Talk politics.

I can see how that quote looks deceptive, taken out of context. But I happened to see that episode, and I recognized the quote; the point was not that Walker's tax cuts caused the shortfall, as Factcheck.org claims Maddow suggests, but rather that the budget shortfall was not driving Walker's policy in the conflict with the unions.

A quick search for more context led me to the show's blog, which explains (http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/24/6126053-trms-correspondence-with-politifact) exactly what I remembered, in response to a Politifact piece on the same quote:

The point of that whole introduction to the show is that the budget isn't the real issue. That's why Maddow says, “What’s happening in Wisconsin right now is not about a budget.” The point of the segment is not to correct the governor's math because it's not about the budget. She's not trying to find blame for the budget shortfall because –- again -- it's not about the budget. Maddow’s argument is that one way we know it's not about the budget is that the governor was willing to give away roughly the same amount as this year's possible shortfall.

LOL no shit. :-)