The discussion below fits what Barrett said on U.S. National Public Radio last week. The 5 billion ruble question, of course, remains: was Barrett's "moderation" less likely to beat Walker than a more radical strategy?
> http://socialistworker.org/2012/06/05/democrats-behind-in-wisconsin > > During a debate with Walker, Barrett made a point to mention that > he was not labor's candidate. Rather than put up a defense of > unions, the Democrats have treated them as supporters of "special > interests" and an embarrassment. > > Barrett has ceded further ground to Walker on austerity. Walker's > rationale for budget cuts has been a familiar one: the state is > out of money and needs to control its expenses. Yet despite the > fact that Wisconsin's corporations are taxed at a rate below the > national average--and that the current tax burden is primarily on > Wisconsin's middle class rather than the rich--Barrett made no > attempt to challenge Walker's claims. > > Instead, Barrett emphasized that he won't increase taxes on > corporations and the wealthy. He told a Milwaukee radio station, > "It is certainly my hope that by the end of my first term, at the > end of my second term, and at the end of my third term that > Wisconsin will take in less tax revenues from its citizens and > businesses each year." > > While Barrett says he will reverse corporate tax cuts that Walker > passed in January 2011, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports > that "he doesn't want to raise taxes beyond the levels they were > at when Walker took office." This means that while Barrett could > shift some priorities around, he wouldn't be able to restore most > of Walker's cuts, including $1.25 billion taken from education and > $500 million from Medicare. > > During last year's uprising, Barrett proposed an "alternative > budget repair bill" that included Walker's cuts to benefits and > pensions, but extended them to police and firefighters, whom > Walker had spared. -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
