Riemer to Walker's rescue?

From the Department of Irony:

Milwaukee County, in serious financial trouble, has to look far beyond County Exec Scott Walker's rhetoric and sound bites and consider some real solutions.

Who do they turn to? David Riemer, the guy who proposed some serious health care policy reform when he ran against Walker in 2004. His detailed plan, as I recall, was relegated to the Journal Sentinel business page. From that February 2004 story:

Milwaukee County executive candidate David Riemer on Thursday outlined a proposal aimed at taming runaway health insurance costs in government and the private sector, which he said were contributing to job losses and higher taxes.

If elected, Riemer said, he would take the lead in organizing a voluntary pool of employers, public and private, that would purchase employee health insurance together in hopes of pressuring the health care market to lower costs.

County Executive Scott Walker quickly criticized Riemer's plan as beyond county government's scope and overly reliant on the public sector.

"If he was applying to be head of the state insurance commissioner's office, that would be a good starting point for this discussion," Walker said.

Riemer disagreed, saying that leadership was needed to rein in health costs that are "punishing private corporations and the small businesses of Milwaukee, destroying jobs and exporting large parts of our economy to other states and nations like Mexico and China."

Riemer said of Walker, "He really just fundamentally doesn't get it." It's the biggest issue in the race, he said.

Riemer, of course, was right, and now Walker says he would welcome his help to try to save his skin.

Zeth Zlotocha's analysis: Finally, a Great Idea for Milwaukee County

UPDATE: Michael Mathias says Walker hoped to be governor before the roof caved in, and seems to have no clue about how to repair it.