Monday, June 27, 2011

Walker Misses The Point, Keeps The Polarization In Wisconsin Fully-Fueled

He tells the Journal Sentinel editorial board Monday that he did a poor job of framing and promoting his collective bargaining changes but he is not responsible for the state's political polarization.

"Where has the polarization come from? Where have the attacks come from? They haven't come from what we said. People may not agree with it. But when you look at the tone of the debate, it's largely been driven by the groups from the outside. I said to the teachers, 'I never attacked,'" Walker said. 
This tells us a great deal about Walker that is troubling for a powerful, chief executive and the once-proud state he runs.

Not governs.

Runs.

What actually happened - - what was the first domino and by far heaviest event - - was Walker announcing as a surprise his "budget-repair [sic] bill" that stripped away most public employee collective bargaining rights in the state.

No one saw that coming; Walker himself said to the fake David Koch that he "dropped the bomb" on the public.

The Journal Sentinel had editorially supported his candidacy, but had this to say about how he went about ending state employees' bargaining rights:
"Walker never campaigned on disenfranchising public-employee unions. If he had, he would not have been elected."
The reality is that his method, and the message created the outrage that roils Wisconsin today.

Does Walker really not grasp that?

If not, that's a flaw - - if he's doing anything more now than making himself look blameless and evade his responsibilities - - a serious flaw.

"Never attacked?"

He "dropped the bomb" - - his words - - then refused to negotiate with public employee unions that quickly agreed to the economic changes he proposed, meaning Walker got the economic changes he wanted on top of the collective bargaining restrictions that permanently weaken, perhaps even wipe out, the state's public employee union.

Walker's methods were secretive, the follow-through authoritarian, and it all led to a  one-sided, non-negotiated outcome.

Walker was Polarizer-in-Chief: the protests in Madison, Democratic Senators removal to Illinois, the Senate recalls, the contentious State Supreme Court race and now the sharply divided Court's devolution into a physical confrontation over its rushed ruling to uphold Walker's original bill all stem from Walker's plans, actions and words.

His gratuitous, 'Don't-Look-At-Me' review of the last six months and its politics only continues the Wisconsin polarization.

8 comments:

Mitch said...

I said to the teachers...

Has he ever actually said anything "to the teachers?"

At the teachers, perhaps, or about the teachers. But I don't think he's ever actually talked to the teachers. Or anyone else who's not, as he would say, "one of us."

enoughalready said...

The dude is delutional if he really believes his spin. (And I think he does.) One could say that's the risk when someone with so little "real world" experience (favorite talk radio talking point) gets elected to a higher office. But hasn't Mr. Walker consistently displayed over the years a very immature character, especially when the question is accountability? This really is not anything new, is it?

Paul Trotter said...

Mitch: symbolic bombs speaker louder than words. Walker just confirmed what I have felt for a long time. He is truly a political sociopath with absolutely no conscience. Lena Taylor took him to the wood shed this morning and all Walker could do was parrot his old talking points and squirm in the chair. He was clealy uncomfortable.

The Wisconsin Hypothesis said...

"The one mistake I will freely lay on the table... I came in with the kind of small-business-owner mentality. I said, 'There is a problem here. We've got to address it. If we let it linger, it will only get bigger. Let's tackle it right away.'"

Walker conflates small business and small government.

Government is not a business, but Walker seems to think so: "They defined it as a rights issue," Walker said. "It's not a rights issue. It's an expensive entitlement."

For more Walker nightmare:

Wisconsin Hypothesis analysis of the loophole Walker placed with veto 37: Walker anticipates need for uninformed legislature.

Anonymous said...

this interview further convinces me that walker lied under oath before congress. as far as polarizing, he's the one who said state employes are the "haves."

James Rowen said...

To Anony: I think he was forced to be honest at the hearing. He's backsliding in front of the edit board.

Anonymous said...

I believe he testified that he didn't think people would be surprised by what he planned to do. that is belied by his "drop the bomb" comment to fake koch and his statement in the interview that he should have prepared people.

Anonymous said...

SW is so naive and brain-stupid... and he doesn't even know it. He continually contradicts himself and keeps working himself into a corner he'll never get out of.... Make sure to vote to RECALL SW!!!