Political Irony

Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is a conservative hero. He famously cut government, took away worker protections, and cemented his conservative bonafides by supporting government-mandated ultrasounds before abortions. He is big business’ BFF.

There’s just one problem. His policies have all but wrecked the economy of his state. In a federal ranking of economic outlook, Wisconsin is now 49th, and is one of only 5 states to show negative growth. Since he took office, the state has gone from 11th to 44th in job creation. Wages in the state are declining at twice the national rate.

But Walker just doubles down. His new budget offers a tax cut that mainly benefits the rich, and proposes closing more public schools and instead using the money for school vouchers. He’s also reducing the number of people with health insurance, kicking 87,000 people off the state’s Badgercare program, and rejecting the expansion of Medicaid. In other words, his solution is more austerity.

Which worked so well in Greece. Walker promised his policies would create 250,000 jobs. But that just ain’t happening.

Ironically, his failures aren’t preventing him from being considered a frontrunner for the GOP nomination for the presidency in 2016.

I think a better use of him would be as a poster child for what happens when (neo-) conservatives get their way.