The jab by Mr. Obama, in a statement emailed from his office on Monday evening, had the effect of elevating Mr. Walker’s decision to sign the bill, which has been highlighted as an example of the governor’s tacking further to the right ahead of a presidential campaign. Mr. Walker is being closely eyed by some allies of Jeb Bush, another likely 2016 candidate, as a potential challenge in the Republican primary.
“It’s no coincidence that the rise of the middle class in America coincided in large part with the rise of unions – workers who organized together for higher wages, better working conditions, and the benefits and protections that most workers take for granted today,” Mr. Obama said. “So it’s inexcusable that, over the past several years, just when middle-class families and workers need that kind of security the most, there’s been a sustained, coordinated assault on unions, led by powerful interests and their allies in government.”
He added, “So I’m deeply disappointed that a new anti-worker law in Wisconsin will weaken, rather than strengthen workers in the new economy. Wisconsin is a state built by labor, with a proud pro-worker past. So even as its governor claims victory over working Americans, I’d encourage him to try and score a victory for working Americans – by taking meaningful action to raise their wages and offer them the security of paid leave. That’s how you give hard-working middle-class families a fair shot in the new economy – not by stripping their rights in the workplace, but by offering them all the tools they need to get ahead.”
