Wisconsin Democrat: Glad We Know Scott Walker's Master Plan -- Since It Might Have Worked

WASHINGTON -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's (R) phone conversation may have been with a fake "David Koch," but it's had real consequences for his relationships with lawmakers and his plan to push through a budget repair bill. In fact, one Democratic lawmaker said that if Walker's grand master plan hadn't been revealed in the call, it might have even worked.

One of the most interesting parts of Walker's conversation -- a prank call by a blogger from The Buffalo Beast pretending to be the billionaire David Koch -- was when he revealed his plan to hoodwink the state's Senate Democrats, who fled Wisconsin in order to prevent their Republican colleagues from reaching the quorum needed to pass budget measures.

"I would be willing to sit down and talk to him, the assembly Democrat leader, plus the other two Republican leaders -- talk, not negotiate and listen to what they have to say if they will in turn -- but I'll only do it if all 14 of them will come back and sit down in the state assembly...legally, we believe, once they've gone into session, they don't physically have to be there," said Walker on the call. "If they're actually in session for that day, and they take a recess, the 19 Senate Republicans could then go into action and they'd have quorum...so we're double checking that. If you heard I was going to talk to them that's the only reason why. We'd only do it if they came back to the capital with all 14 of them."

In an interview with The Huffington Post, state Sen. Robert Wirch (D) called the information revealed in the conversation "devastating." "This governor cares about right-wing think tanks and the Koch brothers more than he cares what the people of the state think," he said, pointing out that Walker has also ignored Democrats when they've reached out.

Wirch was also glad he found out about the governor's plan to trick them into coming back, admitting that it might have worked.

"Candidly, I think we probably would have given the governor the benefit of the doubt, so I'm glad I found out about his real agenda," said Wirch. "We probably would have thought the governor would have had a change of heart. So candidly, in politics -- especially with a new governor -- you try to go along with him. We probably would have seen it as a breakthrough instead of a trick."

Shortly after the news of the prank call began circulating, Walker's spokesman confirmed the authenticity of the conversation (on the governor's end, at least), and said it "shows that the governor says the same thing in private as he does in public and the lengths that others will go to disrupt the civil debate Wisconsin is having."

State Sen. Tim Cullen (D) disputed that assessment.

"His public posture is that he's the adult working hard in Madison on the people's budget," Cullen told The Huffington Post. "But in fact, he's in Madison trying to see if we committed a felony, what he can do to hide our paychecks and then trick the minority leader to come to the Capitol in the guise of a meeting in order to pass the bill -- get him back there under false pretenses. That's not what he's been saying in public."

Cullen said that because of the news today, he thinks there is now a better chance that Democrats will be able to convince some of their moderate Republican colleagues to break with the governor and compromise. "I think there is that possibility," he said. "I didn't think there was until today. ... He [Walker] may have done what we've been unable to accomplish. We'll see."

On Tuesday, state Sen. Jim Holperin (D) said the Democratic caucus had basically given up on the governor and turned its attention toward persuadable Republican senators.

"I think this is a governor who is a very stubborn individual and maybe does not understand fully the collateral consequences of his stubbornness," said Holperin. "So we've decided to refocus on the people we believe may be flexible to some degree, and that's Senate Republicans. A lot of those Senate Republicans have been around a long time, and I think understand the gravity of eliminating rights from people."

When asked whether Democrats are now less likely to trust Walker, Wirch replied, "Yes. In a word, yes."

Comments

[cavegal]

05:21 PM on 03/21/2011

President Obama has charged Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker with attempting to bust the unions. But Walker’s defense is:

“We're broke. Like nearly every state across the country, we don't have any more money."

Among other concessions, Governor Walker wants to require public employees to pay a portion of the cost of their own pensions. Bemoaning a budget deficit of $3.6 billion, he says the state is too broke to afford all these benefits.

Broke Unless You Count the $67 Billion Pension Fund . . .

That’s what he says, but according to Wisconsin’s 2010 CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report), the state has $67 billion in pension and other employee benefit trust funds, invested mainly in stocks and debt securities drawing a modest return.

A recent study by the PEW Center for the States showed that Wisconsin’s pension fund is almost fully funded, meaning it can meet its commitments for years to come without drawing on outside sources. It requires a contribution of only $645 million annually to meet pension payouts. Zach Carter, writing in the Huffington Post, notes that the pension program could save another $195 million annually just by cutting out its Wall Street investment managers and managing the funds in-house.
http://www.webofdebt.com/articles/wisconsin.php

[kengault]

12:49 PM on 03/19/2011

(Union) Gangs of Wisconsin.
The fact that Wisconsin’s teachers unions are now intimidating innocent business owners reveals the depth of the union’s political radicalism. It also reinforces old stereotypes of union members behaving like lawless gangsters.

