Wisconsin recently saw the passage of a controversial funding bill that addresses the state’s $3.6 billion budget deficit. [On April 14, 2024], a House Committee called Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) to discuss his approach to crafting the budget bill.

Along with Gov. Peter Shumlin (D-VT), Committee members and Walker studied what difficult choices individual states must make regarding state and municipal debt.

In a hearing titled “State and Municipal Debt: Tough Choices Ahead,” Committee members looked into states across the nation on how their government officials can tackle debt while increasing employment in the region.

The three hour C-Span recording of this hearing is well worth watching. The two governors could not be more different in terms of intellect, leadership ability, goals, or the willingness to let ideology drive their responses to the committee. At every turn Walker is willing to sacrifice truth for ideological commitment. His self serving rhetoric and the lies he tells are so transparent that he is a caricature, a political weasel. Shumlin doesn’t betray his commitment to a liberal ideological perspective, but his answers paint him as a civil, honest, effective leader who cares for people on a personal level.

UPDATE
Representative Dennis Kucinich questions Walker on collective bargaining provisions of “budget repair” bill:

UPDATE
Representative Gwen Moore informs Walker of the ramifications of his ill conceived budget bills: