I received this tip in email. It illustrates something that is going on all over Wisconsin. For several years, we have seen an organized, grassroots efforts by liberals to take control of local school boards and units of governments. In liberal areas, they just run as liberals. Simple enough. In conservative areas, they pretend to be conservatives to get elected. They lie or hide. There is a glaring instance of this in the City of West Bend.
A couple of years ago, there was a concerted push by left-leaning and pro-government people to take over West Bend’s Common Council. They didn’t do anything illegal. They were just organized, funded, and energetic. At the same time, conservatives were lazy, complacent, and distracted. The result is that conservative West Bend now has a left-leaning city government. I wrote about it last year. In particular, the council is dominated by ex-government union employees who think the best government is the one that serves the employees.
One of the exceptions is District 8 Alderwoman, Meghann Kennedy. Kennedy was appointed to the seat a year ago after Roger Kist resigned for health reasons. She’s a rock star conservative who really annoys the lefties on the council and in city government by asking real questions, opposing tax increases, and voting conservative.
Well, Kennedy is up for reelection. Challenging her is a guy named Cliff Van Beek. Van Beek was born and raised on the east side of Milwaukee, worked in government, and brought his politics with him when he moved to West Bend. He is endorsed by West Bend Firefighter’s union and it’s clear why. Here’s a bit of background on Van Beek:
1. CLIFF VAN BEEK SPENT TIME ON THE TOM AMENT PENSION BOARD AS A MEMBER AND LABOR UNION LEADER.
https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/44069847.html/
2. ROBERT OTT (WHO RESIGNED OVER PENSION SCANDAL INVOLVMENT) IS ENDORSING CLIFF VAN BEEK
https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/44069847.html/
3. CLIFF VAN BEEK WAS AN AFSME LABOR UNION LEADER
4. CLIFF VAN BEEK RECIEVED $190,000 “BACKDROP” PAYMENT FROM PENSION SCANDAL
https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2017/06/06/the-400-million-pension-problem/
No wonder the unions support Van Beek. He has a lifetime of experience fleecing taxpayers for the benefit of government employees and their unions. Van Beek and his supporters are now running around town telling people that he is a conservative and mouthing all of the right words to get elected in a conservative community. He claims to be a “fiscal conservative” to anyone who will listen. Don’t be fooled. There’s only one conservative in that race and it’s Meghann Kennedy.
I expect that with a little digging, we would be able to uncover this scenario 100 or more times across Wisconsin. This is how the Left is taking over our schools, cities, villages, and counties – one seat at a time. They are organized and intentional in playing the long game. As we have seen, some of these liberals who get elected to local government then use it as a platform to run for higher office.
Conservatives need to be organized and fight for every local seat or we will cede the state. The ideological battle isn’t being fought in Madison. It’s being fought right down the street. And that’s where conservatives are losing.
With few exceptions, liberals have to portray themselves as more conservative than they really are, from the county dog catcher to president of the United States. Look at Senile Joe, he ran as a moderate but is ruling as very liberal. whether he knows it or not, is another question.
Most conservatives run as conservatives, they don’t pretend to be liberal.
I wonder why?