Donald Trump made his second visit to Wisconsin as president Tuesday afternoon -- and discussed the importance of jobs and education during a speech at Waukesha County Technical College.
On Monday, Republican Governor Scott Walker told a Fond du Lac audience the state's top priority is to develop its workforce for what employers need -- and Walker said Trump is the right person to talk about that. The governor says Trump promised to make Tuesday's visit back in February, when Walker rejected overtures to join the White House team. Trump discussed apprenticeships and the need to get more skilled workers into the job sites.
At Waukesha County Technical College as part of his effort to expand the nation’s use of apprenticeships to fill unmet labor needs. Trump toured the school with his daughter and adviser Ivanka, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta and Governor Scott Walker.
On a conference call Tuesday, Democrat legislators and a union official called Trump and Walker's rhetoric as hypocritical. State Representative Peter Barca...
"....President Trump, much like Governor Walker, wants to give away tax breaks to the very wealthy ahead of Wisconsin workers and investing rural communities. Trump, like our Governor, is pulling a bait and switch by saying he cares about workers but in fact his budget is going to take away desperately needed resources from programs to train manufacturing workers which we hear from business owners all the time are needed all the time.Programs to train nurses and small business owners...."
Union president Mike Rosen said Trump is following Governor Scott Walker's path by promoting skilled trades then cutting program funding...
"....in President Trump's budget, he's proposed a 40 percent cut in job training. That's two billion dollars cut nationwide in job training funds. If you're really interested in promoting apprenticeships we have to invest in that skills training. He also has proposed eliminating the Carl Perkins program which is the only federal program that supports career and technical education...."
State Representative Katrina Shankland of Stevens Point...
"....Trump is just like Walker. He's pulling a bait and switch on the American people. He says he cares about workers, but in fact his budget actually takes away money and resources from the very program that train manufacturing workers, nurses, the programs that support our small businesses and that create and spur economic growth, especially in our small communities...."
Trump also spoke at a $1,000 a person fundraiser to benefit Scott Walker, believed to be running for another term.
