Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Vote: Democratic Gubernatorial Primary May 8
Questions of the week for Democratic hopefuls
On Tuesday, May 8, Wisconsin voters will be able to select the Democratic candidate for governor in the state's historic recall election.
Under Republican Gov. Scott Walker's leadership, Wisconsin has become severely divided, causing major family fights over the holiday dinner table. Walker has made historic cuts to education, which is the engine of the 21st-century economy, and his strategy for creating jobs has seen Wisconsin endure the largest percentage of job loss in the nation over the past year.
All four of the legitimate Democrats vying to take on Walker in the June 5 recall election would make a better governor than the current one.
All of these Democrats want to protect public education, spur job growth and invest in Wisconsin's future.
Most importantly, the four Democratic candidates want to stop the toxic polarization in this state, which hadn't existed before Walker, his ultraconservative Republican allies in the state Legislature and four extremist justices on the state Supreme Court took power. Wisconsin can only begin to heal our current division when those who sowed the seeds of destruction have been voted out of office.
That's why we are encouraging you to vote on May 8.
The same people who drafted our state's constitution made sure there was a recall provision for times like this.
You have a constitutional right to recall elected officials when they have failed you as badly as Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican senators have failed you.
Now you have a chance to vote for the Democratic challenger to take on Walker.
Question: In the general election, the Republicans will argue that if you elect a Democratic governor, Wisconsin will have bigger budget deficits, higher taxes, fewer businesses and fewer jobs than under Gov. Walker. How do you respond to that?
Tom Barrett, Milwaukee mayor: Under Gov. Walker, Wisconsin still has a $140 million deficit, saw fees increase by $110 million, and in 2011 lost more jobs than any state in the country, and over the past 12 months lost 24,000 jobs. The people of Wisconsin now know that the Walker way is failing. We need a leader who will reject this ideological agenda, restore Wisconsin values and get our state's fiscal house in order. I will be a governor who will focus on jobs, bring our state together, heal the political wounds caused by Walker's turmoil, and restore trust in state government. And we will do all of this by passing responsible, balanced budgets that invest in priorities like education, the economy and health care.
Kathleen Falk, former Dane County executive: Gov. Walker's way has failed Wisconsin on jobs, while my county had the highest job growth in the state over my 14 years as county executive, and it's why I'm the best candidate to go toe to toe with him. My record shows you can respect workers' rights and get the job done for taxpayers. I balanced 14 straight budgets, more than any of the candidates, including Gov. Walker. When the market crashed in 2007 and 2008, I negotiated three years in a row with the eight unions in my county $10 million in savings for taxpayers, while protecting public services. Gov. Walker gave out billions in new corporate tax breaks while making the biggest cuts to public education in our state's history, more than $1 billion. I am the only candidate with a jobs plan that will invest in the unique opportunities in Wisconsin to create 21st-century manufacturing jobs that can't be outsourced and can only be done in Wisconsin.
Doug La Follette, secretary of state: I would strive to bring us together around support for education, research, health care and investments that would lead to an improved economy.
I would work on plans and solutions to propose to the Legislature that would repair the damage. For example, I would examine corporate tax loopholes to fund our technical, university and public education system and BadgerCare.
Our taxes should be fair and equitable. Wisconsin citizens don't mind paying for police and fire protection, for good roads, health care and education if the tax system is fair. I would suggest raising some taxes on the wealthy and closing some loopholes to help fund education and health care.
Also [I would] promote infrastructure work to improve our state and create jobs.
Much of our current infrastructure of roads and bridges and water treatment facilities are in need of repair. Agriculture and tourism, to name just two industries that provide jobs in our state, depend on good infrastructure.
Kathleen Vinehout, state senator: About the same way I would respond to a statement that the moon is made of blue cheese. Just because a statement is repeated hundreds of times in 30-second advertisements paid for by out-of-state millionaires doesn't make it true. The Republicans make the same statement at the national level.
The facts are these. During the Clinton Democratic years, the nation added 27 million jobs, 8 million more than during the Reagan years and 13 million more than during the Bush (the son) years. The Great Recession of 2008-2009, starting under Bush and caused by Wall Street speculators run amok, saw the loss of 9 million jobs before the economy hit bottom and began to turn around. Since then, under Obama, the nation has added 3.5 million jobs, while under Walker, Wisconsin is still losing jobs. The moon is not made of blue cheese. Democrats don't ruin the economy.
