Recall Elections

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

The Republicans retained the State Senate in Wisconsin yesterday:

Democrats won two state Senate seats in Tuesday's historic recall elections, but failed to capture a third seat that would have given them control of the chamber.

By keeping a majority in the Senate, Republicans retained their monopoly on state government because they also hold the Assembly and governor's office. Tuesday's elections narrowed their majority - at least for now - from 19-14 to a razor-thin 17-16.

Consider me very surprised, as I assumed we'd see at least 3-4 switch over. Of the losses, one was from a Republican in Democratic territory, and the other was immersed in a number of scandals.

What does this say about Walker and the Republicans in Wisconsin? About the local impact of the changes in how the public sector deals with unions? Heck, about the popularity of the arguments put forth about the unions at all?

There are two recall elections for next week for Democratic incumbents, as well. I haven't seen polling for them yet.

Comments

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

It probably says more about Wisconsin's Democrats than it does about Walker. I mean I remember how Harry Reid's defeat was an inevitability as sure as the retreat of snow before summer Sun and then they nominated in Angle one of the most obtuse politicians in recent years.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Not yet. They can't initiate that until November, I believe, and this doesn't make such an attempt look good.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

By 69-28, voters support raising taxes on people with annual incomes of more than $250,000.
By 62-32 they support eliminating subsidies to oil and gas companies.
By 84-14 they oppose cuts in Medicare or Social Security.
By 50-46, they support cutting defense spending.
By 73-23 they oppose cutting Medicaid and entitlements.
By 65-27 percent, they think the debt deal treated the elderly unfairly.
By 63-29, they think it treated the poor unfairly.
By 61-30, they think it treated the middle class unfairly.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/08/08/119959/poll-americans-see-debt-deal-as.html

As long as Americans are willing to bend to their corporate masters instead of making their voices heard, we're going to continue along the same path of supply-side destruction. Progressive thought is actually shared by the majority, but our politicians only listen to the corporate entities that funded them, not their constituents.

The fact that people continue supporting these despots means there's deception and a misinformation campaign on a grand scale in this country.

Peace.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

I just can't believe all those people are willing to stand out in the cold pretty much all winter long and then when it finally comes time to put your money where your bluish frost-covered mouth is, they all sit home watching Jersey Shore reruns or something. What the fuck, seriously.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

Also, fuck gerrymandering. Makes local elections into a joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mky11UJb9AY

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

More white noise, surprising.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

Gerrymandering. What can you do?

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

I think it says the usual: people hate representatives except for their representatives.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Sweep every capitol building in the entire US with a squad of flamethrowers?

[xforge.livejournal.com]

I kinda hate mine too, she's an Israel-fellating business-as-usual mannequin-crat.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Must just be the way the districts are laid out then. How else can you explain people continuing to support the People Suck Corporations Rock Party?

Depends on who you ask

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Other sources said it was "slightly above average" or "heavy" (http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20110809/OSH0101/308090086/Poll-workers-see-very-strong-steady-voter-turnout?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|FRONTPAGE) but not "incredibly high," and this special election was in the middle of August when many families are on vacation, etc. Some of the elections yesterday were decided by margins as small as 2500 votes (one went Republican, one went Democrat). Some of the districts had totals of 32,000 votes out of a state that has population of 5.6 million. And one district the county registrar said less than 20 percent of eligible voters participated. But all that said, like Jeff- I was surprised by the results, I really thought the recall would replace at least three Senators.

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

...because they actually support the policies. Your reasoning is quite conclusory. You've concluded that no one could support the party, and are going for any explanation of an apparent show of how nobody does support them, rather than an honest analysis of the results.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

Unless you live in Wisconsin, I'm not sure why anyone gives a crap about this. But I suppose I'll throw my two cents in:

"What does this say about Walker and the Republicans in Wisconsin?"

Without knowing anything about Wisconsin politics, I'd say there was a bit of buyers remorse since the incumbents lost 33% of their vote.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

http://www.megrobertson.com/post/8708219865/dylan-ratigan-mad-as-hell-his-epic-network-moment

This guy is much angrier than I am but he's absolutely right.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

"The people" in one state elected Michele Bachmann. How heavily do you weigh "the will of the people"?

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

The people voting against their interests are either ignorant or deceived. There is no third option.

And honestly, kicking them and replacing them with Democrats who do the exact same thing isn't helping either. Local elections are so safe in some districts that it literally does not matter what the representatives do after they're elected, they'll STILL get re-elected.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

If they support "the policies" that unions are the problem and that cutting government services to people who need them in favor of giving tax cuts to extremely rich people and corporations, then they are in fact stupid and deserve what they get.

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Or, maybe you just disagree with them. I bet you complain about how un-civil the right is, too.

Re: Depends on who you ask

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Not me: Republicans won. No lie: I'm keenly disappointed, but I'm not going to get stupid and start grabbing at straws. A lot rides on next weeks special elections.

[UFC ring announcer voice] Round 2 COMING UP! [/UFC ring announcer voice]

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Nuh-uh, I don't believe in no steenken mandates.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

Either that or it's not really against their interests (or, even if it is, they sincerely believe it's not).

If they believe it's not despite the facts, they're misinformed.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/18/tea-party-ignorant-taxes-opinions-columnists-bruce-bartlett.html

If politicians ARE saying reasonable things, they're just lying and doing whatever they want no matter what the reasons they used for election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/us/politics/20freshmen.html

But, hey man... if you want to do away with vast amounts of governmental control because the system itself propagates corruption and malfeasance, then I'm with you.

No, I don't want to do do away with 'vast amounts of government control'. I want to end the 2-party system so we can get some real, non-corporate owned politicians into office. Public finance, alternative vote system, and real progressive candidates that have a shot to get elected. This country still has a shot of keeping its status as a superpower, but sooner or later income inequality will be so high that we will become a third world nation.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

that does not follow in any way from what I said does it.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

I think it's a testament to the Republican Party qualifying as an organized political party.

[msmichelle.livejournal.com]

I'm from Wisconsin, live in Madison, and can tell you that I think the 13 senators who shirked their duties and fled the state should be up for recall but that is a moot point.
The Wisconsin populace is smarter than the talking heads, some of whom had no affliation with unions or teachers, up at the capitol square. We are at risk for losing good businesses not only to overseas competition, but also to domestic havens for business culture. Case in point, why should Kohls stay in Menomonee Falls, WI when they can relocated to Little Rock, get a free building and considerably lower taxes.
I'd say the voters read between the rhetoric and kudos to them. I'm glad that Alberta Darling, for example, did not lose her job. Power to the people!