Here's Meade's video (edited by me) from the Capitol Square 2 hours ago, when Democrats were still hopeful...
Congratulations to all the winners, and now, can we all please get some sleep? Maybe not...
Please, Russ. Can't we have a bit of a rest now? Here's Governor Walker's tweet from 10 minutes ago:
Now it is time 2 move forward together 2 help job creators put more people back 2 work in WI.
पोस्ट्स
१२८ टिप्पण्या:
Idiot Democrats.
If the GOP takes next weeks 2 elections, then no net gains for the Democrats!
OMG I need one of those baths when one gets contaminated with some toxic material where they scrub you head to toe - I just went over to the Democrat Underground and read several pages - some of them are actually wanting violence like over in the UK because they lost -
Can you say "sore loser"
It's all so unfair. Democrats keep having all these elections and they keep losing.
I say keep trying. It's the American way. You fall down but you get right back up again. I say have elections until the people submit.
What's everybody doing next Tuesday?
BREAKING: The 2 new WI Democratic legislators will be sworn in at the Rockford, Illinois Holiday Inn- ExJon via Twitter (got it from a friend)
Yay! But how can you sleep when you still have Democratic Senators that have to be put up to the same test in a few weeks? Let them sweat a little.
Jason -- You turned the other direction!
Oy. And, oh, no! The Gettysburg address wasn't a tweet. In the old days though. It was called short. Sweet. And, memorable.
When you think of all the space available on the Net. This business of using "2" for to. Instead of two. Just makes me feel sad.
It's this way because the screens on the telephones are all rather small. (Franz Liszt wouldn't be able to do a 13-note piece all at once! We need to write sentences.
At one time it was such a joy to see a little kid ... using BIG letters, no less ... learning to write sentences ... Like speech!
Out loud, you could say what you want. Fitting it on a piece of paper ... WOW. Then, you needed lines.
Now we get tweets. How awful
So much money has been spent, though, that it gives new meaning to "shovel ready." And, now those part timers don't even have their next jobs lined up.
JOBS? You're gonna see more jobs? What's "shovel ready" next?
Good.
Thats one more for Sanity.
Can it be said the debt battle didn't help the democrats?
Seven Machos: Jason -- You turned the other direction!
Wisconsin didn't. That's what's important.
If one needs any further proof that Twitter is a fundamentally unserious medium that lampoons anyone who attempts to take it seriously, Gov. Walker's "tweet" will suffice.
Now it is time 2 use real words instead of tweeting/texting pidgin.
This business of using "2" for to. Instead of two.
Carol, were you one of the "beats" back in the day? 'Cause this is poetry. Or Zen. Or something like that.
These kids today and their tweets.
Get off my lawn!
WINNING!
as usual, excellent reporting and photos by Meadehouse.
thank you both for keeping those of us who live far from Wisconsin informed
this recall election is critical win for sanity
It was worth staying up to watch the results trickle in. It was an absolute mystery to most Twin Cities residents who Sheila and Shelly were.
But they must be two baaaad people!
Never has so much money been spent on negative advertising in a major market to address 2% of the audience.
W.V. rearfur!
May all of the recall challengers have their rearfur plucked out one hair at a time.
Scott, there are 2 2 many 2's in ur tweet
I'm with you, Carol, it makes me barf. It's actually worse than 2=two, it's 2=to, a remarkable savings of one character.
What a drag to chisel in stone the word 'to' in hieroglyphics. It looks like this: WWWWW (water).
I thnk u old ppl need 2 stop w/ the whining.
Just wondering what it's like to tweet in German...
Just wondering what it's like to tweet in German...
Far superior in every way -- just ask them -- even though the food, pop music, literature, and philosophy are terrible.
How many teachers could have been hired with the $31M spent by da unions on this hissyfit?
Congrats sane people of WI! You saw through the liberal lies again.
Do they just drop vowels, or do they also drop redundant consonants? Would Lassen Sie uns gemeinsam voranschreiten become Lssn z 1 gmsm vrgshrI10?
"Lets move 4wd 2gthr" seems so much more natural.
How many teachers could have been hired with the $31M spent by da unions on this hissyfit?
Invested conservatively @3%, the answer is...
about 13 on a permanent basis, once retirement benefits are included.
