We're focused on his efforts to eliminate collective bargaining. But that's not all he's got in the 144-page legislative proposals, according to Think Progress.
For a start, there's the Medicaid deal. If the governor doesn't completely eliminate Wisconsin's Medicaid program, he has given it a jail cell with a view of the scaffold. The bill includes "a little-known provision that would put complete control of the state’s Medicaid program, known as BadgerCare, in the hands of the state’s ultra-conservative Health and Human Services Secretary Dennis Smith. Smith would have the authority to 'to override state Medicaid laws as [he] sees fit and institute sweeping changes' including reducing benefits and limiting eligibility."
Then there's a knife to the heart of environmental reforms and a nice gift to coal companies by putting all state power plants up for sale, in a no-bid privatization effort. He would also like to ban wind power from Wisconsin.
In late January, Walker introduced a bill that would ban wind-powered energy from Wisconsin and exacerbate the state’s dependence on out-of-state coal. If passed, it’s estimated that the law would immediately eliminate $1.8 billion in new wind power investments and jeopardize eleven currently proposed wind projects. After a public outcry earlier this month, Walker’s bill is (for now) dead.
How about this one, water drinkers? The governor would "repeal a rule requiring municipal governments to disinfect their water." One way or another, Mr. Walker is determined to weed out the weak from the population: first by supplying them with dirty water and then limiting medical care.
No more wetland preservation. After all, wetlands are another source of clean water.
In a rash fiscal move, he wants to institute the same procedures in the Wisconsin legislature that brought California to its knees and demolished its governor. This week he signed the bill that will require "a 2/3 supermajority in the legislature to pass any tax increase."
Thanks to Walker, Wisconsin is on its way to effectively disenfranchise many voters with a new photo-ID bill.
He's killed 130,000 jobs by killing a federally funded rail system.
He's changed the status of state employees by converting "thirty-seven state employees from civil servants to political appointees — consolidating his power over state government and expanding his power to 'hire, fire and move key employees to carry out his agenda'.”
And finally, the governor has given himself "complete power to draft agency rules which the legislature must then either approve or reject" by taking over "the power to write rules for formerly independent state agencies like the state Departments of Justice and Education — and most ominously the Government Accountability Board, the state’s ethics watchdog."