Question: Why are you the best candidate to take on Scott Walker?
Tom Barrett: Wisconsin is looking for a leader who will bring us together after months of turmoil caused by Scott Walker's ideological civil war. They are looking for someone who will focus on jobs, not an extreme partisan agenda—someone who will heal our state, instead of governing with a "my way or the highway" mentality. Most of all, the people of Wisconsin are looking for someone who will restore Wisconsin values, like creating jobs, defending education, restoring worker rights and ending the war on women. This is the leader I will be for the people of Wisconsin. And it's why Scott Walker and his right-wing allies are terrified to face me in the general election and are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat me before the primary is even over. I am the candidate who will beat Scott Walker, and restore Wisconsin values.
To learn more, go to www.barrettforwisconsin.com.
Kathleen Falk: I am the best candidate to beat Scott Walker because of my record on jobs and the big tent of support I have built—which is the only way to defeat Walker's unprecedented millions. I have been in this fight against Walker's extreme agenda from Day One, and it's why I've earned the support of organizations that led this movement representing hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites, including: the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, WEAC, EMILY's List, AFSCME, SEIU, SEIU Healthcare WI, AFT, Clean Wisconsin Action Fund, UFCW, IBEW Locals 159 and 158, Young Progressives of Wisconsin, the Sierra Club, the Women's Campaign Fund, the Building and Construction Trades Council of South Central Wisconsin and Voces de la Frontera. Remember when Gov. Walker's agenda failed, he turned to this "War on Women" that, among other things, repeals the Equal Pay Enforcement Act. Who better to end the "War on Women" than a woman?
To learn more, go to www.kathleenfalk.com.
Doug La Follette: I am the best candidate to win in June because I have the strong statewide recognition and grassroots support that will be needed to win. I am an independent Democrat who has the support of progressive Republicans, independents and Democrats throughout the great state of Wisconsin. This grassroots support will be a critical asset in this election. I won in the last election, when Walker won and Feingold lost, and four straight times when Tommy Thompson was winning.
I am doing this "A Better Way"; please read about this on my website.
To learn more, go to www.douglafollette.com.
Kathleen Vinehout: Because by personal experience I provide the strongest contrast to Scott Walker. I am not a lifelong politician. Before running for public office the first time at age 47, I milked cows and ran the family dairy farm for 10 years, and the 10 years before that I was a college professor. My father was a laborer, my mother a nurse. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty or my boots muddy.
Because in this election I have talked about specific solutions to the problems facing Wisconsin: the budget, building thriving communities, access to affordable health care, investing in our human potential, rebuilding our infrastructure and changing state management practices. Voters want details. With me they know what they will be getting.
Because I have won in areas of the state that Democrats have to carry to win statewide. Voters who are not strong Democrats have supported me. Both dairy farmers and teachers can identify with someone who has shared their lives.
To learn more, go to kathleenvinehout.org.
Under Republican Gov. Scott Walker's leadership, Wisconsin has become severely divided, causing major family fights over the holiday dinner table. Walker has made historic cuts to education, which is the engine of the 21st-century economy, and his strategy for creating jobs has seen Wisconsin endure the largest percentage of job loss in the nation over the past year.
All four of the legitimate Democrats vying to take on Walker in the June 5 recall election would make a better governor than the current one.
All of these Democrats want to protect public education, spur job growth and invest in Wisconsin's future.
Most importantly, the four Democratic candidates want to stop the toxic polarization in this state, which hadn't existed before Walker, his ultraconservative Republican allies in the state Legislature and four extremist justices on the state Supreme Court took power. Wisconsin can only begin to heal our current division when those who sowed the seeds of destruction have been voted out of office.
That's why we are encouraging you to vote on May 8.
The same people who drafted our state's constitution made sure there was a recall provision for times like this.
You have a constitutional right to recall elected officials when they have failed you as badly as Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican senators have failed you.
Now you have a chance to vote for the Democratic challenger to take on Walker.
Question: In the general election, the Republicans will argue that if you elect a Democratic governor, Wisconsin will have bigger budget deficits, higher taxes, fewer businesses and fewer jobs than under Gov. Walker. How do you respond to that?
