Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin

I ordered my “I Recalled Walker” bumper sticker today.  I’m proud to be part of a grassroots campaign to elect a new governor, one who will be more attuned to the needs of Wisconsin workers.  And as delighted as I am that over a million concerned Wisconsin citizens have signed a recall petition, I am also reminded daily of the need to fight against the Koch brothers who are backed by corporate cash.

Injured workers call our office every day indicating they have been denied worker’s compensation benefits, asking about how they can obtain necessary medical treatment.  Now, Governor Walker, in a misguided attempt to balance the budget, wants to cut an additional 50,000 adults from the State’s health care rolls.

In a remarkable display of political doublespeak,  Walker’s administration– which in its fundraising efforts have proudly extolled successful efforts at balancing the budget– quietly indicated to the federal government in December that the State had in fact, a deficit.

Why this duplicity? Because federal law allows Wisconsin to drop medical coverage for adults to save money on health care costs if the State can show it has a deficit.

Dropping over 50,000 adults would obviously but shortsightedly save the State money.  Walker’s administration used a “cash accounting” method in its promotional materials indicating that it will have a balanced budget, but when it reported to the federal government the administration used more generally accepted accounting principles showing debts that include promises to pay in the future.

The net result is that over 50,000 Wisconsinites may now be dropped from State health coverage because Walker’s administration duplicitously told the feds that it had a “budget deficit”.

On behalf of Wisconsin’s injured workers: shame on you, Governor Walker.