Scott Walker: education doesn't matter

[EVT1]

So the college dropout thinks he can be president- and compares himself with people that skipped college and changed the world.

Aren't you the guy that creamed his shorts when you thought you were talking to a Koch brother?

theweek.com/articles/539563/scott-walker-theproblem-valuing-credentialsover-competence

Bring on the competence

[Shooby]

Yeah bring on the competence. We will certainly be ready for it after 8 yrs of incompetence. But funny I know many competent people without college degrees. I thought the point of a citizen politician was to open doors for everyone and not just lawyer after lawyer. My bad.

[mroped]

Nobody said that all politicians have to be college graduates, that's true. And also true is that they don't have to be lawyers which again true, most of them are! Unfortunatly

What everybody is trying to convoy is that maybe we should look at a guy with common sens that tends not to kiss ass to big money and leaves God where it belongs in a Church and looks at the law!

Again, unfortunately, Scott Walker is not it!

As the soup Natzi would say: NEXT!

[bean29]

I think the author if the article made some good points about the value of a degree and that after all Walker's years of experience as a politician he seemingly has the knowledge and experience needed for the job. 

I happen to live in Wisconsin, voted for Walker as County Executive, but I have to say I really dislike him as governor, and do think he is a dirty politician who sold out to big money.  I don't think he is about what is best for Wisconsin right now, he is about what is best for his Presidential chances.  What he is proposing to do to the University System disturbs me...I think College is unaffordable today, and Rebecca Blank indicated that the cuts he is proposing would be equivalent to completely eliminating the School of Law, Nursing, Pharmacy and   Sorry I meant to edit this out.  When I went to look for the quote I couldn't find it so I found the info below which is still disturbing.

The budget cut proposed by the governor includes a $300 million dollar cut in state funding for the UW system. A legislative fiscal bureau memo estimates UW-Madison would see a $58 million cut in the first year.

Blank says there are several other shortfalls in the budget that would lead to a $91 million budget hole this year. She says that's like cutting 650 faculty positions or 31% of all faculty on campus. In terms of staff members, it's the equivalent of 1083 positions.  www.wkow.com/story/28038781/2015/02/05/chancellor-blank-explains-to-board-of-regents-how-cuts-would-affect-uw-Madison

I just don't feel we need to cut taxes so drastically.  I feel Walker wants to cut taxes so he can have something to hang his hat on when he runs for President.  Meanwhile, education in Wisconsin is decimated and no longer top notch.  Education will be reserved for the really wealthy. 

I also dislike what he wants to do with the DNR.  DNR protects the residents not businesses.  He has it wrong.

I don't like the idea of someone leading out country that never finished College in this day in age.

[zibazinski]

When I see plenty of idiots with college degrees and zero common sense. Most of them politicians. I don't think someone who didn't finish college should be disregarded.

[djAdvocate]

Feb 19, 2015 10:28:38 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Yeah bring on the competence. We will certainly be ready for it after 8 yrs of incompetence. But funny I know many competent people without college degrees. I thought the point of a citizen politician was to open doors for everyone and not just lawyer after lawyer. My bad.

for the record, i think that both Bush and Obama were totally competent to govern.

for the record, i don't care about education, provided that the person running can show me he is not a provincial idiot (ie Herman Cain).

but it does raise the bar for Walker.  he has more to prove to me.  if other voters don't care, that is just fine.  for them.

[djAdvocate]

Feb 19, 2015 14:01:16 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

When I see plenty of idiots with college degrees and zero common sense.

i don't believe in "common sense".  i think people are either REASONABLE, or they are NOT.  i will take reason over common sense any day.

Most of them politicians. I don't think someone who didn't finish college should be disregarded.

me neither.  i have said it before, and i will say it here: a sufficiently worldly grocery clerk should qualify for president.

[bean29]

Always be Optimizing, your link looked interesting, but I don't subscribe, and was not inclined to "create an account" so I don't know what it said.

You may be right that they can cut admin, but I remain unsure whether or not any costs savings should go to the students or the taxpayers. Part of the reason (I think) taxpayers are so mad here, is because he is proposing cuts to the University system while at the same time giving the Milwaukee Bucks and almost equivalent amount to build a new arena. The justification is that the players will pay enough in income taxes to pay for the stadium.  But if we don't pay for the stadium the players will still pay income taxes and if we do pay for the stadium there is no guarantee that the team will stay in Milwaukee. Then there is the fact that the current arena is only27 years old. We have a city hall that is 120 years old but an Arena that is obsolete at less that Thirty years?

[EVT1]

marquetteeducator.wordpress.com/2015/02/09/an-open-letter-to-governor-walker/

From an actual teacher of the year.

     And so, as one of the bonafide 2010-2011 Wisconsin Teachers of the Year, I feel the need to engage in one of the most valuable skills we teach our students, critical analysis.

