Mac, Scott Walker is on the line

I wonder if Scott Walker placed a call to Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds while he was campaigning in that area last night? Perhaps he would have asked "Mac why aren't you following my script about the stimulus!?!" As we all know, Walker hates the federal Recovery Act and he is trying to push a fictional narrative about it that doesn't stand to even a cursory examination. But even as he is trying to convince us that the stimulus money isn't helping "real people", his Republican County Executive colleague to the south is talking about how it is saving Racine County taxpayers money.

Yesterday McReynolds issued a press release rightfully bragging about the fact that his county was the first in the state to issue capital improvement bonds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal stimulus). With what are known as Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds, the U.S. Government will reimburse Racine County for 45% of the interest that it pays on those bonds. Because of that the county's effective interest rate is lower and it saves Racine County taxpayers money. But I suppose that Walker doesn't consider Racine County taxpayers to be "real people".

So why didn't Bill McReynolds follow the narrow Walker script about the stimulus, I mean he is certainly a Republican team player isn't he? After all he did run as a failed Republican candidate for state senate in 2006, so what gives? Maybe it is because, unlike Walker, he is not running for any other job right now. Racine County has projects that need to get done and the Recovery Act allows them to do it in a way that saves money. Period. It may not fit Walker's talking points about the stimulus but it is reality and it is working all over the state (including in Milwaukee by the way).

Perhaps the more interesting question here is where does Racine County Supervisor and perennial candidate for higher office, Van Wanggaard stand on this issue? He is normally a reliable rubber stamp for Mac on the Racine County Board. Since the board voted on a resolution designating Racine as a "recovery zone" I have to wonder how Van voted. Did he vote to take advantage of the opportunities available for Racine in the Recovery Act or did he side with the Scott Walker's of the world and condemn the stimulus?

If Scott Walker did call Mac last night, I think that he maybe should have placed a call Van as well. After all, they might end up sharing a stage at some point over the next year. Maybe Scott could teach him how to perfect the double talk. While he is calling local Republican officials, perhaps he should just start calling all of them all across the state. I have a funny feeling that Mac is not the only one that knows a good thing when he sees it. Contrary to Walker's talking points about the stimulus, that is exactly what it has been to communities all across the State of Wisconsin, Racine County is only the latest example.

Now read the second installment: "Dan, Scott Walker is on the line"