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Scott Walker is the worst, and he has a chance of winning the GOP nomination Scott Walker is the worst, and he has a chance of winning the GOP nomination
(about 9 hours later)
There is no shortage of GOP candidates in this election cycle. Senators, governors, surgeons and real estate developers-turned-reality-stars all feel they have what it takes to be the nation’s top executive. Many have claimed the spotlight for short moments. But perhaps the biggest threat to democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has yet to capture the public imagination. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is the most polished – and terrifying – candidate for people of color or those part of the LGBTQI community.There is no shortage of GOP candidates in this election cycle. Senators, governors, surgeons and real estate developers-turned-reality-stars all feel they have what it takes to be the nation’s top executive. Many have claimed the spotlight for short moments. But perhaps the biggest threat to democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has yet to capture the public imagination. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is the most polished – and terrifying – candidate for people of color or those part of the LGBTQI community.
Related: Scott Walker's strange election strategy is to be Mitt Romney | Jeb LundRelated: Scott Walker's strange election strategy is to be Mitt Romney | Jeb Lund
For starters, Walker surpasses nearly all the other GOP candidates in his stringent beliefs on immigration. While Donald Trump bloviates about building a wall on the US/Mexico border that clearly isn’t going to work, Walker believes in a more feasible but equally sinister plan to curb undocumented immigration. Walker spoke to Sean Hannity earlier in 2015 and stated he wanted to secure the border by augmenting the number of personnel and “technology”. During Walker’s interview with Hannity, he spoke of undocumented immigrants as if they were part of an invading army and stated that it was an issue of “sovereignty” and “national security”. But more than ever, the people Walker speaks of as an invasive force are children from countries like Honduras and Guatemala who are attempting to escape violence in their home countries. Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and even Canadian born, ultra-conservative Ted Cruz have expressed openness to a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, something that Walker opposes.For starters, Walker surpasses nearly all the other GOP candidates in his stringent beliefs on immigration. While Donald Trump bloviates about building a wall on the US/Mexico border that clearly isn’t going to work, Walker believes in a more feasible but equally sinister plan to curb undocumented immigration. Walker spoke to Sean Hannity earlier in 2015 and stated he wanted to secure the border by augmenting the number of personnel and “technology”. During Walker’s interview with Hannity, he spoke of undocumented immigrants as if they were part of an invading army and stated that it was an issue of “sovereignty” and “national security”. But more than ever, the people Walker speaks of as an invasive force are children from countries like Honduras and Guatemala who are attempting to escape violence in their home countries. Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and even Canadian born, ultra-conservative Ted Cruz have expressed openness to a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, something that Walker opposes.
Walker’s great state of Wisconsin also has the dubious distinction of being a terrible place for black people to live. It has the largest achievement gap between black and white students in the nation, and the lowest reading comprehension scores for black fourth graders. Forty-nine percent of the state’s African American men under age 30 have already spent time behind bars. Walker supported further disenfranchizing the black citizens of his state by supporting Voter ID laws, and he ended a program there where police collected data on the race of the people stopped by officers even though police killings of Black Americans is one of the largest issues facing the country. Walker’s great state of Wisconsin also has the dubious distinction of being a terrible place for black people to live. It has the largest achievement gap between black and white students in the nation, and the lowest reading comprehension scores for black fourth graders. Forty-nine percent of the state’s African American men in their 30s have already spent time behind bars. Walker supported further disenfranchizing the black citizens of his state by supporting Voter ID laws, and he ended a program there where police collected data on the race of the people stopped by officers even though police killings of Black Americans is one of the largest issues facing the country.
Walker is also arguably anti-gay. He supported an amendment to the constitution that would give states the right to ban same-sex marriage. When he was a county executive, he opposed visitation rights for LGBT couples when one partner is in the hospital.Walker is also arguably anti-gay. He supported an amendment to the constitution that would give states the right to ban same-sex marriage. When he was a county executive, he opposed visitation rights for LGBT couples when one partner is in the hospital.
While it is easy to dismiss the Wisconsin governor as another face in a crowded GOP field, Walker is electable. He is somewhat of a political prodigy, having run for his first major office at the tender age of 22. He is a governor, so he can tout his high-level executive experience, something that the likes of Trump, Carson, Cruz and Rubio lack. Kasich, Pataki and Fiorina lack the name recognition to make a splash. Jeb Bush has to pay for the sins of his brother.While it is easy to dismiss the Wisconsin governor as another face in a crowded GOP field, Walker is electable. He is somewhat of a political prodigy, having run for his first major office at the tender age of 22. He is a governor, so he can tout his high-level executive experience, something that the likes of Trump, Carson, Cruz and Rubio lack. Kasich, Pataki and Fiorina lack the name recognition to make a splash. Jeb Bush has to pay for the sins of his brother.
Some will point to the controversy over state-sponsored unions during Walker’s tenure as governor as a sign that he will struggle in a general election. I see it as a sign that he can weather a storm, persevere and come out victorious. He knows when not to answer and when to pivot away from hot-button issues, which will make him less prone to laughable gaffes like Trump’s.Some will point to the controversy over state-sponsored unions during Walker’s tenure as governor as a sign that he will struggle in a general election. I see it as a sign that he can weather a storm, persevere and come out victorious. He knows when not to answer and when to pivot away from hot-button issues, which will make him less prone to laughable gaffes like Trump’s.
Walker effectively hides racism and anti-gay sentiments behind a veneer of state rights and fiscal austerity. He’s a savvy politician, and in a showdown with the notoriously flip-floppy Hillary Clinton, he will undoubtedly push her to the right in a general election. Clinton will want to appear pragmatic in order to woo independent voters and centrists, but Walker’s reactionary conservative principles will likely shift the discourse to the right.Walker effectively hides racism and anti-gay sentiments behind a veneer of state rights and fiscal austerity. He’s a savvy politician, and in a showdown with the notoriously flip-floppy Hillary Clinton, he will undoubtedly push her to the right in a general election. Clinton will want to appear pragmatic in order to woo independent voters and centrists, but Walker’s reactionary conservative principles will likely shift the discourse to the right.
When we think of Wisconsin, we think of all-American products like dairy and beer. It doesn’t have the anti-civil rights reputation of southern states like Mississippi or Alabama. However, Wisconsin’s next big export could result in a bigger headache than any Milwaukee brew.When we think of Wisconsin, we think of all-American products like dairy and beer. It doesn’t have the anti-civil rights reputation of southern states like Mississippi or Alabama. However, Wisconsin’s next big export could result in a bigger headache than any Milwaukee brew.