The Tiffany Telegram: February 11, 2022
Dear Friend,
Prices are continuing to rise, and it doesn't look like they'll be slowing down anytime soon. On Wednesday, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed that inflation went over expectations in January coming in at 7.5%, which is the largest increase since February 1982.
The CPI which measures a wide range of goods from gasoline and health care to groceries and housing jumped 0.6% in just one month.
Not to mention that food prices increased by 7% – notching the largest increase in over four decades.
Experts estimate that the additional costs for household goods are costing the average American household an additional $276 per month in expenses—eating away at any of the wage gains that American workers may have seen in recent months.
In fact, despite an increase in salary real wages actually declined 1.7% this year due to inflation giving workers about a 2% pay cut.
This week I held a telephone town hall while out in Washington D.C. where I answered questions from constituents and asked a few poll questions to get a better understanding of how the Biden administration's policies and the consequences of those actions—such as inflation—are affecting folks back home.
If you'd like to listen to a recording of our live telephone town hall from this week you can check it out here and the results of those poll questions are listed below.
We've got more to tell you about in this edition of the Telegram and appreciate you starting off your weekend with us.
Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress
Politics trump science in Gray Wolf ruling
This week, an Oakland, California judge unilaterally re-imposed federal restrictions on state management of the Gray Wolf, after the Trump administration de-listed the predators in 2020 due to overwhelming scientific evidencedocumenting a massive rebound in the animal's population. This is unfortunately just the latest example of Big City, activist judges in faraway coastal states substituting their own ideological beliefs for the science-based conclusions of wildlife management experts, leaving people in rural America to deal with the consequences. Since the wolf was first listed, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources alone has forked over millions of dollars for wolf-related damages inflicted on sportsmen and livestock owners – public money that comes out of the pockets of working Wisconsin families. Farmers, hunters and pet-owners have seen enough real-world evidence to know that it is their lives and livelihoods being threatened by federal policy decisions – not the wolves'. And the numbers continue to bear that out. The US Fish and Wildlife Service originally listed the wolf recovery goal as 100 animals in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Wisconsin. Yet that population had grown to nearly 1,000 – more than 10 times the initial recovery goal – by as long ago as 2017. I have introduced legislation that would overrule this outrageous court edict and restore these decisions to where they belong: The hands of state and local wildlife managers.
The double-dealing cancel culture
This past week, the cancel culture warriors continued their attempts to silence any voice that challenges their ideological worldview. By now you've likely heard that Neil Young told Spotify he would remove his music from their platform if they didn't cancel Joe Rogan's podcast. Fortunately, Spotify opted not to "cancel" Mr. Rogan. Yet paradoxically, some of the loudest free-speech police seem unconcerned with alleged sex traffickers, rapists, anti-Semites, and others being on music streaming platforms. I'm glad that Spotify didn't succumb to the mob, and I hope more businesses follow their lead. But there is more work to do. For too long, online platforms have enjoyed a blank check to censor and deplatform Americans at will, unilaterally deciding what we can see, hear and say – leaving those who have been "canceled" with little or no recourse. That needs to change, and it is why I have cosponsored legislation to make the broad liability protection online platforms enjoy contingent on their adherence to a free speech standard. You can read more about that legislation here.
Another victim of "soft-on-crime" policies
Sadly, another member of our law enforcement community was shot on January 27th in Milwaukee, by a repeat offender who took advantage of soft-on-crime policies that are plaguing so many of our communities. Jetrin Rodthong who is accused of shooting the officer, had several other open felony cases and an active warrant against him. Those other crimes ranged from resisting arrest and bail jumping to drug possession and others. So why was he released on bond? These developments are shocking but unfortunately, not surprising. In 2007 in an interview with The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the local District Attorney John Chisolm "guaranteed" that his approach would result in someone being killed. In January alone, we've seen 3 Wisconsin officers shot in the line of duty. Last year, nationwide we saw 346 officers shot and 63 killed in the line of duty. This has got to stop. That's why I am committed to supporting policies that support our law enforcement professionals and put career criminals where they belong: Behind bars.
Committee Update
Natural Resources
This week I joined several members of the bipartisan Western Caucus for a fact-finding trip to Minnesota's Iron Range. We visited the Hibbing Drill Core Library, and then toured the Minntac Mine. At these locations we got a first-hand look at some of the vast the mineral wealth we have in the Iron Range – wealth that is crucial to both our region and nation. As part of the visit, we participated in a mining summit with industry leaders and members of the local community to discuss the importance and economic benefits of this key sector. The timing of the trip comes as the Biden administration has moved to shut down the strategic Twin Metals mine – a bad decision that will hurt our economy and undermine our national security. We have the capacity and the knowledge to mine with the safest and most efficient standards of anywhere in the world. That is why it's so troubling that President Biden is opposed to harnessing American labor and resources in ways that make us less dependent on hostile foreign nations that often employ slave or child labor. You can read more about the summit here.
Recent Legislation
Protecting parental rights
During the past year we have seen a growing effort by the left to shut parents out of their children's education. From President Biden's Justice Department classifying parents who speak out at school board meetings as ‘domestic terrorists' to politicians in the Wisconsin State Assembly stating that if parents want to "have a say" in their child's education that they should send them to a private school and pay for it out of their family budget—someone may want to remind the Representative that public schools are funded by taxpayer dollars. As Telegram readers know, school curriculum isn't the only area that the left wants to assume authority over parents—during the past year a number of laws have been introduced at the state and local level that allow children to get vaccines and medical procedures without parental consent. To make matters worse some teachers across the country have taken it upon themselves to vaccinate their students not only without parental consent, but also without having the necessary medical background to do so in the first place. I believe that parents should be the ones calling the shots when it comes to their children's medical decisions not government bureaucrats, which is why I introduced the Protecting Parental Rights Act along with my colleague Rep. Herrera Beutler (WA-03). This bill would prohibit the administration of vaccines to minors without first obtaining parental consent. If a provider is found in violation, they could be subject to up to a year in prison, a fine – or both.
Fighting UN antisemitism
This week I signed on to legislation sponsored by my colleague Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) that would get American taxpayers out of the business of funding antisemitic, anti-Israel propaganda at the United Nations. Hardworking taxpayers foot the largest share of the UN's bills – funding almost a quarter of the total United Nations' bloated budget – money that is often frittered away on ineffective global bureaucracy. We now know that some of that money is spent by a little-known UN agency known as UNRWA, the "United Nations Relief and Work agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East." While the name may sound innocuous, the truth is that this shady multilateral group has employed individuals affiliated with the terrorist group Hamas and funded school curriculum and educational materials that perpetuate anti-Jewish bigotry, hate and violence. News reports even indicate that UNRWA"schools have been used as storage sites for the Islamists' weapons." This is outrageous, and it must come to an end. Americans shouldn't be picking up the tab for international terrorism and globalist antisemitism campaigns, period.
District Update
This week I met with Karl Solibakke President of Northland College and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Good News from Wisconsin's 7th District
Team USA- Curling
Congratulations to the U.S.A. Men's Curling Team on beating Russia in the first round, and their current record of 2-1. Keep up the great work, and good luck against Norway on Saturday!
State Champs
The Hudson Raiders varsity dance team was recently named state champions for the first time in D1 Jazz and runner ups in D1 Kick. Way to go and best of luck at nationals!
Dog Sled Marathon Winner
Congratulations to Ryan Anderson on winning his fourth John Beargrease Dog Sled Marathon and beating the second place finisher by over an hour!