Rep. Ron Kind: I Stand With Scott Walker

[midnight]

When it comes to selling out our national sovereignty and creating a corporate new world order Rep. Ron Kind and Gov. Scott Walker stand together in their support of the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIF) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) “trade” agreements.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was a visitor at Hannover Messe last Tuesday as part of his week-long economic development tour of Germany. Walker spoke about his sons bright future because of “free trade” announcing his support of the TTIF
“Their generation will ultimately grow stronger, I believe, when we approve a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.”— Scott Walker


Rep. Kind — Dr. Big Pharma

Meanwhile Rep. Ron “Big Pharma” Kind is President Obama’s congressional point man in the rush to fast-track these new so called “trade” agreements. Among the many corporate giveaways included is one that extends patent monopolies for Big Pharma. That way Big Pharma can hold world drug prices (and their profits) artificially high, while denying life-saving drugs to millions of people worldwide.

Time to call Congressman Kind [[phone]] and tell him you won’t stand for his support of fast-tracking these corporate trade agreements, because in the world of corporate courts, nothing matters except a corporation’s right to profit.

http://www.thedailycall.org/?p=72923

I think all the sons of millionaires, like scott walker's sons, will grow stronger with this bill. In fact this TPP bill should be considered the additional billionaires bailout bill compliments of the millionaires in office bill.

[Scuba]

1. More evidence that the Democratic Party is being taken over by conservatives. Kind is Exhibit A.

[sybylla]

4. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is one of the most Progressive parties in the country.

I'd prefer if we didn't confuse or conflate it with Democratic representatives and the choices they make as elected officials.

They are two entirely different things. Very rarely does one have even modest control over the other.

[Scuba]

6. There are indeed a lot of progressives in Wisconsin. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin ...

... however, is led by conserva-Dems. Chair Mike Tate has never allowed the party to lead on progressive issues. He hand-picked a moderate conservative (Mary Burke) to run for governor. Hell, in 2011 there were 40,000 progressive protesters in the streets of Madison for a week before the party leaders even acknowledged there might be a grievance.

Fortunately, Tate is not running for Party Chair again. Hopefully we'll get a real progressive.

[sybylla]

9. The attitude that pervades DU about the Dem party

Is exactly why the DPW elected/reelected Mike Tate 4 times. If you don't get involved and work to make it better, it never will be better. You are the Democratic Party, whether by choosing to join and make a difference or by choosing to sit outside the tent and fling poo.

Yeah, there were days in 2011 where there were 50,000+ protesters surrounding the capital. Do you know how many actual dues-paying members there are in the entire state? A whole lot less than that. If everyone who put all that effort into marching put the same effort into building a party, Walker wouldn't stand a chance.

[midnight]

11. Suba I didn't see this. I asked ewagner about this down thread.

I agree. I would like to see movement that helps all of us out, and that appears to be the progressives.

[ewagner]

2. I don't get it....

Kind is in a relatively safe, Democratic-voting district...he doesn't have to pander to the right...why? Why is he doing this?

[sybylla]

3. Kind has a masters degree from the London School of Economics

There's no pandering in this. He's always been a big-picture-economics kind of guy. He doesn't ever seem to see any downsides to trade agreements. He supported NAFTA too.

Probably also why he's on the Ways and Means subcommittee on trade.

I get that improved economic trade to certain areas of the world can stabilize governments and economies in ways that save us big in defense and other areas, but the costs just don't ever seem to be balanced with the proper tax and program support for those in this country who are hurt by it. My sense of Kind is that he approaches trade agreements with the proper intent (and maybe some very rose colored glasses), it's just that trade agreements don't ever get implemented with due diligence in all departments. The system is always perverted and abused after the fact by big money and corporate influences.

[midnight]

5. The vision this man has and his degree will and have served him well. The rest of us not so much.

"This is not a decision about trade–the TPP represents a tectonic shift in public policy that would radically alter the fundamental structure of our society and thrust a global corporate plutocracy on us.”

http://www.thedailycall.org/

[ewagner]

7. Thanks sybylla

I'm more inclined to accept the "rose colored glasses" scenario.

Heard a lot ...and I mean a LOT of criticism of Kind at the convention last weekend..

btw..glad to see you and madashell again!!!

[sybylla]

8. It was great to see you too, ewag

I am not here defending Kind on this, BTW. He is perfectly capable of doing that for himself. Just explaining what I see.

Everyone wants to see him be more progressive, yet so long as he's the best choice on the ballot, he's all we have.

[midnight]

10. Thanks for clarifying that your not defending him.

Not to have an alternative to him isn't helping. While at the convention was there any talk of recruiting other candidates?

[sybylla]

12. We were at the 7th CD convention, but in a part of the state that used to be in the 3rd.

So there was talk of what's going on in both districts. Recruiting someone to run against him didn't come up. As hard as it is to run as a Dem right now, and remembering all the good Dems we lost in both congressional districts in the last 6 years, finding someone to run against him isn't at the top of anyone's list. We've basically lost our farm team - skilled Dems who would be willing to take on the challenge in either the 3rd or the 7th lost their races and with it we lost a lot of upward mobility. The focus truly is on getting good candidates for assembly and state senate. Hell, even the school board and county board are in a tight spot right now.

Unfortunately, we are back to baby steps.

As someone who used to be in Congressman Kind's district, I'd take him any day over I-Don't-Get-Paid-Enough Duffy. I'm neither an apologist nor a hard-liner. Just a realist.

As much as people dislike some of Ron Kind's votes, trust me, Sean Duffy and Reid Ribble prove it can always be worse. The cure for centrism is electing more Dems in total. It will either water down the centrist influence or give them more confidence that they don't have to be centrist to get the job done. Kind was moving that way for the one term that the Dems were actually in power in Congress. Unfortunately that didn't last long.

[midnight]

13. Local races are really important.

[ewagner]

16. I know where you're coming from

How many times do we have to make this sad, sad choice?

It's not that we're selecting "the best"...it's the "least of the worst"...or as my old boss used to say, "We've got the cream of the crap".

[undeterred]

14. OK Ron. You're standing with the Koch brothers.

Stop asking democrats to send you money. The Kochs will help you.

[midnight]

15. Lisen to sly's show on TPP.

Listen to this show-Scott Paul: Obama's TPP Disaster Looms-http://www.slysoffice.com/