posted 1/29/10
 

Kagen Worried About Jobs – Mostly His


by Mark Rahmlow

Steve Kagen (D-Appleton) finally thinks his job is in jeopardy as the fall election approaches.

“I was proud to hear President Obama make job creation and strengthening the middle class the focus of his address,” Kagen said. The “pro-jobs” statement comes on the heals of a new report by Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development that unemployment grew in every county represented by the Democrat, with the notable exception of Florence County.

But jobs were leaving the 8th Congressional before the current recession hit. When the NewPage paper plant closed in northern Wisconsin, Kagen pounded on “unfair” trade policies even as this writer pointed out some of the jobs were merely going next door to fellow Democrat Dave Obey’s district. Instead of using the occasion to call for making the 2003 tax relief permanent, or extending tax credits to businesses, Kagen chose to play follow the leader.

Throughout 2009, as unemployment went up, Kagen followed his leadership down the road to government-run health care. The doctor-turned-Congressman even went so far as to say he was personally writing the House bill that would have created health care rationing and pulled the nation further into debt. As angry constituents emailed their representative and attended his listening sessions, he accused the insurance industry of organizing protests.

The State of the Union statement really does represent a “u-turn” for Kagen. He is probably hoping that Obama’s piecemeal tax credits will provide enough political cover with voters. “In that pursuit, the thousands of small business owners I have the honor of representing across Northeast Wisconsin appreciate his strong support for job creating tax-credits like the one I proposed earlier this year,” Kagen continued.

“I look forward to continuing to work hard toward a stronger economy and achieving affordable health care, while ensuring our hard earned tax dollars are invested wisely,” Kagen concluded. That argument about protecting taxpayers became harder to defend when Democratic leaders immediately rejected the President’s limited spending freeze and voted to increase the national debt by $2 trillion.

Kagen is also probably still buying into the Democratic talking points that some version of health reform needs to pass this year to protect his seat. Yet the longer Kagen keeps talking about unemployment and health reform, the better it is for his opponent Reid Ribble.

Ribble’s message on tax reform and health care offers a stark contrast to the Kagen record. “A flat tax would improve the citizens understanding of tax law, increase revenue to the government, and minimize special interest money’s impact on policy. Right now the tax code is hopelessly complex,” Ribble told Inside Scoop writer Carl Soderberg early in the campaign.

The former Kaukauna roofer has also highlighted health care solutions that Congress should be pursuing. His solutions include making health care portable across state lines, which would immediately have hundreds of insurance companies competing for new health care consumers. Ribble also supports important medical liability reforms that will help doctors and protect patients against higher health care costs.

Ribble’s prescription for the economy and jobs is exactly what businesses are looking for. Voters in northeast Wisconsin know that Kagen has voted for failed “bailouts” and stifled job creation via cap and trade taxes. Voters know that Kagen has turned a deaf ear on government-run health care. And voters know that Kagen has been supporting policies that have caused the federal budget to hemorrhage.

As Reid says, “It’s easy to talk the talk, but it will take real character to stand up to those in Washington to do what’s right by the people of Wisconsin.”


Rahmlow, once a radio personality, is a former field director for Tim Michels U.S. Senate campaign, and served as Terri McCormick’s Campaign Manager in 2005-2006. He also interned for former State Rep. Gregg Underheim (R-Oshkosh) and is a regular contributor to The Inside Scoop.