Governor Scott Walker’s 2018 State of the State Address: No Time for Moral Issues…Ever!
By Andrew Zuelke, Chairman, Constitution Party of Wisconsin
On January 24th, Governor Scott Walker gave his State of the State (SOTS) address to the legislature (see https://walker.wi.gov/2018-wisconsin-state-state-address).
Not one minute was allocated in the SOTS for any social issue. The governor had time to talk about everything else – how Wisconsin is “number one in cheese, cranberries and ginseng” and he had time to mention travelwisconsin.com twice – but social issues, the Moral Order? No time for that. Social conservatives and evangelicals, when you see your GOP assemblyman and state senator on the campaign trail at a June Dairy Days breakfast or at a townhall forum, ask if they are angry that Gov. Walker didn’t say one word about your issues during the SOTS address.
If they are not, ask them why. Don’t let your elected legislator off the hook saying something like “I didn’t write the governor’s speech.”
The governor did cite good things:
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The state property tax is ended.
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Bond ratings have been upgraded.
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“Property taxes are lower than in 2010.”
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Income taxes have been cut.
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We are among the top ten states for businesses.
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WI health care system is ranked number one in the nation.
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WI unemployment is at 3%.
The Constitution Party of Wisconsin opposes all taxes on property or incomes by the way.
The governor was all smiles while rattling off his proposed increases in government spending and new programs which would make any progressive proud:
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Investing in broadband infrastructure spending increase to $41.5 million. High-speed internet to “…underserved areas in Wisconsin.” (Shouldn’t the private sector handle that, Governor?)
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Creating a Rural Economic Development Fund of $50 million dollars to “support the development of new businesses and the expansion of small businesses in rural areas”.
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Creating a Family Farm Fund to “keep more of our family dairy farms…This farm will provide scholarship to encourage students to take advantage of agricultural-related studies…” (Any Democrat Governor who proposed a program like this would be derided by Republicans as a “tax-and-spender”.)
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“We just invested more dollars in K-12 education than ever before…An extra $200 for every student in every school in every part of our state this year and another $204 for every student on top of that next year.” (Because as we all know Wisconsin public schools are drastically underfunded, right?)
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Creation of a Health Care Stability Plan. The governor proposed a law which will guarantee coverage of pre-existing conditions.
The governor kept using the word “investing” when talking about spending. Who is going to pay for all this investing?
The governor talked about everyone receiving government assistance getting drug tested. Then he threw out this little socialist gem: “Now here is the important part. If someone fails, we set aside resources to get them into rehabilitation, because we understand if we get them healthy, we can find a job for anyone in the state.”
Resources means taxpayer money.
Is it now a function of state government to find work for people and get them off drugs?
The governor continued, “We also propose putting asset limits on public assistance so people with giant mansions and fancy cars don’t get welfare checks while hard-working taxpayers like you have to pay the bills.”
We “have” to pay the bills? He’s saying state government has the right and duty to compel one citizen to give part of his property to another citizen. We wouldn’t have to worry about people gaming the welfare system if there was no government-run welfare in the first place. Taxes should fund only needed, constitutionally-required services, pay state workers, and that’s it. We Constitutionalists know taking money from citizen to fund things above and beyond government obligations is theft.
“Public assistance should be more like a trampoline and less like a hammock,” Walker said.
Nice bumper sticker slogan, Governor.
Now, I’m not saying most of the governor’s speech should have been on social issues, but not even 1% was, nothing on the Moral Order. There was no mention of any issues that Republicans tell social conservatives during an election year they care about: pro-life, traditional marriage, business owners being sued and forced to provide services against their beliefs, parental rights, transgenderism being imposed on schoolchildren by LGBTQ advocates (Do a web search of “Wisconsin school children transgender policies” to see many examples of indoctrination in schools).
Near the end of the SOTS address, parents brought their children to stand behind the governor when he talked about the creation of a child tax credit in Wisconsin.
Walker could have talked about passing a law which “will allow all parents in Wisconsin to opt their children out of any public-school class which teaches LGBTQ propaganda to their children”. The governor could have used this opportunity to say, “Every parent, like the ones behind me now, should have the right to teach their children their values and not have social engineering and political correctness imposed upon them.” This is what any Constitution Party governor would have said.
He could have added, “I stand with parents and their right to choose what is best for their children.”
On pro-life, Governor Walker could also have used that opportunity to say something like, “Take a look at these beautiful children up on stage behind me. Each one of them was given a chance at life. That is what the Republican Party wants for every unborn child, the same chance for life that everyone in this chamber tonight received from our parents; allowing us to grow up, live our dreams and enjoy our great state.”
But, no. That would upset Republican pro-aborts in the legislature whose votes the governor is courting for economic issues.
Economic issues do matter, but so do social issues. Why, Republicans, will you not address both? The Constitution Party of Wisconsin does.
Social conservative and evangelicals, you who enable Republicans with your votes and donations every two years while having none of your issues addressed by Governor Walker either during his 2018 State of the State address or during an election year, I must ask – What are you doing? What is wrong with you?
Wash your hands of the GOP.
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