Mary Burke's character shows why she'll be a better leader for Wisconsin

Walker works to further his own ambitions and to appease his donors; Burke will work to serve out her constituents' wishes and preserve Wisconsin ideals

There are two different paths that the citizens of the state of Wisconsin can choose to take come Election Day.

One option is to take a path already forged by the sitting governor. Scott Walker’s vision for the state is to appease business interests, with less emphasis on actual constituents. Easing regulations that pollute our waterways or make it more difficult to prosecute workplace discrimination, among other items, seems to be the endorsed M.O. for the Walker administration.

But it isn’t just his policies that matter -- how Walker goes about governing is also of importance. His “divide and conquer” strategy is all at once both startling and effective, and it has resulted in an unprecedented era of partisanship that the state has traditionally been unfamiliar with.

His poor managerial style is also worth noting. Has Walker selected only the best and brightest to hold positions in the executive branch, or for other appointments? No -- in fact, Walker has selected political surrogates and sons of campaign contributors to fill these roles over more qualified applicants. For Walker, it’s again about appeasement, using these positions to placate those who support him, furthering his own ambitions while doing so.

A different path is available for us to consider, presented by Walker’s challenger Mary Burke. This vision for the state emphasizes cooperation over division, inclusion over subjugation. Whereas ideas from one singular party is the preference in Walker’s Wisconsin, Burke will seek input from all political corners of the state, be they Republican, Democratic, or other.

To be sure, there will be challenges with this path as well -- cooperation can often mean compromising of some ideals to get things accomplished. But this path, which brings Wisconsin’s politics back to it’s modest origins, is more preferable than the path created by Walker.

For that reason alone, Mary Burke has gained my support, and I endorse her without reservation to become the first female governor in state’s history.

Yes, there are other specific policies held by Burke that are worth pointing out. Her support for a raise in the minimum wage, towards restoring much needed funding for our schools, and to preserve our natural resources for the enjoyment and health of our citizens for generations to come, all deserve praise from voters on the campaign trail. Burke has also stood for empowering women’s rights, marriage equality for all Wisconsin couples, and preserving the right afforded for all citizens to vote.

But it is her commitment toward cooperation and open discussion that warrants serious consideration for her as a candidate for governor. Wisconsin will face several obstacles over the next four years, some of them known to us currently, but others we have yet to discover. For these unknown situations that may come about, no policy position discussed on the campaign trail will describe how one candidate will lead versus another. Rather, it is the character of the candidate which helps us to understand how these individuals will react to these spontaneous situations that come about.

Burke’s character as someone who seeks input from multiple sources sets her apart in a positive way. It is a trait that should be desired by the citizenry in any leader they select, and distances her from Walker, who seems to thrive on divisiveness and partisanship. In short, Walker bases policy decisions on what can further his donors’ needs or his own ambitions; for Burke, the motivations are much deeper and nobler than that.

Wisconsin would be better off without Scott Walker in office. It will move Forward with Burke as governor.