# Govenor Scott Walker (R) WI **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 17, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743 "2011-02-17T20:56:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/763 "2011-03-01T13:09:26Z")
> [@superslug](#): > > Sounds like someone understands that elections have consequences… Consequences have consequences as well. It seems you didn’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![superslug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@superslug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superslug)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/764 "2011-03-01T14:14:46Z")
The consequences of consequences also have consequences… (we can do this all day) ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/765 "2011-03-01T14:29:41Z")
Here’s a question for the Walker supporter types here, who have, at least in passing, paid the typical right-wing service to the notion that no taxes are good taxes. If there’s no such thing as a good tax increase, then how do you ideologically support government taking money that has been negotiated as both salary and benefits from teachers’ paychecks? Teachers, who are taxpayers, are essentially being made to give up a larger portion of pay to the government. It’s a targeted tax on teachers, and you’re applauding it. How does this mesh with your anti-tax beliefs? ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/766 "2011-03-01T15:02:40Z")
> [@Assi](#): > > “irresposibly cutting taxes” Thats a good one. What else would you call it when you cut taxes BEFORE you cut spending? That’s like me quitting my job, then acting all shocked when I can’t pay my mortgage. Seriously, I’m all for less taxes and less unessential government services. I’m NOT for grandstanding tax cuts that put me and my country into debt before the spending side is cleaned up. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/767 "2011-03-01T15:11:49Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > #4 is pretty important, especially for you Wisconsinites who think you’re off the hook because you didn’t vote Walker. You aren’t. You should have been out spreading the word. And where, exactly, was I supposed to have done that? In the \*city \*of Milwaukee, IIRC over 75% of voters went against Walker. You know where I live? The city of Milwaukee. You know what I don’t do? Drive, or even own a car or have a license. You know what I can’t do on the bus? Be “out spreading the word” outside the city of Milwaukee. You’re a fucking retard. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/768 "2011-03-01T15:30:44Z")
Last week Politifact said Walker was lying when he said that he’d campaigned on a platform of union busting: [Link.](http://politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/22/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-he-campaigned-his-/) ---
**Author:** ![superslug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@superslug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superslug)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/769 "2011-03-01T15:50:01Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > And where, exactly, was I supposed to have done that? In the \*city \*of Milwaukee, IIRC over 75% of voters went against Walker. You know where I live? The city of Milwaukee. You know what I don’t do? Drive, or even own a car or have a license. You know what I can’t do on the bus? Be “out spreading the word” outside the city of Milwaukee. > > You’re a fucking retard. Wow. Talk about being totally dis-empowered… I suppose that it’s times like this that you realize just how much personal liberty you give up to be a willing part of the collective. Or not… ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/770 "2011-03-01T16:11:56Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Last week Politifact said Walker was lying when he said that he’d campaigned on a platform of union busting: > > [Link.](http://politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/22/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-he-campaigned-his-/) Another good point. It would have been impossible to campaign against Walker as a union-buster because \*he said nothing about union-busting \*until he was firmly ensconced in office. Lots of remorse going on right now from people who never would have voted for him if they’d known this was coming. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/771 "2011-03-01T16:17:41Z")
> [@superslug](#): > > I suppose that it’s times like this that you realize just how much personal liberty you give up to be a willing part of the collective. Are you retarded? (Sorry, I really shouldn’t ask such self-obvious questions. It’s kind of cruel.) The main reason I don’t drive isn’t some hippy-dippy bullshit. It’s because the additional mobility I’d gain wouldn’t be worth hundreds of dollars every month in car payments, insurance payments, parking fees, gas, and maintenance. I have simply never \*needed \*to drive. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/772 "2011-03-01T16:18:41Z")
> [@superslug](#): > > Wow. Talk about being totally dis-empowered… I suppose that it’s times like this that you realize just how much personal liberty you give up to be a willing part of the collective. > > Or not… \ Your trolling does not work here. Move along. \< /jmt\> ---
