, Mike Huebsch said. "This is simply not an acceptable risk." 

Today...federal FCC strings are okay, 4 years too late:

About 40 percent of the money must be spent by the end of 2017 and 20 percent per year must be put to work in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Republicans successfully sold the idea that Obama's jobs record was a disaster, never thinking it was Walker all along who gave us job stagnation. 

State Rep. Joan Ballweg, a Markesan Republican described Adams County as home to many people who "have been hit harder by the stagnant economy. A lot of those folks feel like Mr. Trump talked like them and felt like them."

Amazing isn't it, a millionaire nacissist "talked like them and felt like them?" The world has gone mad.

Despite reality:

The economy created 11 million jobs under President Obama ... jobs created under President George W. Bush, was about 400,000 below zero. The economy has now added jobs for 73 consecutive months, a record.

Trump said he had to save America, a simple message, asking "what have you got to lose:"

Local Republicans hailed Trump's win as a "last-ditch effort" to save their country.

The following line stood out, because nothing below has anything to do with the federal government. It was all on Walker, yet he got off "Scott" free: 

The local economy, rooted in agriculture, tourism and logging, has failed for decades to yield enough good jobs, residents said. Its unemployment rate was among the highest of any Wisconsin county in 2015.

Heath Care, Health Care, Health Care: Democrats have been given a gift that will keep on giving. Please my god take this and run with it. 

One of Trump's biggest promises, just like Obama's "you can keep your old insurance," was to lower premium prices by repealing ObamaCare. Folks, I guarantee that's never gonna happen, so make this the number one talking point for the next 2 years: 

Mark Beda of rural Adams, backed Obama four years ago and Trump this time. A self-described moderate, Beda, a 47-year-old IT worker, said Obama's signature law has not made care more affordable and accessible for most people he knows. Part-way through Obama's second term, Beda said he felt it was likely he would vote for the Republican nominee in 2016.

Trump repeatedly pledged during the campaign to repeal Obama's health care law. But Beda said Trump instead should "fix" the law "to make it something that people can use ... something that is affordable. I think that would just be detrimental. You're not going to take it away. You just can't do that."

Health care costs under Trump and Paul Ryan will skyrocket, dropping tens of millions of Americans, guaranteed. Republicans will ask for more time, that free market competition will eventually lower prices. But people who need treatment and family coverage don't have time. And Republicans didn't give the Affordable Care Act any time to work.