With the November elections approaching, closely fought races at every level of Wisconsin politics are heating up. The majority of political debate has centered on job creation in light of Wisconsin's 8.1 percent unemployment rate, and the race for governor is proving no exception. Republican candidate Scott Walker and Democrat Tom Barrett have centered their campaigns on increasing employment as a means to improving the economy. Their plans for doing so, however, are far different.
Scott Walker has garnered a lot of attention for his promise to create 250,000 jobs and 10,000 new businesses by the end of his first term if elected. Such claims would be great news for the state if he had any evidence to back up his projections. If one were to download the ""Walker Plan"" from his campaign website, he or she would find five pages without a single mathematical or economic justification for his promises. In his five-page proposal, he identifies six main points: Lower taxes, Eliminate Red Tape, End Frivolous Lawsuits (Tort Reform), Improve Education, Create Affordable Healthcare and Invest in Infrastructure.
Tom Barrett, in stark contrast, has a sixty-seven page document available through his website that outlines in great detail his ideas for job creation and economic recovery. The Barrett plan covers a wide range of specific areas such as tax breaks for specific job-creating industries, the elimination of software and patent royalty state taxes to encourage new industry, and the support of enhanced tax breaks for the dairy industry.
In the area of tax cuts, Walker vaguely suggests eliminating corporate taxes for the first two years of operation while eliminating ""job-killing"" tax increases. He also proposes business permit-approval reform, in which an application not decided upon after 180 days is presumed approved, opening the door for loopholes to be taken advantage of by corporations. Tort reform comes next, eliminating frivolous lawsuits that may endanger corporate profits, and finally education reform, in which he claims our universities must incorporate more industry-based curriculum.
While each point is certainly controversial and very debatable, what is more concerning is that if one were to copy and paste his entire employment agenda into Microsoft Word, and convert the font to 12-point Times New Roman, it would take up less than two pages. This is completely unacceptable for someone who wishes to govern the state for the next five years.
The comparisons in economic plans have led to much criticism towards Walker, who answered by creating ""Scott Walker's 68 Page Plan to Create 250,000 Jobs,"" in which his original five-page agenda is increased to such a large font that it takes up sixty-eight pages. Walker explains on his website, ""It's the best of both worlds: good, substantive ideas for people who are into that type of thing, but also lots and lots of pages!""
Is this really how low political debate has fallen? Walker's childish attempt to criticize Barrett for having a detailed plan is an admission of guilt, not a reason for celebration. Are we expected to prefer a watered down general description of long-term goals? Perhaps for my next paper in International Relations, I'll just send my professor a paragraph outline of my argument. Backing up my claims with fact and example is just useless fluff right?
Regardless of political affiliation and bias, we as a voting public must recognize manipulation and empty promises when we see it. So much of Walker's campaign has focused on simplicity, masking a lack of substance. With economics and job creation at the center of Wisconsin's agenda, a detailed explanation and plan is not a fault. With no concrete evidence to back up his pledge, we must recognize that Walker's claims of job creation and economic growth are no more than political strategy; easy to promise to the public, and even easier to forget in five years
Miles Kellerman is a sophomore with an undeclared major. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
