With a dizzying 17 clowns now in the race car for the Republican presidential nomination—and with the first debate only a week away—it seems like a good time to take an in-depth look at the top-ten candidates and their current stands on the issues. This is a just-the-facts review. Today...Scott Walker.
The current governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker is a hard-core Republican who’s been involved with state politics for more than 22 years. He is a minister’s son and a born-again evangelical.
Walker rose to national prominence because of his controversial efforts to reform Wisconsin laws affecting public unions’ collective bargaining rights. That battle led to a recall election, which he won, and he was subsequently elected to a second term in 2014. He is credited with disempowering Wisconsin's public unions and making it a right-to-work state.
Walker’s candidacy has been somewhat controversial, in part, because he lacks a college degree (he left Marquette University with 94 credits and senior status, but he still needs about a year's worth of additional studies to graduate). Politifact quotes him as saying, "Certainly I wanted an education for more than just a job, but my primary purpose was to get a job."
Walker announced his candidacy on Twitter. For Republican primary voters, he has the kind of accomplishments that matter. As such, he probably deserves to be seen as a likely nominee. It’s worth noting, however, that the extreme right wing opposes Walker for his flip-flopping and for being too soft on the right’s pet issues.
Claims to fame
“Busted” public-sector unions’ collective bargaining rights for everything except wages, and made Wisconsin a right-to-work state.
Says his reforms led to 8,400 new jobs in Wisconsin; actual net was 300 jobs due to 8,100 public-sector jobs being cut.
Cut taxes by about 4.4% per person by cutting spending elsewhere, especially in education.
Overall performance
• Closed most recent two-year budget cycle with a small surplus.
• Defunded Planned Parenthood.
• Rejected ACA funds to expand state’s Medicaid coverage.
• Cut funding to state universities and colleges by $300 million.
• Signed a bill sharply limiting abortion clinics in the state and requiring ultrasounds for any woman seeking an abortion.
Strongly opposes—
Expansion of Obamacare
Higher taxes on the wealthy
Green energy as a priority
Opposes—
A woman’s right to choose
Same-sex unions
Privatizing Social Security
A minimum wage
Any nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran
A pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants
Strongly favors—
A Personhood Amendment prohibiting all abortions
Absolute right to gun ownership
Stricter punishments to reduce crime
Expansion of the military
Foreign entanglements (e.g., fighting ISIS with ground troops)
School vouchers to allow choice; repeal of Common Core
Voter ID laws
A market-led recovery versus a stimulus
Cutbacks in government welfare programs
Limits on union organizing; increased right-to-work laws
Favors—
Keeping God in the public sphere
Reducing EPA restrictions
Including concealed carry in the right to bear arms
Expanding free trade
Enacting legal requirements for hiring women and minorities
Believes—
Marijuana is a gateway drug.
Memorable quote
When asked during a conference at Britain’s most prominent think tank if he was comfortable with the idea of evolution and if he believes in it, Walker replied, "I'm going to punt on that one." Later that day, having had time to consider the question, Walker said, "Both science and my faith dictate my belief that we are created by God….I believe faith and science are compatible and go hand in hand."
What to watch for
Expect a fair amount of shape-shifting from Walker as he tries to gain the far-right’s support, especially on immigration. In early March 2015, for example, he supported an eventual path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. By the end of the month, however, he was saying, “If someone wants citizenship, they should go to their country of origin.”
Also, expect much grasping by Walker to boost his foreign policy credibility. He already tried to do that at February’s Conservative Political Action Conference, where he touted his toughness in the face of Wisconsin’s union protestors: “We need a leader with that kind of confidence. If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world."
Related reading: "Ted Cruz: A just-the-facts, pre-debate look at his stands on the issues"
Sources: On The Issues.org, Politifact, PBS, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Slate.com, Journal Sentinel