LETTER: Walker should retain office

To the Editor:

Wisconsin Business ranking was 41st in 2010 by CEO Magazine. In less than a year and a half we have moved to the 20th spot.

Over 33,000 new jobs in that same period reflects that. This latest number comes from a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic [BLS] report that is drawn from 160,000 companies in Wisconsin. Earlier reports of job losses were generated form a BLS monthly report that surveyed 3.5 percent of WI businesses. Which database do you think gives a more accurate picture?

Even the state Department of Workforce Development Secretary, Reggie Newson, declared that reports of job loss “is inaccurate and cannot be trusted,” since that is not what business advocates and others say they have seen on the ground.

Milwaukee is rated the ninth poorest U.S. large city, sadly low, as are many Democrat-run cities. Under Barrett’s helm Milwaukee unemployment went up 27 percent.

Do we want him to bring that skill to the entire state? Milwaukee property taxes and fees are up 43 percent. Ouch. Crime statistics were cooked.

Crime was supposed to be down in Milwaukee, but Watchdog Reports from JSOnline reported that violent crime increased under Barretts’ watch, not decreased.

A chain email making the rounds seems to be meant to scare teachers to keep them in the party line. The email purports that Gov. Walker “slashed” salaries of the best-educated public school teachers. It gets a false rating on the JSOnline PolitFact.com Truth-O-Meter.

If these obfuscations are not meant to scare, then why does the email begin with “I have some heart-stopping news…” School districts are now free to implement performance pay for teachers. Could rewarding quality teachers improve educational outcomes?

Act 10 has saved taxpayers more than $1 billion, according to The Economic Impacts of the Wisconsin Budget Repair Act. What the analysis found is that without the law, Badger State governments would have been forced to raise taxes or make deep job cuts to meet budget expenses. Instead of the state losing jobs, Walker increased jobs by 33,000.

Another claim, again rated false by politifact.com, is that Walker said ‘no’ to equal pay for women. The liberals same old tired tricks this season will be their fictional war on women and class warfare. Watch for it.

So let reason and critical thinking take over. Liberals use words like rip, extreme and heart-stopping. Or do you prefer words like growth, leadership and kept promises? We can see that there is now tort reform, more jobs, a budget surplus and finally a balanced budget.

Barrett’s home paper, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said in a May 19 opinion editorial: “We see no reason to remove Walker from office. We recommend him in the June 5 recall election.”

Do we really want to be the state of perpetual elections? Help make this nonsense stop on June 5. Vote for Walker to do the job we elected him to do. Again.

Margo Johnson

Osceola

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion