I'm surprised that he could say these words without choking:
Governor Scott Walker statement for Employee Recognition Day from Governor Scott Walker on Vimeo.
While the words did come out of his mouth, there were obvious smirks throughout the video as if he was saying "Yeah, I'm the guy that screwed you and I'll keep on screwing you. I'm just saying these things for the low information Wisconsin peasants so they'll keep thinking I'm a good guy".
Comments were disabled under the Vimeo video likely because the You Tube version (I can't find that now) were bombed with snide comments, a dozen "likes" and hundreds of dislikes.
There's no official transcript, so I've created one for those who can't "enjoy" the video (or can't stomach the idea of watching it):
Hi, Scott Walker here.
Thank you for the good work you do for the State of Wisconsin.
Through the years I've met some amazing people who do incredible jobs for our State Government.
From the law enforcement professionals who keep us safe to the staff who help us place more people with disabilities into the workplace in our communities. From the team who made state government spending transparent and online to the pros who ensure that families have access to health care. From the crews who build and maintain our transportation infrastructure to those who work to manage our natural resources. From those who help licensed professionals to those who promote economic development and housing and agriculture and tourism. From those who take care of our veterans to those who continue to serve today in our Wisconsin National Guard.
To all of our state employees we say thank you. We appreciate your hard work.
Of course, commentary on the Vimeo video have been disabled. You didn't really expect Walker or his cronies to want comments, did you?
After watching that video I feel like I've been slimed by a con artist.
THIS is what Scott Walker really thinks about public employees (from his reading for the audio version of his book):
Yes, this is the same Scott Walker who, after he was elected in 2010, insisted that the State Legislature not approve the new contract for state employees so that he could "negotiate" a new contract with them himself. They didn't approve the contract and, instead of negotiating a new contract, Walker "dropped the bomb" on ALL public employees in the state except for the unions that endorsed him (wow, what a coincidence!).
He decried public employees as overpaid, lazy, worthless moochers living large on the taxpayers dime and declared outrage over their benefits and pensions. He conveniently ignored the fact that workers had given up pay increases over decades to keep those benefits.
It didn't matter. He insisted that every public employee have their paychecks withheld 12% for their health insurance and 6% for their pensions. For those public workers like nurses whose pay had already sunk below private sector wages, the loss of even more of their paycheck was the last straw. For everyone, the loss of so much of their take home pay was devastating.
The statewide economic loss (multiply the lower paychecks times thousands of workers throughout the state) has been felt ever since as belts already tight, were tightened even more. Wisconsin, a state that didn't experience much of the severity of the 2008 economic crash, was now losing jobs and business at a record pace due to the loss of spending by public workers.
Unions gone, protections for students, patients, the public, employee working conditions, workplace health and safety, and other non-economic contract provisions disappeared with the unions. Those matters, after all, were inside union contracts.
Even worse was the fact that Walker didn't stop there. He ensured that local governments would be forced to strip wages from their workers by slashing state shared revenues and prohibiting local governments from raising property taxes to make up the budgetary deficits caused by the lack of revenue.
They were forced to lay off workers and overwork the employees that remained to keep public services at an acceptable level. They crammed students into already overfull classrooms so they would need less teachers. They cut art and music and sports. They understaffed every area.
Walker kept on proclaiming his big success in holding taxes down knowing he'll leave the mess he's created for his successor to clean up. That's the way he ran Milwaukee County.
Scott Walker doesn't appreciate state workers. He DOES appreciate that he screwed public workers and not only got away with it, but made himself into a Republican Rock Star and future Presidential candidate.
Scott Walker is in it for what he can get for himself. The fact that he can hurt a lot of people in the process is just part of the fun he can have.
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PS: It was Nurse Appreciation Day on the 8th. Naturally, Walker issued a proclamation as though he cares.
The nurses of today are leaders in health care, and are often the first line of defense in life-saving situations. As primary care evolves, nurses are using their diverse skills, training, and unique abilities to improve the lives of their patients, and I would like to recognize the commitment and efforts of the invaluable members in this ever-changing profession. With more than 94,000 nurses in the state, we are lucky to have such caring individuals looking over us when we need them, even working nights, weekends, and holidays. Thank you, to all of those who champion the good health of our state.
As a nurse who used to work for that clown while he was Milwaukee County Executive, I can tell you that he treats nurses like scum (and it really shouldn't be a big surprise to him that nurses work nights, weekends and holidays). We also worked mandatory overtime, had more work to do than 1 person could possibly accomplish, and put up with more crap and draconian working conditions than anyone can imagine under his "leadership".
Good think he didn't make a smirking video of that statement. I'd have a broken computer from throwing things at the screen.
What a jerk.
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For additional sarcasm, read the editorial here.
Let me tantalize you with this:
This is the moral equivalent of beating up your wife and then taking her out to dinner to make up for it," another wrote.
"If this is supposed to be a peace pipe type situation, I wonder what he is smoking," someone opined.
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And even more fun here.