October 3, 2013

"Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker isn’t having any of it."

Shutdown drama.

The feds leaned on Wisconsin to shut down state parks, including Devil's Lake! Walker said no, and evinced bipartisanship, blame-wise:
"I think blame can go around for everybody," Walker said. "The best way to resolve it? Look at what we did in Wisconsin. We had a $3.6 billion deficit; we now have more than a half-a-billion-dollar surplus. Every Wednesday — I did it this morning, before I came over here — I sit down with the legislative leaders and, you know, we figure out a way to solve the problems that face our state. We have an effective line of communication, and we get things done. I think not just in Wisconsin but in states across the country there's a lot of governors and lawmakers in both parties who wish the folks in Washington in both parties would act more like the states and less like our nation's capital."
Blame Washington. Don't get caught up in the game of shifting all the blame onto one party or another. That's a good position for anyone to take. (It's the way I feel.) It's also the right position for a  governor running for President, and it's especially effective here because it's backed up with specific accomplishments.

Of course, Wisconsin Democrats are outraged that Walker can portray himself as bipartisan, considering the uproar here in 2011, when the Democrats in the state senate fled to Illinois and holed up there for 3 weeks rather than lend their numbers to a quorum for the GOP majority.

21 comments:

Sam L. said...

So, you're saying the WI Dems haven't been able to forget how stupid they were? GOOD!

Anonymous said...

Interesting stance by Walker. I sense a ripple in the force that is Ted Cruz.

Some pundit said Cruz dumped the Republicans in the middle of a busy road and left them there, with no exit stragedy. I thought that sounded about right.

buwaya said...

Wisconsin was never at the point of fiscal disaster that the US is.
Desperate times, desperate measures.

khesanh0802 said...

Civil disobedience will increase. The fishing season and the duck hunting season are open on the Upper Mississippi. I can not believe that the hunters and fishermen I know will stay home because the refuge is "closed".

Farmer said...

Of course, Wisconsin Democrats are outraged that Walker can portray himself as bipartisan, considering the uproar here in 2011, when the Democrats in the state senate fled to Illinois and holed up there for 3 weeks rather than lend their numbers to a quorum for the GOP majority.

They're more likely outraged that Walker can attempt to portray himself as bipartisan considering he rammed ACT 10 through the legislature while refusing to discuss or negotiate with the other side. Which, hilariously enough, is what the House Republicans are crying about re: Obama.

But that's different!

Maybe the GOP should flee to Canada!

Insufficiently Sensitive said...

We need about 56 more Governors with Scott Walker's abilities and resume.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

The Democrats suppose that we Americans are too stupid to notice their cynical manipulation. Never let a crisis go to waste, indeed. Mark Levin is absolutely right. Obama and his Senate cohort keep pushing us closer and closer to the brink. It will be on their heads when the shit hits the fan.

Rocketeer said...

Inga, Republicans' exit strategy is the same one they've had since the sequester battle: Obama's hubris. I'm never one to forget that the Republican Party is the Stupid Party, but for once in my life I'm actually serenely confident that despite their stupidity, the president's fathomless vanity and arrogance will once again eclipse it - he just can't help himself at this point - and give them the Not Loss.

MadisonMan said...

I'm puzzled about the fish/hunt question.

Who in the Federal Govt can arrest people out fishing. How can they do that and simultaneously claim that they are essential? Really? Fishermen are a direct threat to life and property?

Don't make me laugh.

pm317 said...

The hilarious part was on Tuesday I went on as usual my merry way to work which involves driving through Beach Drive -- it is the main conduit for many of us in Chevy Chase, MD to get to DC and the gates were closed at one entrance and I went around that to get back on it further down, not wanting to get on Connecticut Ave. and along the way, I (and others) was stopped by two cop cars blocking the road -- turn your car around -- really stupid. I am glad those cops were put to good use. But Beach Dr. joins Rock Creek Parkway and that end of it was open as I saw traffic flowing into Rock Creek Pkwy from Beach Dr. They have gone nuts and for Obama and his cronies, this thing is not breaking the backs of the citizens fast enough.

$9,000,000,000 Write Off said...

If he doesn't run for president, can you please ask Walker to run for Governor of California? We'd all very much appreciate it, thanks.

kjbe said...

Don't be surprised if the feds go ahead and let Walker pick up on our behalf 100% of the cost of running parks and other programs whose operations are joint state/federal ventures.

Some were quite proud when he turned down the Amtrak expansion funding (but then said he wanted part of it back). To which the feds said, 'forget it: we'll work with partners who keep their end of a bargain.'

Real American said...

I blame everyone, not just "Washington", who thinks its a good idea or appropriate for the federal government to have this much power. If they had less power, they'd be less able to fuck things up.

Moose said...

I have patented the term: "Total Drama Shutdown". Please forward all payments forthwith.

damikesc said...

I can't think of a bigger justification for Libertarianism than this.

Why is the government in the business of doing it all it does?

We'd be best served if we couldn't even notice the government shut down (which, to be honest, none of us can)

Anonymous said...

Federal workers will notice when they don't get their paycheck. Since when are people expected to work with no pay?

damikesc said...

Federal workers are exceptionally overpaid. There is a reason why DC hasn't noticed how terrible the economy has been for years.

Let them share the suffering.

As far as people working without pay, why are we paying people to put up barriers to open-air monuments, anyway?

MadisonMan said...

Federal workers will notice when they don't get their paycheck. Since when are people expected to work with no pay?

You know as well as I that when the Shutdown ends, they'll get paid for the entire time even though they weren't working.

You can argue that they're not working and therefore shouldn't be paid. But why should they suffer because their Boss is an idiot (their boss, in this case, being the Govt).

test said...

MadisonMan said...
But why should they suffer because their Boss is an idiot (their boss, in this case, being the Govt).


Private sector employees lose their jobs because their employer is broke all the time.

Bob Loblaw said...

The only thing I'm sure of is John Boehner will cry before it's all over.

Unknown said...

Too bad Obama couldn't use the advice of Scott Walker to heal a fragmenting nation but then one must realize that divisiveness and discord to realize his(their)agenda was the plan all along.