Tom Barrett, Milwaukee mayor: Under Gov. Walker, Wisconsin still has a $140 million deficit, saw fees increase by $110 million, and in 2011 lost more jobs than any state in the country, and over the past 12 months lost 24,000 jobs. The people of Wisconsin now know that the Walker way is failing. We need a leader who will reject this ideological agenda, restore Wisconsin values and get our state's fiscal house in order. I will be a governor who will focus on jobs, bring our state together, heal the political wounds caused by Walker's turmoil, and restore trust in state government. And we will do all of this by passing responsible, balanced budgets that invest in priorities like education, the economy and health care.
Kathleen Falk, former Dane County executive: Gov. Walker's way has failed Wisconsin on jobs, while my county had the highest job growth in the state over my 14 years as county executive, and it's why I'm the best candidate to go toe to toe with him. My record shows you can respect workers' rights and get the job done for taxpayers. I balanced 14 straight budgets, more than any of the candidates, including Gov. Walker. When the market crashed in 2007 and 2008, I negotiated three years in a row with the eight unions in my county $10 million in savings for taxpayers, while protecting public services. Gov. Walker gave out billions in new corporate tax breaks while making the biggest cuts to public education in our state's history, more than $1 billion. I am the only candidate with a jobs plan that will invest in the unique opportunities in Wisconsin to create 21st-century manufacturing jobs that can't be outsourced and can only be done in Wisconsin.
Doug La Follette, secretary of state: I would strive to bring us together around support for education, research, health care and investments that would lead to an improved economy.
I would work on plans and solutions to propose to the Legislature that would repair the damage. For example, I would examine corporate tax loopholes to fund our technical, university and public education system and BadgerCare.
Our taxes should be fair and equitable. Wisconsin citizens don't mind paying for police and fire protection, for good roads, health care and education if the tax system is fair. I would suggest raising some taxes on the wealthy and closing some loopholes to help fund education and health care.
Also [I would] promote infrastructure work to improve our state and create jobs.
Much of our current infrastructure of roads and bridges and water treatment facilities are in need of repair. Agriculture and tourism, to name just two industries that provide jobs in our state, depend on good infrastructure.
Kathleen Vinehout, state senator: About the same way I would respond to a statement that the moon is made of blue cheese. Just because a statement is repeated hundreds of times in 30-second advertisements paid for by out-of-state millionaires doesn't make it true. The Republicans make the same statement at the national level.
The facts are these. During the Clinton Democratic years, the nation added 27 million jobs, 8 million more than during the Reagan years and 13 million more than during the Bush (the son) years. The Great Recession of 2008-2009, starting under Bush and caused by Wall Street speculators run amok, saw the loss of 9 million jobs before the economy hit bottom and began to turn around. Since then, under Obama, the nation has added 3.5 million jobs, while under Walker, Wisconsin is still losing jobs. The moon is not made of blue cheese. Democrats don't ruin the economy.
Question: Why are you the best candidate to take on Scott Walker?
Tom Barrett: Wisconsin is looking for a leader who will bring us together after months of turmoil caused by Scott Walker's ideological civil war. They are looking for someone who will focus on jobs, not an extreme partisan agenda—someone who will heal our state, instead of governing with a "my way or the highway" mentality. Most of all, the people of Wisconsin are looking for someone who will restore Wisconsin values, like creating jobs, defending education, restoring worker rights and ending the war on women. This is the leader I will be for the people of Wisconsin. And it's why Scott Walker and his right-wing allies are terrified to face me in the general election and are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat me before the primary is even over. I am the candidate who will beat Scott Walker, and restore Wisconsin values.
To learn more, go to www.barrettforwisconsin.com.
Kathleen Falk: I am the best candidate to beat Scott Walker because of my record on jobs and the big tent of support I have built—which is the only way to defeat Walker's unprecedented millions. I have been in this fight against Walker's extreme agenda from Day One, and it's why I've earned the support of organizations that led this movement representing hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites, including: the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, WEAC, EMILY's List, AFSCME, SEIU, SEIU Healthcare WI, AFT, Clean Wisconsin Action Fund, UFCW, IBEW Locals 159 and 158, Young Progressives of Wisconsin, the Sierra Club, the Women's Campaign Fund, the Building and Construction Trades Council of South Central Wisconsin and Voces de la Frontera. Remember when Gov. Walker's agenda failed, he turned to this "War on Women" that, among other things, repeals the Equal Pay Enforcement Act. Who better to end the "War on Women" than a woman?
To learn more, go to www.kathleenfalk.com.
