Obama and Wisconsin: 'Vilify'

Obama is a hypocrite.

Today when addressing the National Governors Association, Obama suggested that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Republicans, and their supporters are "vilifying" public employees.

From the Los Angeles Times:

President Obama on Monday waded into the labor standoff in Wisconsin and warned that the rights of public employees should not be infringed upon.

Speaking to the National Governors Assn., Obama noted that many states as well as the federal government face tough economic choices. But the president, who has been criticized by some labor allies for not speaking out more forcefully on the Wisconsin situation, noted the fight between Wisconsin's public unions and the Republican administration in Madison.

"I don't think it does anybody any good when public employees are denigrated or vilified or their rights are infringed upon," Obama said in televised remarks. "We need to attract the best and brightest to public service. These times demand it."

When Obama was interviewed by TMJ4's Charles Benson way back on February 16, Obama said something very similar.

Transcript

CHARLES BENSON: Wisconsin has its own budget crisis right now. Thousands and thousands are marching on Madison even as we speak. Unions and state employees, they're angry right now at Governor Walker. Walker's talking about potentially bringing out the National Guard. They're worried about they're going to lose their right to bargain, and they're going to be asked, forced to pay more in benefits.

Others, on the other hand, are saying Walker's doing the right thing, and suggesting maybe you should do the same thing as well when it comes to benefits, cutting benefits, having workers pay more.

OBAMA: Well, I'd say that I haven't followed exactly what's happening with the Wisconsin budget. I've got some budget problems here in Washington I've had to focus on. Um, I would say as a general proposition that everybody's got to make some adjustments to new fiscal realities. Uh, and I think if, uh, if we want to avoid layoffs, which I want to avoid, I don't want to see layoffs of hardworking federal workers. We had to impose, for example, a freeze on pay increases for federal workers for the next two years as part of my overall budget freeze. Uh, you know, I think those kind of adjustments are the right thing to do.

On the other hand, uh, some of what I've heard coming out of Wisconsin, where, uh, you're just making it harder for public employees to collectively bargain generally, uh, seems like more of an assault on unions. And I think it's very important for us to understand that public employees, they're our neighbors. They're our friends. These are folks who are teachers, and they're firefighters, and they're social workers, and they're police officers. You know, they make a lot of sacrifices and make a big contribution. And I think it's important not to vilify them or to suggest that somehow all these budget problems are due to public employees.

So, I think everybody's gotta make some adjustments, but I think it's also important to recognize that public employees make enormous contributions to the well being of our states and our cities.

I said it twelve days ago and I'll say it again--

Governor Walker isn't vilifying public employees, though Obama has a terrible habit of shamelessly vilifying the private sector. Governor Walker has praised public employees.

They aren't being denigrated or vilified.

Obama shouldn't be lecturing anyone about vilifying others. He's a master at vilification.

When it comes to talking about "rights," Obama is extremely inconsistent.

He hails Hu Jintao but he takes a swipe at Governor Walker.

If Obama really cares about the "rights" of public employees, then he needs to speak out about federal employees not having collective bargaining "rights."

With all due respect, the guy makes a fool of himself when he trots out his rehearsed remarks and repeats his carefully chosen words.

He's the one doing the vilifying here.

Tell the rest of the story, Barack.
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UPDATE: Governor Scott Walker's office issued a statement in response to Obama's remarks.

“I'm sure the President knows that most federal employees do not have collective bargaining for wages and benefits while our plan allows it for base pay. And I'm sure the President knows that the average federal worker pays twice as much for health insurance as what we are asking for in Wisconsin. At least I would hope he knows these facts.

“Furthermore, I’m sure the President knows that we have repeatedly praised the more than 300,000 government workers who come to work every day in Wisconsin.

“I’m sure that President Obama simply misunderstands the issues in Wisconsin, and isn’t acting like the union bosses in saying one thing and doing another.”

Yes.