[Updated] News that GOP Governor Scott Walker sits atop a stalled state economy comes as no real surprise to people who have studied Wisconsin, let alone lived here.
After all, Walker during his ill-fated run for the Presidency pledged to "wreak havoc" on Washington, DC - - having already perfected that strategy here.
Imagine if Walker and the ideologically-driven party, perpetual campaign, stage-managed Legislature, courts, agencies and media they control had put the same energy and resources they spent cutting education, dismantling collective bargaining, obstructing wind and solar development, preventing state residents from voting or playing favorites with public assets into honestly listening to people and crafting an inclusive, expansive, forward-looking agenda.
So much opportunity, absolutely wasted.
After all, Walker during his ill-fated run for the Presidency pledged to "wreak havoc" on Washington, DC - - having already perfected that strategy here.
Imagine if Walker and the ideologically-driven party, perpetual campaign, stage-managed Legislature, courts, agencies and media they control had put the same energy and resources they spent cutting education, dismantling collective bargaining, obstructing wind and solar development, preventing state residents from voting or playing favorites with public assets into honestly listening to people and crafting an inclusive, expansive, forward-looking agenda.
So much opportunity, absolutely wasted.
It is indeed sad to imagine where we could be as a state if Walker had not dumped on alternative energy and the industries that could have spun off of this. It is truly disappointing to think what could have happened at U W Madison if Walker had supported the break through research that had been started in the stem cell area and the bio-med start-ups that could have been generated. Killing high speed rail that would have put Wisconsin square in the center between Chicago and Minneapolis would have opened technology based and research entities to jobs and economic growth. Finally without Walker our environment would have remained protected, our roads and infrastructure would have been maintained and we wouldn't have lost 6200 experienced teachers and our public schools would not be in the financial mess they now find themselves to be in. It is simply amazing the damage one person in a leadership position can do to a state when he serves his own political self interest. Government in Wisconsin has to be more than one party attempting to seize and hold power by any and all corrupt methods possible!
ReplyDeleteWalker and the GOP are right on schedule. Kill unions? Check. Cut funding to public education? Check. Hand out "economic development" money to their corporate pals who will then move more jobs out of state? Check. Privatize everything? Check. Gut environmental enforcement? Check. Marginalize public parks and forests? Check.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Republicons are well on their way to making Badger land into a backwater, and they prefer that, because Northern Mississippi will be so much easier to control.
A big part of this is the lame Wisconsin lapdog media. No wonder it took the Guardian to publish the truth about his dive in the dark money pay-to-play pool. Wisconsin media let the issue die within two days.
ReplyDeleteAnother side is the indolent mentally lazy Wisconsin electorate. Beer guzzling, lunks who know nothing and know 'better' at the same time.
The same group who fell for Senator McCarthy's nonsense.
So much opportunity, absolutely wasted.
ReplyDeleteIMO should read
So much opportunity, absolutely stolen.