Chip Ahoy: I'm with you, Carol, it makes me barf. It's actually worse than 2=two, it's 2=to, a remarkable savings of one character.
Can't you guys just be happy most of the Republicans 1?
Tek = Varitek
Paps = Papelbon
CC = Carl Crawford
Pidy = Pedroia
tito = Francona
BPapi = David Ortiz
Salti = Saltalamacchia
Gonzo = Adrian Gonzales
Youuk = Kevin Youkilis
Fatalsbers = Mat Albers
The national reaction to this (if it holds up) on the part of the left is going to be very interesting. They poured their hearts and souls into this. Denial, bile, accusations of fraud, all are to be expected. But beyond that, how will they react? This was the last "legal" and "peaceful" outlet remaining to them in WI. It has to be terrifying to the national establishment. The game is well and truly up. Their lies, oops I mean "spin" are no longer being swallowed whole, and this could be a good indication that a tipping point has been reached. Does anyone expect them to react well, or even legally to this? They deny it in public but they know darn well they've held power for over half a century. Do you think they'll just let it go because of something as silly as an election? When they clearly know what is good for people better than the people themselves do?
Between this and the downgrade, we may be looking at violent "protests" as they try to take by force and intimidation what they lost in the marketplace of ideas.
=2.5 gm ld ovr ny
Fact is the Dems made +2 net gain today. Of course in 7 days that might turn into a 0.
Fact is the Dems made +2 net gain today.
Sure. But you know they didn't pump $30 mil or whatever they spent b/c they'd be happy to reduce the Repubs' Senate majority from 5 to 1.
They expected to win at least 3 seats, and probably more.
Now it is time 2 move forward together 2 help job creators put more people back 2 work in WI.
47 free characters!
=2.5 gm ld ovr ny
dnt tll trpr ;)
Watched Life During Wartime (2009) the other night.. recommend it
Where is Titus?
Where is Titus?
At the Alberta Darling victory party?
Gettin' late...sox rule.
At the Alberta Darling victory party?
Breakfast at Tiffany's?
Will everyone else giggle hysterically if the GOP picks up both seats next week? If this whole charade turned out to, you know, NOT CHANGE ANYTHING?
I eagerly await Garage's first post-recall post.
Night Chip..
Let's see..Dems lost general election (perhaps they should have stopped there}...fled state to avoid budget vote...lost vote....sued to invalidate vote...lost supreme court justice vote...lost recount of supr. court votel...lost suit...recalled republicans (who merely did their job and voted.)..lost too many of the recalls......next gimmick????
How much $$ did this cost is such tight job market??
Just woke up and stumbled into the office to say:
TOTAL RECALL!!!!
To the ramparts! Are you with me Garage? Alpha? Where is my Les Miz CD? Madison will become the Communard.
wv: unrize-what the people of Wisconsin did
I do think the final takeaway from this is that the democrats are wasting a lot of time and money by rejecting the original election.
What good did this do?
The nonstop election in Wisconsin is ridiculous and surely very expensive. When do politicians get to leave campaign mode and actually reform anything? If the democrats had their way, that would never happen.
Obama's way is to never leave campaign mode. He's already got Axelrod out making the rounds.
'Recalls' are so very high-schoolish.
Because they say, 'we don't like the results, because they are wrong, so we will do it again, until we get it right'.
That is the prurient message from dhimmicrat types.
Shame on them. It makes one wonder, the cost in terms of cash and time, to pull off this sham against the citizens.
Where else in the world can you lose your job, petition to get it back, and have other people pay for it?
Only in the US of democrats/unions, where entitlement is gospel and imaginary 'rights' are a constantly increasing portfolio.
WHAAAAAAA!
Lem-
Nancy = Drew
"What good did this do?"
It let α-lib and Garage feel that orgasmic rush of righteous indignation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hey, check out my new avatar. The new face of Wisconsin: Bucky's girlfriend "Bitchy Becky".
Where's garbage.
I want to gloat.
I am TIRED! Am sick of the Dem's and their baloney keeping me up at night. At least my yawns all day today will be worth it! My faith in my fellow Wisconsinites has been restored. (okay, somewhat restored)
Over at msnbc.msn.com:
"Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, said voters sent a message that there is a growing movement to reclaim the middle class.
"Let's be clear, anyway you slice it, this is an unprecedented victory," he said."
Yeah, right.
