As Wisconsinites face skyrocketing health care costs following GOP sabotage, Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson continue to run on taking away 30 million Americans' health care access.

MADISON - In Wisconsin and across the country, Republican health care sabotage continues to spike consumer costs, shouldering Americans with skyrocketing premiums -- particularly in rural areas -- and rising worries that their care will soon be completely unaffordable. But GOP U.S. Senate candidates Kevin Nicholson and Leah Vukmir are nevertheless dead set on taking away 30 million Americans' health care access and further spiking consumer costs, as part of their right-wing, corporate-special-interest-giveaway agenda.

Nicholson and Vukmir have continued to campaign on dangerous Trumpcare repeal plans that would gut protections for people with preexisting conditions, spike premiums and take health care away from up to 30 million Americans. And Vukmir and Nicholson are standing by their fellow Republicans' efforts to further destabilize health care markets -- malicious sabotage that's already spiking premiums in Wisconsin and across the country.

Republican-led health care market sabotage has gotten so out of control that a recent Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll finds that a majority of Americans are "worried about their out-of-pocket costs increasing so high that" they won’t be able to afford the care that they need.

Meanwhile, additional polling shows that health care remains the top issue for voters heading into November's midterm elections. In Wisconsin, specifically, a recent PPP survey found that 72% of likely voters name health care a top issue. 

That's bad news for Trumpcare candidates like Nicholson and Vukmir, who are also running on a Republican tax law that spikes health care costs while simultaneously calling for dangerous cuts to Wisconsinites' Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare benefits.

Plan reduces the sales tax rate by 10%, ends MAC tax break that benefits less than 1% of taxpayers, and makes investments in education, job training, and high-speed Internet.

ALTOONA, WI - Wisconsin governor candidate Mike McCabe today proposed transformative tax changes to turn Wisconsin’s tax system from one that allows the wealthiest in the state to pay the lowest overall tax rate into one where everyone pays their fair share.

One centerpiece of the plan reduces the state sales tax rate by 10% while applying the tax to now-exempt purchases made almost exclusively by the richest consumers. In making the proposal, McCabe highlighted the injustice of taxing auto parts and repairs but exempting aircraft parts and repairs from the state sales tax.

“If you need to fix your car or truck, you pay sales tax on top of what it costs you. But if you own a private jet and need repairs or spare parts, you are exempt from the tax,” McCabe said.

“If you buy your kid a winter coat, you pay state sales tax. But if you pay a public relations firm to spruce up your image, there’s no tax,” he said.

Another key feature of McCabe’s tax reform plan is ending what is known as the MAC tax break that benefits a mere one-third of 1% of taxpayers in the state. More than three-quarters of the beneficiaries make more than $1 million a year, and well over 90% of those taking advantage of MAC have incomes exceeding $300,000 annually.

“MAC is a tax loophole big enough to drive a Mack truck through, and it’s the super-rich who are doing the driving,” McCabe said, adding that it resulted in tax breaks averaging more than $2 million for 11 tax filers earning $30 million or more in 2017. Closing the loophole would bring in more than $320 million a year in taxes that some of Wisconsin’s wealthiest people currently are escaping.

“We don’t need any new taxes. But we do need to make sure everyone pays the ones we already have,” he said.

McCabe’s proposed changes to the state sales tax include lowering it from 5% to 4.5% – a 10% reduction in the rate – and applying the tax to purchases that currently are exempt including:

• Aircraft parts and repairs
• Health clubs
• Auto and travel clubs
• Nonresidents’ aircraft hangared and boats berthed in Wisconsin
• Dues and fees to business associations and fraternal organizations
• Building materials, equipment and supplies used in constructing professional sports stadiums
• Motion picture and TV film and advertising materials
• Services such as public relations, accounting, interior design, architectural and engineering, beauty, legal, advertising, tax preparation, real estate broker commissions, collection and credit rating, and janitorial.

McCabe already has called for funding nearly $700 million in new investments in the next two-year state budget by ending two unsuccessful subsidy programs and using the savings to make education and job training more affordable and bring high-speed Internet to parts of the state currently lacking access. He also plans to put in place two other measures to empower working people that involve no additional state spending. These include boosting wages by turning the state’s minimum wage into a living wage and expanding access to health care by changing a single word in state law to make nearly every state resident able to access affordable, high-quality health insurance through the BadgerCare program.

