Friday, January 4, 2013

Walker's Perpetual Campaign Mode

Unable to govern his way out of a wet brown paper bag, and with John Doe shadowing his every move, Scott Walker has decided to continue with his perpetual campaign mode.

Shortly after being elected as Milwaukee County Executive in a special election in 2002, Walker started his campaign for governor.  Between his two runs for governor and his two runs for reelection as county executive as county executive, he was in constant campaign mode.

After finally getting into the governor's office, he immediately started gearing up to run for President of the United States.  During that time, he was also running to win the recall.

And now, when he is supposed to be finally showing a laser sharp focus on jobs and all the other things he keeps promising, but never delivers, he keeps on campaigning instead.

It's sort of like he has this philosophy that "Those that can't govern, campaign."

On Thursday, he issued a press release boasting of his "accomplishments" in the first two years of his term. Oddly enough, the same press release was published verbatim in the BizTimes Blog:
Today marks the beginning of Governor Walker’s third year in office. Governor Walker released the following statement to take a look back at his first two years in office:

Two years ago, Wisconsin was facing a $3.6 billion budget deficit and the state had an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent. Today, Wisconsin has a $341 million surplus and we set money aside in the rainy day fund for the first time in two consecutive years. The unemployment rate is 6.7 percent.

In 2010, a mere 10 percent of employers surveyed said the state was headed in the right direction. Chief Executive Magazine ranked Wisconsin as the 41st state for business ranking.

In 2012, 94 percent said Wisconsin was headed in the right direction. Chief Executive Magazine moved our ranking up to 20th, while CNBC listed us at 17th and Site Selector Magazine as 13th.

New business formations are up 11.1 percent from this time two years ago.

In the second half of my term, I look forward to working with the people of Wisconsin, from workers to educators and job creators to legislators, to continue moving our state forward.
We know that Walker's cries of success are as empty as his heart or his head.

Instead of fixing the budget and eliminating the budget deficit, he actually made it bigger while decimating vital services like education and Badger Care.

Instead of improving the business climate of the state, as he claims, he actually drove us to the bottom of the nation, setting a record number of consecutive months of job losses and having our economic future the second worst in the nation.

And he did it all while raising our taxes!

At the same time that his office is sending out these press releases and blog entries, his campaign is also in motion, announcing his new campaign staff:
As we begin another year of moving Wisconsin forward under Governor Walker, the Friends of Scott Walker is pleased to announce the initial members of the 2014 campaign staff.
“Each of these talented members have proven records of achievement and will be invaluable to the success of our efforts,” said Governor Scott Walker. “They are joining a dedicated team of leaders who work tirelessly to keep our state headed in the right direction. Together, we will continue to fight for hard working taxpayers to keep Wisconsin moving forward.”

Stephan Thompson, Campaign Manager

Currently the Executive Director at the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Stephan will join the Friends of Scott Walker effective March 1, 2013. Previously, Thompson served as Deputy Campaign Manager in Governor Walker’s successful 2010 campaign. His experience also includes roles on various political and issue advocacy campaigns at the state and local level.

Jonathan Wetzel, Deputy Campaign Manager

Most recently, Jonathan served as Assistant Campaign Manager on Tommy Thompson’s campaign for US Senate campaign and as Political Director at the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Wetzel has also held various roles at Friends of Scott Walker, including statewide Field Director in Governor Walker’s successful 2012 recall election.

Colleen Coyle, Finance Director

Colleen joins the Friends of Scott Walker after spending the last two years as Finance Director at the Republican Party of Wisconsin, where she also served as the Deputy Absentee Ballot Director during the 2010 election cycle.

Nicole Tieman, Press Secretary

Most recently, Nicole worked as the Wisconsin Communications Director for the Republican National Committee during the 2012 Presidential Election. Tieman has also served as Deputy Communications Director at the Republican Party of Wisconsin, and Press Secretary at the Republican Party of Florida.
Hmmm. No mention of Kelly Rindfleisch, Darlene Wink, Tim Russell or any of the other usual suspects. I wonder why that is.

His campaign staff wasted no time either, sending out the second email blast in as many days, begging for money (emphasis theirs):
Only two short years ago, Governor Walker came to Madison to tackle problems, challenge the status quo, and set Wisconsin on a path toward prosperity. We’re on our way, but there is still a lot of work to do.

On January 3, 2011 Wisconsin had an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent and a $3.6 billion budget deficit.

Through tough decisions and bold reforms, Governor Walker was able to turn Wisconsin around. We now have a $341 million surplus and our unemployment has dropped to 6.7 percent!

Last June we showed the Big Government Special Interests that Wisconsin belongs to the taxpayers, but we need to spend the next two years working towards a more positive future for our children and grandchildren.

Today marks the beginning of Governor Walker’s third year in office. Please help Governor Walker continue to move Wisconsin forward by considering a contribution of $7.30, just one penny for everyday he has been in office.

Please help us make the next two years as successful as the past two!

Sincerely,

Colleen Coyle
Finance Director
Friends of Scott Walker

P.S. - Your contribution of $7.30 (or more!) will help us hit the ground running to ensure the second half of Governor Walker's first term is just as successful (if not more) than his first.
Gee, the same information coming out from his office and his campaign on the same day at the same time. But there's no collusion going on, just like there wasn't between his campaign and his county staff either.

I also can't help but wonder how long it takes them to call any donors and ask them if they want their donation go Walker's legal defense fund.

Walker's state of perpetual campaigning does make a certain amount of sense in a demented sort of way.

He can't go anywhere without facing critics and people unafraid to exercise their Freedom of Speech in letting him know exactly what they think of him.

His unpopularity is sure to grow as he continues to devastate and sell off the state with the next round of his agenda, which will include Right to Woe legislation, attacks on unemployment insurance, a raid of the state pension system, legalized sexual abuse of women seeking medical help, further decimation of our schools, more expensive privatization and other assorted horrors.

And then there is that pesky Walkergate investigation.  Just because the right wing propagandists and the mainstream media - but I repeat myself - aren't reporting on it, that doesn't mean people aren't aware of it and have a lot of questions that Walker is determinedly avoiding.  And the time is coming nigh where he won't be able to dodge those questions, especially when put to him by the DA's office in a court of law.

If Walker is supposed to be able to raise any funds, whether it's for his gubernatorial campaign, his presidential campaign or his legal defense fund, he's gonna have to get out in front of that negativity and try to control the message.  He's already repeatedly shown that they don't do damage control very well at all.

Unfortunately for him, both John Doe and the people have louder voices.  And neither of us are going away any time soon.

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