Walker says he would repeal Obamacare
Wis. governor says he would dismantle Obama’s health law
WAUKESHA, WIS. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker delivered a paean to traditional conservatism in a presidential announcement speech Monday that was equal parts candidate introduction, vision for the future and withering criticism of the Obama administration.
Walker said he would immediately repeal the Affordable Care Act, rein in federal regulations, approve the Keystone XL pipeline as part of an “all-of-theabove” energy plan and seek to lower taxes by spreading them out to more payers, broadening the tax base. He said he would oppose national education standards, such as Common Core, and seek to leave those decisions to local school officials.
“We understand that true freedom and prosperity do not come from the mighty hands of the government, they come from empowering people to control their own lives and their own destinies through the dignity that is born of work. Of work, that’s what we stand for,” he said.
On foreign policy, Walker reminisced about the tough military stances of Ronald Reagan and said he would allow U.S. troops in Iraq to fight alongside Sunni and Kurd allies to retake land from the Islamic State. He said he would call off any deal with Iran and impose crippling sanctions, rather than negotiate with the regime.
Walker, who became the 15th major Republican candidate, starts the race as a natural target not only because of his previous battles but because he is doing well in the polls.
Amid the large GOP presidential field, Walker has polled at or near the top routinely, and he has consistently led in the opening caucus state of Iowa, a state that figures to be crucial to his chances of winning the nomination.
During his speech, he criticized Obama — and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — for allowing the Syrian regime to use chemical weapons on its people, for calling the Islamic State a “JV” team and for not being supportive enough of Israel. Walker said the United States needs to do more to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin and stop Chinese cyberattacks.
“Sadly today ... under the Obama-Clinton doctrine, America is leading from behind,” he said, “and that has us headed towards a disaster.”
Walker highlighted his middleclass upbringing in Wisconsin as the son of a small-town pastor and part-time bookkeeper. “My brother and I ... didn’t inherit fame and fortune from our family,” he said. “What we got was a belief that if you work hard and you play by the rules, you can do and be anything.”
Walker ticked off accomplishments since he won the governor’s office in 2010, including education policies that resulted in higher graduation rates and improved scores on ACT exams that he said ranked second in the country.
“We understand that true freedom and prosperity do not come from the mighty hands of the government.”
Scott Walker