All of these steps to empower people are needed if Wisconsin is to have a prosperous middle class, McCabe said, noting that so far in the 21st Century no state has seen more shrinkage of the middle class than Wisconsin. The state also can tap upwards of $200 million a year in new revenue to invest in health and education by legalizing marijuana and taxing legal sales in licensed dispensaries, as McCabe has proposed. The more than $320 million gained each year by closing the MAC loophole for the rich also can be plowed into needed investments in infrastructure, education and health.

These investments, together with a lower state sales tax on the kinds of purchases low- and middle-income consumers make most, will solidify Wisconsin’s middle class, McCabe said.

MADISON - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson -- who has himself repeatedly been caught lying -- is now leveling charges of dishonesty at none other than First Lady Tonette Walker and her son, Alex, who works for Nicholson's primary opponent, state Sen. Leah Vukmir.

From WITI-TV:

Wisconsin First Lady Tonette Walker offers a very personal reason for supporting Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Leah Vukmir over rival Kevin Nicholson in the contested GOP primary this year.

The first lady says Vukmir’s opponent refused to shake her son Alex’s hand.
....
“When Alex said to me, ‘I was in a room with another candidate, and he refused to shake my hand,’ I was like, “Really? I mean, really? Seriously?’” Tonette Walker said. “To me, I don’t want someone in politics, and someone who’s going to represent me and the State of Wisconsin in politics, if he doesn’t have the common decency to extend his hand, to shake his hand with a young man.”
...
Nicholson’s campaign said it had no idea what Ward or Tonette Walker were talking about.

"No amount of petty infighting, name-calling, or accusations of dishonesty can change that fact that Kevin Nicholson and Leah Vukmir are running on a deeply unpopular, right-wing agenda that's all about selling out hardworking Wisconsinites to help corporate special interests and billionaire megadonors get even richer," said Brad Bainum, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson for the 2018 U.S. Senate race.

WATCH

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/rebecca_dallet_michael_screnock_debate-s5.jpgScrenock declines to commit to recusing himself from cases involving his major donors during Milwaukee Bar Association debate Monday.

"Credit where due: Vukmir and Nicholson are innovators when it comes to finding new ways to tear each other down."

MADISON - How do they do it? Say what you will about Republican U.S. Senate candidates Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson's hardline commitment to a right-wing policy agenda that enriches corporate special interests and the wealthy at the expense of hardworking Wisconsinites, the two primary opponents are remarkably creative when it comes to finding new ways to viciously attack each other.

Here are the latest entries in the "nasty" GOP primary log:

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bice: Relative of GOP candidate Kevin Nicholson labels Scott Walker a 'sissy,' Leah Vukmir a 'swamp creature' in tweets
  
  • "Steve attacked state Sen. Leah Vukmir, the other GOP candidate in the race, labeling her a 'crooked politician,' a 'Pharisistic Swamp Creature,' Nurse Ratched, a 'cry baby,' 'B-squad material,' 'stale bread,' a 'liberal Democrat' and a 'deceitful little snake.'"
  • "Steve...also took after Gov. Scott Walker for associating with Vukmir...'Yo Gov - you're starting to look like a sissy running around the state with Leah,' Steve wrote last week under her handle @PJsMask. 'She's taking away your manhood and credibility.'"
  • "Brandon Moody, a spokesman for Nicholson, downplayed the issue, calling it 'goofy, small-ball stuff.'"
  • "But a Vukmir aide said the social media posts crossed a line. 'It's appalling to see a member of Kevin's family say such vile things about Leah,' said Jessica Ward, campaign manager for Vukmir. 'There is no place for this sort of filth in the Republican Party.'"
• Leah Vukmir: "You know what you get with me...it's the roll of a dice with my opponent." [The Jay Weber Show, 3/26/18]
  
  • "[Nicholson] lists a slew of people and groups from D.C. who support him. And I think the people in Wisconsin want to decide who their next U.S. Senator is -- I don't think they want D.C. deciding."
  • "I truly believe this primary is between a Republican who has delivered on her conservative agenda, and one who merely says that he will -- you know what you get with me, Jay, I think it's the roll of a dice with my opponent."

