Scott Walker just schooled the three smartest MSNBC hosts.

PS The plant was put in stand-by status in 2009, after Obama was sworn in.

I hope to see Scott Walker interviewed by Rachel, Ed, and Al from the Governor's jail cell some day.

What do Paul Ryan's constituents think?

I rarely quote entire articles but I think this is important.

Note especially the reliance of Janesville on unemployment - which Paul Ryan has voted AGAINST.

http:/ /www.prwatch.org/news/2012/08/11715/paul-ryans-economy-isnt-working-his-constituents

{delete space between first two //}

Constituents Say Paul Ryan's Economy Isn't Working for Them

by Sara Jerving — August 20, 2012 - 9:01am

When Dave Schumacher, 51 years old, lost his job in 2009 in U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan's hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin, he wasn't alone. Schumacher drove trucks for a supplier company that served the General Motors SUV plant, the economic heartbeat of this blue-collar town. GM consolidated production in Texas and Mexico.

When the four-million-square-foot GM plant on the Southern part of town closed in 2009 after a series of layoffs, it took with it the jobs of some 2,800 employees, the single most significant economic blow inflicted upon any Wisconsin community since the economic collapse of 2008. But it wasn't just GM workers who lost their jobs, the closure caused a ripple effect of business closings and layoffs in the area, leaving an ill-equipped safety net supporting the workers who remained in the community.

After he lost his job, Schumacher began making calls so that he could begin receiving unemployment benefits and training, but for two months he was unable to get a person on the line. He turned to Ryan for help. While visiting the Congressman's office, Ryan told him he would receive a call. Schumacher warned Ryan that he would come back to his office every day until he received help, but an hour after he left, he got a call from the unemployment office.

Since then, Schumacher like others in Ryan's district, has faced hurdle after hurdle in finding employment and training, most significantly a stubborn unemployment rate in Rock County -- the rate has hovered around 9 percent, after a peak of 13.9 percent after the plant closing.

While Ryan did connect him with the unemployment benefit office, Schumacher is not impressed with the Congressman.

"Is it my fault the Republicans let the economy go to @!$%#? No," he said. Schumacher largely blames Republicans for their role in the global financial meltdown which has hit Janesville hard. Ryan voted along with the majority of both political parties for the repeal of Glass-Steagall in 1999, which created the "too big to fail" institutions that played a critical role in collapsing the economy and the subsequent bailout (also supported by Ryan). Ryan has also been a supporter of every free trade deal to cross his desk including the 2000 China free trade deal that has cost Wisconsin some 56,900 of jobs and the 2005 Central American Free Trade Deal (a NAFTA expansion to the region).

According to Schumacher, those who pushed damaging economic policies have an added responsibility to help him pick up the pieces and aid him in finding "a job that I can support my family on."

Unemployment Benefits Keep Janesville Afloat

After the GM closing and the closing of another auto plant in Ryan's district in 2010 (Kenosha Engine which displaced another 800 highly paid auto workers), families and communities were kept afloat by unemployment benefits. While Ryan supported the $800 million TARP bailout for big banks and convinced others in his party to swallow the bitter pill and vote for TARP, he has been less supportive of programs to help the unemployed.

Ryan has called the social safety net "a hammock that ends up lulling people in their lives into dependency and complacency" and has a history of voting against extending unemployment benefits. Some Janesville residents argue that statements like these, coupled with his voting record, illustrate a disconnect between Ryan and the community he represents.

Bert Weeks, a 59-year-old former veteran and great-grandfather of nine, agrees with Ryan on most things, but not on the value of unemployment benefits. Week's stepdaughter had depended on unemployment checks in the past, and it was crucial for her to get through a rough patch in life, he told the Center for Media and Democracy while standing outside the Rock County Jobs Center.

"Maybe some people might take advantage of these benefits, but for most people on them they are making about one-third of what they use to make in the past. That's no way to live. That ain't security," he said.

Another Janesville resident, Karina Glowacki, a 20 year-old who works as a shift leader at a local Taco Bell also parts ways with Ryan when it comes to issues like unemployment benefits. Glowacki at one point in her life was depending on unemployment benefits and said it was crucial in helping her secure housing and her ability to feed herself.

"While this community is still struggling from the plant closings, we would have been a lot worse if it weren't for unemployment benefits," she said.

Even the GM workers who stayed in the Janesville area and found work are making a fraction of what they used to make at the high-wage United Auto Workers (UAW) plant.

Don Heritage, a former GM employee, is making half of his former pay working 3rd shift as maintenance for a candy company -- a job which took him two years to find. Heritage views Ryan as "anti-union" and said, "Ryan, as far as I know, is not welcome at the GM plant or any factory."

According to Heritage, "He's not for the working person, the blue collar, he's for the upper bunch." This is an argument that was also made by others who point to his proposed federal budget which would preserve the Bush tax cuts for high-income households and cut taxes for the wealthy and shift more of the tax burden onto middle class families.

