Republicans Swing and Miss on Taxpayer Revolt

Congressman Mark Green and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker must really be embarrassed today.

Yesterday, the State Senate's “Select Committee on Taxpayer Protection Amendment” had their first real public hearing on the bill in the Republican stronghold of Pewaukee. The hope? It was to get a bunch of conservatives out to talk about the need for TP.

Both Walker and Green, along with the legislative majority, did their best to get people out to support their newest version of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), now the Taxpayer Protection Act (TP).

Green put out a release calling for a “Wisconsin Taxpayer Tea Party”, encouraging people to come to protest, while Green would be giving out tea. Cute.

And Walker put out a release urging “everyone who is concerned about Wisconsin’s current level of taxation” to come to the hearing and be heard.

The result of their efforts? Well, 230 people appeared against the bill, and only 30 appeared for the bill according to Capitol insiders.

Talk about a silent protest. Well, maybe it was quiet because everyone was too busy drinking tea.

Or maybe even people who live in more traditionally Republican areas realize that measures that have good names, but are short on details are a bunch of crap, especially in the final weeks of session of an election year.

I just wonder who will take the credit for turning out the thirty people?