Scott Walker Says He Respects Others, Regardless of Their Beliefs* in Television Ad

MADISON, Wis. — It must be the final weeks of a gubernatorial campaign if Gov. Scott Walker is earnestly looking straight to camera saying he respects others’ beliefs. One Wisconsin Now Program Director Analiese Eicher noted that Walker’s words in this election cycle ring hollow when compared to his action and inaction on issues important to women, people of color, migrant families, students and sex assault survivors.

“Scott Walker has been willing to say anything to try to win an election,” said Eicher. “His latest ad shows us he’s still willing to say anything to win an election, regardless of how untrue his words are compared to his actions.”

Walker’s latest ad copies the sentiment of an ad he ran in October 2014. In the closing days of that election he looked straight to camera and said he respected women making the health care decision best for themselves and their families. Mere months later, as he was gearing up for his 71-day long run for president, Walker signed into law a dangerous new abortion ban.

In his October 2018 ad Walker, again looking straight to camera, says he was taught to, “… respect people, regardless of their beliefs.” Eicher noted that, again, Walker’s words ring hollow when compared to his actions on several fronts.

Eicher noted that throughout his quarter century in office Walker has shown his lack of respect for the beliefs and interests of others.

Among the examples are Scott Walker signing in to law a series of anti-voter measures, with the intent of suppressing the votes of people of color. Testimony in a federal court case that found the state unconstitutionally implemented the voter ID law and revealed how, in private meetings, state Republicans were giddy about the prospect of passing the measure. The judge wrote in his decision striking down restrictions on early voting that the Walker and Republican imposed law “… intentionally discriminates on the basis of race. I reach this conclusion because I am persuaded that this law was specifically targeted to curtail voting in Milwaukee without any other legitimate purpose.”

Because of Scott Walker’s lack of respect of opinions different than his, students at University of Wisconsin schools could be subjected to discipline, including expulsion, for protesting right wing speakers spewing racist hate speech, homophobia and xenophobia on their college campus. Eicher noted it was with Walker’s support that his appointees to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents all voted for the new campus free speech restriction policy.

Women’s belief that they ought to be able make their own health care decisions, free from the interference of politicians has not been respected by Walker either. Eicher noted how the Governor has signed into law a dangerous abortion ban and a measure requiring a woman undergo an ultrasound before getting an abortion. Walker has also sought to undo Wisconsin’s contraceptive equity law and stripped funding from Planned Parenthood, depriving women across the state access to medically accurate non judgemental health care services in their communities.

And, after he was credibly accused of sexual assaults, Scott Walker continued to stand by Donald Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment to the United States Supreme Court.

Concluding, Eicher pointed to Walker’s antipathy to migrant families. In his first budget Scott Walker repealed a measure to allow children of undocumented parents who live here and graduate from state high schools to pay the same in-state tuition as their classmates at UW schools. He has also not only failed to speak out against Donald Trump’s abhorrent policy of separating migrant families at the Southern border but also deployed Wisconsin National Guard troops to support border patrol activities.

These and more examples of Scott Walker’s enmity and indifference to the beliefs of others can be found in One Wisconsin Now’s online library of research, the Scott Walker Failure Files.