Ryan Does Little to Aid the Recovery

While Ryan voted for the $800 billion TARP bank bailout, he voted against President Obama's $800 billion economic stimulus bill. Ryan supported TARP and his floor statements painted a picture of impending doom for the financial sector. Yet on the day of the vote on a stimulus plan to stop catastrophic job loss Ryan said "this is not a crisis we can spend and borrow our way out of." Ryan continues to aggressively campaign against the stimulus bill characterizing it as a "wasteful spending spree."

Yet if there are any "green shoots" in Janesville today, it is because of federal support for this hard-hit region. The feds have several economic development projects underway. These include the "Janesville Innovation Center," a business incubator project providing commercial space to private employers and funding for a new manufacturing plant for a "medical tracer," a device that detects heart disease and tracks the progression of cancer formerly produced outside the United States.

According to Victor Grassman, Janesville's Director of Economic Development, Ryan has not been helpful in securing federal aid.

"Since GM left, Paul Ryan doesn't do earmarks any more. He's really only functioning at the national level. If you need help with Social Security, or something like that [his staff] responds. But he doesn't do earmarks to bring it back home to Janesville and Rock County," he said.

"We've been supporting workers and laid off folks from General Motors. We received some federal funds, but there is still obviously a lot of distress," he said. "We've just received an economic development administration grant, but that came through the Obama contingent. We received $1.2 million for business incubator, clearly through President Obama's staff. [We apply through] the EPA, and other departments and we were granted some additional assistance by the federal government. We didn't ask for [Ryan's] help because we didn't expect anything to happen if we went through that route."

Ed Sadlowski, staff representative for AFSCME Local 40, largely represents constituents in Ryan's district. "I have one question for people. Ask yourself, in this district, are you better off than you were 14 years ago? Do you have more rights? Has your standard or living improved? He's been your representative in the Federal Government for 14 years, what has he been doing for 14 years?"

Ryan's Parker Pen Mansion, Remnant of a Different Era

For over 120 years, one of Janesville's great prides was the Parker Pen Company. Founded by George Parker in 1888, Parker Pen became the largest manufacturer of high-quality pens in the world and supplied pens to Congress and the White House for bill signings.

In 2009, the Janesville plant succumbed to wage pressure from the global trade agreements Ryan was so fond of. 150 workers lost their jobs when manufacturing and distribution operations were moved to Mexicali, Mexico.

In 2010, Ryan and his wife purchased the 5,786 square foot "Parker Mansion," and are raising their family in the remnants of a more prosperous age.

Down the road from the Mansion Hill district where Ryan lives, the formerly vibrant downtown of Janesville is a hollowed-out shell of its old self. Unemployment benefits have ended and there are too few new jobs to give job seekers hope.

CMD's Mary Bottari, Harriet Rowan and Jonathan Rosenblum contributed to this article.

maybe gm should have been run better, i am sure Isaac is his fault to, and bush.

But they gave Eric Cantor a pass earlier. He's the one they should have nailed. Walker is a dick and clearly practices the George Costanza method of lying--"If you believe it, it's not a lie."

Fuel prices, the related slow sales of SUVs, and the economy affected the Janesville plant. In April 2008, GM announced that the plant would cut back full-time production to a single shift. Combined with an ongoing employee buy-out program, layoffs totaled around 750 jobs in July 2008.^[5]

During GM's 2008 annual shareholder meeting on June 3, 2008, CEO Rick Wagoner announced that the Janesville assembly plant would close by 2010, along with three other GM factories, and could close sooner if the market dictated.^[6] The cutbacks announced, along with other changes, were expected to save the North American division $1 billion per year starting in 2010.^[7]

GM extended its annual summer shutdown an additional two weeks and planned another ten weeks of shutdown for the remainder of 2008 because of excess inventories of SUVs made at the plant.^[8]

On February 13, 2008, Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama stated, "This can be America’s future. I know that General Motors received some bad news yesterday, and I know how hard your Governor has fought to keep jobs in this plant. But I also know how much progress you’ve made – how many hybrids and fuel-efficient vehicles you’re churning out. And I believe that if our government is there to support you, and give you the assistance you need to re-tool and make this transition, that this plant will be here for another hundred years. The question is not whether a clean energy economy is in our future, it’s where it will thrive. I want it to thrive right here in the United States of America; right here in Wisconsin; and that’s the future I’ll fight for as your President."

In June 2008, a study by Steven Deller, a University of Wisconsin-Extension professor, indicated that the plant's closure could result in a ripple effect for the county. Based on a number of estimates and 2007 employment data, his worst case scenario was the loss of 9,000 jobs and nearly half a billion dollars of labor income in Rock County.^[9]

In October 2008, GM announced Janesville Assembly would be largely idled December 23, 2008 when production of SUVs would end.^[10] A skeleton crew continued to work at Janesville Assembly through June, 2009, completing the Janesville/Isuzu light truck contract.

geithner, rangel, wiener, holder. just for starts, wake the @!$%# up, are country is dying.

