Posted on 03/11/2015 1:48:53 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
President Obama waded into 2016 waters Monday when he slammed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) for a new state law that curbs the power of labor unions.
Democrats say Obamas unusual shot at the likely GOP candidate, who sits atop early polls, could energize liberal opposition to Walker as he moves closer to a presidential run.
But Republican allies of Walker believe the presidents broadside could actually help the governors impending candidacy by elevating his stature in the GOP field.
Its rare for Obama to single out state laws for criticism in White House statements. But that is what the president did Monday night after Wisconsins so-called right to work bill became law.
Obama said he was deeply disappointed in Walkers decision to sign the measure, which would block labor unions from collecting dues from individual workers without their consent.
Its inexcusable that, over the past several years, just when middle-class families and workers need that kind of security the most, theres been a sustained, coordinated assault on unions, led by powerful interests and their allies in government, the president added.
The GOP governor said in a statement that the measure would give workers the freedom to choose whether to join a union and would bolster the states economy.
Walkers high-profile battles with labor unions are what catapulted him onto the national stage. His successful 2011 effort to limit the collective bargaining power of public-employee unions gained widespread attention, and the so-called right to work law represented another victory for Walker and Republicans.
The governor survived a 2012 recall attempt after his initial clash with labor and won reelection in 2014 in the blue state, but now he has his eye on the White House.
Walker has a unique cross-party appeal to both hardcore conservatives and more establishment-minded Republicans because of his record in the state, which hasnt voted for a Republican president since 1984.
Thanks to a strong performance at early 2016 cattle calls, Walker is performing well in polls.
Fifty-three percent of Republican primary voters say they could vote for Walker, while 17 percent said they could not, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Monday. The same survey showed most voters want a fresh face, like Walker, rather than a known quantity, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
As a result, Democrats are trying to stop Walkers momentum. Obamas decision to go after the governor could help motivate key liberal constituencies in 2016, according to Democratic strategists. That includes labor unions, which have sometimes clashed with Obama over economic issues such as trade.
He is a very viable candidate, and I assume they wanted to take a whack at him, said Jim Manley, a veteran Democratic strategist and former aide to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). He symbolizes, and allows you to draw a contrast with, some of these anti-worker positions.
Its drawing a line in the sand, added Manley.
Income inequality and workers rights are poised to be major issues in the 2016 presidential campaign. Labor unions have lost clout in historic Midwestern strongholds, such as Michigan and Indiana, which have recently adopted right to work measures.
White House officials say Walkers possible presidential candidacy had nothing to do with their decision to criticize the law.
I saw a lot of the political commentary speculating that thats what we were doing, but our bottom line is this is an issue that we have spoken out whenever it rears its ugly head, White House principal deputy press secretary Eric Schultz told reporters Tuesday during a gaggle aboard Air Force One.
Instead of rolling back workers rights, states, including Wisconsin, should be expanding workers rights, like raising the minimum wage and paid sick leave, Schultz added.
The White House noted the president has commented on state issues before, pointing to three statements last year on state minimum wages increases in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Connecticut.
Obama personally criticized Michigans right to work legislation one day before it came law in December 2012.
But Obamas decision to go after Walker this time around could have the effect, intended or not, of strengthening the governors hand among Republican voters who dislike the president.
If youre on the Republican side and the president is beating up on you, thats not a bad thing, said Brandon Scholz, a Wisconsin-based GOP strategist and ally of Walker.
Scholz said if the past is any indication, the lefts criticism of Walkers union policies only bolster his political stature.
Gov. Walker has always sustained those body blows, he said. Hes always taken them and moved on. And that has made him stronger.
Wisconsin became the 25th state to adopt a right to work law, and legislatures in others, such as New Mexico and Missouri, are considering similar measures.
Walkers supporters say the president should view his state's new policies as a positive example for economic improvement.
President Obama did what he does best and made the issue political to attempt to derail common-sense reforms, Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for Walkers leadership PAC, said in a statement.
bttt!
Trial by fire.
He’s got the experience and the proven track record of fighting leftists.
He’s got flaws as well, but that first qualification should be weighed heavily.
I support biofuels and ethanol. ... I also dont think Washington should be picking winners and losers, Cruz said. ...
Walker said that he favored drawing down federal tax credits for wind power over time and opposed mandatory labeling of foods made from genetically modified crops. This is one of those where I believe its served its purpose, Walker said of the credits. I would support phasing that out over a period of time.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3265522/posts
...Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he would continue the subsidies for now but phase them out once ethanol producers are assured access to markets. I think eventually you can get to that, he said. But you cant get to that unless you deal with market access....
...Saturdays forum also was an opportunity for likely contenders to display knowledge of rural issues and connect with Iowas farmers. Walker waxed nostalgic about growing up as the son of a Baptist preacher in the small Iowa town of Plainfield, where he said he learned that farming isnt just a business, its a way of life.....
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