Wisconsin's Newest Progressive

The state Capitol building in Madison has been occupied round-the-clock by protesters for nearly two weeks. Fourteen Democratic state senators are still on the lam, refusing to allow a vote on a budget-repair bill. And Gov. Scott Walker has been called everything from a new Hitler to rotting cheese.

Yet the governor sounds unflappable. "I just finished eight years as county executive in Milwaukee last December," he told me during a telephone interview. "I've dealt with unions and angry legislators. I know anytime you challenge the status quo you have to be bold—and take the heat."

Mr. Walker's challenge to the status quo is nothing if not bold. Wisconsin, he says, faces an immediate $137 million budget shortfall and a $3.6 billion deficit over the next two years. Part of his plan for putting the state on a sustainable fiscal path is to have state workers contribute more to their pensions and health-insurance plans, although they would still pay less than the national average for government workers.

But what's made him a national target of rage—or a hero, depending on your point of view—are his proposals to limit the power of public-employee unions. "We have to cut money the state sends counties and cities," he says, and "the collective bargaining changes I propose will save them more than those cuts by giving them the flexibility private employers have to control costs."

Government in Wisconsin (US), has become almost exclusively about getting more money for government workers, and not about providing public service, and the participation of the community at large — because they realize it is about serving the career aspirations and desire for government workers to be on the top — permanently, like the oligarchies fighting to hang onto their positions of privilege in other countries. In this, they are aided by the “Communication Workers of America,” to ensure that only the “politically correct” message gets out there — while claiming to be completely objective.

But it is a well-documented fact that government workers all substantially exceed the median income — while claiming to be the oppressed and entitled to ever more. You can’t pay the median the top 5% — but those above the median, have to go their singular way to obtain those rewards — and not that they become the entitlement of those who belong to the right party — the Democrats or the Baathists.

That should disturb even liberals and progressives, but surely is a concern for every fair-minded and independent-person that is in rare supply these days.

In order to reward the creativity and innovation that will create a more perfect society, we can’t simply reward those who wish to maintain the status quo of doing what has already been done before — the same as these entrepreneurs, that do create new industries and jobs — and not just demanding more for their own jobs — as much as these deservingly valued risk-takers.

And then completely overlooked these days, are the truly weak and unfortunate, who are now just being exploited by those who know how to play the “government” game for their own funding, fancy titles and six-figure incomes — “in the service of the poor.” They start believing their own propaganda, and then deride the hard-working people at Walmarts or McDonalds as fools for not being smart enough to climb aboard the union/Democrat gravy train.

Do the day's work. If it be to protect the rights of the weak, whoever objects, do it. If it be to help a powerful corporation better to serve the people, whatever the opposition, do that. Expect to be called a stand-patter, but don't be a stand-patter. Expect to be called a demagogue, but don't be a demagogue. Don't hesitate to be as revolutionary as science. Don't hesitate to be as reactionary as the multiplication table. Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. Don't hurry to legislate. Give administration a chance to catch up with legislation.

- Have Faith in Massachusetts as delivered by Calvin Coolidge to the Massachusetts State Senate, 1914

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