**Author:** ![superslug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@superslug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superslug)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/773 "2011-03-01T16:35:56Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Are you retarded? (Sorry, I really shouldn’t ask such self-obvious questions. It’s kind of cruel.) > > The main reason I don’t drive isn’t some hippy-dippy bullshit. It’s because the additional mobility I’d gain wouldn’t be worth hundreds of dollars every month in car payments, insurance payments, parking fees, gas, and maintenance. I have simply never \*needed \*to drive. I would say that your previous post disqualifies your followup. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/774 "2011-03-01T16:38:29Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Doesn’t make a lot of sense. If the unions already have such terrible power, how come the Governor is threatening to cut their collective nuts off? As you surely must know by now, the public sector unions have all accepted the financial burdens imposed. But their offer is refused and the demand remains. Because these are extraordinary times. In other times and in other states, similar attempts at reform of public unions have been shot down when the unions flexed their muscle. See: California. > [@](#): > > And all this time they have the power to shut down the government? How come they didn’t? How come they didn’t at least threaten to? Or did they, and nobody told us? > > If the public sector unions had the awesome power you ascribe to them, we wouldn’t be seeing what we are seeing. This is ONE state, at the perfect moment in history to have a chance to break the union stranglehold on political power. But the unions aren’t down yet - they have enough power to drive every freaking Democrat out of the state to deny quorum to the government, even though the Republicans have a large majority. And if you think they’re just doing it on principle: [Missing senators rely heavily on union campaign dollars](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/117078618.html) > [@](#): > > The 14 Wisconsin Democratic senators who fled to Illinois share more than just political sympathy with the public employees and unions targeted by Gov. Scott Walker’s budget-repair bill. > > The Senate Democrats count on those in the public sector as a key funding source for their campaigns. > … > According to records compiled by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, the 14 Senate Democrats have raised a total of $1.9 million in campaign dollars since the start of 2007. Out of that sum, public-employee unions and individual government workers contributed at least $344,000. > > In truth, the figure may be even higher, but candidates don’t have to identify the occupations of those giving $100 or less. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/775 "2011-03-01T16:46:27Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > This is ONE state, at the perfect moment in history to have a chance to break the union stranglehold on political power. What’s it like in your world, where the unions control politics, and major corporations are poor helpless waifs who have no political clout? Do unicorns poop candy corn? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/776 "2011-03-01T17:18:56Z")
Sam, you are so old-fashioned and retro, its simply adorable! Your alarmist reaction to the dreadful power of the labor bosses harkens back to another age. When I was a much younger man, studying for admission to the penitentiary, I had a habit of perusing the editorial cartoons, and the Labor Boss was a stock character. Swarthy, vaguely ethnic, ususally with a stubby cigar sticking out of his chops. Not a long, thin, elegant, recently lit cigar that graced the manicured fingers of Mr. Gotrocks, but a nasty, stubby little thing. Big Labor was a stock character in editorial cartoons of the day. Before your time, most likely. Wasn’t always like that, of course. Richard Nixon loved him some Teamsters, boy, howdy, did he love them Teamsters! The union that set the standards for betrayal and corruption snuggled up cheek to jowl with ol’ Tricky Dick. Right about the time they advised my poor ol’ union president granddaddy that he couldn’t quite have that pension he was promised, as it was carefully and securely invested in Las Vegas casinos. So he couldn’t actually have any, but hey! he could watch it _grow!_. From Waco, which is as close to Vegas as he was ever going to get. But I digress. Foolish old man, trying to advance the power of the working man in Texas. Like being a Luterhan in the Vatican. May the Goddess hold him close to Her Bountiful Bosom forever and ever, amen. But you find great peril for the Republic…_our_ Republic, by the way, not yours… great peril in the donations offered by union members. Oddly, you have so little to say about political power by way of donations from the wealthy and privileged. Have you plans to offer to curtail the unwarranted political power of Ernst Stavro Koch? How is it that union donations amount to a “stranglehold” on power, but the flood of money into Republican/TP coffers from the wealthy doesn’t raise an eyebrow? If you want to offer suggestions on how we might break the power of money in our politics, you will find no more receptive audience than myself. Its just that it appears your shock and horror is, well, a bit one-sided. I don’t really mind so much that money talks, **Sam** , I object to it voting. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/777 "2011-03-01T17:21:41Z")
