Wisconsin: Mary Burke - Wolf in sheep's clothing

[Scuba]

Cog Dis takes on Burke's top political advisor, Tonya Bjork.


http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2013/10/lets-navigate-capitol-bjork-style.html

I have written lately about Mary Burke's top political advisor - Tonya Bjork. I covered her initially into her being knee deep in the Caucus scandal, secondly being a major player with Wisconsin Hospital PAC who has given thousands of dollars to Scott Walker.

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Just some more context, before we move on(H/T one of our readers). Wisconsin Hospitals PAC, of which Tanya Bjork was a major player and fundraiser for, gave approximately 80% of their donations to the red team. Would you belong to an organizations that so directly conflicts with your values? I would not.

Today we are going to cover her day job. Owner, with her husband/partner Scott Tyre, of a LOBBYING firm called Capitol Navigators. Here is Tanya's husband at a typical day of work:



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Nothing says progressive champion like sending $500 to Robin Vos! Let's be real, CapitolNavigators has made lots of money suppressing and squashing progressive legislation and helping get the current extreme right wing legislation passed. Hey, whatever makes you a buck. Its a tough economy out there(thanks in part to the legislation you lobby).

If Mary Burke wants to run for Governor of Wisconsin that's her right. But she has a lot of baggage that suggests she's not the progressive candidate our State needs.

[ewagner]

1. This is disturbing...unless...

..unless we are willing to accept that Bjork and her husband are such whores that they will latch onto the next big ticket campaign that comes along. I think it's part of the Republican/Conservative mindset that the only thing that matters is $$$$$$$ and parties, ideologies, principles don't matter...go for the big bucks.

Burke is known to be wealthy and has a thirst to become Governor...one could, if they were of the mind I described above, figuratively SMELL THE MONEY about to be spent on this campaign and sell-out, grovel, and pander to get your hands on the largest chuck of it you could manage.

If there is an upside....(I'll have to wash my hands after I type this)....it is that Bjork and her husband know all the Republican tactics and (dirty) tricks to play in a campaign...they could use them to Burke's advantage to defeat Snotty Scotty....the question we have to ask is

IS BURKE TRULY PROGRESSIVE ????

(be right back...sanitizing my hands and keyboard)

[mysuzuki2]

2. It is a reflection of just how right-wing and despicable that Walker's administration has become

that Burke looks good to Dems in comparison.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Even so, given a choice between her and Walker...

who would you take? Does Wisconsin really want another term for Walker?

[lutefisk]

5. Burke, of course

Last edited Sat Oct 19, 2013, 08:45 PM - Edit history (1)

But with a year to go should we really have to get behind a "hold your nose and vote" candidate? And as I state in my post below, I think she is just an extremely poor candidate to run against Walker.

[lutefisk]

4. Burke could just as easily run as a Republican, imho

The only strong stand she has taken was her support of Kaleem Caire and his Madison Prep venture, which was very much a Republican supported enterprise and in the end, anti-public education. Where is the evidence that she is a Democrat or progressive? Being a philanthropist really doesn't qualify her- Bradley Foundation, Gates, and the Waltons, all give plenty of money to Madison Prep type proposals, but that doesn't make them Democrats or progressive.

Even if she had solid Democratic or progressive credentials, she is simply not a good political candidate. She is really a completely untested, beginning politician without the rhetorical skills or experience needed to take on this powerful right wing machine we are up against. Her money and privilege have sheltered her from having to really stand up to anything, but that won't help her against Walker, who can easily outspend her, taking away her one advantage. I can't imagine her making it through to November 2014 without completely screwing this up. And even if she is elected, is this really who we want representing us?

I'm honestly baffled by the support for Burke.

[undeterred]

6. Bjork was the campaign manager for Obama 2008 in Wisconsin.

She is a player.

[Scuba]

7. So she and her husband are just in it to make money?

[undeterred]

8. I never met her husband

but I certainly don't think she's a progressive.

Some dems go into campaigns for the schmoozing with big names big money big power.

Some dems care about principles and values. Shes not in the latter group.