Feingold Dancing On Wisconsin Taxpayers

[Oshkosh, WI] In 2009, Russ Feingold voted for a stimulus bill he said would create jobs and pontificated that the funds should be spent wisely. But since that time Wisconsin has lost 82,000 jobs, Feingold is defending his vote, and a new report details 100 egregious examples of unwise stimulus spending.

Feingold’s vote sent UNC-Charlotte $762,372 in stimulus funds to develop interactive dance software to “define an evolving system that assists in the design and production of interactive dance performances with real-time audiences.” The program will be developed into a public Web-based “Dance Tube” that will attempt to rival YouTube.

After both saying stimulus dollars should be spent wisely and subsequently defending his vote, it looks like Russ Feingold approves of projects that are a total waste of taxpayer resources while failing to provide real solutions to Wisconsin’s economic crisis.

“Instead of interacting with Wisconsin voters to listen to their concerns about spending and debt, Russ Feingold is funding interactive dance software,” said Juston Johnson, Campaign Manager for Ron Johnson for Senate. “Voters are fed up with the wasteful Washington/Feingold spending spree, where real time dance moves are a higher priority than reining in our debt.”

The Johnson Campaign will be highlighting wasteful stimulus spending projects Russ Feingold believes are getting the job done for Wisconsin families until Election Day.

Stimulus Facts:

Feingold Said “Stimulus” Must Be Spent Wisely. “Now that the economic recovery package has been signed into law, our focus must be on the challenges ahead, including getting our fiscal house in order and making sure that there is strong oversight of these taxpayer dollars. These funds must be spent wisely if they are to truly work for Wisconsin’s families.”  (Editorial, “Russ Feingold: Stimulus Package Makes Sense,” La Crosse Tribune, 2/25/2009.)

Three days prior to the signing of the stimulus, Senator Feingold issued a press release saying the stimulus would create 2.4 million jobs in the first year, and about nine million jobs in the first three years. (Senator Russ Feingold, ”Statement of U.S. Russ Feingold On The Economic Recovery Package,” Feingold Press Office, February 10, 2009.)

Feingold Provided the 60th Vote for the Stimulus Package. (H.R. 1, 2009 Roll Call #64: Adopted 60-38, 2/13/09, Feingold Voted Yea)

The National Economy has lost over 2.2 Million jobs since the stimulus was signed. (Source, Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed July 27, 2010.)

Since the Stimulus was signed, the State of Wisconsin has lost 82,000 jobs. (Source, Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed July 27, 2010)

Feingold Defends Stimulus Vote. “I don’t apologize for those votes. Those were the right votes.” (“Feingold defends voting record, Hudson Star Observer, 7/28/2010)

New Report Details Misdirected Stimulus Spending. “Stimulus money is going toward iPods for high school students in Utah, cell phones for smokers trying to quit in Washington, D.C., and advertising devoted to the promotion of … the stimulus. The findings are part of a 74-page report put out by a pair of Republican senators who contend the $862 billion program is fraught with needless spending.” (“New GOP Report Details Misdirected Stimulus Spending, Associated Press, 8/3/2010)

Johnson Radio Ad Sets the Record Straight on Second Amendment

[Oshkosh, WI] Oshkosh manufacturer and U.S. Senate candidate Ron Johnson unveiled a new radio ad today setting the record straight on his position on the Second Amendment and shedding light on 18-year incumbent Russ Feingold’s anti-gun votes.

Listen to the ad here

Ad Facts:

In 1987, Elena Kagan, wrote in a memo to Justice Thurgood Marshal recommending denial of cert. in Sandidge v. United States. “[The petitioner’s] sole contention is that the District of Columbia’s firearms statutes violate his constitutional right to ‘keep and bear arms.’ I’m not sympathetic.” (Kagan, Elena, “Memo to Justice Marshal Regarding Sandidge v. U.S.,” SCOTUSBlog, Accessed July 15, 2010.)

In 1996, While Working for the Clinton Justice Department, Elena Kagen Wrote a Note Urging The Listing of the NRA with the KKK as “bad guy orgs.” (Kagan, Elena, “Handwritten Notes “ Office of the Deputy Attorney General, SCOTUSBlog, Accessed July 15, 2010)

In 1997 While on the Domestic Policy Council, Kagan Drafted a Memo with Charles Ruff Directing the 120-Day Suspension of Permits on the Importation of Certain Rifles to the United States. (Elena Kagan and Charles Ruff, “Memorandum for the President, November 13, 1997,” The Politico, Accessed July 15, 2010.)

As Solicitor General of the United States, Elena Kagan Failed to File An Amicus Brief for McDonald v. Chicago, A Common Practice for the Solicitor General in Bill of Rights Cases. (Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski, “Kagan Opposes Second Amendment Gun Rights,” www.biggovernment.com, May 14, 2010.)

Feingold’s Anti-Gun Confirmation Votes:

Ginsberg Confirmation Vote, 1993 Roll Call 232, Confirmed 96-3, August 3, 1993, Feingold Voted Yea.
Breyer Confirmation Vote,1994 Roll Call 242, Confirmed 87-9, July 29, 1994, Feingold Voted Yea.
Sotomayor Confirmation Vote, 2009 Roll Call 262, Confirmed 68-31, August 6, 2009, Feingold Voted Yea.
Kagan Confirmation Vote, 2010 Roll Call 229, Confirmed 63-37, August 5, 2010, Feingold Voted Yea.

New Ron Johnson Radio Ad: “Essential American Freedom”

Listen to Ron Johnson’s new radio ad: “Essential American Freedom.”

Russ Feingold thinks the Second Amendment is a campaign strategy, while Ron believes it’s an essential American freedom.

The Johnson Way

We can bring America back with discipline, hard work and common sense.

Johnson Campaign Statement on Russ Feingold’s Latest Attack Ad

[Oshkosh, WI] Following Russ Feingold’s latest attack ad, Juston Johnson, Campaign Manager for Ron Johnson for Senate, released the following statement:

“Russ Feingold is wrong, again. Ron Johnson wasn’t opposed to an unemployment benefits extension but the politicians in Washington refused to pay for it, instead adding to the deficit.  Republicans suggested, and Ron supported, using unspent money from the stimulus bill to pay for the benefits. Ron’s been creating jobs for the past thirty years, and he wants to put Wisconsin workers back on the job instead of engaging in Russ Feingold’s politics-as-usual tactics. We simply can’t afford to do things the old Washington/Feingold way any longer.”