Tom Barrett Led, Scott Walker Fled

Posted on: July 29th, 2010

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin Thursday announced its first television advertising purchases of the 2010 gubernatorial race with a spot that highlights Scott Walker’s self-serving decision to abandon Milwaukee County to go campaigning in the midst of historic and deadly flooding.

The ad campaign, titled “Barrett Led, Walker Fled,” contrasts Tom Barrett’s leadership in the midst of the historic floods with images of Scott Walker at the Pulaski Polka Days parade and visiting Republican ally Sean Duffy in Wausau.

The ads will appear in the very markets-Eau Claire, Wausau and Green Bay-where Walker went over the weekend, while at the same time thousands of Milwaukee County residents were still absorbing the effects of tens of millions of dollars in property damage. An announcer can be heard stressing the importance of the first 48 hours after floods.

“Tom Barrett led, Scott Walker fled. You can’t phone in leadership and that’s just what Scott Walker did last weekend when he skipped town to go campaign,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Thursday in unveiling the ads. “Scott Walker’s only priority is Scott Walker, and that’s why he can’t be trusted to be Wisconsin’s governor.”

Script:

Text: After Historic Floods Hit Milwaukee

(Images from Channel 12 of I-43 flooding) (Announcer From WISN: “Floods force parts of Interstate-43 to shutdown, and here is what it looked like during rush hour yesterday.”)

Text: One Leader Went to Work

(Images of Tom Barrett speaking with constituents in the 4800 block of 64th St.) (Mike Tate speaks about Tom Barrett: “Tom Barrett was in Milwaukee leading, demonstrating what a, what a someone does that should be the next governor of our state when you have a major crisis.”)

Text: While Scott Walker Hit the Campaign Trail

(Images of Scott Walker in Eau Claire, then Images of Scott Walker in the Pulaski, Polka Days Parade) (WEAU Announcer Talks about Scott Walker in Eau Claire: “Republican Candidate for governor stopped by Eau Claire this morning to help thank volunteers who were making phone calls on his behalf.”) (WISN Announcer talks about first 48 hrs after the storm: “The first 48 hours after a storm are the most important.”)

Text: Barrett Led. Walker Fled. www.BagScottWalker.com Paid for by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin – Mike Tate, Chair, as an in-kind contribution to Barrett for Wisconsin.

(Mike Tate’s comments on being Governor: “There is more to being a County Executive there is more to being governor then phoning it in.”)

Post Categories: Mismanagement • Scott Walker Double Talk • The Rest of Us Left Holding The Bag
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Milwaukee Floods, Scott Walker Campaigns

Posted on: July 26th, 2010

Scott Walker showed Wisconsin this weekend how he values his career more than his constituents, hitting the campaign trail to slake his political ambitions while Milwaukee County residents still were reeling after deadly floods on Thursday.

One gubernatorial candidate, Mayor Tom Barrett, got to work after the disaster.

But Scott Walker got to Wausau and other places so he could meet his Republican cronies.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin highlights this, “Tale of Two Executives,” in a Web video released today:

“With Milwaukee County facing an historic crisis, Scott Walker decided to put his career first,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said on a conference call with reporters Monday morning. “The floods have revealed once more, and in shameful fashion, that the only one that Scott Walker really cares about is Scott Walker.”

Post Categories: Mismanagement
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Scott Walker: The Structural Deficit King

Posted on: July 21st, 2010

Scott Walker continued to show why he can’t be trusted with taxpayer money with the shocking report that his budget could be $45 million in the red next year, with a $100 million structural deficit by 2014.

The assessment by the nonpartisan Public Policy Forum follows a 2011 budget that was $6 million in the hole, a 2009 budget that was $15 million in the hole and severe deficits since he took office in 2002.

Meanwhile, Walker has presided on a 35 percent growth in spending, from $1.1 billion to $1.5 billion, rendering meaningless his claims of fiscal responsibility. Also, having raised the county’s tax levy every single year he’s been in office, to the tune of $40 million, Walker continues to make phony pledges about tax cuts.

“He raises taxes, can’t spend money wisely and neither can he save money well. With $100 million in deficits for Milwaukee County, and having raised taxes by $40 million, the only thing he would do to the state’s $2.5 billion structural deficit is increase it,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Wednesday. “Scott Walker won’t be elected governor, but at least he can hold the title of Structural Deficit King.”