Five months on the ground by Organizing of America (oh that Obama Touch).
Millions spent on just 349,458 total votes (madison.com). If $30m was spent, that was $85.85 per vote.
Unprecedented indeed.
If I were a state legislator I might view a 1/3 chance of being recalled a significant risk for supporting the Governor's policy agenda. Then again I might not if I was convinced that my constituents were solidly aligned with the agenda. The recall election is just another new tool in the political box, just like debt ceiling crises. I think we will need to get used to them.
Organizing FOR America.
Sorry, it is early
The Democrats will keep having referendums until they win one... hoping that they can wear the voters out.
If they riot, I hope that the national guard fixes bayonets and drag-steps through their ranks. This childish absurdity that if, I can't have the toy that I want that I'll break yours needs to be brought to closure.
Any predictions on the dem recalls next Tuesday? I'd ask garage, but his track record on predicting this weeks version didnt work out so well.
Now that the Republicans have a mandate, it's time to make public sector unions illegal in Wisconsin.
Any sign of Alpha "Total Recall!" Liberal yet? I hope that the suicide hotline didn't hang up on him...
Actually laughed out loud this morning as I read the recall results. What's left for them now, the poor buggers?
This is what democracy looks like
And let me add that it's very nice to be out of state while this happens.
I can come back now and be free of Luther Olson/Fred Clark ads. Thanks to all you out-of-staters for pouring money into the state, by the way.
If they riot, I hope that the national guard fixes bayonets and drag-steps through their ranks. This childish absurdity that if, I can't have the toy that I want that I'll break yours needs to be brought to closure.
With that vision you should really run for office. Big government cracking down on peaceful protest with murderous violence. The left would love you.
I just watched the video. Nobody yelled, "This is what democracy look like!"
Why not? What the hell do they think it looks like?
"What's left for them now, the poor buggers?"
1. Frivolous lawsuits
2. Spin spin spin
3. Lying, loudly and repeatedly
Next step... attempt to recall Gov. Walker.
And let me add that it's very nice to be out of state while this happens.
I hope the weather is as nice where you are as it has been here. Nights getting down into the 50s and low 80s in the afternoon.
Very small article in the the local paper - Kaukauna, which has gotten lots of press for its savings under Walkers plan, just changed insurance carriers. Saving 8% over the bid from WEA Trust (whose bid was considerably lower than what they had been charging the district previously). Should be interesting to see how the Kaukauna teachers spin this one.
Where have you gone, Garage Mahal? A lonely Althouse nation turns its eyes to you. . .
Why did not Mr Obama or his surrogates campaign on behalf of democrats?
Think how unions could have used all the money they wasted on this exercise--but hope springs eternal in democrat breasts--recall walker--yeah, thats going to work.
The democrats seemed to have misread the wisconsin electorate pretty badly
philosophy are terrible
Terrible? Uberterrible.
I don't get all the jubilation on the right, the dems picked up two seats. Dem senators were undemocratic (eg: Dem senators illegally shutting down the senate by leaving the state) and Walker saved Wisconsin a ton of money, yet the Dems still pick up 2 seats.
Why didn't Randy Hopper (the senator who is having an affair with one of his employees) resign before the election? Why didn't the GOP force him out? That seat was just thrown away.
Why should out of state contributions be legal in a Wisconsin election?
Good morning, Garage! I bet you're all tuckered out from the victory celebrations.
This what deleveraging looks like.
Across the West, unsustainable social spending has passed the tipping point. Rioting will not stop it, but riots there will be.
Democrats still win in many states, such as California, Michigan and Illinois, despite their failures. Their productive citizens move away, hastening the financial decline.
Nationally, the debt must be -will be- unwound. There is no escaping it. But this fact threatens the livelihoods of masses of state-supported people, causing fear and anger.
In Wisconsin, it may very well be government workers joining the "youths" in Milwaukee in riots.
"Shouting Thomas said...
Next step... attempt to recall Gov. Walker."
This was never gonna succeed, and now it's never gonna happen. Obama is gonna put the kibosh on it because:
a) He wants that union cash for his own failed effort
b) He doesn't want another failed effort of a cause he supports so close to his election.
Steve Koch--the jubilation on the right has to do with the fact that the republicans still control the senate--its not individual seats that matter (and apparently there was a republican scumbag that lost)--Its total seats that matter--let us wait until next Tuesday to see what the final count is. Hint: irrespective of next Tuesdays results the GOP will control the legislative branch. We won.
