Gov. Walker and the Cult of Insincerity: Collective Bargaining in Wisconsin

And in another shocking (not really) display of do as I tell you to not as I say, Governor Walker commended the Green Bay school district for passing a contract that handled all of the Governor's concerns without needing a dictate from Madison.

"They've recognized it's much better to have control of your own destiny. It's much better to have a handle on that so they protect jobs, they can prevent massive layoffs and they can ultimately protect the kids," Walker said.                                               Green Bay Press Gazette, March 10, 2011

It is touching and heartwarming for the Governor to recognize that people can actually govern themselves. Isn't that a Conservative plank? Local self-governance, self-determination, no overlords from afar?


How much less fighting screaming and anger would there be if the Governor had simply asked the unions for what he wanted and made it clear what the consequences would be? It would appear that Green Bay was able to figure it. No wonder Green Bay is the only city in the state with a national champion this year. Green Bay people are smarter (obviously, I live in Green Bay!)


According to the article in the Green Bay Press Gazette today, the contract "suspends" collective bargaining rights for the two year term of the contract. Suspension rather than outright elimination would seem to be an excellent way to solve what is in truth a temporary problem, the budget deficit.



Governor Walker is using his (temporary) power in Madison to permanently strip collective bargaining away from public sector employees. Meanwhile, there is very little serious evidence that the "benefits" that unionized public employees get have anything to do with the deficit in Wisconsin.

All of this is more perplexing since there was no deficit (according to the Legislative fiscal Bureau) until after Governor Walker extended tax cuts to businesses in his first few weeks.

Collective bargaining is not technically a right, but it is a privilege that workers spent years earning. Some people lost their lives to create unions and earn those rights.  Governor Walker, one of those dreaded 'career politicians', has never actually held a significant job since dropping out of Marquette University.

I agree with Governor Walker, people should control their own destinies. Madison, Washington, no one should decide the fate of the people of Wisconsin but the people of  Wisconsin.