Foxconn Update

[tower912]

Reagan didn't win Mondale's home state of Minnesota.

[Pakuni]

Can't spell Foxconn without the C-O-N.

https://www.jsonline.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jsonline.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fmilwaukee%2F2020%2F10%2F19%2Ffoxconn-construction-continues-but-company-silent-hiring%2F3579888001%2F

You know, if only we had a "businessman president," this probably would have never happened!

Or a governor who was a Marquette graduate instead of a Marquette dropout.

[rocket surgeon]

sometimes ya just need to do a little digging.  after going thru over 2 pages of google's negative stories, i found one positive one on PAGE 3.  it actually asks the village of mount pleasant and the people who have skin in the game.  as you all know, covid threw a wrench into a lot of businesses.  foxconn pivoted and with some of the facilities they had, started helping to produce ventilators and masks.  sounds like they are meeting their financial obligations with mount pleasant too.  sorry to pee on the celebration and mock-fest, but any amateur "journalist" would wonder about "the rest of the story"

 https://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-officials-pleased-with-foxconn-progress/article_1567af09-db6d-5115-8fab-6a1a36daff68.html

[Uncle Rico]

sometimes ya just need to do a little digging.  after going thru over 2 pages of google's negative stories, i found one positive one on PAGE 3.  it actually asks the village of mount pleasant and the people who have skin in the game.  as you all know, covid threw a wrench into a lot of businesses.  foxconn pivoted and with some of the facilities they had, started helping to produce ventilators and masks.  sounds like they are meeting their financial obligations with mount pleasant too.  sorry to pee on the celebration and mock-fest, but any amateur "journalist" would wonder about "the rest of the story"

 https://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-officials-pleased-with-foxconn-progress/article_1567af09-db6d-5115-8fab-6a1a36daff68.html

Yes, skin in the game indeed. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Or a governor who was a Marquette graduate instead of a Marquette dropout.

All things considered, I’m glad Walker is a MU dropout and not a fellow alumnus.

[MU82]

sometimes ya just need to do a little digging.  after going thru over 2 pages of google's negative stories, i found one positive one on PAGE 3.  it actually asks the village of mount pleasant and the people who have skin in the game.  as you all know, covid threw a wrench into a lot of businesses.  foxconn pivoted and with some of the facilities they had, started helping to produce ventilators and masks.  sounds like they are meeting their financial obligations with mount pleasant too.  sorry to pee on the celebration and mock-fest, but any amateur "journalist" would wonder about "the rest of the story"

 https://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-officials-pleased-with-foxconn-progress/article_1567af09-db6d-5115-8fab-6a1a36daff68.html

you're fun!

is there any lie, scam, corruption or boondoggle your emperor and his minions can try that you won't fall for?

mexico's comin' thru with $$$ for that wall any second now!

[jficke13]

sometimes ya just need to do a little digging.  after going thru over 2 pages of google's negative stories, i found one positive one on PAGE 3.  it actually asks the village of mount pleasant and the people who have skin in the game.  as you all know, covid threw a wrench into a lot of businesses.  foxconn pivoted and with some of the facilities they had, started helping to produce ventilators and masks.  sounds like they are meeting their financial obligations with mount pleasant too.  sorry to pee on the celebration and mock-fest, but any amateur "journalist" would wonder about "the rest of the story"

 https://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-officials-pleased-with-foxconn-progress/article_1567af09-db6d-5115-8fab-6a1a36daff68.html

It's okay to admit maybe the people you believed in made a mistake. Really, trust me. It's liberating even.

I wanted the Foxconn deal to pan out. Doesn't look like it's delivering though. It's a bummer, but we're gonna be okay.

[Hards Alumni]

sometimes ya just need to do a little digging.  after going thru over 2 pages of google's negative stories, i found one positive one on PAGE 3.  it actually asks the village of mount pleasant and the people who have skin in the game.  as you all know, covid threw a wrench into a lot of businesses.  foxconn pivoted and with some of the facilities they had, started helping to produce ventilators and masks.  sounds like they are meeting their financial obligations with mount pleasant too.  sorry to pee on the celebration and mock-fest, but any amateur "journalist" would wonder about "the rest of the story"

 https://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-officials-pleased-with-foxconn-progress/article_1567af09-db6d-5115-8fab-6a1a36daff68.html

A live look in on Republicans still defending anything related to Foxconn:

