Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
I prefer traditional Fat Tuesday celebrations to the squishy news out of Wisconsin yesterday. Fox News reports:
Appearing to blink first in a nearly three-week standoff with absent Senate Democrats, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker offered to keep certain collective bargaining rights in place for state workers in a proposed compromise, according to e-mails released Tuesday by his office.
Leftists being always and everywhere on offense, Walker's offer was summarily dismissed as "inadequate" by two Democrat senators negotiating with the Wisconsin governor. If we next see signs of the governor negotiating with himself via the media, then we've lost. Like you, I've seen this movie before and can guess the unhappy ending.
How is it that liberals in the majority dictate policy and then, with resulting financial ruin in plain view, continue to dictate policy from the minority?
In Washington the news is much the same. John Boehner is becoming something of a human pretzel as he contorts each statement to accommodate a reaffirmation of his promise, his pre-emptive concession, to never ever allow the federal spending spigot to be interrupted for a moment. The House is fiddling over some $60 or so billion in annual cuts from the non-budget bequeathed by frightened pre-midterm Democrats, while the monthly federal budget deficit just came it at an astonishing $223 billion, the largest in history.
Instead of talking about government shutdown, the Democrats' bogeyman, why isn't Boehner arguing on our turf? He could start by highlighting at every media event the immorality, the sheer intergenerational theft of the current unsustainable spending binge. Similarly, why isn't Governor Walker hanging tough? If we lose this fight we may just lose our country.
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Nov '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
Oh no! Negotiating with yourself is disaster as you have pointed out. If he capitulates the battle (and possibly the war) is over.
May '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
There is nothing wrong with Walker's modified proposal, and no benefit to the absolute line in the sand if you are true to the principle. The change affects working conditions and compensation only, not benefits and dues withholding, the heart of the new policy. I don't believe in brinksmanship for its own sake if you get what you need.
If Walker's Senate gave in on benefits and withholding, that would be a collapse. In fact, even the annual re-certification provision is not necessary if you make them pay the dues directly.
I am fine with letting the Dems be the obstreperous ones.
Dec '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
The e-mails in question date back over the last several weeks and completely demolish the Democrats' claims that Walker was unwilling to negotiate with them.
A piece on NRO's The Corner lays this out in detail: So much for 'Imperial' Walker's inflexibility.
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
Stuart, many thanks for the clarification. I hope that NRO has a firmer grasp of the matter than Fox News.
Phew. I am slowly stepping away from my office window now (not much of a fall, just a foot or so into a nasty little hedge).
Nov '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
I saw a pro-union piece this morning that talked about a recall action because Walker et al have the temerity to be doing that which they campaigned to do.
Nov '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
I can't believe how poorly Walker is in getting a coherent message out. His two main talking points should be:
1) We're looking for long term, systemic changes to the system so that this doesn't happen again. Public sector unions and private sector unions are fundamentally different. Private sector unions have to be careful less they bankrupt the firm their members works for. Public sector unions are under no such restraint. What's more, they are able to reward the people who they are supposedly bargaining with votes. It just doesn't work.It's not about collective bargaining rights, it's about curbing public sector union power.
2) The act of the democratic senators fleeing the state is an assault on the democratic process. If you don't like what is going on, work on winning the next election.
Walker should be using this opportunity to educate both the people of his state and the country on the differences between public and private unions. If he does this he will be putting himself in a position to be a player on the national level. If not, he's finished politically.
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
I agree, David. Walker needs a better communications team. Where is Reince Priebus when you need him?
(Which is a sentence I never thought I'd write....)
And thanks, Duane, for getting me and George in from the ledge.
Oct '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
If this were a bait and switch to get the Dems to return, and the sock it to em might be an interesting play... Messy at best...
Dec '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
Stuart Creque: The e-mails in question date back over the last several weeks and completely demolish the Democrats' claims that Walker was unwilling to negotiate with them.