     Verified by multiple news sources, it turns out that Megan Sampson did win an award in 2010, but it was the Nancy Hoefs Memorial Award given by a relatively small organization of Wisconsin English teachers (WCTE) for “an outstanding first year teacher of language arts.” She was one of fewer than a dozen teachers across the state who self-nominated for this award.*

     You failed to mention these details as you used Sampson’s lay-off from her first year teaching position as an opportunity to bash Wisconsin schools on the national stage. You blamed the seniority system for Sampson’s lay-off when, in good conscience, you should have done some serious soul searching and placed the blame squarely on your systematic defunding of public education to the tune of $2.6 billion that you cut from school districts, state aid to localities, the UW-System and technical colleges.*

     Your tenure as Governor has demonstrated nothing less than a systematic attempt to dismantle public education, the cornerstone of democracy and the ladder of social mobility for any society.

[Deleted]

LOL


After Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker made another reference to God speaking to him in a speech before bankers in January, Freedom From Religion Foundation member Edward Susterich made an open records request of his office for evidence of his communications with the Lord — and his office replied, officially, that it could find none.

www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/02/scott-walker-says-he-consults-with-god-but-his-office-cant-provide-documents-to-prove-it/

[billisonboard]

Education is a wonderful thing. Schooling is but one way a person may become educated.

Credentials are a different matter.  It is important to understand the exact criteria for it being awarded. A bachelor's degree usually shows the willingness to dedicate extended time/effort and finish all those pesky little requirements.  Some credentials indicate the ability to mark the required number of acceptable answers on a standardized test. I would question someone who attended for an extended period of college who did not have a degree and listen to the answer carefully.

[djAdvocate]

Wisconsin has a world class public education system.  one that Walker seems hell bent to destroy.

[happyhoix]

I'm curious about his college career. If I'm not mistaken, he left with only a semester before graduation, which is really unusual. Usually if a student sticks it out for 3 1/2 years, they find a way to plow through that last semester to get that piece of paper.

I think he says he got busy with work, got a good job offer, had family and kids, etc. But I believe they didn't have kids for several more years after he left school. 

I know he was in a hotly contested school election, which he lost, and in which there were allegations that he violated the school campaigning rules. 

It makes me wonder if he has a grudge against higher education. I also think he's one of those people who believe universities brain wash kids into being liberal democrats. I wonder if that's part of the reason he's gone after the teacher's unions and tried to cut the education budget. 

By the way, I'm also one of those who thinks a college degree isn't required for people running for political office. But I do think politicans should not be anti-education, since access to education has proven to be a key factor in overcoming poverty and having an educated workforce attracts business.  

[Wisconsin Beth]

Feb 19, 2015 15:36:24 GMT -5 bean29 said:

Always be Optimizing, your link looked interesting, but I don't subscribe, and was not inclined to "create an account" so I don't know what it said.

You may be right that they can cut admin, but I remain unsure whether or not any costs savings should go to the students or the taxpayers. Part of the reason (I think) taxpayers are so mad here, is because he is proposing cuts to the University system while at the same time giving the Milwaukee Bucks and almost equivalent amount to build a new arena. The justification is that the players will pay enough in income taxes to pay for the stadium.  But if we don't pay for the stadium the players will still pay income taxes and if we do pay for the stadium there is no guarantee that the team will stay in Milwaukee. Then there is the fact that the current arena is only27 years old. We have a city hall that is 120 years old but an Arena that is obsolete at less that Thirty years?

Well, we HAVE had scaffolding on City Hall for what, 8-10 years now?  I haven't been down there recently so I don't know if it's still there or not.  While it's a gorgeous building - I don't know how much we should keep putting back into it.     And I don't think the players are living here year round.  I could be wrong though. 

I admit, when the Hamilton protests were happening in Red Arrow Park last year, it did occur to me that there would be some very happy people if that arena was torched.  What's the Despicable Me quote 'accidentally destroyed maliciously?'  I think April is going to be an interesting month downtown.  And if I was working downtown, I'd make a point of being off on the anniversary and/or the following day.  I've got no insider info, just gut instinct here. 

Personally, I'm ok with the Bucks leaving town.  I'd be more upset losing the Admirals.  But I've never been a basketball fan (and I'm not much of a hockey fan) so I've got some biases. 

[bean29]

Feb 20, 2015 8:31:11 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

I'm curious about his college career. If I'm not mistaken, he left with only a semester before graduation, which is really unusual. Usually if a student sticks it out for 3 1/2 years, they find a way to plow through that last semester to get that piece of paper.

I think he says he got busy with work, got a good job offer, had family and kids, etc. But I believe they didn't have kids for several more years after he left school. 

I know he was in a hotly contested school election, which he lost, and in which there were allegations that he violated the school campaigning rules. 

It makes me wonder if he has a grudge against higher education. I also think he's one of those people who believe universities brain wash kids into being liberal democrats. I wonder if that's part of the reason he's gone after the teacher's unions and tried to cut the education budget. 

By the way, I'm also one of those who thinks a college degree isn't required for people running for political office. But I do think politicans should not be anti-education, since access to education has proven to be a key factor in overcoming poverty and having an educated workforce attracts business.  

