Joe addressed the Chippewa County Democratic party with the following comments. Here, Joe is highlighting his experiences and knowledge. He is attempting to become viewed as the candidate that can take on a well established incumbent.
Good Evening:
Republicans have dominated the WI state assembly for thirty years. Deeply red maps cover Menomonie, Elk Mound, Chippewa Falls and Lake Hallie. This area has been red for decades.
Today we have an opportunity for change. You have a decision to make. A hard decision it certainly is. I am asking you to decide on me to wrestle control of this area returning it to democratic party control as it once was.
My name is Joe Plouff, and I offer you my:
Experience, Integrity & Independence
It was not an easy decision for me to once again step forward. And, I would be happy to discuss that deliberate and thoughtful process with you. It entailed early research and discussions with family and close friends. My decision to reenter politics really had nothing to do with the, “issues of the day”. It had more to do with the ongoing attitude the GOP has taken toward Wisconsin citizens and our institutions.
Government should never implement public policy forced on the people through bribery and coercion. State Representative Clint Moses stood silent as his leadership refused to release monies for UW employee wage increases. They held up and refused to release already negotiated and budgeted funding unless the UW eliminated its diversity programs. That is a blatant broken promise to our UW staff. You cannot trust a political party that changes its stance on a whim with back bench legislators saying nothing.
Representative Moses currently represents us in the State Assembly. He is also the co-author of the bill republicans proposed to eliminate state diversity programs. Changing long held public policy through bribery is wrong and cannot be defended. Nor can it be tolerated.
But tonight I am not running against Representative Moses. I am in a partisan primary that concludes on August 13th. Tonight it is my job to present my case to you on why I should be your candidate for the WI 92nd Assembly District on August 14th.
In my four terms running for the State Assembly I have never run in such a deeply blue democratic district. Get this, we make up 50.07% of the vote in this Assembly District.
You see, I was not expected to win my first term back in the day. But when the votes were counted I did win. When those same votes were recounted my small margin held.
The 29th Assembly District continued to trend red until finally the Amway lady, billionaire Betsy De Vos, with a lot of money, took me out.
Now, I am enthused to return to the State Assembly to once again apply my experience crafting public policy benefiting all generations.
My extensive history of public policy evolved from my time on Menomonie’s City Council, the Dunn County Board of Supervisors and four terms in the state legislature. My record is public and well documented. From protecting our surface and ground water resources to eliminating the use of mercury in thermometers, to credit card safety as well as school bus safety you can count on my ability to pass legislation from the minority. The opportunities abound in a State Assembly with majority status and the seniority I maintain are worth considering.
And, I know how to take political heat.
I know what it is like to take hard, tough votes. I have stood solid and strong supporting a woman’s right to choose. I did so again on guns, stem cell research, the dream act and same sex marriage as well. But only placing law in the books is not good enough for the GOP. No, they go after the states founding document, our state constitution to enshrine their policy. I again stood and took that heat.
The GOP, using its infrastructure of think tanks and deep-pocketed billionaires to fabricate more and more social policy having no basis in reality. They offer nothing except to divide us as a nation. If they are not trying to take away a person’s right to vote they are attempting to destroy faith in elections. If they can’t ban enough procedures against women they go after birth control. They will ban any book they disagree with or advances our freedom of thought. They are going after our very institutions to gain and maintain power.
The stakes here are high. And the GOP is already defending the incumbent who bends his knee to Robin Vos and his Waukesha cartel. Using his state capitol office account Rep. Moses sent his legislative newsletter far beyond his current assembly district into what is now the 92nd. Just yesterday I was informed of a letter he mailed to UW Stout faculty and staff touting the GOP’s effort for that university. Nothing was mentioned of holding the pay raise hostage.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has deemed the 92nd assembly district the most competitive in the state….
….THE MOST COMPETITIVE.
The head of the assembly Democrats informed me that to win this seat $150,000.00 will have to be raised by the eventual candidate alone.
About 40% of this district is made up of what is left of the old 29th assembly district. Much of that is made up of the City of Menomonie. It’s my understanding Rep. Moses has never won his hometown. But I have…. five times.
AND,
Five times WEAC has endorsed me.
Five times AFCSME has endorsed me.
Five times the AFL-CIO has endorsed me.
Five times the Sierra Club has endorsed me.
Five times the Conservation Voters have endorsed me.
Five times the WI Citizen Action Coalition endorsed me.
Five times Planned Parenthood has endorsed me.
On the issues I remain as strong as I have ever been. Our friends and allies will have confidence that I will win this seat.
It’s building progressive capacity that has been my passion and work. After leaving the legislature I started an online messaging group, The Progressive Messengers. When the Barron County Democratic Party began a writing group I helped set it up and participated.
I was employed as the Coordinator of the Midwest Progressive Elected Officials Network. MPEON brought local elected officials together with legislative leaders in WI, MN, ND and Iowa. The purpose was to build power. You may have heard of some of the members, Keith Ellison, Mark Miller, Spencer Black and Mark Pocan were all members.
I am proud to have been elected the first Chair of the NW WI Organizing Cooperative. This co-op was the first to be developed through WI Citizen Action and continues to gain strength.
But soon I was called by other U.S. Veterans to organize and bear witness to the attacks upon innocent native American men, women and children. I stood the line in the dead of a North Dakota winter as a supply manager for veterans entering our compound.
Post Standing Rock I developed Camps A Rising. CAR was designed to gather materials needed by other peaceful camps that were popping up around the country.
The path to an assembly democratic majority runs through Menomonie, Elk Mound, Eau Claire, Lake Hallie and Chippewa Falls.
It is my proven experience in organizing, providing leadership, connecting with people and organizations that will lead the way on that path.
It’s my eight years of experience within the halls of the capitol that will allow me to hit the chamber running.
It is my experience that will be available to the many new democratic members of the assembly to rely upon. I will gladly offer my knowledge and use my educational skills working with leadership to build the capacity to grow our majority.
This is not a popularity contest. You have a tough decision to make. And at the end of the day I am the best candidate in a position to win. I ask you to stand with me.
Thank you.