Democratic governors doing things the right way, not the Republican way, to great success

Governor Doug Ducey, the man hired by Koch Industries to manage their Southwest subsidiary formerly known as the state of Arizona, hosted Governor Scott Walker, “the goggle-eyed homunculus hired by Koch Industries to manage their Midwest subsidiary formerly known as the state of Wisconsin” (h/t Charles Pierce) at, where else, an Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry event Chamber Leadership Series on Wednesday in downtown Phoenix.

Walker would have everyone in the political universe believe that he is currently the frontrunner for the GOP nomination for president. So it raises questions and suspicions that Walker came to Phoenix and did not do any media availability. The Arizona Republic reported today:

Walker, another leading GOP 2016 prospect, was in downtown Phoenix Wednesday to speak at an Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry luncheon, but outside of some Twitter posts from attendees there wasn’t any news coverage of his remarks. At Walker’s request, the event was closed to the media, and he did not make himself available to reporters before or after.

What kind of candidate for president passes up an opportunity for publicity in a state?

Or maybe Walker didn’t want to answer questions about the publicity I have given him, with a comparison and contrast between the success of Democratic run Minnesota versus Republican run Wisconsin, If the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry really wants to learn about ‘Leadership,’ it should invite Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to speak instead, and the fact that Walker’s economic policies have been an economic disaster for Wisconsin’s middle class. Scott Walker brings his failed economic plan to Arizona.

Nancy LeTourneau at the Political Animal Blog does some more bragging on Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, and California Governor Jerry Brown, two seasoned Democrats who are showing what real leadership looks like. What Minnesota and California Have in Common:

I’ve probably done enough humble-bragging about my home state of Minnesota and Governor Mark Dayton. But I did appreciate the way this visual summed it up.

I was also reminded that the two states in the country that are getting a lot of attention right now for their robust economic recovery are Minnesota and California.

For years, business lobbyists complained about what they derided as “job killer” laws that drive employers out of California.

Rival state governors, notably former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, made highly publicized visits to the Golden State in hopes of poaching jobs.

But new numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tell a different story. Total jobs created in the 12 months ending Jan. 31 show California leading other states. California gained 498,000 new jobs, almost 30% more than the Lone Star State’s total of 392,900 for the same period.

Of course Minnesota and California have almost nothing in common. But there are a couple of things they share that stand out. Both Governors – Mark Dayton and Jerry Brown – took office in January 2011 following Republicans who had served more than one term. They beat the odds of the 2010 midterm elections that brought in Republican Governors like Scott Walker, Rick Scott, Rick Snyder and Sam Brownback.

But what I find even more interesting is that both of these Governors are old white guy political re-treads. Perhaps that’s just a meaningless coincidence. But in an era when there is a lot of focus on young up-and-coming energetic newcomers in politics, it does make me wonder if the old guys who have already been around the block once or twice might not bring something to the table too.

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry sucked up to these twins separated at birth, Doug Ducey and Scott Walker, who manage their states like subsidiaries of the “Kochtopus,” rather than bring true political leaders to this state who are doing things the right way, not the Republican way, to great success.