Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI)
Scott Walker is (unofficially so far) running for president on the basis of the budget miracles he has supposedly wrought as governor of Wisconsin. But it increasingly looks like his only miracle is union-busting—a winner on the far right, to be sure, but not really something that stands on its own. Busting unions was supposed to be Walker's answer to
Wisconsin's budget problems, but:
The promised revenues from Walker’s previous budget moves have not fully materialized, leading Walker and GOP lawmakers to propose another round of reductions — including cuts in funding for public schools, the university system, health-care programs and a slew of other programs. The Republican-controlled legislature says it won’t be raising taxes no matter what, though it might increase fees for registering a car or visiting a state park. [...]
GOP lawmakers have reversed many of Walker’s cuts, ranging from funding for the removal of roadkill from the side of highways to money for groups that interview children who have been sexually abused.
Meanwhile, Democrats are hitting Walker for wanting to offer
$220 million in bonds for a new basketball arena while simultaneously cutting $300 million from public higher education. And Wisconsin's
middle class is shrinking faster than that of any other state and
job growth continues to suck. Now that he's been in office for more than a full term during which he's had his way with the budget, Walker may have trouble passing the buck on his failures. And he'll have no shortage of opponents to point that out during the course of a presidential election.