This behavior is unworthy of teachers who are entrusted with educating Wisconsin’s children. They might as well be demanding protection money, just like Al Capone.

[nevermime]

09:54 AM on 03/02/2011

I think a lot of people knew Scott Walker was a phoney crook but until the punked phone call they had no proof.

[Ann Binder]

04:26 PM on 02/26/2011

Walker never even graduated from college. How on earth could the people of such a progressive state elect him?

[nevermime]

09:57 AM on 03/02/2011

He was ask to leave school for cheating. No surprise I guess.

[thecornerangel]

09:49 PM on 02/25/2011

The people in Wisconsin are a little too nice.
Peaceful protests? Yes.
Giving Walker the benefit of the doubt? Get real.
How do you know if the a conservative is lying? His lips are moving.
Negotiation with these guys is not going to work. Solidarity is everything.

[ampdem]

04:37 PM on 02/25/2011

No Republican can ever be trusted, EVER!

[Chad53916]

11:19 AM on 02/25/2011

I know a few in WI who work for the DOC and know other union members here who identify with the GOP, believe it or not. I really think it's a masculinity thing. The more the GOP pays lip service to the elements of our society with a stereotypical masculine image (soldiers, firefighters, cops, etc) the more the ignorant around here nod their heads and vote against their interests. Maybe they'll pay attention next time. Maybe not.

[lisaman]

11:14 AM on 02/25/2011

He seemed worried that Mr. koch might get the wrong impression that he actually wanted to work with the democrats instead of just tricking them into believing he wanted to. I wonder how many of the people who voted for this clown are starting to really regret their actions?!

[nevermime]

09:59 AM on 03/02/2011

More than a few it looks like.

[farmilyman]

10:20 AM on 02/25/2011

Walker's real master plan is to step all over the people of Wisconsin to become President like his idol Reagan.

[Wiggly the Wonderworm]

09:39 AM on 02/25/2011

Saddest part about this is it shows just how broken our democratic election system has become.

Also, side note... why are these Democrats still getting checks? Are they working from wherever they are hiding out? i understand and respect why they are doing this, but i also think it would send a stronger message if they were willing to give up their pay, as they are not technically going to work.

[waynesmyer]

08:23 AM on 02/25/2011

OK! Here's the plan! ! First we send in the trouble makers! See! The we send in the National Guard with live ammo! See! The we shoot a few Union queens! See! and that's my plan ! Scotty Walk-Walk, your beloved Gobinator! AN IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT you can just go "cheney" yourself!

P.S. I approve this message , F-Yew Chainey, your truly "Vice" Presinator

[waynesmyer]

08:30 AM on 02/25/2011

What's wrong with Govner Scotty's plan? It worked at Kent State and the Ludlow Massacre! Did 'nt ???"

[waynesmyer]

08:59 AM on 02/25/2011

HISTORY NOTE! Ohio governor sends in national guard and students are killed! Colorado governor sends in national guard to Trinidad, Colorado to break strike and coal minors and their families are killed! Will Wisconsin governor send in the national guard to Madison to shoot the "trouble makers" that he hired??? Makes sense to the Tee-Baggers!

[Django48]

10:14 AM on 02/25/2011

You left out the Reichstag fire.

[nevermime]

10:01 AM on 03/02/2011

Ya vol mine herr.

[rgilley]

08:04 AM on 02/25/2011

...the 19 Senate Republicans could then go into action and they'd have quorum...so we're double checking that."

The people of WI should take serious notes of which , of these Republican Senators votes to bust the unions and lower wages for all WI workers and vote accordingly in 2012. AND they sould immediately start process of getting Walker out of the Govenor's position. He is a bought and paid for Govenor who represents 2% of the people and the Koch brothers who bought his seat as Govenor for him.

[Tahut]

07:51 AM on 02/25/2011

I've only been casually observing the situation in Wisconsin and maybe someone has already mentioned this, but state governments are exempt from participating in social security. That means all state employees have only their state government pension to fall back on when they retire. That's why their benefit packages are more golden than those in the private sector. Then again, perhaps Walker wants to force a mass exodus of government employees to justify privatizing government services. It's all too Shock Doctrine material.

[YoungWarthog]

08:46 AM on 02/25/2011

since they don't participate in Soc Sec that means that their employer has not had to pay the employers share of SocSec. This has saved taxpayers a fortune each and every year.