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

sometimes ya just need to do a little digging.  after going thru over 2 pages of google's negative stories, i found one positive one on PAGE 3.  it actually asks the village of mount pleasant and the people who have skin in the game.  as you all know, covid threw a wrench into a lot of businesses.  foxconn pivoted and with some of the facilities they had, started helping to produce ventilators and masks.  sounds like they are meeting their financial obligations with mount pleasant too.  sorry to pee on the celebration and mock-fest, but any amateur "journalist" would wonder about "the rest of the story"

 https://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-officials-pleased-with-foxconn-progress/article_1567af09-db6d-5115-8fab-6a1a36daff68.html

This is called covering their ass.  For instance, look at this quote:

"I think you’ve got to really put it in perspective,” Lois said, calling it “very disappointing” that discussions around the Foxconn development project have “gotten political” in tone, particularly on the state level. “The jobs were 13,000 by 2032. Who thought you were going to hire 13,000 people in a year, seriously?"

Lois, no one thought that - and you know that - so stop building your strawman.  There never was a goal to hire 13,000 people in a year.  You fail to mention that they are supposed to be around 2,000 by the end of this year, and will be nowhere near that.

[CTWarrior]

Reagan didn't win Mondale's home state of Minnesota.

It's funny, that post prompted me to look at electoral college votes for Regan's elections.  The first election I was old enough to vote in was 1980.  I remember the landslide in 1984, but I was stunned at how big the victory was in 1980 for Reagan.  It feels like we'll never have such a one-sided election again.

[MU82]

discussions around the Foxconn development project have “gotten political” in tone

Hmmm ... I wonder which politicians had shovels and talked about how great they were for scamming Wisconsinites into this boondoggle.

[Uncle Rico]

Liars

https://twitter.com/reckless/status/1319079484637720577?s=20

[MUBurrow]

It's funny, that post prompted me to look at electoral college votes for Regan's elections.  The first election I was old enough to vote in was 1980.  I remember the landslide in 1984, but I was stunned at how big the victory was in 1980 for Reagan.  It feels like we'll never have such a one-sided election again.

I doubt we'll see such a one-sided election any time soon, but I do think that there were two things at play there that could come together again.  One was undoubtedly Reagan's strength as a candidate, but the other is that he caught a shifting electorate at a good time.  When you pull up the electoral maps from 1968 - 1976, the outcomes in certain states seem unfathomable today - in 1968 and 1976 ('72 was a Nixon walkover) CA went Republican and Texas Democratic, along with other southern states where Dems used to have strongholds.  After Reagan, the Dems would never lose CA again, but also never show well in the south again (I guess you could argue Clinton did okay in the south in 1992).  So there is a chicken and egg discussion to be had there, but I think these strong candidates combined with shifting electoral maps come and go periodically.

As an aside, I think its pretty apolitical to say we live in a political hellscape right now, but anyone who tells you "its never been this bad" has a short memory.  In 1968, a third-party ticket of George Wallace and Bombs Away LeMay carried 5 states and 13.5% of the vote.  I know the parties are far apart right now, but holy mother of god that presidential ticket makes the opposite of whatever side anyone is on today look quaint in comparison.

[Uncle Rico]

I doubt we'll see such a one-sided election any time soon, but I do think that there were two things at play there that could come together again.  One was undoubtedly Reagan's strength as a candidate, but the other is that he caught a shifting electorate at a good time.  When you pull up the electoral maps from 1968 - 1976, the outcomes in certain states seem unfathomable today - in 1968 and 1976 ('72 was a Nixon walkover) CA went Republican and Texas Democratic, along with other southern states where Dems used to have strongholds.  After Reagan, the Dems would never lose CA again, but also never show well in the south again (I guess you could argue Clinton did okay in the south in 1992).  So there is a chicken and egg discussion to be had there, but I think these strong candidates combined with shifting electoral maps come and go periodically.

As an aside, I think its pretty apolitical to say we live in a political hellscape right now, but anyone who tells you "its never been this bad" has a short memory.  In 1968, a third-party ticket of George Wallace and Bombs Away LeMay carried 5 states and 13.5% of the vote.  I know the parties are far apart right now, but holy mother of god that presidential ticket makes the opposite of whatever side anyone is on today look quaint in comparison.

