Walker proposes Wisconsin-like reforms for the nation

CEDAR RAPIDS - America is a can-do kind of country, according to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and he's a can-do kind of politician.

Although he promised not to speak ill of his rivals for the 2016 GOP nomination, Walker said there are two kinds of candidates in the field of 15 announced hopefuls.

'There are people who are fighters, people who have been in Washington fighting, fighters who fought but yet to win the battles,” he told about 350 people at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Friday. 'And there are winners, people who have won elections, been re-elected” and won legislative battles to get their agendas enacted.

That makes him unique because he's fought the fights and won the battles - and not just at the ballot box, he said.

'If you make a list of the common sense, conservative reforms in this country, I don't think you could find one we haven't accomplished across the way in Wisconsin, a blue state,” Walker said. 'If we can do that in a blue state like Wisconsin, we can do it anywhere.”

Making his first campaign appearance in Cedar Rapids since officially launching his campaign earlier this week, Walker said his biggest accomplishment wasn't picking a fight with public employee unions.

'It was bigger than that,” he said. 'We took power out of the hands of big, government special interests and dispersed it into the hands of the hardworking taxpayers. That's what we need to do in America.”

Walker's leading in polls of likely Iowa caucusgoers, but he didn't have the support of everyone in his audience.

'Not even close,” is the way Sean Taylor of Center Point described his progress in deciding which of 15 announced candidates to back. 'It's way early and there are so many to choose from.”

His top concerns are the Affordable Care Act and how it is affecting the economy, jobs and foreign policy.

'We're not supporting Israel and the president is getting into bed with Iran,” Taylor said.

Next to him, Ann Boddicker, home from Dubai to visit her mother in Cedar Rapids, was 'just looking” with no intention of buying.

'I'm a Democrat, but he could be our next president, so I thought I would take the opportunity to see him,” she said.

She'll probably vote for Hillary Clinton, but she's 'not terribly excited about it.”

'What can we do?” Boddicker said.

During a 30-minute question-and-answer session, backed gun rights, more funding for the military, repealing the Affordable Care Act and tax relief and reform.

He opposed extending the Wind Energy Production Tax Credit and other energy incentives.

'If you level the field for all forms of energy benefits, we're better off in the long-term,” Walker said.