# Can Scott Walker be re-elected Governor of Wisconsin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 20, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184 "2014-06-20T00:36:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/141 "2014-08-28T15:50:40Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > It occurs to me someone may have a nice lever to use against Walker if he ever signed a thank-you note for that $700K. AFAIK, nobody ever called him **stupid.** ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/142 "2014-08-28T15:58:58Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > As I said, I’m hoping for a signed thank-you note. Considering how carefully he coordinated the fund raising efforts of the Club for Growth and how he grubbed around the entire country going after donations in 2011 and 12… That’s entirely legal. Right? I just showed two cites above for Obama and Reid doing the same thing. They wouldn’t do that if it were legally suspect, right? ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/143 "2014-08-29T16:31:42Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That’s entirely legal. > > Right? > > I just showed two cites above for Obama and Reid doing the same thing. They wouldn’t do that if it were legally suspect, right? Walker coordinating his campaign with “social welfare” groups such as the Wisconsin Club for growth and Americans for prosperity, is not legal. But how much and what kinds of proof are needed, I don’t know. That’s up to the esquires. I’m not one of them. At the very least there appears to be a strong appearance of impropriety w.r.t. the $700K. These days many, if not most, politicians accept campaign contributions (or, as in this case, dark money) from companies and individuals whose welfare is then benefited by the politician.) Fifty years ago such persons would have been unelectable. Nowadays, the standards of the public have been shaved down. * * * **In other news:** [Wisconsin turned in another subpar job creation report Thursday](http://www.jsonline.com/business/state-added-28653-jobs-in-the-12-month-period-ending-in-march-b99340551z1-273109591.html) > [@](#): > > That meant that Wisconsin added private-sector jobs last year at about half the national rate of 2.1%. Wisconsin has lagged the national rate of job creation since July 2011. [State tax collections fall $281 million short of projections](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/state-tax-collections-fall-281-million-short-of-projections-b99340228z1-273066471.html) > [@](#): > > Walker and GOP lawmakers passed a more than $500 million tax cut bill in March, and the effects of those tax changes are already starting to hold down how much income tax is being withheld from workers’ paychecks. Seems to be similar to the experience of Kansas. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/144 "2014-09-01T16:34:29Z")
[The NY Times has taken notice on its editorial page](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/01/opinion/did-gov-scott-walker-violate-campaign-laws.html?ref=opinion) > [@](#): > > “Because Wisconsin Club for Growth’s fund-raising and expenditures were being coordinated with Scott Walker’s agents at the time of Gogebic’s donation,” according to a prosecution statement in the case, “there is certainly an appearance of corruption in light of the resulting legislation from which it benefited.” > > Mr. Walker says he didn’t solicit the mining company donation, and, in any case, he already supported the easing of regulations on mining. But his depiction of himself as above fund-raising doesn’t fit the record. Ms. Doner urged Mr. Walker to personally solicit money from the Koch brothers, Sheldon Adelson and other wealthy Republicans, and a timeline submitted by prosecutors showed that donations came into Club for Growth within a few weeks or months after the governor met with the donors. I seem to recall from previous articles some of the donations actually came in the next day or just two days later. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/145 "2014-09-01T17:16:55Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > “and a timeline submitted by prosecutors showed that donations came into Club for Growth within a few weeks or months after the governor met with the donors.” > I seem to recall from previous articles some of the donations actually came in the next day or just two days later. Is it illegal for a politician to solicit donations going to a PAC? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/146 "2014-09-01T22:02:14Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > How wonderful of you to ask that. Click on the link in the post just before this one, and you’ll see that economic growth in Kansas exceeds the national average. Kansas has one of the [lowest employment rates](http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm) in the country. > > So I guess that answers your question about where the jobs are … they’re in Kansas! [Meh.](http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article337541/Kansas-unemployment-rate-hits-five-year-low-but-2013-job-growth-lags-behind-Missouri.html) Looks like Kansas with its tax cuts lagged behind Missouri without tax cuts. Could that mean the tax cuts don’t do shit for creating jobs? Missouri outperforms Kansas and doesn’t have a hole blown in its budget. Guess Democratic governors do better than Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/147 "2014-09-01T22:09:12Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [The NY Times has taken notice on its editorial page](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/01/opinion/did-gov-scott-walker-violate-campaign-laws.html?ref=opinion) > > I seem to recall from previous articles some of the donations actually came in the next day or just two days later. Let’s say they all came in ten minutes later, and each check had a note on the memo line that said, “My donation is the direct result f hearing Scott Walker say what good work you do! XOXO, Donor.” So what? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/148 "2014-09-01T22:52:12Z")
It is lamentable that these PACs are not required to justify their existence, [QUOTE=IRS Code 501§(c)(4)] ( **A** ) Civic leagues or organizations not organized for profit but operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, or local associations of employees, the membership of which is limited to the employees of a designated person or persons in a particular municipality, and the net earnings of which are devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes. ( **B** ) Subparagraph ( **A** ) shall not apply to an entity unless no part of the net earnings of such entity inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. [/QUOTE] because I for one would like to see how Club for Growth would explain their qualification. And before you lay out the _tu quoque_, I would just as soon see the left-wing PACs pony up, as well. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/149 "2014-09-01T23:30:43Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Is it illegal for a politician to solicit donations going to a PAC? A PAC is not a “social welfare organization”. PACs are tax free, but must disclose their donors. They can do all sorts of political activities, including coordinating with a campaign. A social welfare organization does not have to disclose its donors (thus the attraction for millionaires - dark money) and can also be tax free, but there are restrictions on political activities which include not coordinating with campaigns and not having the majority of their activities being political. Otherwise they could lose their tax free status, and apparently in Wisconsin, suffer other legal penalties. The so-called “IRS scandal” was no more than the IRS beginning to catch up to some of the abusive dark money organizations. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/150 "2014-09-01T23:44:40Z")
[Mark Harris, (Wisconsin) state Democrats criticize ‘irresponsible budgeting’ after revenue shortfall](http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/jessie-opoien/mark-harris-state-democrats-criticize-irresponsible-budgeting-after-revenue-shortfall/article_332e3837-9f39-5c1d-b0a3-ba775a52a8ac.html) As mentioned up thread, Fitzwalkerstan, much like Brownbackistan, has lowered income taxes and pie in the sky revenue projections have been shot down by harsh economic reality. (short $281 million) Now this to make matters worse: > [@](#): > > But another tax package could be affecting current revenues and have a greater impact in years to come, Harris said. The domestic production tax credit, slipped into the 2011-13 budget at the last moment, will effectively eliminate state income taxes for many of Wisconsin’s corporations, factory owners and agricultural producers by the time it’s fully phased in. > [@](#): > > While Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, noted in a statement on Thursday that the state has enough money — about $280 million — in its rainy day fund to cover the lagging revenue, Walker told reporters during a campaign stop Friday that he would rather address the shortfall with spending cuts and economic growth efforts than by using the rainy day fund. He did not say whether he would tap into it as a secondary approach. There may need to be a budget reconciliation act. The 2011 budget reconciliation act was passed after a big fight to cover just a $31 million shortfall. edit: [Windfall! Rich will get richer from new tax credit](http://host.madison.com/business/biz_beat/windfall-rich-will-get-richer-from-new-tax-credit/article_bfe745dc-a44a-11e1-a1b6-001a4bcf887a.html) > [@](#): > > Slipped into Gov. Scott Walker’s 2011-2013 budget at the last moment, the domestic production tax credit will cost the state $360 million in revenue over the next four years and some $130 million each year thereafter, according to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Critics warn the impact could be even greater, a key point in a state still struggling with budget shortfalls. > > The credit applies to profits derived from manufacturing or agriculture and is available both to corporations and shareholders of limited liability companies, S corporations or others who report business income on their individual tax returns. > > As a result, top bracket taxpayers could see their state income tax rate fall from 7.75 percent to less than zero by 2016, . . . ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/151 "2014-09-02T00:02:46Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [Mark Harris, (Wisconsin) state Democrats criticize ‘irresponsible budgeting’ after revenue shortfall](http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/jessie-opoien/mark-harris-state-democrats-criticize-irresponsible-budgeting-after-revenue-shortfall/article_332e3837-9f39-5c1d-b0a3-ba775a52a8ac.html) > > As mentioned up thread, Fitzwalkerstan, much like Brownbackistan, has lowered income taxes and pie in the sky revenue projections have been shot down by harsh economic reality. (short $281 million) Now this to make matters worse: > > There may need to be a budget reconciliation act. The 2011 budget reconciliation act was passed after a big fight to cover just a $31 million shortfall. > > edit: > > [Windfall! Rich will get richer from new tax credit](http://host.madison.com/business/biz_beat/windfall-rich-will-get-richer-from-new-tax-credit/article_bfe745dc-a44a-11e1-a1b6-001a4bcf887a.html) Oh no! This is going to doom Walker for sure! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/152 "2014-09-02T02:31:30Z")
Think it will help? ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/153 "2014-09-02T14:37:26Z")
With any kind of near equal ad budget Burke, will have a very strong shot. Walker has been looking worse and worse the last couple of weeks. So bwahaha from Bricker or not, Walker is in trouble, especially compared to the way the race looked a year ago. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/154 "2014-09-02T19:00:51Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > With any kind of near equal ad budget Burke, will have a very strong shot. Walker has been looking worse and worse the last couple of weeks. So bwahaha from Bricker or not, Walker is in trouble, especially compared to the way the race looked a year ago. You can tell yourself this until November. Then you can start telling yourself how Walker stole the election. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/155 "2014-09-06T02:40:02Z")
[New poll. Burke 48% Walker 44%](http://weaskamerica.com/2014/09/04/3rd-time-around/) We Ask America - September 4 Obviously still within the margin of error. With that gigantic money advantage, why can’t Walker just run away and hide from Burke? Could it be that word of all that out of state money at some point becomes a disadvantage? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/156 "2014-09-16T18:58:49Z")
Walker’s latest salvo: [Quote=“[Before It’s News] ([http://beforeitsnews.com/libertarian/2014/09/the-great-republican-hope-scott-walkers-re-election-push-includes-drug-testing-welfare-recipients-2579114.html](http://beforeitsnews.com/libertarian/2014/09/the-great-republican-hope-scott-walkers-re-election-push-includes-drug-testing-welfare-recipients-2579114.html))”]Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, in a tight race for re-election, released a 62 page plan for “Greater Prosperity for All.” Among the proposals, as the Milwaukee Journal-Sentimental reported, is the tired old canard of drug testing recipients of food stamps and unemployment. In 2011 Florida passed a similar law, which was eventually ruled unconstitutional; 2.6 percent of recipients tested positive for narcotics, mostly marijuana and the effort [cost more than it saved](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/us/no-savings-found-in-florida-welfare-drug-tests.html). [/quote] How will this play with Wisconsin voters? ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/157 "2014-09-16T19:41:58Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Walker’s latest salvo: > > How will this play with Wisconsin voters? He’s framed it in an Orwell-Rove manner as “justified by compassion”. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/158 "2014-09-16T19:54:33Z")
For your reference [here is Walker’s 62-page pdf](http://media.jrn.com/documents/Continuing+Wisconsin's+Comeback.pdf) mentioned in the quote in my previous post. Jim Doyle’s name seems to appear quite a bit in it, I guess he must be the guy Walker is running against. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/159 "2014-09-17T18:55:06Z")
Latest Marquette poll shows Walker leading 49% - 46% among likely voters and a tie (46%) among registered voters. Good news for Walker, but still within the margin of error. [Article](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/latest-marquette-poll-could-shed-light-on-close-governors-race-b99352848z1-275420271.html) > [@](#): > > Franklin noted that in the latest poll, “There is a substantial movement among Republicans to be more enthused and more likely to vote.” > > “Last time we came in with an unusually shifted sample was almost two years ago,” Franklin added. In that poll, Democrat Tammy Baldwin forged before Republican Tommy Thompson in the race for the U.S. Senate. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/160 "2014-09-18T17:32:33Z")
[RW donors are pouring a **lot** of money into Walker’s campaign.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/17/scott-walker-reelection_n_5838108.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184.md?page=9)