Walker slaps at Green by proxy

The gloves aren't off yet, but the Republican gov primary contestants are edging closer to getting into the ring, at least.

Scott Walker's e-newsletter -- using two Republican radio talkers from his home base of Milwaukee as proxies -- gives Mark Green a little slap:

This special edition of the Walker Weekly highlights two articles that appeared recently discussing the strength of Scott Walker's message. Both Mark Belling and Charlie Sykes offer a strong case for why you should join the Winning Walker team.

Mark Belling: "The voters want tax relief in Wisconsin and they will keep voting against those politicians that won't give it to them. Walker has the all-time winning Wisconsin issue in the tax freeze and his ability to produce four consecutive budgets with absolutely no increase in the property tax levy. The tone-deaf crowd in the Republican Party that is backing candidate Mark Green is oblivious to the appeal of Walker's message and will wake up next September in shock when Walker crushes Green in the GOP primary. Even after that result, the Madison crowd and the state media will argue that Walker's win is a "Republican thing." Walker will then beat Doyle. Will they hear us THEN?"

Charlie Sykes:"County Executive Scott Walker's budget includes a property tax levy increase of zip, nada, bupkus. Swept into office in the wake of the Ament pension scandal, Walker promised to freeze property taxes. Unlike Doyle's "freeze," Walker's comes without asterisks, loopholes, hedges, fudges, or backdoors. It doesn't rely on reassessments or sleight of hand. For Walker a zero increase means a zero increase. All of which makes Walker a double anomaly in Wisconsin politics (1) a politician who actually does what he says he will do, and (2) an officeholder prepared to actually make cuts in spending."

Belling's rant conveniently lets Walker send something around the state callling Green's backers "tone-deaf" without having to actually say it himself. But Walker's certainly spreading it.

Belling, by the way, has a long history of making bold pronouncements and predictions that turn out to be totally wrong, but he conviently forgets to ever mention them again. I am saving this one.