"And Dems still managed to flip two districts from “red” to “blue.”"

Posted with permission.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_08/dems_come_up_just_short_in_wis031428.php


August 10, 2011 8:00 AM
Dems come up just short in Wisconsin

By Steve Benen

In the closely-watched Wisconsin state Senate recall elections, Democrats and their labor allies needed to pick up three GOP seats yesterday to win control of the chamber. As the dust settled last night, Dems came up one seat short.



Republicans — in Wisconsin and DC — are understandably delighted, and no doubt feel quite relieved. For the left in general, this has to feel like a tough setback.

But I still consider the events of the last several months in Wisconsin rather remarkable. Just a half-year after Republicans scored major wins in a key swing state, up and down the ballot, labor and its Democratic allies managed to organize historic protests in Madison, rally the grassroots to collect thousands of petition signatures, force an unheard of six GOP incumbents into recall elections, and win a third of the races despite a considerable influx of outside conservative money.

Also note the specifics of the electoral battleground: these six Wisconsin districts elected Republican state senators in 2008 — a great year for Democrats. In other words, yesterday’s recall elections were held in districts that can safely be described as GOP strongholds, making the left’s efforts that much more difficult.

And Dems still managed to flip two districts from “red” to “blue.”

The trees are clearly disappointing for much progressives, but the forest still looks pretty impressive to me.

Markos Moulitsas explained overnight that he expected to feel dejected after the defeats, but sees plenty of reasons for optimism: “Beyond Wisconsin, if we can enjoy a similar ‘loss rate’ in Republican-held districts (picking up 33 percent of them), Speaker Nancy Pelosi will have a huge majority in 2013. We had a message that resonated with large numbers of working people in overwhelmingly white working-class districts that shifted hard against Democrats in 2010. GOP overreach is winning them back for us. Just think, before today, only 13 state legislators had been recalled in the entire history of this nation. So yeah, I feel strangely energized and elated.”

You had the courage to fight....

Everyone in the state wants to see the hag clerk from Waukesha county gone. If the DPW could do it, they would. But they had observers on the ground all over that county even through the count afterwards which took place in each municipality. They know whether or not they have the goods on her. Apparently they decided they don't.

At least you had a way to fight back. In Florida it feels like they tie your hands behind your back to use your hands as a beer cozy as they sodomize you.

At least we have an outlet. At least we have a chance of making a change, even if it's just chipping away at completely Republican districts 2 at a time.

I feel for you and what you're going through. Maybe Scott will overplay his hand to the point that he's marks the beginning of the end.

As you know, we have strong white islands in Florida which are allowed to commit fraud and conspiracy without any worries that the legal authorities will expose or stop them. When you have the power structure contaminated with a network of people who like that quality of life, and will stop at nothing to protect it, the conclusion is that nothing will change in Florida. Everyone who comes to Florida will eventually become a victim. Nothing will change until Hollywood decides to expose this mafia-style environment.

I know you love Florida, but maybe it's time...

But what I experienced was just a sneak preview of what's happening all over the country. Might as well make a stand and fight the battle here.

My thoughts and best wishes will always be with you in Florida.

Don't know how the Democratic leaders in Florida can ever expect to pull people to their cause if they don't show some interest in taking on the problems that affect ordinary people.

What I trust is that these people did their job. They observed the election throughout the day. They captured the counts at the close of the polls, long before they ever went to whatsername.

Them, I trust.

As I said. If the DPW had an inkling at all that anything shady had gone on, they would have been standing at the door of the GAB waiting for it to open this morning, detailed complaint form in hand. What Democratic organization would pass up such a chance to be a hero?

Schilling won the strict that gave Obama 61% vote and it is as blue as you can get. King's district gave Obama 53% vote and King can only barely squeezed by a guy who cheated his wife.

Where are the turnouts? We could have won four seats if we had anything closer to 2008 turnout.

If you were from Wisconsin, this wouldn't have to be explained to you.

Kapanke's district is not fucking blue. It's red. Just like my county which elects pukes every election season for state legislature and governor, but for the first time in decades went for Obama. The fact that these seats didn't flip in 2008 (the last election season for these districts, btw) with the Obama wave is actually proof of the fact that they are solidly puke districts. Using Obama's win as an example of anything political in the state of Wisconsin is ludicrous.

I shouldn't even have to point out that just 10 short months ago Kapanke nearly unseat a veteran Dem congressman.

Kapanke had held his seat for a very long time. As had Hopper. As has Olsen. As has Darling. As has Cowles. As has Harsdorf.

These gerrymandered pukes rarely faced serious challengers - especially challengers backed by the kind of dogged support we and the nation gave them. They just finished the races of their careers. Those that didn't fall are wounded. And they know they'll have to do it all over again in 2012. This time, they won't have all the money all the puke backers in the world can throw at them to protect their gerrymandered seats.

Take your little parade-pissing hissy fit back to Minnesota.

They've proven that you can get people to look at their politics and act. But it's also true that most people just don't want to put the work in, even as little work as going to the polls.

We get the government we deserve. No more, no less.