Who is Really Buying American Elections? (CHART)

PHOTO: Governor Scott Walker (R) campaigning on his jobs record in Wisconsin ahead of last week's recall vote.

In the wake of Scott Walker’s historic Wisconsin victory, Save Jerseyans, I posted a widely circulated video clip from a CNN interview with a “blue collar” Walker detractor. Presumably a state worker.

The relevant point is that this individual sincerely, passionately believed Walker’s win signaled the death of American democracy as we know it.

Walker’s blue collar detractor claims his candidate, the Democrat Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, was outspent $34 million to $4 million.

The problem? He’s wrong. On both points.

Let’s set the record straight…

First of all, Save Jersey, those dollar figures are extremely misleading. As our friends at HotAir correctly point out, “when you combine the spending of the candidates and their supporting groups, the gap shrinks to 2-to-1.” (h/t WashPo, too). Not the 7-to-1, 10-to-1, Gazillion-t0-1 bogus stats circulating in mainstream outlets and union halls. Not even close!

Secondly, as I remind you regularly here at Save Jersey, the most coercive influence in modern politics is UNION cash. You don’t need to travel to the Badger State to find examples. Right here in New Jersey, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) spent $11.3 million on lobbying in 2011; the next closest for 2011 was telecom giant Verizon, which spent just $1.2 million Keep in mind: the unequaled NJEA warchest is derived from $130 million in annual union dues collected from teachers’ taxpayer-funded paychecks.

Want more proof of public employees vastly outspending the private sector? Check out this AWESOME chart that is making the rounds on Facebook this morning. Not sure who anonymously rendered it, but it’s stunning nonetheless:

So you can clearly see, Save Jerseyans, why Big Labor (and their Democrat beneficiaries) went nuts when Scott Walker proposed ending the automatic deduction of union dues from government workers’ paychecks in Wisconsin!

After years of public unions — the taxpayers’ employees — dictating the terms of their relationship, Scott Walker had finally leveled the playing field. Wisconsin also saw a dramatic drop in public sector union membership AND a corresponding increase in private sector employment following the enactment of Walker’s reforms. Coincidence? Hardly!

That’s why our nameless “blue collar worker” from the CNN interview should take heart, not despair, in these latest developments!

Courageous leaders like Scott Walker are strengthening our republican democracy by returning power to the people who pay the bills. Government should work for the private sector – not the other way around! But the only way to get there is down the often-difficult path of reform blazed by Governor Walker. Hence, why his victory was so important. Now hopefully other politicians won’t shy away from following his example.

 

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8405 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

2 Comments

  1. I'd love to see someone do an infographic for this Matt!

    On another related point, wow-NJEA spends $11.3 million on lobbying a year? How many people do they employ full-time & part-time for lobbying?

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