Flashback to February 2011 when Governor Walker "dropped the bomb" of his so-called "budget repair bill."
It was absolutely essential, Wisconsin was told, to kneecap the public employee unions (and many other outrages) -- immediately, absolutely immediately, because SHORTFALL! In the current budget year!! All the fault of previous governor Jim Doyle!!! BUDGET REPAIR!!!!
The amount of that fierce, urgent shortfall?
$137 million.
Fast-forward four years.
We're at the same point in the budget cycle, Scott Walker has just been elected... again.
No Jim Doyle to blame, no recession, it's been all Scott Walker for four years.
And then there was this Friday news drop:
Wisconsin has a current-year budget shortfall.
In the amount of $283 million.
Fierce urgency? Absolutely must have budget repair, now-baby-now?
Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Nah, we got it under control. No problem. Because Scott Walker's running for president, and the less notice anyone takes of Wisconsin's post-recession spiraling budget woes on his administration's watch, the better.
I think between the choice to be relieved or outraged... one might reasonably opt for both.