Thursday, February 22, 2007

How NOT to Lobby 101

The other day I had one of those lobbying experiences that makes you appreciate all the more why we live in Wisconsin.

A group of lobbyists for the petroleum industry visited my office to discuss why they thought the Governor's tax on oil profits was bad. No surprise. The local Wisconsin lobbyists were professional and polite, like you would expect.

But they brought in a "big gun" from Washington DC to present the side of the petroleum industry, an economist from a large trade association. Yikes. Now I know why I'm so glad to live in Wisconsin.

First off, using "bloated ego" and "pompous" to describe some people only makes them, well, more pompous then even before. Enter the DC suit to explain to us dairy folk about how the e-con-o-my works. You see, oil companies really don't make that much money, as a percent of sales. My first B.S. detector went off - "net income/over sales" in a specific quarter still doesn't address obscene profits, it just provides misdirection.

Then the suit from D.C. went on to lecture me (the poor fly-over country boy that I am) that this really hurts public employees and other that have pensions that invest in oil companies. B.S. detection number two. I asked a union leader who is a friend of mine about this, and after his laughter subdued, he offered to counter that arguement. Not necessary I told him.

Then, my six-figure lobbyist from D.C. went on to throw out the biggest whopper of them all, that if we tax them, gas companies will leave Wisconsin. I'll repeat that for all you Wisconsin folk eating your cheddar cheese that we are always eating. Put it down for just one minute. The glass of milk too. Gas stations will pull out of Wisconsin according to the D.C. suit.

Now I myself was almost an economics major back in college. Three classes shy of the major, I realized that the major was largely theoretical, rarely practical and most importantly, nearly impossible to get a real job in a real world (ie Wisconsin) with it. So I switched majors.

But the absurdity of saying a small assessment of about $270 million over the next two years on excessive profits would drive gas stations out of Wisconsin, making us go horse-and-buggy statewide, is ridiculous. Exxon alone made about $4.1 million PROFIT per hour last year.

When I explained to the suit that given the market forces (big concept here), if any did indeed leave the state (which I explained to him why they wouldn't), others would fill in the gap to pick up the business. He pontif....pontific.....went on and on (hell I am from fly-over country!) to tell me why he was right.

After all his huffing and puffing about the tax, he explained to me he was on his way to the Capital Times editorial board to make his case. I told him he might want to rework his presentation a bit, to which he proudly (pompously in Wisconsin) said he wouldn't change a thing. To that, I gave him an advance "I told you so" when he receives a bad editorial.

But I wanted to share just a bit of my day, when Washington types come in to impress us poor Wisconsin folks. Any side of an issue has good points and bad ones. But it's always best to stick with your best arguments, with quality over quantity. I felt bad for the Wisconsin-based lobbyists, who tried their best with their well-suited friend. But as we gear up for the budget, this is an example of what NOT to do when lobbying in Wisconsin. I just wanted to get the word out before the fun REALLY begins...

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Governor's Budget Critics Rhetoric Doesn't Stand Up

If you watched Governor Doyle's budget address last night, you probably noticed that the vast majority (all?) of Republican legislators sat through the address in opposition to most of what was proposed.

They wouldn't stand up for affordable health care, quality schools or creating new jobs, but they did want to fight to defend their friends in big oil and big tobacco. Now that's a position to take with the public in Wisconsin.

Look, the GOP is trying to pass on the rhetoric that there is a $1.7 billion tax increase in the budget, costing the average family $724 a year. Right. Maybe if that family owns Exxon or Philip Morris.

In reality, the Governor's budget provides REAL tax breaks for working people. It includes tax breaks on residential property taxes, tuition and other educational costs, health insurance premiums, child care costs and social security. Real tax breaks, no rhetoric.

So, in the coming weeks get ready for all the tax rhetoric from the GOP. But then look closely at the tax breaks that are actually in the budget.

My guess is that the public will side with the working families of Wisconsin instead of Exxon (who made $4.1 million an HOUR last year in profit).

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Some Really Good Recent Blogs

If I don't have the time to blog, I'm glad others do. Check out these really good recent blogs....

Haggard "cured"?
Thanks Babblemur.

Photo Identification, Take 37.
Appreciate your thoughts Ken.

With the state budget one week from being released, keep watching the daily releases from the Governor Doyle's office about important features. So far, this week he has proposed a 20-plus percent increase in financial aid, increased shared revenues for local units of government and a plan to help Milwaukee. I'm looking forward to the whole budget next week (Feb. 13th), with lots of comment in the following weeks.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Groundhog's Day Resolution

Alright, a couple of friends recently pointed out that I made a new year's resolution to post more often, like I did last session. But I failed badly.

Last month, I posted a total of two blogs. Yikes.

So, I now make a Groundhog's Day resolution to blog more often, whether I see my shadow or not.

This week I will post a week in review, a feature I will try to do in addition to regular blogging. Really, I am back.