Russell Feingold in Politico.com
On Free Trade:
Opposes lousy trade deals
On the campaign trail, Feingold rails against "lousy trade deals" and whacks Sen. Johnson's record on issues like student loan debt, while noting the
Republican attended the University of Minnesota, prompting groans from the crowd.
Source: Politico.com on 2016 Wisconsin Senate race
Aug 5, 2015
On Government Reform:
Created "Progressives United" PAC as soon as he left office
Republicans are trying to tarnish Feingold's image as a good government reformer, instead portraying him as a craven political opportunist. In particular, Sen. Johnson seizes on Feingold's 2011 creation of a political action committee called Progressives
United, which was intended to push liberal causes and back like-minded candidates. A number of the PAC staffers now work on his campaign, and Feingold drew a salary from the organization. Thousands of dollars were spent to purchase copies of his 2011
book, "While America Sleeps," as gifts to supporters. And just a fraction of the money raised went toward helping liberal candidates.Republicans say Feingold--whose claim to fame is the co-authorship of the sweeping campaign finance law that bears his
name--created a campaign-in-waiting using the kind of outside group that he's spent his career railing against. "Mr. Campaign Finance Reform realizes that one of the first things he did when he left office was to set up a PAC," Johnson said.
Source: Politico.com on 2016 Wisconsin Senate race
Aug 5, 2015
On Health Care:
2010: I knew that over time, ObamaCare would work out
Feingold said he didn't believe he was "being fired" by voters when he lost in 2010. It had everything to do with a political environment that greatly favored the GOP, he said. "It was obvious that because of the economy and very difficult times people
were going through, it was very likely people would vote against incumbents," said Feingold. "It was a wave election. Everyone knows that."That race, like many others, turned on voter anger toward Washington, including the raw emotions over
Obamacare, which Feingold voted to enact. "Oh no," Feingold said when asked whether he would have voted differently on the law looking back at it now. "I stood with my vote on the Affordable Care Act in 2010. I was one of the only candidates to do that,"
Feingold said. "I understand people have been lied to repeatedly [from Republicans] about what was in the bill. I regretted that, but it was fairly stated that over time that it would work out. That's exactly what's happened."
Source: Politico.com on 2016 Wisconsin Senate race
Aug 5, 2015
On Principles & Values:
Badger Pledge: keep outside groups out of state race
To push back against the attacks, Feingold has called on Johnson to sign the "Badger pledge" so both candidates can call on outside groups to stay out of the state. Johnson has so far refused to do so. And when asked repeatedly whether he would do what
he's done in past races--demand Democratic outside groups stay out of Wisconsin no matter what his opponent does--Feingold demurred. "I will continue to urge him to sign it," Feingold said. "That's the only responsible thing--to sign it."
Source: Politico.com on 2016 Wisconsin Senate race
Aug 5, 2015
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