26 thoughts on “Scott Walker”

  1. No college degree? I had no idea, but given his track record as governor you really can’t reasonably hold that against him at this point. I went and looked it up and Truman was the last of 11 US Presidents that did not have a college degree.

    Now given our current President’s track record, one could question the value of a Harvard degree. Yes, he became our President, but perhaps that speaks more to the value of a Harvard degree for campaigning.

    1. How about his lack of business experience? I personally think it’s fine for professional politicians to have spent their lives in government, but Republicans tend to treat that as a failing.

      1. Rand didn’t ask about business experience.

        And you have no idea how republicans treat various levels of business experience.

        Once again you mouth off with imbecilic “facks” for which you have no basis and about which you could not possibly know.

  3. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie.

    Not only do all three have college degrees, one of them is a physician, which is an extremely selective post graduate training.

    Two of them are lawyers, but not any kind of goofball who squeaked through a bar exam. One of them was a Supreme Court law clerk; the other was a high-profile Federal prosecutor — the “Jersey Boys” affect is just a lawyer’s tactic to ingratiate himself with his constituents.

    These three men are arguably the smartest, think-on-one’s-feet, handle the most aggressive argument the media and their opponent can throw at them people in public life today, and Rand, you are seriously thinking about Mr. Walker?

  4. I’m guessing Baghdad Jim went to college, and look at the poor use he makes of his mind. Grasp of basic economics, nil; may be familiar with history but obviously hasn’t learned any lessons from it; reasoning abilities, zilch. If all you’ve gotten from college is an ability to regurgitate the Hive’s party line on any given issue, you might as well have gone to a good trade school.

    Personally, I don’t care whether a candidate went to college or not. My essential criterion is a variation on the old “Is it good for the Jews?” line: “Is he/she good for liberty?” Or, given the current political climate, “Is he/she better for liberty than the other candidate?” Or, even more dismal but realistic, “Which one of these candidates is worse for liberty?”

  5. >How about his lack of business experience?<

    wiki
    "During college he worked part-time for IBM selling warranties. His IBM job led to a full-time position in marketing and fundraising at the American Red Cross from 1990 to 1994.[8][12]"

    1. So he had a part-time job in college, and worked between campaigns urging people to donate money, developing a skill that no doubt comes in handy in politics.

      Again: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with politicians who have negligible private sector experience, it’s just hypocritical for Republicans to make a big deal about the importance of that experience and then give their own candidates a pass.

      1. “….it’s just hypocritical for Republicans to make a big deal about the importance of that experience and then give their own candidates a pass.”

        1. Again you haven’t the faintest idea how republicans think.

        2. You ignored the second sentence in newrouter’s post:

        “His IBM job led to a full-time position in marketing and fundraising at the American Red Cross from 1990 to 1994.[8][12]”

        Just like you ignore where your own sources destroy your very argument.

  6. Guys, if it’s smarts we’re after, Bobby Jindal is your candidate. From Wikipedia:

    Jindal was one of 50 students nationwide admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) at Brown University, guaranteeing him a place in medical school. Jindal completed majors in biology and public policy. He graduated in 1991 at the age of 20, with honors in both majors.[4][5] Jindal was named to the 1992 USA Today All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, but studied at New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He received an M.Litt. degree in political science with an emphasis in health policy from the University of Oxford in 1994, where the subject of his thesis was “A needs-based approach to health care”.[4] He turned down an offer to study for a D.Phil. in politics, instead joining the consulting firm McKinsey & Company.[6

    This isn’t the only reason he’s my guy, but you could do worse.

      1. I read the article, and given the context I find Jindal’s comment to be pretty much on the mark. The stimulus was promoted as a necessary jobs creation measure, and in responding to Jindal the head of the USGS conceded that only 10% of the $140 million would actually go to volcano monitoring, and 90% would go elsewhere for facility repair and mapping functions.

  7. Actually it’s executive experience Republicans look for, more than business experience. If you have a candidate who hasn’t run anything bigger than a Senate office, and who’s major achievements revolve around a nice speech and writing two books (about himself), you are likely to get a president who only finds out about what’s going on in his administration by reading the New York Times. Executive experience (in or out of business) teaches you that wishful thinking isn’t enough to get things done. Republicans tend to prefer reality based candidates who understand that.

      1. It would be better if Walker had more business experience and a college degree but he has some extraordinary accomplishments on his side. He outsmarted and defeated the intellectual elite of WI and the national Democrat party on more than one occasion and his policies have been great for his state.

        When Republicans speak about experience in any given field, they are looking for accomplishments not just participation.

      2. McCain was a naval officer. Ryan was the VP pick. Again, how does writing two books about yourself qualify one for the presidency?

        1. What is this thing about writing two books? You mean the one book written by Bill Ayers and the other, not as well written one?

        2. If the books written about you formed the New Testament, you’d probably do well among religious conservatives. If you think the books written about you will replace the New Testament, your name is Barrack Obama. If your autobiography includes a story about a Christmas 1969 Swiftboat raid on the Island of Misfit Toys, you lost to George Bush, as did the author of an apocalyptic fiction novel about the Earth burning to a cinder. I think we need someone less concerned about relating their personal story and more concerned about the challenges facing the country, including long-=term geopolitical interests.

          I think part of the problem with McCain and Romeny is that they didn’t instill a sense of trust or of conservatism. Had his campaign not fizzled, Fred Thompson might’ve beaten Obama on those points alone.

          1. “If your autobiography includes a story about a Christmas 1969 Swiftboat raid on the Island of Misfit Toys, you lost to George Bush . . . ”

            LOL, as the kids say.

  8. You mean Captain John McCain, USN, Vietnam veteran, freed POW, and commander of a consolidated A-7 squadron that was the size of a wing?

    A Captain in the Navy is not the same thing as a Captain in the Army or Air Force.

    1. Certainly most of us are grateful for John McCain’s military service and are inspired by his true story of perseverance and loyalty to his country during his POW experiences. Significantly less inspiring to most of us has been his performance as a US Senator. Statewide election of a US Senator is not the same thing as nationwide election of the US President.

    2. You’re right, squadron command counts as executive experience, and puts McCain ahead of Paul Ryan and Rand Paul on that score.

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