Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker has been something of a controversial figure since February 2011. At the time, he proposed a budget repair bill in February of 2011 requiring state and local government workers to contribute more to pension and health care plans. And the bill would eliminate most collective bargaining rights for workers.
A whole lot has happened since, and an effort to recall him began in November.
Politico's Mike Allen joined us this morning to discuss the status of that recall and what it's done for Walker's status among the GOP.
"[There's] every indication he’s going to win big over the Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett," Allen said.
Walker has raised $13M in over just three months this year.
"Is that breaking news that he’s going to win big? Does it look like he’s going to pull this one out?," Joe Scarborough asked.
Allen responded:
He is, and as a result of that all around the country he’s become a big applause line at Republican gatherings. Just this cycle, the governor has raised $25M from around the country, including from some of the country’s biggest Republican donors. So, the left, labor Democrats, which planned to embarrass him instead have made him a big national figure with a very bright future.
What could this do for Mitt Romney's campaign in Wisconsin? The latest polling has President Obama leading Mitt Romney, but Allen thinks that may change.
"The effect of this is to make Wisconsin look better for Mitt Romney," Allen said.
Leave a Comment:
Love it. Go Gov Walker! - From your friends in Georgia
All two of you.
more like the 660,000 that voted for him in the primary perhaps? Walker supporters came out in droves and they voted for him in the primary... lol... more voted than Barrett, Falk and the other union puppet got combined.
Sorry libby... Walker is the true "progressive" and fighting the war to take the power out of special interest unions sucking the taxpayer dry.
He should not be recalled.He should be HUNG.
typical liberal.... full of hate and violence. What you going to do when the union pawn Barrett loses? Riot?
After the 8 years with the criminal regime of bush/cheney, how is it possible anyone would want to have a repub/tparty in the WHouse. After the two years with the repub/tparty in Congress that have continually voted against programs that would put Americans back to work, how is it possible anyone would want to have more of the same with a repub/tparty. What happened to "We Shall Never Forget."
Walker is anti-working people, anti-women, anti-education. What is good for Americans is not on the agenda of the repub/tparty that are working only for the money laden. WE need Democratics to give back to us what we've worked for all these years - a strong U.S. Walker will be RECALLED, then indicted for his misdeeds. Never has he been able to be honest with WI, he is a bought and paid flunky. Vote Democratic for equality, for a chance at a level playing field.
Leftist liberal tripe!Union's have NO power and once Gov. Walker gets thru with this waste of taxpayer time and money AND is reelected, all you thugs can hip-hop yourselves right back under the rock from whence you came. Don't worry though, you'll have plenty of company especially come November when we de-ghettoize the Whitehouse and take back the country from you bunch of bottom feeders. Have a nice day. God Bless America.
Nov can't come soon enough... get rid of the worst president ever... and hopefully the commie lunatics will go quietly back to their rocks. ..
Accept defeat gracefully libs.. The Dem party will have to do a thorough cleaning if it ever wants to hold its face in public again.
Please Explain how he is anti-working, anti-women or anti-education. Please tell me what Tom barrett has done to excite anyone. He is a do nothing Mayor who dumped Millions of gallons of fecal matter into Lake Michigan. Has had unemployment go up 28% during his term in office, and has the highest Black Male unemployment rate in THE COUNTRY. So tell me how Walker is any of those things you mentioned. I'd love to hear it!
I don't even like Walker, but his policy decisions have greatly strengthened Wisconsin. Why is not fair that corrupt public employee unions sucking the state dry and into bankruptcy, be required to pay "their fair share" Duh... Frankly, all public sector employee's should be paid no more and receive no more benefits than the average middle class family... Period... Why would a public sector employee need paid the same as a physician, just to sit around and do nothing? This is common sense, and is one of the top 10 subjects of why this country is failing... Shame on you fabian/progressive wannabe democrats... A true democrat is conservative, it's shame it's been infiltrated by those who are as anti American as Stalin, who desire to strip this country of every single tenant of what it was built upon...