"Credit where due: Vukmir and Nicholson are innovators when it comes to finding new ways to tear each other down," said Brad Bainum, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson for the 2018 Senate race. "The GOP primary keeps getting nastier, but Vukmir and Nicholson have been steadfast in their shared commitment to a reckless, right-wing agenda that includes taking health care away from up to 30 million Americans and gutting Wisconsinites' Social Security and Medicare benefits."

MADISON - As she gathers momentum in her race for Governor of Wisconsin, Kelda Roys' groundbreaking campaign video also continues to spark a national conversation on women in politics.

Below is a sampling of some of the most recent coverage:

Her campaign ad was ‘sick’ and ‘tasteless,’ critics say. She was breastfeeding
The Sacramento Bee

The mudslinging campaign ad might have met its match
Minnesota Public Radio News (blog)

This [another] Political Candidate Breastfeeds in Her New Campaign Ad
Caitlin Moscatello, The Cut
03.21.18

Female Candidates Breastfeed Children In Campaign Ads
Danielle Kurtzlben, WNPR
03.23.18

If nothing else, maybe the mid-term elections will spell the end of the cliche political ad, in which some candidate puts on some flannel, chews on a little straw, surrounds him/herself with the kids and utters a bunch of cliches off bumper stickers.

Kelda Roys for Governor II Website II Twitter II Facebook II Click here to donate today!

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/michael-screnock-money-dpw-s5.pngWMC spending $1 million to purchase a Supreme Court seat for candidate Michael Screnock.

He's running for governor to serve the people of our state, not a political party, says Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

ALTOONA, WI - Wisconsin governor candidate Mike McCabe pledged allegiance on Thursday to all of the people of Wisconsin and not to any party, making him the one and only candidate running in the Democratic primary to publicly withhold a promise to endorse whoever wins the party’s nomination on August 14.

McCabe’s campaign issued the following statement expressing his thoughts on the matter:

“I am running for governor to serve the people of our state, not a political party. I will gladly make a Badger Pledge, but not a Donkey Pledge. I understand the impulse behind the question party insiders keep asking, but it is a losing impulse.

Democrats didn’t lose more than a thousand seats in Congress and state legislatures and governor’s offices throughout the country in the last decade because they have not been unified. They’ve lost so much ground because too many voters out there aren’t sure where Democrats stand and don’t trust Democrats to act on their behalf. Democrats don’t hold fewer offices across America than at any time since the 1920s because of a lack of party unity. What’s been missing is clarity of purpose and the courage of conviction.

Swearing a party loyalty oath sends the exact wrong message to the growing masses of people who are sick and tired of partisan gridlock in our government and politicians putting the best interests of their party ahead of what’s best for our state and our country. The voters who will decide this next election for governor are not sitting up at night wondering if all the Democratic candidates will support each other, they are questioning if they can count on a Democrat to look out for them.

In any case, endorsements are earned, not inherited simply because of a party label. The rest of the Democratic candidates are becoming more closely aligned with my vision for Wisconsin with each passing week. I was the first in this race to call for making BadgerCare a public health insurance option for everyone in the state, and now virtually the entire field has joined me in taking that position. I also was the first in the field to call for full legalization of marijuana, and nearly all the other candidates now are supporting it too. They’re sounding more like me all the time. They’re even dressing more like me.

I still have two questions for the others in the race that will weigh heavily in earning my endorsement should someone other than me win the August 14 primary election: Going forward, will you stop playing along with the corrupt campaign finance system that amounts to legal bribery and fund your campaign with large numbers of small donations from regular people rather than relying on wealthy donors and special interest political action committees? For the remainder of your campaign, will you lead by example by accepting no single donation over $200 and no more than a total of $1,000 from any supporter?

A new governor can and will be elected in 2018, but only if what’s best for all of Wisconsin is put ahead of party loyalty and the wishes of those at the very top who make a regular habit of giving mammoth donations to those seeking public office. After August 14, regardless of the outcome of the primary election, whether I win or lose, I will keep working to shake up and transform the political system that serves those at the top so well and will do everything in my power to get regular people in the driver’s seat of our government.”

