While the people of Wisconsin are looking for serious solutions to challenges facing our economy due to the failed policies and irresponsible tax cuts for corporations and the rich courtesy of George W. Bush, Scott Walker has decided to play magician. What he pulled out of his ... um ... hat this week was the laughable notion in a laughable excuse for an economic plan that he would create 250,000 jobs in the state. Given there are 250,900 unemployed Wisconsinites, it looks like Walker thinks, presto, change-o and poof, he can make the unemployment rate completely disappear. Like GOB Bluth says, it's not a trick, it's an illusion.

Yeah, nice try Scot. The abysmal jobs climate in Wisconsin has absolutely nothing to do with Jim Doyle's lack of leadership. He is a mere piece of furniture in the East Wing ... nothing to do with his tax hikes ... nothing to do with out of control state spending ... nothing to do with his re-creation of Wisconsin as a welfare state. Sure, it's all simply George Bush's fault! Anyway, Kudos for Walker for laying out a marker and promising to make job creation the focal point of his campaign. I'm sure he'll have more luck keeping this promise than Doyle did keeping his promises to not raise taxes and to cut the number of state employees. Oh, and the best part of Walker's approach? This quote: "I believe that people create jobs, not government." As for his goal equaling the total number of reported unemployed, two things. 1) You assume no population growth over the next five years? That's sad. See, people will move TO Wisconsin if there are jobs here, it's a novel concept and 2) Jim Doyle is governor for another 11 months. If his global warming bill passes, the state will continue to shed jobs until the day those anti-business measures are repealed.

How can Walker endlessly claim government can’t create jobs, but claim as the head of Wisconsin's government he’ll create enough jobs to give one to everyone currently unemployed? If this is his job creation plan, I guess his plan for homelessness is "get a house." What I’d like to see is Walker held to the same standards conservatives and the media have demanded from the Recovery Act when it comes to proving job creation. I guess my only question on that is: How would Walker calculate the county employees who could be furloughed for nearly a month – as underemployed or employed?

Walker outlines his six keys to a better business climate: 1 – Lower Taxes; 2 – Less Regulations; 3 – End Frivolous Lawsuits; 4 – Better Education; 5 – Improve Healthcare; and 6 - Strong Infrastructure. Yes the devil is in the details, and it will be up to him and his campaign to follow through with the meat that needs to be put on those bones. Yet, even as it stands today Walker's is more of a plan than the current administration's, which is ... um ... well as soon as they have one I'm sure they'll let us know. As for Walker's record with dealing with the three budget problems of Milwaukee County employees, the Ament pension mess and the unions? Three more gold stars on his report card!

Walker doesn’t need to offer details when on face his numbers are demonstrably false. Take for instance the tax cuts; he’s calling for four specific cuts that would cost the budget almost $2 billion. Taking away that they reopen the Las Vegas corporate loophole and cut taxes only for those earning more than $225K a year, how in the heck is he gonna pay for it? Especially, when the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau says the deficit is already $2 billion. It’s literally impossible. Just like his magical job numbers.

Yeah, Walker's whole point is that state government is too damn big, does too damn much and takes too much money out of the hands of Wisconsin's citizens to finance itself. His goal is to shrink the public sector's size, cost and reach so that the private sector (otherwise known by most people as the ''real world'') will thrive. As for Jim Doyle's legacy of a burgeoning budget deficits, you got that right. Maybe that's why the state government's social welfare spending should not have ballooned in recent years. Funny about that cause and effect thing, huh? Speaking of cause and effect: No "That's Debatable" next week. Ross is leaving the country for a vacation. I guess beating down on capitalists is making you weary. See you in a fortnight ...