This is the story that you will never see on MSNBC, and it only appears in the Globe because an op/ed columnist had the courage to write it. But as the liberal media went gaga about painting Governor Walker as the most evil governor since pontius pilate, his modest reforms have put his state on a smooth course. The states like California, and others, which chose to tax its way out of deficits, have seen the problem get worse.

I wouldn't call getting rid of public sector unions "modest" reforms. What Walker has done to Wisconsin is a travesty. His divide and conquer tactics are brutal to Wisconsin families and favor the interests of the rich over the middle class. Mr. Koch Brother has overplayed his hand. The voters will hopefully send him packing.

I havea great idea, John. Why dont you leave here, where you have never been representative of us, and move to wisconsin? Take Scotty with you.

you have numbers?

Of course, Mr. Sununu simply ignores the facts that are inconvenient for his argument. In California, for example, state government is broken only because Republicans broke it. It began with Proposition 13, which destroyed the ability of cities and towns to raise revenue, and it ended with a later proposition that required a super majority in the state assembly in order to raise taxes. Ever since Pete Wilson helped the California GOP shoot itself in the foot with Prop 187, the party has never come close to a majority, but they have always had enough to prevent the state from getting any additional revenue from taxes. History shows that the best way to avoid California's fate is to avoid electing radical Republicans. We'll know that Wisconsin has learned from California if they vote to recall their radical Republican governor.

It's much easier taking pensions and healthcare away from little people than getting more money out of millionaires. States are going broke because the federal government is broke and has reduced aid to states. The federal government is broke because of the economic crisis. the economic crisis happened because of free-wheeling unregulated business practices. Less regulation is and always has been GOP dogma.

We have serious problems and the far left and the unions don't care about the middle-class or the tax payers. Just look at Cali, the entitlement capital of the country, the deficit went from 6 billion to 16 billion in 6 months. And 1/3 of all welfare recipients live in Cali. The pension costs have rose 2000% in the last ten years. You can retire at 50 with 90% of your pension. The pensions are underfunded by 500 billion! The public sector makes more than the private sector. I have never heard of any middle class person in the private sector retiring at 50. If the union bosses don't get with the program, every hard working American will be working until there late 70's and we will be like Greece. The middle-class deserve better.

Once again, we see one of this breed of greedy, self-serving politicians who are only out to make themselves rich[er] by making their fatcat buddies richer. Representative government, R.I.P.

Giermund: I was not aware that Governor Walker got rid of unions. My understanding was that he took away collective bargaining rights, and required that union members make modest contributions to the cost of their health care and pensions. Too bad other states had not followed his lead, and the lead of Chris Christie of New Jersey, as the states with Republican governors are seeing their deficits drop, and their tax revenue increase, even with no tax increases. The states like California have raised taxes many times, only to see tax payers flee the state, and the level of revenue collected plummet.

BTW:Apple, HP and other "rich companies" have been moving a big part of there operations out of Cali. Cali was voted the worst place to do business. Even if Brown taxed every millionaire at 100% , it could not close the deficit or the 500 billion in underfunded pensions. The unions hate the middle class. They are no different then the "fat cats" on wall street.

The far left and the unions want to be like Greece. Even if our dollar tanks more, our bond rating drops more, unemployment hit 40%, 401k drops and housing prices tank, they don't care! The public Union's motto "we can stick to the taxpayers".

The only problem with Walker's reforms is that they didn't go far enough; he exempted the firefighters and police - usually the most egregious abusers of the taxpayers - from the collective bargaining restrictions. I can't resist repeating NER-MCFC's comment about Calfornia: "...state government is broken only because Republicans broke it..." Sure. And Massachuetts has corruption problems because of all those nasty Republicans!

What Sununu fails to mention is that Walker's "reforms" touched every public union but the police, who coincidently endorsed him. With the Republicans, you get exactly what you pay for. Let's wait and see the results of the election, before the gloating begins.

What an inane comment. John Sununu is more representative of NH than Elizabeth Warren is representative of MA.

Another excellent op ed, Mr. Sununu. Keep it up.