What "Open For Business" Means, In Walker-Speak

Scott Walker announces that Wisconsin is open for business.

What that means is that the state treasury is open  - - for businesses to be given more tax breaks that will heap the cost of services on to the middle class.

It means loopholes will be opened in regulations that protect common resources - - air,  woodlands, marshes, rivers, streams, lakes - - from pollution and degradation.

It means an open door for business, their organizations and lobbyists to gain direct access to Walker, the DNR, the Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Revenue, Administration and others for self-serving, special interest rule, law, policy, program and administrative tweaks and interpretations to give businesses a freer hand to further enrich themselves and evade taxation, and social responsibilities, and consolidate their political power.

But to continue to obtain favors and government booty when they want it - - remember that Ron Johnson got a publicly-paid rail spur for his Oshkosh plastics firm, and low-interest government loans, for example.

And that in Wisconsin, manufacturing and computer equipment is already exempt from taxation, and when bundled with the plethora  of existing subsidies - - industrial and tax incremental bonding, tax credits, depreciation, interest-deductions and more - - Wisconsin has always been open for business and has been made more so by the Doyle administration.

What else is open? Celebratory champagne at the WMC is still being uncorked.

Finally, when Walker says open for business, he means open season on Madison and Milwaukee, where Democratic voters live.

So those rail jobs in Milwaukee, those stem cell research and development jobs in Madison?

Nonono: Wisconsin is closed for you.