But what the hell does Foxconn get out of it? The deal was for tax breaks which only pays off if you have taxes to pay on profits or real estate and they don't have either. They didn't come close to meeting the employment goals for the deal to kick in either. So, they puff up some local Republicans which reflects a bit on the president. Then they embarrass themselves and everyone who promoted the deal and end up in the exact same financial position as before. This just feels like a big screw up more than a conspiracy.

Perhaps you should ask Foxconn why they are so strenuously objecting to the new leadership not holding up their end of the deal?

Many people's gut reaction to a whiff of partisanship here or suggestion of corruption or conspiracy is to push back hard. Well, dammit, what did Foxconn want to get out of it except for billions of dollars in ill-gotten tax incentives?

I'm responding so incredulously to you because everyone's motivations here was advertised loudly. It's not a conspiracy if it happens in broad daylight.

It seems clear to me that they wanted to not have to pay taxes in Wisconsin for many, many years to come.

https://apnews.com/article/technology-wisconsin-d3f025e43ab0...

Foxconn leaders seemed to be trying to create a big project that appeared to create lots of jobs to appeal to Trump (perhaps so the prez could point to it as jobs created, and then maybe Foxconn would get something out of it?) and less caused by the gov of Wisconsin. I agree it looked obviously like a silly deal that made no sense.

Why would Foxconn care who governs Wisconsin?

Foxconn negotiated a deal with members of a political party that was in power, that deal was an empty promise, and those power brokers used that promise from Foxconn as part of their political messaging with the hope of being reelected.

Had those politicians stayed in office, it's possible they would reward Foxconn for participating in the charade that helped them obtain reelection. Is it certain? No, I won't say it is.

But, what else was Foxconn's goal if not to actually realize those incentives without having to make the investment to justify them? They knew they were promised an enormous incentive by the state, and they knew that they would not fulfill their end of the bargain. If they also knew that they wouldn't realize those incentives, why did they pursue them? The simplest answer is that they fully intended to realize them.

Surely at least some of the negotiators of that deal legitimately believed that the other party - the Republican Governor and majority legislature in the state - would play ball?

If the deal never really made sense and was just a ploy by the Governor to drum up support, then a change in administration would mean that the new administration has no interest in paying off Foxconn for their part in the charade.

Exactly.