Are Wisconsin Democrats xenophobic? Since the deal with Foxconn was announced by Governor Scott Walker, Democrats have been running around complaining about a Chinese company getting a subsidy from the state of Wisconsin. (Actually, the company is Taiwanese.) They’re complaining about China more than President Donald Trump did during the 2016 campaign.
Our friends at Media Trackers, who brilliantly raised the question about the Democrats’ xenophobia, have documented a number of occasions when the Democrats and their allies have complained about the foreign-nature of Foxconn, including seven times in one press release. We’ve already commented on the odd opposition to Asians by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers, the state Superintendent of Public Instruction. If the Democrats have a problem with foreigners, specifically Asians, perhaps they should just say so. Asian American voters would probably like to know if the Democrats are still the party of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his internment camps.
Because judging from the anti-foreigner rhetoric, Wisconsin Democrats would be thrilled to give $3 billion in incentives away to a corporation as long as it’s incorporated within the United States. It’s just the color of the skin of the executives at Foxconn that has the Democrats upset.
Governor Scott Walker and Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou signing the memo of understanding to bring a $10 billion manufacturing facility to Wisconsin. If Gou was a white guy from a company based in California or Detroit, would Democrats still complain about the subsidy? History suggests not.
Oh wait, Democrats don’t like workers in Illinois, either. They’re suddenly concerned that large manufacturing facilities too close to the Illinois border might attract the wrong element. We’re not sure what that wrong element from Illinois might be, Cubs fans?
Have the Democrats been to Janesville lately, or Lake Geneva? There are Cubs fans wearing team jerseys everywhere. If we were going to build a wall on the state line, apparently something the Democrats now favor, it’s too late. Chicago-style hot dogs are now regular fare in most Wisconsin cities.
Perhaps would be happy if we created a 100-mile economic exclusion zone along the border with Illinois preventing any economic activity in the region so people from Illinois couldn’t get jobs in Wisconsin. Presumably 100 miles should be enough to deter all but the most die-hard commuters. While we’re at it, we can tear up the Amtrak tracks coming north from Chicago, too.
Of course, Democrats weren’t worried about those annoying people from Illinois invading our state when General Motors in Janesville was temporarily bailed out under President George Bush and President Barack Obama (the plant closed anyway). Nor did Democrats object to Illinois workers possibly benefitting when former Governor Jim Doyle, also a Democrat, offered General Motors $200 million in incentives to build a new factory in Janesville in 2009 (it didn’t work).
And when Amazon built in Kenosha, keeping out fans of the Chicago Bears wasn’t an issue then, either. But then, General Motors and Amazon are American companies. If Toyota or Hyundai wants to build another auto plant in Janesville or Kenosha, then the Democrats are ready to keep the foreigners out.
