Money and Wisconsin

 As I reflect on the Wisconsin election last night... I can't help but think of the wise words of my Great Grandma Walker: "Money can't talk but it sure can whistle."
I also fall back on when I was a kid and I screwed up - My father always said the same two things. First, he'd look to my little sister and say, "This is your free at home learning experience, when you get older, you don't have to do the same dumb thing." Then, he tell me to square my shoulders, remind me that it was over, and point me forward saying, "It doesn't matter what you already did, it matters what you do next."
I think that this is sound advice to America tonight, as we disdainfully watch Scott Walker buy his governorship with dirty GOP money. Now is the time to look at other states and other elections; and say, "Hey guys, look at Wisconsin. This is our free at home learning experience. We don't have to make the same dumb mistake in our states this fall." Now is the time for Wisconsin and the entire nation to remember that we can't fix what is already done, what matters is what we do next.
As my article says, don't be bought twice, "When November’s elections roll around, let the rally cry be, “Remember Wisconsin. Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me.”
Walker is the biggest mistake we can afford to make. Repeating it with Romney would be disgraceful.

Walker Wins Wisconsin

After a contentious race that followed a heated recall, Scott Walker has been projected to win the governorship of Wisconsin for a second time, defeating Tom Barret and smothering the final gasps of a Big Labor comeback.  In the weeks and months building up to this race pundits, citizens,politicians alike have waited with eager anticipation for this election, with both sides hoping that a win will set the tone for the 2012 presidential race this fall.
I know that I am not alone in my frustration at Tom Barret's loss.  This signifies something other than the defeat of the ideals of the Democrats, and it makes little or no commentary on the platform Tom Barret stood for, or the man himself.  Rather, this election's message clearly shows that Wisconsin can be bought.  For an estimated  cost of $23 per vote after spending more than 26 million dollars on his campaign, Scott Walker bought his governorship.
While Scott Walker flooded voters with calls from Chuck Norris, money from 14 of the country's richest people, and misleading jobs propaganda, Tom Barret fought honestly and lost.  If this particular race should show us anything about the upcoming presidential race, it seems clear, we must make sure that every one of us votes.  I say this because, even amongst this crushing defeat, there is a nugget of hope; in the exit polls for the same Wisconsin voters that just re-elected Scott Walker, Obama leads Romney by many percentage points.  This means that all we have to do to win the big race, is get those voters to the booths this fall. 
We may have lost this battle, but we can still win the war if we remember this lesson that we learned about Republican money in Wisconsin tonight.  We must not be outspent again.  We must not let the false facts that riches can buy fool us again.  When November's elections roll around, let the rally cry be, "Remember Wisconsin. Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me."
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It's Time For DNC To Back Tom Barret

 

There has been an uproar in the Democratic community as we face what has been dubbed “the most important non presidential election of the decade" between republican incumbent  Scott Walker, who is on the ballot after a recall earlier this year, and his challenger - Democrat, Tom Barret. Interest in this race has been hyped as the pundits on both sides have suggested that the results of this race are likely to set the tone for the upcoming elections this fall. It is a classic standoff. We have a crooked governor, Scott Walker, whom Mitt Romney refers to as a hero, who is well funded by the GOP and it’s SuperPacs on one hand and Tom Barret, and underfunded Democrat who stepped up to run against Walker with little money but with the support of farmers, teachers and steelworkers who have unified against Walker.

Walker has raised more than $25 million since January 2011 to defend his seat,and has spent more than $20 million, according to data compiled by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. In contrast, Barrett — a late entry into the contest who won the primary just last week — had raised only $832,000 by the end of the April reporting period and spent $809,000. Still, even when being outspent by vast amounts of more than 20 to 1, Tom Barret isn’t far behind. A Marquette Law School Poll shows that with three weeks to go until the recall election Governor Scott Walker has taken a six-percentage point lead over Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, 50-44 percent, among likely voters. This means that this is a race that Tom Barret can win. 

It seems that the DNC ought to step up and start funding Barret’s team. In fact it has been reported that Wisconsin’s Democratic Party has asked the DNC for $500,000 to help with its massive field operation. With less than a month until the June 5th recall election it seems like the DNC would be quicker to cough up the money and help swing the pendulum of the 2012 elections to the left, where they should be. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money, to attain a win here. If the DNC recognizes that the polls suggest that very few Wisconsin voters are persuadable at this point — after huge pro-Walker ad expenditures, the numbers have barely budged — then they’ll see that the race will likely be decided by turnout. 

This petition to increase funding for Tom Barret from DNC is hoping to get 125,000 signatures to present to Debbie Wasserman Schultz. It says, “The people have worked hard and it's time to help.” This seems like a no brainer, the DNC should be backing Tom Barret with more than 1/20^th the monetary support that his opponent carries. It is good for Wisconsin for Tom Barret to win.  It is good for the Democratic Party for him to win. I see no reason that the DNC ought not step up and throw some money at this problem, especially when doing so means that a win is likely and beneficial to the whole party.

If you doubt if it is worth your time to click on the link to that petition and sign it, consider the contrast in the two statements below. 

First we have a Wisconsin Democratic operative who says that, “there’s not enough overall national money, national support from both individual donors and D.C. coming through the door and we’ve got three weeks — we need that money now.”

Second we have RNC Chairman Reince Priebus who says,   “We’re all in here, we will be involved foras much as we need to be involved. We haven’t put a limit on the number.”

If this is truly one of the most important elections of the decade, then it is surely for reasons that go beyond the juxtaposition of the ideologies of our two parties in the form of big money vs unions and workers. It is also important because it will show us just how much we allow ourselves to be led around by the nose by the person with the most money.
Let’s fix this.  Make some noise with the DNC by signing the petition.  After all the effort and work that had to happen to get this recall,  now the Democratic Party needs to get in the game, back their player and root for a win.