Post Categories: Brown Bag Charade • Mismanagement • Tax Cuts for Fat Cats

Scott Walker Spends Recklessly on Campaign, Just Like He Does In Milwaukee County

Posted on: July 20th, 2010

Numbers released today show that Scott Walker is furiously and foolishly spending on his campaign in much the same way he has distinguished himself as the gubernatorial candidate to have grown government spending the most while in office.

The figures showed that Scott Walker spent about $2 million to raise only $500,000 in the period, a rate of reckless spending that echoes the 35 percent growth in spending he has brought to Milwaukee County, where he raised spending from $1.1 billion to $1.5 billion during his term. Walker spent more than $900,000 than Tom Barrett did during this period.

“Art often imitates life and in this case, the reckless spending increases that Scott Walker has presided over during his disastrous stint as Milwaukee County executive are being mimicked in his free-spending, but faltering, campaign. Just as in real life, he has ended up spending substantially more than Tom Barrett did,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Tuesday. “At the end of the day, Scott Walker just can’t be trusted with anyone’s money, whether from taxpayers or campaign contributors.”

Post Categories: Mismanagement • Tax Cuts for Fat Cats

The Scott Walker Crisis: Reality Intrudes on Buck-Passing County Executive

Posted on: July 13th, 2010

Following is the statement of Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate following the nonpartisan Public Policy Forum’s recently-released budget preview.

“In its budget preview, the nonpartisan Public Policy Forum reminds us what many in Milwaukee County have known for years, that Scott Walker has relied on smoke and mirrors to disguise long-term fiscal and structural crises. Under strong leadership, the buck would stop with him. But you won’t hear Scott Walker taking any responsibility any time soon.

In Milwaukee County under Scott Walker, crisis is nothing new. A blasted budget. Crumbling county buildings. Cut bus routes and public safety positions, shuttered parks and vital services to the community taken over by the state because of Scott Walker’s reckless management. It’s not just that Scott Walker continually operates in crisis, it’s that he continually causes them.

The new report by the Public Policy Forum is one more piece of evidence heading into November that Wisconsin must be spared the buck-passing ways of Scott Walker. Wisconsin cannot afford the costs of the never-ending Scott Walker Crisis.”

Post Categories: Brown Bag Charade • Mismanagement • Scott Walker Double Talk • The Rest of Us Left Holding The Bag
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What’s He Smoking? More Scott Walker Flip-Flopping

Posted on: July 12th, 2010

Scott Walker was cowering from cameras in recent days after the newest revelations about his serial flip-flopping.

Over the weekend, Walker was nowhere to be found after shifting his position on Wisconsin’s smoking ban — though left it to an unlucky spokeswoman to claim that Walker’s ever-shifting positions were somehow consistent.

Then on Monday, it was revealed that, contrary to earlier positions about no-bid contracting, Scott Walker awarded a no-bid contract to a “politically connected” firm that was slated to investigate safety at county buildings in the wake of the tragedy at Milwaukee County’s O’Donnell Park last month.

The evasions join a breathtaking list of Walker flip-flops on a wide range of issues, including:

-Arizona’s immigration law, when it took Walker less than 24 hours to change his position after challenged by Mark Neumann.

-Late-night voting, where Scott Walker railed against a practice he had voted himself in the Legislature to condone.

-Stimulus funding, which Scott Walker foreswore, but then took by the millions.

-His own pay, when Scott Walker vowed to give back a percentage of his pay and then, abruptly and without explanation, reneged and gave himself a $50,000 raise in 2008.

-Concealed carry of firearms, where Scott Walker voted against the practice while in the Legislature, but now claims he supports it.

-When in the Legislature Scott Walker co-authored a proposal that would have cut shared revenue and would have had a particularly large impact on Milwaukee. But after becoming Milwaukee County Executive, Walker attacked Governor Doyle for shared revenue cuts. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Plan would shift sales tax, end aid,” 2/26/1999; “Doyle Plans 7% Shared-Revenue Cut,” 2/16/2003; “Walker Orders 200 Layoffs,” 8/13/2003)

“Scott Walker can’t be trusted. What’s he smoking that he continues his flip-flopping?” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate asked Monday. “When he bothers to take a position it reminds us of the old saying about the weather in Wisconsin-just wait a few hours and it will change.”

Post Categories: Brown Bag Charade • Scott Walker Double Talk
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