Federal Stimulus, Scott Walker is on the line

It all started late last month with Republican Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds. He sent out a press release, rightfully bragging about how the Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal stimulus) would actually save taxpayers money. At that time I suggested that he could probably expect a nasty phone call from his neighbor to the north Scott Walker. Surely Scott did not appreciate a fellow Republican County Executive touting the benefits of a stimulus package that he has spent most of the year deriding. Then shortly after Mac's talking out of turn, the County Executive from the most Republican county in the state chimed in about how much the stimulus was helping his county and saving taxpayer money. A day later the conservative Wall Street Journal reported that the stimulus actually has helped give our national economy a much needed lift.

Given his curious actions this week, if Scott Walker did place those angry calls, he apparently was convinced to radically change his tune and support the stimulus. It was a radical conversion indeed because even recently he has put the word stimulus in quotes and even declared that it doesn't help "real people." Again this week's events must confirm that Mac, Dan and the U.S. Economy have successfully converted him to common sense about the stimulus. It certainly has been a long and confusing journey. Walker's "Road to Damascus", if you will.

In one short week he seemed to complain that counties weren't getting enough stimulus money from the state(even though it continues coming in by the millions). This week he has also bragged about other federal funding that he is heavily relying on for a variety of new and old projects. And now today he has officially jumped the stimulus-hating shark in announcing that he intends to take advantage of two subsidy programs that were created under the once vilified stimulus package.

Since I have already wondered about him calling Mac, Dan and the economy, I can't help but wonder if he has also placed a call to the Federal Stimulus. I'm sure he would have humbly apologized for all of the ugly things that he has said and then I'm sure that he quickly asked for his exact position at what he once called "the federal trough".