Well, I will check in later to get garage and alpha's take on last night (and yes, there were a couple of bright spots for the left), but maybe they can console themselves with the wisdom of C. Montgomery Burns:
"Just think, Smithers - these slack-jawed yokels cost me the election. And yet, if I were to have them killed, I'd be the one to go to jail! That's democracy for you!"
I don't get all the jubilation on the right, the dems picked up two seats. Dem senators were undemocratic (eg: Dem senators illegally shutting down the senate by leaving the state) and Walker saved Wisconsin a ton of money, yet the Dems still pick up 2 seats.
Nothing to be jubilant about but considerable satisfaction that the Republicans held control of the Senate in the face of a huge influx of cash and intense organizational focus on only 6 races. One of the Republicans was doomed by his own personal conduct, so in a sense "the right" held 4 out of 5. But this is just one battle in a longer war, so the cheering, if loud, should be brief.
Nice video Meade. Outstanding editing work Ann.
You two are THE new media action response team!
Steve Koch wrote:
Why didn't Randy Hopper (the senator who is having an affair with one of his employees) resign before the election? Why didn't the GOP force him out? That seat was just thrown away.
You know something we don't?
Roger J.,
The GOP did not win, it lost two seats. That is a loss. In the next election, the Dems will have the advantage of being the incumbents in those two seats. Individual seats do matter, especially when there are only 33 senators total.
This recall thing worked for the Dems. Wisconsin voters did not punish the Dems for illegally shutting down the senate, for pouring out of state money into a Wisconsin election, for wasting Wisconsin money on public unions, and for having the audacity to hold recall elections after all that.
Instead, Wisconsin voters rewarded the Dems by replacing two GOP senators with two Dem senators.
The GOP did not win last night, it survived.
Sic transit gloria mundi.....
Hero today, goon tomorrow.
The unions will be destroyed.
Seems to me there is another as yet unrealized benefit to this recall fiasco--Seated democrats will assess its results and may just determine that they are out of step with public sentiment--they just may become a bit more centrist after reading the tea leaves. Political survival is rule one for all incumbents irrespective of party affiliation.
"The GOP did not win last night, it survived."
Spin much? Surviving in this case IS a win. Add in the possible loss of two Dem seats next week and it could be an even bigger win. This was the last blast of the Unions and in the Dems until next year when things will be no better for them and probably worse.
But keep on spinning.
Steve Koch--I do take your point, but respectfully disagree--lets see what the elections next tuesday come up with. At the end of the day the republicans will have redistricted wisconsin to, presumably, GOP benefit.
THANK YOU WISCONSIN.
This recall election showed the Dems that they have an advantage during recall elections. The dems are better organized and more willing to pump money into elections and were able to pick up a couple of seats.
Last night validated for the Dems the tactic of using recall elections for electoral success.
Re: Randy Hopper, what I know is that he was dead meat as soon as his wife revealed that he was having an affair with one of his employees. He should have resigned so that the GOP had a much better chance of retaining that seat in the senate (a seat which traditionally goes to the GOP).
Last night validated for the Dems the tactic of using recall elections for electoral success.
No, we don't know that, and cannot possibly know until after next week's elections.
What if the result is a complete wash?
Also, the Republicans still control the Senate. This is, indeed, a victory no matter how you cut it.
Steve Koch said...
Roger J.,
The GOP did not win, it lost two seats. That is a loss. In the next election, the Dems will have the advantage of being the incumbents in those two seats. Individual seats do matter, especially when there are only 33 senators total.
This recall thing worked for the Dems. Wisconsin voters did not punish the Dems for illegally shutting down the senate, for pouring out of state money into a Wisconsin election, for wasting Wisconsin money on public unions, and for having the audacity to hold recall elections after all that.
Instead, Wisconsin voters rewarded the Dems by replacing two GOP senators with two Dem senators.
The GOP did not win last night, it survived."
If you think winning two out of six is a victory, you are an idiot. Or an Astros fan.
By the way, since it's likely the former, let me add that the GOP lost a seat that is Dem leaning (Kapanke)and another in a very close race that they won by only a hundred or so in November. Both candidates had outside issues that the Dems used...Kapanke had some ethics violations, and Hopper had the messy divorce, young lover, etc. Hopper's district also has more public union members than any other outside the one that includes Madison/Dane.
