We all want to see more jobs for our state — no one wants less employment — but the Foxconn deal has so many question marks, we’d be foolish to rush into it without getting some answers first.

Should Illinois billionaire dictate Republican choice for U.S. Senate?

If it isn’t valuable, then why so much work to take it from you?

New jobs are exciting, but we must be prudent, measured, and responsible as we weigh this decision.

To help shed light on a complex deliberation, we’ve asked three of the smartest economists in Wisconsin (or with Wisconsin roots) to share their thoughts prior to action in Madison. Their initial takes — one skeptical, one largely sanguine and one against — are included, along with an analysis of the prospects for Taiwan-based Foxconn and LCD technology.

Why are we working so hard to give away billions, which we usually say we can’t find, to a foreign company with a sketchy history than our own Wisconsin companies and business owners who are already committed to our state?

Legislative language suggests this. What are the deal’s true aims and costs?

Our calculations help drive home the point that it may be wishful thinking to believe that the huge subsidies Wisconsin is considering granting to Foxconn would be offset by increased tax revenue by 2043.

With a significant labor shortage in Wisconsin and neighboring states, will Foxconn pay enough to recruit people from around the U.S. to move to southeastern Wisconsin as our existing working age resident population declines?

Every major business decision entails risks. The risks in the Foxconn deal are obvious. That’s why hard bargaining on the front end is called for as the final contract is drafted.

Luring the Taiwanese technology giant to southeastern Wisconsin could have ripple effects throughout the area, modernizing the state’s culture and reputation in the same way Epic has done for south central Wisconsin.

Now that the intricacies of deal have become public, it begs the question: Does the Foxconn deal make sense for Wisconsin taxpayers?

We cannot let the relentless pursuit of jobs take away what makes Wisconsin our home. We can do better.

Other companies will demand the same breaks and already GOP legislators are using this legislation as an excuse to repeal these environmental protections statewide.

Sinclair Broadcasting would become dominant player in state’s key media markets.

So here we go again, dusting off the Cold War playbook. To paraphrase those Cold War balladeers, Peter, Paul and Mary, when will we ever learn?

The problems vary widely from place to place. But they all grow from the same taproot, a poisoned political culture that glorifies greed, dooming us to a government that works for a wealthy and well-connected few at everyone else’s expense and an economy that benefits a privileged few and leaves so many behind.

Is this a good investment for Wisconsin? Will it help the working population of the state? In both cases, we see a number of downside risks that need to be dealt with upfront if we want a positive outcome from this investment.

Once you actually dig into the actual numbers, this looks like the biggest swindle in Wisconsin history.