The last decade saw an explosion in federal spending, under a Republican administration, exceeded in scope and destructiveness by the amount of spending of the current Democratic administration. Following widespread pledges that Republicans would be different this time, billions upon billions later, Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker unveiled a plan not to fill four thousand already-vacant jobs. See, Scott Walker promises not to fill 4,000 vacant state government jobs.
Understandably,
Walker’s main opponents were immediately critical.
“I am glad to see Scott Walker is following my lead in getting state government under control, but you don’t save any money by cutting positions that are already vacant,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the main Democratic candidate. “That’s a gimmick.”
Walker’s main Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, agreed with the idea of cutting the state’s payroll. However, he did not think Walker’s plan would accomplish its goal.
“As a businessman and former math teacher, I have a tough time understanding how eliminating positions that are already unfilled actually save taxpayers $284 million, when the money isn’t being paid out in the first place,” Neumann said.
Walker’s simply not a credible — let alone creditable — budget-cutter if this is his idea of saving money.