Simplistically stated: Scott Walker (pictured) won the battle of Wisconsin becuse he did what he promised to do as a candidate and it worked.
Scott Walker’s 2010 campaign focused on fiscal responsibility and balancing the state’s budget.
One of the first things Walker did as governor, long since forgotten, was to return some $800 million in federal money designated for high-speed rail.
His argument was not complicated: The state doesn’t need it, and taxpayers cannot afford it.
Walker was right to refuse the $800 million, a very small down-payment, to begin construction of high-speed rail in Wisconsin even though the Obama administration tried to force it on the state.
The messy fight over high-speed rail in California, and the ever-increasing cost projections, suggest he was wise to avoid the headache.
Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency was defined in part by the Interstate Highway system.
Barack Obama wanted his presidency to be defined by high-speed rail.
Governor Walker won two battles in Wisconsin. The battle against the breathtakingly expensive high-speed rail and the equally costly private sector unions.
Walker turned a $3.6 billion deficit into a $154 million surplus. Unemployment is down. So are property taxes.
Businesses, even with uncertainty about the U.S. economy, are optimistic about the direction of the state.
Even with the political divisions, it’s hard to imagine a more successful 16 months as governor.
Results matter. And that, more than anything else, explains why Scott Walker won.
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