Scott Walker, the county executive for Milwaukee County in WI, is refusing to submit a list of projects that could be paid for by Obama's New New Deal! Why? For several reasons:
1. He believes that all federal money comes with strings attached. Whether it is mandatory guidelines on how a project must be completed or requiring additional spending at the local level to secure the funding, he feels that smaller, rather than bigger, government is the way to go.
2. He says that if local and state governments use some of this money to cover shortfalls, it is only delaying the inevitable, which is we need to reduce the size (and cost) of government so that government can live within its means. Millions of families are relearning that lesson and committing to living within their means, governments should too!
3. He doesn't believe that the New New Deal/Stimulus package will work. As you an guess, Executive Walker is a Republican, and his solution to this crisis is to leave more money in the hands of people that will create wealth with it, not send it to the government who will just redistribute it.
Those who disagree with Executive Walker argue that the taxpayers of Milwaukee County have paid their share of the money to the federal government and that they should get some back. That the money is going to spent anyway. why shouldn't Milwaukee get a share. That standing on principle is fine, but if it hurts Milwaukee County, we can't afford to do that. That this is just political posturing for his run for the governorship of Wisconsin.
But I thought the whole idea of standing up for what you believe is right meant that you did it no matter what the cost. Is is OK to stand up for what's right, only when it benefits you?
What about your local and state governments? Eventually Executive Walker may be overridden as some of the Milwaukee County Executives may send in their own lists. What would you say if your local government decided to say no?
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