STRATEGIC MEMORANDUM
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Brad Woodhouse, President, Correct The Record
DATE: July 13, 2015
SUBJECT: Scott Walker: Failed Wisconsin, Failed Koch Agenda, Failed on Immigration
Today, Scott Walker announced that he is running for president despite his failure to create jobs, his allegiance to the Koch agenda, and his extreme opposition to immigration reform, expanded voting rights and a woman’s right to choose – far right positions that are in line with the Republican presidential field but out of touch with Americans.
Walker claims to be the ‘unintimidated’ conservative in the race. We say he should feel intimidated by his failure to grow the economy in Wisconsin. As Wisconsin faces sluggish job growth and budget shortfalls, Governor Walker is hitting the campaign trail and ignoring the economic turmoil in his own state. America simply can’t afford Scott Walker’s failed economic record in Wisconsin.
Amid a GOP feeding frenzy for conservative campaign cash, Walker has endeared himself to the Koch brothers by taking extremely conservative stances and aligning his policies to the toxic Koch agenda. No amount of Koch dollars will make the American people accept the currency of Walker’s failed economic policies and extreme Koch agenda.
SCOTT WALKER: FAILED WISCONSIN, FAILED KOCH AGENDA
KEY ISSUES
ECONOMIC FAILURE: Under Scott Walker’s leadership, Wisconsin’s economy has lagged the nation in job growth and currently faces a budget shortfall.
- As of June 30, more than 6,685 employees have received layoff notices, which is higher than the total number of layoffs in 2012 and 2014.
- The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Walker’s signature job-creation agency, doled out 124.4 million dollars to companies without conducting a proper review.
- Walker’s policies have failed to improve Wisconsin’s economy, which lags in job growth and faces a crippling budget shortfall.
- Walker broke his campaign promise to create jobs and improve economic growth.
KOCH SPONSORED:
- Koch Industries PAC donated $43,000 to Walker’s gubernatorial campaign in 2010.
- Walker has called for serious cuts to entitlement programs and his support for George W. Bush’s plan to slash Social Security made him a Koch favorite.
- Americans for Prosperity, a group founded by David Koch, spent $10 million promoting Walker’s policies in 2011 and 2012.
IMMIGRATION: Joining a crowded field of Republican presidential hopefuls, Scott Walker supports the same extreme positions on immigration reform.
- Walker joined a lawsuit against Pres. Obama’s executive order protecting undocumented immigrants from deportation.
- Walker suggested that the U.S. should limit legal immigration.
- Walker proposed repealing a law that allowed some undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public universities.
CONSERVATIVE AGENDA: Bottom line, Scott Walker supports the same radical conservative policies that have failed the American people time and time again.
On Economic Issues:
- Walker: Raising the minimum wage is a “political grandstanding stunt.”
- Walker said that cutting “entitlement programs” like Social Security and Medicare is “something that has to be done.”
- Walker pushed for a “sweeping overhaul” of regulations that would make it harder for out-of-work Wisconsinites to obtain unemployment benefits.
- Walker signed legislation restricting the collective bargaining rights of both public sector and private sector unions.
- Walker repealed a Wisconsin law allowing victims of pay discrimination to seek damages in state courts.
On Social Issues:
- Scott Walker said he supported “marriage between one man and one woman” and would defend Wisconsin’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
- Scott Walker supported legislation to ban abortion after 20 weeks.
- Scott Walker declared himself “100 percent pro-life” and pledged to seek a complete abortion ban.
- Scott Walker signed a budget that “eliminated over $1 million in state funding to Planned Parenthood clinics.”
- Scott Walker bragged about having “defunded Planned Parenthood” in Wisconsin.
- Scott Walker supported “personhood” legislation.
On Other Issues:
- Scott Walker signed and defended Wisconsin’s voter ID law.
- Scott Walker opposed legislation to expand background checks on gun sales.
- Scott Walker was “a key figure in the GOP’s battle against…proposed Environmental Protection Agency rules that are designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the nation’s electricity sector.”