Know Your Governor

October 18, 2014, By D.E Johnson

• Scott Walker declined Medicaid funds, leading to a loss of over $206 million to the state of Wisconsin. This is federal money that originally came from Wisconsin through Medicaid taxes. Wisconsin Medicaid is now short $760 million. In addition, his cuts to BadgerCare have eliminated the health care coverage of over 17,000 Wisconsinites and he turned down an additional $1080 per year for individuals on food stamps for a mere $20 fee.

• Scott Walker’s tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations will cost the state $2.4 billion over the next 10 years. Tax breaks for non-rich average $15. He has used creative budget manipulation in order to declare a deficit-free state, but the truth is Wisconsin now faces a $3 billion structural deficit in the next budget cycle.

• Walker killed more than 15,000 jobs when he rejected $810 million in federal funds for a passenger rail system between Milwaukee and Madison and eliminated Wisconsin from a nationwide passenger rail system. Talgo, the project’s train car manufacturing company, left Wisconsin and is now suing the state for breach of contract.

• Scott Walker has led Wisconsin to last place out of 10 midwestern states in creating new jobs and 37th place in the USA’s private sector job growth. He is 150,000 jobs short of his promise to create 250,000 new jobs.

• Scott Walker is aligned with the extremist American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) which writes laws that promote far right-wing causes and advocates for the elimination of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public education and most other programs that benefit the average citizen. ALEC is funded by the Koch Bros. and other multi-billionaires.

• Walker advocates privatizing public education by creating more voucher and private charter schools which would cost WI taxpayers $1.9 billion and further stress public education. Private school vouchers pay the tuition for the wealthy and generate massive profits for the education based corporations of Walker’s sponsors.

• Scott Walker eliminated the collective bargaining rights of 175,000 public employees. He cut over $1.6 billion (the most in the country) from education resulting in rural area school closings, lowering per-pupil funds, reduced class offerings and the loss of thousands of teachers. This led to massive protests in 2011. The majority of teachers are women.

• Walker’s lack of support for women’s issues has added to the burden of women seeking legal medical procedures. He has refused to support equal pay for equal work and is against raising the minimum wage. In addition, Walker supports conservative judges, gerrymandering, and questionable ID laws in order to prevent upwards of 300,000 Democratic-leaning students, senior citizens, working women, and minorities from voting.

• Walker’s campaign receives financial aid from the Wisconsin Club for Growth which, in turn, received a $700,000 “contribution” from Gogebic Taconite Mining, a Florida-based company owned by billionaire coal miner Chris Cline. Shortly thereafter, a law loosening mining environmental regulations was pushed through in order for GTAC to develop a gigantic open-pit mine in the Penokee Hills. The mine would rip open the landscape for miles and contaminate pristine rivers and wetlands and, in addition, would produce only a handful of Wisconsin jobs.

• Scott Walker, as head of Milwaukee County, allowed his staff to run illegal campaign activities. Many are now enjoying a lengthy stay in prison. A John Doe probe is looking into similar Walker campaign illegalities during the recent recall election. Walker has created a huge personal defense fund comprised of money taken from his campaign and huge donations from his out-of-state billionaire sponsors such as the Koch Brothers.

• Walker is selling off state land and power plants at bargain basement prices with no-bid contracts. This will lead to the privatization of public interests and higher utility prices for many Wisconsin citizens. Walker has also proposed lifting the state’s moratorium on building nuclear plants in order to “to encourage this clean energy option.”

• Scott Walker is considering a presidential campaign and, if re-elected, has said he plans on serving four years, but he has not pledged to serve a full term.

Photo by Erica Case

Verifiable facts researched, fact-checked, and prepared by D.E. Johnson, a concerned Wisconsin Citizen for Truth.

[Editor’s note. An exhibit containing the text reproduced here is on display on the 1st floor rotunda of the Wisconsin State Capitol through the November 4th election.]