"Let Them Eat Foie Gras and Pate"
Just when you thought the GOP couldn't get any more absurd, get this. Republican Assembly and Senate leadership are REFUSING the Governor's request for a rarely-called-for Special Session on helping Wisconsin families pay for unnaturally high heating bills.
The Governor called us in on February 14th to get a bill done on providing relief for working families paying high winter heating bills. Here's the GOP response.
From: Rep.Huebsch
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 1:12 PM
To: *Legislative Assembly Republicans; *Legislative Assembly Democrats; Skindrud, Rick; *Assembly Chief Clerk's Office
Subject: Special Session
Governor Doyle will hold a press conference today to call a February 14 special session on home heating assistance.
The entire Assembly will not meet on February 14. The Assembly can convene the special session on February 14th in a skeleton session and adjourn it to a later date.
The full Assembly will not meet until Tuesday, February 21 as previously announced.
What are Republicans waiting for? It’s not getting any warmer. I can’t think of anything that is more important on February 14th than providing real relief to our working families.
Apparently John Gard and Republican leadership have better things to do, such as being in Washington DC at a couple of $1000 per person fund raisers the next day, rather than working back home to provide a few hundred dollars of home heating relief for Wisconsin's working families.
Change your plane tickets guys, jeez.
Otherwise, the people of Wisconsin will get your chilling message loud and clear.
posted by Mark Pocan @ 2:31 PM
13 comments
13 Comments:
What irresponsibility? A desire to stay warm is irresponsible?
Don't know where you have been living, but $40K a year is hardly a princely salary these days, especially for a family.
And they wouldn't have to be "overextended" to feel a $2-300 hit in heating bill increases.
Then they need to cut back on other expenses, cable, internet, set the thermo down a bit... I've done it why can't they? I make a measly 45k a year.
Why didn't the guv bring this up while he was in Iraq or hopping all over our great world when the leg was in session? Mark you know as well as I do that the people won't get their heat turned off during the winter months state law prevents this. This is just another ploy by the guv to get us to stop looking at his campaign contributions...
Well, friends, the proposal is to allow people who make 200% of the federal poverty line eligible if they need to, rather than the current 150%. It takes a single wage earner with a family of four to begin to qualify. Not exactly the fat cats of the GOP. But keep spinning, it is fun to watch you all go round and round.
Hey Mike, first the only Mark I know of running for Governor is Mark Green. Second, even if it has been a bit more mild in January, February is already quite colder. Further, my last heating bill was about $435.00. For a lot of people, that is quite an extra hit to simply stay warm. I'm glad you're keeping up with your bills. For some though, health care costs and other emergency issues do affect their ability to stay afloat. Why not providing a helping hand to those who need it as opposed to a new tax break for the wealthy?
Maybe they're more worried about funeral protests ... speaking of which, hey Mark, why did you sign on to that bill? When my family buries military members we won't be allowed to protest this ridiculous war. Your short sightedness really took me by surprise on this. And p.s. this kind of legislation is how Phelps makes MONEY and stays in business. Thanks for giving him a helping hand, Mark. Jeebus.
Hey "anon". First, i was not a co-sponsor, but did vote for the bill. If you read the bill, it does not stop their first amendment right;it merely puts a reasonable distance from blocking access to the funeral. Sort of a "yelling fire" in a theater issue... Also, the ACLU did not take a pro or con position on it because it did not directly limit free speech. Personally, I hope people watch Phelps real closely as he protests. He and his ilk will also support the discriminatory constitutional amendment. I'll bet the public starts to connect the dots.
Why not providing a helping hand to those who need it
Mark Mark Mark,
Why make them dependent are the government? Teach a person to fish and they will eat forever right? What is the need for the special session? Its not like they can just turn the heat off can they? State law prevents that doesn't it?
Yelling fire in a theater is a lot different than voting to restrict freedom of assembly, c'mon. And it's kind of difficult to connect dots through reactionary government legislation. So now we'll have funeral protest "freedom zones." Again, Jeebus.
Tominwestbend:
You are very right that heat can't be turned off during heating months. However the heating season officially ends at the end of April. While it isn't bitterly cold during May it can be cold enough to need heating of some sort. If people aren't up to date with their bills, it can be turned off starting May 1.
I've got no problem with the Republican mantra of "personal responsibility." People should work hard, at their job and in their community. Getting people off welfare and supportive government programs (energy assistance, rent assistance) by becoming self-supportive should be the goal of these programs.
There's a problem with the execution though. Most people can't work or work well when their home isn't heated. Most people who don't have a reliable source of food won't become the kind of high quality employees businesses need. Almost all people who are homeless will not be able to find a job. By not providing the service you haven't actually fixed the problem, you've just ignored it.
Ignoring the problem isn't cheap either. Putting people in prison who steal to feed their family or sell drugs is expensive. People who are in prison or without a job because they are homeless/without heating/lacking food/etc. won't be paying taxes which means YOUR taxes will be higher because services, even basic services like police, fire and highway depts., still need to be paid for.
Remember, there is a cost to NOT spending money on human services. An ounce of prevention (helping people be effective workers) is worth a pound of cure (imprisoning people and dealing with the costs of poverty).
PS: This doesn't mean we should spend money like crazy. This means we try to find cost-effective ways to help people succeed.
Mark Pocan,
If your heating bill was $435, then you have the temp set too high. Get yourself a setback thermostat and a blanket or sweater. Set it somewhere between 55-59 degrees at night and when you are gone and 65-68 when you are at home and awake.
Give that a try. Then send me one of your per diem checks. What did you eat for lunch today with your $44? Probably foie gras and pate.
Eric you are still missing my point, why call the special session? They will be back before the heating season is over. Why can't it be addressed then?
Tominwestbend:
It's partly political, this way the issue would have to be dealt with and there would be an up or down vote on the whole thing. I'm unsure on the rules of a special session though. I was under the impression that the legislature had to take an up or down vote on a proposal.
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