Wisconsin GOP's stand could reverberate elsewhere

[Guest guest]

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Wisconsin GOP's stand could reverberate elsewhere

Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 2:02 pm

MADISON, Wis. -- A stand by Wisconsin Republicans against a massive effort to

oust them from power could reverberate across the country as the battle over

union rights and the conservative revolution heads toward the 2012 presidential

race.

Democrats succeeded in taking two Wisconsin state Senate seats away from

Republican incumbents on Tuesday but fell one short of what they needed to seize

majority control of the chamber.

Republicans saw it as a big win for Gov. and a confirmation of his

conservative agenda, the hallmark of which was a polarizing proposal taking away

most collective bargaining rights from public workers.

" Republicans are going to continue doing what we promised the people of

Wisconsin - improve the economy and get Wisconsin moving back in the right

direction, " Republican Senate Majority Leader Fitzgerald said in a

prepared statement after the victory.

attempted to strike a bipartisan tone in victory, saying that he reached

out to leaders in both parties.

" In the days ahead I look forward to working with legislators of all parties to

grow jobs for Wisconsin and move our state forward, " said in a prepared

statement.

Democrats and union leaders tried to make the best of the historic GOP wins.

There had been only 13 other successful recalls of state-level office holders

nationwide since 1913.

" The fact of the matter remains that, fighting on Republican turf, we have begun

the work of stopping the agenda, " said Democratic Party Chairman

Mike Tate.

Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, said voters sent a

message that there is a growing movement to reclaim the middle class.

" Let's be clear, anyway you slice it, this is an unprecedented victory, " he

said.

Still, it was far less than what Democrats set out to achieve. And while they

still plan to move ahead with recalling , maintaining momentum for that

effort, which can't start until November, will be difficult.

Sen. Luther Olsen, one of the four Republicans who won, said he hoped the

victories would " take the wind out of the recall for , but I'm not sure. "

Two Democratic senators face recall elections next week, but even if they

prevail, Republicans would still hold a narrow 17-16 majority.

Four Republican senators held on to their seats Tuesday. They were Olsen and

Sens. Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls, Rob Cowles of Allouez, and Alberta Darling

of River Hills. Two Republicans - Randy Hopper of Fond du Lac and Dan Kapanke of

La Crosse - were defeated. Former deputy mayor of Oshkosh King beat

Hopper and Democratic state Rep. Shilling beat Kapanke.

A ninth senator, Democrat Dave Hansen of Green Bay, won his recall election last

month.

Collectively, more than $31 million has been spent on the recalls, largely from

outside conservative groups, unions and others.

Republican and Democratic strategists were leery of reading too much into the

results heading into next year's campaign in which Wisconsin is expected to be a

key swing state.

Democratic strategist Lehane said the results could provide " some early

radar warnings " about the 2012 races, and that he expects the conservatives " to

fight back like an angry badger. "

Lehane said Wisconsin's tumultuous year since November's elections has been a

microcosm of the current " rollercoaster " era of U.S. politics.

Wisconsin voters had mixed emotions about the necessity of the recalls.

Wayne Boland, 41, a Whitefish Bay man who works in marketing for a medical

equipment maker, said he voted for the Republican Darling " not because I

entirely agree with everything the Republican Party has done or the governor "

but because they're working toward addressing the state's problems.

Republicans won control of both houses of the Legislature and the governor's

office in the 2010 election just nine months ago.

Democrats had hoped enough wins in the recalls would have allowed them to block

the Republican agenda, but the GOP will hold on to their majorities that have

allowed them to rapidly pass bills through the Legislature.

The elections were also closely watched in other states undergoing similar

partisan battles.

A coalition of unions and labor-friendly groups fighting a Wisconsin-style

collective bargaining overhaul in Ohio said the outcome of the recall elections

will have little bearing on whether Ohio's law is repealed this fall.

The effort in Wisconsin was about recalling specific Republicans who voted for

the anti-union bill while the push in Ohio is about repealing the law itself.

That makes it difficult to compare the two states, said We Are Ohio spokeswoman

Fazekas.

Supporters of the Ohio law also are distancing their state from the fight in

Wisconsin.

" We're not focused on Wisconsin, and Ohioans aren't looking to another state to

tell them where they should stand, " said Mauk, spokesman for Building a

Better Ohio, a group defending the collective bargaining law.

Ohioans will vote Nov. 8 on whether to accept or reject the union-limiting law

signed by Republican Gov. Kasich in March that limits bargaining rights for

more than 350,000 police, firefighters, teachers and other government employees.

Unlike Wisconsin, Ohio's Constitution makes no provision for recalling elected

officials.

[Guest guest]

That's questionable. This was just barely a win in Wisconsin. Unions are on the attack supported by money from leftist groups. The main attacks will be to take over the Secretary of State positions since those are the ones who oversee the elections in the various states. If they can control those jobs, then there will be less investigation into voter fraud or voter intimidation.

Of course, it might do well to let the unions and all that get in power. They will proceed to run the states and country into the ground harder and faster than it otherwise would. Maybe then enough people will wake up to force in new candidates and reform. Then again, maybe it will just all go to hell.

In a message dated 8/10/2011 4:18:21 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Wisconsin GOP's stand could reverberate elsewhere