Scott Walker: "Give up 12% of your salary or I'll be forced to boil this kitten!"

From yesterday's NYT piece, it's worth noting that Walker offers a false choice:

"But Mr. Walker and Republican leaders said disassembling unions was not the point at all. The intent, Mr. Walker said, was to avoid balancing the budget some other way: by laying off some 6,000 state workers, and taking away Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands of children."

It's only a choice between 12% cuts in compensation for public employees and layoffs and/or Medicaid cuts if tax increases for the wealthiest 1 or 2% of Wisconsin residents are off the table.  In fact, Walker lies when he says that this is anything less than a full frontal assault on public employees and public employee unions in Wisconsin.  Stripping UW faculty/staff of their right to collective bargaining is a purely political act.  It has nothing to do with balancing the budget; it's a naked and cynical attempt to kneecap unions that Walker perceives as political enemies. 

Also from the NYT: "'In these tough times, I think people are going to feel that this is not that much to ask,' said Jeff Fitzgerald, the Republican speaker of the State Assembly. 'Everyone is going to have to pitch in.'"

Everyone, Mr. Fitzgerald?  Really?  Because if John Menard was also getting a 12% tax increase, I'd feel a little bit better about this.  A little.