Did Scott Walker Cast A Vote For Ronald Reagan?
Potential presidential candidate and current Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker often cites Ronald Reagan as an inspiration, but take a look at this posted transcript of an interview on a right-wing website today which attributes a statement to Gov. Walker about having voted for Reagan:
I remember, I was a teenager, had just become a teenager and voted for Ronald Reagan — limited government, you know, smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense. You knew what you were getting. You knew how a Reagan administration, a Reagan presidency was going to be better for you.Now let's look at some dates and numbers:
Scott Walker was born on November 2, 1967, according to various biographies - - here, or here, for example.
His campaign bio does not provide a birthdate, but Walker won the Wisconsin Governorship on Nov. 2nd, 2010, got a birthday cake for his 43rd birthday that night and was serenaded on his 46th birthday by a crowd in Virginia led by Republican National Committee chairman and fellow Wisconsinite Reince Priebus on Nov. 2, 2013.
Walker's birthdate is not in dispute.
Now to match it up against the dates of Reagan's two presidential wins.
Ronald Reagan was elected to his first term as President on November 4th, 1980 - - just two days after Walker's 13th birthday - - and was re-elected on Nov. 6th, 1984 - - presidential election dates, here - - when Scott Walker would have been 17 years and four days old.
The US voting age is 18 years; Walker would not have turned 18 until Nov. 2nd, 1985.
I admit that math is not my best subject, so help me out here:
How could "teenager" Walker have ever "voted for Reagan" as claimed if he were but 13 and 17 years old when Reagan won the Presidency?
Admittedly Walker does not say he voted at an official polling place for Reagan, but that is a reasonable inference, given the interview text as posted.
Did he mean "voted for Ronald Reagan" in a school or classroom election?
31 comments:
Perhaps his insistance on voter ID to combat rampant voter fraud comes from personal experience?
A query for Politifact? Let's hope. Maybe in his mind he voted for Reagan, just like in his mind he is moving Wisconsin forward.
It's just another Walker "whopper". To put it in Republicanspeak: "All politicians lie, so why are you picking on Walker? You clearly have a hidden agenda."
I don't think we have to beat to death walker is a compulsive liar.
Any one with common sense should realize that by now.
Not to defend Walker overall but this is an easy kind of mental mistake to make. I remember attending Clinton speeches during the 92 campaign and have on more than one occasion caught myself "remembering" having voted for him... even though I didn't turn 18 until a month after the election was held.
Should have been caught in the book editing though. I think it does speak to the overall accuracy standards of the book.
Secret time machine at Walker's home on N. 68th Street.
Seriously, why doesn't our media get offended when this dropout tries to sneak such obvious falsities by them?
Just another reason not to vote for this lying psychopath. He's not smart enough and he believes his lies..
I think we should refer to him as young Scott Walker.
Actually, it looks like we DO have to beat the "Walker is a liar" theme, since 45% or do of Wisconsinites are too gutless to believe it.
When that's the case, the media isn't being the check on power that it has to be, and it's up to is to keep exposing the reality
It's no secret that Scott Walker idolizes Ronald Reagan. In fact, Walker has said that in enacting Act 10, which curtailed labor rights in Wisconsin, he was inspired by Ronald Reagan’s firing of the nation's air traffic controllers for their illegal strike back in 1981. (The air traffic controller’s contract prohibited them from striking.)
Yet, Walker chose to exclude police and firefighters from Act 10. Why? Walker would always mention something vague like "public safety concerns". But no one ever asked the follow up question: "What do you mean by that?". What was left unsaid was the possibility that police and firefighters might strike in opposition to Act 10.
Assuming such a strike would be illegal, a truly "unintimidated" Scott Walker could have fired them, just like his idol Ronald Reagan did the air traffic controllers back in the 80s. Right?
But like so many things, Scott Walker got it wrong where the 1981 incident was concerned: Ronald Reagan believed in labor’s right to collectively bargain, but he didn’t believe in illegal strikes. (See Joseph McCartin’s article “Union Man – Ronald Reagan and the PATCO Strike” in the Winter 2012 issue of “The Ripon Forum”)
I think that because Walker added "I had just become a teenager", he was probably referring to a school or classroom election. But to say "I voted for Reagan" certainly gives the impression that he was talking about a national election (which was most likely his intention).
He has been lying for so long that he no longer knows the difference between truthing and lying.
Besides being an all out liar now, maybe he committed voter fraud when he was 17.
Ronald Reagan must roll over in his grave every time walker says his name. this is Reagan calling his kind a communist against freedom and democracy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsHXJr8tqP0
@anon 11:05
The federal air traffic controllers broke the law. There was no illegal activity by police, firefighters, or the public employees unions that prompted Act 10.
Illegitimate comparison.
Anon 2:31: Please re-read the Anon 11:05 post - nowhere does it state that police and firefighters broke the law.
