Althouse: "Wisconsin Dems 6. Wisconsin Republicans 0."

June 1, 2011

"Wisconsin Dems 6. Wisconsin Republicans 0."

Greg Sargent explains.

55 comments:

shiloh said...: AA, keep hope alive! :-P; 6/1/11, 9:33 AM
The Drill SGT said...: As I understand it, some of the recall petions targeting Dems, went in before the approved petitions targeting the GOP.

Course if you folks postpone the Dem recalls and go vote on the GOP recalls, it will increase conservative turn-out later; 6/1/11, 9:33 AM
MadisonMan said...: Some of the Republican Senators facing recall are unwilling to face the voters, and are asking a Judge for help.

Link.; 6/1/11, 9:36 AM
Lucius said...: How dare that GOP-led legislature refuse the funds needed to implement the necessary research so we can go ahead with overturning the results of the democratic election that put them there last November!

How can we know what the will of the people is if we don't have a new, emergency selective election every six months?; 6/1/11, 9:37 AM
garage mahal said...: Perhaps the GOP hiring out of state felons to collect sigs wasn't a good idea.; 6/1/11, 9:38 AM
gk1 said...: This will flop as badly as klip klops "challenge" to Prosser. Yawnnnn; 6/1/11, 9:39 AM
Titus said...: A link of that page features an article about Ku Klux Klan protesting The Westboro Church. Wow.; 6/1/11, 9:39 AM
roesch-voltaire said...: I think the Acron lite that the Republicans hired has backfired but so far only the Greenbay papers have dug into this story. I wonder when James O'Keefe will jump on this story.; 6/1/11, 9:43 AM
Anne M Ford said...: Let me get this straight, we are upset because the Legislature won't give the GAB more money but totally overlooking the fact that this same agency refused to validate a recall election because they were AFRAID of a court challenge to the Wirch et.al. recalls? How far up your behind is your head?; 6/1/11, 9:45 AM
TMink said...: I love, love, love how this was done by the Wisconsin Government Acountability Board. Newspeak much?

Who holds the Acountability Board acountabile? Who watches the watchmen?

Trey; 6/1/11, 9:46 AM
Triangle Man said...: A link of that page features an article about Ku Klux Klan protesting The Westboro Church. Wow.

Someone at The Onion just got scooped!; 6/1/11, 10:01 AM
Triangle Man said...: Who holds the Acountability Board acountabile? Who watches the watchmen?

OMG, it's the judiciary!; 6/1/11, 10:07 AM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: I find it hilarious that the Party of Fleebaggers is suddenly outraged at the possibility that legislative powers are being used tactically.; 6/1/11, 10:11 AM
garage mahal said...: Dem 14 isn't outraged and asking for the head of the GAB to resign. They're asking for public debates, and not getting much response. Rep. Pocan told them months ago they were walking off a cliff together, and by golly he was right.; 6/1/11, 10:18 AM
Calypso Facto said...: I find it hilarious that the Party of Maryann Sumi is suddenly outraged at the possibility that legislative powers are being used tactically. My take on Martin's observation.

And I think the Dems will find it's a far cry from collecting signatures equaling 25% of the last election total (while students are in town) in order to initiate the recall, and actually winning an election with 51% of the next vote total (during summer break).; 6/1/11, 10:26 AM
Alex said...: Madison Man - they just faced the voters in November. Let democracy work.; 6/1/11, 10:34 AM
Alex said...: Oh and if all the Dem recalls are not granted by the board, that will lead to a shitstorm of backlash. Of course it might not, given Wisconsin is a Commie-state.; 6/1/11, 10:35 AM
AllenS said...: We could avoid all of this recall nonsense if we would just have an election for all offices every six months.; 6/1/11, 10:41 AM
Alex said...: If even a single GOP senator is recalled, I will *curse* Wisconsin to hell. Of course, curses come home to roost and I will go to the hell one day. but not until I die.; 6/1/11, 10:42 AM
Triangle Man said...: And I think the Dems will find it's a far cry from collecting signatures equaling 25% of the last election total (while students are in town) in order to initiate the recall, and actually winning an election with 51% of the next vote total (during summer break)

Time to start sending those absentee ballots out?; 6/1/11, 10:48 AM
David said...: garage mahal said...
"Perhaps the GOP hiring out of state felons to collect sigs wasn't a good idea."

