Posted on 01/25/2012 6:21:58 PM PST by bigbob
Months away from an expected recall election, Gov. Scott Walker declared Wednesday night that "we kept our promises” and explained why he believes the state's economy is improving.
Walker’s 3,700-word speech offered no new spending initiatives or programs. He called on lawmakers to pass legislation now pending that would make it easier to build an iron ore mine in northern Wisconsin, touched on his initiative to ensure Wisconsin students can read by the third grade, and revisited his Wisconsin Working agenda.
But he spent the bulk of the speech reminding listeners of what he’s accomplished in his first term, argued that his reforms are working and made the case that Wisconsin’s business climate has improved dramatically.
“We are turning things around. We are heading in the right direction,” Walker said.
Ahead of the speech, Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, released some of his planned comments from tonight's Dem response that he will deliver along with Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, D-Monona.
Barca will say Wisconsin is among the tops in the country for cuts in state aid to public education and the university system while it is the only state in the country to lose jobs the last six months straight while the nation as a whole has added jobs.
"Our state, previously recognized nationally as a leader in public education, healthcare and good government, is now polarized and broken," Barca will say, according to his office.
Walker touted an unemployment rate that is lower than when he took office, a new confidence among employers that the state’s business climate has improved and a what he said was a better situation in Wisconsin than other states that chose to balance their budgets through tax hikes and other measures. At 7.5 percent in January 2011, the state's seasonally adjusted rate was 7.1 percent in December.
Walker announced a new charge for the Small Business Regulatory Review Board, which has the authority to review rules promulgated by state agencies, promising it would cut red tape for businesses. He also announced plans to create the Waste, Fraud and Abuse Elimination Taskforce to follow through with implementation of the $400 million in savings suggested by a task force he created last year.
“Because I respect the hard working people of Wisconsin, I will continue to be a good steward of the taxpayers' dollar,” Walker said. “Eliminating waste, fraud and abuse is a top priority of my administration.”
After one of the most polarizing political years in state history, Walker also made several calls for bipartisanship.
He reminded those in the chamber that Dems and Republicans joined together to pass what he called the most aggressive pro-jobs legislation in the country “because these aren't Republican or Democrat jobs, they're Wisconsin jobs.”
He also sent well wishes to Dem Rep. Tamara Grigsby of Milwaukee, who is battling cancer.
Walker told the chamber he learned a valuable lesson while serving in the Assembly: don’t personalize your differences. The guv said people he has met while traveling the state reflect a simple concept of respect for their fellow citizen despite their differences and their care for the well-being of their neighbors.
“Moving forward I believe that spirit of Wisconsin will help us improve the state of our economy, the state of our budget, the state of our schools and -- ultimately, the spirit of Wisconsin will help us all improve the lives of each and every citizen in our great state,” Walker said as he wrapped up his speech. “Now is the time for action. Now is the time to get our state working again. Now is the time to move Wisconsin forward.”
Protesters interrupted the speech four times, but Walker continued undeterred each time. After calling himself a good steward of public dollars, one member of the audience screamed, “Liar. Recall Walker!” But the gallery, largely filled by invited guests, and lawmakers began to cheer loudly and drowned out any further remarks. Another protester yelled out after Walker thanked public servants for their work and another after Walker spoke about respect for fellow citizens despite their differences. Walker only spoke louder and repeated the line, “respect for your fellow citizens.”
Walker asked three things of the public: For small business owners to consider hiring at least one more person this year, for the public to offer its input on eliminating waste and fraud in state government, and for listeners to become a reading mentor to improve educational opportunities for the state’s children.
Likewise, Walker kept to three main themes -- how to help the private sector create more jobs, keeping a balanced budget and improving the education of Wisconsin students by working together.
Walker said he lived up to his promise not to raise taxes as he solved a $3.6 billion budget deficit last year, saying it was particularly important to do that in tough economic times. He also noted the state added some $1.2 billion in state tax dollars to Medicaid and said reforms he implemented allowed the state to expand Familycare, a long-term care program for seniors.
Walker also noted the school property tax levy went down by $47 million after averaging an annual increase of $220 million in the five previous years.
"We kept our promises," Walker said.
Of course, the moonbats just had to try to disrupt...
My governor is one of the best ever!
Maybe next time for president.
I watched the governor’s speech on public TV. Great speech. An occasion idiot yelling in the balcony but there are a lot of them on the liberal side in Wisconsin.
second only to Mitch Daniels of Indiana....two peas in a pod really both are effective in returning the government to the people from the asinine state unions.
There are a few small minds with big voices in this state aren’t there?
Agreed.
Maybe next time for Mitch and Scott.
Wisconsin State of the State Ping
If you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list, just FReep Mail me.
I'm a state employee, and I can tell you, we had NO delusions that it would be "business as usual" with a Republican administration. And a FEW of us are delighted!
It was a great speech - and the looney left was out in full force showing their true colors.
Governor Walker kept talking over them, and everyone on the right of the aisle stood and applauded when the four various cat-callers were escorted out! (12 seats were up for grabs for the public. As usual, our Capitol Police didn’t bother to vet anyone, or are guilty themselves of planting protestors. Asshats.)
Secondly, the Dems in attendance ATE while the Governor was speaking, rolled their eyes, never stood at appropriate times and didn’t even clap when he was praising a Democrat!
Again, True Colors shining through! I want them ALL fired - and they’re doing a great job justifying it to anyone paying the least bit of attention...
Correction: FIVE of the 12 were escorted out!
Walker will defeat the recall effort comfortably..assuming that there is one..as it appears that there are so many fraudulent signatures that they may not even get on the ballot.
Wisconsin's economy will revive...WSalker will win re-election comfortably.
Assuming that the GOP manages to once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and lose the WH this year, Walker will emerge as one of the leading candidates for the 2016 nomination..
I'm a state employee, and I can tell you, we had NO delusions that it would be "business as usual" with a Republican administration. And a FEW of us are delighted!
A good rebuttal and I am sure that there are many more but this lie is the lie I am encountering out there. People of all different backgrounds say that what Walker has done may be beneficial but he played dirty politics and therefore is not to be trusted. This lie is meant to reach even and maybe especially Conservatives. It is meant to give Walker a black eye and cause people to distrust him and therefore not be motivated to back him and maybe not even to vote for him if they otherwise would.
Yes, this is the lie like a dirty slime that has covered Wisconsin and it is this lie that needs to be directly, positively and unequivocally destroyed as it has been demoralizing the ranks of even Conservatives. The other side knows how to target people and diminish them through lies. At this they are experts. We must be experts at at countering them.
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