Wisconsin GOP Loses 2 Seats, Keeps Majority

Damn: Recall elections remove 2 GOP seats

Wisconsin had a really good chance to prove to the rest of the country that they would not tolerate a political party whose sole guiding interest seems to be robbing people of their livelihoods and basic human rights and necessities. From the right to collectively bargain, to healthcare, to the right to control your own reproductive organs, the GOP has launched a campaign to limit your freedom, all while at the same time supposedly protecting those same freedoms in the interest of "small government." If Republicans are so interested in having government get out of their lives, why is the Wisconsin legislature described as "been approving Republican-backed bills in rapid succession would likely have ground to a halt if Democrats had won back the Senate"?

Because they really couldn't give a damn about your freedom. What they care about is money and power, and they will use any kind of rhetoric to get it.

And before you go thinking I'm a liberal Repub-basher, I'm not happy with the Dems on this one either. A comment from a citizen who voted GOP is particularly damning:

"This was all supposed to be about the workers' rights, so to speak. But that has not been brought up one time. It's all been misleading, the attack ads, things like that," [John] Gill said. "The one reason they started this recall, they didn't bring up once."

The implication here is that the Dems squandered the chance with a bad campaign. Shame on you, Wisconsin Democratic leaders, for blowing your chance to prove that you can be the better party. Gill doesn't say it outright, but a reader is definitely left with the feeling that if the Dems had been focused on collective bargaining rights and used other rhetoric as supporting arguments, at least this citizen may have voted Democrat instead.

I'm disappointed in Republicans, for taking away rights. I'm disappointed in Democrats, for not recognizing the proper campaign strategy and trying to demolish the Republican party instead of isolating this one issue and killing the Republicans on it. Wisconsin could never be referendum on the national GOP party, but the Dems could have gone a long way into removing this cancer on civil liberties.

And finally, I'm disappointed in the United States of America, for allowing this to happen. Wake up. It's time to not just see that the politicians aren't representing you, but it's time to do something about it. I'm going to place a book list up here soon that I want everyone to read. When you arm yourself with knowledge, you are more likely to see through the political BS that's being slung back and forth on the media. And turn off the TV. The information you hear there is nothing more than heavily processed sound bites meant to keep you well enough informed that you're confused about the whole thing and can't think properly, but not so processed you feel insulted. Let's wake up together and take back our country and take back our rights, from both the Republican party and the Democrats.

Wisconsin GOP Up For Recall: Wait Until 2012 Election

Wisconsin Republicans are beginning to reap what they've sown: Wisconsin GOPer: If you don't like what we did, wait for 2012 instead of recalling me

More evidence of the Republicans' fear of the consequences of Governor Walker's crusade against unions, and then subsequent (and illegal?) tactics on behalf of various parties to make the voting process biased against the liberal voters who could possible recall the representatives.

(Source: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/contact/
legislatorpages.aspx?house=Senate&district=8)

Now, State senator Alberta Darling is calling for people to respect the election process and wait until 2012 to vote her out. Sorry, Senator Darling, but the recall process is part of the election process which you signed up for when you ran for office; the fact that you decided to put party politics above having the ovaries to do the right thing does not absolve you of the consequences. You should not be saved the accountability of your actions simply because you were following party line.

The Republicans have consistently put business above voters, personal wealth above social welfare, and the interests of their own power-hungry corporate backers above those of the men and women working the bottom rungs of those same corporations. Enjoy your medicine. I hope you come back a stronger party that is better able to lead this country to a more prosperous time.

Until then, quit whining when people have the gumption to stand up for themselves. They are doing the very thing that defines U.S. patriotism - protecting the poor from the tyranny of the wealthy.

Americans For Prosperity Wisconsin Mail Out False Fliers

Check this out: Incorrect fliers sent out with wrong voting date, location, and government office

Wow. A tad scared, are we?

The Americans For Prosperity group was a major supporter of Republican candidates in the 2010 election cycle. They are linked to the Koch brothers, who have been in the news before in association with Governor Walker's efforts to bust unions and interfere with the election process.

This is just the latest in a series of efforts to disenfranchize predominately Democrat voters. Previous efforts include the most restrictive voter ID laws in the country, which disproportionately affects African-American, elderly, and young voters, many of whom are Democrat (see here); and laws regarding lengthening residency requirements and restrictions in absentee voting (see here).

AFP received $1 million out of $1,181,000 from 2004 to 2006 from Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, one of the Koch Family Foundations, though they claim less than 10% of AFP's funding came from them in 2009 (AFP Wikipedia page).

With one Democrat having already successfully dodged recall, it will be interesting to see whether or not the conservative efforts to curtail Democrat voting will result in those
Republicans maintaining their seats. I somehow doubt it. I would like to see Wisconsin voters come out in force, sending a clear message to those politicians who are more interested in centralizing power into their hands and the hands of their allies than making the true changes this country desperately needs.

From the West Coast, this Southern Californian sends her support to Wisconsin Democrats. Show your pride in the democratic process and side-step the attempts of those who would deter you.