Doug La Follette: I am the best candidate to win in June because I have the strong statewide recognition and grassroots support that will be needed to win. I am an independent Democrat who has the support of progressive Republicans, independents and Democrats throughout the great state of Wisconsin. This grassroots support will be a critical asset in this election. I won in the last election, when Walker won and Feingold lost, and four straight times when Tommy Thompson was winning.
I am doing this "A Better Way"; please read about this on my website.
To learn more, go to www.douglafollette.com.
Kathleen Vinehout: Because by personal experience I provide the strongest contrast to Scott Walker. I am not a lifelong politician. Before running for public office the first time at age 47, I milked cows and ran the family dairy farm for 10 years, and the 10 years before that I was a college professor. My father was a laborer, my mother a nurse. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty or my boots muddy.
Because in this election I have talked about specific solutions to the problems facing Wisconsin: the budget, building thriving communities, access to affordable health care, investing in our human potential, rebuilding our infrastructure and changing state management practices. Voters want details. With me they know what they will be getting.
Because I have won in areas of the state that Democrats have to carry to win statewide. Voters who are not strong Democrats have supported me. Both dairy farmers and teachers can identify with someone who has shared their lives.
To learn more, go to kathleenvinehout.org.
It means giving business owners want they want, like cutting the Wisconsin Labor pay scale roughly in half. It means eliminating business's exposure to lawsuits when they hire less qualified workers, uses lower quality materials, pushes their workers to the point of exhaustion and making mistakes. It means relieving them of the clean up or environmental costs involved when their strip mines brings up minerals that had been buried in dry parts of the earth's crust and expose them to Wisconsin's wet surface, where the chemistry that was stopped due to lack of exposure to oxygen and water can mess with the surface environment. It means stripping the state's regulatory agencies of the ability to scientifically prove that there even is a problem. Is any of that good for the workers who are doing the consuming?
To show you how the "Pro-business" ideas of Walker is so evil, how many of you conservative Obama haters who loved Santorum, but hated Romney, even know that Santorum himself said he would rather keep Obama as president than to have Romney as president.
Say it with me... Forget "Tax and Spend" as the catchphrase of the Democrat, Democrats need a new catchphrase to be associated with... "Work and Consume", because that is the reality of life for all of us. To be better at "Work and Consume", we need the skills taught in our schools (like Falk), we need job promotion systems that reward improved performance instead of rewarding "time served" aka Seniority or Tenure (unlike Falk), we need a balance that rewards our elders for the experience they acquired from the past, not push them out simply because they cannot work as fast or as long of hours in a day or week. We also need to punish or hold back workers that choose not to serve all customers regardless of color, creed, age, looks, or anything that is legally or illegally used as a means to segregate or "qualify" who we serve.
My take, Falk will lose not only because of her union support, but also because her "job growth" of Dane County simply does not apply to what the rest of the state does for a living. The rest of the state is not made up of UW grads, the rest of the state is made up of people of which many gave up on learning past 6th grade, once hormones took over, everything was about who was the Alpha Male and who was the Alpha Female, who could get away with bullying who.
LaFollette just stayed in the shadows, although he was the closest to seeing all the crap that went on as he was the one who had to publish all laws enacted by the legislature, whether it was in the newspaper or just silently passed without notice. While all the crap was sliding through the funnel that he was, he never said a word.
Vinehout, no meaningful political executive experience. Running a County or City is way different than running a private business, and nobody listens to professors, they are just "teachers" anyway.
I still think Barret has the best chance, running the state's largest city (even though it was contained in a county that Walker was running into the ground), and having survived a gubernatorial primary in the post Obama backlash of 2010, I think he is the best one to be chosen as "do-overs" after losing to Walker in 2010. Just like Obama said "I am running for president of the [whole] United States, not President of Black America", Barret has been "Mayor of ALL Milwaukee" not merely Mayor of Black Milwaukee, and Barret already was a US congressman of a predominantly white congressional district in Wisconsin.
Little scott walker can thank Obama for the jobs created in Wisconsin. walker can keep bosting of job creation but the fact it is the Obamn programs doing it. walker keeps loosing jobs for the state. He has no clue, as his simple solutions reveal his simple mind.
Falk needs to purdy up and drop the lesbian act. That might go well on Willy St. in Madison but not in the rest of the state.
hosey did you even read the first four words in the lead? This is not about Obama STUPID. Stay focused or go see your shrink.
It's "have AN original thought," you dolt! And "Obama is killing this country stupid," doesn't makes sense. Perhaps a well placed comma would've helped. Do you know what a comma is, Hosey? Do you understand punctuation?