‘Small Government’ Facade Falls in Milwaukee, Revealing Split-Level Reality

from In These Times:




‘Small Government’ Facade Falls in Milwaukee, Revealing Split-Level Reality

Saturday
July 24
8:59 am

By Roger Bybee



Imagine the public outcry if, after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion killed 11 workers and unleashed the nation's largest environmental catastrophe, BP was chosen to inspect other oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

Yet that's exactly what's happening in a parallel situation in Milwaukee. On June 24, a 13-ton slab of concrete fell off of a county-owned O'Donnell Park parking structure, killing a 15-year-old on his way to a summer festival. Graef USA, the engineering firm in charge of maintaining the structure since 1991, has since been appointed by County Executive Scott Walker—a leading Republican candidate for governor—to carry out inspections of other county facilities.

Observers of the pervasive payoffs-and-paybacks relationship between private contractors and government will not be totally shocked to learn that Graef USA executives have contributed $15,000 to Walker's campaigns. But they might be just a bit stunned to find out that Walker also chose Graef for a $300,000 no-bid contract for an emergency inspection of other county facilities.

But the Milwaukee tragedy is more than a local story about cushy treatment of campaign contributors. It exemplifies the hypocrisy embedded in the Republican philosophy of "small government" that Scott Walker so zealously advocates.

SMALL GOVERNMENT: ONLY FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE

In reality, "small government" treatment is reserved for the bottom 80% of society, the "little people, who are essentially told at times of need, "you're on your own." ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6258/small_government_facade_falls_split-level_reality_revealed/

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