Key clips from tonight’s debate
Ron is not voting with his reelection in mind.
Ron wants you to keep more of your paycheck.
Senator Feingold says one thing and does another on college affordability.
Gina Sell is not pretending on Obamacare.
Ron is working to protect the 2nd amendment.
Senator Feingold says one thing and does another on national security.
“When men and women’s lives are in harm’s way, you bet I’m going to authorize the military.”
Background
“Listening” vs. Delivering
Both Senator Feingold and Ron have traveled Wisconsin extensively. The difference is what they’ve said and what they’ve done.
When Ron travels the state, he talks with Wisconsinites and works to address their concerns, including securing construction of a new St. Croix River bridge in St. Joseph, helping disadvantaged individuals in Milwaukee and Madison find good-paying employment through the Joseph Project, and working to ensure Packer fans in Iron and Ashland Counties aren’t stuck watching the Vikings instead of the Green and Gold.
But when Senator Feingold travels the state he says one thing…
On Obamacare: “If you like the plan you purchase, the health care reform bill does not force you to change it.” (Sen. Russ Feingold, Op-Ed, “Setting The Record Straight On Reform,” La Crosse Tribune, 4/4/10)
On federal spending: “That’s an excellent question that gets to the number one issue, the number one issue in the country, which is reducing the federal deficit.” (Wisconsin Town Hall Meeting, Madison, WI, 10/16/92) MIN 13:58-15:24
On college affordability: “A college education must be available to those students who study hard to get there, regardless of their economic status. That’s why I believe we must build a system that allows Wisconsin’s future students to graduate without debt from our world-class public institutions.” (Russ Feingold, Op-Ed, “College Students Should Be Able To Graduate Without Debt,” Madison.Com, 9/9/15)
On campaign finance: “I will rely on Wisconsin citizens, not out-of-staters to pay for this campaign.” (Russ Feingold, “Home Movies” Campaign Ad, 1992)
Then does another…
On Obamacare: In December 2013, PolitiFact ruled “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it” the “Lie Of The Year.” (Angie Drobnic Holan, “Lie Of The Year: ‘If You Like Your Health Care Plan, You Can Keep It,’ PolitiFact, 12/12/13)
On federal spending: Senator Feingold voted against a Balanced Budget Amendment four times. (1994 Roll Call Vote #48, 1995 Roll Call Vote #98, 1996 Roll Call Vote #158, 1997 Roll Call Vote #24)
On college affordability: In 2015, Feingold was compensated $150,000 for teaching two courses at Stanford University for 19 classes, approximately $7,895 per class. (Russ Feingold, 2015 Personal Financial Disclosure Form, Filed 5/15/16)
On campaign finance: Nearly 70 percent of Senator Feingold’s contributions have come from out of state for the 2016 Senate election. (OpenSecrets.org, accessed 10/13/16)
On Campaign Finance, Senator Feingold Says One Thing and Does Another
“I will rely on Wisconsin citizens, not out-of-staters to pay for this campaign.” (Russ Feingold, “Home Movies” Campaign Ad, 1992)
“I’m making a pledge for the future.” (WMVS-TV Democratic Senatorial Candidates Primary Debate, Milwaukee, WI, 8/28/92, 18:25)
And does another…
Nearly 70 percent of Senator Feingold’s contributions have come from out of state for the 2016 Senate election. (OpenSecrets.org, accessed 10/13/16)
Feingold claimed his 1992 pledge to accept a majority of contributions from Wisconsin was only a “pledge for that term.” FEINGOLD: “Well I’ll tell you something. When I said in 1992, whenever I said that I would get a majority of my contributions from Wisconsin citizens, I made that pledge for that term. (On The Issues With Mike Gousha, Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, WI, 1/26/16)
