On CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, host Candy Crowley asked a question of Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wisc.) that should offend people on both sides of the aisle.
“If I am an unemployed American…or if I am a minimum wage worker…why would I become a Republican?” (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CANDY CROWLEY: If I am an unemployed American and I hear from Republicans that, “Yeah, you know, we should go ahead and do that provided we do the following three things,” and it’s a caveat approval of extending those [unemployment] benefits, or if I am a minimum wage worker and I find, I see Republicans who say, “You know what? It's artificial, it messes with the marketplace, it might mean some teens can't get into the job market,” why would I become a Republican? How do you message that in any way to reach out to those who are disinclined to sign up for the Republican Party?
Doesn’t Crowley know that she indicted the Democratic Party as one that is basically buying votes?
So folks that are currently unemployed or on minimum wage must support politicians that promote policies that hurt the very job creation that might lead to them having better lives?
And if Republicans aren’t willing to support such failed policies, it behooves such people to be Democrats thereby potentially condemning themselves to mediocrity and possibly lifetime government dependence?
Clearly, Crowley has forgotten that in 1980, a great deal of unemployed and minimum wage workers voted for Ronald Reagan because they realized Democratic policies weren't helping them.
As you would expect, Walker was ready for Crowley’s socialist view, and expertly countered it:
GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER (R-WISCONSIN): Because in the end, what people want is freedom and opportunity. You don't get that through the mighty hand of the government. I think as a kid when I grew up in Sullivan, nobody I knew in my class said, “Someday, my goal is to grow up and become dependent on the government.” The same way for all the great people I have met who have immigrated from other countries – be it Mexico or India or Germany or anywhere else - all those folks I know who are successful small business owners don't say to me that they came here because they wanted to become dependent on America.
No, the American dream is given a chance, given an opportunity, the great thing about this country, greater than just about any country in the world, is that you have an equal opportunity, but the outcome's up to you. The problem is too many Americans right now don't have that equal opportunity, and we should be making the case about how we're going to make it easier to create a job, easier to get in the workforce, easier to get the skills that they need to fill those jobs. We’re not going to artificially raise things.
Perfect answer, right? Unfortunately, Crowley wasn’t buying it:
CROWLEY: You know, that's not an uncommon argument for many Republicans that I have heard in the past saying this is about empowering people, not about, you know, raising benefits and making them dependent, but it hasn't worked. What makes this expand the Republican Party, which desperately needs to bring in something other than what's really been a shrinking base in your party?
Pretty sad that the host of a nationally televised weekly political talk show has such a misguided view of economics and fiscal policy.
Why can't she recognize that after five years of Democratic control in Washington - seven years if you include the last two years of Bush's presidency when Democrats held both chambers of Congress - someone who is still un- or under-employed might blame his or her condition on those currently running things and consider a change?
I guess that's too logical for someone who's perpetually shilling for the Party on the left.