"Pills You Can Believe In" Is that new slogan that replaces the "Hope and Change"?

Running On Empty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2QO34rcZIs

Why do politicians like Ryan and Walker lie about an easy to check fact. Walker back tracked quickly when he was confronted with the fact that the Janesville plant was closed during the Bush administration. Somebody calls them on it and they look like fools. We are never going to solve the problems that plague this country if both sides don't tell the truth and all of us Americans don't take some time to hold these guys accountable for these lies. Who benefits by listening to and believing these inaccuracies because they fit our political viewpoint. It's pure delusion.

Why do they (REP) keep blaming Obama for the lack of jobs? He doesn't own any businesses. Where are the jobs the rich promised to make if Bush would give them tax breaks. He gave them tax cuts many years ago, so where are the jobs?

Bush couldn't make jobs and neither can Obama. Romney has the money and could create jobs but he prefers to back business overseas.

why didnt paul ryan speak to the facts that every jobs bill was filibustered in the senate by the gop/tea party (record setting 142). why didnt he speak to the fact that the gop/tea party sends budgets to the senate that contain riders about gay marriage, abortions, defunding the aca, and other non budget items. Why didnt he quote mitch who said the gop/tea party only goal was to make this man a one term president. Why didnt he say his budget cuts medicade to pay for tax cuts to the top 1% and his budget cuts benefits for medicare to the amount of 715 billion, but the president medicare cuts the waste, fraud, over charges by doctors and hospitals, and finally cuts the amount of money that the insurance companies get to fund the supplemental insurance and makes these companies put 80 cents of each dollar into the care side and not the ads and the corporate bonus checks. These are facts and finally why didnt he say the cbo and other independent agencies say his budget wouldnt balance the budget until 2036 if ever.

LMAO!

You libs think you got one on Walker. Dream on... blind sheep. Spot on! The plan closed before Obama took office, (fact), Obama promised them in site his bailout of the auto industry would help them (fact), the plant is still closed today (fact). Why he made a promise he couldn't keep then? Oh yeah... so you oh so clever media bias puppets, can feel today like you did something good... keep drinking that koolaid, and start packing because in November nobody will keep watching you pathetic so called news.

Scott Walker and Mitt Romney, it is deplorable that they think that only the President can save a factory. Where was Mitt or Walker when the factory was going under, did Walker, or Ryan or Romney, save the car manufacturer. No. So how can they still talk about jobs? Double Talk? Triple Talk? Quadruple Talk?

actually, the headline should read "MAddow and Schultz get OWNED by Scott Walker on auto bailout". He made them look silly...they kept harping on the same points, the same WRONG points, and Walker was able to deftly, and easily, skewer their claims and present facts. also, the fact that he kept his cool and composure, while Ed was wailing like a little girl was striking....Rachel, to her credit, was respectful and professional. Ed? he lost it...it was pretty humorous..

Walker- 1, Team Schultz/Maddow- 0.

Actually, when Ed tried to slander him in the recall, Walker won that one also....so its Walker 2, Schultz 0.

you know who the biggest loser was last night???

Joe Biden...

Biden is gonna have to debate Paul Ryan...after last night, I am sure that Hair Plugs wet his Depends...

It always amazes me how ppl can even see facts differently. I mean how can you see facts different? Every fact checker there is has refutted half what the republicans are saying; You guys do know they will have a debate on this right! They are going to ask Mitt about his taxes, they are going to question him on the 716 billion dollar medicare, they are going to bring up how the plant was close before Obama took office. All of this stuff will come out in the debate. This is why I think Obama will probably win. If it was just ads and no debate, I would say the republicans would probably win it. Unfortunately for them, they are going to be question on this. You do know they will bring Ryan about his voting record in office in the debate. People will know alot of the things they say are lies. What every Republicans should ask themselves is after the debate when all the lies are expose about the Romney-Ryan ticket, will Americans still be disappointed enough in the economy to still vote for Romney-Ryan in office. It's really hard to refute facts and they will come out in the debate.

Only problem is Ryan was correct on the closing of the plant. the main facility did close in 12/08 but part of the plant continued producing cars until June of 09. So if anything Ryan was right but there was a twist to the story.

