Today, I was reminded that I missed at least one. And that was the way he lied about the budget to put the hit on workers.
One of the most glaring examples came in 2009. Walker started the year by immediately declaring a fiscal emergency, claiming there was a $15 million hole in the budget he had crafted. And there was one because he had purposely, and illegally, included about that much money in concessions from the union. Never mind that Walker never sat down with the unions to ask for the concessions. Instead, he would run to squawking head Charlie Sykes and to the right wing media, crying about his self-imposed deficit and blaming the unions for it.
By midyear, he claimed that the deficit, still at that $15 million mark, required him to take emergency action and he ordered all county workers to take a reduced work week for an indefinite length of time. The unions showed that they are still absolutely necessary, despite the right wingers' claims that they aren't needed anymore, by filing a grievance with the arbitrator.
The arbitrator heard the case. During the hearing, it turned out that not only was Walker's attempted indefinite reduced work week illegal, but that there was no deficit, or if there was one, it was so negligible that it did not call for the drastic actions Walker was proposing.
At the end of the year, even though no concessions were given, the county still ended up with a surplus, thanks to the resourcefulness of the County Board.
Now flash forward to today.
Walker, in a desperate gambit to keep his job, Walker suddenly figured out that the state is allegedly on course for a supposed $143 million surplus next year.
Yeah, I was skeptical, but it wasn't until I received this statement from Team Barrett that things clicked into place:
"While Walker and his right wing allies gives themselves high-fives, the people of Wisconsin should know these numbers are built on sand. Almost half of this amount comes from delaying payments that will ultimately cost taxpayers more in interest. And these figures ignore the significant shortfall in the state's health programs. If there is any extra money, Walker needs to explain if he will return any of the $25 million he raided from victims of the home foreclosure crisis, or the $105 million he added to the cost of college through increased fees, or reverse the taxes he raised on seniors and low-income people."Bingo!
When they were finally able to reach a settlement with five of the nation's largest mortgage lenders, the state was to receive $140 million of it. Of that money, $31.6 million coming directly to state government, Walker decided he was going to keep $25 million, per this article from Forbes (emphasis mine):
Walker is directing the State of Wisconsin to keep a large chunk of the money from this week’s national settlement with five of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders —money intended to help compensate those who were victims of the illegal mortgage practices that caused so many to lose their homes and to aid in the rebuilding of stricken neighborhoods—so that the state’s budget gap can be closed and Gov. Walker can head into his recall election able to claim that he has balanced the state budget.Not coincidentally, immediately after this, there has been a drastic drop in home values, some people losing as much as $20,000 to $30,000, turning their mortgages upside down. Likewise, it's not surprising that foreclosures are spiking. I'm sure that the realtors who have thrown their support for Walker are very pleased with the results.
Likewise, he's throwing 17,000 people under the ambulance as he shoves them off of Medicaid programs. And that's about a quarter of the number of people he originally wanted to cut out of receiving services. Just as this move was also unnecessary, it could have been a lot worse if he didn't have the federal government keeping his sociopathic tendencies from running even more amok.
Add to this the college kids that can't go to school anymore because it's become unaffordable; public sector workers, some of whom are now eligible for financial aid because of his misanthropic Act 10; and the poor, elderly and disabled as he unnecessarily raised their taxes.
None of these things needed to happen. They only did because of the Republican's avarice and their need to feed the avarice of the people that buy their seats for them.
But don't worry, folks. If Walker holds true to his county executive days as much as he has already, you won't be seeing any of that surplus, if there really is one. That money has already been earmarked for his favorite campaign contributors.
The only surplus that Walker has that he is willing to share with the people of Wisconsin his hypocrisy and dishonesty.
Mwah! Love it. Now... we must make everyone read this.
ReplyDeleteYeh, I saw that story and, as a Milwaukeean, also thought: Ho hum, this is not news to us; the bum is playing his budget games again . . . and this is why we voted against the bum, two to one in Milwaukee County, because we didn't want him doing to Wisconsin what he did to us with his budget games every $#@!$!! time.
ReplyDeleteAnd because we in Milwaukee County know that his budget games caused serious hurt to people here every time, too.
We tried to tell the rest of Wisconsin, but they wanted to believe in bright, shiny, fairy dust. We and Tom Barrett are trying to tell them again: WALKER is a FAKE and a FRAUD. And he will f!*k you up, too, Wisconsin, if you do not wake up.
My house was devalued 23k. Walker is crook, as we all know here in MKE. He will f!*k you up every chance he gets. Pig.
ReplyDeleteAnd thats Scott Walkers fault
Deleteblame barney frank for your house devaluation.
ReplyDeleteNot to dismiss the article (which is great)- but this is one of my favorite photos of Scooter. I think i want it on a t-shirt. However, his dopey face belies the machievellian heart inside....
ReplyDeleteI shared this on my Facebook profile. I hope it gets recognition. I advise any smart people who read this to do the same, and tell Wisconsin why Walker is a failure and shame to the state.
ReplyDeleteMy mother who lives in that neck of the woods warned me about him and she was right. People here in the northwoods need to know the truth on this man. They think he walks on water as they collect their latest fuel assistance, food stamps, low cost education for a 55 yr. old who has worked 5 years in her life (when my kid can't even get his classes, never mind even any aid!) or Badgercare and then complain about it.
ReplyDeleteI WISH I had health care!
Oh and don't forget the unemployment check the state kept. My husband was laid off 6 months and we needed that check.
"Add to this the college kids that can't go to school anymore because it's become unaffordable; public sector workers, some of whom are now eligible for financial aid because of his misanthropic Act 10; and the poor, elderly and disabled as he unnecessarily raised their taxes"
ReplyDelete- Thats the federal government not state level. hence why you need to fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
"But don't worry, folks. If Walker holds true to his county executive days as much as he has already, you won't be seeing any of that surplus, if there really is one. That money has already been earmarked for his favorite campaign contributors."
-*cough* Solyndra *cough* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solyndra_loan_controversy
Yes, Yes, Yes. Many of us union members, mortgage holders, hardworking, tax paying, citizens of the north heard this news early on from active and participating union officials in our work place. I believed it. Most did, a few did not. that is why so many union thugs have been committted to getting him out of office ASAP.
ReplyDeleteYou all need to stop whining ,Why do yu need a union to run your life. Do it youself people .We need a right to work state
DeleteYou need to learn to spell and learn what the hell you're talking about.
DeletePeople don't listen to the union bosses which is why Falk lost. But other people do listen to FOX and do whatever Limbaugh/Sykes tell them to do and that's why we got Walker. There are sheep in the political system, but they aren't union folks.
ReplyDeleteTell us who these union bosses are please. Lets put a face a name for everyone to see.
DeleteThanks, Capper. Walker has snookered a lot of people with his budget lies. Numbers are hard for a lot of people, so getting into the detail of the State's budget is not easy. But we simply cannot ignore what he is doing. I'm elated that Barrett is starting to focus on what Walker is doing with the budget, too. Keep focusing on it!
ReplyDeletehttp://feelingblueseeingred.blogspot.com/
> Why do yu need a union to run your life.
ReplyDeleteIgnorant statement. Actually, the labor union is about as democratic an institution as there is left in America. Members VOTE for their leaders, and CHOOSE to allocate dues for political purposes. The union doesn't run their lives; the employer seeks to do that. The union, representing its members and their desires through contractual workplace grievance procedures and collective bargaining power, seeks to counterbalance the worst impulses of government bosses who, left unchecked like Walker, otherwise tend to become heartless authoritarians. "Right to work for less" is not a satisfactory alternative.