Really. Perhaps that "average middle class family" actually has one of those evil "public sector employees" you're you've made out to be so corrupt - you know, those overpaid do-nothings that just sit around all day and drink coffee? Like social workers who need master's degrees to get jobs that max out $30,000. Or maybe you want to strip every benefit away from your kid's teachers - heck, they should just be happy to have a job, right? You could do a better job teaching *whatever* subject, probably more efficiently, and you'll move up that salary ladder year by year with no problem. Most educators have at least one other job anyway to make ends meet, so your "real" job should serve that purpose. And since you're doing away with the union, you'll have that much more time to devote to the school! (as the administration will want more of your time since there is no more union ...)
hey chiefy, my dad's a city employee and pulls down about $125,000.... Granted, he's been there for 35 years, but that's insanity... you were saying??? Learn a bit of actuality before you write fallacy.
And fyi, in the state of Wisconsin, the average full time teacher earns between $70,000 - $115,000 annually, not including about $30,000 in annual benefits.
CEOs make 50 million.
gobig... is that taxpayer money? NOOO... it's good to have a balanced budget..etc.. even Barret used ACT 10 to improve his school districts finances. Not to mention teachers have more money in their pocket when they were finally allowed to get out of over priced WEAC run by the unions. Estimated savings from that alone over a Bilion $$$.
Walker is working for everyone... but because he has a R next to his name.. libs are in full hate mode.
I doubt very much that your figures are accurate. I can't say for sure, but I live in Ohio and my husband taught at public school for 35 years and his top salary was $60,000, and that is with a masters degee. I don't know of any teacher in Ohio that makes anything close to $75,000. Administrators make that, but they don't belong to the teachers union. and as far as your $30,000 in benifits, REALLY!! I don't know where you get your facts from, but you should do more research. And someone wondered why teachers, nurses, social workers etc... should get paid more than just common workers? they have to have college degrees. Most of them by their 5th year have to have masters degree. And I don't know of any teacher getting the same pay as a physician. don't you realize this is how important good teachers are? And you think they should get paid the same as people without a college degree? How sad that these are the people the republicans are going after, and . so many people are falling for it. With what our gov. here in Ohio is doing to education we will be lucky to be at the bottom. But I guess this is what all peb. gov. are trying to do, they want to privatize education. They want to privatize everything. Our gov. has sold off almost everything. He was a businessman, same as Mitt romney. They don't care about people, it's all about the corporation.
Lovely reply.
Pretty good pay and benefits for working 9 months out of the year.. lots of good benefits too... so what is your complaint? That's how much a teacher's work is worth.. masters.. oh spare me. It isn't equivalent to a doctor..
Sounds like you think entitlement to power over taxpayers is somehow based on a degree?
Down with union power over our representatives... it's not all about you.
Here's the bottom line about conservatives, including Scott Walker and friends: their agenda is so self-serving and bigoted that they don't dare actually say it out loud. That is why they always have to resort to making up facts and weaving a web of misdirection that forces them to contradict themselves. Their true love is money and power. This idolatry makes it impossible for them to understand the terms compassion, empathy and democracy. So, they are only capable of hating and twisting the meaning of democracy to include only people like themselves; which isn't democracy. We live in a world of constant, unending battles between good and evil. Conservatives, the good side is where compassion and emphathy thrive. I'm sorry you can't experience it. I don't understand why more people don't see this and, therefore, vote against evil.
And public unions need power over other workers' money because...? They feel entitled to it?
Hey Wisconson! The koch brothers want your utilities cheap and tax breaks from Walker!
They paid for them and Walker will give them exactly what they want. Wake up Walker has screwed you. Why are you so stupid? your state is being run by 2 evil billionaires with the help of Walker. God help you!!
Are you drinking grape or strawberry Kool-Aid today? How miserable you must be. Seeing all your Leftist shills and minons falling by the wayside. Come June 5th you will see that Gov. Walker will crush old "Lazy-Eye".
At end of day votes will count and if Walker prevails then the voters who took the time to vote will have spoken and all of us who claim to know what people in Wisconsin will have to accept this basic fact!
What is the point of public unions? someone please explain to me. I don't understand why anyone would believe that Federal/State/Local Governments would abuse workers. After all, most worker regulations are created and enforced by the statehouse . Governenment employees have better benefits than their private counterparts (I don't want to talk salary). My taxes are going to go up to take care of pension obligations that public unions have fought for. politicians made unreasonable promises that I'm going to have to pay for now people didn't pay attention to public union negotiations. The teachers in my state are some of the best compensated on average in the country. Because the County Commissioner wants to prevent salary increases for two years, all teachers are working to rule which hurts education.it is hard in the private sector and it appears to me that public unions just don't care and they are going to fight for every inch even if the cuts are right.I really want to know: Why do we need public sector Unions?