You also say "Wisconsin voters rewarded"...this was not a statewide election. That said, WI voters rewarded the courgae of four Republicans by keeping them in office.
Hmmm... I thought a lobbyist is the employer of the politician not the politician's employee. At least that's how it is in Democratic circles.
The dems are better organized and more willing to pump money into elections and were able to pick up a couple of seats.
For $30 million?
Even a union goon knows that $15 million per seat in a state legislature is too much to pay.
I wish I could have been there. I would have worked my way up front, and screamed over and over and over "Ed lies. Ed lies. Ed lies".
Wonder how tolerant the crowd would have been....
So all of the time, money, energy and dignity that were burned up over the last half-year yielded the shrieking savages exactly nothing? Fantastic news. And now they can never say "but Wisconsinites didn't know what they were voting for" again. The citizens listened to every single calumny and hysterical outburst from the Dems and still kicked their asses out the door. Well done, WI GOP, you slew a particularly slimy dragon this time around.
Strong-arm tactics only carry you so far. Sensibility and results prevail.
Enough people were literally badgered into voting for King against Hopper with appeal to emotions and outright lies. I witnessed it all in this district. A very poor candidate won and and a guy who had trouble keeping his pants on lost. Result: the citizens lost.
"The GOP did not win, it lost two seats."
Reminds me of that comedy bit where the knight keeps losing arms and legs during a fight, but thinks he is winning.
@Steve Koch: My outsider take is that Wisconsin, a blue-purplish state, decided to stay the course with tough fiscal reforms rather than punish the people who are shaking things up. Going into this, I was wondering if the electorate was madder at Dems for fiscal profligacy or the GOP for making things unpleasant. I'm encouraged with the outcome.
Love reading the Althouse comments from last night. Jason was the man on the street with spot-on analysis and Seven Machos was en fuego. Morning milk cartons being printed with AlphaLib and Garage's pictures on them?
Where is Mr. "Total Recall"? I'm picturing alcohol-fueled tears and lots of mascara running.
At least the unions and their supporters pumped enough money into the wisconsin economy to buy quite a few brats and cheddar
After this, I'll bet the Democrats (to quote President Obama) are going to focus like a laser on job production!
Like a fucking laser!
Politics: life or death if you're part of the moocher class.
"The GOP did not win, it lost two seats."
Both parties lost. The Dems lost more because the recall movement was a petty, childish gesture that's going to hurt them in the long run with non-partisans. They also have two seats at risk next week.
The idea that recalls are a new tool for Dems is ridiculous. This is the end of the recalls. Walker doesn't have to worry about next year.
At the end of the day (well, next week) the GOP will control the Wisconsin Senate. by what margin is not relevant--Dems: bend over and grab your ankles
It was a very sweet thing to see the cigar blow up in Ed Shultz's face. ESAD, Ed!
$30 million to pick up a seat one year earlier than they would in the regular election and to rent the other seat for a year...since the GOP will win that one back next year with a clean candidate in a redistricted seat.
Extrapolate that type of spending/results to the federal government and no wonder we are broke.
All these seats are up in Nov 2012. These six were the ones most obtainable by the Dems. The other GOP senate seats that will be up are safe or they would have chased them too. They just showed themselves that 4 of those seats are off limits and it took $30 million (that they won't have next time) to win two of them. Realistic Dem strategists can't be happy.
"Tosa: the issue is the dems are too fucking stupid too understand math"
Yep, that's my point.
Tis merely a flesh wound.
Steve Koch said...
I don't get all the jubilation on the right, the dems picked up two seats. Dem senators were undemocratic (eg: Dem senators illegally shutting down the senate by leaving the state) and Walker saved Wisconsin a ton of money, yet the Dems still pick up 2 seats.
Why didn't Randy Hopper (the senator who is having an affair with one of his employees) resign before the election? Why didn't the GOP force him out? That seat was just thrown away.
I stayed up too late last night watching returns and thinking about this question: who "won"?
My conclusion is Walker and here's why.
When Walker proposed his agenda to the Republican legislators, no doubt someone said, "but the unions will come after us like crazy!" And my guess is, he responded something like, "they already hate us and will come after us anyway; let's do something useful and maybe change the game long-term." He got the legislature to do it, and here came the unions with their backlash.
