Scott Walker Embarrasses Labor Unions…Again

Townhall.com ^ | November 7, 2014 | Matt Vespa

[jazusamo]

Politically, are labor unions finished? It appears that might be the case. Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker once again humiliated organized labor with his comfortable re-election last Tuesday. While polls showed a close race, Walker beat his Democratic opponent, Mary Burke, by a 6-point margin 52/46.

Labor unions had put Walker in the cross hairs ever since his 2010 gubernatorial victory, failed to oust him in the 2012 recall (Walker received more votes in this election than in the 2010 race), and came up short again in this contest.

Walker is now a definite 2016 contender, with a reputation of being unbeatable given the political environment that he presides in, but what do labor union attribute to their serial failure to get rid of this guy; it’s the Koch brothers (via Politico):

What the labor movement now has to ask itself is: How could it lose three times — in 2010, a 2012 recall vote and now in Walker’s 2014 re-election — to the nation’s most blatantly anti-union governor? How especially in Wisconsin, cradle of the early 20th-century Progressive movement and birthplace of public-sector unionism? If not here, where?

Much of the answer, as Trumka’s statement suggests, is that labor simply can’t match the financial resources available to Walker through the Koch family and other pro-business allies. But another part of the answer is surely labor’s inability to break free of a decades-long steep decline that prompts many of its natural allies to judge it politically irrelevant.

…

Of six anti-labor governors the AFL-CIO targeted for defeat earlier this year, Walker occupied pride of place. “It’s not been tough for us to get volunteers in Wisconsin,” Trumka boasted late last month on MSNBC. “He’s sort of like the poster child of that across the country.”

Walker was labor’s public enemy No. 1 practically from the moment he was elected. He stunned public employee unions a month after the election when he said that weakening them was essential to bringing state spending under control. He was looking, he said, at anything from outright decertification to various “modifications of the current laws in place.”

Then again, Trumka also predicted Alison Lundergan Grimes would beat Mitch McConnell. That race ended up being a blowout, where Grimes was slaughtered by the soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader 56/41.

So, it’s probably not prudent to look into Trumka’s crystal ball when it comes to elections.

Also, the Koch brothers, again; yes, Americans for Prosperity was projected to spend at least $125 million on the 2014 midterms, but one donor alone–Tom Steyer–blew $73 million on progressive candidates.

And, when you go the OpenSecrets, there are a lot of labor unions on the top donor lists for527 groups and organizations.

Also, when you have a candidate who runs on her corporate bona fides only for the electorate to discover that she was reportedly fired by her own family for incompetence, that’s not dark money’s fault; that’s just bad candidate vetting.

[pierrem15]

I hope that means it won’t be available in 2016.

[lquist1]

“Walker-Martinez”

I definitely go for the top of that ticket. In fact, I think Walker is the obvious candidate (and the only candidate I know of out there) that every wing of the party can enthusiastically get behind. All these positives in a candidate don’t come along too often.

However, I’m not sure about Martinez. I’ve heard she’s kind of a RINO on several issues. Can anyone shed some more light on her positions? I do not want to pick a candidate based solely on gender and minority status. However, if we were to go that route, there’s Haley in SC or Jindal in LA who are both solid conservatives.

[jazusamo]

Really, in the history of Unions, has anyone been more effective than Walker at crushing their dreams?

I don't believe so, at least in my lifetime. We need many more leaders like him!

[mwl8787]

There is going to be incredible pressure put on American women, regardless of age, marital status, religion, or ideology, to vote for Hillary to become the first female president. Therefore the GOP needs a female vp nominee. Nikki Haley is fine but we don’t need her. Martinez is Hispanic and from a toss up state. Former prosecutor and solid governor.

[MV=PY]

Well, Reagan did take care of the air traffic controllers...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

It's useful to note Koch has been doing business in Wisconsin since the 1970s or earlier. They just didn't arrive on Walker's behalf.

[jazusamo]

Worth noting, thanks.

Needless to say there’s there’s no love lost between Koch and the thug unions.

[erkelly]

Trust me on this, republican women are not going to feel the slightest bit of pressure to vote for Hillary; in fact, we will do our best to talk women who are inclined to vote for Hillary out of it. Don't think so little of us, please.

[kearnyirish2]

Chris Christie is in the same position here in NJ in terms of the public employees’ unions. Taxpayers are being bled to death by them, they are constantly attacking Christie for shining a spotlight on their compensation/benefits, and he remains popular despite their slings and arrows.

Our government worker class is now our upper-middle class, and any challenge to that is met with entitlement drivel. When the Asbury Park Press released the salaries of all of NJ’s public school teachers years ago, it ended the debate about “underpaid” teachers; Christie won his first election, and those employees circled the wagons and hunkered down. They are now an incestuous bunch, marrying within the the government employee ranks and completely out of touch with the taxpayers who pay them.

[trebb]

That thug Trumka has to be ticked off enough he could chew nails, his thugs didn't come through for him.

Yep - he's pissed that it isn't the good old days when they could go around breaking heads without consequences. It really put a crimp in the style if this dinosaur of an organization.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Walker repels unionista barrage again.

FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Scotty Walker should take the James Cagney role in “Public Enemy”, where he sits in his P.J.s at the breakfast table, and after an argument, James pushes a grapefruit right into Mae Clarke’s face. Trumka can sit for the Mae Clarke role, albeit with some heavy pancake makeup.

That is just not in Scott Walker's character. This is a man whose first words upon mounting the podium at his Victory rally were, "Thank God. No, I really mean it. Thank God for his abundant grace..."

[lee martell]

Scott Walker is the son of a minister, and it shows in his calm demeanor. I cannot imagine facing people who openly plotted for my ruin, let alone working with them on a regular basis. No shrinking violet, throughout these battles, Scott remains steadfast, stubborn and determined to prevail, and prevail he has.

Scotty shows you can be tough without always rolling in the dirt with the pigs, the way a certain Governor of New Jersey has been known to do at the drop of a hat. Walker is the right man for Wisconsin at this time, and I think the right man to be our next President.

[Mygirlsmom]

Wisconsin thanks the unions and lib activist groups for the injection of millions of dollars into our local economy.

It should help make the "Wisconsin Comeback" all that more robust. Walker wins again.

[afraidfortherepublic]

LOVE Scott Walker.

[uncitizen]

Buh bye unions
Buh bye CNN
buh bye war on women
Buh bye NYT
buh bye race card.......ok maybe this one is still a bit premature.

[jazusamo]

Double Bump!