But Walker is like FDR not just in his antipathy to public-sector unions, but his support for mandatory private-sector unionism. He has pledged not to make Wisconsin a right-to-work state (like its neighbor Indiana), where workers in union shops would no longer be required to pay mandatory dues as a condition of employment. This is a big mistake: It will undercut Wisconsin’s competitiveness and make it harder to restore robust economic growth.
That, however, is not the only way in which Walker reflects an FDR-like understanding of the economy. Contributing to his political vulnerability is his previous campaign pledge to “create” 250,000 jobs—as if that’s something that politicians can control. So far, he’s added only 15,000. And last month, the Badger State lost jobs, giving it the worst job creation record in the country…
In short, Walker won’t end forced private-sector unionism, lighten Wisconsin’s hefty tax burden, or abandon government spending to stimulate economic growth. All this would have made him a Democrat in FDR’s time. That modern-day progressives are branding him as a right-wing radical says far more about them than him.
