Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke often is described as "a non-ideological antidote" to Republican Gov. Scott Walker in this fall's election.
The 55-year-old Burke is a millionaire who didn't become a Democrat until she was in her 40s. Democratic liberals did not rush to her cause when she announced her candidacy for governor. Perhaps it was her late entry into the party, or perhaps it was her centrist views.
Burke supports collective bargaining, but she has bluntly told union leaders that her election would not mean returning public employee bargaining with binding arbitration to what it was before Walker and Republicans effectively gutted the law in 2011.
There are dramatic differences between Burke and Walker. Burke, who grew up in Hartford, holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Georgetown University and a master's degree in business administration. Walker, who grew up in Delavan, left Marquette University without a degree.
Burke says she would take federal money for the full expansion of health care for the poor. That expansion would save several hundred million dollars in Wisconsin tax dollars. Walker rejected the full expansion, saying the federal government might renege on its commitment in future years.
Turning down federal money for Wisconsin could help Walker's hopes of getting to the White House in 2016. The governor has refused to promise to serve out a full four-year second term if re-elected. To date, Burke has not challenged him on that position.
Burke says women and their physicians, not state government, should be in charge of making individual health decisions. The last persons who should be involved "are Madison politicians," according to Burke. Walker has supported anti-abortion efforts and state funding for Planned Parenthood has been eliminated.
Another equally clear issue is the creation of a huge iron mine in Northern Wisconsin. Burke has opposed weakening environmental standards while Walker touts easing mining rules as a major achievement of Republicans.
The proposed mine popped back into the gubernatorial race late this summer with reports that the mining company gave $700,000 in campaign contributions to help Walker and Republican state senators in the 2012 recall elections. The environmental changes came after the recall elections.
On the same sex marriage issue Burke says every citizen should have the right to marry. Walker is defending the state constitutional ban on same sex marriage, directing state attorneys to appeal the federal appeals court ruling striking down the ban.
- Matt Pommer, a 35-year veteran of covering state government in Madison, writes the weekly State Capitol Newsletter for the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. His column is published Monday in the Times.
The 55-year-old Burke is a millionaire who didn't become a Democrat until she was in her 40s. Democratic liberals did not rush to her cause when she announced her candidacy for governor. Perhaps it was her late entry into the party, or perhaps it was her centrist views.
Burke supports collective bargaining, but she has bluntly told union leaders that her election would not mean returning public employee bargaining with binding arbitration to what it was before Walker and Republicans effectively gutted the law in 2011.
There are dramatic differences between Burke and Walker. Burke, who grew up in Hartford, holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Georgetown University and a master's degree in business administration. Walker, who grew up in Delavan, left Marquette University without a degree.
Burke says she would take federal money for the full expansion of health care for the poor. That expansion would save several hundred million dollars in Wisconsin tax dollars. Walker rejected the full expansion, saying the federal government might renege on its commitment in future years.
Turning down federal money for Wisconsin could help Walker's hopes of getting to the White House in 2016. The governor has refused to promise to serve out a full four-year second term if re-elected. To date, Burke has not challenged him on that position.
Burke says women and their physicians, not state government, should be in charge of making individual health decisions. The last persons who should be involved "are Madison politicians," according to Burke. Walker has supported anti-abortion efforts and state funding for Planned Parenthood has been eliminated.
Another equally clear issue is the creation of a huge iron mine in Northern Wisconsin. Burke has opposed weakening environmental standards while Walker touts easing mining rules as a major achievement of Republicans.
The proposed mine popped back into the gubernatorial race late this summer with reports that the mining company gave $700,000 in campaign contributions to help Walker and Republican state senators in the 2012 recall elections. The environmental changes came after the recall elections.
On the same sex marriage issue Burke says every citizen should have the right to marry. Walker is defending the state constitutional ban on same sex marriage, directing state attorneys to appeal the federal appeals court ruling striking down the ban.
- Matt Pommer, a 35-year veteran of covering state government in Madison, writes the weekly State Capitol Newsletter for the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. His column is published Monday in the Times.
