By Jeff Simpson
Time for my rant of the day!
From Madison.com, Mary Burke's political Hero: Lincoln!
Political role models
It’s no secret that Gov. Scott Walker’s political role model is former President Ronald Reagan, whom he met as a national delegate for Badger Boys State in the 1980s.
In 2011, Walker held up a photo of the Gipper when announcing to fellow Republicans his plan to “change the course of history” and curtail public sector collective bargaining. He later said Reagan’s firing of striking air-traffic controllers was “the first crack in the Berlin Wall and the fall of communism, because from that point forward the Soviets and Communists knew that Ronald Reagan wasn’t a pushover.”
But what about Democratic challenger Mary Burke? The Madison School Board member and former state Commerce secretary and Trek Bicycle executive said this week her political role model is another former Republican president: Abraham Lincoln.
“He was president at an extremely difficult time,” Burke said. “He put holding our union together above all else and he did what was necessary to help keep that. I think a lot about that in Wisconsin. Not that we’re in the same situation, but I think it’s just an example of saying we are at our strongest when we work together, and that’s how we’ll move forward.”
One of my biggest pet peeves, is the false narrative that the media like to push that the crazy has been equal these last few years in Wisconsin. The false equivalency narrative will go as far to give the republicans wins throughout the state as will the ridiculous gerrymandering of our districts. This makes it seem as though both parties had major policy disagreements causing the split in Wisconsin. Had the democrats just realized they lost and worked with republicans, the state would not be so divided!
I believe to move this state Forward, we do need to work with Republicans. I also believe that the republicans who serve in Madison are unable to be worked with. With of course the exception of Dale Schultz, who exemplifies bipartisanship in Wisconsin. Schultz, wanted to temper down ACT10 so they tricked him to being elsewhere when the vote was taken. Schultz who when made a point of sitting down to talk with Democrats, had the quickest declared primary opponent in history. The Republicans sent a very clear message, work with the democrats and you will no longer have a job.
How many hundreds of amendments have been offered up by the Democrats and have not even been given the courtesy of a vote. It has been so bad that when Democrats have offered up some amendments to clear up obvious holes in a bill, the republicans have voted it down on party lines, then rewrote the amendments with their names attached and passed them.
When the people of Wisconsin pushed back against the original voucher school grab, the republicans got together and came up with a "compromise" bill. In the room for this compromise was numerous lobbyists, and not a single Democrat.
Let's not forget, how the Democrats get treated when they want to discuss a bill:
In the latest Wisconsin Budget process, which leaves Wisconsin borrowing more then any Governor in our history and huge structural deficit, the Democrats drafted over 200 amendments to try and bring the budget to the right, and away from the far far right extreme. Before the session started, Robin Vos visited the Democratic caucus to let them know that any attempt to bring an Amendment to the floor would fail. Vos let them know in very clear terms that their input was not needed or wanted in passing the budget for all of Wisconsin.
The Partisan divide and crazy in this state belongs to one party! The Wisconsin Republican party.
To suggest any thing else does a great disservice to the people of Wisconsin and especially to the Democratic elected officials who have worked so hard in Madison, as part of the minority the past three years.
The elected Republican officials in Wisconsin own the divide in Wisconsin. It was their strategy from the beginning. Do not forget in a rare moment of Candor, Scott Walker told his boss this:
So Mary Burke, I would ask you this: Who in the republican party do you plan on sitting down and compromising with? Robin Vos? Andre Jacque? Steve Nass? Scott Fitzgerald? Senator Howard Marklein? Wild Bill Kramer?
Or better yet, which elected Democrats do you blame for us not being able to work with the republicans and Scott Walker?
Lincoln, worked with people who disagreed with him but he also stood for something and did not compromise his values to do so. He took on a big task and also stood strong with labor!
"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration." Lincoln's First Annual Message to Congress, December 3, 1861.
Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahamlin395631.html#8X8Xt5jCdGVg40H1.99Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahamlin395631.html#8X8Xt5jCdGVg40H1.99Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahamlin395631.html#8X8Xt5jCdGVg40H1.99
If you are going to work with modern day republicans in Wisconsin this Lincoln needs to be your role model!
I think the word you're looking for is bollocks, with an o.
ReplyDeleteUm, yeah.
Lincoln also conducted war until he made his opponents surrender. Does she propose to do that to all who stand against her?
ReplyDeleteI am more familiar with Dale Schultz's positions on labor, the environment, local control and other issues than Mary Burke's, and so far it seems to me that Schultz is to the left of Burke. If she is the inevitable nominee and the Republicans are still intent on pushing Schultz out of the party, perhaps the Dems should offer him the Lt. Guv position.
ReplyDeleteTags: bipartisan, fusion, triangulation, suck on this Scotty
Dale Schultz should be the governor candidate. Mary Burke can't win.
DeleteOh Burke can win. Heck, a ham sandwich might be able to beat Scott Walker by November 2014, so Burke certain can win. But this whole "fake bipartisanship" argument is pathetic, and is a product of a bygone era.
DeleteTake a cue from what worked during the shutdown in DC- do not negotiate with the terrorists that make up most of today's GOP. These people do not want a functioning government, they don't care about the common good, and they don't care about a more perfect union.
The sooner you recognize this, the better your chances. Good post.
She needs to have fire in her belly and charisma of Bill Clinton. She needs to rally the troops and so far I don't see that.
ReplyDeleteI want a democratic candidate that proclaims who they represent and what they'd like to accomplish while in office. She has been vague on issues plaguing our state, and broad on sentimentality. This is typical political talk, that does not usually accomplish much in office, beyond tax breaks for big business.
ReplyDelete