I have even wavered over the last few weeks. I mean, watching Klauser pop off again, I figured, and probably rightly so, that it was really the WisGOP and maybe even Priebus talking. Klauser certainly sent off some jilted-lover pheromones during the Republican gubernatorial primary. (I think Klauser’s real problem is the fear of being irrelevant, but I suppose time will tell.)
I don’t like Tommy Thompson. I’ve never really liked Thompson. I always figured him to be an opportunist, and once he made his move to federal government, I figured I was vindicated in my thought. I’m not wild about Theodore Kanavas. (Not to be confused with his wife and kids, who are quite charming.) I’ve always felt Ted suffered from wrong place/wrong time syndrome. He finally squeaked out a State Senate win, but even that went badly in the grand political scheme. He didn’t keep the spot. Shoot, even James Sensenbrenner doesn’t have the common courtesy to retire on Kanavas’ schedule, and now State Senator Rich Zipperer is on Kanavas’ heals for the position in a couple of years.
So, though I’ve tried to talk myself out of it, (Really!) I’ve decided that once again I am likely to be the only blogger fond of Mark Neumann in the upcoming U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin.
No, I’m not thrilled about that. I hate being the odd blogger out.
But let’s talk about this for a minute, folks. I am not some hair-brained idiot chasing the next big thing. You all, even my fellow bloggers, know that I’m (uhem) fairly conservative in my approach. By now many of you also know how much I hate to lose. It just chaps my backside to think that I’m setting myself up for another miserable election cycle in which I’m the only blogger supporting a candidate. Yet, Mark Neumann still gets my nod.
I came to the final decision in church this morning. Why, I thought (yes, fine, when I was supposed to be paying attention to something else) would I abandon the only candidate for several years that felt like the real deal when I met him? I have suffered through many a limp-wrist handshake in hopes of finding a candidate to float my boat. Ron Johnson certainly made the cut, and that came through when he was elected, but you all know I still have a hard time getting entirely behind Scott Walker. He’s done some great things in our state during his short reign, but his flaws are damning and could still really be trouble. Though I’m sure Scott Walker didn’t set out to be the consummate poster child for a handled candidate, I still can’t believe he’d be making the appointment mistakes he’s making on his own. (Something, or someone, is at play to keep Walker from being great. I do hope he figures it out soon.)
Contrast that to Neumann. Yes, I know, he’s really conservative. Neumann is not just Tea Party conservative; he’s Mark Neumann conservative. I let loose a “crap” in front of him that had me blushing for ten minutes. Yet, Neumann wasn’t judgmental that I could tell. I have to explain something I know about really successful people: they aren’t successful because they’ve spent a lifetime living according to someone else’s rules. Sure Neumann gets some bad press here and there, but so does Warren Buffett or Donald Trump. Successful people are so because they set rules for engagement that let them be better than anyone else in that field.
This is an admission that Neumann’s rules are unwavering, but that is pretty much the best thing about Mark Neumann. His sense of self, his success, and the adoration of his family and friends, well those things are absolute. Mark Neumann has no need to bow before the next big donor in hopes of floating the campaign. (I mean really. Have you seen the list of Thompson donors?)
Now when it comes to the final round, I’d have to say Mark Neumann is as right of center as Tammy Baldwin is left. There’s no need for a middle-of-the-road candidate. If you put those two up to the voters, Neumann wins. This state is still reeling from the damage the left created over the last few years. It’s a chance to get another genuine Tea Party conservative into the U.S. Senate.
Senator Ron Johnson is dynamite, and we are so lucky as Wisconsin voters to have his fresh approach and enthusiasm working for us. We have the opportunity to put another in Washington much like him. But unlike Johnson did, and unlike Kanavas, Neumann knows what DC has in store. It’s work. Neumann is up for it.
I know many of you will push back to this post, but I have to ask you, why? Do you know Mark Neumann or are you working from the memory of a friend of a friend who said something once? I double-dog dare you: learn what makes Mark Neumann tick before you decide. Do not let someone else form your opinion. This is no time to turn into a Lemming.
22 responses so far ↓
1 Ryan // Aug 28, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Great post Cindy… I’m with you that Neumann is my preferred candidate (at least for now, we’ll see who actually enters).
Also agree that if it is Neumann vs. Tammy, Mark wins. Now Neumann vs. Kind…. not so sure about that one.
Also, I really doubt he’ll run, but Dave Ross (strong fiscal conservative/former mayor of Superior) would be excellent as well.
2 Fred // Aug 29, 2011 at 9:26 am
I’m hoping for a third option.
In the view of many Neumann ran an unethical smear campaign and people are not likely to forget that.
3 Cindy // Aug 29, 2011 at 9:45 am
So the haters stand firm. Too bad.
4 Ryan // Aug 29, 2011 at 12:13 pm
“Unethical smear campaign”?!?!?
In the closing months of the election, Walker was 75% negative and Neumann was 100% positive. What the heck are you talking about?
