Wrong-Way Walker said he wanted to 'streamline' Wisconsin's civil service system - - a national model, by the way- - and the recent awarding of top state positions to former long-term Walker confidants or water-carriers shows us what that could really mean, to wit:
Cynthia Archer.
Jim Villa.
Scott Suder. (And yes, I know that one involved an at-will, rather than a civil service post. It's the similarities in questionable timing and processes I'm pointing out.)
There's more to glean here than tacky details of double-standards about small government or austerity, and cartoonish cronyism and insider-trading of public resources:
Note also that when Walker says "modest" or "reform" or "streamline" - - and media should refuse to substitute political talking point verbiage for truth-in-labeling honest language - - he really means 'warp' a state law or job or procedure to serve a specific, self-interested purpose.
Other things streamlined since he came to power: mining permit reviews, wetlands filling procedures, allowable phosphorus levels in state waterways, WEDC loan awards and tracking, health insurance for 80,000 low-income citizens, early voting hours, and, of course, public employee union representation.
Cynthia Archer.
Jim Villa.
Scott Suder. (And yes, I know that one involved an at-will, rather than a civil service post. It's the similarities in questionable timing and processes I'm pointing out.)
There's more to glean here than tacky details of double-standards about small government or austerity, and cartoonish cronyism and insider-trading of public resources:
Note also that when Walker says "modest" or "reform" or "streamline" - - and media should refuse to substitute political talking point verbiage for truth-in-labeling honest language - - he really means 'warp' a state law or job or procedure to serve a specific, self-interested purpose.
Other things streamlined since he came to power: mining permit reviews, wetlands filling procedures, allowable phosphorus levels in state waterways, WEDC loan awards and tracking, health insurance for 80,000 low-income citizens, early voting hours, and, of course, public employee union representation.
Instead of streamline insert steamroll as that is what he means but of course never says this. He no longer calls it "dropping the bomb" rather now he just orders his republican legislators to go behind closed doors in the dark of night and legislate or orchestrate whatever he wants out of the public eye. No more storming the Capitol for him because he saw the awesome power of the Solidarity Singers!
ReplyDeleteSome people believe that if re-elected in November, Scott Walker will do to the police and fire unions what he did to the rest of the public unions back in 2011. That way, when he runs for president in 2015 and 2016, he can claim full union reform (and not the inconsistent reforms advanced by Act 10).
ReplyDeleteNot just the police and fire unions. It's commonly accepted in the Capitol that Wisconsin will join the ranks of "right to work" states if there is another Walker term. Those Operating Engineer members that stood on the podium with Walker during his State of the State speech in support of the mine were played.
ReplyDeleteAnonyBob
He is playing local 139 still. I am not certain they don't support R-T-W although it seems inconceivable.
ReplyDelete