PolitiFact ruled that Senator Feingold broke his garage door pledge.“Feingold used the words “pledge” and “promise” in 1992 while asserting his grassroots funding plan was for that election as well as “for the future.” The future is here, and Feingold has failed to keep his promise.” (Eric Littke, “Did Russ Feingold break promise to fund campaign primarily in state?” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/7/16)
On Progressives United, Senator Feingold Says One Thing and Does Another
“Obviously, we’re going to try to support candidates directly that are committed to these progressive principles.” (MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show, 2/16/11)
And does another…
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Headline: “Top Beneficiary Of Progressives United Might Be Russ Feingold Himself” (Daniel Bice, “Top Beneficiary Of Progressives United Might Be Russ Feingold Himself,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 4/26/16)
By June 2015, Only Five Percent Of Contributions To Progressives United PAC Had Been Given To Federal Candidates And Political Parties; Most Contributions Went To Sustain Fundraising. (Daniel Bice, “Russ Feingold’s PAC Funded Fees, Salaries For Former Staffers, Himself,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 6/15/15)
In A July 2015 Interview With The Shepherd Express, Feingold Said Progressives United Was Not Created “To Give Direct Contributions” To Candidates. “Those who are claiming it didn’t are intentionally disregarding its purpose. What they’re saying is that we didn’t give enough money to candidates. That wasn’t its main purpose, to give direct contributions.” (Louis Fortis and Lisa Kiser, “Russ Feingold Looks Ahead To 2016, Shepherd Express, 7/1/15)
According to an independent campaign finance expert, Progressives United was a “legalized slush fund.” PAUL JOSSEY: “It’s very disappointing from Mr. Feingold who has spent a career in the campaign finance weeds and made this a major issue of his public life to use this PAC essentially as a legalized slush fund.” (Joe Schoffstall, “Campaign finance expert: Feingold’s PAC a ‘legalized slush fund,’” Washington Free Beacon, 9/14/16)
On College Affordability, Senator Feingold Says One Thing and Does Another
Ron also voted not just once but twice in favor of legislation to improve student loans by stabilizing and lowering interest rates. (2013 Roll Call Vote #142,2013 Roll Call Vote #185)
Meanwhile, Senator Feingold says one thing…
“A college education must be available to those students who study hard to get there, regardless of their economic status. That’s why I believe we must build a system that allows Wisconsin’s future students to graduate without debt from our world-class public institutions.” (Russ Feingold, Op-Ed, “College Students Should Be Able To Graduate Without Debt,” Madison.Com, 9/9/15)
And does another…
Since leaving office, Feingold has earned at least $450,000 from salaries and honoraria from colleges and universities. (Russ Feingold, 2012 Personal Financial Disclosure Form, Filed 7/11/13; Russ Feingold, 2013 Personal Financial Disclosure Form, Filed 5/28/14; Russ Feingold, 2014 Personal Financial Disclosure Form, Filed 4/17/15; Russ Feingold, 2015 Personal Financial Disclosure Form, Filed 5/29/15; Russ Feingold, 2015 Personal Financial Disclosure Form, Filed 5/15/16)
In 2015, Feingold was compensated $150,000 for teaching two courses at Stanford University for 19 classes, approximately $7,895 per class. (Russ Feingold, 2015 Personal Financial Disclosure Form, Filed 5/15/16)
In one-and-a-half lectures, Senator Feingold made more than the cost to send a Wisconsin student to UW-Madison for a year.
