On the latest episode of Sykes' TV show, Deb Jordahl drafted on the intellectual currents set forth by Jessica "No operation for you, mamacita." She invoked the great Tommy Thompson's war to end Wisconsin's status as a welfare magnet.
Do you remember that? Heady times they were in the late 80s and early 1990s. Basically, the argument, propagated by the Wisconsin Policy Research Instititute and others, is that Wisconsin was attracting loafers from out of state, principally Illinois, who wanted to cash in on our comparatively high welfare benefits.
Thing is, it was a faulty argument. Survey after survey showed that other factors -- including quality of life issues such as comparatively safe streets -- led people here. Higher welfare payments certainly came up as a factor, but it was a laggard.
But, like all arguments that hinge on the purported badness of black people, it refused to die.
Ultimately the state created a two-tier welfare benefit that restricted payments to newcomers for a period of time. It was declared unconstitutional.
The Brawler was stunned, upon reviewing the coverage, how seldom the word "Racism" appeared in stories. Because this was clearly a racist argument. How does the Brawler know this? Because he's a latte sipping liberal? No. because the Brawler was coming up at that time and he kept his ears open. And he heard neighbors and classmates advance theories identical to Tommy's before Tommy started flogging them. And they did so in much more direct language. For which the Brawler supposes they deserve some credit.
Certainly more than Deb Jordahl, whose resurrecting this racist Big Lie in public discourse is a contemptible act.
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