Pure Ignorance by Murphy Campaign in CT

[Brass]

I just needed to air my grievances a little bit. I moved to Boston at the end of August and came back for the first time today. I come back to an advertisement about the open Connecticut Senate seat, currently being battled for by Linda McMahon and Chris Murphy. I see a commercial for Murphy, lambasting McMahon for not paying for medical for her wrestlers (as Linda used to be CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment in Stamford, CT).

If Murphy had half a brain, he would realize that all wrestlers for WWE are 1099 workers, or independent contractors, and thus do not receive medical. Murphy and his campaign are now disregarding this piece of information and hoping that voters overlook the fact, as well. It's funny how Murphy is playing to the ignorance of the state with not only this piece of information, but many, many other pieces of information that aren't common knowledge to those who don't follow the professional wrestling industry (which you can tell from my avatar, I do!)

Sorry if this was posted in the wrong forum, but I figured this place, of anywhere, would be able to logically reply a rebuttal or be a place for those who feel the same.

 

[hgc]

Oh, they were 1099? How convenient for WWE.

Please explain why WWE wrestlers must be 1099 instead of regular employees. Is that somehow beneficial to both parties, or just to the employer? Did McMahon have no choice but to not insure her non-regular employees?

 

[Spindrift]

I just needed to air my grievances a little bit. I moved to Boston at the end of August and came back for the first time today. I come back to an advertisement about the open Connecticut Senate seat, currently being battled for by Linda McMahon and Chris Murphy. I see a commercial for Murphy, lambasting McMahon for not paying for medical for her wrestlers (as Linda used to be CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment in Stamford, CT).

If Murphy had half a brain, he would realize that all wrestlers for WWE are 1099 workers, or independent contractors, and thus do not receive medical. Murphy and his campaign are now disregarding this piece of information and hoping that voters overlook the fact, as well. It's funny how Murphy is playing to the ignorance of the state with not only this piece of information, but many, many other pieces of information that aren't common knowledge to those who don't follow the professional wrestling industry (which you can tell from my avatar, I do!)

Sorry if this was posted in the wrong forum, but I figured this place, of anywhere, would be able to logically reply a rebuttal or be a place for those who feel the same.

Um, that's the point. She's touting her credentials as an employer and a "job creator". Well she creates jobs without any benefits. She didn't make them employees so she could save money.

And you're complaining about that? How about the blatant lies from McMahon. That Murphy got a sweetheart deal from a bank for a home equity loan. NOT. In fact his rate was a percentage point higher than their lowest rate. Some sweetheart deal. The bank has issued two statement showing McMahon is totally wrong, but she refuses to acknowledge that.

How about the BS about Murphy not going to hearings? Most congressman don't attend a lot hearings, they are on multiple committees and there are so many of them there's no possible way they could. They send staffers. Murphy's voting attendance record is 97% on the floor.

McMahon is just trying to purchase a Senate seat. She failed miserably two years ago and she's back with another $50 million trying again.

 

[Magyar]

HGC kind of beat me to it, but the whole 1099 BS is actually walking a very grey line that "employers" use for EXACTLY one reason - To avoid having to give benefits to empoyees, not only in the form of health care but also social security benefits.

Another slime ball republitard trying to push the race to slave wages full speed ahead.

 

[Brass]

Oh, they were 1099? How convenient for WWE.

Please explain why WWE wrestlers must be 1099 instead of regular employees. Is that somehow beneficial to both parties, or just to the employer? Did McMahon have no choice but to not insure her non-regular employees?

Entertainment industry. Correct me if I'm wrong, but most actors and actresses are independent contractors, as well. For both sides, its a benefit. Not only can the wrestlers obtain money for competing for WWE, but most can also make non-televised appearances for independent promotions, whether that be actually wrestling, autograph signings, photo opportunities, etc.

Um, that's the point. She's touting her credentials as an employer and a "job creator". Well she creates jobs without any benefits. She didn't make them employees so she could save money.

Unfortunately, you're under the impression that she's touting her reputation as a job creator and using her wrestlers as an example. That is false. She uses those who work at the corporate offices in Connecticut as an example of her ability to create jobs.

If you do want to look at the medical benefits for her wrestlers, the WWE does pay for all in-ring related injuries and associated rehabilitation. In my opinion, the WWE (and more important, Linda's role or lack thereof in creative, etc) are being very misrepresented by Murphy and his staff.

Thanks for the responses, gents.

 

[pgwenthold]

The wrestlers need to unionize. They need to create the UWWEW.

 

[ravdin]

Oh, they were 1099? How convenient for WWE.

Please explain why WWE wrestlers must be 1099 instead of regular employees. Is that somehow beneficial to both parties, or just to the employer? Did McMahon have no choice but to not insure her non-regular employees?

I hire 1099 workers (for software development and graphic design). In a lot of cases it makes way more sense for BOTH parties than a regular hire. I don't have to pay for medical insurance, but I can also pay a much higher hourly rate than I would otherwise. A lot of contractors (myself included, I've been on both sides) want the flexibility of being able to work at will and move on when a project is done more than employer paid medical insurance.

 

[hgc]

Entertainment industry. Correct me if I'm wrong, but most actors and actresses are independent contractors, as well. For both sides, its a benefit. Not only can the wrestlers obtain money for competing for WWE, but most can also make non-televised appearances for independent promotions, whether that be actually wrestling, autograph signings, photo opportunities, etc.

I hire 1099 workers (for software development and graphic design). In a lot of cases it makes way more sense for BOTH parties than a regular hire. I don't have to pay for medical insurance, but I can also pay a much higher hourly rate than I would otherwise. A lot of contractors (myself included, I've been on both sides) want the flexibility of being able to work at will and move on when a project is done more than employer paid medical insurance.

