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| Artist rendition of Robin Vos |
His point is, of course, trying to anger the fringe base of the teahadists that think taxes is the end all of any question.
But he is asking the wrong question.
The more appropriate question would be what would it cost not to recall Walker.
The answer, my friend, is one helluva lot (emphasis theirs):
Using economic modeling software, it is possible to simulate how proposed reductions in public sector worker household income would directly harm Wisconsin’s economy. This includes detailed financial models of every county in the state which estimates the ripple effect of cuts in consumer disposable income in local communities.As you can see, recalling Walker would be a bargain even if the cost of doing so was twice or even thrice Vos' estimate.
This analysis shows that the proposed cuts in public worker compensation would lead to the loss of $660 million a year in economic production in the private sector. It would eliminate $46 million in property taxes or shift them to other taxpayers. It would noticeably increase the state unemployment rate.
Taking one billion dollars in purchasing power out of the hands of public sector households over the biennium would have a ripple effect in the economy equivalent to laying off sizable numbers of private sector employees in every county. For example, in Brown County the job loss would be the same as losing the entire payroll of Fleet and Farm of Green Bay. In Dane County, it would be like losing the payroll of Dean Health Systems; in Marathon County, like losing Kraft Foods. This “compensation cut” plan is a failed strategy that hurts economic recovery in Wisconsin.
But all is not a lost cost. If Vos is truly, and I mean truly, concerned about the hit the tax payers would be, he should be encouraging Walker to step down and save both the cost of the recall and the damage that is being done to the state's economy. It would also be a perfect opportunity for Vos to lead by example by resigning himself.
But then again, that would require honesty and integrity, things that both Walker and Vos have a deep deficit in.
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Terrific use of "deficit," and you're 100% correct. Every day Gov. Walker is Governor, he can auction off more of the public trust to the Koch brothers and the top 1%. Every day Gov. Walker is Governor, he can do more massive damage to "capital," clean air, clean water, and the rest of Wisconsin's natural resources. Every day Gov. Walker is Governor, makes the clean-up, that much more difficult.
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering if it is worth the effort for recall.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, I think we might be better off just letting Walker and his GOP majority push Wisconsin into looking more like Wississippi.
Only at the bottom, where the "most" have felt, seen, smelled the stank of the gilded age, can we truly have a discussion of what we as the people are going to do about it all.
On the larger scene, Wall Street may have helped to darn near devastate the economy, but, if we were closer to the edge than we thought, well....,
Sometimes you just gotta shove a few people over the edge to make the reality that much more real to those who don't care to look.
However, having a presence at the street level of things will be more important than a state-level response.
And we cannot "win."
"Winning" would mean the end, the ultimate goal.
True progressives should recognize that it is always going to be a dynamic course that must be constantly and vigilantly watched and corrected for as long as we exist.
If the recall elections showed me anything, it is that the power of advertising can have a HUGE effect on people who have isolated themselves within the new suburban mentality of "me."
Just think of all the kids who grow up with that attitude.
No, perhaps recall should be avoided on Walker, we need people on the street TALKING TO EACH OTHER.