H/T to Wigderson Library and Pub for the break.
I had a nice conversation with a retired veteran in the Menomonee Falls area, Joe Sturmberg, who called State Representative Sheldon Wasserman (Dem) after Wasserman left a note on his door saying he had been in the area. Wasserman is campaigning for state senate against the incumbent Senator Alberta Darling (Rep).
Sturmberg told me he asked Wasserman if he was a Democrat. Wasserman told him, “No, I’m more of a libertarian.” According to Sturmberg, Wasserman told him he wasn’t running as a Libertarian because that party isn’t registered to be on the ballot in Wisconsin.
This is not someone who doesn’t understand politics. Sturmberg is pretty sharp and has a good understanding of who the players are. He told me flat out that he thinks Wasserman just tells people what they want to hear.
I spoke with Wasserman this afternoon and he claimed to be confused by the voter’s claims. He remembered the person I referred to, and then suggested that maybe he told the Menomonee Falls voter that while he sympathizes with the Libertarians on social issues, there’s no chance a Libertarian could be elected to office in a two-party system. Wasserman then cited Libertarian support for stem cell (I presume he meant embryonic stem cell) research and on “end of life” issues.
Wasserman’s website still does not list his party identification, nor does his campaign literature. Wasserman claims he doesn’t want to be labeled. “I don’t want to belabor that I’m a Democrat. I guess I am.” That’ll be good news to his caucus.
We should probably break down the b.s. line of “I’m more of a Libertarian”. It’s indicative of the fact that Wasserman is willing to say just about anything to get elected, including taking pot shots at Alberta’s health.
First of all you can register as Libertarian in Wisconsin. They had 4 candidates in the spring election. Tim Peterson, State treasurer, Ed Thompson – Mayor of Tomah – Ken Van Doren – Mayor of Mauston, and Phillip Owens – Rock County Board election, incumbent. So if Sheldon wants to be a libertarian, he’s more than welcome to do so. There is even a webpage that shows what the LPWI is willing to do to help you being a libertarian candidate. So I challenge Wasserman to register as one. I’ll be waiting for him to endorse Bob Barr for President.
Second of all, lets look simply at the libertarian principal of taxes, and then look at Sheldon.
Libertarian Principle of Taxes: We advocate phasing out taxes on incomes, personal property, and real property, along with corresponding decreases in the size of government.
Sheldon is one of two democrats to sign the American’s for Tax Reform pledge, and as of May 28, 2008 is still listed on Americans For Tax Reform website as one of 1,225 state legislators . Which is good, except it is absolutely untrue and complete rhetoric that Sheldon will attempt to use in a senate district that he knows holds “taxes” as its number one issue. Sheldon might go door-to-door and tell individuals he’s a Libertarian, and he might even use the words “fiscal conservative,” but the constituents of the 8th senate district shouldn’t let Sheldon hide behind his “fiscal conservative” and “libertarian” rhetoric. He has been supportive of raising taxes time and time again, and went so far as to introduce legislation to raise taxes, as well as flip flop on the Property Tax Freeze.
In 2003 Sheldon originally voted FOR the Property Tax Freeze (AB 466) before he voted against it, where he voted NO in 2005 on AB 58.
After signing the Americans for Tax Reform pledge, Sheldon went as far as to sponsor a bill that would increase the cigarette tax (AB 451). Sheldon also openly supported the tax increase on cigarettes claiming his “Hippocratic oath” trumped the “NO tax” pledge that he made to the taxpayers in his district.
Just prime examples of Sheldon yet again saying one thing and doing another…something tells me there’s more Sheldon Wasserman rhetoric out there …he’s probably at some nice old lady’s home right now defending that he’d never want to take her driving privileges away.
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It’s too bad you want to repeat lies about Sheldon celebrating Alberta’s health. Casts doubts on the rest of your post.
“…claiming his ‘Hippocratic oath’ trumped the ‘NO tax’ pledge that he made to the taxpayers in his district.”
The Hippocratic Oath was quite demanding, for example, “To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause [the patient's] death” and “Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy.”