The Journal Sentinel endorsed Scott Walker for another term as Milwaukee County Executive.
So failure is an option after all.
Too strong for some of you?
Look no farther than the ongoing breakdowns at the jail and House of Correction, in the parks, the pension system, and the transit system.
All failures, and getting worse.
Walker is not a visionary, or a leader, or a problem solver.
He's an unimaginative one-note (tax freeze) tactical politico, a willing tool of talk radio, a place-holder waiting his turn to run for F. James Sensenbrenner's Congressional seat.
He got elected in 2002, despite an undistinguished career as an anonymous GOP Assemblyman from Wauwatosa, because the Ament administration corrupted itself out of office.
But Walker has not been the breath of fresh air he promised he'd be, and basic county services, like the parks and the transit system, are worse than they were when Walker took over.
And continuing pension system malfeasance is simply unacceptable.
Little wonder that county government is living on credit, and teeters towards financial bankruptcy.
Lena Taylor is an attorney and State Senator. Her credentials are more substantial than Walker's.
She would have been a breath of fresh air, and a fresh start for the county and local politics.
The paper got this one wrong.
Initially, I was not surprised by the endorsement given the suburban slant The MJS has been on for years.
ReplyDeleteAfter thinking about it more I realized it seems extremely hypocritical of them to endorse him after their excellent work in the series that highlighted the sad and sometimes deadly failures within the mental health system here.
If they really don't like Lena, or don't think it is fair to tag Walker with so many of the Counties woes, then not endorsing either makes more sense. Unless, of course, you are carefully calculating your readership and advertising dollars with every decision.
Walker, it seems, is that little red-devil on the shoulder of Milwaukee residents reminding them that property taxes are high (shocking!) and the public safety is the top priority (uh, I guess if you mean writing speeding tickets) even at the County level.
The blue angel on the other shoulder that says "look at the terrible condition of the parks, would a teeny-tiny little .5% sales tax increase be okay..."
C'mon, we're humans, no one ever listens to the little blue angel guy.
So, we get what we deserve, mediocrity in the name of staying the course.