Editorial

The big cheese

Wisconsin shows the way

"Well, people like that ree-form. Maybe we should get us some."

--Junior, in Oh Brother Where Art Thou

At one long-ago point in the presidential primaries, some of us thought the man to beat on the Republican side was the governor of Wisconsin. The man, namely Scott Walker, was governor of a mostly blue toss-up state who had gone toe-to-toe with the unions there, beat them soundly, and then muscled through a recall effort. He knew how to win. He knew how to fight. He could take it national!

Then reality struck.

Oh well. We're not the only ones who were wrong about the presidential election. But Scott Walker is still governor of Wisconsin, and he's still putting on a pretty good show of leadership.

Apparently the folks in Wisconsin enjoy having jobs and businesses and money rolling in. Which is one reason they elected a reformer like Scott Walker. Back in 2011 this reformer led a movement that keeps public unions from collectively bargaining and requires unions to get recertified every year by their memberships. Putting an end to public unions electing their own to certain councils or boards and negotiating with themselves for cash and benefits. And keeping unions from representing their members whether those members like it or not.

After those reforms went into effect, it was amazing to see just how unpopular unions were. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association lost 30 percent of its members just like that. And across the state, unions have lost more than 187,000 members. In 2015, the Wall Street Journal notes, Wisconsin also became a right-to-work state.

What did that do for the state's business owners and workers? The Journal reports that Wisconsin ranked No. 40 on the Forbes list of pro-business states in 2011. Now the state ranks No. 27.

The kids call that trending. In the right direction.

These days, there might be some Republicans in certain quarters who're looking around for examples to follow instead of examples to excuse. Scott Walker, and Wisconsin, would be a good place to look. And get us some of that ree-form.

Editorial on 12/05/2016

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