Friday, December 7, 2012

Political Twins On The Right: Wisconsin's Walker, Michigan's Snyder

So after saying he wasn't much interested, Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder says he'll sign right-to-work legislation the GOP-controlled legislature there is rushing to his desk to stick it to union families that had the gall to back Democratic President Barack Obama over one-time Michigan favorite son Mitt Romney.

In Wisconsin, Scott Walker said recently that he wanted to end election-day voting registration (popular in Democratic strongholds), then said he wasn't much interested - - spurring two of his closest legislative allies - - State Sen. Alberta Darling, (R-River Hills) and State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, (R-Oconomowoc) - - to immediately begin looking for signatures on a biil to do just that.

Now whom do you suppose gave them that green light?

You'll see a similar dynamic at work in the mining issue.

While the state voted for the Presidential candidate most identified with environmental protection, Republicans who hold all the cards at the State Capitol will fully assert their power and approve an environmentally-hostile or dismissive bill heavily-influenced by conservative special interests and inevitably threaten the Bad River watershed with an open-pit iron mine - - for starters, statewide.

Same for Obamacare implementation, or any major policy matter that comes along where Walker and the legislature can thumb their nose at the President and the voting majority in the state that wouldn't put Mitt Romney and Janesville's Paul Ryan in charge.

The politics of pique and payback. Very small-minded.

But that's how electorates that want more than one-party rule across the Republic and which vote Democratic in Presidential election years are going to be treated by Republicans like those in Madison and Lansing who control state houses and Governors' mansions.
They hold the cards and will play them - - not because it's the right thing to do - - but because they can.

More at The Political Environment, here.

5 comments:

PT said...

This is Synder's giving the middle finger to Obama and all the union workers. Sore losers.

Walkerstan said...

Like Walker he left out the police who no doubt endorsed him. Another military state evolving.

Angie said...

I think Rick Snyder is WAY WAY better on transportation. Personally, I would trade John Kasich for Rick Snyder any day of the week.

Anonymous said...

So how exactly is Right To Work legislation "sticking it to union families" It gives workers the right to choose whether or not to join a union. It's all about choice.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous, I\it gives the unions no choice about for whom they will work. They have to work on behalf of those who pay dues and those who freeload. Imagine if your government mandated that the local cable company offer free cable TV to all residents and gave the residents the choice to pay for it or not. THey'd put cable providers out of business! That's the same thing the state government is doing here.