It looks like Congresswoman Gwen Moore is going to have some competition for her seat representing Wisconsin’s Fourth Congressional District, in the form of Dan Sebring, a Milwaukee small business owner who can “trace his roots to the Mayflower.” In a press release issued on Monday, Sebring was described as, “Pro Life, supports 2nd Amendment rights, lower taxes, a smaller Federal Government, elimination of capital gains and the “Death Tax” and is opposed to Cap and Trade.”
Pretty standard stuff for a Republican, but here’s what I’m curious about. According to the “Who Is Dan Sebring” page on his campaign website, Sebring’s vision is described as follows:
Dan’s vision is not about Democrat and Republican, but about doing what’s right for the community.
Considering Dan Sebring is pro-life, supports 2nd Amendment rights, lower taxes, a smaller Federal Government, an elimination of capital gains and the “Death Tax” and is opposed to Cap and Trade, I’m wondering why anyone would believe his vision is about anything but being a die-hard Republican.
why does it matter if someone is democrat or republican…as a business owner like myself, lower taxes are good all around. If you read up on cap and trade, it’s essentially another tax – there was a youtube video in an interview that he says cap and trade will raise utility costs. And as far as the inheritance tax, why should people pay twice – the money has already been taxed once, who gives the gov’t right to tax it again — because it changes hands?
Why is that purely republican, it’s common sense.
Mike, the fact is the rhetoric isn’t adding up. How can one claim their “vision is not about Democrat and Republican” while taking positions that are almost exclusively Republican-oriented? What about his vision is supposed to make Democrats think he’d be anything but a shill for the Republican Party?
so what you’re telling me is that you would rather have higher taxes?
if you’re a hunter (I’m not one), wouldn’t you like to keep your rifles?
Pro-Life, ok maybe, but that is one issue out of the myriad.
How does this make him a Republican Shill as you put it?
Mike, gun control isn’t the same as taking away all guns. It’s a gross oversimplification to say that anyone who supports gun control supports taking away all guns.
Here’s my challenge to you: since you seem to think Dan Sebring has appeal to both parties, name me one issue on which he has common ground with mainstream Democrats.
That is for sure…Zach! I support CCW but this open carry crap where every nut job and his brother can carry a gun in public I don’t support. At least with CCW there would be permits involved meaning background checks…etc…(hopefully). And…BTW…how many guns does it take to protect oneself?? Don’t we have enough guns in this country??
My take on the whole stance Mr. Sebring holds is that Milwaukee is not being represented by Gwen Moore–in the interviews she does, it is all about what “she thinks is right”. Ms. Moore generally votes the way the unions who are funding her tell her to vote, and the unions are NOT the people. I would rather have someone who answers the concerns of the constituents, rather than those that donate the most to her campaign fund–who are largely out of state special interest groups, I might add.
Jessica, I’ve got two questions:
1. Are you saying union members aren’t an important part of the Fourth District?
2. In regards to your criticism of Rep. Moore taking PAC money, can we expect Dan Sebring to vow not to take any PAC money for his campaign?
I pulled up his FEC reports and Gwen’s…
the only one taking PAC money is Gwen. How about the $60,000 + she’s taken from banks and the American Bankers Association? And the banks have created what kind of situation the country is in?
And before you even answer with a partisan rhetoric – there is a YouTube video showing in 2004 the Republican’s calling for greater oversight on banking and Fannie/Freddie – it’s also on Sebring’s site…the Democrats said the additional oversight wasn’t necessary yet now they’re calling for that very same oversight the Republican’s wanted 5 years ago. Gee, they don’t try to play both side against the middle.
Mike, we’re still very early in the race. What I want to know is if Dan Sebring will vow not to take anyPAC money at all, since he (or his campaign, rather) seems to have such a problem with Rep. Moore taking PAC money.
Hey Zach, since you posted this… if you paid attention in US History class, the federal government was designed to protect the newly created country. It was not designed to give handouts to everyone that comes calling. Democrats want everything “equal”, yet at the end of the day, it’s all about themselves…take in consideration the lawsuit filed in US courts earlier today (June 17th), Obama campaigned on having a transparent government, however, when people wanted to see who’s visiting the White House during the time when policy decisions were being made, they were blocked – no different than what Bush did – so what makes the Democrats so much different?
Gwen Moore holds a $175,000 per year position. During her first 4+ years, she has had ZERO bills of her own go to the floor, has done nothing to help people here – but she will introduce bills for Afghan Womens Rights (where does that help our economy and precarious situation?), sits on the House Oversight Committee on Banking – yet banks have clamped down lending further escalating the financial crisis (and according to her financial statements has received 10’s of thousands in donations from banks and the ABA). She threw her bogus earmarks into an $800 billion dollar stimulus package that has done nothing to create jobs — example the $500k for Poop-to-Power to create power from feces — never mind the Europeans have tried this and put a price tag in the billions to create such a system to do this (and this created zero jobs). She cites in Fox Business News interview that the unemployment is over 50% in the inner city in her district, yet blocked Buyseasons from creating up to 1500 jobs that paid $15/hour in her district because they weren’t good enough?