Unions have dropped from about 35 % of the work force to under 7. Their ability to raise money and to impact elections has dropped proportionally. The rightys need bad guys to mobilize against. Like ACORN it does not have to be true. If you can get the public to hate some group with a constant barrage of bad press and lies, it works to mobilize the right. They seem to respond well to boogiemen. The power in politics and economics is in the hands of the corporations and super rich. The right sees this time as a perfect moment to crush unions. I do not see unions crushing the power of corporations. It is all one sided. They have all the power now. If someone thinks killing unions rights will elevate the power and wealth of working Americans they are delusional. Every step to cut wages for some, will cut wages for all workers. The value and respect for workers is being deliberately challenged. For some reason rightys think if workers are completely at the mercy of employers, it will be good for the people. How can they figure that? Unions brought a measure of respect to the worker /boss relationship. It allowed the worker to have some degree of power. Without that, it is all one sided. If you think corporations will provide benefits and high wages because they love and respect their employees, you are ignorant of the history of labor in America. It will go back just like it was in the beginning of the 20th century. Wages and worker rights are at stake. Check your ego. You are not irreplaceable. If you get in a car accident and die, the company will not shut. They will have someone doing your job tomorrow. You have no power . It is more and more in the hands of the powerful. They have shown through history, they never have enough money. If given the ability, companies will gladly abuse their workers to get lower wages and more work out of you. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/778 "2011-03-01T17:43:16Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > And if you think they’re just doing it on principle: [Missing senators rely heavily on union campaign dollars](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/117078618.html) No shit, sherlock. Here, let me lead you down the garden path: **Step 1:** Make it legal for organizations that aren’t people (corporations and unions) to contribute to political campaigns as though they are people. This will, overall, benefit the right more than the left, since corporations generally support the right and unions generally support the left, but the former have more money to throw around. **Step 2:** Destroy the ability of the unions that support Democratic candicates to raise money,\* ensuring that the vast majority of political money that isn’t coming from private citizens is fueled to the right. **Step 3:** Profit. If you’re bothered by the fact that Democratic politicians are having their campaigns financed by unions, you should be pushing for the elimination of any contributions from things that aren’t people. Unfortunately, since that will hurt you much, much more than it will hurt us, I don’t think we’ll see you doing it any time soon. \*Here’s an exercise you can try at home. Look at which unions supported Walker in his bid for Governor. Then look at which unions are excluded from his attempt to strip the majority of their rights and slash their compensation. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/779 "2011-03-01T18:04:58Z")
And then look at how those self-same unions turned their back on their own self-interest to support the people! Hallelujah and hossanah! America! _Fuck_, yeah! ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/780 "2011-03-01T18:10:09Z")
The Capitol building was supposed to be closed and emptied for cleaning over the weekend. Some one hundred police officers entered the building and announced that instead of clearing the building, they were spending the night with the in-house protesters. For some reason, the building was still closed today. As I understand it, people were allowed to leave but not re-enter. A judge has ordered that the building remain open, but there is a rumor the Governor is allowing use of the tunnel system to sneak in tea partiers in an effort to make his position look better for the press. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/781 "2011-03-01T18:15:22Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > And then look at how those self-same unions turned their back on their own self-interest to support the people! Hallelujah and hossanah! America! _Fuck_, yeah! I was rather proud of that, yes. ---
**Author:** ![superslug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@superslug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superslug)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743/782 "2011-03-01T19:28:18Z")
Yeah… But we’re talking about public employee unions, not those that organize against private industry. It’s funny how you keep trying to make that switch in this argument. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/govenor-scott-walker-r-wi/571743.md?page=40)