Posted in Those Kooky Conservatives!, Wisconsin Politics

What will the tea partiers think of Terrence Wall’s chartered planes?

   April 19, 2010

Throughout the course of his U.S. Senate campaign, Republican candidate Terrence Wall has made a point to court the “tea party” conservatives throughout the state, presumably in an effort to convince them that despite being a millionaire many times over, he really really knows what average, everyday folks here in Wisconsin go through on a day to day basis to put food on their tables and keep a roof over their heads.

While Terrence Wall has worked hard to convince folks that he really understands what it means to be an average, everyday middle class voter in Wisconsin, his, rhetoric really doesn’t match his campaign’s actions. After all, I don’t know many average, everyday voters who can afford to fly around the state on chartered planes which apparently is how Terrence Wall rolls. Attempts to contact Terrence Wall’s campaign were unsuccessful, and when I contacted Sen. Russ Feingold’s campaign to confirm his mode of travel throughout the state, I was told Sen. Feingold utilizes a van to travel the state, preferring to travel through the state, not fly over it.

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17 thoughts on “What will the tea partiers think of Terrence Wall’s chartered planes?”

  1. As a pilot and supporter of General Aviation, your point is somewhat lost. If I’m Wall’s campaign manager, I would tell you that while Feingold stops at the Culver’s in Portage en route to Wausau, Wall has already been to Wausau, and is now on his way to Appleton, then to Green Bay. Such is the perception that private air travel is an extravagance; for many, it’s essential for doing business efficiently.

    Not just that, but the hourly charter rate for a Beech King Air 200 helps to sustain a Fixed Base Operator, keeping a couple of dozen people employed and thousands of dollars flowing into the local economy.

    I guess it’s all in the perspective.

    1. On the other hand, Senator Feingold has actually been in every county in Wisconsin for town hall meetings every year he’s been in the Senate.

      btw: Is Mr. Wall a proponent or opponent of another efficient mode of transportation: fast rail (I refuse to call it high speed rail since it isn’t any faster than the Milwaukee Road steam passenger trains of the 1950s).

  2. I agree with Rich’s point about air travel having a very efficient time-cost ratio. I thought it was foolish of former Republican Gov. Scott McCallum to sell the state’s aircraft and replace them with a fleet or rented planes, which cost the state more in the long run.

    While it is true that you can easily do a number of stops in a short period of time, the point of this post is not to decry efficiency or supporting the local avionics industry. For it does not do that, nor is that the point. His point is that a tax-dodging multi-millionaire trying to portray himself as an average middle-class guy doesn’t fly well when one uses leased or privately-owned aircraft.

    Quite simply put, most folks don’t go out for $100 hamburgers. It’s great that Terry Wall can do that. He may even own his own plane. But it betrays his sales pitch to do that while claiming to be one with earth-bound voters.

    1. Last time I checked, Sen. Kohl wasn’t trying to ingratiate himself to the tea party folks, as Terrence Wall has been busy doing.

      1. Are you admitting that folks at the Tea Parties are “average, everyday folks”?

        Also, why do you think those involved in the Tea Parties would particularly object more than any other type of voters to someone flying in a chartered plane?

        1. By and large I think they are “average, everyday folks” from an economic perspective, in that they strike me as being largely middle class folks.

          As for why I think they’d particularly object more than any other type of voter, I’ll just say my opinion is just that – an opinion. I could certainly be wrong (and it wouldn’t be the first time), but it’s just my opinion.

          1. Ok I was just wondering if you could elaborate. There’s usually a reason behind one’s opinion on something and I’m just curious on your thought process. Do you believe there is class envy among the Tea Partiers?

        2. Probably for a similar reason to everyone going ballistic when the car company execs all flew to Washington on their corporate jets…I wouldn’t expect a movement that desires smaller government and reduced taxes would appreciate the apparent extravagance of a private jet…particularly when they embraced a pick up driving man for Senate in Massachussetts.

  4. Forgot makes a good point. But at least Kohl won’t be running on a platform of repealing normal people’s health care.

    1. You’re right, while the rest of us are stuck in government beaurcratic hell, Mr. Burns will be able to afford the best black market medicine that money can buy.

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