State law allows candidates for governor in Wisconsin to take $20,000 checks from individuals and $86,000 donations from political action committees. Once elected, McCabe will push for passage of a package of reforms that sharply lower those limits. He isn’t waiting until after the election to act, however. He is running his campaign with a self-imposed limit on donations, accepting no single contribution of more than $200. Supporters are allowed to give more than once but not more than $200 at a time and no more than a total of $1,000 for the entire campaign.

"Scott Walker talks about fiscal responsibility, but he's one of the most fiscally irresponsible governors this state has seen," says Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

MILWAUKEE - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn today attacked Scott Walker for his failure to live up to his campaign commitments to fiscal responsibility. Flynn offered his plans to restore fiscal responsibility.

"Scott Walker talks about fiscal responsibility, but he's one of the most fiscally irresponsible governors this state has seen," said Flynn.

As one example, Walker said in his 2010 campaign that he would "Require the use of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to balance every state budget, just as we require every local government and school district to do." The GAAP Fund deficit was $1.6 billion as of June 2017. At -$299, Wisconsin's balance per capita under GAAP was the second worst in the country in 2016. Only four other states had negative GAAP balances.

According to Politifact, "Walker, though, promised to balance 'every' state budget on the more stringent GAAP principles. He did not do that in his first budget…We rate this as a Promise Broken."

In the fiscal year 2011-12, the debt service on Wisconsin’s General Obligation Bonds was over $421 million. This more than doubled to $927 million in fiscal year 2016-17.  "Borrowing is a tax on our children," said Flynn. "I will stop mortgaging our children’s futures."

"As governor, I will restore Wisconsin’s proud tradition of honest, smart, and responsible fiscal policy while stimulating the economy and creating jobs," Flynn continued. "I won't send billions of our tax dollars to Foxconn or promote special interests through WEDC. I will make decisions based on what is best for everyone, not just the wealthy donors who support Scott Walker."

Flynn outlined a seven-point plan to restore fiscal responsibility in Wisconsin:

1. Establish measurable standards known as benchmarks. We will use benchmarks to track key fiscal and economic measures and publicize how Wisconsin is doing versus the benchmarks. Wisconsin's annual report is 254 pages long, but my fiscal benchmarks will fit on one page and be readily understandable. For example, we will set a benchmark of reducing the negative GAAP balance to zero and each year track our progress.
2. Legalize and tax cannabis. Legalizing cannabis would reduce the amount we spend on mass incarceration and law enforcement, and taxing it would create a reliable source of revenue. In 2017, Colorado tax revenue on the sale of cannabis surpassed $247 million and Washington State brought in $319 million. This is money Wisconsin could use to eliminate the structural deficit and invest in health care, education, infrastructure, and property tax relief.
3. Eliminate the manufacturing and agricultural tax credit. This massive credit allows corporations to take huge state subsidies without any requirements for additional job creation. I would use those funds to invest in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, which are essential to growing jobs and wages.
4. Rescind the Foxconn contract. This would save Wisconsin taxpayers $4.5 billion. Foxconn can come here, but they will not get our tax dollars and they will have to obey our laws.
5. Restoring the progressive tax structure. It is time we get back to helping working families rather than rewarding wealthy donors.
6. Close the "Dark Store" loophole. The loophole is allowing corporations to avoid paying their fair share in property taxes. Bipartisan legislation to fix it has failed under Walker's lack of leadership. I will pass it swiftly.
7. Accept back the funds we send to the federal government. Scott Walker chose not to accept over $1.5 billion in federal funds for BadgerCare and rail services so he could call himself a conservative in his failed 2016 presidential campaign. Why send our tax dollars to other states? We need a governor who puts the needs of Wisconsin above his political ambitions.

"If Scott Walker really wanted to make Wisconsin more fiscally responsible, he failed spectacularly," said Flynn. "It is time for a governor who will move Wisconsin Forward again to both faster job and wage growth and to fiscal policies that do not transfer responsibility for today's spending to tomorrow's taxpayers."

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Matt Flynn is a Navy veteran, attorney, and former Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. He graduated from law school at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

For additional information, visit www.ForwardWithFlynn.com.

Residents in Green Bay and Wausau share their stories and contribute their vision for the state.