What did the unions get last night, that they wouldn't have gotten at the next election, had Walker never proposed his "extreme" legislation?
I'm thinking: nothing. Hopper and Kapanke were vulnerable no matter what. Does anyone think the unions wouldn't have targeted them anyway?
Walker can now go back to his GOP legislature and say, they did their worst; we survived. (And we still don't know the outcome of next week's recall.)
As far as the advantage of being an incumbent, that depends. Incumbents also have records to run against and have to defend the status quo. Being an incumbent didn't save the two GOPers who lost last night.
Why should out of state contributions be legal in a Wisconsin election?
Free speech.
The Wisconsin unions were found wanting...
The GOP did not win last night, it survived.
Isn't that all it had to do?
The Obami and the public-employee unions and the rest of the Democratic establishment can't keep throwing everything they have at the Republicans over legislative seats in Wisconsin.
The GOP did not win last night, it survived.
Isn't that all it had to do?
If Gehngis Khan showed up at your city with the Horde and laid siege, only to find your ramparts unbreachable and your resolve unbreakable, he would leave. Thus, in simply surviving, your city would have won.
The Red Army did not win at Stalingrad, it survived.
"Last night validated for the Dems the tactic of using recall elections for electoral success."
Success in this case being they still do not control the Senate.
So the unions spent $30 million in WI, that works out to $182.67 / democrat vote. Hmm maybe you can't buy an election after all.
Last night's election was one battle in a never ending war. The Dems gained two senate seats and have figured out an effective way (the recall election) to attack vulnerable Republican politicians. In one recall night, the Dems went from being 5 seats down in the senate to needing to flip only one seat to control the senate.
WRT to the siege analogy, a better analogy is that in one battle, the attackers killed off 1/3 of your fighters in one night. You survived the night's battle but are clearly significantly weakened for future battles.
I don't think foreigners should be able to contribute to USA elections. Contributers from out of state should not be able to contribute to a state (that is not their own state) level election.
The Dems don't mind spending their money and effort to gain political advantage. They regard it as an investment. They use control of government to funnel money back to their supporters that then gets contributed back to the Dem party. Wisconsin is a swing state so the Dems were willing to pony up the money to fight the good fight. On a national level, $30 million is a drop in the bucket for the Dems. In a war of financial attrition, the Dems have the advantage over the GOP.
There is a never ending need to improve the GOP political process. The first step to improving any process is to understand and deal with reality.
Steve Koch:
What did Walker lose last night that he wouldn't have lost in 2012, had (a) he never proposed his controversial union-bargaining bill and (b) there had been no recalls in response?
Are you saying that Hopper and Kapanke would have won their next election, but for Walker's bill inflaming the unions?
On the other hand, if all that happened was Hopper and Kapanke's losses happened a year or so earlier, why is that such a big deal? Now their successors have to cast votes that they will answer for, at the next election. Hopper's district, as I understand it, is very get-able for the GOP, and presumably, the newly elected Senator knows this.
"What did Walker lose last night that he wouldn't have lost in 2012, had (a) he never proposed his controversial union-bargaining bill and (b) there had been no recalls in response?
Are you saying that Hopper and Kapanke would have won their next election, but for Walker's bill inflaming the unions?
On the other hand, if all that happened was Hopper and Kapanke's losses happened a year or so earlier, why is that such a big deal? Now their successors have to cast votes that they will answer for, at the next election. Hopper's district, as I understand it, is very get-able for the GOP, and presumably, the newly elected Senator knows this."
I said nothing about Walker and think that public unions should be eliminated because they inevitably corrupt government and disenfranchise conservatives.
My point is that losing two senate seats with GOP incumbents is a significant loss and should be recognized as such. The Dems outworked and outspent the GOP and clearly outplayed the GOP in this recall political game. We need to acknowledge reality and figure out how to do better next time.
The Dems outworked and outspent the GOP and clearly outplayed the GOP in this recall political game.
Given the fleebagging, the protests, the legislation actually passed, the law suit beaten down, and now the results on the ground, both with the results of the legislation and by holding on to the senate, I simply don't know how you could come to this conclusion.
The Dems outworked and outspent the GOP and clearly outplayed the GOP in this recall political game.
The Democrats put more effort into the recalls, no question about that.