5 Fred // Aug 29, 2011 at 12:50 pm
I said in the view of many Cindy, which is true. I’m not saying anything about his candidacy for this office. Not hating on anyone just stating an objective fact about how Neumann is viewed by some people.
Ryan, one example was his showboating at the republican convention. Making a ridiculous claim that his supporters were not welcome when all they had to do was register.
Things like that.
6 Ryan // Aug 29, 2011 at 2:23 pm
I don’t think the example you cited, even if 100% true, constutites anything close to an “unethical smear campaign”. Do you have anything more substantial?
7 Swamper // Aug 29, 2011 at 4:47 pm
I, too, hope for a third candidate to appear. TT and MN aren’t for me. I voted R until they went anti-science, anti-education and over zealot religious. I am, deep down, pretty conservative (in the old school defination), and it was guys like GWB and Sunspot Johnson that made me re-think my position.
TT is a raging ego-maniac as you will agree, but MN strikes me as a loony, and just as much of an opportunist as TT.
Show me a candidate with common sense solutions, real ideas (not just “I hate Obama”), and who isn’t wearing cross on their banner, and I may vote R again. Until we get away from the social and religious fringe, I’m not going R.
8 RL // Aug 29, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Mark Neumann, loony? Hahaha. I actually find that quite humorous. He’s as serious a candidate as can be found. ‘Loony’, I’d save that for a few others.
It’s rather amusing that one would post about an ‘unethical smear campaign’, when in fact such a blatant unsubstantiated post is actually an unethical smear, itself.
As to the convention ‘issue’. The claim of grandstanding is simply not true. I know someone personally who was there and they were not allowed access in to even the
public areas; they were shut out at the front door. Others without badges were let in.
More than one person substantiated this on the Markforgov Facebook page when it happened.
Good post, Cindy. Valuable insight, and bottom line, it is clear to me that Neumann has the experience and gumption to take on the fiscal challenges ahead at the national level. The others’ experience simply do not compare.
If you love Ron Johnson, you’d have to want Mark Neumann in Washington also. Neumann’s resume and actual knowledge of budget issues trump Johnson, by a long shot.
9 Fred // Aug 30, 2011 at 8:52 am
Sure Ryan, I do. Not sure you want to see it. Here is a letter from Jim Klauser who resigned from the Neumann campaign due to his mischarachterizing Milwaukee County budget numbers.
It has been more than five weeks since I wrote to you requesting that you return the contributions Shirley and I made to your campaign. I asked for the return since you had assured us that you would run a positive campaign focusing on the Doyle-Barrett record. You haven’t done that. Even in these last weeks you have expanded your negative attacks beyond your primary opponent to everyone else.
Your campaign treasurer, your son Matt, told me that you would return my contribution if I refuted your claims about your opponent’s record as County Executive. You echoed those comments as well. The numbers you cite for Milwaukee County include capital bonding of $251 million which is expended over a three year period and paid-off over 15-20 years. (This was done to obtain better interest rates) Your analysis of Jim Doyle’s spending did NOT include bonding (which is considerable under Doyle).
You should know, but apparently don’t, that much of what a county government does is mandated and partially funded by either the federal or state government. County government has no control over increases/decreases in such funding. A care management organization is funded at $256 million entirely with state-federal Medicaid dollars.
You fail to mention the substantial reduction in the number of county employees under Walker’s watch. In 2000 county employees on an FTE basis numbered 7,263; in 2010 the number is 5,256. This substantial reduction indicates increased efficiency in Milwaukee County government and a savings to taxpayers.
The bottom line is you aren’t comparing apples to apples; rather your analysis is somewhat akin to fruit salad. By the way you should know, but apparently choose to ignore, that the county executive vetoed increased spending every year; these vetoes were overridden by the county board with the result of increasing spending.
You have used these misrepresented figures to claim that the county budget has increased 26% since 2006 while the state budget has increased 19%. In reality, Milwaukee County’s budget has increased 9% below the rate of inflation of 9.6% which gives Milwaukee County residents a spending reduction in adjusted dollars.
Please return our contributions.
James R. Klauser
July 14, 2010″
10 Fred // Aug 30, 2011 at 9:00 am
How about when Neumann claimed overwhelming support from the TEA party?
That was based on a poll of 21 people in a non Tea party affiliated group.
How about the Neumann campaign spreading false rumors that Walker was going to drop out of the race for governor?
Look I only bring this up to mention the fact that Neumann will have to do a lot of convincing to turn people around that he disappointed by campaign tactics in his last race. If you want to turn a blind eye to that Ryan, that’s on you. It is reality though.
11 Cindy // Aug 30, 2011 at 9:11 am
As I previously mentioned, Fred Dooley, it appears you are content to continue to hate on Mark Neumann. You pitched huge mounds of crap on anyone who dared to say something bad about Scott Walker, yet you find it not at all a problem to do so with Neumann.
Here’s the bottom line: You are part of the Republican establishment in this state who demand absolute control over any elected person. Walker will always give you what you want, even to his own detriment. Neumann will think for himself. I firmly suspect you will find a multitude of reasons to adorn Mr. Fitzgerald very, very soon. He has proven he will walk the establishment line without even asking questions. You go boy. As for me, I’ll keep my integrity and stand with Neumann.
