Welcome to Walkerworld

Scott Walker, the Governor of Wisconsin, is the latest in an increasingly crowded Republican field for President. Walker, however, has been taken seriously as a politician by the media. He is seen as having gravitas. This is ridiculous.

Now, it’s definitely true that in a grouping that has been dominated recently by the wispy toupee of Donald Trump the bar for “seriousness” in the Republican field is not very high. And that’s certainly part of the reason, I’m sure, that Walker is seen as a viable and real candidate.

But Walker’s no different than Trump.

Trump’s racist statements about Latin Americans have been rightly widely decried by the news media and the American public. His entire modus operandi- and that of the Republicans in general- appears to be to dehumanize and scapegoat an entire group of people.

Walker has done exactly the same thing- but he’s been smarter about it.

Scott Walker’s reign in Wisconsin has been punctuated by his relentless cuts on education budgets, giveaways to the rich, attacks on unions, and regressive voter suppression measures. Walker has systematically used his power to curtail the rights and safety nets of the poor and less fortunate. That he has done this in the state of Wisconsin, not what one would have thought of as a “red state” only eight years ago, is remarkable.

Walker’s ideology is toxic. It reflects a world in which such services long thought of as the public’s welfare, such as education and the right to vote, are restricted only to those who possess the ability to pay. It reflects a world where protesting teacher’s unions are linked to terrorists.

Although it isn’t as in your face as the virulent statements and bombast of Donald Trump, Walkerworld is actually more dangerous for the subtle power of the ideology and its ability to worm its way into the legislative code.

Where Trump screams about the inhumanity of the underclass, Walker works to enact laws to ensure their endless subjugation. People rightfully find Trump repulsive, but it’s easy to do so given his disgusting public persona and total lack of filter. It’s harder to see Walker for the vile toady of the wealthy and powerful he is, but he should be treated the same as Trump. Neither man should be taken seriously. Neither man should be given the opportunity to shape the debate. Neither man should hold elected office.

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