Gov. Scott Walker says the media should pay less attention to his position on gay marriage, because voters in the fall election are much more interested in whether or not his economic policies are working.
Meeting with reporters on Monday, Walker brushed off questions about the ultimate legal fate of the state’s gay marriage ban. He said that however the federal appelate court that is now considering the ban rules, he will abide by its decision.
However, he insisted that his position on the ban is irrelevant. He was much happier to field questions about the law known as Act 10, which stripped public employee unions of most of their bargaining rights.
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“I would suggest that where people stand on Act10 is infinitely more important than where people stand on issues all of you (reporters) started out asking me about,” said Walker.
His Democratic opponent Mary Burke said she will work to repeal the parts of Act 10 that require unions to recertify each year by winning an election with a majority of the employees in their work unit. She also said she would keep in place provisions that require workers to pay a larger share of their pension and health insurance.
Walker also reiterated his policy of not granting pardons as other governors have.
“That’s not what people elected me to do,” said Walker. “I was elected to focus on the economic crisis facing the state and that’s what I do each and every day.”
Burke has promised that if elected, she would reinstitute the pardon process.
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