12 Fred // Aug 30, 2011 at 9:56 am
Too bad you have your defenses up Cindy we could have had an actual discussion. Ryan asked me to document so I did. He will face these issues with many people, that’s reality. Instead you just labeled me a hater and you choose to ignore this. I’m not the one behaving badly here.
If you didn’t notice I’m not thrilled with Thompson either so please don’t list me as establishment.
Threre is nothing fair about your views or ability to see the truth where Neumann is concerned.
13 Fred // Aug 30, 2011 at 10:19 am
You are jumping on me without cause.
I’m not hating on Neumann. I simply point out that he is going to have issues with some people due to the last campaign.
Thompson is going have issues with people who thinks he is a RINO (you included, me included)
I didn’t make any personal attacks on Neumann, you just reverted back to your protectionsist stance as you had in the Governor race. I’m willing to give the guy another chance and see what kind of campaign he runs this time.
I always admired Mark, I did not approve of how he ran his last race. I hope he becomes the old Mark Neumann, that guy would get my public support and my financial support.
Ignoring the issues fromt he last campaign won’t win him any favors in a primary. Primaries are about the base and Neumann needs to win that base back.
Personally I am undecided in this race. I understand Fitzgeral stuck his toe in water, Neumann is in and Thompson is in though not yet announced.
Frankly I’m hoping for another option, someone more in the Ron Johnson mold. Not a career politician but someone closer to the people and who understands the burdens of business and how to create jobs.
14 Cindy // Aug 30, 2011 at 1:54 pm
You articulated issues, Fred, but you didn’t document them. I’m not defensive as much as standing firm. You never would admit that last primary was give and take, not just Neumann’s fault.
You and I both know Thompson is not establishment anymore – Fitzgerald, your hoped for third candidate – very much is.
No doubt we will disagree again. I just can’t give over to the organized party as easily as you do.
15 Fred // Aug 30, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Funny Cindy, I’m not decided about anything in this race..
I have no idea how that relates to your perception that I am an organized party parrot.
I guess I should call Priebus and ask him how I should think.
16 RL // Aug 30, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Fred. So you are undecided as to which candidate you like right now, are open to supporting Mark Neumann, and indicate your are not part of the GOP establishment? You are not an ‘insider’ or ‘party parrot’, but you are cozy enough to call Reince Priebus ‘Priebus’, and I suspect, not only have his phone number, but are confident he’d take your call? Is my supposition far from the truth?
Also. If you do a rudimentary review of the actual resumes of Ron Johnson and Mark Neumann (Wikipedia has outlines for both men’s careers) you’ll see that Mark Neumann out does Ron Johnson on being a Ron Johnson kind of candidate. I would think you can objectively see the parallel experiences, ages and pathway to office.
I think you need to get on the Mark Neumann bandwagon and put the old party politics aside.
17 Cindy // Aug 30, 2011 at 8:18 pm
Shazam! I’m pretty sure Mr. Priebus would reply with a “Cindy who?”
RL, you just earned your Fairly Conservative high-five for the day.
18 Nick // Sep 6, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I’m not sure I’ll be on the list of bloggers who support Mark Neumann (I still don’t have a clue who I’ll support), but I certainly don’t get the vile coming out of the GOP blogger militia against him.
Clearly, the only thing that Mark Neumann actually did wrong, was have the temerity to run against Scott Walker at all. The GOP establishment made it perfectly clear that Scott Walker was supposed to be the candidate b/c he stepped aside for Mark Green. It was Scott’s turn.
Apparently Mark Neumann didn’t get the memo, and made the foolish mistake of thinking that the voters in the primary got to decide.
What you’re seeing against Mark Neumann now, including the “Open Letter” currently circulating, is part of the payback that is required to keep others in line in the future.
The reality is that the primary campaign was pretty clean all things considered. I think everyone has seen far worse. The “smears” and “lies” that people bring up now (which may or may not be true) are all pretty minor… and being blown out of proportion simply to give some meat to this argument that Neumann shouldn’t be trusted now.
19 RL // Sep 6, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Nick. Rational, observant, sardonic, Nick. Good post.
I actually think there is growing support in the state GOP ranks for Neumann. Whodathunk.
20 Cindy // Sep 6, 2011 at 4:36 pm
Thanks, Nick.
I need to get to that open letter. I’m easing into the connected world. Maybe tomorrow.
21 Bill Elmhorst Sr. // Sep 26, 2011 at 10:38 am
Was looking for info on Neuman and found your website. Neumann would be the best choice of the current candidates.
22 DICK STEINBERG // Sep 26, 2011 at 7:06 pm
the present cadidates for both sides of the aisle have nothing new to offer except to have enough money to run a campaign. there used to be “first try, nice try” candidates. both parties have failed in training ambitious people to jump in and run. baseball has the minor leagues. the pols strike out before they get there.
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