OK, I can appreciate that. I, too, have worked 1099 consulting gigs now and then, but for most of that time I've had the relatively affordable cost of a COBRA from recent regular employment for insurance.

I don't know enough about the healthcare outcomes for WWE wrestlers to have a strong opinion on this case.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Um, that's the point. She's touting her credentials as an employer and a "job creator". Well she creates jobs without any benefits.

Other than the benefit of pay, you meant to say. Funny how that is always overlooked.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

OK, I can appreciate that. I, too, have worked 1099 consulting gigs now and then, but for most of that time I've had the relatively affordable cost of a COBRA from recent regular employment for insurance.

My individual health plan is less than I was paying for COBRA, from my last W2 gig.

 

[thaiboxerken]

How is it a lie if it's actually a true statement? Or are you trying to say he's ignorant because he didn't mention that these wrestlers are hired as independent contractors?

 

[Brass]

I don't know enough about the healthcare outcomes for WWE wrestlers to have a strong opinion on this case.

It's a breath of fresh air to hear people say this, instead of spouting their mouths off about something they don't understand.

How is it a lie if it's actually a true statement? Or are you trying to say he's ignorant because he didn't mention that these wrestlers are hired as independent contractors?

It's not a lie, per say, but rather Murphy feeding on people not really understanding how independent contractors pay and benefits system works. They can say "hey, she doesn't pay into social security for her workers" yet 1099 workers don't have that luxury. And his whole "Linda degrades women" (even though Linda has and had nothing to do with the creative direction of WWE at the time) are misleading potential voters. Chris Murphy should be ashamed of the way he's garnering sympathy for his cause.

 

[tyr_13]

That's right, Linda had no control over the creative direction of the WWE, it was her husband, daughter, and step-son.

And the WWE doesn't degrade women, it degrades everyone.

 

[Brass]

That's right, Linda had no control over the creative direction of the WWE, it was her husband, daughter, and step-son.

Thank you. The side of the coin that the Democrats in this state do not understand. It's also funny to see them use clips from 2003 and earlier to try to prove that today's WWE programming isn't PG. LOLiberals.

 

[Alferd_Packer]

Did the WWE pay for the insurance used to bring Vince McMahon back to life?

 

[Brass]

Bumping this up, because I couldn't pass up this opportunity to show more ignorance of the press about Linda McMahon's professional wrestling history. The Journal Inquirer, a local newspaper in Connecticut, is making the argument that the WWF/E had "males performing simulated sex" on a constant basis as one of the reasons you shouldn't vote for Linda. The newspaper uses this photograph as proof.

Now, that's all well and good, but look at the bottom right-hand portion of the picture. That's World Championship Wrestling, or WCW, known as the main rival to the WWF in the 1990s, aka, an organization that the McMahon's never worked for or with. They only acquired the rights to the company in 2001 and the company folded before the acquisition.

I'd expect this from another campaign against Linda, but from a newspaper? Really? Does fact-checking even exist in this world anymore?

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

Other than the benefit of pay, you meant to say. Funny how that is always overlooked.

But it isn't a defense against the criticism that these are jobs with no benefits.

What if she were touting her job creation record and it turned out that her jobs were all part-time minimum wage employees? Wouldn't pointing out that the jobs were part-time minimum wage jobs be a legit criticism of misleading job creation numbers?

I certainly see no "pure ignorance" in the criticism that these were non-benefit independent contractor jobs.

 

[Brass]

But it isn't a defense against the criticism that these are jobs with no benefits.

What if she were touting her job creation record and it turned out that her jobs were all part-time minimum wage employees? Wouldn't pointing out that the jobs were part-time minimum wage jobs be a legit criticism of misleading job creation numbers?

I certainly see no "pure ignorance" in the criticism that these were non-benefit independent contractor jobs.

If I'm reading your argument correctly, she's not touting the wrestlers as proof of job creation, but rather those that work in the offices in Stamford (as well as the WWE satellite offices all over the world) as well as the 200+ jobs that will be created when the WWE Network project begins.

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

If I'm reading your argument correctly, she's not touting the wrestlers as proof of job creation, but rather those that work in the offices in Stamford (as well as the WWE satellite offices all over the world) as well as the 200+ jobs that will be created when the WWE Network project begins.

But that's a completely different point, isn't it? It's still not "pure ignorance" to criticize that she's also creating 1099 independent contractor jobs. And I see no indication that her numbers don't include the 1099 jobs anyway.

So if she's only bragging about job creation that will happen with the network expansion, I'd point out that it hasn't yet happened so can't really be considered her record AND that that expansion depends on receiving state incentives (corporate welfare?) under the Next Five program. Plus some kind of tax reclassification deal that I don't know much of anything about.

 

[Brass]

But that's a completely different point, isn't it? It's still not "pure ignorance" to criticize that she's also creating 1099 independent contractor jobs. And I see no indication that her numbers don't include the 1099 jobs anyway.

So if she's only bragging about job creation that will happen with the network expansion, I'd point out that it hasn't yet happened so can't really be considered her record AND that that expansion depends on receiving state incentives (corporate welfare?) under the Next Five program. Plus some kind of tax reclassification deal that I don't know much of anything about.

I still think it is ignorant though for other institutions to say she doesn't pay into social security for some of her employees (though, the commercials don't mention the fact that only the wrestlers don't receive social security) when it's common knowledge that 1099 don't receive SS. Unfortunately, I doubt the majority of voters realize that the wrestlers are independent contractors.