Yeah--hire only Wisconsin felons in the future.; 6/1/11, 11:02 AM
MadisonMan said...: they just faced the voters in November.

The ones facing recall were not on the ballot in November.; 6/1/11, 11:07 AM
MadisonMan said...: @allenS, we could avoid this if we had a part-time legislature. Having Legislators in Madison, thinking up ways to govern people, isn't productive.; 6/1/11, 11:08 AM
Alex said...: @allenS, we could avoid this if we had a part-time legislature. Having Legislators in Madison, thinking up ways to govern people, isn't productive.

You were A-OK with things before November.; 6/1/11, 11:09 AM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: Calypso Facto said...

And I think the Dems will find it's a far cry from collecting signatures equaling 25% of the last election total (while students are in town) in order to initiate the recall, and actually winning an election with 51% of the next vote total (during summer break).

Will the new voter ID law be in effect during these recall elections?; 6/1/11, 11:09 AM
MadisonMan said...: You were A-OK with things before November.

Evidence?; 6/1/11, 11:15 AM
Calypso Facto said...: "Having [full-time] Legislators in Madison, thinking up ways to govern people, isn't productive."

Welcome to the Libertarian Party, MadMan!

Martin, the Law will be in effect, but unenforced, basically: "The law will require poll workers to start asking voters for photo IDs for the July 12 state Senate recall elections, but the voters will not be required to present them until next year's presidential primary."; 6/1/11, 11:21 AM
Jim said...: It's ironic that the same Wisconsin Republicans who screamed about voter fraud (but can never actually show that it's a problem)are a-okay with actual election fraud when it suits their purposes. These shifty felons they hired bribed people with shots of tequila for their signature on a recall petition and otherwise just made up names and addresses (or just signed for actual people who were in the phone book).
But it's those scary college students and old people who are ruining elections by casting legitimate ballots, so let's do something about that ASAP.; 6/1/11, 11:21 AM
test said...: The true hypcrites are those like Jim who support voter fraud since they know it benefits their party, but demagogue the issue whenever an opportunity to pin it on others arises.; 6/1/11, 11:32 AM
Jim said...: "The true hypcrites are those like Jim who support voter fraud.."

Really? Care to provide any proof of that, or will you just admit that you're painting another caricature with your big, phony partisan brush?

Please, I'd be honored if you'd show one time that I've "supported voter fraud." Put your money where your mouth is.; 6/1/11, 11:35 AM
Calypso Facto said...: Jim (should have) said:

"It's ironic that the same Wisconsin Democrats who screamed about Waukesha voter fraud (but can never actually show that it happened) are a-okay with actual election fraud when it suits their purposes. These shifty felons they hire to vote with just made up names and addresses (or actual people's names in the phone book), college students who vote twice and old people who don't know they've voted from the assisted living facility are ruining election legitimacy by casting illegitimate ballots. But Democrats see that as a helpful (to them) growth industry. Let's do something about that ASAP!"

Check. Commonsense law passed.; 6/1/11, 11:36 AM
test said...: "caricature with your big, phony partisan brush?"

I can't find mine. Can I borrow yours?; 6/1/11, 11:38 AM
RichardS said...: Did the Republicans not play hardball here while the Democrats did? Did both sides look for fraud here?; 6/1/11, 11:42 AM
test said...: Jim says:

"Please, I'd be honored if you'd show one time that I've "supported voter fraud." Put your money where your mouth is."

Sure:

"But it's those scary college students and old people who are ruining elections by casting legitimate ballots, so let's do something about that ASAP."

You're supporting voter fraud by attacking the effort to stop it. Leftism 101.; 6/1/11, 11:49 AM
Sofa King said...: OMG, it's the judiciary!

