How and why Minnesota is outpacing Wisconsin

[Dovahkiin]

A clear difference, with two different paths taken. Which one was more successful? Minnesota, obviously.
The High Road Wins

Minnesota and Wisconsin offer something close to a laboratory experiment in competing economic policies. Since the 2010 elections of Democratic Governor Mark Dayton in Minnesota and Republican Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin, these neighboring states with similar populations and economies have pursued radically different strategies. Dayton embraces good government, progressive taxation, and high-wage policies, while Walker has chosen shrunken government, fiscal austerity, and a war on labor.

Minnesota’s economy has outpaced Wisconsin’s. These results suggest that Walker, in his expected run for president, may have difficulty promoting a “Wisconsin Miracle” as a model for national policy. This story also offers a cautionary tale to newly elected conservative governors like Bruce Rauner in nearby Illinois: An attack on government and workers’ wages is not a prescription either for prosperity or for political success.
While the “experiment” is not perfect—there are minor differences in urban and industrial structure between the two states—it is clear that imposing fiscal austerity and undermining residents’ standards of living are not successful prescriptions for economic prosperity.

Walker’s initial slogan, “Wisconsin Is Open for Business,” conveys his broad view that government should be smaller, deficits are categorically bad, the private sector is the only wealth and job creator, lowering taxes will automatically create jobs, and public-sector employees (and by association, many other workers) are too highly paid, which in turn hurts the state’s economic competitiveness. Walker promised to reduce Wisconsin’s deficit, create 250,000 new jobs in his first term, and get government out of the way of private-sector growth. His policies include reducing regulation generally and fast-tracking permitting for new environmentally problematic mining in the state. Walker also proposes to increase tuition at the state university by 13 percent and to change its mission from broadly educating the citizenry to serving the labor-market needs of business.

Dayton’s gubernatorial agenda has been solidly liberal. As he did while serving as U.S. senator from 2001 to 2007, Dayton embraces an activist government role, believing that well-run programs supporting education, infrastructure, fair and healthy workplaces, health care, progressive taxation, and a social safety net not only benefit Minnesota businesses and families but nurture economic prosperity.

While Dayton supported a popular and successful campaign for a higher statewide minimum wage, Walker opposed any increase. Dayton supported the Affordable Care Act and developed a state exchange, while Walker refused an initial $38 million in federal funds to set up a Wisconsin exchange and $11 million to improve Medicaid enrollment, also rejecting federally funded expanded Medicare coverage for the state. (On health care alone, Dayton’s embrace of Obamacare has brought new federal dollars that are spent almost fully within the state, creating good-paying health-sector jobs.) On another front, Walker successfully fought teachers’ unions, while Dayton led an increase in teachers’ salaries paired with reductions in class size, which proved a stimulus to the Minnesota economy.

In sum, Minnesota’s policies on wages, health care, and unionization have improved the quality of life for large numbers of state residents. Outpacing Wisconsin, Minnesota’s jobs and pay have expanded, and health care and education have improved. Dayton’s progressive taxation has not scared off business, but has funded better public services, besting Walker’s fiscal strategy of regressive tax cuts and deficit reduction. It’s worth a closer look to see why this was the result.

^ Continued at the link.

 

[Dreadnaught1968]

A year old article, and Walker is no longer running for President, why even bother to post this?

 

[SassyIrishLass]

I know someone that has lived in Minnesota for nearly 80 years and he tells me Minny is going to hell in a handbasket

 

[initforme]

I've lived in Wisconsin since I've been born. The state is struggling. Young people are going to minnesota at this time. Walker saved me $10 on my property tax bill. Now I increased my taxes by $50 a year because he cut 8 billion from education so we have to vote for referendums to keep our schools going bare bones. I can see some cutting but he went full bore after education. His chatter school experimenent in Milwaukee hasn't panned out. Our roads are junk and all those jobs he promised haven't come to fruition. 3 out of my 4 kids moved to Minnesota because the opportunities for them were a lot more in Minnesota. To top it all off our GOP wants to get rid of open records. What ate they trying to hide.

 

[Dreadnaught1968]

I've lived in Wisconsin since I've been born. The state is struggling. Young people are going to minnesota at this time. Walker saved me $10 on my property tax bill. Now I increased my taxes by $50 a year because he cut 8 billion from education so we have to vote for referendums to keep our schools going bare bones. I can see some cutting but he went full bore after education. His chatter school experimenent in Milwaukee hasn't panned out. Our roads are junk and all those jobs he promised haven't come to fruition. 3 out of my 4 kids moved to Minnesota because the opportunities for them were a lot more in Minnesota. To top it all off our GOP wants to get rid of open records. What ate they trying to hide.

I've lived in Wisconsin my entire life and would say most of our highways are in pretty good shape. I also happen to work in the construction industry and there is a lot of new school building/additions/remodels going on around the state. And Walker is far better than our previous, corrupt piece of crap, Jim Doyle...

 

[Stephanie]

oh my gawd. who could have guessed the Democrat was going to be the hero and savior of all mankind. who writes that kind of crap. better yet who freaking swallows it hook, line and Stinker?

 

[SuperDemocrat]

It will be just a matter of time before the free-market argument wins. It is just a fact that when the government doesn't get involved the economy does better. It is possible that wisconsin's political enviroment is pretty anti-capitalist so investors are probably shying away from that state.

 

[Stephanie]

they want everyone to believe how the Democrats are just the superior at everything including being a governor now. I guess that's why things are this way right now.

snip:



Party affiliation of current United States Governors
Democratic Governor
Democratic/Popular Democratic Governor
Republican Governor
Independent Governor
vacant

The following is a list of incumbent governors of the states, and territories of the United States. There are currently 31 Republicans, 18 Democrats, and one independent that hold the office of governor in the states. Additionally, two Republicans, two Independents and two Democrats (one is also a member of the PPD) serve as governors of United States Territories and Mayor of the District of Columbia.

lol, all of it here:
List of current United States governors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[initforme]

Wisconsin is starting to resemble Mississippi. We are in regression. Even trump called walker out on it. Things are better over there for young people. Nthey know it so that's where they are heading. Smart choice.

 

[Dovahkiin]

A year old article, and Walker is no longer running for President, why even bother to post this?

To show the success of Minnesota and the failure of the right wing policies of walker.

 

[Manonthestreet]

MN debt is heading toward unmanageable too.....

 

[Dovahkiin]

MN debt is heading toward unmanageable too.....

LOL. What are you talking about?
Dayton, lawmakers split on what to do with $1.9 billion surplus
The debt isn't really relevant at all, should be obvious why..

 

[initforme]

I made the mistake of voting for walker...not going to happen again. The Wisconsin GOP wants to Fandangle open records. Shame on them. Bunch of corporate shills. No more college dropouts.

 

[Manonthestreet]

Thats short term and always disappears...... they are getting in the habit of doing billion dollar bonding bills every yr for crap projects.....saw a graph the other day dealing with states and state debt per citizen,,,,,,IL of course was biggest out lier but MN was was closing in.....also rank 5th in student debt burden

 

[Manonthestreet]

BTW WI spends more than MN with similar size pop so to claim austerity is a lie