Iowa Oscar Mayer deal takes corporate welfare to a new level!

It was part of Scott Walker's “Open for Business” policy; take neighboring states businesses away with taxpayer supported handouts and tax cuts.

But corporate giveaways like this just went off the Richter scale with the relocation of Oscar Mayer to Iowa, and the Des Moines Register noticed, with the following scathing opinion. Make no mistake, this is a Republican policy spurred on by special interests and irresponsible tax cuts. WSJ:

If you needed another sign that Iowa’s economic development incentives are out of whack, get a load of this baloney. Kraft Heinz is closing the world’s largest bologna plant, which employs about 1,400 workers at the Oscar Mayer works in Davenport, Iowa. The company plans to build a $200 million, state-of-the-art plant that will need just 475 workers.

In return, the company could get $20.75 million in state and local assistance. That works out to nearly $43,700 for every job Kraft Heinz agrees to keep. (About 200 of the jobs pay less than $37,000 a year, according to the state’s contract with the company.)

The deal represents a new low in the out-of-control race to keep or attract employers.

Incentives were once solely used to reward companies that actually created jobs. But then the state gave aid to companies for “retaining jobs,” such as investing in new equipment for their factories, even if no jobs were added. Now the state is giving Kraft Heinz $4.75 million, and the result is a net loss of 900 jobs. But Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, declared victory and argued that without the incentives, Iowa would have lost everything.

Iowa also awarded Kraft Heinz $750,000 in research and development tax credits. For what? To build a better bologna? This company produces such nutritionally rich “food” as ketchup, Lunchables, Velveeta and Jell-O. Or will the R&D investment go toward increased automation to reduce the number of processing jobs?

Our congressional delegation can work together to end the national bidding wars. We can ask presidential candidates their plan to stop the madness.

We can stop feeling helpless, as Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba sounded on Thursday as his city considered a $16 million incentive package: “It’s a sad commentary on modern-day capitalism that you have to give up property tax money, which is used to fund our schools, for jobs. But if you don’t do it, we don’t have the jobs to pay our taxes.”

A winner of a deal? More like a wiener.

Wingnut Blogger Schneider sees Walker a winner if Oscar Mayer finds a buyer, keeping factory open.

Basically admitting Scott Walker is the loser with Oscar Mayer's announced closing, Journal Sentinel blogger Christian Schneider thinks Scott Walker would come out the winner if the company keeps the factory open with a new buyer. Sure, Walker's going through his meat processor Rolodex right now.

How desperate can these in the tank Walker hero worshipers get? Oscar Mayer finds a buyer, Walker is the winner:

The Point Missed: The closing and recent gusher of other lost and exported jobs has made it perfectly clear, selling out Wisconsinites to the highest corporate bidders with tax cuts and deregulation wasn't just bad policy, it's paralyzing the states economy for decades to come. 

No Democratic governor or legislature will be able to reverse the overwhelming dismantling of Wisconsin's economic engine anytime soon, and we've got three more years of Walker to contend with. In a plea to help bailout his campaign debt due to spending money he didn't have, he told potential contributors:

"While I don't know exactly what the future holds, trust me, we will continue leading the fight for big, bold, conservative change in Wisconsin and across America."

You mean we're not there yet? Think that comment is scary? Here's what Walker wrote (click to enlarge):

Walker refuses to be questioned about Oscar Mayer, Lost Jobs or shortage of seasonal workers!

You’ve got to be kidding me?

One thing is certain, Scott Walker won’t tolerate disrespectful questions or blame surrounding Oscar Mayer, S.C. Johnson, GE, or deal with the seasonal labor shortage in the state. Who do we think we are?

WISC: (A) letter sent to Walker Thursday from 14 Dane County Democrats asked Walker a series of questions about his actions prior to the decision of Kraft Heinz to close the Madison plant and eliminate 1,000 jobs in the city.

Gov. Scott Walker: "These workers need our help and they need us to work together. Instead, your letter appears to want to look for someone to blame.

If Mayor Soglin was concerned about the possibility of losing jobs at Oscar Mayer after the August meeting, why did he not contact the state for help? Instead of pointing fingers at each other, we need to work together to help the workers and families being hurt by this corporate decision."

Walker closed his letter by saying the state "is moving in the right direction."

 Of course Walker's pointing a finger at Mayor Soglin doesn't count as blame or conflict with working together, just in case that seemed confusing.