Scott Walker's Slashing Budget Cuts to Schools Raise Doubts Among GOP Voters

The first thing we do, let's kill all the teachers' unions.
- Scott the Butcher

In the modern Wisconsin political era (1965-2011), how is it that governors Warren P. Knowles, Patrick J. Lucey, Martin J. Schreiber, Lee S. Dreyfus, Anthony S. Earl, Tommy Thompson, Scott McCallum and Jim Doyle were all able to balance the budget without slashing education? Indeed, solving our fiscal issues while advancing the public K-12 school and University systems that became models for the country?

The answer is: Because all these governors wanted to. These public stewards were all committed to preserving excellence, meeting our responsibilities to the children and students of Wisconsin: Our future, our families.

Now, as Walker's sick crusade goes on, Republicans are fighting back.

By Dinesh Ramde and Dan Sewell in the Huffington Post

Brookfield, Wisconsin—Barb Feest wishes she could take back her vote for Wisconsin governor.

The suburban Milwaukee woman cast her ballot for Republican Scott Walker in November. But she could only shake her head recently as she listened at a public forum to how Walker's proposed budget cuts could affect schools.

"He's trying to balance the budget on the backs of teachers," Feest said. "It took so long to get our schools where they are, and they're going to cut it down in, what, two years? It's not right." ....

High school math teacher Ronn Blaha, 41, said he felt like a "punch-drunk boxer," taking one hit after another from the community because Walker had completely vilified the entire teaching profession.

"I voted for him because I wanted some restraint on frivolous spending," Blaha told The Associated Press, adding that he now regrets his vote. "I did not anticipate that he considered education a frivolity."