Yeah, that'll work well. We've already seen that the judiciary is willing to ignore all precedent, basic ethics, and even the Constitution itself, if the result is to stymie Republicans.; 6/1/11, 11:49 AM
cubanbob said...: The republicans ought to go for broke and pass a right to work law and ban civil service unions outright. If they are going to hang at least hang for the right reason.; 6/1/11, 12:08 PM
Jim said...: Marshall, that's just pathetic. Because I don't support a wrong-headed law that does nothing to address actual election fraud, I'm a supporter of election fraud??

So, just to get this straight: it's considered fraud for a registered voter (who is part of a demographic that typically votes for Democrats) to cast a legitimate ballot. That's something we should pass laws to try to prevent.

But it's just fine if some skeezy out-of-state company brings felons into the state to troll for signatures at bars, purchasing alcohol to entice people to sign. It's also just fine for those same skeezy people to sign unsuspecting voters' names to the petitions in order to meet their quota.

I mean, really. Not even ACORN was doing stuff this bad. But I haven't heard one peep of protest out of any Republicans in the media or on this blog.

But since I brought it up, I'm obviously a raging communist who loves voter fraud.

You guys are getting really, really lazy with this shit.; 6/1/11, 12:08 PM
garage mahal said...: You're supporting voter fraud by attacking the effort to stop it. Leftism 101.

There is no voter fraud in Wisconsin to be stopped. Walker's own A.G. investigated it for two years and found nothing. But you probably knew that. But you play this fucked up little game and pretend there is an epidemic of people voting twice, or illegals risking deportation to cast one vote. You like the law because you know Republican policies are unpopular with the masses, and you know the voter ID law will prevent people from voting.; 6/1/11, 12:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Madison Man -- This wouldn't be national coverage of a potential Democratic win, only to be ignored completely when it fails. Would it? Because that would go against your fragile thesis.; 6/1/11, 12:14 PM
Anonymous said...: the voter ID law will prevent people from voting

It will, certainly. Particularly people who have not registered to vote and are not eligible.

What a disgusting violation of civil rights, huh?; 6/1/11, 12:16 PM
test said...: Jim,

The fact that you so misrepresent reality in order to justify your stance is clear evidence of your true purpose. Yes, you hide behind ancillary issues and those who support your effort will assure you no one knows the real reason.

But we do. And you know we do. And we know you know we do. So spare us the faux outrage. It's Weinerish.

And further I'm not supporting whatever voter fraud ocurred. You seem unable to understand that, probably because it's so unimaginable to you that someone has principles not entirely based on who they are subjected to. So next time try to make a single relevant point.; 6/1/11, 12:16 PM
MadisonMan said...: I was surprised to see it in the Post. Incomplete, of course, compared to the local coverage.; 6/1/11, 12:17 PM
MadisonMan said...: Particularly people who have not registered to vote and are not eligible.

People who are not eligible to vote should not vote.

I don't think there should be restrictions against registering to vote however, even up to the day of the election. Everything is done instantly -- why is registering to vote any different?

I say the more people who can legally vote against an incumbent, the better. Why are politicians so afraid of potential voters that they want to scare them off with barriers?; 6/1/11, 12:19 PM
Anonymous said...: Madison -- I have been an election judge. When somebody comes in and votes on the day of the election, it's a giant pain in the ass. And it's a giant pain in the ass right up the line as the provisional ballot must be investigated thus, rather ironically according to your argument concerning instantaneous implementation, adding time to the election process.

Voting is a serious matter. It's not buying a smoothie. If you can't register beforehand in the many months before the election, there's no reason you should vote.

An analogy concerning instantaneous implementation would be a debit card. You can't just walk into a convenience store and buy a smoothie with a debit card. First, you must go to the bank, fill out an application, start an account, get the debit card, and sign it. Only then is instantaneous implementation of the smoothie purchase possible.; 6/1/11, 12:31 PM
Phil 314 said...: we could avoid this if we had a part-time legislature.

