Read the Column the Journal Sentinel Requested, Then Refused to Run

On Wednesday, April 25, 2012 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel approached the MacIver Institute via email with a request to write an OpEd column for Sunday’s newspaper.

Would you guys like to comment on the story Craig Gilbert had this morning on jobs and Walker? I’m wondering to what extent you think Walker should be help [sic ] responsible? We’d look to use the op-ed this Friday or Sunday. We’d need potentially as early as Thursday afternoon. Are you interested? Is that doable?

Thanks for considering this.

We responded that we could provide a critque, but suggested they go in a different direction if they wanted something different.


We could talk about what’s behind job creation and mention the pres and gov but if you desire a full throated politcal [sp] piece promoting the gov, perhaps u should keep looking.

…and later:


Just let me know by 5pm today, we could get you 650 words by 5pm tomorrow.

Our piece would address the following:

Job numbers-Who’s to blame? Obama? Walker? Barret?

What employers need to increase hiring?

What’s the best prescription for a robust jobs climate?

Their response?


That sounds great. I think it will dove-tail well with our editorial.

So, below is the column, which they ultimately refused to run. The paper did publish an unsolicited column by State Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) on the topic. Notable, however, is that Darling’s column does not mention any criticism of the newspaper’s coverage of the issue.

So, we publish this column (and a transcript of our exchange with the JS Editor) for two reasons. One, we put the time and effort into writing the piece, setting aside some other projects to fulfill  the Journal Sentinel’s request–so we’d like to at least have this column see the light of day. Two, we’ll raise the question: Did the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel spike this piece beause they cannot tolerate even the mildest form of criticism within the pages of their own paper? (Criticism, you will see, that was entirely justified.)

On the Hypocrisy and Logical Inconsistency of the Jobs Blame Game

By Brian Fraley

Anyone within a thousand yards of the Wednesday edition of the Journal Sentinel could read the huge, screaming headline regarding the state’s job numbers. The lengthy article examining old data was filled with speculation regarding how the information reflects upon Governor Scott Walker, his policies and his political future.

You ran a much smaller article the next day that showed how the employment numbers in the Metro Milwaukee Area are the worst in the state. Yet that piece made no mention of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, his policies or his political future. It is also notable that the unflattering article ran on the last page of the business section.

It’s also humorous that, in general, the same Big Government liberals in this state who believe George Bush is to blame for the current national jobs picture are putting all the blame for Wisconsin’s employment situation at the foot of our current governor. By their logic, President Obama needs more than 3 ½ years to assume responsibility for the nation’s economy, yet every bit of bad news here in the last 16 months is all Governor Walker’s fault.

Moving beyond that ridiculousness, the fact of the matter is for Wisconsin businesses to succeed, we need economic policies that:

1) Encourage risk and capital investment

2) Appreciate and work with those who wish to bring new jobs here

3) Does not punish success through oppressive taxation

4) Invest in sound infrastructure like roads, ports and airports rather than boutique novelty trains that move too few people to too few places

There are those who support a government-driven economy who believe we need to increase the taxes on the rich and the corporations. If we do so, they argue, our government will be stronger and in a position to fund programs and projects that will lure business and jobs here.

To them, I say: Been there. Done that. Didn’t work.

The 2009-10 state budget created a new custom computer software tax; Increased taxes on combined reporting; Applied sales tax on all transactions between affiliated businesses; Eliminated tax deduction for domestic production activities; Increased taxes on “throwback sales.”

In all, that document increased overall taxes by several billion dollars.

The failed policies of the past further increased spending by 6.2% or $3.6 billion; Increased borrowing to $3.58 billion and left this current Administration and legislature facing a $3.6 billion hole from which to climb out.

All of that fiscal irresponsibility cost Wisconsin far more jobs than have left the state since last January. When government extracts dollars from the private sector, there is less private sector economic activity. When there is less private sector activity, there are fewer jobs created. So, although this never resulted in a 6 column above the fold headline in this paper, it is nonetheless true: In the final 3 years of the Doyle Administration, Wisconsin lost not 15,000 jobs, but rather a staggering 150,000 jobs.

Since then, the labor reforms, tax cuts, incentives and tort reform legislation enacted in Madison provided a good start toward a better direction.

