Saturday, May 9, 2015

UPDATED with link to 94 pages of drafting errors: A Timeline of the Attempted Gutting of the Wisconsin Idea



Link to public records received by the State Journal.

Page 11.


Original post begins here.


Tuesday, December 30, 2014.. Nathan Schwanz, Department of Administration analyst in the state budget office, emails Legislative Reference Bureau drafter Mark Kunkel insisting on a number of change the UW mission statement. One of the directive is to delete "Basic to every purpose of the system is the search for truth."

Monday, January 12, 2015. Schwanz follows up with another directive to delete the phrase, "To extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses."

Thursday, January 29. John Yingling, special assistant to the UW President, sends an email to Schwanz objecting to the proposed changes. "We strongly urge that stricken language is unique to depicting the character, mission, and vision of the UW System."

 Photo credit:  LinkedIn

Tuesday, February 3.   Governor Walker delivers his budget address to members of the legislative. The full text of the 2015-17 executive budget proposal is made available online.

Wednesday, February 4 . At a stop in De Pere to promote his budget, Walker is asked about the proposed changes to the UW mission statement, i.e., the Wisconsin Idea.


Wednesday, February 4. At a budget tour stop in Oconomowoc, Walker calls the strikeout of the Wisconsin Idea a "drafting error", a phrase that immediately becomes a laugh line.

Wednesday, February 4. Also in Oconomowoc, Walker continues to offer dubious explanations.


Thursday, February 5. Walker admits that UW official objected strongly to the deleted language but were told that it was "non-negotiable".


As usual, Walker refuses to take any personal responsibility for what happens. With him, the blame always lies elsewhere.  In this case, with UW officials -- a big, bold, and patently false accusation --  and then a nameless "someone".

Thursday, February 5. Walker continues to enhance "drafting error" as a classic Wisconsin laugh line. Here's his response to a query if there were other things in the budget he didn't know about.


Thursday, February 5. Walker's budget director, Michael Heifetz, falls on his sword.


Still calling it what it ain't.

Friday, February 6. Walker earns a "pants on fire" designation from PolitiFact (R) Wisconsin for his "drafting error" claim. It's labeled "inaccurate" and "ridiculous".

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