• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Recall Walker?

Share

I admit to being on the fence regarding the recall of Scott Walker, wondering if it would become a common tactic after every election. But, like so many others, I've been baffled with his decisions regarding our state since day one, and he's only been in office a year.

His immediate refusal to accept already allocated federal money to develop a high speed railroad to Madison and eventually Minnesota along with the jobs such a project would bring, because it would cost money to maintain the rails, struck me as incredibly shortsighted. If we had had a like minded governor in the '50s, we wouldn't have an Interstate highway system in Wisconsin today. It also seemed counter productive to his pledge to create 250,000 jobs.

And I was shocked when he and his colleagues took away the right to collective bargaining for most unionized public employees after the unions had already agreed to the economic concessions. It seemed obvious that the intention was to eliminate unions as a political foe.

I thought the 14 Senators who left the state did what they had to do in order to buy some time so that we all could understand exactly what was about to happen to collective bargaining and the budget proposal's negative impact on our eduction, health and transportation systems.

Then there was the voter ID law, which will only discourage voters among the poor, the elderly and even college students who will have to spend extra time and money they don't have in order to get the needed documents. Coincidentally, those segments would likely vote against Walker. Of course, you may recall, a few years ago there were at least seven fraudulent votes cast in Wisconsin – out of 3 million.

Now, the Walker Administration has unveiled a new policy that will charge demonstrators at the Capitol for police costs. In other words we are now going to be charged for exercising our first amendment rights. A group of four can be considered a “demonstration.” What's a group of eight, a movement?

I've had it. The governor is more concerned with consolidating power for his party and pleasing his wealthy handlers than he is with looking out for Wisconsin and all of its residents. He has become the poster boy for the so-called “one percent”. It's as if he was given a script, along with his campaign check from the Koch brothers, which he recites with a blank stare and zombie-like demeanor.

No, this isn't about lazy people who envy the rich. It's about a representative Democracy that has all but disappeared. Wisconsin may be open for business but it is not for sale.

Recall Walker? Where do I sign?

Jim Black is a community blogger and is not a part of the Walworth County Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of Walworth County Today staff or management.