While Washington Republicans continue to resist federal encroachment and Obama-nomics half-heartedly or with splintered results, Republican governors throughout the country are showing the country how to lead by example and consensus.
The most dispirited example for party activists is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Yes, he has hugged President Obama. Yes, he scheduled the US Senate special election one month before his gubernatorial bid for office.
But his early years in Trenton brought forth much-needed tough talk on reforming pensions and ending outrageous public works projects.
He stood up to teacher's unions, who coalecesed his efforts with private union leaders in the statehouse to govern with some effectiveness. He reduced New Jersey's property taxes three times in a row without budget deficits.
Corzine and his Democrats raised taxes 115 times. That's not leadership, that's complaince with the special interest status quo.
I have written before that Governor Christie will end up the weakest Presidential candidate, should he run in 2016.
What a strong "weakest front-runner" he will be.
Consider also Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Sam Brownback of Kansas. They are phasing out the income tax in their states. Businesses are moving into Kansas to set up shop and avoid the heavy costs.
And then there's Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Facing a three billion dollar budget deficit, Walker and his Republican legislators pushed reforms of public sector union collective bargaining rights. The left-leaning elements in his state swarmed the state capital to protest, and Democratic state legislators swarmed hotels in Illinois to block a quorom from advancing the legislation.
Walker moved past these setbacks and forced unions to contribute more toward the public pensions, allow members to recertify every year, and end the automatic pay deductions from employees.
Union power has declined considerably in Wisconsin, but also in Michigan, wherer Governor Rick Snyder passed "Right to Work" Legislation to open the Wolverine state to business. Synder's unique legislation to empower emergency managers to save struggling cities met with skepticism and criticism, but the necessary reforms have forced bankrupted citites to restructure.
Scott Walker campaigned on a central promise to create 250,000 jobs and, by that standard, he has failed spectacularly, salting the earth for Wisconsin's middle class in his inept and criminally corrupt administration.
ReplyDeleteUnder Scott Walker, Wisconsin Leads the Nation in Job Loss
According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Scott Walker's Wisconsin is alone in the nation in posting "statistically significant" job losses.
Directly contradicting the self-serving claims of Walker and his cronies, the new report showed Wisconsin with major losses in both private and public sector jobs.
Wisconsin was far-and-away the leader in the nation in jobs loss, losing some 24,000 jobs in a period where the rest of the nation has been ADDING jobs. And, in fact, Wisconsin was on the road to recovery when Scott Walker took office. Under Democratic leadership, Wisconsin gained 24,800 jobs in 2010.
In the past two decades, Wisconsin has never been last before. We haven’t even been in the bottom 10.
From 1991-2010, Wisconsin’s average rank in terms of job creation was 21st. Under Scott Walker we ranked 50th. (The prior low had been 38th in 2009; highest was 6th in 1991)
From 1991-2010, Wisconsin’s average annual job growth had been 22,075.
Cutting jobs programs, slashing infrastructure investment, destroying public education and the University of Wisconsin System, breaking faith with our system of vocational technical training, turning his back on high-tech jobs and ending decades of labor peace have been Scott Walker's legacy.
Scott Walker Never Had a Credible Jobs Plan, Never Focused on Jobs
Scott Walker’s bogus “special session” focused on a $2.3 billion tax giveaway to out-of-state corporations and the super-rich and his union-busting "budget repair bill" that stripped the rights of thousands of hardworking teachers, nurses and other hardworking Wisconsinites and cut vital protections to our public health programs.
Before Scott Walker even took office, he sent thousands of family-sustaining jobs to Illinois by killing the high-speed rail project.
This is because Scott Walker never had a credible jobs plan. Scott Walker’s “job plan” was a 68-page joke written in 100-point font, meant to mock Tom Barrett’s very serious and very thoughtful plan to restore economic security to working Wisconsin families.
Scott Walker Cut Funding for Job Training Programs, Harmed Jobseekers
Scott Walker’s radical budget cut funding for Wisconsin’s technical colleges by more than 30%, including cuts to vocational and educational training programs. In addition, Scott Walker slashed the University of Wisconsin System budget nearly $300 million, which including cuts to job-creating investments in new technologies.
Scott Walker’s Republican Party also stalled unemployment insurance payouts to jobseekers, and passed legislation that requires jobseekers to wait an additional week to receive family-sustaining unemployment insurance benefits.
Wisconsin is feeling the effects of Scott Walker’s failure to invest in a 21st century economy.
Delete this and I'll just post more.
Rick Snyder sucks, too:
ReplyDeleteIt’s going to very interesting to see how Snyder campaigns. Exactly how does one campaign for reelection with this set of accomplishments:
Five new cities under an unelected Emergency Manager’s rule — Flint, Hamtramck, Allen Park, Inkster, and Detroit, Michigan’s largest city
Over half of Michigan’s African Americans without democracy at the local level
Five new school districts in financial emergencies and under Emergency Managers — Pontiac, Hazel Park, Buena Vista, Highland Park, and Muskegon Heights
Enacted a new Emergency Manager law just three months after voters rejected the previous similar one at the ballot box
Dissolution of Buena Vista and Inkster school districts due to lack of funds
One in ten Michigan schools facing bankruptcy
Michigan’s unemployment rate stagnant two months ago and actually increased last month.
Taxes raised on over 50% of Michiganders
Taxes increased on seniors
School funding slashed
Decimation of our public school system through increasing numbers of for-profit charter schools, the highest percentage in the nation
Huge tax break for corporations that appears to have had little if any effect
Michigan’s largest city in bankruptcy
Lack of transparency in his administration including a top aide being paid from a privately-funded slush fund
Secret “skunk works” group working to privatize/voucherize Michigan schools in violation of the constitution
Passage of widely unpopular right to work legislation
Failure to pass Medicaid expansion that will save billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives.
Thank you for your thoughtful remarks.
ReplyDeleteI would submit to you that Snyder and then Walker inherited some very bad political and economic turmoil when they entered office.
If Walker was doing a bad job, then why did he get reelected instead of recalled?
What's your take?
Governors around the country are fending off difficult economic times, much of which ties into a terrible Washington culture which will not stop the spending nor encourage greater growth.
ReplyDeleteAddendum:
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with posts which are critical or disagree, but profanity, disrespect, or outright abuse will not be tolerated.
Thanks to all who are reading, both those who agree, and those who disagree!
Regarding Walker's "poor" job numbers. . .
ReplyDeleteWhy does Wisconsin have poor job growth? Do Walker critics contend that the break-through reforms on collective bargaining rights have something to do with the job losses? I doubt that.
Still, the question deserves consideration: why the weaker job growth in Wisconsin vs. surround Midwestern states like Michigan or even Indiana?