A Wisconsin bloggers' take on the Walker Victory

The Milwaukee Urinal Sentinel, finally realizing it might sell more papers if they weren't such assholes, is allowing some conservative bloggers to provide their opinions. What a concept!!! Now that the election is over, and Walker has won with nearly 54% of the vote, these "intelligent members of the chattering class must have had a meeting and someone said, "what if we allowed some conservative viewpoints in the paper?"  And after the coffees were sprayed and spit in disbelief, someone gave it the green light.

Of course they still have to call it the "Purple" Wisconsin project. Funny, we all know if this ass kicking had come from the left, it would be a "solidly Red" state.  Oh well, small steps with these bubble-living, latte' drinking liberals.

Just think, if someone made the decision to lean right, they might even survive.

Nah.....

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Aaron Rodriguez's blog is part of our Purple Wisconsin project. Rodriguez espouses limited government and a competitive free-market economy.


What to take away from Tuesday's election

By Aaron Rodriguez June 7, 2012


News is abuzz as the nation intently watched Governor Scott Walker defend his seat from a historic gubernatorial recall election - the third in U.S. history. For months, Democratic activists told us the public was fed up with Walker’s divisive policies and unprecedented attacks on worker rights - that a groundswell of public discontent would send Walker to the back of the unemployment line.



John Nichols, a progressive activist and correspondent for The Nation, claimed that 1 million petition signatures sent a monumental message to the governor and his minions that the “Wisconsin democracy movement is real.” Nichols concluded, “Scott Walker should be afraid, very afraid, of the opposition he has unleashed in a state where the people are prepared to defend their rights, and their future.”



To an extent, Nichols was right. The people were prepared. They were force-fed a steady dose of solidarity propaganda for 18 months and saw supporters of the blue-fist perfect their time-tested intimidation tactics. They stalked the governor and his family, camped outside his Wauwatosa home, and intimidated his children on Facebook. They interrupted a Special Olympics ceremony he was invited to attend; and they protested an elementary charter school - which they vandalized the night before - because Walker was scheduled to read to the children.



Legislators were targets as well. A Capitol protester dumped beer over Representative Robin Vos’ head, more than a dozen Republican Legislators had reported receiving death threats, and a coalition of labor unions announced their bully boycotts of Wisconsin businesses simply for not opposing Governor Walker’s agenda.



To borrow Nichols’ words, Tuesday’s election sent a momentous message to the governor and his minions. The myth that politicians get axed for intrepid policy decisions that unhinge powerful special interest groups is becoming wobbly. Governor Walker’s margin of victory wasn’t a landslide, but it wasn’t by a razor’s edge either. It was a clear mandate for Walker, at the very least, to continue what he’s been doing.



County Supervisor Joe Sanfelippo, a candidate running for the 15th Assembly District, agreed stating, “Taxpayers of Wisconsin have shown themselves to be the minutemen of our day, fighting back against a national attack from special interests trying to wrest control of our great state for their own exploitation.” Governor Tommy Thompson shares similar sentiments. On Tuesday, Thompson told me that Walker’s win is a “repudiation of Democrats overplaying their hand.” Thompson expressed concerns that special interest groups were trying to tamper with Wisconsin elections.



Brian Sikma, of Media Trackers, explained it this way. The passage of Act 10, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race, last summer’s recalls, and Walker’s victory dinged big labor four times in Wisconsin in 18 months. “This calls into question their role in the modern Democratic Party,” Sikma said. “Are they going to be in the driver’s seat, or will they be relegated to foot-soldiers not having the power to force recall elections,” Sikma rhetorically asked.



He raises an interesting point. Big labor was the impetus behind Wisconsin’s historic recall election. They orchestrated massive protests, circulated recall petitions, collected 1 million signatures, and oversaw an impressive get-out-the-vote ground game across the state. The Democratic National Committee was obligated to provide labor with some help, but they were reticent to ante-up when polls showed Barrett was trailing.



Wisconsin is the tipping point. Governor Walker provided a blueprint for states looking to curb appetitive spending by limiting the power of accrued by unions. For big labor, the concern is a possible domino effect leading to more governors considering the new path forged by Walker.



On Tuesday, we learned that Wisconsinites respect leaders that are willing to make the tough choices. In 2003, concerning a gubernatorial recall in California, it was President Bill Clinton that said ousting leaders for making tough decisions would start a “circus in America” and make California a “laughingstock.” Clinton may have changed his mind since ’03, but Wisconsin’s electorate remains vigilantly opposed to the practice of deposing governors for making tough policy decisions.