Back at ya 5:00
"But like so many things, Scott Walker got it wrong where the 1981 incident was concerned: Ronald Reagan believed in labor’s right to collectively bargain, but he didn’t believe in illegal strikes."
Act 10 allows for collective bargaining, just not for benefits - which are still greater than most private sector jobs.
Scott Walker dealt with the out of control monopoly of public sector unions in a way that would have inspired Ronald Reagan. What Walker has not done, nor did Reagan, was to curtail bargaining of unions in the private sector because they are subject to free market forces.
"Did he mean 'voted for Ronald Reagan' in a school or classroom election?"
He must mean he voted for Reagan 'in the biblical sense.'
Is this just math that you do as a Democrat to make yourself feel better. or is this real?
A worker's total compensation package includes both wages and benefits. In the public sector, higher benefits have traditionally served to offset the fact that public workers are typically paid lower wages than their private sector counterparts. Before Act 10, public sector workers were able to negotiate their total compensation through collective bargaining, sometimes foregoing wage increases to maintain their level of benefits. They can no longer do that under Act 10.
As for Scott Walker, he is not a great thinker or statesman. The only reason he's been able to do what he's done in Wisconsin is the fact that Republicans hold a majority in both both the House and Senate of our state legislature. That, and a complacent mainstream media, and a boat load of money from special interest groups from outside our state.
This comment is pure BS. Every word. Reagan would have invaded Wisconsin to restore democracy. Comparing Reagan to walker is like comparing food to feces. The opposite end. Please quit insult Reagan with wanker. your comment is an insult to all republicans. walker I flea bagger and ALL the true republicans like Sennsenberener dispise him. walker is no Reagan. But like so many things, Scott Walker got it wrong where the 1981 incident was concerned: Ronald Reagan believed in labor’s right to collectively bargain, but he didn’t believe in illegal strikes."
Act 10 allows for collective bargaining, just not for benefits - which are still greater than most private sector jobs.
Scott Walker dealt with the out of control monopoly of public sector unions in a way that would have inspired Ronald Reagan. What Walker has not done, nor did Reagan, was to curtail bargaining of unions in the private sector because they are subject to free market forces.
Yes, Anony @ 12:52 am Jan 19:
Sad to day, partisanship has infiltrated the math dept too:
There's Democratic math, which tries to begin dealing with problems beginning on a level playing field and then apply common sense from that point, and then there's Republican math, on which the playing field is tilted, the numbers are fudged, and which never seems to add up quite right, but when mistakes are made, always favor Republican and their campaign donors.
Ronald Reagan: "Facts are stupid things." Of course, he meant to say, "Facts are stubborn things." Maybe young Mr. Walker did not get the correction?
"In the public sector, higher benefits have traditionally served to offset the fact that public workers are typically paid lower wages than their private sector counterparts."
Really???
I'll give you a chance to prove that.
Name one Wisconsin community where the k-12 public school teachers have a lesser or equal "total package" than that of their counter professionals in private or parochial schools. To be fair, be sure to ad the unfunded liabilities of early retirement for public teachers.
"Reagan would have invaded Wisconsin to restore democracy"
A monopoly is not democratic. Government unions are a monopoly.
Somebody needs to go back to Econ class apparently
PS- Also note how the "Anonymous" GOP operatives don't want to talk about the subject of this post- that Scott Walker is a continual liar. Don't get sidetracked by these losers
@anon Jake,
You're too cute when you're frustrated.
So this is where you all come to cry together as you are losing EVERYTHING. Based on the comments, this is apparently a bigger "lie" than "If you want to keep your current insurance, you can". I say we just hand Mary Burke the governorship over this one. No need for an election - libs don't really believe in those anyway.
He never said he voted for Reagan. John Hawkins, the blogger who did the interview with Walker, said the transcript of Walker's comments on Reagan initially posted to Right Wing News was incorrect.
"I went back and listened to the audio. It’s a little hard to hear at that point and unfortunately, my transcriptionist made an error," Hawkins wrote on Right Wing News.
Hawkins said Walker actually said the following:
A vote for Ronald Reagan meant limited government, you know, smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense. You knew what you were getting. You knew how a Reagan administration, a Reagan presidency was going to be better for you.
"All I can do at this point is apologize for the error. This was our mistake and it was very unfair to Scott Walker who is catching flack because of an honest error on our part."
He never said he voted for Reagan. John Hawkins, the blogger who did the interview with Walker, said the transcript of Walker's comments on Reagan initially posted to Right Wing News was incorrect.
"I went back and listened to the audio. It’s a little hard to hear at that point and unfortunately, my transcriptionist made an error," Hawkins wrote on Right Wing News.
Hawkins said Walker actually said the following:
A vote for Ronald Reagan meant limited government, you know, smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense. You knew what you were getting. You knew how a Reagan administration, a Reagan presidency was going to be better for you.
"All I can do at this point is apologize for the error. This was our mistake and it was very unfair to Scott Walker who is catching flack because of an honest error on our part."
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