Well, there are down sides, speaking as an AZ citizen.; 6/1/11, 1:07 PM
Jim said...: Marshall,

When you're this deep in a hole, stop digging. You're arbitrarily assigning a position to me based on nothing at all, then pretending that you ever presented evidence for it (remember when I asked you for some?). Your response was pathetic and not even based on what's actually happening. That you feel the need to use pretend "facts" in order to back up your contentions shows your desperation.; 6/1/11, 1:09 PM
edutcher said...: Funny how, with the Demos running things, what democracy looks like also looks crooked as a dog's hind leg.; 6/1/11, 1:11 PM
test said...: Jim,

"You're arbitrarily assigning a position to me based on nothing at all,"

No, that was you alleging I am "fine if some skeezy out-of-state company brings felons into the state to troll for signatures at bars, purchasing alcohol to entice people to sign."

You lefties are so used to controlling the judges (professors, journalists, commentators)that you've never had to self examine. Do you even think for one second before you write? This juvenile "I'm above this" posturing while committing what you decry is hysterical. But you keep on patting yourself on the back. It worked for Obama.; 6/1/11, 1:26 PM
Scott M said...: Jim,

"You're arbitrarily assigning a position to me based on nothing at all,"

I read that and all I could hear was, "Jane, you ignorant slut."; 6/1/11, 1:28 PM
Phil 314 said...: Since this all comes back to Wisconsin teachers I thought this might be of some interest.; 6/1/11, 2:47 PM
Phil 314 said...: Additionally, if you peruse this table you'll see that per pupil spending in Wisconsin has increased over 20% since 2003-2004 and the amount spent on compensation has gone up about the same amount. Meanwhile total enrollment has dropped by about a percentage point.

But I'm sure its been money well spent. I'm sure the Wisconsin students are now 20% more educated and their SAT/ACT scores are 20% higher, right?; 6/1/11, 2:57 PM
Jose_K said...: A link of that page features an article about Ku Klux Klan protesting The Westboro Church. Wow
Instapundit linked there yesterday.
The KKK was right this time and Alito and Souter concurrs. The both are in disagreement rightly with the Scotus ruling; 6/1/11, 5:29 PM
Synova said...: "But surely it’s also a big deal that we now know for certain that six Wisconsin Republican state senators will officially face recall elections, while a grand total of zero Democrats may face the same?"

Is it a big deal?

Or does it simply mean that Democrats in the midst of the grandaddy of all petulant hissy fits are better at getting signatures than Republicans who have better things to do?

Better hope the hissy fit lasts until election day and outweighs any motivation for a retaliatory spanking by the conservatives who have had to put up with a temper tantrum for so many months.

There is no relationship in this between districts that are having a recall election and those that won't have one. A lack of vindictive, pissy, recalls of Democrats in office is irrelevant.

"We could avoid all of this recall nonsense if we would just have an election for all offices every six months."

Heh.

That *is* the base assumption of the whole article, isn't it... that the failure to demand a special election, rather than being the norm, indicates an important lack of support.; 6/1/11, 7:13 PM
Big Mike said...: All of the recall petitions against Republicans were valid, and none targeted at Democrat senators were valid?

Is that odor coming from Wisconsin stinky cheese? Or is it just your Orwellian-named Government Accountability Board?; 6/1/11, 7:50 PM
Synova said...: Big Mike, It actually makes a sort of sense to me. That is, if the Democrat recalls were a half-hearted "I suppose we ought to do this, too" sort of cl*sterf*ck as garage makes them out to be.

The Republican recalls were initiated in the heat and ecstasy and vitality of the Madison protests. People felt alive and important and vital.

Says ZIP about the actual merit of the recalls, but that enough people were motivated to collect enough signatures seems to me entirely likely. Predictable, even.

The question will be if people are still riding that high when election time comes around and if those willing to sign when approached individually at such proximity to events will actually leave their homes and go to polling places.

Granted, having to actually go to polls is practically an inhibitory poll tax, so...; 6/1/11, 8:00 PM