Scott Walker Honors Labor Day With Anti-Union Ad and a Billion Dollar Lie

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) is known for his anti-union sentiment and proud of his record of union-busting in his home state.  Just in time for Labor Day, Mr. Walker's presidential campaign has released an anti-union ad that depicts ordinary Wisconsin workers--teachers, police officers, firefighters, government workers--as a vicious, money hungry mob.

This is recent history--2011.  Under Governor Walker, union government workers were deprived of  their right to bargain for better contracts, raises or improved benefits.  Mr. Walker told them, you take what we give you; and he won.

In the ad, Scott Walker boasts of how his efforts have resulted in a budget surplus in Wisconsin.  That is a pants-on-fire lie. There have been numerous news stories about Walker's struggle to balance his state's budget this year, including cutting the University of Wisconsin budget by $300 million.

The truth is, Wisconsin is facing a $2.2 billion shortfall.  Jody Knauss of PR Watch explains: "That 'surplus' Walker is touting on the campaign trail is phony math regarding the next budget, two years from now.  It assumes the legislature will not only accept all of the proposed cuts in Walker's 2015-17 budget, but agree to additional education cuts that Walker baked into the next budget to game the numbers." 

State Representative Chris Taylor (D), a member of Wisconsin's Joint Finance Committee offered this opinion,  "Maybe if Governor Walker was actually in the state he was elected to represent, he would know that this budget and this state is a mess. Cutting the UW system...taking hundreds of millions of dollars from our public schools and auctioning our state parks off to the highest bidder does not equal a surplus."

what eye thynk:  Scott Walker is not alone in his anti-union sentiment.  Republicans hate unions and blame them for any number of corporate woes; but what they really mean is, we love big-money, and big-money could be bigger-money if unions were eliminated.

Without America's labor unions, there would be no Labor Day, there would be no American middle class.  Without workers' unions, we would be Ludlow. (photos) We would be Matewan. (photos) We would be The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.  (photos and video) We would be Bangladesh. (video) 

(Thank you to Upworthy for the above stories.)

Whether you picnic, visit the beach, take a hike, go boating or just relax at home today, take the time to remember America's workers' unions and thank them for this day.  

When you vote next year, remember Republicans like Scott Walker and vote Democrat.