It's Ironic? Green New Deal/AOC/Democratic Agenda good for Capitalism after all?

Okay, after about an hour of mumbling and ranting about the State Journal's Tom Still revelation that clean green energy is "A-Ok" for capitalism, not to mention massive job creator, I had to sit down and get it out of my system.

After years of Republican claims of a liberal global conspiracy against fossil fuels, Tom Still now thinks it's "ironic" that, gee, it's also good for capitalism too?

Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, follows the conservative pattern of denial...and than acceptance of liberal progressive ideas that are only thought to be credible if a Republican jumps on board. 

I almost spit out my coffee when I read this line:

The irony is that parts of AOC’s “Green New Deal” already seem A-OK with trends well underway in the nation’s capitalist markets.

What the hell? I swear Still is messing with us...and it's working, especially after this:

Renewable energy sources; conservation strategies in manufacturing, construction and other sectors; “smart” power grids and transportation hubs; and the wise use of natural resources are all part of the U.S. economy’s general movement toward sustainability. It is happening, in large part, because it makes good business sense but also because government and academic research is generating new products and processes for market adoption.

STOP ACTING LIKE THIS IS YOUR IDEA AND SOMETHING NEW!!! Suddenly, without Scott Walker at the controls guiding the state back into a 20th century ozone haze, the Democratic idea that the state could be more energy "self-reliant" is what, a flash of your genius?

That picture emerged in an April 23 Madison forum produced by the Wisconsin Technology Council, where 90 people heard from the director of one of the nation’s top bioenergy research laboratories and two advocates for strategies that can make Wisconsin more energy self-reliant, cleaner and able to capitalize on “green” jobs.

Oh, and we can thank Trump? OMG...

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, part of the UW-Madison Energy Institute ... was recently renewed – with an increase in federal dollars – by the Trump administration. That renewal was a vote of confidence for a lab that has filed nearly 200 U.S. patent applications, produced 109 technology licenses or option agreements, published 1,250 scholarly papers, led to five startup companies and trained hundreds of students, many of whom work in industry. The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation holds those patents and licenses.

Tim Donohue, the GLBRC lab’s director, said the chance to create more clean products and energy jobs over time is significant (there were 2.7 million such U.S. jobs in 2016), and it’s poised to grow ... adding Wisconsin can compete in that race when it comes to bio-energy, wind, solar, conservation and energy storage.

Oh and did you forgot all of the constructive debates Republicans have had over clean green energy? Anyone remember that? No?

Scott Coenen, executive director of the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum ... was created to give Republicans and conservatives a constructive voice in the debate, often dominated by unyielding opposition from some on the right – especially when it comes to global climate change.

Without Scott Walker's iron fisted opposition to clean energy, "brave" special interest lackey's are just now speaking up, and it's no coincedence:

John Imes, executive director of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, said Wisconsin has “fallen a little behind” the rest of the Midwest in developing clean energy industries, but the state’s strong manufacturing base can lead in catching up ... be a part of producing wind turbines, for example. “We’ve got access to markets, we’ve got deep water ports,” Imes said. “So those jobs could be in Wisconsin.”

And this will make your head explode, after all the trash talk we've heard from our out of touch Republican legislators at the Capitol:

Coenen said solar energy is an example of a renewable energy source that costs far less today than even a few years ago. Over the next four years, he said, around 1,700 megawatts of solar panel projects will come on line in Wisconsin. If that happens as scheduled, Wisconsin would move from getting about 1 percent of its energy from solar to about 20 percent.

Is there a damn wall I can hit my head against....

“That has never happened like that in the history of our state, no matter how much government has pushed mandates or tax credits,” Coenen said. “It’s happening specifically, because the market has gotten behind these technologies.”

“Green New Deal” or no, the American economy is embracing changes to its energy portfolio. The question is whether government will be a catalyst or a top-down regulator. The former is more likely to produce results.

Embracing changes after AOC made a big deal about it!!! Sure go ahead, exercize your freedom to buy a big gulp soda or pigtail lightbulb...

Here's AOC on why the Green New Deal makes sense, well before Tom Still suddenly realized it's A-Ok:

Sean Duffy not on Still's/Big Energies move to create Jobs and Manufacturing of Green Cheaper Energy: Now watch one of the most unqualified and embarrassing Representatives from Wisconsin we've ever seen,  Sean Duffy, explain how clean energy will drive manufacturing OUT of our country (see above story Sean?). Note: voters just gave him a 2 more years to spout this lunacy. Says a lot about them too:

Corporate Welfare State: Taxpayers now on the hook for Job Training, while state pushes importing cheaper "Skills Gap" labor!

Taxpayers are now on the hook, subsidizing private business so they can train workers to fill the “skills gap.” But wait, the “skills gap” is a myth, created by business to keep wages low and import temporary foreign workers. If taxpayers really want to cuts government spending, try cutting this area of corporate welfare first.

Institutionalized Corporate Welfare: Even worse, Scott Walker has now officially institutionalized corporate welfare with taxpayer subsidized job training. It’s all a noble cause, and I feel lousy coming out against this...

…but business created the “skills gap” to import cheap labor, lower wages, and get taxpayers to foot the bill…or at least pay for part of the bill. As so many economists have stated, if there’s a shortage of workers, wages would have gone up. That didn't happen.

Walker’s WEDC gift of taxpayer money to job train is just the beginning:  

jsonline: (It’s an) initiative to train welders in four areas of the state … being funded by the state and the welding industry. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development has committed $400,000 to fund the customized technical skill development for the first year, with $100,000 going to each of the four regional sites … In addition, Illinois Tools Works Inc. — the parent company of Miller — is providing $400,000 in matching funds. The American Welding Society has committed $200,000.

Appearing on WPT's Here and Now, the President of the Wisconsin Technology Council Tom Still made a few amazing statements. Not only did he defend importing cheap foreign labor to fill that mythical "skills gap," but he also bragged those same workers have a "propensity" to start their own businesses. If we lag in jobs created, Still said, it's because we don't have enough foreign workers in Wisconsin. Would I kid you?

  

The official sounding “Sullivan Report” Tom Still mentions above is all CEO bluster pushing the “skills gap” myth. Here’s a sample of "Sullivan's" recommendations, including importing temp workers and institutionalizing corporate welfare:

The report by former Bucyrus International Chairman Tim Sullivan offers a series of recommendations to fill that gap … The skills gap "is hurting economic competitiveness in Wisconsin," Sullivan said. Giving the state Department of Workforce Development responsibility for coordinating job training programs … expanding funding for part-time technical college students to keep them enrolled while increasing tuition for technical college students who already have four-year degrees … and welcoming legal immigrants to the state. 

I found the comment below, to the story above, the appropriate less profane response:

Ace Rothstein: If I were to go knocking on doors on Lake Drive how many welders do you think I would come across? Yeah, its a wage problem. If you need more welders then start paying them more. Don't whine to the governor. Don't whine to the Jounal-Sentinel. Bust out your checkbook or go out of business.