Mark Neumann

Ryan's Medicare plan poses a big problem for Wisconsin GOP Senate candidates

October 3, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Paul Ryan opted out of running for Herb Kohl's Senate seat next year. But he left a little something behind. His Medicare plan -- to end Medicare as we know it and replace it with a type of voucher plan that would cost seniors more -- is very much going to be a part of the 2012 Senate race in Wisconsin.

The problem for GOP candidates, who are fighting in the primary to win the party's conservative base, is that while Republican voters tend to like Ryan's plan, most other voters don't. It will take some careful positioning to finesse the problem Ryan has created for them.

Of course, Mark Neumann doesn't need to prove his conservative bona fides. It's former governor Tommy T who's getting flak about being too liberal for 21st Century Republicanism.

Maybe to prove himself Tommy will come out to the right of Neumann on Medicare and Social Security. But that could kill him in November.

This little dance could be fun for Democrats to watch.

Quote, unquote

September 30, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

"If I had a nickel for every person that said to me, you know, Mark, we told you to run for Senate before, glad you’re running for Senate now, or we like both you and Scott, we’re glad you’re running because we wanted to vote for both of you, I wouldn’t have to go out and fundraise for my campaign."- Mark Neumann.

Let's do the math. Ron Johnson spent $10 million last year on his Senate race. So Neumann, at a nickel apiece, must have talked to 200 million people who want him to run. If that's the case, he definitely should.

Mark Neumann's "truthful" math: Facts are pesky, pesky things

September 28, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

NeumannThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Politifact (I like to call it Politifactoid) feature today examined a statement by former GOP congressman and current US Senate candidate Mark Neumann and judged it "truthful." His statement:

Did you know that if the federal government spent $30,000 on behalf of every family of four or group of four in America, that the federal budget would be balanced today? They’re spending $46,000 on behalf of every family of four in America today, every year."

Which is the logical equivalent of saying this: If you trimmed the human population of Earth back down from the current seven billion to two billion, you'd balance the eco-system and save the planet. That may be true, just as Neumann's comment about the federal budget deficit may be true, but the devil, as usual, is in the details.