I’ve pondered the possibility of a Trump backed candidate running in 2024 should he lose in two weeks, splitting the Republican vote.  A lot can happen between now and then and will, but I don’t think it’s far-fetched

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I’ve pondered the possibility of a Trump backed candidate running in 2024 should he lose in two weeks, splitting the Republican vote.  A lot can happen between now and then and will, but I don’t think it’s far-fetched

I think the trend is now to see those battles fought in the primaries.  There is too much money supporting the entrenched system to see a viable third party candidate.

This is also the reason I think you won't see "landslide elections" again.  Most of the red states are deeply red.  Many of the blue states are deeply blue.  The campaigns fight over the ten or so states where they have a chance.  Not many moderates anywhere.

[Billy Hoyle]

I think the trend is now to see those battles fought in the primaries.  There is too much money supporting the entrenched system to see a viable third party candidate.

This is also the reason I think you won't see "landslide elections" again.  Most of the red states are deeply red.  Many of the blue states are deeply blue.  The campaigns fight over the ten or so states where they have a chance.  Not many moderates anywhere.

There are plenty of moderates but they're drowned out by the extremes and the media focuses on them. One would think based on Fox News coverage that AOC and Ihlan Omar are the most popular politicians in the country and represent the Democratic Party when in reality she wouldn't even make it through the primary in 90% of districts in the country. Sharice Davids in Kansas and Katie Porter of CA are moderates and candidates who could be elected nationwide but the media doesn't talk about them.  Hell, I voted for a GOP state rep candidate who is staunchly anti-Trump, admits climate change is real, is pro-choice and pro COVID restrictions. In most other districts he's a center-left Democrat, in mine he's considered far right. Perspective.

[Hards Alumni]

There are plenty of moderates but they're drowned out by the extremes and the media focuses on them. One would think based on Fox News coverage that AOC and Ihlan Omar are the most popular politicians in the country and represent the Democratic Party when in reality she wouldn't even make it through the primary in 90% of districts in the country. Sharice Davids in Kansas and Katie Porter of CA are moderates and candidates who could be elected nationwide but the media doesn't talk about them.  Hell, I voted for a GOP state rep candidate who is staunchly anti-Trump, admits climate change is real, is pro-choice and pro COVID restrictions. In most other districts he's a center-left Democrat, in mine he's considered far right. Perspective.

I think if you remove the names Ilhan Omar, and Alexandria Ocacio-Cortez and display only their views they'd win a lot of primaries.  A lot of people have been led to believe that these women are scary commies.  They aren't.

[MU82]

There are plenty of moderates but they're drowned out by the extremes and the media focuses on them. One would think based on Fox News coverage that AOC and Ihlan Omar are the most popular politicians in the country and represent the Democratic Party when in reality she wouldn't even make it through the primary in 90% of districts in the country. Sharice Davids in Kansas and Katie Porter of CA are moderates and candidates who could be elected nationwide but the media doesn't talk about them.  Hell, I voted for a GOP state rep candidate who is staunchly anti-Trump, admits climate change is real, is pro-choice and pro COVID restrictions. In most other districts he's a center-left Democrat, in mine he's considered far right. Perspective.

The media ... the media ... the media ...

I think the trend is now to see those battles fought in the primaries.  There is too much money supporting the entrenched system to see a viable third party candidate.

This is also the reason I think you won't see "landslide elections" again.  Most of the red states are deeply red.  Many of the blue states are deeply blue.  The campaigns fight over the ten or so states where they have a chance.  Not many moderates anywhere.

Agree.

[The Big East]

sometimes ya just need to do a little digging.  after going thru over 2 pages of google's negative stories, i found one positive one on PAGE 3.  it actually asks the village of mount pleasant and the people who have skin in the game.  as you all know, covid threw a wrench into a lot of businesses.  foxconn pivoted and with some of the facilities they had, started helping to produce ventilators and masks.  sounds like they are meeting their financial obligations with mount pleasant too.  sorry to pee on the celebration and mock-fest, but any amateur "journalist" would wonder about "the rest of the story"

 https://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-officials-pleased-with-foxconn-progress/article_1567af09-db6d-5115-8fab-6a1a36daff68.html

Thanks for posting this article. It is well written and has a lot of good detail. Progress is being made.

The pace of progress is contemporaneous with market conditions. That is how the business world works.

I found one paragraph in the article particularly positive. Mt. Pleasant is very pleased for a reason.

In regards to Foxconn’s contract with the village, by 2023 Foxconn facilities are required to have an assessed value of $1.4 billion according to Lois. If valuation falls short, Foxconn is contractually required to financially make up shortfall in property tax revenues to the village.

