2012 Wisconsin Senate Debates: on Government Reform


Tommy Thompson: I've never been a lobbyist

In his successful recall effort June, Gov. Scott Walker portrayed public employees as privileged. In the Senate race, Thompson and Baldwin each claim to be the champion of the middle class.

"People are asking the question, 'Who's fighting for us?' versus 'Who's fighting for the big and powerful,'" Baldwin said in an Oct. 2 interview in Milwaukee. "Whose side are you on is a classic question in some elections, and I think it's coming to bear very particularly in this."

[One analyst] said Baldwin is trying to "to recapture the notion that the Democratic candidate is the populist candidate," he said. "She's trying hard to portray Thompson as the tool of the elite."

The Baldwin campaign has labeled Thompson a lobbyist for companies his Health & Human Services agency used to oversee, a charge that Thompson angrily denies. "I've never been a lobbyist," he said in an interview. "That's absolutely a lie." Thompson is working to define Baldwin as a big-spender, calling her "out of the mainstream."

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek on 2012 Wisconsin Senate debate Oct 5, 2012

Tommy Thompson: I'm a reformer: on welfare, healthcare, & taxes

Thompson said, "As governor I've cut taxes 91 times, reformed welfare [W-2 began in his administration], reformed health care [both Badger Care and SeniorCare began under Thompson, but were continued and enhanced under his successor], helped put Medicare Part D in place, and always tried to do what was right.

"I'm a reformer," Thompson emphasized, "and 742,000 jobs were created while I was governor." He also pointed to the Women's Health Foundation he founded along with his wife and their daughter.

Source: Madison Agri-View on 2012 Wisconsin Senate debates Oct 4, 2012

Tommy Thompson: I'm a reformer: on welfare, healthcare, & taxes

Thompson said, "As governor I've cut taxes 91 times, reformed welfare [W-2 began in his administration], reformed health care [both Badger Care and SeniorCare began under Thompson, but were continued and enhanced under his successor], helped put Medicare Part D in place, and always tried to do what was right.

"I'm a reformer," Thompson emphasized, "and 742,000 jobs were created while I was governor." He also pointed to the Women's Health Foundation he founded along with his wife and their daughter.

"My opponent is the Number One liberal in the House and the Number One spender in the House," he added.

"We're headed for a Depression," was Thompson's response when asked about the "fiscal cliff". "She introduced legislation and voted more than 100 times for tax increases. We cannot allow sequestration (to occur)," Thompson said, adding, "Isn't it sad Congress is waiting for January to solve (problems)."

Source: Madison Agri-View on 2012 Wisconsin Senate debates Oct 4, 2012

Mark Neumann: Allow voter ID by repealing Help America Vote Act

Question 5. Would you support repealing portions of the Help America Vote Act that interfere with individual states' rights to maintain the integrity of their voter identification and registration procedures?

Mark Neumann: Yes

Tommy Thompson: Yes

Source: 2012 Wisconsin Tea Party Senate Debate Questionnaire Aug 13, 2012

Tommy Thompson: Allow voter ID by repealing Help America Vote Act

Question 5. Would you support repealing portions of the Help America Vote Act that interfere with individual states' rights to maintain the integrity of their voter identification and registration procedures?

Mark Neumann: Yes

Tommy Thompson: Yes

Source: 2012 Wisconsin Tea Party Senate Debate Questionnaire Aug 13, 2012

Mark Neumann: Clean Up Washington: 12-year term limit for Congress

Neumann shared his "Clean Up Washington" plans. Neumann would like to see a 12-year term limit for Congress. He also wants to take away federal pensions and benefits from former members of Congress who become lobbyists. Neumann says the plans would limit federal spending and help balance the budget. "We're going to limit the influence of special interest groups and lobbyists," said Neumann.
Source: WLUK-TV FOX 11 News on 2012 Wisconsin Senate debates Apr 9, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2012 Wisconsin Senate Debate.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Tammy Baldwin on Government Reform.
  • Click here for more quotes by Tommy Thompson on Government Reform.
Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 05, 2018