http://democurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2009/01/ideal-republican-candidate-for.html

If politicians are smart, they will want it to succeed as well. Anything less will cost them their jobs. But politicians have never been accused of being smart.

• No local match is required by the federal government;

• No long-term commitments mandated by the federal government;

• No future operating or maintenance expenses

Think about it; having no match by local officials lets them off the hook when it comes to oversight. Can you say “no money down mortgage?”

And with no maintenance expenses, that would exclude BUILDING ANYTHING, like roads, schools…etc.

Walker, like most Republicans, don’t like the prospect of oversight and actually working for their salaries. If they can’t turn it over to the private sector, they pull out the old “government is to big” rhetoric.

Jack, I thought you were on to their game plan. Guess not.

What if it’s money that would put 10,000 Milwaukeeans back to work? What if it pays for treatment instead of prison programs? What if the money is money for small business development? Or a teen pregnancy prevention program that actually works? Or a jobs training program that could get Milwaukee’s workforce up to speed so companies want to set up shop in Milwaukee? Perhaps a homeowner’s loan program that would actually keep people in their homes?

The concept that ALL government programs and ALL government grants are bad is where Walker’s statement is flawed.

Milwaukee’s people have real problems, they are hurting financially more than even in our history. African American men have a 60% jobless rate!!! It’s time someone in Washington take notice and to blanketly say that ALL government grants are bad and should be rejected before we even know what they are is both irresponsible and typical of the Walker administration.

And I know Walker is going to make another run for Governor, but I think his failure to pass campaign reform when he had the chance is going to kill his chances.

According to the article: “Walker sparked a heated debate at local and state levels this week when he said he will not ask for stimulus money for county projects because he opposes increased deficit spending and favors tax cuts. State Rep. Jon Richards, D-Milwaukee, called Walker’s refusal self-serving. “To not even apply is just a huge mistake,” Richards said. “That’s something that’s going to cost us jobs that will go somewhere else. We have so many systems in critical need of help, and to just refuse is shortsighted. It’s putting (public relations) over people.”

Exactly. Like most Republicans, sticking to ideology and forgetting he’s a public servant will have a devastating effect on Milwaukee county.

Scott’s answer is to not take on the responsibility of spending the money wisely, to provide the needed oversight, because it’s too much work and he hates government. It’s this short sighted governing style that eats away at public confidence in our elected officials. Throwing their arms up in the air and declaring lawmakers hopeless is a guilty pleasure of small government conservatives, and the reason we have the current economic disaster.