[Billy Hoyle]

The media ... the media ... the media ...

It is the media because they need to appeal to the fringes. Fox News on the right and MSNBC on the left, and let's not forget about talk radio. Talk radio is probably the biggest culprit of the partisan divide in this country. It's all about ratings and ad revenue and the fact is today, people tune in to hear what they want to hear and nod their head along to everything they hear. That's why most people cannot identify individuals like Davids, Porter, Mikie Sherrill, Elissa Slotkin, etc. Instead, it's "The Squad."

I think if you remove the names Ilhan Omar, and Alexandria Ocacio-Cortez and display only their views they'd win a lot of primaries.  A lot of people have been led to believe that these women are scary commies.  They aren't.

both are hard left, but they represent hard left districts. Not communists, it's been fun to see the right dig that out of the 80's graveyard. However, they're great self-promoters. There's a reason why AOC is known as "Always On Camera." Don't forget this little nugget:  "In any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party," in an interview with New York magazine."

And meanwhile, Joe Biden is going to be our next President and AOC and Omar have given conditional support, not a full-on endorsement (with Omar basically saying "I support him, but let's hear from Tara Reade first").

[GB Warrior]

Has anyone tracked down the TV they donated to Marquette during the bootlicking tour that happened during Marquette Madness?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Thanks for posting this article. It is well written and has a lot of good detail. Progress is being made.

The pace of progress is contemporaneous with market conditions. That is how the business world works.

But that's not what's happening.  They are continuously using Covid as a reason for the lack of manufacturing at the site, but this situation existed prior to Covid even being a thing.

It's like people have lost all context of history or something.

[dgies9156]

I'm going to take a very different position than is espoused on this Board.

It was a calculated gamble worth taking in a very volatile time.

Look, manufacturing has been fleeing Wisconsin -- and most of the Midwest -- for much of the past 50 years. The carnage comes in the form of unemployment, social and political unrest and simply broken people without hope. One one level, it's sad. On another, it's a state and national tragedy. Southeast Wisconsin in particular, with the loss of AMC, Allis-Chalmers, Briggs & Stratton and a host of other large firms, has really paid the price for an overly free market attitude toward imports.

We see states like Tennessee, who made a bet on Nissan in the 1980s. The bet came amid enormous criticism by lots of people that the Alexander Administration was "giving away the store." Yet, Tennessee become an industrial powerhouse. Nissan has multiple plants in Tennessee, as does VW and a host of supplier companies. Drive down Interstate 24 from Nashville to Murfreesboro and you'll see growth and development that most of us who grew up there would have never dreamed of.

After seeing backwater states like Tennessee and South Carolina become industrial powerhouses, the Midwest has to do something. Foxconn may have been betting on the wrong partner but at least the state ponied up to the table. Admittedly, the educational institutions, access to transportation networks, raw materials and skilled labor force should make the Chicago/Milwaukee region as well as much of the Midwest the economic engine of the region and the nation. Sadly, it's not and we need to change the defeatist attitude about the Midwest and go after opportunity.

It's really easy to be a Monday morning quarterback. It's a lot tougher not to act amid the problems of the post-industrial age.

[MU82]

It is the media because they need to appeal to the fringes. Fox News on the right and MSNBC on the left, and let's not forget about talk radio. Talk radio is probably the biggest culprit of the partisan divide in this country. It's all about ratings and ad revenue and the fact is today, people tune in to hear what they want to hear and nod their head along to everything they hear. That's why most people cannot identify individuals like Davids, Porter, Mikie Sherrill, Elissa Slotkin, etc. Instead, it's "The Squad."

both are hard left, but they represent hard left districts. Not communists, it's been fun to see the right dig that out of the 80's graveyard. However, they're great self-promoters. There's a reason why AOC is known as "Always On Camera." Don't forget this little nugget:  "In any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party," in an interview with New York magazine."

Enemy of the people!

Especially, it turns out, Leslie Stahl.

[Tortuga94]

I’ve pondered the possibility of a Trump backed candidate running in 2024 should he lose in two weeks, splitting the Republican vote.  A lot can happen between now and then and will, but I don’t think it’s far-fetched

It won't be a Trump backed candidate, it will be Trump himself.  The GOP will still be the party of Trump, unless Ben Sasse or Mitt Romney run against him, Trump will run unopposed in 2024 should he lose in a couple weeks.