Three Years Later: Bold Ideas and a Big Victory
National Democrats poured tens of millions into Wisconsin, investing in my defeat, Ed Schultz and his MSNBC cast and crew mobilized daily, the big government union bosses fought back and the national press corps said I was dead in the water.
Three years ago today, I won my second election in two years — winning the recall election by a wider margin than I earned in my 2010 election.
It was the day we proved voters want leaders who are willing to make the tough decisions. The day we proved challenges should be tackled with courage and boldness. And the day we proved power belongs in the hands of the people, not the hands of big government union bosses or special interests.
Three years later the lessons of that victory ring as loud and as true as ever but getting there wasn’t easy.
When we took office, we faced a terrible economy and a 3 billion dollar deficit. We had looked at every way forward, and the answer was clear. There was no choice. We had to pursue collective bargaining reform. It was the only option for the good of Wisconsin.
I knew that such bold reforms wouldn’t be easy. I knew we’d have to stay strong against the liberal opposition. But even I was shocked by what we had to endure.
I think back to February of 2011 when we announced our budget repair bill that was the first step in turning my great state around — putting decisions back in the hands of the people. We made the announcement at 10AM on the 11th. Almost immediately, protests began.
In the face of hundreds of thousands of protestors at our state capitol who wished to drown us out, we did what was necessary to turn things around in Wisconsin. With our eyes on a better future for our state, our children and our grandchildren, we refused to back down from what was right.
We knew the battle for real reform was a battle worth fighting, and in the end, the voters stood with us.
Since then, we’ve been hard at work delivering results and moving Wisconsin forward. We’ve provided over $2 billion in tax relief for our state’s hard working families, created over 150,000 jobs, and our unemployment rate is down to 4.4 percent. Most importantly, we’re helping more people move from government dependence to true independence.
I’ve run in three elections in four years but looking back to the beginning — it was worth it.
Our country needs more growth, more reform, and policies that better ensure our safety and security. We should put power back where it belongs: in the states. But what we need most of all is real leadership; the kind that does not fear big, bold ideas, but the kind that fights and wins for the American people.
