Near Sweep for Governor, GOP in Wisconsin

Timothy Birdnow Scott Walker has defeated Big Labor and the Obama Administration to retain his governorship of Wisconsom http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/05/scott-walker-tom-barrett_n_1572452.html This election was not about Walker and his opponent Tom Barrett; Barrett was just the nominee in a contest that pitted Big Labor, particularly Mr. Obama's personal shock troops the SEIU, against the Tea Party and other forces for fiscal sanity. The labor unions pumped millions of dollars into this contest, and much of that money came from outstate. The union people rightly understood this was Waterloo; if Walker's reforms were allowed to stand, if Walker was not punished brutally, such reforms would spread. The survival of public sector unions is dependent upon the maintenance of the status quo, and many in the public are offended that government "servants" make more money, have more vacation time, and much better benefits and pensions than do they. If the gravy train was to keep rolling Walker had to be stopped. But he wasn't; despite their best efforts he has prevailed. The recall itself was marred with fraud and abuse. Petitions demanding Walker's recall were signed by Hitler and Donald Duck and a host of other fictitious voters http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2559899.shtml?cat=1, and yet a judge ruled the process had to continue despite obvious irregularities. http://nation.foxnews.com/wisconsin-recall-election/2012/06/05/eyewitness-alleges-democrat-union-vote-fraud-wisconsin Wisconsonians have reported buses with out of state licence plates moving from polling place to polling place, but in the end the fraud and intimidation tactics of the unions was inadequate. And this bespeaks of a big problem for Barack Obama, who wisely stayed out of the fray directly because he didn't want to be attached to a loser. It doesn't matter; the unions are Obama's power base, as is ACORN, and these were the people directly responsible for this attempt to circumvent the will of the People. This was a huge repudiation of the Obama policies of the welfare state and radical public spending. But this is bigger than just Mr. Walker; Ace of Spades shows just how much bigger. http://ace.mu.nu/archives/328552.php The Governor survived, the Lieutenant Governor survived, all of the Senate seats up for recall survived (except for District 21 which flipped and gives control of the Senate to the Democrats - until redistricting in November.) Given the amount of capital invested by the Unions and Progressives in Wisconsin, the bluest of blue states, this fact is astonishing. Recall elections are a terrible idea. I believed that when Gray Davis was recalled in California, and I believe that now. There are two mechanisms for recalling a sitting Governor; during a general election, or through impeachment. Impeachment is the vehicle in place to remove a bad guy. If what he has done is just not politically popular with some that is too bad - wait for the general election. Certainly Obama would have been removed from office were he to have been recalled after Obamacare. But we simply had to endure him because the People had spoken. Recall elections make it possible to fight an endless political contest, making governing impossible. And don't think for a minute that the Progressives and the Left in general won't use it over and over to try to thwart the public will. In Athens during the Greek Golden Age there was a law that anyone who brought a bill before the People for a third time would be put to death if it failed; it was then an attempt to keep voting until a desired outcome was achieved. It was an attempt to thwart the public will. If we are to have a recall mechanism it must be similarly structured so that the parties calling for recall have something similar at stake. Not execution, but something that will really hurt if they lose. Perhaps a permanent ban from political activity, say. There has to be a strong disincentive to do this. It will become impossible to govern the country if every election is subject to recall elections whenever the losing side decides. While this isn't over, it is a decisive victory. Had the unions prevailed no politician would dare to tangle with any public service union, no matter how great the need. Walker's victory will embolden those who need to rein in public service spending. The need is dire - and is now possible. The courage of Walker and his people has made that possible.