I guess most on this blog arent old enough to remember that man called lee iacocca came hat in hand to the federal government and got over 1.5 billion in loans from the government. The bills for this were written by the gop and I didnt hear them complain about it then. The democratic president signed off to save this company. Also the union workers, white collar worker, dealers, suppliers, and stock holders gave up about 2 billion in benefits and other things. Where was the outrage then by the gop. Iacocca got rid of 20,000 white collar workers (50%), cut union workers and closed plants and the gop didnt show one bit of outrage. WHY is there outrage now by some of the same men and women who were infavor of that bail out, but now have a problem with the bail out by this president. I remember that the gop was raving how great Iacocca was and how he save the company. Iacocca even wanted more interventions in business by the government to help shore up failing industries that this country needed. So people before you bad mounth this president for the bail out look to the pass and what the gop did to save the auto business in 1979....Learn from history and facts and stop listening to lies and half truths. This goes for both sides and stop citizens united from buying the government.

Republicans are pathological liars, antisocial, prone to delusion, and generally unbalanced. That's proven reality. The GOP is a portrait of corruption and psychological instability. This is not just an opinion. It is a statement of fact.

This entire issue comes up over and over again because Obama made a campaign speech on 2/13/08 at the plant in Janesville. To get the context of this issue, I think it's instructive to go back and listen to that speech, because it epitomizes the issue and the disconnect between how somebody like Obama thinks about economic problems and solutions, and how Ryan or Walker think about those problems and their solutions.

Obama starts his speech talking about it being a detailed discussion on his economic policy. And then he talks about the "details". And what were those details? Fairness. Things aren't fair. Equality. We should all be equal. Spreading the wealth. We need to spread it around more evenly. He's standing in a plant that is failing. It's failing to produce sufficient value to justify its existence. And Obama's approach to the problem is that the SOURCE of the problem is lack of fairness and equality, and that the SOLUTION to the problem is more fairness and equality and spreading the wealth around so that we're more "all in this together".

Walker and Ryan and Romney see things a bit differently. They see that there are very fundamental, structural issues that make our businesses uncompetitive. We have a regulatory and tax environment that is hostile to business. We have a political class (in the democrats) that do not like, support, or understand that the PRIVATE ECONOMY is the future of America, the engine that generates the wealth of the nation. We have unions in the private sector that undermine our ability to deliver service, and take wealth (in the form of tax revenue confiscated from you and me) that is far disproportionate to the value they create or to the benefits (e.g. pensions) available to us in the private sector. We have entitlement programs that encourage dependence and coddle our citizens and that are fiscally unsustainable. And Walker and Ryan and Romney GET IT. They understand that preaching equality and "spreading the wealth", when the entire pie is flat or shrinking, rather than addressing the underlying fundamental issues that are keeping our private economy from growing, is a disaster. You want to see where preaching and teaching "fairness" and "equality" and "spreading the wealth" gets you? Look at southern Europe. That's America's future under Obama, laid out bare for all to see.

The American public increasingly gets it too. Ryan and Romney aren't yesterday's "play it again Sam" GOP. You would "change"? How about REAL change? It's coming. Obama is out. The writing is on the wall.

i used to believe that non-politico republicans were just like the rest of us... chagrined by lies and liars. watching a republican woman confronted by just one of pinnochio ryan's myriad lies, she was non-plused by it, and stupidly said that both sides do it; that disabused me of any error believing that any republican possessed honor.

i now know irrevocably that dishonesty and dishonor permeates all republicans. in short they are all low-life liars without honor. they are scum!

very disappointing.

I saw this Maddow and Schulz smackdown moment on the Gov live last night. Wanker Walker had his deer in the headlights look going once they challenged his idiocy and deceit. Bravo. Go get 'em time after time, Rachel. U 2 Eddie. -- One of my new best friends on Facebook, a Faux News progressive commentator named Sally Kohn, has pointed out today that Eddie Munster and the GOP t-bagging wingnuts PROVED last night that they are job creators. They got dozens of individuals to begin working on fact checking the lies from in, on, and around the Tampa podium.

Maddow, Schultz etc completely missed the point....what Walker said was that it was Obama in his speech in Janesville where he (Obama) promised the people of Janesville that "this plant will be here for another hundred years". Just another promise that Obama didn't keep. State the facts not the distorted truths. Walker won the argument if you would listen and not interupt what he was saying.

I was quite disapointed with Ed and Rachel when they let Walker eat their clock with his lies! Come on Ed, grow some huevos and expose this liar, ask the tough questions and don't allow him to get the last lie out!

Rachel, I'm really upset that you just wimped out and crawled back into your caccoon and allow the liar Walker to get off that easily! You backed off with your tail between your hind legs!

Geez, I thought you guys were tougher than that! What a let down!

You have to play mean and nasty like they do for crying out loud!

You guys TRIED to call him out - but you were so pathetic. Your gushing love for your hero Obama has caused ALL of you to lose any credibility as an objective commentator. It is sad and funny to observe how easy it is to see through you. You were tripping all over yourselves trying to get your "bait" questions out. Hate, fear, envy, insecurity and arrogance has destroyed all your hopes & dreams. You are now wallowing in your own sewage.