Try living in her district and tell me how great it is before posting. Try to stop looking at party lines or making this a partisan shot at someone running against her, because it’s completely unoriginal (and my information is all public record and knowledge, so I admit it’s not purely mine), try looking at how this district has gone down the toilet…when I was a kid things were good, jobs were plentiful — now they’re nowhere to be found. This city has become the second coming of Detroit because people like her sit on their tail, collect a paycheck, and produce zero. Why don’t you go to work for a period of time, do nothing and tell me how long you have your job. People are blindsided by partisan politics and perhaps if they actually looked at what a person has done or wants to do rather than just looking at the (r) or (d) next to their name, the country would be moving in a better direction.
“Try living in her district and tell me how great it is before posting.”
Hi Mike…I’m happy to tell you I’m a proud resident of the Fourth Congressional district, the very same district Gwen Moore represents. What a coincidence!
Drive through the inner city and tell me how great those people have it. I have. It’s not a pretty sight. I worked on a project for MPS also, and have personally seen these schools, talked to the people, and they’re not happy one bit.
So you must be the only person happy with how things are going.
Mike, I work in the inner city, and there’s no denying things aren’t great for lots of folks, but I think it’s more than a little exaggeratory (yeah, that’s my word) to say I’m the only person happy with how things are going.
There’s no denying there’s always room for improvement in Milwaukee, but the same could arguably be said for any large urban area. Urban areas present a unique set of challenges to elected officials, but elected officials shouldn’t bear all the blame for what’s going on in our cities.
Zach, can you name a couple things Gwen has done to earn your pride?
1. $97,000 in scholarships for disadvantaged students at Marquette University and Alverno College
2. $8,000,000 in grants to provide alternative housing for families who fall into homelessness and to help prevent families from becoming homeless in the first place.
Now Roland, I want to make it clear that I’m not saying Rep. Moore is the perfect public servant; I just think she’s better than the alternative.
OK…so you surfed her press release page and cited two examples of tax money being sent to Milwaukee. The scholarship thing sounds decent, if not all that large in scope. The $8mil anti-homelessness program sounds like just another feel good program ripe for plundering by skilled trough feeders. Said program is for rent and utility payments made directly to landlords and utility companies. I was hoping you would cite something that has already been accomplished, not things that are in the works. That might be TOO tall an order since accountability of monies spent is near impossible these days regardless of which party sponsors said programs.
I grew up “represented” by genius boy Paul Ryan – he who (if we want to play this game) speaks on behalf only for what is good for big businesses and the rich (and, if you pay attention to the things he actually says – the criminally stupid). Having recently moved to Gwen’s district, I couldn’t be happier being represented by someone who speaks for the working class and the little guy.
How does she speak for the working class – ie. blocking jobs.
I went to the job fair that Buyseasons held at their new facility in New Berlin – everyone there was from the inner city of the fourth district. So you’re telling me that Gwen blocking jobs in her district is representing the fourth district?
Is being “a Milwaukee small business owner who can ‘trace his roots to the Mayflower'” an elaborate dog whistle to say “I’m safe! I’m white!”?
Yeah, the Mayflower reference was a really random thing to include in his bio. After all, it’s not often you see a candidate for elected office in a midwestern city touting his Mayflower lineage.
Jason, you do realize that is your interpretation of his ‘Mayflower’ statement. If it concerns you so, why not send ole’ Dan an email and ask him to elaborate on why disclosed his heritage? How hard would that be?
The only thing I got out of that statement was that he is proud of his heritage. Are you implying that white people are not allowed to have such pride? If Gwen proclaimed pride of her African heritage (something I guarantee she has done in her time), would you accuse her of sending a similarly fashioned coded message to her black constituents? Of course you wouldn’t. So why the different standard for Dan Sebring? Do you have a good reason beyond “discrediting” a political opponent?
I knew a guy who was descended from the USS Nimitz; sharp guy, but kind of a creep.
One has nothing to do with the other – you guys talk in circles.
This guy is probably proud of his heritage – can you say the same of yours?
I’m absolutely proud of my heritage, and anyone who knows me will say as much. At the same time, I don’t feel the need to advertise it.
So this guy you know/knew, his mother was the Nimitz? the ship actually gave birth to this guy. That’s pretty impressive, didn’t realize a boat could do that.