Responding to Gov. Walker's SOS
The Journal Sentinel Editorial Board faulted the ‘state of the state” address Gov. Scott Walker gave Tuesday, for not providing enough detail. The Editorial Board (which had endorsed Walker), contended the speech made a strong statement but was brief-- and questioned how Walker intended paying for his agenda.
The Capital Times put it more bluntly. It called the speech “an empty recitation of talking points the governor memorized before his 2010 run for the state’s top job."
"Walker has no new ideas, just old proposals for despoiling the environment, gutting public services and establishing “voucher” programs to stream public money into the coffers of the education hucksters who fund his campaigns.
Walker's own budget policies assured that he would not -- indeed, could not -- provide positive fiscal and economic outlooks for Wisconsin.
The governor has used accounting gimmicks to "balance" the state budget so precariously that even his fellow Republicans have doubts about his numbers.
The scandals surrounding Walker's "Wisconsin Economic Development Corp." provide a taste of what is in store. The governor and his cronies have played so many games with the budget that no one who is serious about financial issues trusts the numbers he is peddling.
This provides a partial explanation for why job growth is stagnant in the state, which now ranks No. 42 in job creation -- far behind neighboring states and the national average.
The other part of the explanation for the weakening of the state's economic outlook under Walker can be summed up in a word: "chaos."
To read the rest of the Cap Times' blistering editorial, click here.
Here are a few other reactions to Walker's 'state of the state' speech from----
The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters:
“Governor Walker’s theatrics and fabricated job numbers don’t change the facts. His plan to rollback protections for Wisconsin’s air, water, and land to benefit a single out-of-state mining company threatens to contaminate our water with toxins”
“There is a lot we can learn from the 41 states who currently rank above Wisconsin in job creation. They have committed to fostering a 21st century economy – extending the reach of broadband, investing in renewable energies like wind, solar, and biomass, and honoring the natural heritage that supports the hospitality, recreation, and sporting industries. Jeopardizing our fresh water resources does not put Wisconsin on the path to prosperity.
Let’s invest in northern Wisconsin in a meaningful way, rather than doing the bidding of one out-of-state company who wants to grow rich off of our resources. Let’s not stick residents and local governments of northern Wisconsin with the cost of cleaning up that company’s mess. Let’s not expose the citizens of northern Wisconsin to poisoned water and let’s not destroy the future of northern Wisconsin’s robust tourism economy.”
Click here to read more.
The Political Environment:
“His (Walker’s) signature job-creation change to state government - - wiping out the Department of Commerce in favor of a development corporation - - is a fiasco. $50 million in loans were not tracked; money is lost, rules were broken. As its chair, the agency and the mess is all Walker's.”
For more, click here.
The Progressive (post titled Walker’s Misleading State of the State) refers to Walker’s campaign promise to create 250,000 jobs and observes,
“ Having fallen more than 212,000 jobs short of the mark so far, Walker promised to "double down" on his effort to create those jobs by 2014, because "In Wisconsin we don't make excuses, we get results.” .... And then, “Walker went on to blame protesters, the recall effort, and the fiscal cliff for the bad job numbers.”
Click here to read the rest of that post.
PolitiScoop posted the following from State Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay):
“The Governor gave a good speech tonight. But it did little to hide the fact that he is failing miserably on the most important issue we are facing: job creation.
Under Governor Walker’s watch our state has fallen to 42nd in the nation for job creation. Only eight states are doing worse than Wisconsin and all of our neighbors are doing better.
Two years into his term we have seen less than 38,000 jobs created and that compares to the more than 30,000 jobs created during Governor Doyle’s last year in office alone and it leaves him 212,000 jobs short of his promise to create 250,000 jobs by 2015.
If he is sincere about working together and including all Wisconsin citizens in the dialogue instead of his continuing pattern of holding listening sessions by invitation only then perhaps he will have the opportunity to make good on his pledge.
But if his rhetoric is merely cover for continuing an agenda that favors the wealthy and corporations at the expense of our public education system, health care and community services then our state will continue to falter and our families will pay the price for it.”