Scott Walker was attending Marquette University when he left school.  Marquette is a highly regarded Catholic University and I would not say it breeds liberal democrats, in fact the "Young Republicans" or whatever they call themselves are probably the majority on campus.  Today, it is where all the rich people send their kids to school, when Scott Walker was attending it was probably more accessible to middle income families, but I am sure it was still largely republican.  Supposedly Walker authorized Marquette to release his records and he has been cleared of any accusation of cheating etc. 

"In 1986, Walker worked as a volunteer for Tommy Thompson's gubernatorial campaign,[8] and in the fall of that year, enrolled at Marquette University.[9] In 1988, he ran for student government president, losing 1,245 to 927,[8] following an alleged infringement of campaign guidelines.[3] Walker discontinued his studies at Marquette in the spring of 1990, leaving in good standing with a 2.59/4.0 grade point average, but without obtaining a degree"  this is a quote from WIKI and it is cited if anyone is that interested in more info.  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Walker_(politician)

I have in the past heard the allegations that he left school b/c of some sort of cheating scandal, but the quote above says something about "alleged infringement of campaign guidelines" not about academics. 

I pass on this, I don't like the man, but I will assume that is an unproven allegation.  There are still "Campaign Violations" haunting the man, and I do think he has done a very good job of shutting down the investigation.  I didn't realize he worked on Tommy Thompson's Campaign, interesting. 

[bean29]

Feb 20, 2015 10:12:44 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Feb 19, 2015 15:36:24 GMT -5 bean29 said:

Always be Optimizing, your link looked interesting, but I don't subscribe, and was not inclined to "create an account" so I don't know what it said.

You may be right that they can cut admin, but I remain unsure whether or not any costs savings should go to the students or the taxpayers. Part of the reason (I think) taxpayers are so mad here, is because he is proposing cuts to the University system while at the same time giving the Milwaukee Bucks and almost equivalent amount to build a new arena. The justification is that the players will pay enough in income taxes to pay for the stadium.  But if we don't pay for the stadium the players will still pay income taxes and if we do pay for the stadium there is no guarantee that the team will stay in Milwaukee. Then there is the fact that the current arena is only27 years old. We have a city hall that is 120 years old but an Arena that is obsolete at less that Thirty years?

Well, we HAVE had scaffolding on City Hall for what, 8-10 years now?  I haven't been down there recently so I don't know if it's still there or not.  While it's a gorgeous building - I don't know how much we should keep putting back into it.     And I don't think the players are living here year round.  I could be wrong though. 

I admit, when the Hamilton protests were happening in Red Arrow Park last year, it did occur to me that there would be some very happy people if that arena was torched.  What's the Despicable Me quote 'accidentally destroyed maliciously?'  I think April is going to be an interesting month downtown.  And if I was working downtown, I'd make a point of being off on the anniversary and/or the following day.  I've got no insider info, just gut instinct here. 

Personally, I'm ok with the Bucks leaving town.  I'd be more upset losing the Admirals.  But I've never been a basketball fan (and I'm not much of a hockey fan) so I've got some biases. 

We go to Major League Sporting Events only when we get free tickets.  We get them quite frequently though our jobs.  My kids could care less.  My husband wanted to take my Son to batting practice last year (Son was 20), my son was not even interested in going b/c to see batting practice you need to be at the stadium at like 4 or 4:30 pm for a 7 pm game (This was a game where DH has suite tickets).  Basketball, we used to have fairly decent tickets from work and we went about once a year.  I would never pay for tickets.  I was talking to one of the Carpenters from the Carpenter's union and he told me they used to have season tickets to the Brewers and the Bucks.  They would raffle them off at union meetings, but the Union was able to check on the use of the tickets and they realized that although they gave them out, their members did not actually use the tickets.  At least most Milwaukee Residents can afford to attend a Brewer's game here or there, tickets to see the Packers or Bucks play are out of reach for most residents of Milwaukee County.  Telling them they should subsidize the arena so rich people can attend the games and watch even richer people play ball is just ridiculous imho.

I worked downtown for 15 years, 10 for the company that is right behind Red Arrow Park.  We made daily runs to Starbucks and often ate in the park.  I have no problem going to events downtown, and I really believe the Hamilton issue has more to do with Milwaukee County abdicating their responsibility to provide mental health services to our Mentally Ill population than it does with racism. 

I think they should cut their losses with city hall tear it down and start over,  or maybe we should move city hall into the Bradley center and say hasta la vista to the Bucks.  (My first house was in Milwaukee, I now live in Milwaukee County, but we do pay taxes to the city of Milwaukee,for the Business property DH owns.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Oh, I don't have a problem doing stuff downtown I'm just so out of the loop on what's happening.  I used to work at Central Library and walk from there MSOE to meet DH (then BF) after work.  And I carppooled with my Mom who worked at City Hall before that.  She'd drop me off at the Library and I'd walk to meet her at City Hall.  I just don't get down there anymore.  Young kids and going out to the bars doesn't work well in our house, esp. since DH's company moved to the suburbs.   

I want to take the kids skating at Red Arrow, if the weather ever gets better.  It's a nice little park.  We still live in the City.  I'd prefer a different house but the one we're in hits our needs and is close to both sets of grandparents and the kids' school.  So we're staying put for now.