Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Walker Loses War Of Words In His War On Workers


As Heather at Crooks and Liars pointed out, President Barack Obama went to Boston on Labor Day and put the smack down on Scott Walker:
"We're starting to hear a lot about middle-class values," he said. "Some folks seem confused about what exactly that means."

Without mentioning him by name, Obama struck at Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for answering a question about his ISIS strategy earlier this year by saying: "If I can take on 100,000 (union) protesters, I can do the same across the globe."

"He is bragging about how he destroyed collective bargaining rights in his state," Obama said to boos Monday. "And [he] says that busting unions prepares him to fight ISIL. I didn't make that up. That's what he said."

Obama added incredulously, "Really?"
Several hours later, Walker's rapid response team came back with this weak Facebook post (all spelling and grammatical errors are theirs):
Well in reaction to the President's comments it's clear he stands with the big government union bosses while we stand with the people. It's part of tradition I guess. Last year the president came to Milwaukee Wisconsin to take a shot at us and this year on Labor Day where we are in the Live Free or Die state taking a shot at us. It's ironic we're here talking about freedom because what we did in Wisconsin was taking the power away from the big government union bosses and put it back in the hands of the hard working taxpayer. That's pro-worker. What we did was ultimately what we did was give people the freedom to choose if they wanted to be in a labor union or not. That's pro-worker. And certainly because of our reforms we've had three budgets, the total savings was $4.7 billion - that's lower income taxes and property taxes. That's pro-family. That's a stark contrast. It's not unexpected. I think the president views us unlike anyone else in this race because they know we don't just talk about it we get it done. We fight, we win, we get results. We've done it without compromising our conservative principles. It's why when I signed Right to Work the WH has a president had a statement attacking me, a governor, which is unprecedented. That's because he and his allies stand with big government special interests and we stand with the people. We've shown we can take on those powers. If I can do it in my state, a blue state, then we can on those powers in Washington and put the power back in the hands of the people. - Scott
Walker repeated this nonsense at a later press conference:
Walker told reporters that collective bargaining is "not a right, but is an expensive entitlement" and cited the cost savings in Wisconsin as a benefit to all taxpayers in the state.

He added that, "this is an issue where the president is just wrong."
OK, now let's put aside the fact that bragging about attacking and robbing one's own constituents of billions of dollars is nothing but a sign of a depraved mind. Let's also overlook Walker's obvious lack of knowledge about history in saying that Obama's comments are unprecedented.

Let's look at Walker's claim that his War on Wisconsin Workers saved taxpayers $4.7 billion - which is by far his biggest claim yet. Walker doesn't explain how robbing workers of their money saves them any money either. That's probably because he can't since his attack on workers has saved no money.

Don't believe me? Just ask Scott Walker. That's what he said in sworn testimony before a Congressional committee on April 14, 2011, right after he dropped the Act 10 bomb on Wisconsin workers:



As Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) got Walker to admit, there was no impact whatsoever on the budget. Walker's War on Workers is nothing more than a cynical political power play to gain and maintain control of the state.

The gentle reader must decide which Walker they are going to believe - the one who admitted under oath that his attack on workers had no financial impact on the state budget or the one who is making a desperate, last ditch effort to revive his failing presidential bid?

11 comments:

  1. A favorite video. Woarht watching in the wake of the changes Walker has wreaked upon Wisconsin.

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  2. It's unbelievable that Walker or his staff put out that press release with all its grammatical errors. No wonder he dropped out of Marquette as that piece of writing wouldn't pass a 4th grade English class. This man can't talk and say what he means without a spokesperson coming out to clarify what he meant to say nor does it appear he can write coherent sentences. No wonder he is anti-education as somehow he escaped learning at Delevan Darien H S.

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    1. its scott walker, so totally believable.

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    2. Someone needs to expose the fact that he "allegedly" was "invited" to leave Marquette. It "allegedly" was a result of him plagiarizing. This "rumor" comes from two professors that I know that were teaching at Marquette at the time of Walker's attendance.

      Credible??? I think with his history it's probably true. This guy has not had an original thought as long as he has been on the public stage. Heck, he and his legislature cannot even write a law without copying and pasting from the ALEC playbook, which often is not in compliance with the WI Constitution.

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    3. Spomeone needs to offer a large monetary reward for more info on Walker’s possible cheating. Some one with access to the data base at TurnItIn...could probably find walker’s academic papers...and run them through Turnitin to find the plagiarism

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  3. No sound economist would support taking three billion dollars out of the take home pay of public employees, there was no quid pro quo for Wisconsin, it was gangster economics plan and simple.

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  4. Walker told reporters that collective bargaining is "not a right..."

    But see Wikipedia:
         The right to collectively bargain is recognized through international human rights conventions. Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights identifies the ability to organize trade unions as a fundamental human right. Item 2(a) of the International Labour Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work defines the "freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining" as an essential right of workers. The Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (C087) and several other conventions specifically protect collective bargaining through the creation of international labour standards that discourages countries from violating worker's rights to associate and collectively bargain

         "...where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost."
         — Ronald Reagan, Labor Day Speech at Liberty State Park, 1980

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    1. The courts don't agree with you Raven.

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    2. If by the courts you mean the SCOTUS - up until this point they have agreed in the right to collectively bargain. That does not mean that with enough arch-Conservative judges that won't change. Even if it does however, even if we sink down to the level of tin-pot dictatorships and pure plutocracies - even then, it will still be internationally recognized, as the Wikipedia article - not Raven - so eloquently points out.

      Have a good day.

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    3. Collective bargaining is "not a right, but is an expensive entitlement"
      Scott Walker, Rochester, NH, Labor Day 2015

      "...where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost."
      Ronald Reagan, Labor Day Speech at Liberty State Park, 1980

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  5. And what's ironic is that Walker practically worships Reagan, tries to borrow his mantle at every opportunity, witness his "Reagan Bible" story (1) (2).

    Reagan Biographer Lou Cannon on Scott Walker:

         Reality was more complicated, he said: As governor of California, Reagan signed tax increases and an abortion-rights bill. As president, he found common ground with the Soviet Union and did not relish firing the air traffic controllers, Mr. Cannon said.
         "He never made his bones on trying to break the back of labor the way Walker has," Mr. Cannon said. "Walker is borrowing from Reagan's mystique more than any other Republican eyeing the presidency, but Ronald Reagan he ain't."

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