GOP President Probably Won’t Repeal ObamaCare

Mitt Romney’s opponents in the GOP Presidential primary need to jump all over this.  Seems one of his advisors feels ObamaCare won’t be repealed completely.

“You will not repeal the act in its entirety, but you will see major changes, particularly if there is a Republican president,” Coleman told BioCentury This Week television in an interview that aired on Sunday. “You can’t whole-cloth throw it out. But you can substantially change what’s been done.”

That would be former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman, who Romney’s campaign is trying to distance itself from.

“With all due respect to Sen. Coleman, he’s wrong,” campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said via e-mail. “Gov. Romney can and will repeal Obamacare and is committed to doing so.”

Distancing or not this is another example of why Mitt Romney can NOT be the Republican nominee. It’s also an example of why the Republican establishment needs to stop trying to pick who their nominee should be.

(H/T – RedState)

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Stunning Successes of Governor Walker

Spot on.

Gov. Walker has been in the middle of one of the most controversial political events in our country with his fight against Unions. Despite fierce opposition from the Unions, he has created jobs, He passed a state budget with NO tax increases. Turned a $3 billion deficit into a $300 million surplus. One of my personal favorites,  he instituted the first permanent property tax cap in his state’s history. He enacted sweeping business tax reforms that will save Wisconsin’s job creators over $130 million a year when fully implemented. I LOVE that he protected  votes by requiring a picture I.D at the polls. He expanded school choice. He paid back the $200 million from Gov Doyle’s unconstitutional raid of the Patients Compensation Fund. He followed Texas by passing the Castle Doctrine that expands protections for homeowners and  passed Concealed Carry.

As a result, unemployment is down and  Wisconsin has added 40,000 jobs showing job growth more than twice the national rate.

The proof is in the pudding. This is what happens when states enact common sense conservative measures. Gov. Walker took on a tough opponent who threw everything they had at him. I really admire how he handled it, and how he came out on top.

This is the type of message conservatives across Wisconsin need to convey to battle the misinformation of the liberals and unions.

 

 

 

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Act 10 Success Diminishes Recall Effort

An accurate assessment of the recall picture.

As communities continue to provide Act 10 success stories, the efforts of recall organizers against Governor Walker become more difficult. And with tax bills arriving soon, the positive results for Wisconsin taxpayers will make those recall efforts even more ominous.

Governor Walker’s reforms have produced some stunning results, turning a budget around that was structurally unsound. School districts and communities throughout the state are in much better financial shape due to the moves undertaken by the Walker administration. The following results were tabulated by the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, based on responses from over 83% of all school districts:

• New teacher hires outnumber layoffs by 1213 positions
• 75% of districts maintained or decreased class sizes for K-3
• 67% of districts maintained or decreased class sizes for 4-6
  
• 92% of districts kept or expanded sports programs
  
• 89% of districts kept or expanded technology support staff
  
• 85% or more kept or increased their guidance, social work, and psychology staff
  
• 90% of districts kept or expanded gifted and talented staff
  
• 96% of districts kept or expanded early childhood staff
  
• 96% of districts kept or expanded AP sections and courses
  
• 82% of districts kept or expanded vocational/technical programs
  
• 82% of districts kept or expanded art programs
  
• 84% of districts kept or expanded music programs
  
• 87% of districts kept or expanded foreign language programs

Even more telling though were the results from three districts from Southern Wisconsin that didn’t implement the reform tools.

The most telling results of the WASDA survey came from responses by the Milwaukee, Kenosha and Janesville districts. Those districts accounted for 68% of all teacher layoffs in the state, yet only represent 12.8% of Wisconsin students. These three districts did not adopt the reforms put in place by Governor Walker and Act 10, and were not able to utilize the tools offered to control costs.

So when you see the ads put out by recall organizers, liberal 3rd party groups and public sector unions keep in mind their “information” to support their claims comes from districts that didn’t utilize the tools offered via Act 10.

As pointed out, the whole picture isn’t presented:

If they were honest, they would discuss how 51% of districts reduced extracurricular programs in 2004 (according to WEAC), before Act 10 tools were available. Or the fact that over the past five years, the property tax levy has increased by an average of $181 million per year. Not so this year, as the K-12 school tax levy will actually decrease by $47 million.

Be sure to point out these successes when you encounter those pushing to recall Governor Scott Walker.  In any discussion about the direction of Wisconsin point out not only how Act 10 has been a success, point out as well the results being seen where the tools offered weren’t implemented.

 

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Madison Schools Facing $12.4 Million Deficit

Stark reality for the Madison School District for next school year.

Superintendent Dan Nerad won’t make his preliminary budget recommendations until April 1, but in its first look at the 2012-13 school budget, the district is projecting a $12.4 million deficit based on current budget trends.

Factoring in rising insurance and fuel costs, the district projects general fund spending of $319.7 million, up from $310.9 million this year. Revenues are projected to be $307.3 million.

The district is looking at several options to close the gap, such as eliminating its most expensive health insurance option, renegotiating nonunion employee contracts, energy efficiency projects, refinancing debt and raising property taxes, said Erik Kass, assistant superintendent for business services.

But the district doesn’t want to do what other districts around the state have done – have employees contribute more to their health insurance premiums.

One way Madison expects to close its $12.4 million deficit this year is to eliminate Wisconsin Physicians Service as an insurance provider, which would save about $5 million. Madison Teachers Inc. agreed to that option as part of the current contract.

The union also agreed to pay up to 15 percent of the premium for the other three insurance options, Group Health Cooperative, Dean and Physicians Plus. But Madison didn’t exercise that option last year and might not have to this year, Kass said.

The 15 percent contribution would generate up to $7.5 million in savings, but would cost teachers up to about $900 for a single plan and $2,700 for a family plan. Most other districts around the state had employees pay more toward premiums last year.

MTI executive director John Matthews said an average teacher is already losing about $2,600 in take-home pay because of the pension contribution. Not having to contribute to health insurance premiums would be “a huge relief.”

“Many employees were forced to reduce their standard of living, many are having financial problems, some unable to afford college tuition and some are unable to qualify for mortgage to enable home purchase,” Matthews wrote in an email.

School Board President James Howard said asking employees to contribute more than what they do now would be a “double whammy” because they also are affected by property tax increases. But the board may look at ways to spread out the budget’s impact.

Why can’t employees in the Madison school district do what private sector employees have been doing during the current economic downturn?  Why should they not have to make adjustments in their standard of living and pay more?

Instead the Madison Metropolitan School District thinks it is better to raise taxes to cover the shortfall.  To not exercise options that the union agreed to is absurd.  But then again it was also absurd to agree to new contracts with the unions last year before Act 10 became law.

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