Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Scott Walker: Hypocritical Pre-reactionist

Even before Governor Jim Doyle gave his speech at the Democratic National Convention today, Walker issued his latest campaign release. In his release, Walker criticized Doyle for "broken promises":

Jim Doyle will address the Democratic National Convention today with the theme of Renewing America's Promise. Let's take a look at Jim Doyle's promises.

"Before the last election, Jim Doyle told the people of Wisconsin in his State of the State address that, ‘We should not - we must not - and I will not - raise taxes.' After the last election, he introduced a state budget that raised taxes and fees by more than $3 billion.

This Pecksniffian statement is ridiculous, coming from Walker, of all people.

To begin with, the quoted statement from Doyle wasn't even a campaign promise. Doyle made the statement in his 2003 State of the State address, three full years before his next election.

And Walker does not have the higher ground by any circumstance. He has barely yet to keep any of the campaign promises he made in 2002 when he first became County Executive.

To look at more recent history, in the election he just won this year over State Senator Lena Taylor, he ran on a slogan of Safety, Affordability and Pride. Let's look at those.

SAFETY

Walker's first budget proposal after his re-election includes releasing convicts on the streets, and putting the whole work release program in the hands of Sheriff David Clarke, who can't even run his own jail. And for the inmates that stay in prison, Walker is proposing cutting all rehabilitation services, so that when the inmates are released, they have no viable skills to help them avoid committing more crimes.

AFFORDABILITY

Walker has two major blunders already in his 2009 budget, which are less than affordable. The first his pressing desire to move the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division to the old St. Michael's campus. He is pushing this on a no bid contract that turns out to be millions of dollars more expensive than to tear down the existing structure and rebuilding it.

Also, he is trying to damage Milwaukee's already frail economy even further. Not even considering his siderodromophobia, he is also cutting back further on the services of the mass transit system. This will only keep workers from jobs, employers won't want to move here if they can't get the workers, and business will suffer if their customers can't reach them. None of this matters to Walker, though, as long as he keeps his eyes on the governor's mansion.

PRIDE

Not only does Walker propose to let the indigent dead pile wherever they may fall, but he also plans on removing the last vestiges of once was a nationally recognized park system.

That will surely bring pride to the few citizens that remain.

Perhaps Scott Walker should focus on keeping his own promises and straightening out his own budget mess before worrying about anyone else's.

Special thanks to Gretchen Schuldt for doing the heavy lifting.

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