A piece on NRO's The Corner lays this out in detail: So much for 'Imperial' Walker's inflexibility. · Mar 9 at 11:24am
So this is an ex post facto release of emails. If I had to guess, he's laying the groundwork to run roughshod over the Senate, passing every bill he can with the reduced quorum. Just a guess.
There's a reason why Walker himself released these emails now.
May '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
David Nordmark: I can't believe how poorly Walker is in getting a coherent message out. His two main talking points should be:........[ ]
Walker should be using this opportunity to educate both the people of his state and the country on the differences between public and private unions. If he does this he will be putting himself in a position to be a player on the national level. If not, he's finished politically. · Mar 9 at 11:55am
May I disagree a little bit? It is Gov. Walker's responsibility to run Wisconsin, not re-make the battleground for conservatism or serve as its national spokesman. His target audience is Wisconsin, not the USA.
We see the other side presented a lot, because 1) reporters are all union members, and, as usual, don't disclose their conflicts of interest, 2) the union audience is, indeed, the USA, because they are getting it now from all sides (Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Florida), and 3) the Dem/Mr. Obama's audience is their national base, plus Reagan Democrats in preparation for 2012. If there is fault here with anyone, it is Reince Priebus, who is supposed to coordinate the national message.
May '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
But even there, you can make a very good case that we should be the ones into serious duties of government, not emulating the Carville war room for every issue whatever, that is, the Dem perpetual campaign. As Dennis Miller says, the Obamaites have a war room for everything except the war.
Gov. Walker has done interviews and posted videos all over Wisconsin- his, you know, actual constituency- explaining in patient, clear, detail what he is doing and why. And letting the background leak out this way reinforces bis image as the serious one rather than the pouting tantrum-thrower.
Carpet-bombed PR is highly overrated- we have heard the refrain since 2003 about Bush and Iraq- but no one has ever talked more or more smoothly on absolutely every media outlet about anything in history than Obama has about ObamaCare. Notice how much poll approval that has gained the law?
Gov. Walker needs to stick to business and hold the line on the important stuff. In the end, that is what counts. We are the people of sound government, not political fluff.
Sep '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
The state assembly and senate have gone into conference committee. The word is that they are going to ammend the budget repair bill to eliminate all fiscal issues, thus eliminating the need for a quorum. By this time tomorrow it could very well have passed both houses.
The key components regarding union power (i.e. collective bargaining for benefits and work rules, automatic dues withholding, union recertification, etc.) will all remain in the conference version of the bill.
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
Duane, thanks for setting me straight. I now understand the retrospective thrust of Walker's emails. I also stand reminded of the guv's commitment to deliver on real substance to the citizens of Wisconsin.
I think my problem is that my RINO detector is on a hair trigger. My bad. I'll calm down now.
Dec '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
AmishDude
Stuart Creque: The e-mails in question date back over the last several weeks and completely demolish the Democrats' claims that Walker was unwilling to negotiate with them.
A piece on NRO's The Corner lays this out in detail: So much for 'Imperial' Walker's inflexibility. · Mar 9 at 11:24am
So this is an ex post facto release of emails. If I had to guess, he's laying the groundwork to run roughshod over the Senate, passing every bill he can with the reduced quorum. Just a guess.
There's a reason why Walker himself released these emails now. · Mar 9 at 1:31pm
As Mark Belling Fan points out at #12, it looks like your prediction may well come true.
Dec '10
Re: Appeasement Tuesday: Scott Walker Offers a Compromise
Stuart Creque
AmishDude
Stuart Creque: The e-mails in question date back over the last several weeks and completely demolish the Democrats' claims that Walker was unwilling to negotiate with them.
A piece on NRO's The Corner lays this out in detail: So much for 'Imperial' Walker's inflexibility. · Mar 9 at 11:24am
So this is an ex post facto release of emails. If I had to guess, he's laying the groundwork to run roughshod over the Senate, passing every bill he can with the reduced quorum. Just a guess.
There's a reason why Walker himself released these emails now. · Mar 9 at 1:31pm
As Mark Belling Fan points out at #12, it looks like your prediction may well come true. · Mar 9 at 5:06pm
I always like to read that.