Republicans in Congress should heed these lessons. Giving states their power back will lead to outrage because liberals will try to defend the enormous size of the federal government. But going big and bold will pay off. For example, repealing Obamacare is just one part of the agenda; returning authority to the states is a crucial part of how to reform the nation’s health care system.

Or take my battle with Washington to test people seeking public assistance for drug use. They should be employed or enrolled in job training, looking for work five times a week and able to pass a drug test. If they fail, we would get them into rehab and into the work force.

This is not, as some critics would have it, about punishing people. It is about helping them connect with employers. Wisconsin employers are begging for workers with basic skills who are drug-free. As I never tire of telling crowds, if Washington will get out of the way, we can help Wisconsinites, and make sure public assistance is a trampoline — not a hammock.