There was no Republican push to make every eligible fleebagger face a recall.
On the other hand, from comments on this blog I get the impression that many Wisconsin Republicans didn't want to go on the offensive with recalls.
Am I wrong about that?
Triangle Man,
Is "Straw" your middle name? Because "riot" and "peaceful protest" are not synonyms.
"Given the fleebagging, the protests, the legislation actually passed, the law suit beaten down, and now the results on the ground, both with the results of the legislation and by holding on to the senate, I simply don't know how you could come to this conclusion."
I am focusing on the results of last night's recall election. The fleebagging and the protests and the saved state money should have helped the GOP win the next election. Instead, two GOP incumbents were defeated. The GOP was not able to effectively leverage the fleebagging and protests. The GOP did not hold serve.
It is like you are congratulating your relief pitcher in a bases loaded situation for holding the opposing batter to a single rather than an extra bases hit.
The GOP was particularly ineffective WRT the Randy Hopper election.
I keep wondering what the PEOPLE of Wisconsin, those who LIVE in Wisconsin, THINK about all this meddling and inundation by out of state activists - descending on your state, your neighborhoods, and trying to influence you, tell you what to do, how to vote - does it not offend you?
It would me. Enough to make me vote a straight ticket.
It is like you are congratulating your relief pitcher in a bases loaded situation for holding the opposing batter to a single rather than an extra bases hit.
More like a relief pitcher who's team is up by three that strikes out a clean up batter with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning. The "W" still goes to the relief pitcher.
Time to restate the obvious, I guess. The significance of these wins for the Republicans is that these 6 districts were not chosen at random. They were the districts where the Democrats thought they had the best shot at winning. So saying shit like, "This shows the remaining Republicans that they face a one-in-three chance of losing," is just stupidity on stilts.
A better comparison would be to Little Round Top at Gettysburg. The South attacked where the defense seemed weakest. The fact that the 20th Maine Volunteers "merely" held their ground doesn't change the fact that it was a pivotal loss for the other side.
In a zero-sum game, my opponent's loss = my victory. And this was a Democratic loss.
Just ask garage mahal.
@Steve Koch: It's the war that's important, not individual battles. The Dems threw everything they had at Walker, and they were still unable to take back the government.
It's siege warfare, and so far the city is winning.
Walker has another year to cement his legislative agenda. In 2012, the People will once again have the power to decide whether they wish to return the GOP to power.
Someone needs to file an APB for Garage, BTW.
" Scott M said...
More like a relief pitcher who's team is up by three that strikes out a clean up batter with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning. The "W" still goes to the relief pitcher."
Not necessarily true. The W would only go to the relief pitcher if he was in the game when his team went ahead. Otherwise he would get a Save.
Otherwise he would get a Save.
Nerd.
That's a shame. Wisconsin can now ignore the dysfunction introduced by zealous activists and wayward senators (once their juvenile behavior on taxpayers' time was exposed, the honorable individual would have resigned).
Steve Koch:
My point is, the fact that there was a recall election at all was squarely about the governor and his bargaining bill; it was about teaching the GOP a lesson: don't dare try this again.
That is why the unions did it.
So the question is, did it work?
Did they get scalps last night, that they would not have otherwise gotten anyway? Did the GOP have reason to say, "we'd have been better off had we not crossed the unions"?
My answer is, no; on the premise that Hopper and Kapanke vulnerable either way. They were as likely to lose at their next, regularly scheduled election, as they were last night. And that means their loss--as opposed to one of the others--was no deterrent.
You don't have to answer, of course, but do you think that Hopper and Kapanke would have been more secure for re-election, had the union bill never been proposed, and there had never been a recall?
Because if you agree they were just as vulnerable either way--then it doesn't make any difference, other than they lost a little earlier; so what?
On the other hand, if you think they would have been less vulnerable absent the union bill and the recall, then I'd like to hear why you think that. Because the results last night suggest to me otherwise, but I could be wrong.
I'll put it even more simply: please describe the scenario under which Hopper and Kapanke would not have been subject to--and very vulnerable to--intense efforts by unions to defeat them at their next election?
Hopper and Kapanke [were] vulnerable either way. They were as likely to lose at their next, regularly scheduled election, as they were last night. And that means their loss--as opposed to one of the others--was no deterrent.
Bingo!
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