Walker rising, Barrett falling, Unions crying

Walker rising, Barrett falling, Unions crying

Saturday evening the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published a sweeping endorsement of Governor Walker in the upcoming Wisconsin recall election. The news was a stunning endorsement for Walker, who faces democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in June, given that the newspaper has been known to have a liberal bent.

In their endorsement, the MJ Sentinel not only defended Walker’s political decisions (they dismiss that Walker’s policies are killing job growth) but also suggest that a more appropriate read is that either that Walker overpromised or that “the political turmoil in the state is inhibiting job creation.”

Acknowledging that his worst flaw may have been his “in-your-face style at the start,” the newspaper goes on to credit Walker for reflecting that, in this respect, he knows he could have done better.

Moreover, they suggest that they’re not buying Walker’s union opponents’ claim that this was a one-issue recall:

Walker’s rematch with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was prompted by one issue: Walker’s tough stance with the state’s public-employee unions. It’s inconceivable that the recall election would be occurring absent that. And a disagreement over a single policy is simply not enough to justify a vote against the governor.

The endorsement admonishes Mayor Barrett, calling him “tentative and slow to act” and “risk-averse to a fault,” while saying that “Walker’s attacks on the state’s largest city [Milwaukee] are overblown and divisive.”

Could this be in reaction to Friday’s news that Barrett skipped out on two law enforcement recognition ceremonies this week? Barrett had been scheduled to attend both the Milwaukee police department’s Merit Awards Ceremony on Tuesday as well as an annual ceremony to “honor the courage and sacrifice of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty” this past Wednesday. Barrett chose to cancel Wednesday’s event in order to meet with union organizers.

This past week also saw the publishing of several polls showing Walker taking the lead against challenger Barrett.

But underlying the paper’s endorsement of Walker is their broader assault on the basis for the recall itself, suggesting that only criminal wrongdoing should be sufficient grounds for the action:

Even if you disagree with Walker’s policies, does that justify cutting short his term as governor? And if so, where does such logic lead? To more recall elections? More turmoil?

It’s time to end the bickering and get back to the business of the state. We’ve had our differences with the governor, but he deserves a chance to complete his term. We recommended him in 2010. We see no reason to change that recommendation. We urge voters to support Walker in the June 5 recall election.

If that wasn’t enough good news for the long-suffering residents of Wisconsin, this Friday Judge William Conley ruled that union members will have to ask for their union dues to be deducted from their paychecks (rather than having the amounts automatically deducted). From American Thinker:

The same US District Court judge, William Conley, struck down parts of Governor Scott Walker’s union reform bill last March, including a provision that would have forced unions to recertify every year by getting a majority of members to vote in favor.

But this important decision – forcing union members to “opt in” to having their dues deducted rather than the union’s preference for an “opt out” clause – will force unions to be more responsive to members.

Doesn’t look like the DNC will be sending those funds everyone’s been waiting for. In the meantime, if you have three minutes, do yourself a favor:

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