Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 106 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H1'ed 4/27/12

Scott Walker's Austerity Agenda Yields 'Worst Job Losses in US'

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   10 comments
Follow Me on Twitter     Message John Nichols
Become a Fan
  (24 fans)
This article cross-posted from The Nation


(Image by Unknown Owner)   Details   DMCA

We've heard about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's war on workers.

We've heard about Scott Walker's war on women.

But what about Scott Walker's war on Illinois.

The governor -- who has made himself the face of an American austerity push that uses the fantasy of "shared sacrfice" to redistribute wealth upward -- went to Springfield, Illinois, two weeks ago to tell the state's business leaders that their state should do it his way. Walker's argument was that Illinois was getting everything wrong and that Wisconsin was getting everything right when it came to encouraging job creation.

As he has for the past year in Florida, Arizona, Texas, California and other states, Walker was trying to export his approach to governing (and to pick up lots of campaign money): attacks on public employees, deep cuts in education and training, the undermining of public services and the rejection of federal support for transportation and broadband Internet development.

That, Walker said, is the way to create jobs.

Then reality set in.

The Bloomberg business new service, not exactly a liberal institution, ran a story headlined: "Republican Whipping-Boy Illinois Beats Wisconsin on Jobs."

It reported: "Illinois ranked third while Wisconsin placed 42nd in the most recent Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of States index, which includes personal income, tax revenue and employment. Illinois gained 32,000 jobs in the 12 months ending in February, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics found. Wisconsin, where Walker promised to create 250,000 jobs with the help of business-tax breaks, lost 16,900."

Click Here to Read Whole Article

News 1   Supported 1   Valuable 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

John Nichols Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

John Nichols, a pioneering political blogger, has written the Online Beat since 1999. His posts have been circulated internationally, quoted in numerous books and mentioned in debates on the floor of Congress.

Nichols writes about (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Paul Ryan? Seriously?

Scott Walker's Austerity Agenda Yields 'Worst Job Losses in US'

What the Hell Is Wrong With Paul Ryan?

The Koch Brothers, ALEC and the Savage Assault on Democracy

GM's Plant Closures Confirm the President is a Liar and a Fool

The Deafening Silence of the Republican Field in the Wake of the Planned Parenthood Shooting

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend