What's with Wisconsin?

Chicago Tribune ^ | 10 june 2012 | Clarence Page

[rellimpank]

Let's give Wisconsin voters some credit. While others try to find easy right-versus-left explanations for Gov. Scott Walker's decisive victory last week, Badger State voters appeared to be more worried about their state's purse.

Their fiscal anxiety reflects a national trend. During the 1990s economic boom, state and local governments awarded generous health and pension benefits to union workers. Now the pensions and benefits are being paid from shrinking revenues in a sluggish economy. The result is a fiscal crisis in cities and states with deepening deficits and threats to public services, ranging from police and firefighters to parks and libraries.

Walker stands out among deficit-cutters only in his audacity, fortified famously by the billionaire industrialist brothers David and Charles Koch. The Kochs helped Walker get elected and become a national star among ultraconservatives opposed to unions.

[mountn man]

I thought I read Kochs put in $1 million for Walker in the recall.

How does that compare to the $21 million by unions?

[Traveler59]

Well, then you missed this little lie;

"...Walker moved shortly after he took office last year to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights."

I have found it real easy to identify the liberal leftist media when they make this statement. Walker limited collective bargaining to pay only. Leftist will claim Walker took all collective bargaining away, a distortion of the truth and a lie.

[Lancey Howard]

Mr. Page makes a lot of sense for about 90% of this column. The other 10% is where he inexplicably segues off into goofball land. I guess he can’t help himself after all these years.

[Lancey Howard]

What exactly is an ultraconservative?

An "ultraconservative" is somebody who not just really, but really really REALLY, believes in limited, Constitutional government.
Hope that helps.

[Lazamataz]

What is up with the leftwing obsession with the Koch brothers? They are simply industrialists, people who create jobs, and they give out some campaign money. Isn't that okay, like when Soros or Buffett gives to the left?

Or is it only evil when Republicans do it?

[rockrr]

I bet the self-loathing is palpable ;-)

[Invictus]

Nail on the head.... strikes home.

[Shady]

Good column by a liberal who has the courage to look at reality and write about it pretty fairly. Thank you Mr. Page..(Never thought I would say THAT!)

[Windflier]

"...a national star among ultraconservatives..."

Now there's an oldie but a goodie. I haven't heard that scare-mongering term in too long a time to remember.

Interesting how the author makes the sensible and all-too-realistic argument that voters are struggling in this economy, and that they're voting to tighten the purse strings on their state and local governments.

True, true, but he then fails to point out that those same voters voted to retain their ultraconservative Governor in the recall election, giving him a winning edge over his Democrat opponent which was even greater than the margin Walker beat him by last time.

So Clarence, is that perhaps telling you anything about Wisconsin voters???

[Windflier]

I’ll bet that that one cartoon went viral across the net, and was responsible for raising the awareness of thousands upon thousands of people.

It needs to keep on circulating. It says it all.