- In-State Tuition for UW-Madison is $10,488 per year. (Undergraduate Cost of Attendance, UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid, Accessed 10/6/16)
Senator Feingold says one thing…
“That’s an excellent question that gets to the number one issue, the number one issue in the country, which is reducing the federal deficit.” (Wisconsin Town Hall Meeting, Madison, WI, 10/16/92) (MIN 13:58-15:24)
And does another…
Senator Feingold voted against a Balanced Budget Amendment four times. (1994 Roll Call Vote #48, 1995 Roll Call Vote #98, 1996 Roll Call Vote #158, 1997 Roll Call Vote #24)
- Twice Senator Feingold was the deciding vote to defeat a Balanced Budget Amendment. (1995 Roll Call Vote #98, 1997 Roll Call Vote #24)
- NOTE: On 1995 Vote #98, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole changed his vote after the final tally for procedural reasons. (Edwin Chen and Michael Ross, “Balanced-Budget Amendment Falls Short In Tight Senate Vote,” LA Times, 3/3/95)
Senator Feingold voted to increase the federal debt limit by more than $10 trillion. (Votes: H.R. 1430, Roll Call Vote #247, H.R. 3136, Roll Call Vote #209, Roll Call Vote #148,Roll Call Vote #202, Roll Call Vote #213, Roll Call Vote #213, Roll Call Vote #54, Roll Call Vote #354, Roll Call Vote #186, Roll Call Vote #213, Roll Call Vote #64, Roll Call Vote #397, Roll Call Vote #14)
On Obamacare, Senator Feingold Says One Thing and Does Another
“If you like the plan you purchase, the health care reform bill does not force you to change it.” (Sen. Russ Feingold, Op-Ed, “Setting The Record Straight On Reform,” La Crosse Tribune, 4/4/10)
“Experts believe this reform effort will lower premiums in the non-group market by 14 to 20 percent for the same benefits.” (Sen. Russ Feingold, Remarks On The Senate Floor, Washington, D.C., 3/24/10) MIN 4:58:45
And does another…
In December 2013, PolitiFact Ruled “If You Like Your Health Care Plan, You Can Keep It” The “Lie Of The Year.” (Angie Drobnic Holan, “Lie Of The Year: ‘If You Like Your Health Care Plan, You Can Keep It,’ PolitiFact, 12/12/13)
Last year, Senator Feingold said people were exaggerating Obamacare’s effects. FEINGOLD: “They see that the healthcare bill was by no means as bad as some people pretended it was.” (UpFront with Mike Gousha, 7/13/15) MIN 2:29-2:34
In 2017, health insurance rates will increase by an average of 15.88 percent, with some customers seeing as much as a 30 percent increase.(Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance press release, 10/11/16)
Senator Feingold Has Consistently Voted Against America’s Armed Forces
On National Security, Senator Feingold Says One Thing and Does Another
Ron has helped pass 10 bills into law focusing on threats to our national security.
- Laws focused on counter-terrorism, border security, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure passed through the Homeland Security Committee and signed into law.
Meanwhile, Senator Feingold says one thing…
“But, when you talk about lone wolf, I think the FBI here in this country, and the law enforcement, is going to need more resources.” (CBS Green Bay’s “Newsmaker,” 2/21/16) (MIN 2:52-4:41)
And does another…
First, Feingold voted against extending the Lone Wolf Provision of the PATRIOT Act at least three times. (Roll Call Vote #11, 2/2/06, Feingold Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #29, 3/2/06, Feingold Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #384, 12/19/09, Feingold Voted Nay)
After being questioned about his record, Senator Feingold praised lone wolf provisions. ANCHOR: “With recent attacks in Minnesota and New York your opponent’s campaign has criticized some votes you made in the Senate against extending what’s known as the ‘Lone Wolf’ provision in the PATRIOT Act. Why did you make those decisions?” FEINGOLD: “The ‘Lone Wolf’ provisions, and all of these provisions, have to do with making sure our people of our country are safe. We have to be sure that organizations like ISIS are actually destroyed. So, making this a political issue is not the way to go.” (FOX 11’s “Good Day Wisconsin,” 9/21/16) Min 1:30-1:52
Then four days later he downplayed the importance of lone wolf anti-terror measures. “This lone wolf provision, you know what? It’s never even been used in a terrorism investigation, according to all the reports I’ve seen. So this is a bogus claim.” (WKOW “Capitol City Sunday,” 9/26/16)
In November 2002, Senator Feingold was one of nine Senators to oppose the creation of the Department Of Homeland Security. (H.R. 5005, Roll Call Vote #249: Bill Passed 90-9, 11/19/02, Feingold Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 11/20/15)