However the legislation that would have given Wisconsin the single-biggest jobs boost, the mining bill, was mired in partisan politics and died an unmerciful death earlier this spring. A mine in Gogebic Range in Northern Wisconsin would have brought thousands of good-paying family-supporting jobs for generations there. It would have helped large manufacturers here in the Milwaukee area for several years, too.

Indeed, the same agitators who are joyfully directing people to your Wednesday headline didn’t care about those jobs.

Bad timing, I guess. Heaven forbid a favorable jobs-related headline in the heat of the recall, right? Not one Democratic state senator supported the mining bill.

Too many Big Government agitators were too busy rallying around the Angry Blue Fist of Big Government to raise a finger to help attract private sector mining jobs to the state.

To quote a familiar refrain from Madison, “Shame! Shame! Shame!”

A Brookfield resident, Fraley is the Communications Director of the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, a free market think tank in Madison. MacIver’s mini-documentary  “Mine Shaft,” about the failed attempt to modernize the state’s mine permitting process, will be released next month.

—TRANSCRIPT OF EMAIL EXCHANGE —

From: David Haynes ‪<dhaynes@jrn.com>‬
Date: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Subject: oped on jobs?
To: Fraley – MacIver Institute <bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>

Hi Brian:

Would you guys like to comment on the story Craig Gilbert had this morning on jobs and Walker? I’m wondering to what extent you think

Walker should be help responsible? We’d look to use the op-ed this Friday or Sunday. We’d need potentially as early as Thursday afternoon. Are you interested? Is that doable?

Thanks for considering this.

http://www.jsonline.com/business/state-posts-largest-percentage-job-loss-in-us-over-past-year-report-shows-ib54utt-148694855.html

David D. Haynes | Editorial page editor
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

From: bfraley@maciverinstitute.com ‪<bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>‬
Date: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: oped on jobs?
To: David Haynes <dhaynes@jrn.com>

We could talk about what’s behind job creation and mention the pres and gov but if you desire a full throated politcal piece promoting the gov, perhaps u should keep looking.

From: David Haynes ‪<dhaynes@jrn.com>‬
Date: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Subject: Re: oped on jobs?
To: “bfraley@maciverinstitute.com” <bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>

No, I think what you describe would work. We’re going to editorialize at the same time. Our view is that we wish the governor had stayed more focused on jobs – and less on what we tend to view as distracting social issues. But we also believe that the state’s economy can’t be easily moved by the actions of a single politician. We’re holding Walker to his 250K pledge and we like some of the things the GOP has done (WEDC, for example), but am not sure there is that much in the short term that a government can do in an economy that is globally connected.

From: Fraley – MacIver Institute ‪<bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>‬
Date: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 1:23 PM
Subject: Re: oped on jobs?
To: David Haynes <dhaynes@jrn.com>
Just let me know by 5pm today, we could get you 650 words by 5pm tomorrow.

Our piece would address the following:
Job numbers-Who’s to blame? Obama? Walker? Barret?
What employers need to increase hiring?
What’s the best prescription for a robust jobs climate?

From: David Haynes ‪<dhaynes@jrn.com>‬
Date: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 1:26 PM
Subject: Re: oped on jobs?
To: Fraley – MacIver Institute <bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>

That sounds great. I think it will dove-tail well with our editorial.

From: Fraley – MacIver Institute ‪<bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>‬
Date: Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 9:50 AM
Subject: The column is going to be from me…
To: David Haynes <dhaynes@jrn.com>

…and I will have it to you by 4pm today.

From: David Haynes ‪<dhaynes@jrn.com>‬
Date: Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 9:52 AM
Subject: Re: The column is going to be from me…
To: Fraley – MacIver Institute <bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>

Great. Thanks, much.

The column was submitted via email on Thursday at 3:55pm

From: David Haynes ‪<dhaynes@jrn.com>‬
Date: Fri, Apr 27, 2012 at 1:19 PM
Subject: Your op-ed
To: Fraley – MacIver Institute <bfraley@maciverinstitute.com>

Hi Brian:

I’m going to have to take a pass on the piece you wrote for us. After we talked, Alberta Darling’s office called and submitted a similar piece. Given her prominence in the debates, etc., I feel like we need to use that piece in lieu of yours. My apologies. I appreciate the time and effort. We’ll keep you guys in mind down the road and hope you will do the same.

Best,


David D. Haynes | Editorial page editor
Milwuakee Journal Sentinel